There are many street signs in NL telling people NOT to do something. Do not enter, do not park, no U-Turn, etc And yet, despite all these signs, people act as if they don't exist. For example, in front of our apartment are tram tracks bordered by car lanes on either side. There is a sign that indicates no U-Turn and yet several times a day someone is making a U-Turn.
Hubs pointed out the other day that there is no "or else" on any of these signs. In the US these signs will indicate a fine associated with violating said action. I hadn't really noticed that it was missing before. Good eye, hubs!
Friday, 29 March 2019
Thursday, 28 March 2019
Visit to Morocco - some observations
I'd never been to a developing nation before so the trip was all new to me. I guess the honeymoon with my first husband to Mexico might have been close, but we stayed in Cancun, in the resort area and really didn't see the parts of Mexico mainly experienced by locals.
I think the first thing that caught my attention was the number of hitchhikers along the highway. I remember seeing a few when I was a child in the US, but not to the level that is seen in the Casablanca area. They were predominantly young, standing with their thumbs out, waiting to hitch a free ride to somewhere else. Given the speeds at which traffic could be flowing and the hitchhikers' close proximity to the road, I was expecting something bad to happen.
The sidewalks in Casablanca, or at least the area where our hotel was located, were sometimes non-existent. There were basically 2 routes to walk to get from our hotel to Rick's Café. One route went through Ancient Medina. Even in Morocco's official tourism app they warn tourists about visiting that part of the city. Not at night, and even in the day time one must be careful about one's safety. There were sidewalks in this area, but very narrow, barely wide enough for 1 person in places, and often obstructed by vehicles. The other route went past the harbor area which was in a state of upheaval. Most of the time the sidewalk didn't exist, just dust and rubble, and nothing much to look at. We walked this way our first day in Casablanca and my black shoes were a solid gray by the time we got a place that was more "civilized". I was also surprised at the area where Rick's Café was located, basically a slum. The restaurant did a fine job of making sure the sidewalk in front of it were kept clean and clear, but the rest of the little block was dirty and a little dodgy.
Many buildings in Casablanca seemed to be abandoned construction projects. The frame was there, some scaffolding may have been sitting around, but no work was being done. It was as if either whomever started the project got bored or ran out of money, or maybe both. There is a mall near Rick's Café that appeared to be completed, had a huge sign for an athletic store on the outside, but appeared to be empty. I couldn't figure out if it had yet to open or had just closed.
Litter and graffiti were common sights in Casablanca. Plastic bottles, plastic shopping bags... Any food that may have been abandoned was consumed by the numerous stray cats. I actually appreciated the cats because that made me feel that the rat population was being kept in check.
There were parts of Casablanca that weren't as bad. If you went further down the coast past the Hassan II mosque it was more developed, cleaner, less half-completed construction. The mall in this area was open and had many high end stores. An interesting note... There is an x-ray device like in airports at the security checkpoint as soon as you enter the mall. I wasn't sure if that scared me or made me feel safe. Also, as soon as one enters the Casablanca airport one's bags are x-rayed, and carry-ons are x-rayed again at the usual security checkpoint. I guess one can't be too safe?
When flying out of Morocco make sure to allow more time than you usually would. The queue to have all your bags x-rayed as soon as you enter the airport adds time. The normal security checkpoint is another bottleneck. If there is an issue with someone's bag the line is held up while it is being checked. They only have 1 person working the x-ray machine and he will sift through the offending bag, not letting anything else pass until he is done.
While hubs and I were standing in this line 2 women at the front of the line got into what sounded like a heated argument. They were about 4 people apart, but yelling at each other around the people between them. Interestingly enough, nobody seemed interested in interfering with them. They were speaking in Arabic, so I have no clue what they were actually saying, but their body language indicated they were NOT happy with each other.
Your boarding pass and passport are checked numerous times at the airport. Our passports and boarding passes were checked after going through the body scanner and again immediately after passing through immigration control. Apparently you just can't leave the country.
By contrast Marrakesh and Rabat were cleaner, more vibrant, definitely more touristic. But even they had their dark sides. One thing in particular in Marrakesh made me feel very sad, and still does. There was a large open square where street performers (for lack of a better description) hung out. In this area were snake charmers, which I was surprised to see. In my head those only existed in India. I wasn't too thrilled to see them, either, as I'm not a big fan of snakes and there were many cobras on the ground in 1 state of enchantment or another. But what made me sad were the monkeys on leashes. They would be whipped about in arcs as their owner quickly turned or dragged against their will. They obviously knew how to protect themselves for they would grab the end of the metal chain near their necks with their human-like hands to mitigate pain.
People offering to play tour guide, with nothing stated upfront, would expect remuneration at the end. They came across as just friendly people, willing to offer some help, lulling one into accepting their services. Also, if you took a picture of someone they would expect to be tipped. You didn't have to be in the picture, but as long as they were then money was to be exchanged.
We were able to thwart 2 attempts of extortion, if you will. When we visited Chella in Rabat a "kind" man offered to play tour guide. We repeatedly begged off, thanking him but making it clear we didn't need or want a guide. It took a little doing, but he finally gave up. I noticed he had quickly succeeded with another couple. It may have been my imagination, but I got the impression that they didn't tip him at the end as the 2 parties seemed to part ways unhappily. The second attempt was shortly after our tour guide in Marrakesh had warned us about the picture taking, in the same square as the cobras and the monkeys. Some random guy walked up to hubs, he took off his fez and put it on hubs, putting his arm around hubs and mugging for a photo. We had not approached him to do this. I laughed but left my camera alone. Our guide interceded explaining that no money was due as no picture had been taken. Mr Fez finally walked away, but in a snit.
