Short trip to Doetinchem (part 1/2)
Sep. 18th, 2021 04:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beelikejIf you follow me on Twitter you may already know that from Oct. 1st I will have a permanent position on the geodata project I love so much! The past few weeks were particularly stressful because I was about to reach the maximum on the temporary contract I've been working on for the past 5,5 years, pfff. The option of steady jobs on the project came right on time! In order to round up my current contract properly, I had some collected vacation time left to burn, so I took last week off for another short trip to a Dutch area I hadn't been before: the Achterhoek! ("the back corner";)
Booked myself two nights in the so-called 'waterfun' room of a fancy hotel in Doetinchem, which is about 90 minutes away by train from Z. To end up right on the front steps of the hotel, the public transport app recommended a route by train and bus, so that's how I chose to travel. Here's my picspam of Day 1!
Traveling to Doetinchem
Me, cycling past the Sassenpoort to the station. First train was a doubledecker to Zutphen.
From Zutphen I got on a slow train to Vorden, where a bus to Doetinchem was waiting. (Helpfully poining out that is was 3 minutes until departure:)
Bus dropped me off and see those trees on the other side of the road? That's where the fancy hotel is hidden!
Villa Ruimzicht, formerly a boarding school, now a hotel, restaurant and bar. The sign on the elevator advises to take the stairs if you're in a rush :-D
Tadaah: bedroom with shutters and bubbly art on the wall.
Hidden behind the curtains in the cozy sitting area, is the 'waterfun' part of the suite: a funky bathtub with yacuzzi option.
There's also a shower plus a sauna cabin. Check out the balcony!
After freshening up I went down to the restaurant for a High Tea (it's becoming a tradition, haha).
I was offered guidance by a tea sommelier, who first brought out a tea based cocktail: black tea, peach lemonade and soda.
After that he recommended the teas to go with the savory and sweet treats.
First tea was an Oolong variety, I had bad experiences with this type in the past...
... but thanks to tips on how to best brew it, it was indeed a good choice to go with the sandwiches and other goodies: a roasted paprika soup, vegetable quiche, mushroom pasty, egg thingy (nom!)
Second tea was a black tea with rose/vanilla flavors, which had to brew a little longer (that's why I got the hourglasses:)
The sweet treats were lovely too: scone (with clotted cream and strawberry jam), a cinnamon bun, a custard danish, bonbons, brownie, rose macaron (great with the tea!) and hangop (a yoghurt/curd) with berries.
The big bowl was for dumping the tea leaves after use:)
After the High Tea I decided to explore the Arboretum (tree park) surrounding the hotel, a tree park dating back to 1853: some trees are over 150 years old!
Little prickly hat of an acorn from the Turkey oak (moseik/Turkse eik) and a plant with tiny white flowers at the bottom of that oak.
Magnolia buds and a close up of the bark of a 160 year old Mammoth tree.
The 160 year old Mammoth tree in full glory:)
Back in my room with the curtains around the bathroom open and a funky photo from the shiny bedlamp:)
Reading on the balcony <3
View of the fountain through the fancy balcony fence:)
View from the balcony. I read until it was too dark and the cute solar operated lights turned on.
Time for a bubble bath! This time enhanced by the power of yacuzzi!
Covered in bubbles (maybe use a little less next time, heheheh)
After about two and a half hours in the tub (with my book of course) it was time for bed. Good night!
...to be continued...
Off to mod claims on the SPN_ReverseBang! *runs*
J.
Booked myself two nights in the so-called 'waterfun' room of a fancy hotel in Doetinchem, which is about 90 minutes away by train from Z. To end up right on the front steps of the hotel, the public transport app recommended a route by train and bus, so that's how I chose to travel. Here's my picspam of Day 1!
Traveling to Doetinchem
Me, cycling past the Sassenpoort to the station. First train was a doubledecker to Zutphen.
From Zutphen I got on a slow train to Vorden, where a bus to Doetinchem was waiting. (Helpfully poining out that is was 3 minutes until departure:)
Bus dropped me off and see those trees on the other side of the road? That's where the fancy hotel is hidden!
Villa Ruimzicht, formerly a boarding school, now a hotel, restaurant and bar. The sign on the elevator advises to take the stairs if you're in a rush :-D
Tadaah: bedroom with shutters and bubbly art on the wall.
Hidden behind the curtains in the cozy sitting area, is the 'waterfun' part of the suite: a funky bathtub with yacuzzi option.
There's also a shower plus a sauna cabin. Check out the balcony!
After freshening up I went down to the restaurant for a High Tea (it's becoming a tradition, haha).
I was offered guidance by a tea sommelier, who first brought out a tea based cocktail: black tea, peach lemonade and soda.
After that he recommended the teas to go with the savory and sweet treats.
First tea was an Oolong variety, I had bad experiences with this type in the past...
... but thanks to tips on how to best brew it, it was indeed a good choice to go with the sandwiches and other goodies: a roasted paprika soup, vegetable quiche, mushroom pasty, egg thingy (nom!)
Second tea was a black tea with rose/vanilla flavors, which had to brew a little longer (that's why I got the hourglasses:)
The sweet treats were lovely too: scone (with clotted cream and strawberry jam), a cinnamon bun, a custard danish, bonbons, brownie, rose macaron (great with the tea!) and hangop (a yoghurt/curd) with berries.
The big bowl was for dumping the tea leaves after use:)
After the High Tea I decided to explore the Arboretum (tree park) surrounding the hotel, a tree park dating back to 1853: some trees are over 150 years old!
Little prickly hat of an acorn from the Turkey oak (moseik/Turkse eik) and a plant with tiny white flowers at the bottom of that oak.
Magnolia buds and a close up of the bark of a 160 year old Mammoth tree.
The 160 year old Mammoth tree in full glory:)
Back in my room with the curtains around the bathroom open and a funky photo from the shiny bedlamp:)
Reading on the balcony <3
View of the fountain through the fancy balcony fence:)
View from the balcony. I read until it was too dark and the cute solar operated lights turned on.
Time for a bubble bath! This time enhanced by the power of yacuzzi!
Covered in bubbles (maybe use a little less next time, heheheh)
After about two and a half hours in the tub (with my book of course) it was time for bed. Good night!
...to be continued...
Off to mod claims on the SPN_ReverseBang! *runs*
J.