FAM JAM - Day 1

We're off to see the family today! Dad hasn't seen his step siblings for more than forty years so you can imagine his excitement and nervousness. I'm sure it will be great for them to reconnect and for me to meet my aunts and uncle for the first time!

Uncle Tony picked us up at the hotel this afternoon with his partner, Andrea. We went down to the hotel bar a little early to get a coffee and to make sure we didn't keep them waiting. I guess they had the same idea because when we walked into the bar they were sitting right there! At first we didn't recognize them because we weren't expecting them for another half hour, but then when we took a second look there was no doubt at all - Tony and Dad look very much alike! As you can imagine, it was all smiles and excitement. After forty years, all anyone could really say is "It's about time!".

As Dad and Tony were catching up, Andrea and I were enjoying listening to their stories. Andrea is a beautifully warm hearted Hungarian who has lived in the Netherlands for over twelve years now. She was very welcoming, but unfortunately her and I don't speak each others languages very well. I can barely understand Dutch, and her English speaking isn't very good yet but her listening is pretty good so we ended up speaking half English and half sign language haha - I considered it a bonding moment between the two of us.

We first made a stop at the Jackson family golf course in Leende. Grandpa started this golf course over forty years ago (if I'm not mistaken). People called him crazy for thinking he could build a golf course on that land because 1) the land is quite acid so they were skeptical that trees would grow and 2) golf wasn't a very popular sport at that time. Grandpa being the entrepreneurial Englishman he was knew that it would take off, and turns out he was right! It is now a very successful course that attracts players from all over the Netherlands and even from Belgium! We took a tour of the course and then had a couple beers at the Club House. Andrea brought me around and introduced me to a few of the regulars who were all very nice.

We then made our way to Tony and Andrea's home for tea and some delicious Hungarian cuisine made by Andrea. We met Andrea's brother and their two dogs and had a wonderful afternoon hanging out at their place. Earlier Dad had mentioned to them that I was looking to try pannekoek (Dutch pancakes). Fortunately for me, there was a restaurant in their area that specializes in over a hundred different kinds of pannekoek. The place is generally a good place to bring your three year old child for his/her birthday - but being the kid that I am I convinced them to take me there for dinner hahaha (I would, right?). Anyway we ended up having a delicious pannekoek dinner among the company of a girl's birthday party and a party ball room (you know those rooms filled with different color balls that you play in - what are those called again?).

They drove us back into Eidhoven and we got a drink at the hotel before saying bye. It was a wonderful day though and a really exciting time for all of us I think. It's great finding out that your family is actually much bigger than you had ever known.

Tomorrow we're going to see my Aunt Ann and her family. Her two boys are exactly my age so I'm really looking forward to meeting them, as well.

With love from Eindhoven,
xoxo
Alexis