to visit the queen

this, then... my short break in a half-a-nutshell:

leiden - i stopped there for a few hours en route - was graceful and full of gentle surprises: colour, vrijplaatsen, poetry reaching skyward.

my hotel was all i hoped it would be, and more. my room was elegant and luxurious and my loggia - with beautiful blue shutters -looked out over a distant sea. the comforter comforted. the evening meal was perfect, (though they had to scoop the eel out of my watercress soup - the amuses-gueules - me not being overly fond of fish) and the breakfast, each day, made waking up an unexpected delight. small hotels are THE BEST.

den haag was stately and smart, in an extended-little-finger kind of way. my afternoon tea in the palace didn't happen, alas, (they locked the gate, imagine that!) but the city abounded in fine cafés and eateries, so i did not go wanting. i visited the panorama mesdag - a fervent wish of mine - and it was lovely. i have never, by the way, seen so many black suits and ties in one single location as i did in the hague: it was almost scary.

noordwijk was a coastal town as the dutch do it: a few jewels and a lot of monstrosities. i did, however, out on an early walk along the seashore, allow myself to be coerced into a morning run with a few friends of mine:

who happened to be staying at the five-star joint just across the road.
(i have always had a weakness for ronald koeman, so knocking him off his sneakers on the boulevard was an unexpected treat. well, of COURSE we didn't jog together: i hardly managed, in my shyness, to get this one picture taken..)

it was good.
my issues did NOT get addressed.
i missed the other-muse.
but it was good.
and the sun DEFINITELY shone.