Her Morning Elegance, Oren Lavie

The sunny wake-up call is just another reason for me to want to sleep on [the best ever] futon every night. Matt is pretty strict… says we should sleep in our bed. But really! The futon is so much more comfortable, has no ladder (the bed is lofted), and what if we have to move in five months!? I can’t take the futon with me. I would forever regret the nights when I didn’t sleep on it when I could have.

Luckily, Matt is fairly easy to convince. (He knows it is better too)…So we sleep there quite frequently.

I woke up this morning and after a Toad in the Hole or two, flopped down on my couch (not the futon, the couch), on about 13 pillows. For some reason, when I am looking for things to do nowadays, I am drawn to making pillows. I am not sure how it all started, but it is a nice way to spend a sunny morning, or afternoon… or late evening. I think I would probably like to sew other things, but with no sewing machine here, and no tools other than thread and a needle, a pillow is really the best choice.

I also think it makes my house feel comfy….

Well, my coffee is now done, and I am expected at Matt’s basketball game in about an hour with a stop at the market for kaas before that.

It really is a book that everyone should read.  While providing the opportunity for thousands of children to receive an education, the situations that he gets himself into and out of are nothing short of terrifying, yet he somehow continued, alone, for longer than I thought anyone could live off of will alone.   

Now that I have finished this amazing account of Greg Mortenson’s repeated trips and trials through Pakistan and Afghanistan, I cannot help but think that it should stay on my shelf forever.  When I am looking for inspiration and a way to rejuvenate my belief in hope, this is where I will turn. The selfless steps Mortenson takes each day remind you that if you take things day by day, one step at a time, unbelievable things really can be accomplished. 

If you are interested in the world, it will inspire you further, and if you are uninterested and uniformed, you should read it as well, just to reaffirm the fact that peace and education go hand in hand.  After reading this book, I hope that I will never again doubt overenthusiastic or hard-charging ideals, whether they are mine or someone else’s, because now, after reading about this, I cannot imagine thinking that something is impossible.

Three cups of tea : one man’s mission to fight terrorism and build nations- one school at a time / Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

Website for the Central Asia Institute: https://www.ikat.org/ 

Please keep in mind that if you buy the book off of the link on the above site, part of the proceeds go to the Central Asian Institute!  Thanks!

First things first:
Buying a bike

Overall, the best way to find a bike is to scope out the various bicycle shops with used and new bicycles. If you are a student, you can also go along with ISN (International Student Network) on their bicycle crawl at the start of each semester. They also buy bicycles (but for no more than 20 euros, I believe), so they can either sell you a bicycle, or show you some shops where you can buy them.

The two main shops that I have frequented are Fiets2000 (Lange Mare 72, 2312 GT Leiden) and the two bicycle shops by the station. There is one in front of the station and one in the back, although I was told by one of the bicycle repairmen that they are actually the same store. We purchased our bicycles at the station shops, (mine in the front, Matt’s in the back) for 100 euros each. From what I have found, this is a pretty good price. Most people I talked to bought their bicycles for 80 – 125 euros. I would say both of us have quality bicycles and besides a flat tire or a broken light (these things happen…) we have had no real problems.

As a general rule, I would say that- upon entering the Netherlands, you should throw out your previous assumptions and ideas about bicycle riding. It is different here, and it’s best if you just do what they do and bike how they bike. You will be much better off.

This basically means:
No racing bikes,
No mountain bikes,
No speed racing on your bike

Dutch bikers (unless they have a racing bicycle that they take out into the country) all have cruisers and they sit up straight when they are biking. If you give it a try, although it may seem slower at first than your previous biking, you will soon find that it is much more relaxing to commute this way, and much safer, as well. When you are sitting up, you can see almost 360 degrees around you. This will help you to see cars, pedestrians, other bikers, children, dogs, trains, etc., etc. Compare this to riding on a mountain or racing bike where you have to lean forward and you should be able to understand how much worse your visibility is.

So, more on riding your bike…
I have found that bicycles tend to get away with quite a lot in terms of where and how they can bike. Cyclists seem to take the best rules for pedestrians and the best rules for cars and then slide right through the middle, taking the right of way. This is beautiful if you have ever biked in the U.S., where the car is king and you could be run over at any second. But- keep in mind that the Dutch have been biking since they were two. Literally, I asked someone. They have a little wooden bike (with no pedals) that they start out on, learning to keep their balance, and they are easily cycling with their parents by the time they are three or four. Insane. & Impressive.

