My Magic Castle - Holland Wedding Reception

My day as Princess of the Castle, with my Knight in Shining Armour



Click here to see the all images from the Fairy Tale

If you know me (and of course you know me, or you would’t be reading my website), knows of my love (OK, OK, some say obsession) with all things medieval. Well, today I got to combine 2 dreams in one – a wedding reception with my magic prince in a real 15th century castle

Assumburg Castle - my magic castle for the day


Its normal to take photo’s before your bridal reception, but I got the real medieval experience taking pictures on the castle roof. I got to scramble up narrow stairs with a long dress and 3 petticoats…I think I know now why there were so many maidens in the tower, because they could not climb down the tower with the long dresses!

Atop the castle roof

Up, Up she climbed to the castle tower


My parents and Jeremy flew out to join us in the celebration, and of course Rob's immediate family. As well, about 65 of our Dutch friends and family joined us to celebrate the day. We had a wonderful reception with drinks and snacks. We also did quite a few of the wedding tratitions. We had a cake that Femke baked from a traditional Irish recipe. We also did a "first dance" and a boquet toss. Rob's 8-year old cousin caught the boquet, so all those believing in the "next married" tradition" will have to wait a bit for they're wedding.

Cutting Irish Wedding Cake


Boquet Toss

You will all be impressed that I gave a speech competely in dutch, which was actually understood. It ended somewhat like "An now I have found my Knight in shinin armor, and have my castle. Has anyone seen my white horse?"

Flieder Family Toast


Have you seen my white horse?

Family visit to Holland

Click here to see all the photos if the visit

Last weekend we hosted our wedding party for the Dutch family and friends. It was my parents final week here in Holland, and my brother Jeremy’s first few days here. It was only the second time that both sides of our families have met. The first of course was at our wedding, where the Flieders hosted the Kapteins in LA. Now, Rob’s family returned the favor and showed my parents fine Dutch hospitality. We were hosted by Rob’s parents Jan/Nettie, and his sister Femke, her husband Tomas and their son Quinten



My family slept in one converted castle in Rob’s home town, and we had our wedding in the other. I absolutely promise to put all the wedding pics up with all the stories, but that is an blog or 3 in itself! This blog I’ll just tell a little of my family’s visit.

My family got to see the house that Rob grew up in, and actually so did his mother! Unlike in LA, where a house from 1950 is practically an antique, and very few families stay in the same house they’re entire life…Rob’s mother lives in the same house she grew up in. The house is from the 1930’s, but she moved there as a teen-ager in the 1950’s with her family. They can point out the was the coy pond Nettie’s brother built in the garden, some original woodwork and actual doors from the 1930’s, the garage put in 1960…each corner of the house has a story to tell about the same family living there!



On Saturday, we all went over to Femke & Tomas’s house for coffee. There my parents could see 1 year old Quinten on his home turf, and since he can walk a bit now and has a huge vocabulary of 2 words, he gave us a complete tour of the house with commentary. After coffee, Jan & Nettie showed my parents the local dunes and beach areas.



Meanwhile, Rob and I went into Amsterdam to pick Jeremy up from the airport. We went into the city with Jeremy for a bite to eat, and get a brief glimpse of the town. After words, we all returned to Jan & Nettie house for an authentic Indonesian dinner called Rijsttafel. It literally translates in Dutch to “Rice on the Table”, and consists of rice & meats/veggies cooked in an Indonesian curry sauce.

As said before, I’m already writing a novel here, but done need War & Peace the Blog Version, so Sunday wedding party will go in another blog.

On Monday, Jeremy flew to Spain to join a tour of the area. My parents sight saw in Amsterdam for a few days. On Weds., Rob and I joined them for a fun day seeing art in the famous Rijksmuseum, doing a canal boat tour, and eating Dim Sum. My mother had some fresh pears left over, and could not bear to let them go to waste. She kept saying “Maybe the family on the tour boat would like them, some people at the train station….”, but unfortunately did not find any takers. Well, maybe by anonymous donation someone found them and said “Oh my, how did they know I wanted pears? How lucky!”



