Back to Holland, back to family

Arriving in Amsterdam I was met by my cousin's partner, Gregor. He is a lovely guy who packed me into his equally lovely car and took me back to their apartment.

It is huge; and not just by Amsterdam standards (not that I know what those are, but I can imagine they aren't big). It is bright, airy, and delightful. As Gregor worked for a bit, I plopped myself out on the balcony for a bit of a lazy retreat. Sunshine on my toes, reading my book, listening to the sounds of the neighbourhood. Life is pretty grand!

Yesterday, I had a call from a good friend of mine back in Canada. Alfred and I have worked together for many years at Rogers, so he was able to catch me up on some resent happenings at the office. Looks like the more things change, the more they stay the same. Thankfully, I have not been missing work for quite some time. I occasionally miss having some work to do, but that feeling usually passes fairly quickly. Besides, traveling is work. I may not be managing people or partnerships anymore, but I do have to stay on top of transportation, accommodation, finances, and communications everyday.

Sitting on this balcony in Amsterdam I am more and more happy with my decision to take a year off from my Canadian life. I knew if I didn't take this chance this year, I would regret it. And so far, I have no regrets.

Later on once my cousin, Josie, had returned from work we fell into an easy rhythm of chat. She and I have not spent a lot of time together, (in fact we can't remember when the last time we saw each other - could be over 20 years ago), but yet we caught up on things like we had been together only months ago. This is one of the joys of this part of the adventure. I don't have to explain myself from scratch to everyone I meet. Which can be exhausting and limiting. With family there is a baseline of understanding. And in our case, our mother's keep us well in formed about each other's families so when we do connect after years, we can pick up the stories easily. God, love our mother's.

I didn't grow up with much access to my extended family, so I have always been drawn to building a relationship with them. The trouble is we all still live so far apart and contact is still only sporadic. I am excited for this brief chance to catch up on their lives. I may not see much of Amsterdam, but the time will be well spent.

Wow - that sounds stalkerish... I am just happy to be hang with my cuz for a bit!

Brugge: much nicer than it sounds

I spent a lovely day wondering the streets of Brugge. The weather was bright (for the most part) and there were lots of old buildings and cobblestone streets to keep me entertained. I hadn't any idea of what to see or do while here. I just knew it was meant to be a good day trip from Brussels. It did well in regards to medieval looking squares, churches and monuments. Lots of history, if I bothered to look up the details.

I even treated myself to lunch in the main square at one of the many terrace restaurants. I decided on the set menu despite the high tourist price. I started with a dark Leffe beer (never tried that one before). There was also a small bowl of nuts delivered to the table with the beer. I am always apprehensive of these gestures. Too many times I have ended up with an extra charge on my bill. The sneaky "costly complimentary" snack.

The remainder of my lunch consisted of a salad with farmer's ham to start and a beef and pork stew as the main. The stew was cooked in dark beer so I am not sure I can count another beer for that one. I finished with creme glace for pudding. It was all delicious. Worth the splurge.

As hard as I tried to concentrate on this lovely town, my mind kept slipping back to the first street I came to; Steenstraat Or to those of us living out of a single bag for a year; mecca! It was lined with clothing shops. What's more, everything was on sale!!

Let's just say, I have got some tricky packing ahead of me. Good thing is that once I hit Wales in a few days, I can hand off a couple of pieces to my aunt (kisses Ruth) to take back to my stash at her house.

In actuality, I only picked up two dresses. Not bad considering what I was up against. And for those of you who know me well, you will think I have lost my mind when I mention that I didn't even go into the half dozen or so shoe stores. I mean really folks ... I might actually be sick.

Back in Brussels I had a quick bite to eat and then off to my hotel. I am returning to Holland tomorrow for a couple of nights. Amsterdam here I come!

Belgium on the hop

I decided to come to Belgium pretty much on a whim. I hadn't read up on the country or really given it much thought until I was on the train from Rotterdam to Brussels.

When I arrived at the Noord station, I thought I had made a horrible mistake. It was pretty desolate and it was pretty evident that I had stepped into the heart of the red light district. Great!

Thankfully the 20 minute walk to my hotel got me into a safer area, albeit only mildly. My hotel itself is very nice but the description on Booking.com should elaborate on the neighbour at bit more.

