New Encounter

New encounter on our horse drawn caravan journey, today. We pass our second big river De Waal taking the busy iron bridge. The first thing we do is visit an old friend of John living in Neerijnen. He knows a vet with a place to stay. This man, Josef van der Berg a former artist and puppet-player lives for more than 20 years now, as a hermit in a very small wooden cabin.

Taking a bridge this big is very new to us. As you can see on the picture, it’s divided in a highway and a service road. The wind is blowing right in front of us and it’s raining. Aysha and Isabella don’t like that. The traffic noise and speeding cars right besides them make the lady’s nervous. I jump of the box and start to walk in front of them. It makes them more relaxed and I stay walking there till we reach the other side.

Hermit

The first village we head on is Neerijnen. Here lives the former puppet-player, famous in the Netherlands some time ago. I don’t know exactly the reasons why but he stopped acting and start living as a hermit in a small wooden shelter. John visited him regularly in the pass and wants to visit him now on our horse drawn caravan journey. There is only a small place to tie up the horses but we manage.

Josef van der Berg

John’s friend isn’t “home”. He is away, preparing (as we hear later) a gathering of people where he is giving a lecture about his life. When he is back, we make an appointment for later and he shows us a place with a vet he is on friendly terms with. After installing on Jacques and Ellens place (both vets), the horses in a stable nearby we have a change to speak with Josef. In a way, he is still a performer. The way he lives, one place to sleep and eat. Another place for some belongings and in-between a small open area with a table and chair looks like a podium. Jacob is Greek orthodox and lives an austere life. It’s a nice evening and fine talk.

Tomorrow we go to Herwijnen, the place where Robin and Edmee are also traveling in a horse drawn caravan. We look forward to this special new encounter.

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