Koninginnedag

Today is the Koninginnedag when most Dutch celebrate the birthday of their Queen by dressing orange and partying in the streets. I just realized that Maarten as a Dutch citizen never experienced this crazy day. He will probably never have any orange childhood memories of singing, dancing, playing instruments or reciting on the street and selling his ‘unwanted’ toys at the children’s free market.
Will that create a gap in his Dutch cultural background?
No worries.
To him this Saturday means another splashing day with his Beaver friends.
By train to Plopsaland!

Veselé velikonoční svátky, bohatou pomlázku a hodně jarního sluníčka

"Hody, hody, doprovody,
dejte vejce malovaný.
Nedáte-li, malovaný,
dejte aspoň bílý,
slepička Vám snese jiný."

Between Muziekberg and Mont d'Ellezelles

Creatures of the Night

All details about the encountered creatures were carefully recorded.

Paaskamp: Isara te Nieuwpoort (9-13 April)

Kom op konijntjes wiebelen. Het is weer zo ver.


Met het grillige weer en eventueel een paar zonneschijnen door de regendruppels heen. Vieren wij op onze manier het begin van de lente.
Om ervoor te zorgen dat het zeker een succes wordt, gelieve het volgende stappenplan rustig door te nemen.

1.Doe scouts uniform aan.
2.Controleer of rood rechts hangt.
3.Doe je botinnen aan.
4.Knoop het ene uiteinde van je schoenveter met het Respectievelijke andere uiteinde.
5.Poets je tanden. Indien al gebeurd, nogmaals tandhygiene is belangrijk.
6.Zet je havik pet op.
7.Neem je rugzak of valies.
8.Zet de ene voet voor de andere en herhaal.
9.Stap op bus.
10.Start met je te amuseren.

Wie gaat er mee? We gaan naar de zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, olé, olé! 5 dagen lang hebben we plezier en wie weet gaan we naar de pier. We keren terug in de tijd, naar de Klassieke Oudheid! Ben jij een Griekse Godin, Romeinse soldaat of een echte Egyptische farao? Kom dan zo, o jo! We starten in perfect uniform, dus wees maar in vorm. Neem Griekse, Romeinse of Egyptische themakledij mee, dan ben je in orde voor een kampje aan zee!















(text en foto's door FOS de Havik)

Bévercé

It took a while to get here but it was worth the drive. Here in East Belgium the landscape is so diverse with its picturesque villages surrounded by wooded hills, valleys cut by winding and little known rivers.




And of course there are the ancient moorland of the “Hautes-Fagnes” covered with small pine trees, grass, and moss. The spongy moss retains water and forms deep peat bogs as the dead plants decays only partially. This huge peaty sponge soaked with water creates a cool and wet climate. This is one of the coldest and wettest areas of Belgium!

But today we were lucky.
It was rather too hot on the dry heaths with no shade.
While walking on the raised wooden walkways ruined walls caught my attention, the remnants of Cabane du Negus. The information sign tells us about Leon Rinquet, professor of Mathematics, called Negus. After the death of his mother in search for solitude, he decided to build himself a peat hut here on the Freneu fen as a refuge. He stayed here for long 54 years! I hope he found his peace.


We left the fen behind entering the forest.
A small wooden bridge brought us over the river Trôs Maret. We followed this dashing mountain stream down to the valley. The scenery was improving with every step as the river wriggled through a deep overgrown canyon.


After walking several kilometers we gradually descended down into the canyon to cross the river for the second time.

A shady path through the pine forest brought us back to the trailhead where this pleasant hike started.

Paaskamp

Maarten just left for Beaver Scout Camp.
Soo excited! He couldn't wait until the morning to get on the bus and head up the coast to Nieuwpoort.




I hope he won't return with even more bumps and bruises!

Miss him already.