Well, Thursday, my parents flew back to LA, where they are now comfortably sitting and reading this blog. It was an incredible visit, and we cant wait to see them again here…and I cant wait to come back in January!

Visit to Leiden with my parents

My parents are visiting for the next 2 weeks! After 3 months, I get to see them again. We spent their second day here touring the beautiful Dutch city Leiden.

To view the entiere set of Leiden photos,
CLICK HERE



Leiden is a beautiful city full of interesting history. It is birthplace of Rembrandt, who was interestingly the son of a windmill miller. The pilgrims also stayed in Leiden for 12 years before sailing to Plymouth Rock to become “Founding Fathers”. They have a little 2 room museum stuffed full of period memorabilia and very friendly curators who want to tell you everything about them.



Well, I hope you like history, since this there is so much fascinated history of Leiden.
Also of note, my second time driving in Holland, this time on freeways. Dutch have a lot of signs on the freeway!!

The canal tour took us along beautiful canals lined by stately homes. Each home is unique, with its own carvings and color. As well as looking pretty, this had a reason. Until the early 1800s, homes did not have any address numbers. You would say my house is the one with the pink roof and angry looking gargoyles, third down from the second canal to the left of the church. Image putting that on an envelope!



We also visited the obligatory windmill museum. Did you know you are required to visit at least one windmill before you leave Holland? Yeah, it’s law 2.8876 on the books, really!



One very important time in history of the city is in the 1570’s, when the city successfully defended itself against a siege by the Spanish. At the time, Holland was in a war of independence against the former overlords, the Spanish. After the Spanish were defeated, boats of “water pirates” came into the starving city with food. It was a weird combo of food, white bread and herring. I guess if you are starving even salty herring is good. To this day, on October 3, you can celebrate the liberation of the city with free herring and white bread.



Also in appreciation for the defense of the city, the new Dutch King offered Leiden the choice of no taxes or founding of a university. Counter to what anyone would choose today, they choose for the university.

Willemsberg and Yom Kippur

This weekend, I attended services “Yom Kippur”, the start of the Jewish New year end went sight seeing in a small Dutch town named Willemstad.

On Sunday morning, myself , Rob & his family went to Willemstad. Of important note: yours truly drove the car for the first time in Holland. Not to different on the freeways, but on the narrow roads 2 way traffic and cyclists, it was a challenge! Ok, OK, I did post an earlier blog if driving for cows on a country lane, but that was only about 15 minutes, and the cows were very complimentary.

In 1953 the water flooded up to here In Willemstad:


Rob and his family used to sail to Willemstad about every other year on vacations. It is most famous for its star-shaped walls that surround the city. There are 2 sets of walls and 2 sets of moats to protect against invaders. It worked, the city withstood a seige in 1720 by the French. Good thing, or we'd have to see "Wee Wee", instead of "Ja, Ja"

There are also a whole series of cement bunkers from the 1800’s that Rob used to play in with a flashlight when he was little. I guess one to many kids went missing, because they closed them off.

Quinten playing in Willemstad


It is not exactly a bustling city of trade, as it took us about 20 minutes to walk around the whole town. We did find a very nice play set for my 1 year-old nephew, compete with slide and swings that we went on with him.



Later on Sunday afternoon, we had a nice dinner, using the wedding china for the first time. It is traditional to have a nice dinner on the evening before Yom Kippur. After, you fast for 24 hours. Rob's family joined us, and I explained some of the traditions around the holiday.



After a very enjoyable dinner, Rob came with me to Sunday evening services.
I go to a temple in The Hague that is 280 years old. It is built in the Sephardic Portuguese style, with beautiful candle chandeliers and wood carvings. I’ll write a later blog on the temple history/pictures. I attended services on Monday as well. As well as the traditional services, they had a beautiful memorial service with a singer, and violin/cello music. It was a very moving service, all in all.