On the flip side, there were 2 occasions where we were backed into a corner. One was at the entrance to Chellah. I wanted to take a picture of the entrance. However, a man stood there, banging a drum and twirling the tassel on his head covering which was firmly affixed to his head. I bit the bullet and took the picture, handing over a few coins when we passed as he had stopped banging the drum and twirling his tassel so that he could thrust his open hand towards us.
The other time was in Kasbah of the Udayas also in Rabat. Our driver dropped us off at the entrance and we wandered in. I wanted to go down a specific street but we kept getting told to go in a different direction. This is all just a ruse to get you confused and have someone "rescue" you by giving you an unsolicited tour of the area. Now, we did learn a few things about the area that we wouldn't have known had this man not been "kind enough" to "help" us. When we got to the end of "tour" hubs hands our "guide" the equivalent of about €2. The man looks at hubs and says "you can give more than that" - lol
I'm glad we went on this adventure. It gave me a greater appreciation for what I have and where we are currently living. (But it's not going to stop me from complaining 😉)
I think the first thing that caught my attention was the number of hitchhikers along the highway. I remember seeing a few when I was a child in the US, but not to the level that is seen in the Casablanca area. They were predominantly young, standing with their thumbs out, waiting to hitch a free ride to somewhere else. Given the speeds at which traffic could be flowing and the hitchhikers' close proximity to the road, I was expecting something bad to happen.
The sidewalks in Casablanca, or at least the area where our hotel was located, were sometimes non-existent. There were basically 2 routes to walk to get from our hotel to Rick's Café. One route went through Ancient Medina. Even in Morocco's official tourism app they warn tourists about visiting that part of the city. Not at night, and even in the day time one must be careful about one's safety. There were sidewalks in this area, but very narrow, barely wide enough for 1 person in places, and often obstructed by vehicles. The other route went past the harbor area which was in a state of upheaval. Most of the time the sidewalk didn't exist, just dust and rubble, and nothing much to look at. We walked this way our first day in Casablanca and my black shoes were a solid gray by the time we got a place that was more "civilized". I was also surprised at the area where Rick's Café was located, basically a slum. The restaurant did a fine job of making sure the sidewalk in front of it were kept clean and clear, but the rest of the little block was dirty and a little dodgy.
Many buildings in Casablanca seemed to be abandoned construction projects. The frame was there, some scaffolding may have been sitting around, but no work was being done. It was as if either whomever started the project got bored or ran out of money, or maybe both. There is a mall near Rick's Café that appeared to be completed, had a huge sign for an athletic store on the outside, but appeared to be empty. I couldn't figure out if it had yet to open or had just closed.
Litter and graffiti were common sights in Casablanca. Plastic bottles, plastic shopping bags... Any food that may have been abandoned was consumed by the numerous stray cats. I actually appreciated the cats because that made me feel that the rat population was being kept in check.
There were parts of Casablanca that weren't as bad. If you went further down the coast past the Hassan II mosque it was more developed, cleaner, less half-completed construction. The mall in this area was open and had many high end stores. An interesting note... There is an x-ray device like in airports at the security checkpoint as soon as you enter the mall. I wasn't sure if that scared me or made me feel safe. Also, as soon as one enters the Casablanca airport one's bags are x-rayed, and carry-ons are x-rayed again at the usual security checkpoint. I guess one can't be too safe?
 |
| Mall where bags are x-rayed upon entry |
When flying out of Morocco make sure to allow more time than you usually would. The queue to have all your bags x-rayed as soon as you enter the airport adds time. The normal security checkpoint is another bottleneck. If there is an issue with someone's bag the line is held up while it is being checked. They only have 1 person working the x-ray machine and he will sift through the offending bag, not letting anything else pass until he is done.
While hubs and I were standing in this line 2 women at the front of the line got into what sounded like a heated argument. They were about 4 people apart, but yelling at each other around the people between them. Interestingly enough, nobody seemed interested in interfering with them. They were speaking in Arabic, so I have no clue what they were actually saying, but their body language indicated they were NOT happy with each other.
Your boarding pass and passport are checked numerous times at the airport. Our passports and boarding passes were checked after going through the body scanner and again immediately after passing through immigration control. Apparently you just can't leave the country.
By contrast Marrakesh and Rabat were cleaner, more vibrant, definitely more touristic. But even they had their dark sides. One thing in particular in Marrakesh made me feel very sad, and still does. There was a large open square where street performers (for lack of a better description) hung out. In this area were snake charmers, which I was surprised to see. In my head those only existed in India. I wasn't too thrilled to see them, either, as I'm not a big fan of snakes and there were many cobras on the ground in 1 state of enchantment or another. But what made me sad were the monkeys on leashes. They would be whipped about in arcs as their owner quickly turned or dragged against their will. They obviously knew how to protect themselves for they would grab the end of the metal chain near their necks with their human-like hands to mitigate pain.
People offering to play tour guide, with nothing stated upfront, would expect remuneration at the end. They came across as just friendly people, willing to offer some help, lulling one into accepting their services. Also, if you took a picture of someone they would expect to be tipped. You didn't have to be in the picture, but as long as they were then money was to be exchanged.
