Day of National Mourning

Windmill at Heemstede on July 23, 2014

July 23, 2014

Today is a day of National Mourning in the Netherlands. Even at a campsite in the Czech Republic this day does not go unnoticed. For thousands of people this summer holidays look a lot different than probably anticipated. Almost everybody is connected to somebody on board of the airplane that was most likely shot down in Ukraine airspace..

How the fate of two countries came together in a human catastrophe following what looks like a human error. The diplomatic reactions that followed just indicate how volatile the world is at the moment.

Most windmills, so much a trademark of The Netherlands, signalling with their wings the day of mourning today in many places, with the wing just past the building of the wind mill, expressing that 'it is over'.

Having travelled so many miles by air alone and with family, knowing that so many families and also colleagues planning to attend an HIV conference in Australia were amongst the victims, my thoughts travelled a lot these days and my prayers are with those who are left behind. Probably every word spoken is just one too many.

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