No worries. After checking in and a quick respite, I headed out to the city centre for a quickie look around. Along the way, I stumbled across St. Micheal's Cathedral which was lovely. The priest was performing mass in Flemish so it was a good way to wipe away the images of peep shows and condom shops from my recent memory.

I was also able to find the Grand Place. Normally, it would be hard since the signage here is very good, but a lot of the city centre is torn up for repair work. Much of it trying to be completed before the National Day, July 21.

I weather throughout my stay has been a mix of sunny blue skies and fast moving dark rain clouds with the ability to flood the streets if you are not careful.

With uncertain skies above, I headed for the movies. I had not seen a flick since Cape Town and need to get a popcorn fix. For anyone who has not seen the Hangover, step away from the computer right now and go see it. Definitely the funnest thing I have seen in many years. Good call Celia, thanks for the tip.

In my brief visit to Brussels, I have developed a checklist for anyone planning a visit, or like me, just finds yourself here. It is really a delightful place, despite what the Dutch say about it.

Brussels checklist:
Giant molecule - check
Left over from 1958 World's Fair. Cool science project.

Grand Place - check
Seen both by day and by night.

Mannequin Pis - check
Only the Belgians would make a little boy peeing a national symbol. I wonder if Benny Hill was actually born here.

Seat of European Union - check
Saw all the monuments and buildings swing by as I ducked for cover in my sightseeing bus because there was a massive downpour for 5 minutes.

Moules - pass
Seafood is still not my thing.

Belgium Waffles - check
With strawberries, bananas, and chocolate. If you are going to do it, might as well do it right. And I didn't spill any on myself!!

Frites - check
Belgium is apparently the birthplace of fries. They were good especially with the traditional mayonnaise, but they didn't rival my childhood favourite; Blue Water bridge chip truck. Can I get a witness?

Chocolate - check
Picked some up for friends, so had to sample a piece to be sure I was getting the good stuff.

Bizarre hand ball game - check
Played in the middle of the Grand Place with grown men slapping a small rubber ball back and forth; no discernible rules. I guess the soccer teams were already full at school when these guys went to sign up for sports.

Beer - check, check, check, and check
There are over 400 beers produced in Belgium so I will have to come back to do them justice. It is good practice for my upcoming trip to Ireland.

So much for the 20lbs I had lost so far on this trip. I am going to have to keep up with my rigorous sightseeing walks if I want to maintain my culinary delights.

Tomorrow I am off to Brugge for the day. Again, I don't really know that much about the place except it is meant to be beautiful. Let's hope the train station isn't hooker haven or that the city father's haven't decided to erect a monument to the desecration of public space by a little boy and his willy.

Holland: Land of water

The pace isn't slowing down as I move into my second week in Holland.

I have been to a cute historical pioneer village called Zuider Zee Museum. The fishing heritage of Holland is well represented with a complete recreation of a typical town. All the buildings have been brought from around the country to give authenticity to the park. You can see how the people lived and the various businesses in the village, including a school, sail maker's shop, cheese shop and the all important candy shop!

On Sunday, I met up with another cousin, Marja, in Rotterdam. She has lived there all her life, including the difficult years during World War II when most of the city was destroyed by bombings. As we strolled through the streets she was able to tell me delightful stories about various buildings and districts. We also took a boat cruise through the harbour. It was incredible to see the enormous machinery used for all the shipping business. What was particularly shocking was the vast numbers of empty containers sitting around the piers. You can really see how the world economy has brought this port to an almost standstill.

The following day I went to one of my favourite cities in Holland; Delft. It is an adorable city perched over countless canals. It is truly a picturesque town. Most people make their way through the cobble streets on bikes, so it also remains a very clean and quiet city. I was also able to have one of my favourite Dutch treats - poffertjes. We had our pancake snack in the main town square with the sun shining bright and a jazz brass band playing swing classics. It was fantastic.

We made a quick (and cheap) visit to the Delft Blue museum to see the famous Delft Blue pottery. If you arrive after 4:30 it is free to enter, since they close at 5:00. You have the place to yourself and 30 minutes is plenty of time to view the collection. Plus, you can rush pass the overpriced gift shop at the end since they want to close up on time. The artistry of Delft Blue is incredible. There are so many intricate patterns and designs all created with various intensities of the renowned blue tone. Some of the most interesting pieces were those commissioned by people or companies that wanted archways or fountains in their buildings. They have been donated back to the museum for display.