We were able to thwart 2 attempts of extortion, if you will. When we visited Chella in Rabat a "kind" man offered to play tour guide. We repeatedly begged off, thanking him but making it clear we didn't need or want a guide. It took a little doing, but he finally gave up. I noticed he had quickly succeeded with another couple. It may have been my imagination, but I got the impression that they didn't tip him at the end as the 2 parties seemed to part ways unhappily. The second attempt was shortly after our tour guide in Marrakesh had warned us about the picture taking, in the same square as the cobras and the monkeys. Some random guy walked up to hubs, he took off his fez and put it on hubs, putting his arm around hubs and mugging for a photo. We had not approached him to do this. I laughed but left my camera alone. Our guide interceded explaining that no money was due as no picture had been taken. Mr Fez finally walked away, but in a snit.
On the flip side, there were 2 occasions where we were backed into a corner. One was at the entrance to Chellah. I wanted to take a picture of the entrance. However, a man stood there, banging a drum and twirling the tassel on his head covering which was firmly affixed to his head. I bit the bullet and took the picture, handing over a few coins when we passed as he had stopped banging the drum and twirling his tassel so that he could thrust his open hand towards us.
 |
| Entrance to Chellah |
The other time was in Kasbah of the Udayas also in Rabat. Our driver dropped us off at the entrance and we wandered in. I wanted to go down a specific street but we kept getting told to go in a different direction. This is all just a ruse to get you confused and have someone "rescue" you by giving you an unsolicited tour of the area. Now, we did learn a few things about the area that we wouldn't have known had this man not been "kind enough" to "help" us. When we got to the end of "tour" hubs hands our "guide" the equivalent of about €2. The man looks at hubs and says "you can give more than that" - lol
 |
| A picture from Kasbah of the Udayas |
I'm glad we went on this adventure. It gave me a greater appreciation for what I have and where we are currently living. (But it's not going to stop me from complaining 😉)
Tuesday, 26 March 2019
Visit to Morocco -- driving
Hubs and I visited Morocco for a 5 day weekend last weekend. Our hotel was in Casablanca but we also took a day trip to Marrakech and a day trip to Rabat. Public transportation is not as prevalent in Morocco as it is in NL so we relied on a taxi for our trips. And the few buses we did see seemed all to be in need of some repair (broken windows, dents, missing parts...)
We used the same driver for our quick tour around Casablanca on Friday, the day trip to both Marrakech on Saturday and Rabat on Sunday, as well as our return trip to the airport on Monday. He was a kind man, speaking only French and Arabic which made for some interesting conversations as neither hubs nor I are fluent in French and hubs only knows a couple phrases in Arabic. Those of you who have ever ridden in a car with me will be amused to learn that our taxi driver scared the living shit out of me. Our driver didn't appear to drive any worse than any other driver (taxi or otherwise) in Morocco, but still. The sudden accelerations, the immediate braking, the tailgating... all classic Robin driving. But from the backseat of a Mercedes Benz that was older than my 23 yo son, and that had electrical tape in places, that vibrated whenever he shifted from first to second (yes, it was a manual), and in a country where the police prominently walk around with automatic rifles... I wasn't feeling too warm and fuzzy on the inside.
The only driver who scared me even more was our taxi driver from Rick's Café to our hotel on Sunday night. The trip took us through Ancient Medina, a very old part of Casablanca with exceedingly narrow and windy streets. People walk in the streets, there are many blind turns, cars move in both directions, there are bicyclists and mopeds, children are playing... in other words, it's chaos. Our driver seemed to delight in going as fast as his little car would allow while talking to us at the same time. (Our driver mentioned Tom Cruise a few times, I have no idea why, and was invested in letting us know his family was asleep... all 5 children) There were a couple of pedestrians who narrowly escaped with their lives and I needed a change of underwear when we got back to the hotel.
I think the best way to describe how people drive in Morocco is "He with the biggest balls wins". Traffic circles are prevalent in Casablanca. The best way to get through these circles during rush hour is to go on the outside, around the cars already in the circle, and force your way back into the mass of cars on the other side. If you need to turn left or cross the road where there is no traffic light, simply keep nudging your car into oncoming traffic until the cars in the other direction decide to stop. At 1 stop sign on a 2-way street I observed the driver who was 4th in line simply drive around the 3 in front of him and turn right. Part of me was elated... those who can get going simply bypass those who can't. Part of me was petrified... EVERYONE DRIVES THIS WAY!!!
Cars compete with mopeds, bicycles, pedestrians and carts pulled by donkeys on 6 lane roads (3 in each direction). Hitchhiking is prevalent. Speed limit signs seemed to either be a suggestion only or the minimum speed one should be driving. I couldn't figure out which. I tried to rationalize that our driver didn't want to die any more than I did, and therefore we would be ok. But I did have to revert to reading a book so as to not have several heart attacks on our 3 hour drive to Marrakech.
The lines on the highways were merely suggestions some times, especially when passing another entity (be it slower vehicle, pedestrian, mule-cart...). No need to commit to a lane, right? And when passing vehicles on the highway it seemed to be best to wait until the last possible moment narrowly avoiding rear-ending the car in front of you while at the same time cutting off the car in the lane beside you which is accelerating to pass the same vehicle hopefully before you do.
But, as is obvious, we survived. And we got some great stories to tell in the process.
We used the same driver for our quick tour around Casablanca on Friday, the day trip to both Marrakech on Saturday and Rabat on Sunday, as well as our return trip to the airport on Monday. He was a kind man, speaking only French and Arabic which made for some interesting conversations as neither hubs nor I are fluent in French and hubs only knows a couple phrases in Arabic. Those of you who have ever ridden in a car with me will be amused to learn that our taxi driver scared the living shit out of me. Our driver didn't appear to drive any worse than any other driver (taxi or otherwise) in Morocco, but still. The sudden accelerations, the immediate braking, the tailgating... all classic Robin driving. But from the backseat of a Mercedes Benz that was older than my 23 yo son, and that had electrical tape in places, that vibrated whenever he shifted from first to second (yes, it was a manual), and in a country where the police prominently walk around with automatic rifles... I wasn't feeling too warm and fuzzy on the inside.