Anyway, a few things that are important in terms of legality and safety. If you see triangles painted on the road, and they are pointing towards you (they are called shark’s teeth), this means yield. As in -You: Yield. Following this will keep you out of a lot of trouble. Also, bicycles sold by a shop in the Netherlands must have a front and back light and bell. This also means that the police can ticket you if your bike does not have them. Personally, I think they are pretty lax about it overall, but be careful at the start of the semester. You will most likely get a ticket, as they try to set out the year by setting a good example. During these times, also try to walk your bike in pedestrian zones. I have heard of people being ticketed for this as well.

Parking & Locking your bike:  It is always a good idea to lock up your bike… (obviously).  Surprisingly, most Dutch people just use a cuff (a sort of hand cuff that locks the backwheel so it can’t be rolled away).  Unless they are older and have an expensive bicycle, they will generally only have this one type of lock.  These locks are usually already on the bike when you buy it.  If you bike does not have one and you want one,  I would suggest going to the bike shop and having them put it on.  They seem like they would be a pain to put on yourself.  The other option (as a first or second lock) is a basic chain lock.  This is probably the second most popular type of lock.  You can use it to lock your wheel so it cannot be rolled away (which is what Matt does) or you can use it to lock your bike to something.  The U-Lock that seems to be popular in the U.S. is much less popular here.  It is sometimes used as a second lock or on motor bikes…

Although I could probably go on forever about Dutch biking culture, this is probably enough for now. 

Just keep a few things in mind:

You will never be as good at cycling as a Dutch person, but still, just relax, it is such a nice way to get around!

&

Your bike might get stolen or thrown into a canal… Unfortunately, this just happens.

Success!

Apparently, the show takes place in the Paleis Soestdijk, in Soestdijk, which is located between Hilversum and Amersfoort, more or less in the western central part of the Netherlands.  The Soestdijk Palace was formerly the home of Queen Juliana (the mother of the current queen, Queen Beatrix) and Prince Bernhard.  Since the start of the show, the Soestdijk Palace has had a huge influx of visitors.  As a crazy foreigner, I can see why.  I have now put the palace on my “to visit” list.  I am not really sure what exactly it is, but the whole idea of a royal, family, queen, princes, etc.,  just draws me in!  This is probably mostly because I come from a country with none. (Only movie stars-yuck.)  More on the Dutch royal family and my visit to the Soestdijk Palace later. 

No king or other hereditary ruler…

The signers of the Declaration of Independence would be quite disappointed in my interest…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeqfwLbQU1g&feature=player_embedded (It looks good, doesn’t it?!?)

He had been so hopeful at the start, so ready to make a difference, to bring people together.  Now, the halfway point, he was standing here- waving every once in a while, giving an ambiguous head nod here and there, to no one in particular. 

His situation had not been ideal.  They were in a war, and he needed to get out; they were in debt, and he needed to get out; they were arrogant, self-centered, and self-serving, and this too, he needed to get out of, but did not know how to do it. 

He felt like a playground bully at times.  When it comes down to it, a bully never really has friends, only followers that are afraid to do otherwise… He tried to think back to when he was a kid.  He pictured what it was like to play basketball on the school playground.  The boys there, laughing and having a good time- were they friends? How had he met them?  It certainly had never been like this, he thought.  He had never been the bully, never wanted to be.

He tried to imagine himself to be someplace else, in some other garden, leading some other people.  Suddenly, it seemed a lot easier to think about making progress, making improvements.  It seemed easier to think about providing food, rather than a health plan.  He wondered.

Haarlem was wonderful and it was even warm enough for me to skip the bus and make the walk into the center.  I spent the day mostly wandering around and visiting charming cafes.  On the way to the Frans Hals Museum, I found one tiny cafe and sandwich shop that charged only 1.25 for a coffee!  It appeared to be full of regulars and provided local newspapers to pass the time- which I enjoyed as well.  Mid-way through, there was a bit of commotion and -although I did not fully understand- terminated with the owner shuffling around outside looking over and under everything and finally returning to say that yes- whatever it was, it was still there, in the old woman’s bike.

Good to know.

