Europe Spring 2025 - Day 2

Our second day of our Europe trip was a big one! We started out getting a ride to the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam from Gerbrand at 4:30 a.m. We said "see you soon" to Lida, who woke up early to see us off! We caught our plane to Basel, Switzerland without a hitch. The plane was pretty empty, so I got to lie down across the seats and catch a few more minutes of sleep while in the air. Roel woke me up just in time to look out the window and catch a view of the snow-capped Alps! 

We landed in Basel and took the free bus to the main train station. With a wooden ceiling and paintings of the Alps, it really felt like we were in Switzerland. We had a delicious breakfast at a cafe next to the station. Then we stored our suitcases in the luggage lockers at the station so we could head off unencumbered to Dornach by tram, which is a nearby town where the Goetheanum is located. As two Waldorf teachers, the Goetheanum is like the mecca of Waldorf for Roel and me. It is where Rudolf Steiner lived and had the first conversations about Anthroposophy, the wide-ranging philosophy on self and soul development from which Waldorf education springs.

But before we arrived, we got off a few steps early from the tram and had a lovely walk through a small Swiss village. We came across a beautiful church that we went into—ornately decorated, it felt closer in style to ornate Italian churches than the stark interiors of the Protestant churches of the Netherlands.

We finally meandered our way to the Goetheanum, which was a spectacular sight to behold. Set atop a hill, surrounded by green hills where sheep and donkeys were grazing, sits a completely unique, imposing building. Surrounding the Goetheanum are lots of other buildings all designed and built in unique styles. Later in the day we had a tour, so we wandered around on our own first for a while, visited the bookstore where I found some lovely books and paintings to bring back home, and then visited the local biodynamic/organic market and had a picnic in the grass on the grounds.

We met the biodynamic farmer of the Goetheanum, who was a Dutch man from Friesland. Roel mentioned my last name was Postma, and he asked if I had visited Friesland yet to get a feel of my ancestors. Not yet! 

We then had a tour from a lovely South African Anthroposophist. I was most struck by the Red Window, which I was not allowed to take photos of, but is a massive stained glass triptych depicting the development of a soul. It really resonated and could summarize Anthroposophy in a way. 

We also got to see an enormous 3D model of the original Goetheanum, which, made of wood, burned down in the early 1920s only a few years after being built. While still unique, organic, and abstract, it was more classical and inviting than the current Goetheanum. Steiner said the first Goetheanum could be built anywhere, and when faced with redesigning the second Goetheanum, he wanted something to reflect the local landscape as well as the changes in society after World War I, saying that nothing was the same again and that new consciousness needed to be reflected. What resulted was a building made of concrete—the largest in Europe—with angular, organic shapes. Our guide told us we could think of it like a human head: the front of the building was inviting and full of windows and was where we took in the world with our senses, while the back of the building was like our skull, closed off and where we do our internal thinking.

I was obsessed with the stairway—there was a spiral stairway, but not completely round, more angular—that was painted in colors ascending from pink to red to orange to yellow, all blended together in the lazure style that is so common in Waldorf schools. At the very top was blue. It was so beautiful. Then the massive Representation of Man wooden sculpture that Steiner worked on with another woman until his death—it's still unfinished—but it represents the polarities in humans: the idealism and striving (which we need in life but don't want to get carried away with), and on the other hand, what pulls us down to practicality and everyday form. As a human, we must balance between these two, so the man has one hand reaching up and the other down. I appreciated "Cosmic Humor" rendered above the man as an extra add-on—it was literally added to balance the weight of the statue to keep it from toppling over—but I think it can also be appreciated that sometimes in life, we just have to laugh about it all.

After the lovely tour I wanted to find the copper shop Roel had told me about. He brought me back a beautiful copper bracelet from this tiny shop two years ago and told me about the eccentric man who made the jewelry and copper Eurythmy rods for Waldorf schools worldwide in this tiny, Hobbit-like workshop. We found it right before closing! I picked out a beautiful silver bangle-bracelet (apparently they also do silver).

Then it was time to take the tram back to Basel, which we hadn't explored yet! First, we picked up our luggage from the main train station, checked into our hotel, freshened up, and then took the tram to the city center. The city was full of trams and, as most everywhere in Europe, getting around was extremely easy. And as long as you had a lodging reservation in the city, the public transportation was free. 

We walked to a beautiful overlook of the Rhine River—wow, what a big, beautiful river. On the opposite bank, we saw tons of people lounging by the river. We walked to a busy pedestrian street in the center, got dinner, and then walked around the cobblestone streets of the old town. By this point, we were both feeling very tired after a wonderful and full day, so around dusk, as the sun started to set, we made our way back to our hotel for some hot showers and a good night's sleep.

