Things have been hectic for two days and I was really tired last night [Wednesday] when I came home, I didn’t feel like writing. I just went straight to bed asap to catch up on sleep… So I will try to remember what I did: I can’t at the moment because my brain is fried…
Wednesday morning I woke up late because I only went to bed at about five in the morning, I was faffing a bit on this PC sorting out my emails, replying to a few important ones and updating my blog during the night. CH. came over at 10.30 to get changed and go to her physiotherapist and exercise for an hour to build up strength and condition. We had a coffee and chatted a bit before she left and when she got back.
I’d promised DM. to come over that afternoon and stay at her studio for a while so I left at about 15.00 and went to Hoofddorpplein first to go to this particular shop where I bought a pair of sneakers two years ago. It’s an outlet shop that has really good deals every now and then. When I went over to KvD’s the other day I had noticed a sign on the window that said, two pairs of shoes for 99,95 Euros so I decided to check it out since I had been looking for shoes in the UK but didn’t succeed.
I ended up buying some really cool shoes, a pair of Nikes and a pair of Puma sneakers that were 350 Euros all together but I got them with a huge discount. They’re weird but really nice shoes so I will post some pictures once I’m back from my visit, since I have no clue how to describe them. I then went over to DM.’s and ran into some of her clients who were really curious to know what happened to me ever since I left. I have been talking with them for at least an hour and had a great time.
Stu and I planned on meeting up that evening so I rang him to tell him I was running a bit late and to make plans where to meet. I arrived at our meeting point which was at the cinema near the Munt at 18.30. We walked over to the Irish pub at Thorbecke plein and had a few drinks there. I had a cider and again, I didn’t have much food during the day: my brain started to fail on me after a while. So it was time to go to the sushi bar around the corner to have dinner. I’d never been there before and I can’t remember the place either but it was fun and the sushi was really good although I was a bit suspicious about certain dishes. I’d seen this show on TV where they would fry insects and dog and eat them *grin*.
After dinner we went over to cafe de Jaren to have one more drink, it was getting late already. Another place I haven’t been for years. I remember I used to go there while I was studying Graphic Design. It hasn’t changed a bit over the years… I told Stu about my scientific experiments; one that involves exploding mosquitoes by blood pressure and another one on how to tame a fly by blinding it with a knife between the eyes… I don’t think he believed me but I will find some proof online! I think we left at 00.15: I had a great time!!! I then had to cycle home for another 30 minutes, there was a strong wind again so it took me slightly longer and by the time I was home I was so tired I just wanted to get some sleep asap so I did.
Not for long though. I woke up around 03.00 in the morning by the sharp buzzing sound of a mosquito, I didn’t want to turn on the lights to kill it because it would wake me up completely and I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep again for some time. I was hoping it would just leave me alone but it didn’t so I ended up turning on the lights and found it sitting on the pillow next to me. To my surprise it wasn’t a small one; it was twice the size of a normal mosquito! Huge!
I remember CH. told me I had to use this electric device; it looks like a tennis racket with metal wires and it zaps insects with a bit of electric current. So I fried it… and felt horrible about it but also utterly relieved! I tried to get back to sleep but have been awake for another hour and a half before dozing off. So again I didn’t get some proper sleep and I ”slept in” this morning till 08.30. I had to get up and get ready, CH. and TH. were coming over at 10.00 to store some stuff for the wedding. We had planned a whole day of shopping so we ended up walking from her place all the way down to Leidsche plein and back, going in and out of shops looking for things or buying things. I got everything I needed and again found some bargains too.
I also went to Reuter Diamonds to get some diamond studs, AS. has given me two pairs over the years and I needed another set since I have six piercings. The owner, Mr. Reuter himself helped me, he’s a really nice person. He made sure a necklace was adjusted within half an hour and he cleaned the jewellery for me, the necklace, studs and ring that AS. has given me. He also gave advice to CH. on how to clean her jewellery. I think we’ve been there for at least 45 minutes talking to him. I left the stuff there because we had go there anyway on our way back home to collect the necklace once it was fixed. We were back home at 17.30 and relaxed a bit sitting in the garden until I had to leave to meet up with my friends at the Tig Barra.
I met up with Sandra first, I haven’t seen her for two years and it was really good to see her again! Then Stu came over and the three of us had something to eat. Then AS. called to ask me some things and we’ve been on the phone for ten minutes. Then my friends started to pop in one by one. Christiaan told me Inci couldn’t make it because she had to work tonight which was a shame. Also Chantal didn’t show up and I reckon she must have forgotten somehow but everyone else was there even though I didn’t get a chance to talk to a few of them I again had a really great time!!! So thanks everyone for being there!!!