The Frans Hals Museum was very nice and had much more than only Frans Hals.  There were many of his portraits, as well as those of Judith Leyster, known to be the first female Master painter.  I like her work a lot and was sad to read that once she got married (to another painter), she all but stopped painting so she would not be competing with her husband… 

The museum itself was great because it is situated in a former almshouse (hofje) for older men.  The small rooms surrounded a very nice courtyard garden and visitors were able to read all about the men who lived there and the things that they had to have to be residents (i.e. 5 clean shirts and 5 sleeping hats…).  Is there anyone who still wears nightcaps?  I know a lot of people who drink them. 

It was also quite gezellig (cozy) in the museum because of the nice museum cafe which caused the smell of kaas toasti’s to float cozily around the whole museum.

(please note, toasti’s is actually spelled this way in Dutch, and the apostrophe is a Dutch apostrophe, not an English one, so it does belong there.  It signals the presence of a missing -i)

After the museum, I wandered back up towards the markt and the giant church in the center of Haarlem.  I found a nice bar/cafe that looked out over the plein and spent a few hours drinking cappuccino and writing.  Eventually, I wandered back to the train station and took a train back to Leiden.  Although I considered getting off in Heemstede for a look around, I was on such a nice train (the newest) that I just couldn’t make myself get off and go back out in the mist.  Plus, thanks to my new REI thermos (thanks Brad!), my tea from the morning train was still hot and made for a very nice train ride back to Leiden.

All over the Netherlands, cyclists were bundled up to make their evening commutes.  My own bicycle has been struggling as well.  My lock seems to protest any winter usage, and the button of my back light simply refused to budge for several days last week.  Although I suppose I could have gotten a ticket for not having a back light, I decided the Politie (police) might understand that it really does work, just not this week…

I guess tomorrow I am back to work.  Plus, the new international students have arrived and Matt and I will be helping with Introduction Days on Thursday and Friday.  Tours, answering questions, and explaining how to register… just like old times at OFYP at the U of M!

There is something about Britain’s talent that makes me tear up.  Susan Boyle and the little girl who sings Somewhere Over the Rainbow… Sometimes one person can revive so many things.

When I first ran into the YouTube video of Susan Boyle singing I Dreamed a Dream, I was just so happy for her.  This is the woman that brought the word frumpy back from the dead, and here she is- singing a song from Les Miserable, a show that only the most devout have actually seen; wearing a frumpy dress and doing an almost obscene hip shake- yet this is exactly the type of person that they- we- have all been looking for.  Rather than some young kid who (although, I am sure they really do have talent) is going to be a millionaire by 25, this is a lady who has been singing in the church choir and on family holidays.  AND – when they asked her who she wanted to be as famous as… she didn’t say some world famous star, she gave the name of some British broadway star.  Now that I look at her wikipedia page, I can see that Elaine Paige is quite well-known- but still, that is not the point.  The point is that Susan Boyle did not respond with Barbara Streisand or Celine Dion.  If you asked a teenager on American Idol the same question, a young country singer, maybe, they would most certainly say, Faith Hill or Reba McEntire, and never- let’s say- Suzy Bogguss. 

It kind of makes you think about the underlying dreams in your own life.  If you had your chance… would you go as far as Paris Hilton? or even just Kate Hudson? or would you be happy as Leelee Sobieski?  or maybe Rita Wilson, she’s always nice…

If I want to be a writer, what kind of writer would I want to be?  Definitely not Candace Bushnell.  I’m sure she is black-listed by a large part of the world, whether she has sex in the city or not.  Nor would I want to be someone like Nicholas Sparks.  Too many people make fun of him.   Although I don’t  do much screenwriting, maybe Nora Ephron.  If you watch a certain genre of movies, she is always there, the writer behind the big names.  I can only dream of a like like Nick Hornby’s… Getting paid to write a column about the books he buys, the ones he reads, and the ones he never gets around to… what a life!

Whatever your area- Who would you be?

Hmm… What Christmas spirit. Just kidding.

There are giant sparkling Christmas bulbs on the front of the Leiden station, and the big tree is now up in our student center. I am still waiting for the giant Coca-Cola tree to go up in front of the train station, but I have high hopes that it will be there before we leave tomorrow.

Well, I hope everyone is getting their Christmas decorations up as well. See you all soon!

Presently, I am looking at my glass, and wondering what a wortel is.  So far, nothing strange; at least nothing strange about the color.  After a taste, I still can’t be exactly sure, but it might be carrot.  I don’t really taste carrot, but the texture is a bit carrot- I would actually guess zucchini, but it’s not green.  Either way, it seems very healthy, and pretty tasty as well.