B&B The Langstraat
If you know Marianne and Ad Roza, you may also be familiar with B&B De Langstraat in Raamsdonk. At this rural bed-and-breakfast, they’ve been welcoming guests for years who come to enjoy peace, space, and hospitality.
The B&B is located in a beautifully renovated farmhouse dating back to 1830. Guests wake up to a hearty breakfast full of fresh, local produce from the property’s own garden and the surrounding area. It’s a place where you can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, right in the heart of the Brabant countryside.
That same love for hospitality and unique experiences is also reflected in their hot-air balloon rides. For over forty years, Marianne and Ad have been sharing their passion for hot-air ballooning with others—a passion that began during a special event.
B&B De Langstraat in Raamsdonk, Brabant
An adventure that began in 1983
"In 1983, it was exactly two hundred years since the first hot-air balloon took flight," they explain. "To celebrate that, a major international balloon event was organized in Raamsdonksveer, featuring one hundred hot-air balloons from all over the world."
Volunteers were needed to assist the international teams. Marianne signed up and was assigned to an English balloon team led by pilot George Barnes.
"I got to go up in the air on my very first evening," she says. "Ad was still standing behind the fence watching at the time." But that didn’t last long. The next day, Ad got to go up too, and a few months later, he took his first lessons in Manchester.
What began as a chance encounter grew into a lifelong passion.
"Hot-air ballooning was a real adventure back then," they say. "There were no cell phones and no internet. You often didn't know exactly where you'd end up."
An impressive spectacle on the lawn
Meanwhile, preparations continue on the field. The basket is now in place, and the enormous balloon is spread out across the grass. The brightly colored fabric seems to stretch on endlessly as it is slowly unrolled.
Once everything is hooked up, the passengers gather around Marianne for a brief explanation. Then comes the spectacular moment everyone has been waiting for.
With the help of large fans, the first air flows into the balloon. Slowly, the balloon takes shape. What starts as a colorful piece of fabric transforms into a gigantic bubble within minutes.
I find it so impressive to see how quickly such a huge balloon comes to life.
Then you hear the sound of the burners. A stream of warm air continues to fill the balloon, which slowly rises above the field. People look up, point, and take pictures. Even from the ground, you can feel the magic of the moment.
Why hot-air ballooning is never boring
After more than forty years, Marianne and Ad haven’t lost their enthusiasm for hot-air ballooning for a single moment. “It’s still special,” they say. “Every balloon ride is different.”
According to him, that’s mainly because you never know exactly where the journey will take you. “You can’t steer a balloon like a car or an airplane. You can only go up or down. Ultimately, the wind decides where you’re going.” It’s precisely that unpredictability that makes the adventure so special. “The tranquility, the view, and the fact that you don’t know exactly where you’ll land. That’s the magic of hot-air ballooning.”
There they go
Then the moment arrives. The balloon is fully inflated, and the passengers quickly climb into the basket. Within a few minutes, the balloon lifts off the ground. It rises silently into the sky.
Before long, the balloon is floating high above Waalwijk. Its vibrant colors stand out beautifully against the clear blue evening sky. In the warm light of the sun, the scene looks almost like a painting.
From the field, I watch the balloon grow smaller and smaller as it drifts toward the horizon. I immediately understand what Marianne and Ad meant when they talked about the magic of hot-air ballooning.
Brabant from a hot air balloon
According to Marianne and Ad, passengers are often surprised once they’re up in the air. “People often think they’ll get a fear of heights, but that almost never happens,” they say. What strikes them most is the tranquility. “From up above, you don’t notice any of the hustle and bustle on the ground. It’s like looking down from your own little balcony.”
Passengers also often discover amusing details. “Just how organized the Netherlands really is. And how many swimming pools and trampolines there are in people’s yards.” It’s a perspective you’ll never get from the ground.
Wherever the wind takes you
Over the past few decades, Roza Balloon Tours has seen the world from the air—from the Alps at an altitude of 4.5 kilometers to balloon rides over the Saudi Arabian desert.
They’ve also taken part in major international events. For example, this year they participated in a balloon festival in Joure for the thirty-fifth time and flew among hundreds of other hot-air balloons in Warstein, Germany.
But extraordinary experiences don’t have to be far away. As I watch the balloon slowly disappear over the Brabant horizon, I realize that the adventure actually begins the moment the balloon is rolled out onto a grassy field.
Because it’s precisely that sense of the unknown that makes hot-air ballooning so special. You climb aboard, look up, and let the wind decide where the journey will take you.
And perhaps that’s exactly why Marianne and Ad are still so enthusiastic about it after more than forty years. As they themselves say:
"Join the adventure and see where the wind takes you."
Roza Ballooning
Would you like to take a ride in a Roza Balloon Tours hot air balloon? Then check out the Roza Balloon Tours website for more information or get in touch with Marianne and Ad. Another great idea: give someone the gift of a hot air balloon ride with a Roza Balloon Tours gift certificate.
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