The only driver who scared me even more was our taxi driver from Rick's Café to our hotel on Sunday night. The trip took us through Ancient Medina, a very old part of Casablanca with exceedingly narrow and windy streets. People walk in the streets, there are many blind turns, cars move in both directions, there are bicyclists and mopeds, children are playing... in other words, it's chaos. Our driver seemed to delight in going as fast as his little car would allow while talking to us at the same time. (Our driver mentioned Tom Cruise a few times, I have no idea why, and was invested in letting us know his family was asleep... all 5 children) There were a couple of pedestrians who narrowly escaped with their lives and I needed a change of underwear when we got back to the hotel.
I think the best way to describe how people drive in Morocco is "He with the biggest balls wins". Traffic circles are prevalent in Casablanca. The best way to get through these circles during rush hour is to go on the outside, around the cars already in the circle, and force your way back into the mass of cars on the other side. If you need to turn left or cross the road where there is no traffic light, simply keep nudging your car into oncoming traffic until the cars in the other direction decide to stop. At 1 stop sign on a 2-way street I observed the driver who was 4th in line simply drive around the 3 in front of him and turn right. Part of me was elated... those who can get going simply bypass those who can't. Part of me was petrified... EVERYONE DRIVES THIS WAY!!!
Cars compete with mopeds, bicycles, pedestrians and carts pulled by donkeys on 6 lane roads (3 in each direction). Hitchhiking is prevalent. Speed limit signs seemed to either be a suggestion only or the minimum speed one should be driving. I couldn't figure out which. I tried to rationalize that our driver didn't want to die any more than I did, and therefore we would be ok. But I did have to revert to reading a book so as to not have several heart attacks on our 3 hour drive to Marrakech.
The lines on the highways were merely suggestions some times, especially when passing another entity (be it slower vehicle, pedestrian, mule-cart...). No need to commit to a lane, right? And when passing vehicles on the highway it seemed to be best to wait until the last possible moment narrowly avoiding rear-ending the car in front of you while at the same time cutting off the car in the lane beside you which is accelerating to pass the same vehicle hopefully before you do.
But, as is obvious, we survived. And we got some great stories to tell in the process.
Wednesday, 20 March 2019
The cemetery
Last Friday I visited a cemetery. It popped up on Google maps as being in a path I hadn't taken yet and I was curious to see if I could visit it and what one might look like in NL. I'm very glad I went. I was so pleasantly surprised by it that I cut my visit short and suggested to hubs that we visit it the next day.
Unfortunately, photography was not allowed, and I'm not much of a wordsmith, but I will try to paint a picture that accurately describes it.
It was by no means a large cemetery. You could probably see every grave in about 45 minutes, walking very slowly.
Each plot was rectangular in shape and included some form of marker. Many markers were flat stone pieces, the length and width of the grave itself with the names and dates of birth and death for the person (people) contained below. Others were headstones in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. I will go into detail about them later. And yet others were more garden bed that grave with smooth stones, flowers or even small trees. Now, here I am making an assumption about what is actually underneath the ground, for in some instances there were multiple names listed on the marker. I wasn't sure if more than 1 person was buried underneath the marker, if they were just ashes, or if it was simply a marker and NOBODY was buried there. (I have found websites that indicate burial plots in NL are only leased for 10-20 years due to the limited available land and the ever increasing number of the deceased. If this is true, the markers seemed to be rather ornate and costly for something that would only be there 20 years.)
The plots were spaced evenly with paths of small gravel clearly marked between the rows.
The tombstones/headstones, as stated above, were quite an array of artwork. 1 headstone was Snoopy on his doghouse. I saw another that had Garfield the cat etched into the stone. 1 was a lovely shade of cobalt blue. Buddah appeared at a few of the graves. Another grave included a small, dark gray obelisk with the figure of a woman on top her arms flung behind her, her head tossed back, chest out, and the word "Vrij" ("free") the only word on the obelisk. Others were clear glass with poems or other kind words etched upon them. Some had photos of the deceased included on the headstone. One headstone that was clear and included a photo had words that said something to the effect "When a boat disappears over the horizon, it is not gone, it's just not visible any more". Many of the flat markers included an indentation to hold a flower pot.
Other than the tombstones, it looked more like a park than a cemetery. The artistic nature of the headstones definitely added to the impression. There were benches to sit on and trees and bushes providing shade and color. Some graves had windchimes hanging above if they were fortunate enough to be located under a tree. And spaced throughout the cemetery were stands holding bright yellow watering cans, trowels and green plastic cones for holding flowers.
I'll have to check out other cemeteries to see if this is customary or if it was a just a gem tucked away in the city.
Unfortunately, photography was not allowed, and I'm not much of a wordsmith, but I will try to paint a picture that accurately describes it.
It was by no means a large cemetery. You could probably see every grave in about 45 minutes, walking very slowly.
