Tortuga

The first thing I noticed when i woke up this morning was the sun.
Den Helder is known as the sunniest city in Holland, which makes me a little bit sad for the rest of the country.
But as a friend of mine wisely pointed out, the warmest place in Antarctica still isn't warm.

It has been raining most of this week. But today the sun is shining, and so I decided to go for a run to the domesticated park this morning, which, afterwards, made me wonder if I am somewhat of a masochist.
But after the pain in my limbs retreated and my wounded pride got over itself, I decided to run again on Thursday. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Those are my study days. I started navigation school again. One of my bosses talked me into it, and it is probably a good thing. At least I enjoyed it last Friday.

I have been studying for the most part of today, and odd as it may sound I have actually enjoyed it. I got a lot done, made a lot of shipbuilding drawings, and later I will do some navigation, before the muster tonight. This blogpost is me procrastinating though, although it's about time I wrote something for others to read as well.

I am not taking any information in anymore so I will take a break form studying, and continue later. I might play a game in the meantime. A card game. I played it last night, with quite a few people at first. It's quite a stressful game, I am not entirely sure my nerves can handle it, although everyone else seems to find my reactions of flying arms and unidentified sounds amusing.

A mate and i got really into it at some point, we got a bit competitive after everyone else went to bed. I seem to recall the words: "you British bitch" and "I'm gonna fuck you up you Danish piece of shit"
As I said, we got just a little bit carried away, and ended up making cheese toasties at 12, and being perhaps just a little more noisy than planned.

It was a lot of fun though. I haven't been that social in a very long time. I have missed Tortuga. Despite the rain, despite the wind blowing furiously through you no matter how many layers you are wearing,  I don't think there is a place on earth quite like Tortuga. I miss the people who used to live here. and I love the people who live here now. I am happy to be back.

Before coming back I had this idea that everything would be as it was before I left. That everything would be as last winter. I would feel as home as I did back then. I would be as social as I was back then, and the people who were here last winter would still be here. I guess this is the part where I remember I knew better. I still feel at home. This is my home. I am still happy to be here. But for better or worse, things have to change.

New people are here now. New friendships, but not less valuable. Yes I am happy to be back. I am happy to study, more seriously than last winter I might add. I am happy to be swimming on Sundays again, and I am happy to be running through the domesticated park.

There used to be a graffiti message on one of the walls in town.
"Stop taking my book so literally
- God"
It's not there anymore. I miss walking past it.

I miss the parties in the gallery, and the tattoo parlour on Sundays, although, not going there, is probably a good thing.

No, I am happy to be back. I have missed the house, I have missed Nordlys, and believe it or not, I have missed Den Helder.

Much love from Holland.

I wish you fair winds and followong seas my friend