norwegian wood

An amazingly good book! Beforehand I didn't expect much of it, although Jaap-Henk sad it was a very nice book. But somehow the fact that it was a Japanese writer didn't really attract me. Bu it was a very nice book! It is smoothly written, and it has a sense of fatalism in it, somance, melancholy, philosophy and then he described his life from his 18-21.

lustwandel

Carnaval started in Dusseldorf just on my return to this concrete city. I brought my pink hat from the Jut and Jul act I did together with Fleur, and I could finally wear my strange skirtof IO festival again. A whole bunch of Vodafone people were inthe Lustwandel, so Elisabeth and I also went there. Had to wait very long in a queue, but in the end, had some good dancing.

the kite runner

I missed the start of the movie, but as I had read the book I could still follow the storyline. And as with many movies that are based on a book, the book is better. The time that amir jaan in Pakistan is, seems so short in the movie, and in the book it all seemed so much more intense. Though I have to admit the actor player Amir jaan was very good, nice eyes!

Nights in Rodanthe

This is the movie I saw on my way back from Bamako. And although not a very strond sotryline it touched me somehow. Richard Gere is still the mister for romance and the stranger in the crowd.

Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona

One of the movies I saw on my way to Bamako. Lot of passion in this movie, and also the romance. A feeling I am familiar with. The dreamy chracter of Scarlet Johannson and the passionate one of Penelope Cruz and then the third one, can't remember the name, that thinks she should do something but doens't feel it. All three are characters I can relate to. I guess anyone can.

ice skating on paterzwoldsemeer

For the first time in 12 years it was possible to skate on nature ice again. I didn't have any skates, but could buy some in Delft and the day after when ice skating with Johanneke in Groningen. It was possible to skater around the lake, where otherwise many boats would be. It looked absolutely amazing. My skating isn't quite as it should be, but I was doing reasonably well for someone who is skating on noren for the second time.

kobus kuch

After a night in Bebop with some JongTNO colleagues, the morning after I went to Kobus Kuch together with Renate and Gabrielle. We had some lunch, anis milk, and tea. No apple pie this time.

city squash

mona lisa smile

Salsa night at Tanzhaus

Just before the christmas break I went to a Salsa dancing night in Tanzhaus, same place as I sometimes have yoga. Although I have to admit I am not as good as I hoped, I did enjoy it very much. Elisabeth is really good at it and I guess it is a matter of doing it more and then I will learn it. Will definitely go again

Shantaram

Almost 1000 pages about the life of a criminal in Mumbai. Was great to read it, especially over my Christmas break that I could completely immerse myself in the story and Indian life that was described in there. Although it is about the criminal life it made me want to go back there. When realizing I walked on the same places he was describing in the book and then knowing that there is so much illegal, criminal, maffia things going on, is partly scary and partly intruiging.

ocean's thirteen

As a follow up of twelve and eleven now Ocean's thirteen. Same concept, same quality with nice actors. It was the second time I watched it, still ok.

love actually

Unbelievable that I have never mentioned this movie on the blog, although I watched it already many times (4, maybe 5 times). So here it is. It is an all time feel good movie. Liek alles is liefde, only English. Christmas movie as well, watched it in Appelscha during new years eve.

the departed

I think this was really the best movie I have seen during the christmas break. On a small laptop screen, but still very strong. It is so incredably good how I instantly hated the chracter of Matt Damon. And it is hurting to realize that good people have to fight to come in good places and when there is money it is all much easier.

het Viadukt

And after the pintelier we went to the Viadukt for some live music of bands that usually practise there. If I remember well it was something garcia band and a singer songwriter. From the singer songwriter I couldn't hear the lyrics, but it was remarkable to see so many ladies on stage. Then the other band was a reall swingband. THe piano player was very fashionable with his shoes on heels and white trousers and longer hair that flls in his face. The saxophone player had three different saxophones, also quite impressive.

brussels lof

After climbing, Johanneke and I went for soem cheese fondue in brussels lof. I had one with goat cheese and she had one with tomato and basil. They served really wuick, but eventually we staid really long with our irish coffee. A nice restaurant, no music, good food. After that we went for a drink in the Pintelier.

climbing @ Bjoeks

At the start of the Christmas break I went climbing with Johanneke in Bjoeks. It was the second time I did it and again I had wobbly legs. But after some time it goes better and the last time I went up I actually did a route.
The picture is from the first time I went climbing with some colleagues.