Today was spent in Leiden, which is another historic town nearby. Again, you can get easily lost in all the small streets and alleyways. Lucky for us we had Anne to keep us on the march. Anne works in Leiden and often strolls the streets during his lunch break. Rembrandt was born in Leiden and is very much a beloved character in the town. His birth home has been replaced by a modern apartment building, but across the street is a small park dedicated to him.

Tomorrow we are off up to Friesland in the north if the country for a couple of days on the boat; the adventure continues!!

Making new family connections

As part of my year of traveling I wanted to reconnect with many family members who I haven't seen recently. This generally means my father's side of the family, as I see my mother's side every few years or so.

So I have returned to Holland after 24 years; a lot is new, but some things remain unchanged. I came here twice as a child as well. But I think this time I can finally appreciate this part of my heritage. It is a remarkable country with a rich history.

My father fled Holland to the Dutch West Indies with his family during the war. He only returned for a short time before emigrating to Canada as a teenager. Therefore, our connection to our Dutch relatives has always been very thin.

During my visit here I have spent my time with my father's cousins. They have been so incredibly kind and generous to take me around to so many interesting sights. And there is quite often a story that connects a relative to each place.

I have been to Den Haag (The Hague). This was where my father grew up as a small boy. It is a beautiful old city with typical canals and fleets cyclists making their way around the tiny streets. Holland is definitely a country of bicycles. Nowadays, Den Haag is known as the place for justice. War criminals from around the world are brought here to answer for their actions.

We were also in the south of the country to visit my cousin, Serena. She is eight months pregnant, so our time was spent cleaning the baby furniture and getting the room ready for the new arrival. It was great to be able to offer some support. No point sitting around drinking tea when there is work to be done. She lives on a farm where she keeps her two horses, two dogs and four cats. These animals will have some tough competition when the baby comes. However, she is well suited for managing chaos, as Serena is a police officer.

I have also been to a lovely castle, Slot Loevenstein. It is situated on an island at the convergence of two rivers. The count that build the fortress charge a toll to all ships in the rivers. He was often under attack, but managed to reap a good bit of money. Later the castle was turned into a prison as it was quite isolated. Hugo de Groot, a founder of modern law, was imprisoned there until he escape in his book chest in 1621. This scheme was conceived by his wife and her maid.

The castle is near Woudrichem, a quaint historical town. We had a fantastic dinner at the old town hall or Raadhuys (pronounced rat•house). Not the best name for a restaurant, but it was certainly delicious.

We also stopped by a charming medieval town named Heusden. It is a walled city on one of the many rivers in the area. It reminds you just how precarious life in a sub-sealevel country really is. In Holland there is entire government ministry dedicated to monitoring the water levels. There is a well developed series of ditches, canals, rivers, lakes and pumps to move water through the country and out to the sea. Holland is essentically a catchbasin for most of north eastern Europe. There are even giant sea gates at the base of the Maas river that can be closed in case of rough weather in the North Sea. If there is a high likelihood of surges, then the gates are closed and all shipping, both in and out has to stop. You can imagine how expensive it can be to be trapped at dock with a cargo hold full of goodies. Worse yet, to be trapped outside the gates in the ferious North Sea.

This has been a whirlwind tour so far with so much to see, and it is only just started. I hope I can keep up the pace. My relatives are in great shape so I will have to keep moving to stay with them.

Bubbly and basking in France

When I travel, I always evaluate a city or location from the standpoint of whether I could live in the place or if it is just a place to visit. Mostly, I decide that I can manage living in any big city, but wouldn't survive well in smaller towns. The south of France is one of the only exceptions.

I love the area my aunt Jane lives in. St. Antonin du Var is a lovely spot near Nice that provides a great escape destination.

My Mum and I were looking for a couple of down days to recoup from our fever pace in Paris - St. Antonin was just the place for some chillaxing.

On the two day trip from Paris to St. Antonin, the three of us invibed in some local specialties. We stopped in Eparney which is in the heart of the Champagne region. We took the tour of Moet & Chandon. Their carve has over 10 million bottles of champagne. Needless to say, Mum and I were quite excited - Jane was driving so she could only have a small taste. We enjoyed a glass of their annual masterpiece. They blend up to 300 different wines to develop the exactly the same taste every year. This also is the reason that most champagnes do not have a vintage year. They are a blend of so many years that they can't designate a single year for a vintage. The other thing I learnt while in the home of Dom Perignon is that a champagne can be stored at home for as many years as it has been aged in a carve. So if you have a three year old champagne, then you can keep it at home for another three years before it looses its bubbles. But then again, who would ever
keep bubbly lying around that long!

