The nice side of Amsterdam

This past Saturday I went to Amsterdam --yes on my day off even! But its much nicer to be able to walk around the city and enjoy it, and not go to work. I went there with my friend V to try some wedding dresses on. Then we walked around the shopping street some, and later M came and met up with us on the Leidseplein. We walked around, and as it got colder, we got hungrier, and needed to find a place to eat! We walked along some nice streets-- where the locals are and the tourists probably don't even venture out this way. We wanted to go to our Ethiopian restaurant near the Wibautstraat metro, but when we got there- it was closed! It looked like they were remodeling. So we settled for Italian instead, and of course, that was good. It was a crisp day with a biting wind. But it was a nice day, definitely. I enjoy walking through Amsterdam's streets and neighborhoods that are removed from the tourist track.

Fall Break

Thanks to something called "herfst vakantie", a week long vacation that school children enjoy every year, I am enjoying a break from my Dutch language lessons this week. It was a much needed break. Its nice to leave work and not have to rush around on my bike all over Utrecht and go to bed so late. I can stay home and sit in my pj's and watch my bunnies hop around!

This past weekend I started the search for a wedding dress. The day is still 243 days away (according to my knot.com page). I went to a shop in Utrecht that sells couture dresses. I'm not aiming for couture, but it is the only shop I know in Utrecht! I tried on four, and one was really nice on me. It was definitely a style that I never had in mind, as it is not as 'simple' as I picture my dress to be. But it was still nice. The price was also nice... 1700 euros!! Too bad I can't afford that. Well, we shall see what else is out there. I wasn't allowed to take a picture of myself in it, but for a picture of the dress, take a look here and click on 'diamante'.

http://www.theweddingshop.co.uk/pronovias.html

A perfect lap-bun

Mommy with Bram and her laptop
Originally uploaded by dutchlop.

Here's our little Bram, who actually jumped up on my lap while I was occupying myself with a little emailing and Flickr....no space on my lap, but he wanted to join me. so cute!

Either that, or he wanted to do some online shopping for carrots and yummy treats.

Sunset over Amsterdam

Sunset over Amsterdam
Originally uploaded by dutchlop.

Its getting lighter later in the morning, and darker earlier in the evening. I ride my bike to the station before the sun is even up! I think within a week I will be in complete darkness at 730am!
This beautiful picture was taken by a collegue from our 6th floor window of our office (i'm on the 6th floor). Its a view westwards towards the sunset. Rembrandtplein, a popular tourist area with bars, clubs and restaurants circle the square.

being a part of something (takes time)

I wanted to write about this past weekend. I've been keeping myself REALLLLLY busy, that's why I haven't been able to write til now! Language lessons, basketball, and basketball related duties are keeping me very busy. Last night I didn't get home til after 1130pm! And didn't get to bed til 1am! I have to let the rabbits out for a little while, or they won't have any time to stretch their legs and hop at any other time of the day! M is not here in Utrecht this week. He's far far away in a place called Friesland...in northern Holland. You know, for the Dutch, 2.5 hours away really is like the edge of the world! He's there helping his parents settle in to their new house. Oh, and his contract was renewed for one more year (or really, it is in writing this time since it really shouldn't have had to be 'renewed' in the first place). So his job is safe, and he will be able to still get his PhD in the end.

Last weekend was full of basketball, as I'm sure many more weekends to come will be as well. Saturday night I had to score-keep for the women's' 1 team. They have a very weird score keeping card/sheet here, it took awhile for me to understand it. Seriously, changing colors of the pen each quarter to keep the stats....very weird. there must be more efficient way of score keeping (there is...trust me...in the US of course).

Then on Sunday, i was again at the sport hall from 530-11. I watched my team play, then I had to keep score again for another game, then I watched M play in his game (he joined the club too). While it was busy, it felt nice to be involved in something, to be apart of something. Its a good way to see some sort of 'result' to just the practicing, as so far that's all I've mostly been involved with. I kinda felt like I was back in middle school again- when we had weekend tournaments and 20 schools would take part in the weekend tournament. Those were fun times. anyways, it felt nice to be apart of something again. (It also helped though that M was around to help me score keep the first game!! and that he was around for the afternoon too). Now, if only I could really be able to communicate better...

Oh, and I'm the 'smoelenboek commissie'...the 'address/picture book committee' for the club...I have to put together all the pictures, addresses, and they have to answer one question based on the theme of the book...we're putting it together and giving it out at the next Borrel ('drink/happy hour'). I'm working with one other woman on this. The theme is 'film'...and the question is 'which film star would you want to resemble and why?' Just an added fun element to the book. This is a good way for me to know people better- to study pictures and figure out who people are! :-)