Thermen de Waterlelie

On the 2nd of January I really wanted to go to the sauna. I hand´t been yet in the christmas break and had to do it. I had never been in this one and then it is a bit hard to see where you can go and what the facilities are. It is in an old farm and has a big lawn with two sauna cabins outside. Unfortunately it was too cold to sit outside and lie in the sun. Maybe in summer it is better. I had the aufguss with honey, the Cleopatra Aufguss. I also had a massage, but it wasn´t that good. That is always disappointing actually.

de Valouwe

Jelmer´s parents have a cottage in this small town in Friesland. I went there for new years eve together with Tjitske, Jelmer and Ymkje. We watched two movies and played saboteur and lit some fireworks. The next day we went ice skating outside and funny enough this went really well. NOw I want to do it again!

Australia

Lovely epos in Australia, about Asutralian themes, with nice Australian actors. Sweet to see the Charcter of Nicole Kidman change and nice to see that alls well that ends well. It had something of drama, romantic comedy and action movie in one movie. Went there with mom and dad to the cinema in Ede.

I am legend

The story in this movie expands itself slowly. A lot of video animation by the strangelky looking figures that were creted by the Krippin virus. The idea is really creepy and well thought and carried out, but the movie itself wasn´t that good.

brokeback mountain

Good movie with the already dead Heath Ledger. I thought that the passion and pain was acted really well,both from the guys as well as the wives. A unique movie, with unique story.

indiana jones

creatiespiraal

amsterdam klezmo band

bistro zicke

winter welvaart

trattoria emiliana

fattys

one of the irish-english pubs in dusseldorf. Suttons is the one right next to it, but apparently it was better to go here to watch football. Germany-England. As I am not a particular fan of both of them I ended up having a chat with Mike, who is scottish, which was nice.

fischhalle

There are numerous very tourist places to eat in Dusseldorf. The fischhalle is one of them which results in fairly good food for high prices. Though my salmon was nice, the atmosphere was lacking (halle already says enough, like a big hall, mensa, where you can have food) and the wine was ok as well. Went there before a long night out in the dorf with the a group of vodafone

amsterdam india festival

for two weeks there was a festival in Amsterdam that evolved around India. Part of this festival was the Netherlands India Business Meet where I went to. Many people from the finance world and all a bit too superficial and fast for me. I absorbed all the things I heard and was quite passive in approaching people. Had a chat with someone in the boatride over the canals to the concertgebouw. Met a crazy Dutch Indian guy working at the Dutch airline and had quite an interesting conversation with him. I learned how to make paneer, will try that in a few weeks when I am back at home. Although I had expected more from it, it was good I went and to experience an event like this. TH next day I went to the corporate office to talk to someone about the possibilities of going to the Dutch embassy in India, that was far more fruitful.

zwiebel

A very dodgy dance cafe that is named after the onion. They served Frankenheimer Alt, which was one of the four Alt beers I had that night. Will probably never go here again.

ohme jupp

It was actually a bit too loud, but the atmosphere was OK. Many germans :-) Alt bier and Sven got compliments about being with two girls.

olio

bazzar cafe

uerige

coffee company

Quche

the namesake

burn after reading

boven jan

salon des amateurs

jamon jamon

sun terrace

de kult

chacha

baan thai

my Birthday

I had a very good time at the party I had for my 27th birthday. I invited Vence to come and play some acoustic music and had quite some people over from Delft and Rotterdam. Finally the two worlds could meet each other.

oehme

THis si a bakery store chain in Dusseldorf. I had some lunch there with my mom when she was there to visit me. The chai tea was not of particular taste and sandwiches are not special.

improvisation workshop

With some people from work we did an improvisation workshop. Although I have quite some experience in improvising, this was special, as the workshop was given by my sister in Parnassos. It is always fun to do improvisation and we had a good laugh, and my sister is really good at it.

Derrick

And to close the night we went to the dubious place called Derrick. 70s, 80s and 90s music in all kinds of combinations and sounds. Which was good at times, with a nostalgic flavour. Music I didn't liek when it was actually a hit, but was now perfect to have a good dance.

Lust

Cocktail bar just down the road by Florin. I had been there with my sister several times and also a few months ago after the imrpovisation workshop at parnassos. I had a moquito and a chat with someone about passion, politics and personality. Can a person change, is a person on one time different from what he is the next time?

florin

A regular diner for many students or young workers. The tortilla actually had quite some vegetables in it, which was surprising to me. Though the food is simple, the setting is good and the rpice as well. Went there with a group of people I don't know that well from work. Nice conversations about God, astrology, opinions and love.

zur uel

In ratingerstrasse this is the usual hang-out for my colleagues and occasionally I join them for a drink on wednesday night. Ein Alt, or more, depends how I feel. The aubergine is the only vegetarian dish on the menu, and probably the one with the most calories in it.

