Dries Buytaert

Wadden islands 2023

Vanessa bursts into laughing.
Klaas and I were reminiscing about our student days, sharing hilarious stories that had Vanessa laughing out loud.
Dries and Vanessa laughing while looking at a beautiful sunset.
We decided to escape to the Wadden Islands for a few days. We're enjoying beautiful sunsets, bike rides through amazing dunes, and scenic hiking trails.
A portrait of a man with the sunset illuminating his face.
Dries sitting on top of a dune with his backpack next to him.
We packed sandwiches and water, and set off on a 12 km (7.5 mi) hike through the Schoorl Dunes in the Netherlands. The trail had lots of ups and downs on the sandy dunes, making it twice as challenging. It was a nice workout and a beautiful hike. Photo taken by Vanessa.
Vanessa standing on a step, with one leg raised in the air, as she climbs over an electric fence.
Certain sections of the Schoorl Dunes are home to free roaming cattle. These areas are fenced off, requiring us to climb over an electric fence to continue our journey through the dunes.
A red lighthouse standing tall in the dunes.
A lighthouse nestled in the dunes of Julianadorp, The Netherlands.
A woman on a beach searching for seashells.
Vanessa keeps a 'tiny shells' collection. No matter what beach we go to, she eagerly scours the beach for new additions.