Corner View: Architecture

Canal in the Jordaan

Ohhhh Amsterdam... I'm not a photographer, but then again Amsterdam will look gorgeous on anyone's photo.
I can't believe I live in this country! :)
This one was too easy... :) :) :)

More corner views here.

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Giddy for Gidsy!

My absolute favorite thing about travel is meeting people who live in those destinations and if they take me somewhere they love to go... well I'll just be giddy from such luck!

That is why I thing Gidsy is PURE GENIUS!!!  Think Etsy but for Activities!!!!

I tell you a secret.  Once upon a time when I lived in NYC, I wanted to start a walking tour company.  Then I took a huge shotgun and shot myself in the foot about 38 times.  (Over thinking things like, nyc tourism activity permit, insurance, taxes, etc, etc, etc...)

Now for example, you're on your way to Amsterdam and you're walking around taking in the sites.  You come across one of the many picturesque canals and see lovely house boats.  You lean accross the bridge railing wistfully thinking... "Oh if I only knew someone who lived on such a boat, they could invite me over and I can see what it's like inside..."

Well GUESS WHAT!?  Few clicks on Gidsy and you're in!!!!  I myself have not used it yet, but the next time I'm going somewhere I can't wait to give this a try!  As for the house boat dinner, a total MUST quintessential Amsterdam.


Eat Dutch stew with houseboat crew! by Mark & Cynthia V. on Gidsy.com

Security declaimer: of course the jaded New Yorker in me is screaming not to go into any stranger's house as it could end in a bloody mess.... but I realize that it's a personal problem to work out privately with my team of psychologists so for now I tell the voice to shut it, and enjoy life ;)

Where would you take a tourist to in your town?

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Spring- effective immediately!

Gorgeous days are in effect! Wow! And to think, I took a pic of this very spot all covered in snow for a christmas card. Same tree but from the oposite side.
Verzonden vanaf mijn draadloze BlackBerry®-toestel

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wrong answer

OK fine, I can do some cultural commentary as well. Here is what went on last weekend in the wilderness of Holland! They froze the field and skated on it. I got a bit nostalgic over my childhood in Kiev... we did the same thing. As a proper little girl I had my cute white skates and was skating around pretending to be a Snegurachka, or sometimes Snezjinka... sometimes even a little white furry bunny... that's probably because I had a white rabbit fur hat.

Anyway, funny thing is that the Dutch think they're the only ones that do this. Maybe they should not feel blind confidence that just because they travel a lot they understand the world. Understanding the world involves making friends with the people from those lands.

Let's take the USA for example. The Dutch think that they know everything about the US and Americans. When I ask them how many actual Americans they have met - most of them reply: Joey, Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Ross and Phoebe. Wow, like omg, that's SO crazy! I totally know a TV SHOW with the same exact people! How cool!

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Me so dutch!

Well to take a break from dieting, let me tell you about a real DUTCH meal I prepared!

And dieting is stupid anyway, I mean I've spent all this time developing my figure, why in the heck would I want to go and ruin all the efforts with dieting!!??!? Like Sofia Loren said, "All you see here is thanks to spaghetti". Smart woman!

So yes, my super DUTCH meal....

tadaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

My very own rendition of spinazie stomppot met worst. Basically mashed potatoes with spinach and sausage. Yummy! Though it does seem suspiciously familiar to other similar dishes eaten in Russia, Germany... and ... others.

But there you go, I'm like SO totally Dutch now and stuff! :)

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Pretty Netherlands

One of the millions of flower photos I took at the Keukenhof gardens last month. Vito's parents took us all to enjoy a sweet day at the park where I unleashed my hidden desire to photograph the insides of EVERY SINGLE TULIP!!! Yeah! Super tourist me!

Another very fabulous new site has been put together to showcase the pretty Holland is http://www.1000dutchdelights.com/

As for me- I've been super busy and has not properly seen the inside of my own residence. I have started learning Dutch again with classes 3x per week. Crazyness.

Pst... huge party this Saturday!.... wheeeeee

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A walk in the "park"

On Monday in the middle of crazy snow storm... there came through some sunshine and beautiful blue skies! I just can't get enough of the dunes!!

This is what it looked like in the morning. I took a picture, I knew you'd ask :)

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Citizen Reporter - New Years Eve - The Netherlands

Now don't you worry! These are not war scenes of guns and bombs... this is just good clean fun that Dutchies are having in honor of New Year.

