Updates

So, the last weeks were a bit hectic - we flew to Portugal. The hotel was so-so (for a self-proclaimed 6 Star hotel the small details were just not right - as in plaster off the walls, chairs fixed with duct-tape and faucets that weren't installed properly, to name just a few), I was sick as a puppy (stupid cold hit the night before boarding the plane) but we enjoyed the time a lot. We had rented a car, got stopped by the police and were then let go cause we didn't speak enough Portuguese to understand his mumbled questions, and they weren't capable of speaking any language we knew...so - it was a rather funny moment when they stopped us, asked something, we gave them ALL the documents we had, they shook their heads, we looked confused, they asked again, then said: vacation? we said: SI!!!! SI!!!! and then they laughed, talked to each other, and let us go...very friendly people indeed.
The Douro Valley is very beautiful, especially now in the fall with all the leaves changing colour and the vineyards not too full of tourists. It seems anyways like the area is more of a secret getaway for Portuguese people than tourists from all over the world. I definitely want to go back, ideally without being sick like a puppy, and staying in one of the charming vineyards. Pacheca was adorable - the owners so very charming and the port tasted delicious. We got the full download of the different ways of making wine, tasting wine, old wine, young wine, very old bottled Port....Vintage port etc etc.

Anyways, the weekend was lovely. Some quality time for ze boyfriend and me. Yes, the being sick was annoying, but hey. We had an amazing view over the river, had some nice dinners (apart from the VERY smelly waitress, it was yummi) and it was almost all for free. What more can one ask for? The weater was lovely and we enjoyed the time. A lot. So, thanks again @zerotwonine.

Since then, I've been busy working, working, working, and other than that, sleeping and being generally lazy on my days off.

Tonight we're going to the Al Jareau Concert here in Den Haag- I'm excited. I saw him two years ago in Berlin and loved the concert - from beginning to end. Apart from the three totally wasted Russian mafia guys next to me who decided to play with their phones and rummage through their plastic bags, while commenting on it loudly - at some stage the husband of a woman behind us decided to slap them on the back of the head to shut them up. Fun times ;)
Let's hope they won't sit next to me again tonight.

Too many bad news in my world...

...it feels like this year is full of bad news and people dying. Yes yes, I know, it happens every day, every year, but somehow, this year feels just as full of deaths and sad sad news as 2000.

Last week I learned that my friend lost her baby, another friends parents are getting a divorce, this week my parents had a car accident (nothing serious happened, apart from Robert (the car) needing serious repairing) and now the potential new national keeper of Germany committed suicide. I know, the national keeper isn't part of my life, but I love football/soccer, and I find it so sad that he took his own life because he was so severely depressed.

RIP, Robert Enke, and please let this be the last bad news for a long time.

People, have babies, get married, throw parties because it's Wednesday.

Give me a break!

That's all I asked and I actually got the break - I won a weekend away in Portugal to test a hotel. Woohooo!

www.zerotwonine.com is a tour operator website that helps you plan your trip to meet your expectations 100% has a regular lottery to win a weekend in a lovely exclusive hotel somewhere (mostly) in Europe. This time, we got lucky!!! www.aquapura.com Every room has an extralarge bathtub - so...you know where to find me most of the time!!!


(if someone wants an invitation, give me your email address and I'll send you an invitation)

20 Jahre Mauerfall

Today is the 20th anniversary of the 'Mauerfall' in Berlin. I'm happy, despite all the negativity surrounding the reunification and the consequences for both sides. I like that we're one country again. I like that there's nothing keeping us from traveling all over Europe.

So thanks, Gorbi, thanks, George H. W. and thanks Helmut - oh, and not to forget Monsieur Mitterand. Merci beaucoup!

Sun! Sun! Sun!

It was a beautiful but soo cold day today in Den Haag. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and it was just a perfect day. I am hoping for more autumn days like that...

Humidity

I lived in a few countries. Among them was the UK. A country known for its lush (ha!) green countryside and the fact that most citizens have webbed hand and toes cause it is pissing down with rain roughly 380 days per year. At least that's what it felt like.

Now, after that I was back in Berlin. The city that is gray 9 months of the year (roughly) and then has a few sunny-crazy-hot-everybody-is-outside-and-loves-it months that definitely make up for the grayness.

The Netherlands. Another lovely country. Full of cows, sheep, green pastures (no hills though), horseys and fresh air.

This week, it rained so much I felt like I was stuck in a car wash. Since Sunday afternoon, it's been wet. Rain caused the boyfriend to be a sick puppy for two days this week (awwwww!), I woke up to the sound of rain Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I saw the lightning and heard the thunder of the storm over the sea and couldn't bike to work yesterday cause it was PISSING down so hard that there was no way I'd shrug it off with my typical: I'm not made out of sugar, I won't melt.

Rain is unlimited in the Netherlands, I am now sure of that.

Chaos or just lack of organization?

I had a lovely and very interesting week at my new job last week. Three days spent in Amsterdam, one in the Headquarters of the Benelux, asking the people responsible for the whole party all kinds of questions (I love asking questions!!!) and then two days working on the shopfloors of the two shops in Amsterdam, to get an idea of what's going on and how the atmosphere is different from ours here in Den Haag.

It was fun, but very tiring: on top of the three days we had plans for three nights - Tuesday night the surprise that turned out to be a sushi clinic (we had Sushi for the rest of the week, it was really cool!), Thursday an evening at the 'affordable art fair' in Amsterdam (loads of not my kind of art plus really heavy hurting legs plus horrible wine resulted in a short visit, but nevertheless interesting), Friday evening to a graduation get-together for one of his old roomies.

Saturday morning was pretty much hell for me. I got up at 8am, was REALLY grumpy thanks to the sleep deprivation and the fact that I had a long day ahead of me including a stock take that same evening before going to a Philippino Birthday party. So, I get up, take a shower, get dressed up for Halloween (Sheriff, but I looked very much like the Rosie O'Donnell type of Lesbian - not sexy, not in the mood). Biked to work, just to be greeted by Mayane with the words: What are you doing here so early? You're not supposed to come in before 1pm.

ARGH! DAMNIT!!!

I need to be better organized. I will dig out my filo and start writing down what time I need to show up.

The rest of the day, including the birthday party, were then quite fun. After I had a major barking fit at ze boyfriend because of in-laws, lack of sleep and general exhaustion.