Trip of a Lifetime

For as long as I can remember, my Dad has talked about taking a trip to the Netherlands to look up where the Timmermans originated. To research the family history and explore where the ancestors lived before they came to the US in 1880. That trip happened in July of 2011...the summer month of my Mom and Dad's 49th wedding anniversary. The fact that I am now living in Europe gave them the push they needed to make the dream a reality and I am glad they did. I was incredibly honored to be able to share this trip with them and the impressions that were left of Dutch people were well worth the trip.

We needed to drive through Germany before we could get to the Province of Limburg however, and that gave us an opportunity to explore that country as well. The minute we crossed the border of Denmark into Germany it was time for lunch so we stopped at the closest eating exit we could find. We left one foreign country for another, but what made this stop memorable was the fact that people spoke fluent English on one side, and just a few kilometers over the border, not a word of English was spoken. The lunch ladies were very friendly and with a few points and smiles we managed to get our food order in, but it was definitely a culture shock. That theme continued throughout Germany, at dinner that night and at the hotel we stayed in, but with the help of my very smiley Danish husband who also knows a little German, we made it through.

Day 2 on the road we crossed the border to the Netherlands and I could feel the excitement in the backseat of the car. My Dad was asking even more questions about the buildings and fields, to which my husband and I had to kindly say once again: "We don't know." The minute we arrived in the beautiful white town of Thorn, we knew our stay was going to be pleasant. Surrounded by such beauty it was hard to not have a good time. The homes, the gardens, the cobblestone streets, and buildings were all impeccably manicured and well taken care of. They had been preserved since 990 and it was a sight to see.

Day 3 we began the search for the Timmermans gone by and struck some luck at the tourist information center of Thorn who decided to go above and beyond their call of duty and start digging into some archives in order to find out more information for us. We drove a short distance through the towns of Heel, and Beegden, before reaching the tiny town of Horn, where we have been told it all began. To the church and cemetery we went, where traces of Timmermans were found. Walking through the town we found a printing business with our name on it and I could feel my Dad's pulse quicken with excitement as he spoke to the receptionist.

Lucky for him English was spoken fluently, as if we were still in Denmark, and the customer service and friendliness of people was incredible. In addition to the beauty of the town and gardens, I think the memory that will stick most in my mind was the fact that the people of the Netherlands made a point to make us feel like we were at home. Little did they know it was a trip about coming home for my Father.