I don’t know what it is but being in Texel gave me that feeling I was in another country — all for the price of a €36 ferry ticket.

Texel was often written up as one of those off-the-beaten-track places that had to be seen before it was too late. I think we were able to do just that as it was a lovely, sunny Sunday with near-empty beaches everywhere we went. Even with the strong sun, it was still really cold so anyone actually in the water is bound to be certifiable, but walking around was quite nice and even calming. I felt my inner zen alive and well.

Though it would be unfair to compare North Sea beaches to the ones I was used to – it certainly wasn’t Boracay – it was pretty nonetheless. I loved the fact that while the more popular beaches in The Hague (or anywhere on the mainland, for that matter) would be, given this weather, crawling with all kinds of people (and their pets!), the beaches over there were not only huge but also nearly vacant. Even a short pitstop by an almost-deserted beachside restaurant for apple pie and capuccio was a treat. The pie was delicious, and the view was a beach bum’s wet dream. Life’s a Texel beach sometimes.