After we dried out from Eparney, we spent a night in Beaune, a quaint little town in the midlands of France. It is well known for being the place of the first hospice centre. We had a stroll through the sweet little town and tried not to think of the sorrow happening in the hospice nearby.

Once in St. Antonin we only exerted ourselves when absolutely necessary. The most excitement we had was watching the men's finals at Wimbledon. It was an amazingly grinding match between Federer and Roddick. Federer finally eeked out a win (his 15th major - passing Sampras for the most ever) in 5 sets. It was tough that someone had to loose. They both played with a lot of heart.

We also found our way into a couple of village markets. These are essential aspects of life in the south of France. I could definitely get used to a pace of life like this.

I hope to return someday soon. This is definitely a slice of paradise, and I have the good fortune of being related to the generous owner!!

Paris in Springtime

I am in Paris for four days with my Mum. We decided that this would be a good stop for us in amongst our family visits.

We have had glorious weather with brilliant sunshine and high 20s temperature. The city is warm and full of life.

We have covered a lot of ground in a few short days. We started strong with a hike up to Sacre Coeur to take in the full view of the city. We then walked down through the smaller streets to the Moulin Rouge. Going from saints to sinners in a few blocks. We took in more of the city views from the roof terrace of the Galleries Lafayette. I am not sure what is more stunning, the view of the city or the domed mosaic ceilings inside. We got a chuckle from all the ladies that were lunching in the high-end cafeteria on the 6th floor and all the kids were up on the 7th with their bags of McDonald's.

We scored a great deal on a city tour that allowed us to tour over two days. We rounded out the first day riding high above the fray and taking in all the big attractions. The only downside was that I had forgotten to charge my camera battery, so I ran out of juice just before we hit the Eiffel tower.

As we returned to our hotel neighbourhood, we realized that we were in the heart of the Gay Pride Parade route. The boys were out in full force with lots of music and very little clothing. I felt like I was on Church street. Happy Pride to all my Gay and Lesbian friends!!

We finished the night with a quick subway ride out to see the Eiffel Tower twinkle at 11pm. It was pretty, but not as special as I expected. Our CN Tower puts on a more impressive display.

On Sunday, we finished off the other tour bus routes and landed ourselves at the Hotel des Invalides. We strolled through the impressive grounds of the previous hospital. It is now a museum for military armory (not my thing really).

We had decided that the Louvre was too crowded and not needed, so we opted for the Musee Rodin and Musee d'Orsay instead. If you are a fan of sculpture, then the 1€ entrance fee to the gardens at the Rodin Museum is the best money ever spent. I can't believe it is that cheap. We went into the small indoor exhibit as well, which was nice, but not necessary. The only major work they have inside is "The Kiss".

The Musee d'Orsay was also fabulous. The Impressionist are all well represented with some very famous pieces included in the permanent collection.

We headed home to our hotel for a rest and dinner of cheese and bread - can't beat that! When in Paris...

We took it easier on Monday. We started with a quick walk through Notre Dame. Two things about churches in Paris amaze me; 1) the are free or by donation to enter, 2) despite the hundreds of signs asking people not to talk or use flash photography, everyone does. I am not a religious person, but I know enough to respect the rules. Sheeish, heathens!

We next took ourselves via metro to the Arc du Triomphe. It was more interesting than I thought. The carvings on the pillars were very intricate. Finally, we began our stroll down the Champs Elysees - shopping time! I felt a indescribable pulling sensation as I walk past shops. I guess the shopping craving never leave you. I snatched up a couple of cute tops in the spring sales!!

We treated ourselves to a lovely dinner in the Italian district. I had found in our guidebook a street with three recommended restaurants. When we arrived, one of them was full up with about 20 people outside. This was clearly a popular place. We opted for across the street and enjoyed a delicious set menu that didn't cost the national debt. I had known that Europe was going to be expensive compared to Africa and Asia, however when you see a small bottle of Coke for 4.5€ it really makes you gag.

We are off to the south now. My aunt Jane has picked us up in Paris and we will drive to her place in Province. I am looking forward to chilling out for a few days by her pool. Hopefully her broadband service will allow me to get caught up on my photos again.

Bonjour mes amies!