Cycling
As a true Dutchie, I am an avid cyclist:
I have been using the bicycle as my main way of transportation for as long as I can remember. Snow, rain, wind, heat,
there is no excuse for not getting on the bike.
In the last few years I have started to do sports cycling as a way to get exercise, explore the area and get
to know other people. I like to make distance rather than racing, so a typical ride for me is 60-100 km. So far I have done cycling trips in the
Netherlands, France, Turkey, California, Arizona
and numerous trips in Hawaii and Vancouver island.
Traveling
Traveling around the world and seeing new places is my absolute passion. No matter where I have to go for my work in astronomy, I add a few days to take a look
around, get to know the country, the cities, the nature, the people, the history, the culture. I cannot get enough of the views no matter where I am, and
each trip is a new experience. I am currently at 38 countries and (within the US) 21 states, and counting! I do not like setting goals or bucket lists, but I appreciate
it any time I can add another place to my list!
Dancing
One of my other passions is dancing, in particular Latin-African dancing,
which I started to learn intensively in 2018. Whereas I have danced salsa and bachata for a few years, in Victoria I discovered a new dance: kizomba, which has its roots in West Africa but has developed and diverged through influences from France and the Caribbean to a range of dances such as Urban kiz, tarraxino and tarraxo. Kizomba can now be found in many cities in North America and Europe and I have been attending several workshops and festivals throughout the country. Kizomba is a community, and I love it that I am able to combine my travel for work with attending local kizomba events wherever I go. What connects us is the love for the dance, and kizomba has become a second international network of friends for me.
Photography
Related to my passion for traveling is my passion to capture the moments during those trips.
I am far from being a professional, I do not own expensive equipment
and apart from minor cropping I spend very little time on the polishing of pictures afterwards.
I also rather enjoy the moment with my eyes rather than looking at it
through a lens.
