Happy Friday!
This image was taken a few days ago (or so), after a week of mostly rain and gray skies. Good times!
Foto’s
Sixteenth day (Or: Flowers for sale)
Today Marco went back to work after the holidays. It has been pretty interesting having the apartment to myself, but unfortunately I didn’t get as much work done as I had hoped.
One of the things that I started on was reviewing Dutch pronunciation, in the hopes that I would be able to figure out how to say new words without giving Marco a blank stare. Little things like realizing that most vowels can be doubled: aa, ee, oo, etc. But ‘ii’ doesn’t exist – it is written as ‘ie’ instead, like ‘bier’. But mostly the diphthongs annoy me – ou, etc.
After lunch I decided to venture outside for a while and walk to American Book Center. Even with Google Maps it wasn’t that easy – although it was mainly just trying to get my bearings (again). Amusingly, the walk home was much quicker and easier. But at least now I know how to walk back there without a map.
Somewhere along the way I took a picture of some flowers for sale:
When I walked to the apartment entrance, another person who lived in the complex was coming out of the door with her dog. She said hallo so I said hi back. But then she said something else, and I wasn’t quite sure exactly what it was. But all I got out was a confused “um…” before she said Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! (Happy New Year) which at least I understood. But then my brain was still in English mode and I said “you too!” before the Dutch started to slip into my thoughts. (For the record, she grinned a bit and said something minor in English after; I forgot what.)
It’s been interesting listening to Dutch news today. So far I have battled with teletekst (channel 888 – subtitles for certain channels) trying to get that figured out. It’s technically for people who are hard of hearing but it’s obviously helpful for foreigners as well. But not every channel has it, and sometimes it is not really obvious which channels do and don’t support it.
Swings (Or: Is Central Park safe at night?)
From Marco…
Every now and then I pass a set of swings on the way to work.
I’m reluctant to call it a playground despite that there’s also one of those sort of rocking horses next to it. It’s really nothing more than these swings and that horsey. No grass or anything, just some sort of rubber padding.
But I guess it’s better then nothing.
Niki asked me the other day to be on the look out for picture ops.. So today when I walked past the swings I decided to take a snapshot and share this fun story: Back in 2009 when I was vacationing at Niki’s place, we went to New York (as we often do *grin*)
We ended up at Central Park, entering from Columbus Circle (for those in the know). As we entered this young woman approached us and asked if the park was open at night for joggers. I was somewhat speechless to hear that question. Not something you’d expect her to ask. The park is a large place, I don’t think you want to be running around in it at night by yourself.
Now for some reason I remembered seeing a sign saying it closed at some point of the evening, only allowing people on the main roads. So we sent her off with that knowledge.
Niki and I proceeded into the park itself. It had just rained so that nice smell of wet grass and trees was everywhere. We walked past a playground and Niki wanted to go on the swings! 🙂 Since it had just rained and it was already around 7pm there weren’t any kids there at that moment. So I just sat on the swings (gotta stay cool) while she actually erhmm..well…swung I guess the word would be.
She did warn me that she had to be careful to not do that for too long or she might get sick. And sure, at some point she suddenly stopped before it was too late. It was a very random but fun few minutes there on those swings. A very good memory. It actually reminds me of another story from the same trip but I’m going to have to keep that one for another time.
A hint: It involves bugs.
Amsterdam (Or: View from the canal)
Here are some more pictures from the canal boat ride we took back in the summer of 2010 (“we” being Roger, Marco, Marco’s Mom and I).
Random family above.
Delft (Or: Dutch fridge trinkets)
My fridge is full of lots of little trinkets, including but not limited to Dutch things.
Above you can see a Delft postcard and magnet (the latter having a 3D element in the upper right that comes out a bit, using a spring). This was from the Summer 2011 trip. You also see my parents’ dog, Oreo. She is a papillon (see below). Kind of big boned for a breed that is supposed to be dainty, but we love her…
There’s a Holland magnet above that which Marco gave me a long time ago. Due to its age, it’s starting to bend a little bit.
In the upper right you can see part of a magnet for the New York Rangers goalie, Henrik Lundqvist (Let’s go Rangers!). It’s actually holding up a business card with information regarding my next dental appointment in late November.
And this is only one corner of the fridge! I plan on taking most of these with (if we find a not-so-garish way to display them) – and if they survive being peeled off. Some don’t respond well to being moved anymore.
Speaking of papillons…
Above is a picture of the Westminster dog show banner in the Madison Square Garden. It features the papillon “Kirby” which won in 1999. During the dog show (which happens during the hockey season), the ice rink must be melted down. Otherwise the dogs can sense the ice and spend most of their time trying to dig down to get at it!
