Box seat at the cow pasture
In ancient Greece, the poet Homer described the Greek goddess Hera as "cow-eyed" – a reference to how beautiful and, above all, large her eyes were. Anyone who has seen a cow up close knows that cows not only have pretty eyes, but also the thickest eyelashes. That they often look back with interest when you look at them. That they do little jumps when they're happy and prefer to lie as close as possible to their friends while chewing their cud.
You can observe all of this on the "Koe in de Kost" farm in the Netherlands. The farming family has built nine earthen mound holiday homes directly surrounded by a cow pasture. Cows often stroll past just a few meters from the terrace and the living room. Because the landscape around the farm is so flat, you can see not only cows from the terrace, but also miles of greenery and sunlight—it's a treat for the eyes.
Those looking for excitement need only walk a few steps to the neighboring farm. There, ponies, cats, three Border Collies, chickens, ducks, and rabbits gather like a hidden object picture. Or you can drive to the nearby Sallandse-Heuvelrug National Park and hike through the heathland. By evening, though, you'll desperately want to return to the earthen house, which is at least as cozy as a hobbit hole in the Shire. But the view is better.
Koe in de Kost Stokvisweg 10, 8111 RS Heeten, Netherlands Tel. 0031/572/22 00 02 5-person holiday home from €146/night (for a seven-day stay including final cleaning)
süeddeutsche