We left the Tig when it was closing time, I said goodbye to Craig and promised him I would be back next year… Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to talk to Christiaan and I’ve been a bit scatterbrained because I totally forgot to bring the DVDs I promised him, they were still in my suitcase so we agreed to meet up tomorrow morning and have lunch. I’m really happy about that!!! So I need to get some sleep now, It’s late and I’m about to crash… There will be typos but I really don’t feel like sorting that out at the moment, sorry…
Tag Archives: Restaurant
I’m Here! [or there…]
It feels great to be back in the Lowlands… when I arrived at the airport yesterday it was raining but Dutch rain never felt this good before and it’s so totally different from English rain, I swear!
The flight was good, no problems, just the usual Squeezy-jet delay, this time caused by three passengers who were probably lost at customs or something. I thought the Squeezy-jet policy was that they refuse to wait for those who are late… Guess Squeezy-jet waited in case they might not reach their target this year. Anyway, there were some funny situations I ran into at the airport. One of them was a woman from Istanbul who kept asking me questions in Turkish even when I replied in English she kept talking to me like I was completely capable of understanding her. I did understand somehow what she was trying to tell me so I took her to the monitors, had a look at her ticket and noticed that her flight was delayed…
I tried to explain to her about the delay and she kept answering in Turkish. When I was about to give up I turned around to have another look at the monitor and lucky me it showed her gate number which was seven. I said to her in English: ”seven…, you… have… to… go… to… gate… seven…” again she smiled at me and probably cursed me in Turkish, I couldn’t tell. At that very moment I remembered Gods creation, one of his many wonders: fingers! So I showed her seven fingers to make clear to her that she had to go to gate seven. I then took her along with me to the train to the terminal. On the train she expressed her thanks to me by a sincere smile. So silly me, I tried to let her know that she had to get off at the first stop, again I failed.
I gave up, shut my mouth and used my hands instead. When the train stopped, I pointed out to her that she had to get off. I had to get off as well. So she followed me on the escalators until I had to go right and she had to go left. I tapped her shoulder and showed her which direction to go. She nodded and started speaking Turkish to me but this time with a huge smile on her face, which told me that she was honestly grateful… I must admit, it felt good to be able to help her out even though I heard an announcement a few minutes later that indeed her plane had been delayed by an hour.
When I arrived in the Lowlands C. and T. were waiting for me at the airport, it was really good to see them! I had to collect my bicycle from the storage unit so we drove there to find out that the tyres were fine so we shoved it in the back of the car and drove home. I was amazed to see all the graffiti along the ring road which wasn’t there when I left, things have definitely changed since I moved, a shame… I also noticed a few more office towers that had been built during my absence.
Around 20.00 we left and walked to this restaurant called Haesje Claes where we had dinner. I had a starter which I have been craving for for almost a year: herring… and it was goooooooooooooood! I then had halibut with steamed vegs and a delicious mouth-watering Hollandaise sauce and a glass of white wine [no box this time! been a good girl]. For dessert a Dutch latte. We left the restaurant at about 23.00 and walked back home [about 25 minute walk]. Had a splendid evening! Thanks C. and T.!
I didn’t sleep very well last night, due to noises that seems to come with the type of houses in Amsterdam. At five this morning, one of C.’s neighbours decided to run down the stairs probably with clogs on, that’s how loud it was. Then another neighbour decided to do the same an hour later and some other neighbour decided to do some late spring-cleaning outside on her balcony which is right above my bedroom, so I got up since I was awake anyway.
I went to visit my mum today and took the train south, towards The Hague. It was good to see her, I left at 19.00 with my elder brother to go over to his place. He bought a house at the beginning of this year, a really cool place with old spiral stairs all the way up to the second floor. After he finished showing me around we went to the pub and had a few drinks. I took the train back to Amsterdam at 21.00 and arrived back home at 22.00 where I started to install some stuff on C.’s laptop. I promised her to have a look at her applications and settings a while ago because she couldn’t get her email app to work. I fixed it *of course* and treated myself to a two hours internet session which has almost come to an end…
So I’m off to bed now because I’ll have another busy day ahead of me! Hopefully they will wear wellingtons tomorrow morning instead of those bloody clogs!
ps I am currently typing this on a PC laptop and yes I am totally aware of this… so please no comments about PC users vs Mac users. Stuart if you read this: I don’t want to hear a word…