suttons

The irish pub in the center of the Altstadt. I was there with some colleagues on the occasion of their 20th anniversary or something. Really bad cover band, but they had fun. And I had a nice conversation about future things, plans, ideas...

anna karenina

After four months of reading I finally finished this 942 pages book of Tolstoj. Quite a story it is, and although it was hard to get into the writing style, in a while I really started to appreciate it. The story developes itself slowly, but at the end of the book I noticed that quite a lot had happened. It is fascinating how someone cn get so caught up in his (inthis case her) own mind. And although you expect the book to be entirely about Anna, it is about Lewin also half of the time. Haven't figured out yet why thi is done exactly. And I am sure Tolstoj had a reason or it. Same as all the bits and pieces hwere he criticizes teh Russian society and politics from different angles, by having different characters. I can recommend this book to anyone!

thermen prinsejagt

After a long day strolling through Antwerp, Tjitske and decided to relax in the sauna. Somewhere halfway between Antwerp and Dusseldorf is Eindhoven and thanks to my little sister we were able to find a nice one just at the north of this brabant city. And quite surprising it was a really nice one, modern interior and plenty of facilities. Outside it looked more like a sport hall, but inside it was like what you expected from a sauna. We had to rent everything and it wasn't even that expensive.

na ni wa

This is absolutely one of the best places for Sushi in Dusseldorf. Although it is the first one I visited, it was just very good food and I will certainly come back there. A whole platter is way too much though, so I can do with smaller portions.

karbonkel

The guy that served us definitely had too much to do for just him. Hence, now I realize how much a waiter actually determines about a place. The terrace was however lovely in the sunny side of the Antwerp Groenmarkt. This is where we had lunch, nice ciabattas.

happy-go-lucky

This is a very very happy making sweet smiling movie. Nothing wrong with it! It also has this side where you realize that there are people that you only try to help, but are not able to help. Screaming at them, speak to me, open yourself, let it all out, you are your own prisoner and all you can do is blame the world and not yourself (where it is actually the other way around). I could identify myself with this girl and am happy there is finally a movie about it, and not about that she is finally hapy because she has found love.

marnix bed & breakfast

From the website this bed & breakfast looked really idyllic and personal. Then you always have to see what you get when getting there. And luckily the expectations were met. We had a nice japanese decorated room, that was maintained with care. A good bed and breakfast was also OK in the livingroom downstairs. On sunday the street had a streetparty so we had to park the cars somewhere else.
Because I was living in Dusseldorf instead of Groningen, we had to travel separate form each other to Antwerp, that was a bit of a shame, but in the end it was a really nice and relaxing weekend!

mata mata pili pili

On our first night in Antwerp we had to find a nice restaurant in the dark. This is quite hard....! but the day after it appeared we were quite close to a whole lot of them. However we ended up in this African restaurant at the hoofdstraat (near sweet and seksie). It was really nice food!! Especially the spicy pumpkin soup as a starter I can recommend!

zuiderterras

Just walk along the Schelde in Antwerp and you will find this restaurant/cafe on an elevated platform. We had a coffee here, before going into the city centre and do some shopping. Nice view, but weird staff, and coffee wasn't the best. It looked like they had nice breakfasts.

tapas bar in amersfoort

I really can't remember the name of this restaurant anymore... Can't find it on internet either. Itw as somehwere in spring that I agreed with Joost to meet in Amersfoort; halfway between Delft and Groningen. THis way we could have a chat and some food, adn didn't need to travel 3 hours. THe food was ok, what I can remember of it and it is just much nicer to see each other when talking to each other, instead of on the phone.

carlsplatz

This is the usual lunch place while in Dusseldorf. On first sight, you think there are many places to eat, but then again after a few weeks it drizzles down to just a few. I mostly go for italian, sometimes indian and sometimes fish.

wohlfuehl apartment

I staid in this apartment for a few weeks, during my stay in Dusseldorf. The owner of the apartment is a really nice lady called Edith Wingartz. She has taken great care of the apartment. One is called Lavender and the other one is called Rose, and they are decorated accordingly. It is a bit further from the old town, but I have my own parking spot and it is really close to the drive way.

keulen

We were here for business. I had a good dinner with Liliane on the first night, we decided not to join the guided tour, as we didn't feel like going with the other people. We didn't know the kolsch principle, so they kept on coming with beer.
The second night we had a social event in the tiger club or something. A performance of one of the cabaret artists that subscribed to the website of kabadu was although nice, a bit stupid as well. The game of the European championship of Germany was much better to look at. Here as well, we left early.

