Netherlands > A weekend in Almelo

It’s early December, and a cold but dry weekend is forecast. Together with Rita, I’m going for a weekend trip to Twente. The Friday afternoon traffic jam seems manageable. Only around Amersfoort do we experience about twenty minutes of delay due to congestion. Just before six o’clock, we drive into the small parking lot of the Huis van Bewaring in Almelo. The Huis van Bewaring now houses a luxury hotel. We don’t have a room in one of the former cells, but in one of the former guard’s rooms. A nice room, but oddly enough, it doesn’t have a door to the bathroom. We don’t spend much time worrying about this. Quickly, we walk to the city center.

Netherlands - The House of Detention in Almelo is now a hotel

In one of the restaurants, there is still a table available to eat. Meanwhile, more and more people come to the cafés to watch the Dutch national football team’s match. Our restaurant doesn’t have a screen. After the meal, we cross the street to a football café. Here a table is free with a good view of the screen. While ordering a glass of wine, we see Argentina take the lead. In the last minute, the Netherlands equalizes. No goals are scored during extra time. Unfortunately, we lose on penalties. Although it’s disappointing to be knocked out, it didn’t feel right if we had won. Argentina was simply better. We walk back to our “prison.”