Each plot was rectangular in shape and included some form of marker. Many markers were flat stone pieces, the length and width of the grave itself with the names and dates of birth and death for the person (people) contained below. Others were headstones in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. I will go into detail about them later. And yet others were more garden bed that grave with smooth stones, flowers or even small trees. Now, here I am making an assumption about what is actually underneath the ground, for in some instances there were multiple names listed on the marker. I wasn't sure if more than 1 person was buried underneath the marker, if they were just ashes, or if it was simply a marker and NOBODY was buried there. (I have found websites that indicate burial plots in NL are only leased for 10-20 years due to the limited available land and the ever increasing number of the deceased. If this is true, the markers seemed to be rather ornate and costly for something that would only be there 20 years.)
The plots were spaced evenly with paths of small gravel clearly marked between the rows.
The tombstones/headstones, as stated above, were quite an array of artwork. 1 headstone was Snoopy on his doghouse. I saw another that had Garfield the cat etched into the stone. 1 was a lovely shade of cobalt blue. Buddah appeared at a few of the graves. Another grave included a small, dark gray obelisk with the figure of a woman on top her arms flung behind her, her head tossed back, chest out, and the word "Vrij" ("free") the only word on the obelisk. Others were clear glass with poems or other kind words etched upon them. Some had photos of the deceased included on the headstone. One headstone that was clear and included a photo had words that said something to the effect "When a boat disappears over the horizon, it is not gone, it's just not visible any more". Many of the flat markers included an indentation to hold a flower pot.
Other than the tombstones, it looked more like a park than a cemetery. The artistic nature of the headstones definitely added to the impression. There were benches to sit on and trees and bushes providing shade and color. Some graves had windchimes hanging above if they were fortunate enough to be located under a tree. And spaced throughout the cemetery were stands holding bright yellow watering cans, trowels and green plastic cones for holding flowers.
I'll have to check out other cemeteries to see if this is customary or if it was a just a gem tucked away in the city.
How to Dutch like a pro... the Museumkaart
Shortly after I arrived in NL I met another American expat for coffee. She offered some good tips on how to navigate the city and acclimate. The best piece of advice she gave me was to purchase the Museumkaart.
The Museumkaart costs less than €70 and gives you unlimited access to almost every museum in The Netherlands for 1 year. I KNOW!! Hard to believe. But so far that has been my experience.
Some museums may charge a nominal fee for special exhibits. For example, hubs and I went to the Hermitage in Amsterdam and paid an extra €2.50/pp to see 2 special exhibits. Even that was a discount because each exhibit was €2.50 on top of the museum ticket price. And there is a small sculpture museum very close to our house that charges a nominal fee for their exhibits. (For that museum, however, once you've paid the extra fee you don't have to pay it again until the exhibit changes.)
We've been pleasantly surprised at some of the museums we can enter with our Museumkaart. When we were in Gouda we stumbled upon Sint Janskerk which accepted the Museumkaart. It's a beautiful church which is on the UNESCO list because of it's stained glass windows. And when we went to Arnhem the Airborne Museum also accepted the Museumkaart. Even the Louwman Museum, a museum that has nothing but classic cars, accepts the Museumkaart!!
A few museums I have been to multiple times. Usually I end up going more than once because I'll visit the museum, see something I think hubs will appreciate, and then go back with him. Others have changed their exhibitions and I've wanted to see the new ones. This is also quite handy for when guests visit, because then I can go with each and every one of them without having to pay another dime.
So, if you intend on living in NL for an extended period of time, (and you enjoy museums) I HIGHLY recommend this purchase.
Monday, 18 March 2019
free microdermabrasion anyone?
A week or so ago I was walking along the boardwalk.
(Side note: I haven't figured out if "boardwalk" is the right word for what this is. It's a large sidewalk that runs right along the beach. There are no boards, so boardwalk doesn't seem right.)
At this particular time I was walking into the wind. And this is not a light breeze that feels refreshing. Nope. That would not have been worthy of a blog entry. Instead, this was a rather significant wind that would sometime make your legs move not in the direction you wanted when you took a step.
I was getting quite grumpy about this, especially when bits of sand ended up in my mouth and crunched when I closed my teeth. And then I looked for the silver lining. I was able to find 2.
1) In our part of NL it's is FLAT! Most of it was reclaimed from the sea over 400 years ago, so there are no hills (outside some sand dunes). This makes biking and walking relatively easy as there is little resistance. This is where the wind comes in handy. By having to walk into the wind I was getting more of workout than I normally would have. Yeah, me!!
2) A free microdermabrasion! The sand was pummeling my face, like when buildings are sandblasted to get rid of graffiti and dirt. People pay hundreds of dollars for something like this, and here all I had to do was take a walk along the beach. It's always good to save money, right? 😂😏
(Side note: I haven't figured out if "boardwalk" is the right word for what this is. It's a large sidewalk that runs right along the beach. There are no boards, so boardwalk doesn't seem right.)
At this particular time I was walking into the wind. And this is not a light breeze that feels refreshing. Nope. That would not have been worthy of a blog entry. Instead, this was a rather significant wind that would sometime make your legs move not in the direction you wanted when you took a step.
I was getting quite grumpy about this, especially when bits of sand ended up in my mouth and crunched when I closed my teeth. And then I looked for the silver lining. I was able to find 2.
1) In our part of NL it's is FLAT! Most of it was reclaimed from the sea over 400 years ago, so there are no hills (outside some sand dunes). This makes biking and walking relatively easy as there is little resistance. This is where the wind comes in handy. By having to walk into the wind I was getting more of workout than I normally would have. Yeah, me!!
2) A free microdermabrasion! The sand was pummeling my face, like when buildings are sandblasted to get rid of graffiti and dirt. People pay hundreds of dollars for something like this, and here all I had to do was take a walk along the beach. It's always good to save money, right? 😂😏
Some useful apps
There are some very useful apps that I have installed on my phone. These help me get through my day and make things easier. Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list, but they do work for me.
