A tale of two cities: my home his home

A neighbor and me, 30th and Dauphin Sts., Strawberry Mansion, 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, circa 1953

Martijn dressed for Carnival, circa 1955, Maastricht, 

the Netherlands, Europe

Here I am back in Maastricht my home for almost eight years. I flew directly from Philadelphia, my home for 38 years, via Amsterdam. Philadelphia where I was born and raised and where I spent the last 10 weeks to Maastricht, where Martijn was born and raised, where I will spend the next 7 weeks. Historic cities, these. Philadelphia - America’s Cradle of Liberty, birthplace of the United States of America; Maastricht, where the treaty of Maastricht signaled the birth of the modern European Union. Brick houses and cobblestone streets give way to lush country sides. Parallels abound.

My spring and summer mirror my childhood and recent adulthood, bookended by these two places. Four years after the death of my beloved husband, my soulmate, I journey now to fully tie the ends, to honor and integrate the past in order to wear the present and welcome the future. 

Schuykill River Sunset

Maas River Sunset

Even Philadelphia’s scenic western river, the Schuykill has a Dutch name. At certain spots and perspectives the Schuykill and the Maas evoke each other. 

Obviously, the linkages are for me more personal than actual. I have intentionally chosen to make this bi-seasonal journey one of transition and integration, ultimately to incorporate and transcend the tragedy of losing Martijn too soon. 

My spring in Philadelphia was connective and restorative. The meshwork of friendships and family there enveloped my soul; the sights and sounds enlivened and entertained me endlessly, as I etched my trails across the city of my birth, reclaiming the “I-hood” of my unique upbringing and experiences there. Of course, having lived and loved with Martijn, the I has forever become a “We”, as I am now a soul that has been intertwined by love so deep and so resounding that I am forever transformed. 

And so it was that the part of Martijn that lives on in me, his forever beloved, also came to Philadelphia, the city where he had hoped to live with me as I lived with him, here in Maastricht. And now I touch the soil of his hometown as one who is and will ever be a “We.” I am here to connect and restore. And along the way, I will show you glimpses of the faces and places of this, my other home.

Maastricht Revisited3

Around the City

My second week begins by tending to administration. I must see to my old health care policy, renew my NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) national train card (now also good on the buses), see about my Dutch status and telephone contract! Still, a nice walking tour of my old city.

Ubiquitous fiets (bikes) at the Central Station Maastricht.

Onze Lieve Vrouw (our beloved lady), the goddess of Maastricht. She shed a light of light in the dark days of Martijn’s illness.

Here I am with my dear friend, Ingrid Regout, who was the administrator in charge of our Master’s Program back in my ‘student’ days in 2004-2005.

Jens, my knight in shining armor. Dear friend and fellow student from my EPA Masters, now living in Aachen, Germany took me to a favorite tapas bar for great food and conversation.

As Jens walked me back to Ursula’s we got a great laugh: the butcher across the street places these cute penguins for an evening display! Brrrr! Cold meat inside.

Tuesday night I take a night walk, remembering the cozy terraces - here at Onze Lieve Vrouw Plein, lit for the evening.

Also on OLV Plein is my old academy for staying European Public Affairs and Administration, EIPA!

I worked for a year at ECDPM, the European Centre for Development Policy Management, working on their strategic communications plan and writing their Annual Report.

Behind OLV Cathedral springs what? A gelateria with a very red interior!!!

Ice Cream Catacombs anyone?

The old wall with battlements.

An interesting view of the pedestrian bridge arch.

A Late Summer Day at Pia’s

Pia lives in a small village just above Maastricht on the way to Valkenburg, Berg en Terblijt, is hilly and comfortable. We enjoy a sunny, warm day, good food, great conversation, a trip to the vet with the bunnies, and nice time with her sons Sebastian and Pieter.

The sun bath. Soft and welcoming we fall upon the pink and laze the day away!

Uh oh, bunny shots!

Pia prepares a Jamie Oliver crispy chicken feast.