In motion (Or: Spinning art in Rijswijk)
Marco was able to get some good pictures of a curious looking art installation which was placed in Rijswijk near the Hoogvliet supermarket. I have included both pictures so you can see the motion of both the skaters and of the small ledges they stand on.
I really have no idea what the art is supposed to symbolize. Maybe it hypnotizes the viewers so that when they enter Hoogvliet they buy more…
Happy Friday, everyone!
Picture books (Or: Tien kleine heksjes)
Before there were chapter books like Het geheim van de verliefde hulpkok, there were picture books like Tien kleine heksjes (10 little witches). Marco and I had gone to Amsterdam Public Library, and we stopped at the children’s section for this photo.
You can see more pictures of the children’s section of the library by looking at one of the first posts I wrote for this blog.
Traffic jam (Or: Amsterdam’s in-water boat show 2012)
Roger was gracious enough to send me some pictures of Amsterdam’s in-water boat show which starts today, September 4, and runs through Sunday, September 9. He has been watching the construction of the marina over the past few months, which will house all of the boats this week. Apparently most of the marina will stay after the boat show wraps up, which is nice.
Location: Amsterdam Marina, NDSM Shipyard; Werfstraat 4, 1033 SN Amsterdam
Of course, it does mean there will be more traffic in the area, which hopefully won’t put a damper on Roger’s commute to and from work each day. It’s only four days, at least! Here’s a floor plan of the boat show so you can see the amount of boats that will be docked there. As Roger noted, it is kind of weird to see “Manoeuvreren voor vrouwen” in the lower left of the floor plan (maneuvering for women)… as if men don’t need any help, or all women need help. (I would!)
You can also see a list of activities broken down by day — though it seems like a lot of activities happen on all of the days.
There will be 200 exhibitors and 300 boats. You can read more about the facts & figures of this event by going to the press section of their website.
Categories: Amsterdam, Culture, Transportation
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Brazilian food (Or: It’s all about the pineapple)
From Marco…
This past Sunday, Roger invited his family and me out to dinner.
He picked a place called Rodizio (rodizio.nu) which is a Brazilian restaurant in Scheveningen.
You don’t order a meal, they just bring a whole slew of skewers with meat to your table, and you get a slice of everything your hungry heart desires. Good times..
When Niki was visiting in the Summer of 2011, we went there as well.
I think that maybe at first she was a bit cautious about what they were trying to give to her.
But that soon faded as they brought delicious chicken and beef and sausages.
I do remember there was one type that she didn’t like, but that’s fine..there was plenty to choose from.
The fun thing is that officially you get a little round green/red sign that you put in front of you.
Green means you want more. Red means you’re skipping this round.
Though usually they don’t really check them.
It’s only when everyone on your table has the red sign that they act on it, and they know to take your plates.
(Note from Niki: When I first read this I thought it said “they know to take your pulse.” Haha.)
Another good thing about this place? It’s where I discovered Caipirinha’s.
The first time I went there (2 years ago) it was like a sort of after-work party.
We got a short class in how to make those (and Mojitos but those aren’t nearly as good).
When I make them myself, they’re a bit more sour (also more alcohol I bet) which is fine but I have to admit, the ones at the restaurant look better.
I could write for a while longer about the fun eating (and drinking) experience that is Rodizio.
But I am being urged by Niki to go to sleep (it’s 11.30 pm at the moment)
Which is fine, it just means I’ll be one day closer to the day I get to go there again with her 🙂
Athene Palace (Or: Greek food in the Hague)
As Marco visited Athene Palace in July for his birthday, he was kind of enough to give me a picture of the menu.
And not just any page of the menu… but the page with #95, which reads: Sirtakischotel: kipfilet, suflaki, sutzuki en giros. Each time I have gone to the restaurant (2 or 3 times?) I have always ordered #95. The gyros are my favorite for sure.
Oh, and if you want to spell 95, it’s vijfennegentig (5-and-90, with the classical Dutch refusal to add spaces).
Marco was also kind enough to get a shot of ouzo in the picture. I like it — it tastes like licorice, though it does burn a bit going down. If you’re with a group of people, you can clink your shotglasses together and say Proost! which is their version of “Cheers!”. (It rhymes with “boast”.)
And for dessert, I like to get the Dame Blanche, which is vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce. My ideal method for attacking that dessert is to be stingy with the sauce and add a little bit every few bites, to prolong the chocolate heaven.
Life in the Hague 