orangerie

This hotel is in the backyard of the vodafone office, just around the corner. Although well maintained it is not particular interesting. I stayed here the first weeks when I was in Dusseldorf.

strandfeest schevingen

I forgot of the name of the place, but the weather was good, food ok and music also fine. We had soem good dance and nice conversations with new people we hadn't met before. Fleur and I just booked our trip to India the night before, so we were completely hyper and full of energy. We stayed the night at Pascal, quite conveneient we could sleep in his bed and he slept on a small matress on the floor.

silke hurtz yoga

I started to follow an Ashtanga Yoga Class in Dusseldorf. I was introduced to this class through Sara. I really like the kind of yoga, as it is a bit more intensive then I was used to. Following in german was first quite hard, but after a while I got familiar with the movements and it became a bit relaxing as well.

drinken en ontbijten in pieterburen

It is funny how this little industries maintain itself. Pieterburen is comepltely organized for the wet walking tours each day (next to the seal house). I arrived quite late on friday, had to come from Dusseldorf and picked up Maarten and Mark on the way. The group sat in a cafe and I had a drink and chat. We slept in an accommodation on the attic. Funny place, with one toilet and bathroom for 30 people. We had to get up really really early for the wet walking and to get some energy in it, Fleur and I started the day good with some energy in the group.
THen we had to have our breakfast just down the road, where as it appeared, many more peopel had to have their breakfast just before they were going for hte wet walking. A parade of cars then drove to the dike, where we were introduced to our own guide that showed us the ins and outs of wet walking.

medienhafen

Together with Annet I walked along the Rhein towards the media harbour where they have a lot of interesting buildings. I had been here also before during a study trip of ID, and wsa nice to see it again and in perspective of the whole city. Luckily the weather was just superb!!

wadlopen

Together with a group of colleagues we went to do some wet walking. Never did it before, which was a shame, because it was really nice and great fun. Although it was early, the fresh air kees you awake and the wet shoes and dirt, makes you play like a child. Our guide told us about wurms and the tides and showed us some places where to get completely wet and also which places were better to walk.



Wouter brought some chocolate, which us girls liked very much!

de kar

One of the dancing places in Groningen, which is marked as "fout" (as it is better people don't see you there). Now I wonder, when a dancing place is "goed" (meaning fashionable). When peopel mean goed, do they also mean that I have to act, do and talk about topics that actually don't interest me, and are only allowed to dance according to the latest movie clips on MTV? Then I don't like to go there and rather go to a place like de kar where I can amuse myself with my friends and a group of nice people I met in that weekend with wet walking.

allegria

We had some tapas in this restaurant on bolker strasse. OK food (they had the deeds with bacon), but with no particular character, as it was in the tourist zone.

noorderzon

This year only one evening Noorderzon for me, as I was travelling forth and back to Dusseldorf each week. We went to some (almost) free acts, among other things a three dimensional maze like thing which played with shadows, and a live theatre show/cartoon thing in a container. W had a coffee and a beer and listened to the free band around the lake, of which I can't remember the name. And due to a lack of chaird we created our own chairs by sitting in a circle (see picture)

atonement

I had read the book a few years ago in australia, but I couldn't remember that much of it (except that the book was good, though sometimes a bit hard to understand). The movie was good actually, nice story and well acted. About a girl that sees something from her window and interprets it all wrong, but causes therefore much trouble to two other people that were meant to be together.

lulu

Annet and I were really surprised to find this sweet little restaurant on the corner of kurze strasse in the tourist zone. It serves really nice food (starters, salads, flammkuchen, desserts) and we could sit outside.
A few weeks later I also went there with my mom and again we had a really good meal. And because our dessert lasted a bit too long the waiter gave us half a glass of red wine. As it turns out, downstairs is also a cafe.

babbel

Restaurant Babbel in The Hague. A regular restaurant with cheap food. Service wasn't too good. I had a chicken iwth some tomatotapenade inside, which sounded better than it actually was. But after the squashmatch I had just played with Pascal and Peter, it was nice to have some food.

