Maastricht Villages or Country Side....

Canola field on country side of Maastricht, Netherlands

I am belong from a small village of Balochistan province of Pakistan named 'Jahan'. I spend my first few years in the village, but later my parents migrate from village to a city named Khuzdar to enrolled us in a school. After completion of my education, my first was in a organization, which working in the rural areas of Balochistan Province. That why, I 've a strong connection with villages or rural life. During my studies in Netherlands, I was excited to visit the countryside or villages to meet with people and know about their daily life. In Europe villages are known as county side.

Thanks for Google Map, which help to know about the geographical overview of the Maastricht city in few minutes. After spending a hour in planning, I decided to visit the 'Cadier en Keer'. A small village of Netherlands, located 4 km on the east side Maastricht, having population of almost 4000 inhabitants. 

I don't know about it,
"Heer" on the road side.

After taking my lunch, I wear my jodding shoes, jacket and leave for the trip. In a couple of minutes, I was on a bridge located on Joseph Bechlaan road. At the end of the road, I take right side of the road and walk about a 200 meters on Kruisstraat 'street' to reach a roundabout. Then, a walk straight on Veldstraat till to reach my destination. As, I travelling toward Cadier en Keer, I feel that life becoming quite. The numbers of people walk on the streets and vehicles becoming less. I a few moments, I forget everything and just thinking about the design and courtyard of the houses. On the way, i saw resturant have lot's of old people taking coffee/tea and chit chat with each other. I think, may it was a old age house. I listen lot's about old age house, that in Europe children take their parents in old age houses. I think let visit it and talk with these people. Later, I change my mind, "I thought that, the administration will not allow me without appointment or permission.

Vegetable Garden on ride side of the road

After walking nine hundred meter straight, the residential area was ended and dirt road start. On my right side, there are five or six vegetable gardens. Each garden is cover with thorn wire and a small gate for entrance. The style of plantation of vegetable was totally different as compare to growing vegetable in my country. In my country irrigation of plant's is main challenge, but in Europe due to lot's of rain, the farmers are not worried too much for water. The owner of each garden cultivate several type of vegetable in it. I stop few minute to look each garden and try to identify these plant's, but i fail to recognize all of them. Some are quite new for me. 

Suddenly, the weather completely change and sun disappear in the club. But, I continue my journey. I observe that whole area is divide into small plots (land) and each part is cover with wires. Some of them having sheep and horses. 

I belong from hilly region, you see rocky mountains everywhere. That why, view of green lands on my surround was a nice experience for me. Beside, the rough dirt road, they whole area was green. The yellow flowers of soybean, make it so beautiful. The colours and weather was so romantic, i believe a best place for to walk with some, whom you love. On the end, of the soya field's, a young couple were sitting on a bench and a bike standing in front of them. The face impression were marvellous and they busy in their chit chat's. They say, "Hi" to me, and busy in their conversation.

Cave closed with concrete and small door.

I continue my walk on the dirt road, and now the road is cover by the trees on both side. The view of the road look like a gorge. I walking 300 - 400 meters on the road, the road become wide and have a open area. Three girls, with their bicycle playing in the open area. On the next to the open area, there was a cave. I want to visit the cave, but the cave was closed with concrete blocks, and the door was locked, "so sad.....!".

Inside view of the cave.

For a while, I think for it; maybe in past someone have used it, but, "I don't find any clue.

Chapel of the Opveld convent at Heer, Maastricht

Leaving behind the cave, I continue my walk toward 'Cadier en Keer', now the dirt road goes upward side, which cause to decrease my walking speed. In a few minutes, I was on the top the hill, now you can see the whole area clearly and there were no tree's. Just, open fields, on the right side there was a garden of apple trees; 'full of apples and cover a wired.' A boy, next to a old model tracker is collecting apples in a basket. After walk, another 700 - 800 meters straight, I finally read at 'Cadier en Keer'. The road and surrounding of the houses were clean and nice. Take a round of the town and decide to go back.

