Day 1 – 5th Oct 2017
The first tour of Holland without Pete Cottle would feel very strange indeed…mainly because of the expertise that would be missed and also not in the least – the endeering wit and sat nav/venue pathfinder.
So we found the port of Dover and managed to get across the sea! It was however not uneventful as because PC was not in attendance that a couple of first time occurances manifested itself in a kind of protest…yes the sea was “lively” and it rained for the first time I can recollect when in euroland.
However, this didn’t stop the intrepid fish and maybe plant hunting. It turned out to be the case that plants were a sought after choice as all aboard appeared to have a tank to replant!
Our venues today on Thursday (see events page) proved popular (as usual) with some old favourites and new specie alike purchased.
Stephen: Carnegiella strigata (Marble Hatchet) and several types of cryptocoryne
Keith: Corydoras nattereri, cryptoheros myrnae
Allan: various amazon swords, cryptocoryne and a fist load of giant vallis (must have big tank Allan?)
Peter: Thorichthys meeki (Firemouth Cichlid), Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi, Apistogramma macmasteri, Paracheirodon innesi (neons tetras) and a few cryptocoryne
Robin: Nannostomus anduzei, Botia histrionica, nannostomus unifaciatus and a madagascar lace.
Day 2 – 6th Oct 2017
After a comfortable overnight in a family run hotel in Delft within the sound of the cathredral bells an early start is needed to visit the 5 venues on Friday. Despite a few holdups and progressive roadworks and one venue replaced with a new one. The following were among the collection reviewed at our overnight stay in Nijmegen.
Stephen: Corydoras sodalis, Homaloptera orthogoniata (saddleback loach) Schistura kohchangensis (Ornate Tiger Sand Loach)
Keith: Corydoras diphyes, Corydoras hastatus, Channa gachua (dwarf snakehead), Pseudocrenilabrus “blue lagoon”? Plants Bolbitis and Hygrophila
Allan: Trichogaster trichopterus) Golden Gourami, Epalzeorhynchos bicolor (red tail black shark), Botia lohachata, Crossocheilus siamensis
Peter: Pethia padamya (Odessa barb), Nannacra Anomala
Graeme: Betta splendens – Half moon, Carinotetraodon travancoricus (Malabar), Thorichthys meeki (Firemouth Cichlid), Crenicichla compressiceps
Robin: Stiphodon rutilaureus, Schismatogobius ampluvinculus, Hemigrammus (crystal red ‘morse code’),
Day 3 – 7th Oct 2017
Determined to justify another early start on Saturday morning a two stop emerged into a three stop with the addition of a second new venue before heading back to Calais – could we squeeze it in in time – no problem! so our final purchases included:
Robin: Nannostomus mortenthaleri, Barbus fasciolatus – bariloides (banded barb) Allan: Phenacogrammus interruptus (Congo Tetra), Aspidoras fuscoguttatus, Stephen: Hyphessobrycon megalopterus (Black Phantom Tetra), Megalamphodus sweglesi (Red Phantom Tetra), Peter: Botia histrionica (Gold zebra loach), Apistogramma agassizii, Graeme: Furnishings (large rocks!) and Potted nano plants