Summer

Not yetL However, it is nice for the time being. I had a wonderful weekend which started early. Jan Cees went to his daughter’s house last Friday to do the renovation and therefore he was not able to go home during lunch time to walk Basil. I was a happy volunteer to take over his job and took the afternoon off. So I spent the whole afternoon in the garden with an audiobook. We spent the evening quietly in front of the television. The next day Jan Cees had to go back to the renovation job and I spent the morning at the gym. As soon as I was back, Basil and I had a nice walk and after we got home, I took a shower and then it was garden time again. The audiobook was not finished yet.

By the way, I’ve never tried it before, but it is a very relaxing way to have a sunbathe without holding anything!

To be honest my Sunday was not much different from the other two days, so I will spare you the details of me sitting in the sun with a book.
My week started with my health check at the Sparta Sport Center. I have to wait for two weeks to find out the final results, but for now I can tell you I’m not in really bad shape!

Unfortunately, the weather is changing as from today. That’s always the problem in our country. The temperature rises too quickly and then we have to cope with thunderstorms and rain again.
Let’s see what will come out of the code yellow we've been warned about today.

Longing for a few warm and sunny months

Once in a while there is a moment in life that makes me regrettmy mother didn’t fall in love with a gorgeous Italian guy instead of my father. I hear you thinking why is that. Now just look out of the window- (at this moment when I’m writing) it looks outside as if someone has pushed the wrong button and pushed us back to November. So in the ideal world: my father was Italian and I grew up in a nice sunny Italian village and of course; I still live there. Imagine, every morning waking up with the sound of the sea, and the rising sun in your face. Having breakfast and your first coffee on the terrace outside. I think when your day starts like this, all chance on stress related diseases will be reduced to zero.  Yep, dream on girl, I’m stuck here in the Netherlands with all the seasons in one day. For now my hopes are on the future, to live somewhere in Spain as soon as my working days are over. Or at least, to stay there from October to March. First of all, we must see that we get that age in good health and then we can see what is still possible for us.

Following

Hmm, I've just checked the only blog I follow, and again nothing there to read:-( Okay, I know she's busy and has a different drive in improving her Dutch writing skills than I have for improving my English so I won't blame her. As we all know we have a lot to keep up with, Facebook, Blogs, Twitter and what else there is nowadays to keep us busy informing everybody about our actions during the day.So therefore we need to have some understanding that we sometimes just have no time at all to do everything.

Orange feelings

Well, the unlikely has happened. The Netherlandshas made it to the final of the Eurovision Song contest. Even crazier, at the bookmakers we’re in second place. I’m not sure what is worse, not being placed at all or being second. We have to wait and see what it will be Saturday evening. As soon as this is over we can prepare ourselves for the WK football. Another occasion in which the Netherlands will be orange coloured all over. This is something I really looking forward to. I always enjoy watching the football matches and even watch the other countries playing. Our television will be decorated with the “beesies and wuppies”; I’ll wear my orange shirt and Basil his orange t-shirt.

Furthermore wewill  have the front of the house decorated with flags. The only one not interested in football is Jan Cees, unless our Dutch team wins and makes it to the semifinals. That’s the moment he starts watching. No true fan, always in disbeliefe about the qualities of our team.  

Just a few hours to go and we will know who has won the song contest and then we will see further.

Fourth of May.

May four, eight o’clock, as long as I can remember is a moment in which we sat in front of the television watching the Waalsdorpervlakte.  Nowadays there’s also a broadcast of the commemoration at the Dam in Amsterdam. 

Prior to the official ceremony there’s a ceremony in the “Nieuwe Kerk” which is attended by the royal family and members of the government. This is a more formal ceremony. In contrast to the Waalsdorpervlakte in which only the victims of the Second World War are being remembered, at the Dam they remember all who  died in wars all over the world.

I’m more impressed about the simplicity of the Waalsdorpervlakte ceremony  for the civilian and the relatives than the one at Amsterdam with all the dignitaries. Maybe it’s because I grew up with watching the Waaldorpervlakte on television.

In the Netherlands there’s always the two minutes of silence at 20.00 hours sharp. It’s a widely adopted custom in our country to be quiet at eight for a few minutes. This is noticeable when you’re traveling; at the airport, at the railway station and even along the roads; especially the older people park their car for a moment. The last years some people have been worried if the younger people will continue to remember this day and especially the reason why. I don’t think this is something to worry about. Of course we have to face some idiots, who can say or do terrible things and have no respect whatsoever. Besides that, we’re living in a country with a lot of different cultures, people who came here with their own war memories. So the accentuation of remembrance day will move to general remembering. However, when I see the long waiting queue to enter “het Anne Frank Huis” I think there’s no reason to be afraid the Second World War will ever be forgotten.

Motor GP Jerez, Spain

        

The MotoGP  races will take place at Jerez in Spain this weekend. It’s only two years ago we were there ourselves. Due to all the photos on Facebook of the riders, the memories of our visit are coming back. We  had a wonderful time and enjoyed it very much. 

There is a big difference between the South European motor fans and the Dutch ones. The Spanish people are much more emotional. Of course with a Spanish winner the crowd is yelling and celebrating. Its one big party. It was a joy to see. I guess a bit the same as foreign people do when they see us Dutch with all kinds of orange cloths, flags and make-up celebrating a King’s Day or a WK football match. So every country has their own habits. We were in Spain for a week and unfortunately we had bad luck with the weather. The temperature was around the 18 to 21 degrees. Now and then a drop of rain as well. We rented a car and we drove for approximately 1500 kilometres from Sevilla to Gibraltar and everything in between.

The only way to the Rock,

Gibraltar was nice, a small British spot in Southern Spain, with wonderful weather. The weather was the only thing in which it was different from the UK. We also visited the rock with all the apes. A huge tourist attraction, but barring de view and the apes it’s not really breath-taking. On the other hand, when you’re there, just go and see for yourself.  Furthermore we visited the beautiful Horses in Jerez, next to mystery “Sandeman”. 

You know, the guy from the sherry in the  television advertisement broadcast long time ago. Unfortunately we had to leave before the feria started in Jerez. I really regret that I didn’t know this when I booked the tickets. Now I ‘m hoping for another short visit to Andalusia in the future.

 

Sandeman Sherry

European Song contest 2014

I don’t know how this is experienced in England, but here in the Netherlands, there’s always a lot to do around it. Everyone has something to say about who should represent our country, or what the song needs to be like. As soon as the artist is known, all hell breaks loose. The song is not good enough; the outfit is not the way we expected, and so I can go on for half a page. After the big success of Anouk with her song Birds last year, which had the same criticism beforehand, we were expecting a lot when Ilse de Lange was named as the new candidate to represent the Netherlands. Then the first criticism came at the moment we heard she wasn’t going on her own, but with Waylon, as a temporary duo, the Common Linnets. 

When we were recovered from this shock, they presented the song  “Calm after the Storm”. Needless to say, no one was impressed about the song. Ilse de Lange has had several hits, with internationally appealing rhythms and then this is what they come up with. No one understands.

However it has to be said; this song needs time to get used to, almost the same as last year’s Birds of Anouk. After hearing it more than once it’s not that bad. Unfortunately, they only have one chance to impress, and I’m afraid this will not be enough. I’m not really into the European Song contest and won’t be disappointed if we don’t make it to the final, or over enthusiastic if we do make it to the final. I just like to watch it and like to see all the excitement beforehand in the media. If I’m home I will watch it, or a better description; I’ll hear it when I’m busy doing something else on my IPad.