Fred with his parents in Siena

Fred with his parents in Siena, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

During the last ten years or so of their lives, we took Fred's parents for their first holidays outside of Holland, twice to England and twice to Italy, as in here. Geert and Jantje, a lovely but particular couple. Here they are in Siena on a warm summer's day in August for the Palio. Fred has quite a bit of his parents' character in his own, the patience and kind-heartednes from his mother, his friendliness and inquisitiveness from his father, who was a great talker.