We started our run at elementary school ASVO in the centre of Amsterdam.
Two large groups of children came to listen and participate in our presentation.
They had lots of great questions for the runners.
2nd group.
All smiles for peace.
Where can you feel peace?
The children were extremely nice and smart.
Touching the Peace Torch
Where do you go next?
Well, we went to a beautiful village called Nigtevecht...
...to a beautiful castle...
...to meet two beautiful people.
Concert pianist Michiel Borstlap...
And his partner Wendy Brouwer, a television actress.
They wholeheartedly supported the Peace Run.
Vapushtara, our Dutch peace-runner, is both Michiel Borstlaps piano tuner and his good friend!
We talked about music and peace.
And we were invited into his private studio and intimate concert hall...
...where Michiel played a soul-stirring piece for us on his grand piano. It was a moment we will not lightly forget as we were moved beyond words.
Two friends.
Michiel composed a mini-opera about the Arabic sage Ibn Sna, known as Avicenna in the West.
Thank you so much for this wonderful reception!
From Nigtevegt the route led us through beautiful countryside...
...towards the town of Hilversum where Nel Zuidema, the mother of our Dutch runner Nitish, had prepared a sumptuous lunch for us.
Nel and her husband received us most kindly.
From Hilversum we ran through more lovely scenery towards the town of Velp.
Always there are nice people along the way.