Stay home

In the Netherlands we received today on our mobile a NL-Alert. That’s a very important message from our government. The message was: “Keep 1.5-metres social distance from each other”.

The parks, forests and beaches in Holland were yesterday very crowded with people that social distancing was impossible. In the blossom park in Amsterdam long rows of people wanting to enter. Security was even necessary to keep order. Garden centers and hardware stores where overloaded with people who were shopping. People want to work indoors or like to garden. But the advice is: Stay home!

It’s so unreal our government strongly advise us to stay home. Not allowed to go outside. Especially now because it’s finally sunny weather in Holland this week since a very long time. We only had storms with wind and rain in the last months.

In that way we really understand people who want to go outside and find it difficult to stay home. Normally Remco and I even feel guilty if we don’t go outside when the sun is shining since sunny days are scarce here. During isolation we go outside for about an hour a day to a quiet place or watch a sunrise somewhere. Enjoying some fresh air.

This photo was taken during a beautiful sunrise on Noordwijk beach during quarantine. Early in the morning around 6:00 AM we jump in our car and drive to the beach.

At 8:00 AM we drive home again and enjoy our breakfast. We hardly see anyone on the beach so early. In this way it is responsible to go outside, we believe. As long as you avoid busy places and stick to the social distance rule.

It’s strange to see nature areas flood with people that 1.5 metres social distance is difficult. Even Natuurmonumenten (organization in the Netherlands who protects nature and landscapes) advises people not to visit nature and stay as much as possible at home. They advise people to avoid busy places.

It makes we realize we live in a serious densely populated (17 million people) country. Remco and I live in the Randstad, which is the most densely populated area in the Netherlands. The Randstad has more than 8 million inhabitants. We are very concerned about the corona situation and what lies ahead in the coming weeks and months in our country and in the rest of the world.

We certainly understand that people want to go outside and socialize, but that’s just risky and stupid. Just look at the images of the large exhibition center in Madrid where more than 5000 empty beds are ready to be filled. Or look at Italy where coffins with dead bodies are transported by the army. Very impressive.

Remember these images when you go out and visit busy places without social distancing (unless it’s really necessary obviously).