Europe Spring 2025 - Day 1

After an 11-hour flight from San Francisco, we landed in Copenhagen for a layover on our way to the Netherlands. I made a beeline for an airport café because I’ve heard great things about the cinnamon and cardamom buns in Denmark. I had a delicious cappuccino and cinnamon bun in the sun. I noticed the fashion right away—those Scandinavians are stylish! A far cry from the sweats and sneakers in the U.S.—more blazers and trench coats. I got inspired to step up my wardrobe game when I return home. Then we had a short 1.5-hour flight to Amsterdam, where Roel’s parents were waiting for us. After more than two years since seeing them, it was a fun reunion. We were whisked away in Gerbrand’s car down to Schiedam, a suburb of Rotterdam about an hour away. When we arrived, they set out three different types of cheese with crackers, red wine, and ginger tea. We stayed up for a while, chatting and catching up.

In the morning, Roel’s parents had a decadent breakfast waiting for us. The spread included croissants, several different types of fresh bread, more cheese, boiled eggs, cheese spread, chocolate sprinkles, and fresh strawberries. Not to mention the double espressos—much needed to combat the jet lag! After breakfast, we set out with Gerbrand for a walk around Schiedam. We passed by a few different houses they lived in when Roel was growing up, two different schools Roel attended, and the main square of Schiedam, where we stopped at a café. Did I mention the weather was incredible? With blue skies, sun, and a high of 72 Fahrenheit, Roel’s parents said it was the most beautiful day of the year so far. We brought good weather with us! I love sitting at outdoor cafés surrounded by cobblestone streets, old buildings, and ancient churches.

I casually mentioned to Gerbrand that I had seen a cool video about these giant storm walls in Holland that block off any storm surges from the North Sea to protect against flooding. Roel’s dad said, “Let’s go!” I thought it was a short walk away, but apparently not. We walked home, then hopped in the car, and after a 30-minute drive, we were at the Hoek van Holland, which means the “Corner of Holland.” It’s where the North Sea meets the major canal into the port of Rotterdam, a heavily used shipping lane. We got to see the giant arms that, in case of emergency, can close off the sea and protect millions of people from flooding. It's called the "Maeslantkering" After the major flood in the 1950s, they said, “Never again.”

After a few more stops—to see Roel’s brother Niek’s new house, to get a book signed by a famous author that Roel’s dad wanted as a present for a friend, and another stop at one of Roel’s old schools—it was time for dinner. We picked up Niek and drove into Rotterdam, into a large forested park nearby, where we ate at a pancake house. It was a pancake house in the forest, fit for gnomes, elves, and fairies. I had a pancake with sun-dried tomatoes, burrata, and arugula. They had many savory options as well as sweet ones. It was so fun to be all together. Tomorrow morning, Roel’s dad will take us early to catch our flight to Basel, Switzerland. Sunday, Niek leaves for Shanghai, where he will be working on setting up a wushu competition. We will see Roel’s parents again in a week, after our travels, and spend two more nights with them. It was a great day with family. How wonderful to have loving family on the other side of the world where we feel so welcome!

Here I am writing.  Wow this feels weird.  I haven't had to write anything for awhile.  Besides cover letters that is.  And super secrets in my journal with terrible hand writing.

I recently went on a magical yurt trip.  The yurt was magical, the people were magical, and the surrounding mountains of snow were magical.  I'm still getting into the swing of writing again so I think I'll make this speedy. But it was one of the best trips I've been on.  And I've been on a lot of trips.  In fact my life for the past 2.5 years, ever since I graduated from college has mainly consisted of taking trips to cool places and trying to work enough to scrape by to afford the experiences.  I think it's been worth it.

I was invited on a trip to a yurt in the Uinta National Forest last weekend.  It was a six mile uphill ski in.  The others in the party mostly used skis and skins, and I used a pair of cross country skis originally owned by my friend's grandpa in Maine.

I am barely writing anything worth reading here but right now I just need to get my thoughts out.

We all met at 6am to get ready for the long day ahead.  It was an hour and a half drive to the trailhead, which was off the Mirror Lake Highway.  One of my favorite destinations in the summer, but now I was getting to see it in a completely different mood.  It was a snowy day, and snowed for a lot of the hike into the yurt.  We arrived at the yurt just about an hour before darkness hit.  The yurt was magical.  

Canyons, Arches, Hoodoos and... chainsaws?

I've been in Utah for less than two months and have met friends and visited places that I  hope will be in my life forever. I've cowboy camped beside the fire on chilly nights in the mountains, cooled off in desert swimming holes, done yoga inside a canyon, and crammed far more that can comfortably fit inside my car.  I knew coming out here would be a change in lifestyle, and honestly it's something I needed. To get away from the strip malls, suburbs, and city life is a blessing.  Now the occasional romp around town seems like something special.  And a shower? Don't even get me started.

Three months roaming on the road is just the best and the beginning.

I got impossibly lucky with my crew. My fellow crew members and leaders are some of the most fun-loving, hard working, and genuine people I've had the pleasure of knowing.  We spend 8 long days together in the backcountry and usually 6 more together exploring Utah on our days off. It's uncanny how well we all get along.

The work is long and hard, but it's impossible to beat 6 whole days off!