My dear old dad has been in town for over a week, and during that time I’ve been grateful to share with him some truly Dutch moments: an Ajax game; King’s Day; and, this past weekend, visiting the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, where more than 10,000 U.S. soldiers and other service members killed during World War II are memorialized.

We visited twice, once to join a guided tour with the outstanding Arie-Jan van Hees, and two days later on Remembrance Day, or Dodenherdenking, on May 4. This is when the Netherlands honors its citizens killed in war and other conflicts. Many Dutch, especially those who have adopted WWII soldiers buried or memorialized at the cemetery, also commemorate fallen Americans on this date, too. (I wrote about the Dutch grave adoption program for CNN, and I also had my first byline in Smithsonian magazine with this story about adoption programs in Europe, which ran on May 5.)

In Amsterdam, my dad and I have visited the Anne Frank House and the Dutch Resistance Museum (during the latter, we experienced a family first: my dad being the one to drag me out of a museum, not the other way around.) It’s a been a lot of heavy history, no doubt. But learning as much as possible about it — the heroes, the victims, the survivors, the resisters, the villains, and how we as humankind can avoid repeating the same fate — is the least that anyone, especially those of us lucky enough to live in a democratic society, can and should do.

On a personal level, to experience all of this with my dad, whose own father served in WWII, on such a significant milestone — 80 years after the Allies declared victory in Europe (VE Day is on May 8) — is something I’ll never forget.

Recently Published Stories

For CNN: This story about a 400-year-old tea and coffeeshop in Amsterdam that will soon close because of escalating rent, due in part to overtourism

For Smithsonian, my first byline: A feature story about the volunteers who have adopted the graves of U.S. soldiers and service members who died in WWII

For The Toronto Star (another first byline!): This fun first-person travel story about visiting London in the footsteps of Bridget Jones, one of my all-time favorite characters

Up Next Week: A New Subject Line Smackdown

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these fan faves, and to make up for it, I’ll do a double batch next week! (For new subscribers, SLS is when I analyze the subject lines that have recently appeared in my inbox, with identifying info redacted.)

And That’s a Wrap

Gotta keep it a bit short today, as it’s time to go on another cemetery walk with the only person in my family who actually likes doing this with me.

Thanks, as usual, for reading. I’ll see you next week.

May we never forget,

Blane