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A.D.Dirkzwager
Oranje Nassaulaan 38
32161 BC Rhoon
James Dyrud, esq_.
P. O.Box 1143
Rwalins, WY 82301
USA
24 oktober 1989
Dear James,
"À la recherche du temps perdu." Those were the days, my friend !
How are you? As you may have already heard from Martinus, Vera and I visited your beautiful country for the first time. I must admit that it is quite civilized. We could buy a Heineken anywhere.
I assume you're living a respectable second life as a doctor.
Here in the Netherlands I switched from BoA to an English bank. After Nigeria we spent two years in England and then we settled in the village of Rhoon, near Rotterdam, in the Netherlands.
There is little chance that we will be sent abroad again. Abroad is a shrinking world for bankers these days. Albert and Christine de Voogd recently returned to the Netherlands after also being assigned to France and New Zealand. He has the position of brewery manager in the Netherlands.
His address: Breedveldstraat 2
5268DL Helvoirt
The Netherlands for your Christmas Card
Too bad we didn't see you. We had a nice get-together "for old times sake" with Inge and Martinus at the Cliff House in San Francisco. In an afterthought, at our invitation they had to cross the bay twice to meet each other.
During our stay in California we had the opportunity to meet two naturalized uncles and a cousin. After leaving San Francisco, we drove along the very scenic Pacific coast to Portland/Oregon, where the family owns a 450-acre farm (that's the European way of putting it). We stayed at the farm for seven days and continued our trip with a five-day visit to New York. New York is repulsive and attractive at the same time.
Humanity puts nature aside and it is logistics that keeps a megapolis running. It's impressive
We appreciate that America is the land of opportunity, especially for young, energetic and adaptable people. We are too old and too European.
Big Oga, keep the faith and who knows that one day our paths will cross again?
Adriaan and love from Vera