1) Google translate with the Dutch dictionary downloaded. Obviously this one is listed first. This comes in quite handy, especially when I'm at the grocery store. To save on data (or if I'm using my American phone which I keep in airplane mode) I downloaded the Dutch dictionary so that I can translate all the time. The photo option is iffy. It gives me a general idea of what is being said, but it's a little difficult to read. It also helps me learn Dutch as I'll see a word on a placard and what to know what it is.
2) Stocard. Many of the stores in our area have member cards (e.g. Albert Heijn, MediaMarkt, Gall & Gall) and Stocard lets me keep a digital copy of the card on my phone.
3) Museums. The Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis, Beelden aan Zee... many museums offer a free app that is quite useful when visiting their establishments.
4) Transportation: NS (the trains), HTM (the trams), Schiphol Airport, Google maps... These come in handy for knowing about delays and routes. Google maps is my go-to if I'm going from 1 town to another in NL. NS and HTM come in handy if there seems to be issues getting around.
5) Under the category of Entertainment I have the Pathé app. Pathé is a movie theater chain in NL. Our apartment building is actually connected to 1. You'd be surprised how rarely we go to the theater, though.
6) An interesting app is Rotterdam Routes. It is a series of self-guided walking tours through the city based upon various themes: the fire boundary, rooftops, jazz, etc. Hubs and I did the fire boundary walk. Very informative and we saw parts of the city we probably wouldn't have seen otherwise. Being self-guided/self-paced is a great bonus.
(This entry will be updated as I learn about new apps)
1) Google translate with the Dutch dictionary downloaded. Obviously this one is listed first. This comes in quite handy, especially when I'm at the grocery store. To save on data (or if I'm using my American phone which I keep in airplane mode) I downloaded the Dutch dictionary so that I can translate all the time. The photo option is iffy. It gives me a general idea of what is being said, but it's a little difficult to read. It also helps me learn Dutch as I'll see a word on a placard and what to know what it is.
2) Stocard. Many of the stores in our area have member cards (e.g. Albert Heijn, MediaMarkt, Gall & Gall) and Stocard lets me keep a digital copy of the card on my phone.
3) Museums. The Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis, Beelden aan Zee... many museums offer a free app that is quite useful when visiting their establishments.
4) Transportation: NS (the trains), HTM (the trams), Schiphol Airport, Google maps... These come in handy for knowing about delays and routes. Google maps is my go-to if I'm going from 1 town to another in NL. NS and HTM come in handy if there seems to be issues getting around.
5) Under the category of Entertainment I have the Pathé app. Pathé is a movie theater chain in NL. Our apartment building is actually connected to 1. You'd be surprised how rarely we go to the theater, though.
6) An interesting app is Rotterdam Routes. It is a series of self-guided walking tours through the city based upon various themes: the fire boundary, rooftops, jazz, etc. Hubs and I did the fire boundary walk. Very informative and we saw parts of the city we probably wouldn't have seen otherwise. Being self-guided/self-paced is a great bonus.
(This entry will be updated as I learn about new apps)
Thursday, 14 March 2019
Interacting with the natives (entry 1)
My verbal interactions with the natives seem to wax and wane.
Last weekend I asked for "twee grote bier" and the bartender laughed. When I asked if I said it correctly he said I did but it sounded funny. So, there's that.
Earlier that same day hubs and I were at a restaurant and when it came time to pay the bill (I've learned to say "de rekening, alsjeblieft") the waitress asked if we spoke English or Dutch. I told her I was trying to work on my Dutch and she was kind enough to say "Let's try it in Dutch and see if you understand". By far the most helpful customer service person I've met to date.
Today I went to the local market that pops up on Thursdays. I was able to interact with the produce stand completely in Dutch. I went to the cheese stand and was able to ask if he had a cheese by a specific name. He seemed to understand me. After that I had to flip to English, though, as his answer was "nee".
After that I went to the grocery store. As I'm loading my items onto the checkout belt the woman in front of me said (I think) "Gezond". I found it odd that she felt compelled to comment on my celery, but, so be it. She started chatting on a lot more, I was on the verge of saying "Ik spreek Engels" when I caught the words "twee voor één" (2 for 1). One of the items I was purchasing was on sale, "één plus één gratis" as hubs likes to say. I said "Ja", plunked the second one on the belt and said "dankjewel". Fortunately, that was the end our "conversation". Not sure I could've continued the ruse much longer! lol
Last weekend I asked for "twee grote bier" and the bartender laughed. When I asked if I said it correctly he said I did but it sounded funny. So, there's that.
Earlier that same day hubs and I were at a restaurant and when it came time to pay the bill (I've learned to say "de rekening, alsjeblieft") the waitress asked if we spoke English or Dutch. I told her I was trying to work on my Dutch and she was kind enough to say "Let's try it in Dutch and see if you understand". By far the most helpful customer service person I've met to date.
Today I went to the local market that pops up on Thursdays. I was able to interact with the produce stand completely in Dutch. I went to the cheese stand and was able to ask if he had a cheese by a specific name. He seemed to understand me. After that I had to flip to English, though, as his answer was "nee".
After that I went to the grocery store. As I'm loading my items onto the checkout belt the woman in front of me said (I think) "Gezond". I found it odd that she felt compelled to comment on my celery, but, so be it. She started chatting on a lot more, I was on the verge of saying "Ik spreek Engels" when I caught the words "twee voor één" (2 for 1). One of the items I was purchasing was on sale, "één plus één gratis" as hubs likes to say. I said "Ja", plunked the second one on the belt and said "dankjewel". Fortunately, that was the end our "conversation". Not sure I could've continued the ruse much longer! lol
A bureaucracy by any other name...