Fireworks are illegal everyday of the year except for NYE. (Kinda like marijuana is actually illegal, except for "personal use" in 2 gram instalments).

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Christmas season in Holland

As a part of my Sinterklaas present from Vito's parents, this Saturday we all went to a CASTLE! I'm such a sucker for beautiful castles with mots and mysterious gardens and roaring mighty lions that guard the entrance... aren't you?

The day could not have been more perfect. It was sunny and the cold was crisp, and there was even some frost covering the ground and trees. Perfect weather conditions for visiting a mysterious castle!

And perfect timing as well because I'm reading a book (also part of my Sinterklaas present) The Boleyn Inheritance by Philipa Gregory, which talks about Anne of Cleves who became the 5th wife of King Henry VIII of England. Incidentally.... Cleves, right on the border of Netherlands and Germany, was a very important place in the mid 1500, and this castle was given to a manservant of the Bishop of Utrecht around that time. (Not a bad present for being someones maid?)

What a fantastic day! I know Europe doesn't have Grace land, home town of the king, but it got some pretty castles which is cool too! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!!!

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SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Another really cool thing found in Valencia. I can't believe I managed this shot free of people (they were all standing behind me taking the same picture)... looks like some kind of alien compound no!? how fun!

Now many other ''expat blogs'' so to speak talk a lot about the various struggles that one goes through while adjusting in a new country. I pride myself on being an ''international citizen'' therefore obviously nothing could ever shock or surprise me.

BUT banking here just makes me feel absolutely violent and aggressive! Instance 1: when I first arrived I was shocked at the fact that in order to open a bank account one had to show up at a branch. NOT JUST WALK IN but actually make an appointment prior to showing up. Like- are you serious!??? Why can't I just fill an app online and be done with it!????

Oh and it does not stop here. I had to apply for a credit card. Can you do THAT online? NOOOO you must make an appointment at the bank and being the super sexy jet setting world traveler... I could only grace them with my grace setting an appointment a MONTH in advance. The morning of the appointment, Saturday morning, with a cup of coffee in hand I calmly made up my wish list on amazon.com thinking I'd be back in the afternoon with my shiny new CC in hand to finish off the transaction... NOOOOOOO At the appointment I was notified that and INVITATION to pick up my credit card should be mailed to me within 2 weeks. WHAT!? I have to come BACK HERE!????? I was so distressed that the lady had to walk me out of a back entrance as she did not want the other customers hearing all the profanity.

Seriously, what is this????? 16th century England where going to a bank was considered a privilege? They seriously need to stop playing, it's not funny. How am I going to pay for dinner with some clients? By taking out a huge wad of money like some cheap drug dealer??? Ew!

Now I understand why dutch people are so calm and relaxed. They MUST be, dealing with such wackiness one must have nerves of steel.

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Home?

Vito and I went house hunting last weekend. You know, just checking to see if the market has anything good to offer...

This one was kinda cute and inviting, but I don't know... what do you think?

:)

That's Muiderslot, one of the castles in Holland

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This is where I went running in the mornings while I was in Boston. Pretty!

Coming back felt really normal and nice, even though I was greeted on arrival with some very aggressive looking dark clouds. Today however it was GORGEOUS!

All I wanted to do was be a complete homebody for a while, but OH how quickly the travel bug stirs... and I'm already so excited about PARIS next WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First time for me, I think I will really like it actually. When I was little I got a doze of French movies, I wonder if it will be similar to what I already have constructed in my mind...

Hugs!

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A windmill. Just because :)

This week back in NL flew by really quickly. I'll be going back to Bean Town for two more weeks. (Craziness huh!?) But its nice that I'll get to visit my family next weekend again!

I'll be missing Vito... awwww...... wwwaaaahhh... but I guess I will console myself in the mall... that is so very conveniently attached to the hotel I'll be staying in.

I'll bring my camera cord so I can put up some pictures while I'm over there.

Oh! And tonight Vito and I are going to this party his friend's parents are throwing and I was personally promissed real dutch folk music!!! Can't wait! :)

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Glossy

I'm REALLY behind on all the stories and all the action. It always happens when you have stuff to tell, so you wait to put it together in your head... and end up not talking about it. Ok, so good thing they invented cameras. I'll do a pictorial run through of last week and last weekend:



Saturday: Kayaking with the ladies


Sunday: Hike in the dunes with big Vito



Monday: in the Kitchen with chef Vito. He made yet another incredible Indonesian dish called Babi Pangang. SO GOOD! (Sauce made by him from scratch too!)



