They say you can't go back, but I'm proving that wrong at 74. My story with model ships is a tale of two lives, separated by half a century.
It all began fifty years ago. As a young man and an ex-Dutch Navy sailor, it was only natural that I felt a pull to the sea, even in miniature. My first love was the Cutty Sark. Back then, there was no internet, no YouTube to guide my hands, just the instructions, the wood, and my own determination. I came a long way, pouring my focus into every tiny detail.
But life, as it does, had other plans. A new job, a new girlfriend, and a tiny apartment with just one fixed closet meant the model building had to stop. That girlfriend became my wife, and we built a life together. I never lost my love for models, but it was a passion set aside.
The decades passed, filled with all the things that happen in a life. Then, three years ago, I lost my second wife to cancer. It was a profound loss. In the wake of that grief, and now being retired, I made a big change. I moved to the beautiful countryside of Thailand, where I now live with my new girlfriend.
And here, the past reached out to me. With the internet at my fingertips, I found myself watching videos about model building. The old spark, that fascination I had as a young man, was rekindled instantly. This time, I have the space, the time, and the wisdom to see it through.
In a few months, once I've prepared for the costs involved, I will begin again. My first project will be the HMS Victory from Artesania Latina, specifically the "Anatomy" version. I love the idea of not just building the ship, but being able to look inside, to see the heart and bones of such a legendary vessel. It feels like the perfect symbol for this new chapter: building something beautiful, with a rich interior life, once again.
Ferry
It all began fifty years ago. As a young man and an ex-Dutch Navy sailor, it was only natural that I felt a pull to the sea, even in miniature. My first love was the Cutty Sark. Back then, there was no internet, no YouTube to guide my hands, just the instructions, the wood, and my own determination. I came a long way, pouring my focus into every tiny detail.
But life, as it does, had other plans. A new job, a new girlfriend, and a tiny apartment with just one fixed closet meant the model building had to stop. That girlfriend became my wife, and we built a life together. I never lost my love for models, but it was a passion set aside.
The decades passed, filled with all the things that happen in a life. Then, three years ago, I lost my second wife to cancer. It was a profound loss. In the wake of that grief, and now being retired, I made a big change. I moved to the beautiful countryside of Thailand, where I now live with my new girlfriend.
And here, the past reached out to me. With the internet at my fingertips, I found myself watching videos about model building. The old spark, that fascination I had as a young man, was rekindled instantly. This time, I have the space, the time, and the wisdom to see it through.
In a few months, once I've prepared for the costs involved, I will begin again. My first project will be the HMS Victory from Artesania Latina, specifically the "Anatomy" version. I love the idea of not just building the ship, but being able to look inside, to see the heart and bones of such a legendary vessel. It feels like the perfect symbol for this new chapter: building something beautiful, with a rich interior life, once again.
Ferry