Apple Garden in Maastricht

Old age housing scheme in Maastricht

On the way back, I see that same girls play in the open area, are now standing near apple garden and one girl is trying to enter in it. After entering, the apple garden, she pick some apple from trees and then, all of them run on their bicycle.
I shocked, then thought that, "human nature can't change, if you are in Europe, in Asia or somewhere else"

MAASTRICHT PENINSULA

MAASTRICHT PENINSULA

During my Studies at "Maastricht School of Management (MSM)". I have opportunity to visit and explore the city in deep. Today, I have plan to visit the Maas River bank, Maas is a major European rivers, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands. Usually the weather of Maastricht is unpredictable but the weather was great. Little sun shines from the clubs, make it very beautiful. I take my phone and headphone to listen my favorite music. 

A Beautiful White Goose near lack.

In a few minutes, I was in the residential area of Maastricht. Beautiful design houses and the interior of the in front of houses shows that hobbes of the people living them. Just think, about Pakistan and how far away we are from this life style and assess the basic facilities of life. On the front of the house, a small channel of lake and it's become wider-n-wider, when you travelling on west side. At the corner of the house the channel is a small wood bridge and the view of the lake was so beautiful. The reflection of sunshine coming from the tree surrounding the lake, make it so beautiful and romantic. In stop for a moment and try to enjoy the the beauty of the lake. In few minute later, in look around the lake, there were birds in the lake and it's bank side, like Goose, Mallard (Wild Eend) and other birds. When, I was on the bridge, I saw that, the lake has lot's of fish. 

Standing in the De Lage Weerd (Little Weerd), Maastricht

Randwijck, Camp of Travel Trailers at Maastricht

After staying 15 minutes, on the residential area lake, I walk on the west side of the side toward Muse river. After crossing Limburglaan Road, I was in front Provincial House of Maastricht building. I start my Maastricht Peninsula visit from De Lage Weerd (Little Weerd). my Dutch instructor about the meaning of "Weerd", she told me that it's mean a place.  Little weerd is a former gravel island in a floodplain on the east side of Meuse river. In their is sign board, which aware the visitor that the park have wild horses, keep a 15 meter distance from them and don't try to feed them anything with your hands. The place was beautiful and lot's of flower around the park. There were lot's of sign of wild horses, but, I can't see any horse in the park. Walk on the west side of the De Lage Weerd was a nice experience for me thing about the beauty of nature and it's impact on mind. The view of the river look beautiful from park and approximately 1200 meters walk on the bank side of the park, I was at the reached at the exit point of the park. I walk slowly on the Lage Weerd on the south side of the river, toward Randwijck. Randwijk is a camp Travel Trailers and a small private port. The area is size with a security bars, with a notice board of private area. The travel trailers are old in their design, but the sequence and the surrounding the area make it very beautiful. On other side of the camp site, the river become wide and some fisher man site of the river side, with their fishing rod. I believe, that the fishing on the romantic site was a great experience for someone life.

Wild Horses in the park, Maastricht, The Netherlands

The Netherlands and Belgium Border from Muse River

I continue walking on the south side of the river. The old couples with on the road side with their dogs and enjoy the nice weather of Maastricht. I continue to walk to my final destination, which was to visit the Maastricht Peninsula. Walking about 900 meters the land become open and divide into two part, north side and east side. On east side, there is river boats yard and on north side, the river area open and become wide. On the west side, a beautiful cattle (now used a hotel) and a open area restaurant. There were few family, maybe on picnic and bicycling. On south side, the river divide the land in two parts and a long strip of land (approximately 1100 meters long). The land be is cover from both side and the distance of the two banks was 50 meters. The area is closed with bar and you can enter only from a walk gate. When, I enter in the park, the area was so beautiful and romantic. I can see the river banks and boats in the rivers. When a river floating in the river and make waves in the water. After walking approximately 80 meters, i saw group of wild horses on my way. For a moments, i scare but, later I saw a couple was coming from opposite of the park. When, they reached near horses and the old lady start feeding some apples to the horses. She feed them some apples and give me some apples to feed them. Feeding the wild horses with my hand was a scary and a pleasant experience for me. After spending few minutes with horses, I continue my walk toward to reach the endpoint of the land or Maastricht Peninsula.After walk to the small piece of land in 45 minutes, I reached on the end point of land. Only few meters away from Belgium border.