[Begin Rant]
For me, however, there are a few more hoops to jump through. We thought we were doing so well. We went to the IND (Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst equivalent of ICE in the US) back in September to submit all the paperwork. The woman takes everything, puts a temporary residency stamp in my passport good for 6 months (because that's how long it will take to process the application, and not a day less), and I get my IND number. We take this information and head to the gemeente (township -- pronounce heh-men-tay) to register with them and get my BSN (burgerservicenummer or SSN equivalent). I think we're doing GREAT! (Note: I tried to show my marriage license to the guy at the gemeente at the time but he wasn't interested)
In January I started flipping out because we hadn't heard anything from the IND and my temporary residency permit was going to expire late March. I looked into contacting the IND regarding the status of my application but everything I found on their website clearly indicated "Don't bother contacting us unless it is after the deadline given". Ok. Great. (Stupid me called anyway and was told the same thing by a human. Worth a shot, right?)
A few weeks ago I get a letter from the IND stating that we didn't supply the correct marriage license and we have 2 weeks to submit the correct one. And if we didn't submit the correct one in 2 weeks they were going to make their decision based on the information they had. There is a version that is "apostilled" (pronounced "ah-poe-steeled") which needs to come from the state and is certified specific to the country accepting the marriage license (it has a fancy, big yellow seal on it). In other words... given that we're currently in NL, this is now something that is going to take longer than 2 weeks to obtain using the normal process.
It certainly would've been nice if the woman back in September had said "Hey.... this isn't the right marriage license".
Needless to say, I started flipping out. We have a guest coming in April. I'm supposed to go to England with her. England isn't in the Schengen zone. Am I going to be stuck at Schiphol with just a carry-on? Will I be sent home? What will I do then? (Running around the apartment frantically while sobbing)
The next day I call the IND and explain that I probably can't get the marriage license in 2 weeks. The woman seems ok with it and says I can have an 8 week extension. WHEW! We head back to the IND (hubs more for moral support than anything else) and I get a new temporary residency stamp in my passport good until late May. I can go to London without worrying about coming back.
The letter from the IND also stated we needed to get the marriage registered at the gemeente. I'm confused and a little irked. Why is this step necessary, why didn't anyone say anything before (neither hubs nor I recall anyone saying this had to be done), and why didn't the guy at the gemeente show any interest in my marriage license back in October? So, I head to the gemeente just to verify that they also need the apostilled version. Turns out, they do. I can come back on Mon, Tues, Wed or Fri between 8:20 am and 11 am to register the marriage (outside that time requires an appointment and that can take a few weeks to obtain). Ok, sure, whatever.
Hubs, feeling horrible for not doing a better due diligence on what was needed for me to register, pays through the nose to get an apostilled version expedited. Glory of glories... it arrived on Monday. WOO HOO! I upload it to the IND as they stated was a valid option in their letter. I didn't want to mail it to them cuz 1) it might get lost; 2) I needed it for the gemeente. Hubs starts fretting that the uploaded version won't be accepted by the IND. I tell him we'll deal with that if they complain.
On Tuesday we head to the gemeente to register the marriage. We show up at 8:17 am to get our number and are told they start at 8:30 am (HUH!? Why was I told 8:20?!?!). Whatever. Our number is called (think DMV, except you can sit while doing your transaction). We walk up to the desk and hand the woman the marriage license. She starts flipping out that it's not the original. "Is this the original? It doesn't look like the original? I don't think this is the original". We keep saying "yes, it is the original". I keep saying "there's a raised seal" hoping she'll brush her hand across the paper. More importantly, there's the magical piece of paper with the freaking special stamp on it. ACK!. Finally she holds the paper up to the light and relents that it is indeed the original. GRRR!!!
She does all she needs to do and then tells us it will take 12 weeks to process the application. I'm like "ok, whatever. sure glad we didn't mail the marriage license to the IND. I don't even know what this step is for". And I'm also back to being irked that I don't recall anyone saying this needed to be done before. But, this seems like some weird extra step, so... whatever.
Welp... I get a call from the IND this morning (Note: when you answer the phone in NL you're supposed to answer by saying your name, which I forgot to do. OOPS!) The woman tells me I need to go to the gemeente and register the marriage. I told her we did that on Tuesday and were told it would take 12 weeks to process. She flips out "TWELVE WEEKS?! WHY?!?!" Hell if I know. Fortunately, the lady at the gemeente gave us a letter stating that it would take 12 weeks and I offered to upload that to the IND. The woman says to do that because she can't get any information from the gemeente as she is not me. Huh? 1 gov't agency can't contact another gov't agency to get information? How efficient [snark]. Since the 2 are tied to each other on this topic wouldn't it make sense to have a shared repository or a secure website where both entities can see what the status is on this topic? I guess that would be too efficient.
So... the IND needed the apostilled version of the marriage license BUT they're deferring to the gemeente to approve the marriage. WTF!?!? (Stomping around the apartment, throwing things, writing this blog post in order to vent frustration)
I'm not saying we're innocent victims in all of this. The information about needing the apostilled marriage license is indeed online (granted, it takes about 3 clicks to get to the point where they explicitly state it needs to be apostilled, but it is there). And since I stayed in the states over 5 months after hubs moved to NL there was definitely enough time to get that addressed. I'm more frustrated that much of this could've been abbreviated if they had more than glorified secretaries working the human-facing positions. Had the woman who took our paperwork at the IND back in September noted that it wasn't apostilled we could've gotten that squared away MONTHS ago and at significantly less cost. And if the guy at the gemeente back in October had actually shown some interest in my marriage license (say, something along the lines of "You need to make a separate appointment to register your marriage, and registering your marriage is mandatory") we would've had more than 12 weeks before my original temporary residence permit expired.