Engelen van het duister

This follow up of knielen op ee nbed violen was as impresive and sad as the first one. I tend to stop halfway the book and take a lot fo time to get through the rest of the book. As also happened with this. But it was worth reading really. It is quite sober and painful at times. Doesn't make you happy, but well written and credible. Even more bizarre that the writer, Jan Siebelink, is my former french teacher. He was describing the death of a boy in the book, this boy was in my class and I attended the funeral. The school that is described, was the school I went for two years, then we had to move to another building. For only this, it was already worth reading.

de kleine moghul

Best indian restaurant in Groningen! Though the curryhuis is also really nice, the best thing about the kleine Moghul is that that it is also possible to take-away food. Call and in 30 minutes the food is ready and it is delicious and more than enough!. We did this quite a few times when we had a show the same night. I loved it!

de smederij

A lovely cosy restaurant with a terrace in a street that didn't seem very busy, but was actually quite often visited by posh cars with even drivers. The food was ok, although my salad was merely a compositon of the ingredients mentioned in the menu. But together with our friend rose, Fleur and I had a good time and even got some chocolate coffee beans with our teas.

zomers

We had dinner in this summer-restaurant after a day full of strategic blabla in the Martinikerk. It was good food, but a bit too much. I had some fish, whcih was ok, but not perfect. Desert was overwhelming with 6 differnt plates to be divided among the 20 people that were left.
I have had several coffees in the garden terrace, which is actually much better than the interior... in summer it is best at zomers.

koninginnedag

At queens day I went to Franeker with Tjitske, Jelmer and Ymkje. A nice little town in Friesland. But like every other queens day, there is not much to it, except actualy that the royal familty was visiting Franeker this year. Finally I have seen them all in real; willem, maxima en bea and all the others of the family.

grillerije

After a long day of walking through Franeker, we went to this sweet restaurant. After the meal we sat in the lounge chairs and had a nice irish coffee.

nynke laverman

Nynke did a performance for the royal family in Franeker as she does frysian songs. Nice to see this and I like her music.

kaap doorn

I stayed here for a few nights because I had a course there, workshop kind of thing. Persoonlijke Effectiviteit, where we had to think about what we are and what we want to be. What keeps us from doing certain things and what our own principles are and where they come from. Interesting and exhausting.

zomerhitte

A nice dutch movie, based on the book of Jan Wolkers. Just simple and feel good.

voorhuis

Kitty and Maarten got married and had their party in this theatre in Delft. I had performed there once with de pit lela lela. Some dancing going on and the viavias did a small act of course.

angels in america, toneelgroep amsterdam

This is by far the best play I have seen in ages. It was a four hour play, long that is, but there was not any moment it was boring or in any other way not good to look at. The story is about the gay scene in New York when aids was first discovered and spread among a lot of them. Not a very happy theme, but the way the characters changed from healthy to ill was just very well acted.

de heeren van Delft

A really good restaurant on the beestenmarkt in Delft. We had dinner there at the bachelor party of Kitty. Good portions, sophisticated and well decorated.

het festival.nu

Some dance workshops, a buffet and swing night on one afternoon and evening. I did a workshop tango, as I am determined to dance tango again from september on. And a workshop Egypt belly dancing, which was really really hard!! I thought I was quite flexible but it appeared not to be for belly dancing. I have to practice a lot!
The swingnight was with bare feet, I had to go early, to much bare feet for me.

club kalashnikov in het pakhuis

A dance night with balkan tunes and hindi music. I danced like a maniac, completely stupid. Was nice to talk to sebastiaan again and made me forget the busy week and thingd to do.

viva la focus

On the first Mobile Film Festival Liliane and I went to do some networking activities with people that can help us in a project. It appeared to be a fruitful and entertaining afternoon-evening and we could make appointments with some infleuntial people. THe best thing was I didn't even know I was talking to the wethouder, after I told him what our project was about. Nice way of introducing yourself!

the holiday

But I liked this movie better, because I just like Jude Law. ANd it was romantic, maybe a bit too much. But also sweet and makes me happy.

Volver

This is one of those movies everyone says you have to watch. My mom recorded it from canal+ and on a good afternoon at Renate and Erwin we watched it. Good movie, nice, eh, spanish, and also a bit weird. But nice.

doppio

I alwasy passed this coffee bar as it looked to posh and sophisticated. But it turns out they have really good coffee. The weekend we had to do some more rehearsels I first went to the doppio for a takeaway capuchino and then went to the theatre. A good apotion also for the early mornigs when I have to go to Delft

kaap hoorn

A fancy cafe near het hoornse meer. First afternoon the sun was so bright you could sit outside without the need of three coats and with the need of sunglasses. Sjoerd showed me his car and we dorve around to do some promotion for our play.

Volksvernietiging - universiteitstheater

Three times we played in het Universiteitstheater last week. It was a very busy and intensive week, as I had to work in the morning and went to the theatre around 2 or 4 pm. All three shows went well, though each of them was different. It was nice some people I knew came and watch me, always nice to do it for them. It wasn't even that bad...

het paard van troje

A new cafe in Groningen, right across the pintelier. Also nice to have a beer and chat. It was the last night we played in het universiteitstheater and it was nearly big enough to fit all the people in there.