Celebrating 35 years of FIQAS: a memorable weekend on Texel

FIQAS celebrates 35 years this year, and this past weekend we celebrated on the Ibiza of the north, also known as Texel!

Unlike 10 years ago when we celebrated the 25th anniversary, this time it was not going to be a survival weekend. And so, with over 50 enthusiastic FIQAS colleagues, we boarded the bus on Friday morning with high spirits, heading towards the ferry in Den Helder. A smooth crossing brought us to Texel where an impressive collection of e-bikes awaited us.

Hairstyle wind force 12

After a relaxing bike ride, during which we enjoyed the beautiful Texel landscape, we arrived in Oudeschild where we had a delightful lunch.

In the afternoon, it was time for some more excitement on the water heading towards the seals in the North Sea in a fast RIB boat. We enjoyed the beautiful seals and the wonderful stories from the skipper, and we returned to shore safe and sound with hairstyles blown by ‘wind force 12’ and a few sunburned foreheads. In the evening, we enjoyed a delicious BBQ buffet on the beach in the evening sun, and Rob and Annemiek were treated – by all the staff – to a special anniversary portrait of all the FIQAS members. (It now shines on the wall above the stairs in the FIQAS building.)

Drop-off in the purple FIQAS sweater

After dinner, we donned the purple FIQAS sweaters and were dropped in groups all over Texel from a bus. “We’ll wait for you in the pub!” Suppressing the survival trauma of the Ardennes, the groups set off into the forest, the meadow, or along the road. Luckily, it wasn’t bad at all, it didn’t resemble a survival at all, but became a very pleasant evening walk. The walk ended with a well-deserved drink in the pub.

As many sheep as possible

Saturday started with a delicious breakfast after which the competition could begin in the ‘Island Games’. Whether you were in team ‘Skuumkoppe’, ‘Sheep’, ‘Lighthouse’, or ‘Mud Walkers’, everyone aimed for victory. The teams were sent to all corners of the island to take selfies with, among other things, boulders, insect hotels, and as many sheep as possible. Of course, one team was the smartest and fastest and managed to score the most points with a tactical distribution, epicenter, and strategic approach. Fortunately, the other teams ended up with a nice afternoon and great memories. The Saturday afternoon was further filled with a visit to the local brewery or a quiet game in the hotel.

In the evening, everyone enjoyed a delicious dinner, and then it was time to dance at the nearby dance café. Luckily, we still have the photos (and videos)… 😉

We’re not tired of each other yet, so there is already talk of the next party… On to the next anniversary!