Tuesday: making carrot cake for the FIRST TIME in my LIFE!! It came out tasting like... carrot cake! Really!




Wednesday: Supah Faaaahhhbulous dinner with Alexis and friends at a snooty restaurant. Taking advantage of the Restaurant Week in AMSTERDAM!




Wohw... and we are only on Thursday!
Ta-ta darlings!

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Fun in the sun!

The weekend was absolutely gorgeous! Starting Friday it was sunny and warm ending up as HOT by Sunday. Friday la mamma di Vito took me for a nice little (3.5 hours) ride around the nearest towns and lake. What a gorgeous, gorgeous bike ride! I love seeing dutch towns because it's always a mix of really old built houses and new architecture...

On the lake you could see a number of sailing schools practicing. Danielle, pay attention, this is where you're going to go for your lessons when you're here!
The beach was a ZOO all weekend...!!! I've never seen so many kids all at once in the same spot. If the population growth rate is dipping in the entire Europe please be sure to note that it is NOT dipping here in Holland. People are popping them out like hot cakes!! Or... pancakes!! Yes I know, not very respectful of the whole child baring process but there are just so many kids here. AND they're all PLATINUM blond!!!! How do the parents tell which one is whose??? I mean after a day at the beach where all the blond kids run around yell and scream the same way with their little pink and blue plastic buckets, how do you know which one to take home at the end of the day!??? Maybe it's a good idea to tag them. Actually would be kinda nice to have one of those self retractable leashes so at the end of the day you just press a button and the kid is just sucked back to your blanket. Yeah that would be useful.
Speaking of kids... Here is Big Bad Vito getting in touch with his childlike inner-self. We met up at the beach with Ranirio and Bernadetta to whom I was able to complain about how Vito is one scary dude who tells me what to do. They just confirmed that yes indeed that sounds like Vito and suggested I rename my blog "It's Scary all the time!" Well... Vito decided to soften his hard image just a bit and allow for some playful activities like ice cream licking. (P.S. I like Vito telling me what to do... sshhh don't tell anyone!)

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Ameland

There is just something about being on an Island! Now this is what an island in the North of Holland looks like...

BIG gorgeous beach...

Girl with smug face... and some hairy locals...

The WAY cute town of Nes. You know what the most happening bar is called? Nes Cafe. hehehe Another one of my favorite names was Happy Nes Restaurant. Awww...

Here is a typical looking farm with the strawy roof...
The light house!

Now we were really lucky to have perfect weather on Saturday for our gran tour de Ameland. We biked along the dunes which was absolutely gorgeous. There was a bit of wind in the beginning which caused me to say not such nice things under my breath to smarties passing by on MOTORized bicycles. I told Vito that maybe next time we can just rent a dark blue Jaguar... (Right Cadiz?) She knows, a few years ago the four of us went to the beautiful Sardegna and rented a super lux Jaguar with creamy leather interior... we had more pictures of that car then the beaches I believe, we were just obsessed with it!!

Anyway, it really was a marvelous ride, I really love biking as it turns out.

What gorgeousness! Here, below is a nice areal view (I got from the internet) of the island...

Ahhh... what to do to make yourself get over the post fun island weekend blues?..... PLAN the next trip!!!!

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It's all about food, even kayaking!

Well before it's Thursday and I still haven't talked about the weekend, I might as well talk about the weekend!

Friday Vito and I went out for some sushi. It's rare that I'm in Amsterdam when its dark, so its easy to forget how beautiful the canals are with all the lights reflecting in them... aahhh...

Saturday yummy bbq!

Sunday I went Kayaking with Alexis and friends to a town a bit North of Amsterdam. There are canals opening into lakes, houses or green fields with chewing cows. Lovely! We kayaked for almost 3 hours and after that were hungry like the chewing cows! Across the street was a tiny town with a big Pancake house...

I had a "Bermuda" pancake with bananas, fudge and ice cream. I'm not usually a sweet tooth person, but after trying my best to keep up with the girls I was famished! Oh yes that's a beer in the back ground. Just because one is having chocolate and ice cream does not mean one should not also have a beer! One is smart!

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Sport is good for you

Ahh, sweet weekend... beach again, but it was super windy so don't think the Hawaiian Tropics oil came out of the bag. (Well no, since the OZONE layer is disintegrating we should all be wearing Garnier spf 30.) Anyway, I really want to try this:

Oh and Saturday I discovered a new brand... Sport clothing. Never heard of them before, can you guess why they don't sell it in america? I got a white sweatshirt and a gray and pink tee, super cute.