Pia and Pieter

Off to the school the Dutch way

Pia comes to my aid helping uproot an Red Maple that didn’t survive. In its place we plant Salix caprea (Goat Willow, also known as the Pussy Willow or Great Sallow), a common species of willow native to Europeand western and central Asia , Martijn would love the fuzzy pussy willow buds.

Frogs forever frolicking.

Maastricht Revisited

Ten months ago I left Maastricht to settle into a new home in Pompano Beach, Florida in the extreme south of the US. Now I've returned to this medieval town that takes its name from the Maas River which it straddles to reconnect with friends, family and surroundings. My first days have rolled like the river - simply flowing organically.

Bob W. kindly made the almost three-hour drive to meet me at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

Why have a clock when St. Maarten's Steeple shines into your window? Night time view from Ursula's window.

Just down the block from Ursula's is the luscious La Luna gelato bar.

Magical Maastricht at twilight, looking westward from Wyck, across the River Muese (Maas).

My dear friend Pia Brand, an angel masquerading as a human.

I settled in nicely at my dear friend Ursula's flat located so conveniently on Maastricht's Wyckerbrugstraat that rolls down the center of city from the train station to the old St. Servaas Brugge that crosses the Maas River and leads to the city's heart. My beginning days have been spent reorienting, leisurely shopping and greeting well-known shop-keepers, and spending time with dear friends and family.

Bob arranged a Saturday auto excursion in the scenic Limburg rolling landscape from Maastricht, NL to Limbourg, BE, on through Eupen, BE, with a stop in historic Monschau, DE a city Martijn so wanted to take me to, continuing on to the mouth of the Rur River in the Effiel Mountains, descending through Aachen, DE and on to Vals, where we dined at a gourmet Florentine Restaurant to cap a perfect day. Vals is home of the spot called Three Points, where the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany all meet.

The following day I spent in a cozy family way with Geri and Marcel, first paying a visit to Martijn's lush and dynamic graveside, so alive in this yard of final repose. Then we visited Martijn's Aunt Sybil in the little scenic village of Guelle. My cousins were around and it was a really wonderful afternoon. We stopped for dinner in Eisden, BE, at another Italian restaurant, with excellent food. Geri is just beginning to show signs of Alzheimer's which made me a bit sad.

An archaic pissoir (yes, what you think) in the French-speaking town of Limbourg, Belgium. There are three provinces of Limburg: Dutch, Belgian and German

The gate of the ancient old walled city of Limbourg, BE

The requisite Castle!

We journeyed from the Netherlands, through Belgium right on to Germany, here stopping in the ancient town of Monschau with it's timbered houses.

A Monschau street scene.

The mouth of the Rur River in the Ardenne, or Eiffel mountains.

Martijn's lush and blooming graveside.

The ever beautiful mother, Geri.

Marcel's favorite passtime, an ice cream at an open air cafe in Guelle.

From the left, Aunt Sybil, Geri, a family friend, Ivan with his mamma, Karla, Robert Jan and Marcel's torso, in the farmhouse of Aunt Sybil.

Yin, Yang & Snoepje please the people

On Sunday, November 21, 2010 "The Adventures of Yin & Yang: Snoepje and the Pizza Box" was formally debuted at the Selexyz Dominicanen Bookstore in Maastricht the Netherlands. Guido Wevers, Director of Vrijthof Theatre and Maastricht Cultural Capital 2018 initiative made the introductions, Dutch Immigration Minister and former Mayor of Maastricht, Gerd Leers, read the Dutch text. Susan was accompanied on guitar by Piet Bongaarts for the poetry introduction and the audience loved the story and illustrations. There were about 100 people in attendance.

Piet Bongaarts and Susan listen to Guido Wevers introduction with the young ones lined up cozy in the front of the audience

Dutch Immigration Minister, Gerd Leers, reads the Dutch text while Susan follows

Susan reads the English while the children listen attentively

A warm and welcoming response for all

A Ministerial Kiss!