47. Europe Bicycle Trip--A History Lesson

I noticed a two big Bibles in one of the book cupboards and Dick pulled it out to show me. He has many such books and also several statues that the nuns have given to him when they passed away because they knew he would take care of them. When he was young, he went often to a monastery where the nuns lived , including 2 of my father's sisters.

This Bible had beautiful photos in it. We had quite a discussion about "hope" and " faith".

This is Dick's favorite book given to him by his sons. He has degrees in English and History and was a teacher and administrator in the past.

This is the Van der Prijt family emblem. The photo is in reverse because it was taken from inside the closet so that the light was better.

From the front

After our delicious supper of stir-fry and chicken, Dick took me to Hageveld, where our grandfathers and fathers worked in the past as carpenters and gardeners. Our fathers grew up running around this place. It was originally a big seminary where one went to learn to become a priest. There was a butcher area, a kitchen area, dining halls, priests bedrooms and study halls. It had huge grounds. Then later to preserve it and make money, part of it was made into a school. Dick went to school there from 8 years of age and the priests helped to pay his tuition because he was an excellent, interested student whose parents did not have much money . Part is still a school to this day with 1100 students and the front part has been changed to apartments.

Hageveld- An interesting fact that Dick mentioned was that during the World War 2, they painted the seminary so that it would not be seen from the air. But it was taken by the Germans and the students couldn't go for awhile. My father also talked of hiding in the lower parts of Hageveld so he would not be taken.

Along the right side.

That little house on the right was where the Van der Prijt's lived.

Our grandfather and his sons used to put coal in the tower in the foreground. The "cupola" or dome of the building also has a story. Dick used to run freely around this building and the only place he had not been to was the cupola. One day, another boy got the key to enter it and when they wee exploring between the beams , they saw etched into the metal framework , the names of my father, John (Jan)  and one of my father's brothers, Joe (Joop). They must have done that during the building of the dome.

The house that my grandmother moved to after grandfather died. Several of her married children lived here at one time or another with her. I was born here as well as several of my cousins.

The house where I was born-photo taken during our trip here in 1978. I was born in the back left room.