TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE DIARIES

A few times a year Dutchman and I go up to Friesland to visit friends. These are mostly birthday get-togethers which are typically Dutch by the way. We were there again last weekend because this time our dear friend turned 50. I didn’t get to take pictures which is a pity because the food theme was ‘Oud Hollands’ (Old Holland). From the candies to the cheese to the wine and beer, its all Dutch. The mains were erwtensoep (pea soup), stamppot boerenkool (mash pot of potatoes and kale), hutspot (mash pot of potatoes and carrots) with rookworst (Dutch smoked sausage). I had a little portion of each. Lekker =) But I do not have any pictures. Not a single one. Jammer. However, we were there though back in August and I took a few pictures =) And their apple tree in the terrace has turned into an ivy that has clawed in the structural fence and created a sort of shrub hedge. But lo and behold, the apple tree has lots of fruits! We harvested a few apples and brought them inside for...

Sunday Bilthoven, Utrecht A weekend ago I brought the English afternoon tea to Blondine’s. Her lovely tree is up while ours is up as well but with no decors, just lights. I call our tree, the naked Christmas tree. I bought scones and raspberry jam at De Bakkerswinkel , a lovely bakery and lunch place located at Wittevrouwenstraat in Utrecht. Blondine and I had lunch here 2 years ago, see here the blog entry: Utrecht’s secret--Tea, Scones, Clotted Cream and Jam Unfortunately, they ran out of clotted cream so I rushed over to Albert Heijn to buy the not so stellar alternative—whipped cream. The Netherlands isn’t England so we do not have clotted creams stocked in our supermarkets and they are difficult to find over here as well. For tea, I brought some Chinese Oolong and Japanese Green Tea, a gift I received from my sister who is based in Singapore when we saw each other last October-November in the Philippines. She is my tea supplier. This year Blondine and I won’...

A few days before we left for our summer holiday in Lesvos Island, Greece last month, Dutchman and I were invited by his very good friend to attend the confirmation of their youngest son in Friesland. The little boy is Dutchman’s godson and is one of the three musketeers, a nickname I call of the trio kids. After the celebrations, we stayed for dinner. On the road to Friesland, about 2 hours drive. I look tired on this picture. At 42 (that’s me) and 45 (that’s the Dutchman) we do not have children. When I moved to the Netherlands at the age of 32 I was busy rebuilding my life and career in this country that along the way I have seemed to have forgotten to build a family, haha. But seriously, it’s a conscious and mutual decision. I have been through the grueling phase of friends and family asking me WHEN and WHY. Not many people seem to believe and understand that a woman can actually NOT want to have any children. Every time I see a mother with a baby, visions of sleepless ni...

A week before we flew to the Philippines for the summer holiday, we visited our friends in Friesland up north. We visit them twice in a year, the first visit being a social party they throw for their close friends and the second is the birthday of their youngest son. Dutchman is the godfather. Here is a video of the Friesland quaint countryside as we drive through passing a village. Another video here of the Friesland countryside as we drive through. There have been many changes with their house since the last time we visited. At the back they have laid a wooden deck with transparent glass railings. The effect of the glass railing is very arresting I should say and I like the idea that when you walk outside the kitchen you are on a deck overlooking the canal. Beautiful. The deck in a way extends the living space. Now speaking of houses, it’s just recently that the housing market in Holland has started to crumble. A bit delayed I guess. There has been a major uproar in the...