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Eat me!!

Last week when I was booking through double shifts of interviews my darling left me a little surprise in the refrigerator. It all started with a mystical text message... (It was mystical because it was in Dutch!) Thank goodness the very first thing I learned were all the words related to food. Yes that was hard when you're on a ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island after a day at work, already hungry and you still have two more hours of commute time... But anyway, here is the first taste (view for you) of the "New" Herring of the season!

"New" herring is simply first catch of the season, something about it being not fat enough yet (only 16% body fat) I guess herrings in general are fatties... Anyway, the very FIRST barrel of herring gets auctioned off for crazy amounts of Euros, this year I believe it was 70,000€! Hmm.. that makes me wonder, how do they know it's really THE first!?? Maybe MY herring was really THE first!???? So yeah, the herring is eaten raw with a healthy coating of onions YUMMY! I say if you like sushi you will like raw herring too! And same goes in reverse! So Forgetful, this means you, since you like herring, you will probably like sushi too.

And just for fun. The REAL Dutch way to eat herring is of course with your head back holding the fish by the tail. Do close your eyes because the onions that are stuck to the fish will surely be falling off and hitting you in the face so you definitely want your eyes closed when that happens. Now the cute Dutch girls will demonstrate:


Oh! I have a special treat for you... No not food.. but I have snapped a picture of the Corporate Holland... You know Corporate America? Well... this is Corporate Holland... are you ready??? Here it is...

Hmmm.... looks like it could be central New Jersey! Where are the gargoyles perched on the castle walls!??? Nah, same square buildings, a bit of flowers and fake pools to relieve work related stress, same stuff as in the USA. I just thought of something! EVEN in NYC where there isn't enough room there are plenty of fake pools especially in front of financial buildings... I guess there is really calming power in water.

Wow... too much deep discussion, must go away and twist blond hair for a bit...

Tomorrow! We will delve into the fascinating world of Amsterdam's subcultures. India is first on the list, inspired of course by a visit to a very coll country club in the Amsterdam "forest" to see a friendly game of cricket!!! For a spoiler go to Alexis's site, I'll bring pictures manana.

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On a bike through Weerribben...

Vito: "SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"

No it's not the way Vito speaks to me, it was just an honest advice in response to my: "ALL the bugs are going into my mouth...!!! Ptewww!!!"

We were speeding along on our bikes past the cows chewing grass on one side and past the evergreens and big bushes of flowers on the other.

What a lovely getaway we had. Thursday was a holiday so we decided to take advantage and booked two days over in the North East of Holland. Sounds far? Well it's just about 2 hours drive! (Oh, look on the picture, me making love to the camera and there is Vito trying his hardest not to laugh at me...) Btw, do you see the big orange sun on my t-shirt?? hehehe sunny all the time!

Thurday at noon we headed out and were there by 2pm. Within 30 minutes we were already on our rented bikes that were waiting for us outside the hotel. The area is known for neverending bike paths. The first day we decided to take it super easy and only biked 20 kms... And I realized I made a pretty big goof up and took my camera leaving the battery in the charger... No problem I still have my phone camera! BUT! That picture you see up there is basically one of the very few that I took before the battery on my phone died! Uffffffaaaaa! However, I remained reasonably calm since I knew I could click over to good ol' flickr.com and find pictures of the very things that I wished to take, taken by others! Hey, better then nothing, but good enough to tell the story...

The next day we headed out on a 50 km bike ride through about 4 towns and the Weerribben National Park area. In the park itself we rode by two gorgeous little towns: Kalenberg and Ossenzijl. The houses in those towns are straight out of story book! The towns itself are on tiny little islands conected by bridges. (What fun riding over them especially when some lady with two kids on her bike are riding right at you...)

Here is a great pick I found on flickr from some Japanese guy that was apparently in the area just 2 weeks before us... :)

More houses and more canals...

And look, how perfect! Someone was good enough to take a nice close up of one of the many COWS!!! Saved me the trouble of stopping and getting of my bike. Oh, and check out the house with the roof make of these stick thingis. Apparently very traditional, most houses had such roofs.

Super tired... and I still didn't finish telling about next day's visit to Giethoorn...! It'll have to wait, because my GRANDPARENTS are in AMSTERDAM! T'hat's right! I'll be hanging out with them tomorrow and we are going on a canal boat ride! I know, very toursity, but it's ok because I have my very OWN tourists to entertain!!! Wheeee!!!

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