In the Charming Old Mill Hotel No One Can Hear You Scream

photo: Karen Sandler Just in case you missed our manifesto, our name Boots and Bowtie refers to our love of scenic walks that also have some gastronomic aspect. Sometimes we find a lovely hike but are disappointed on the food end; these days are known as “all boots and no bowtie”. Occasionally it’s the other … Read more

Splendor in the Grass

Splendor in the Grass – Koppelsteede (Please note: as of January 2021, Koppelsteede is closed to the public. Check their website if you’re planning to go.) On a previous walk this summer along the old Roman border, while about to cross the freeway on our way to get gin, we found ourselves walking past what … Read more

The monumental trees of Arnhem: A BIRCH TOO FAR

A BIRCH TOO FAR One of the pleasures of planning walks in the early Boots and Bowtie days using the old (read “paper”) topographic maps was spotting the symbol which according to the map legend indicated a “remarkable tree”. This would mean a tree that conspicuously differs from the ones around it, or is in … Read more

Cattle and horses and deer….oh dear!

  When the first warm day was forecast in April after months of virtually unbroken unseasonable cold, Boots and Bowtie decided to get out and visit a place we’d heard about for a long time – the Oostvaardersplassen reserve. This 5600-hectare reserve in the newly-built province (yep, we’re in Holland) of Flevoland was slated to … Read more

Nice Ass!

Recently we went walking near the Dutch city of Ommen with our friends Margo and Frits. As you know, we usually carry lightweight backpacks, but it was a chilly day so besides a picnic, we also had flasks of tea and extra coats. Frits was kind enough to carry all our baggage. He is immensely … Read more

Abcoude update

Update to our Abcoude walk: Sadly, we have to report that walking the short distance to Anna Haen to buy your picnic (or eat their fabulous products on the spot) is no longer an option. They seem to offer cooking classes and meeting space, but there is no farm shop open to the public. Our … Read more

Luxembourg

Luxembourg You never meet anyone who emigrated from Luxembourg. This could be because its population is so small (just over half a million) so the odds of meeting one of them outside the country are simply very slim. On the other hand, perhaps they know something we don’t, and so they never leave. It has … Read more

Vegetarian Resto Rant

Mrs. Boots wonders why it’s so damn hard to get a good vegetarian meal in a “proper” restaurant.

Olde Remeker – the cheese that sounds like bootleg whiskey

The Netherlands has an ancient and venerable cheese-making tradition but sadly, much has been lost to modernization. Tourist posters to the contrary, there are Dutch cows today who have never seen a pasture. The system forces many farmers to farm “intensively” – meaning cows are crammed into stalls and fed commercial feeds instead of grazing … Read more