I'm sure the US is the same if maybe not worse. I have no idea. I was fortunate enough to have been born in the US so I only needed to deal with the DMV whenever I moved. My point is that these institutions really aren't much better in other countries. And don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise.
[End of Rant]
Wednesday, 13 March 2019
Dutch time
Learning to tell time in Dutch can be tricky for Americans. I don't remember it being a big issue when I took French in high school, and when I taught myself German a few years ago I don't recall being befuddled.
That's right, I use the word "befuddled". Deal with it.
The first thing that made my head hurt is related to saying half past the hour. If a Dutchie says they want to meet at "half zeven", be warned. They are NOT talking about 7:30. They are talking about 6:30. Don't ask, I don't really know why. The only thing I can come up with is that it's half way to the next hour.
The second thing is how they say 20 minutes before or after the hour. "tien over half zeven" is literally translated to "10 after 6:30" (a.k.a 6:40). What?!?!
That's right, I use the word "befuddled". Deal with it.
The first thing that made my head hurt is related to saying half past the hour. If a Dutchie says they want to meet at "half zeven", be warned. They are NOT talking about 7:30. They are talking about 6:30. Don't ask, I don't really know why. The only thing I can come up with is that it's half way to the next hour.
The second thing is how they say 20 minutes before or after the hour. "tien over half zeven" is literally translated to "10 after 6:30" (a.k.a 6:40). What?!?!
Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Front load mashing machine fail
I've never had a front load washing machine before I moved to NL. Let me say that I'm not a big fan of them. It is IMPOSSIBLE to add anything to the washing machine once the load has been started. And there is AT LEAST a 25% chance that I will miss something that needs to go into the wash (either I simply forgot or it was missed during sorting).
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| What can happen with a front load washing machine. (Not me, fortunately) |
Monday, 11 March 2019
Another way to control healthcare costs
(If you have not done so, please read my Dutch healthcare overview first)
In a forum comprised solely of female expats living in NL one member stated that if you are under 30 and request a PAP smear, you must pay for it completely out of pocket. And don't forget, it is done by a GP, not a GYN.
Guess it could be worse... they could mandate that women have the test done.
Stupid stuff I've said in Dutch (part 1)
One of the first times I dared speak to a stranger in Dutch was when I was buying salmon at a local fish monger. Prior to arriving at the store I practiced several times what it was I wanted to say: "I want 600 grams of salmon". I had been to the store before and had interacted with them in English, asking how much is enough for 2 people. That is how I arrived at 600 grams.
Well... When I finally get to the store and open my mouth, I asked for 600 KILOS of salmon! (About 1200 POUNDS... OVER HALF A TON!!!)
Fortunately, the woman repeated it back to me with the correct units of measure and I realized the mistake I had made. Man, was I embarrassed!!
(Note: since then I've learned that I don't have to say "grams" and can just the number... much less room for error 😂)
I played chicken with a fietser and won!!
The other day I was walking in the middle of the sidewalk, all by my lonesome.
Coming towards me, ON THE SIDEWALK, was a fietser. GRRR!
You may ask, "But, Robin, WHY was there a bicyclist on the sidewalk? Aren't there bike paths EVERYWHERE created and meticulously maintained SOLELY for bicyclists? What reason would a bicyclist have for being on the sidewalk?" Excellent questions. I'm very glad you asked. The answers to these questions are that the asshat would have been biking in the wrong direction if he were biking on the bike path and he was apparently too lazy to get on the other side of the car lanes so that he would be biking in the correct direction. (In case I hadn't mentioned it before, there are places where the bike lanes are in 2 directions and others where the bike lanes are in 1 direction).
My blood started to boil. WHY do they insist on doing this? I have to share the sidewalk with parked bikes, mopeds and cars (yes, cars parked on the sidewalk), construction equipment, outdoor seating at restaurants, and shop stands (e.g. produce stands, flower carts, etc) as it is. THEY rarely ever share the bike path with anyone. So, I refused to step aside. I just stood my ground and continued walking smack-dab in the middle of the sidewalk. I was banking on him being too afraid of being in the wrong to actually run into me.
Fortunately, I was correct. He swerved off the sidewalk onto the bike path just enough to get around me.
A small victory for pedestrians in NL!!
Coming towards me, ON THE SIDEWALK, was a fietser. GRRR!
You may ask, "But, Robin, WHY was there a bicyclist on the sidewalk? Aren't there bike paths EVERYWHERE created and meticulously maintained SOLELY for bicyclists? What reason would a bicyclist have for being on the sidewalk?" Excellent questions. I'm very glad you asked. The answers to these questions are that the asshat would have been biking in the wrong direction if he were biking on the bike path and he was apparently too lazy to get on the other side of the car lanes so that he would be biking in the correct direction. (In case I hadn't mentioned it before, there are places where the bike lanes are in 2 directions and others where the bike lanes are in 1 direction).
My blood started to boil. WHY do they insist on doing this? I have to share the sidewalk with parked bikes, mopeds and cars (yes, cars parked on the sidewalk), construction equipment, outdoor seating at restaurants, and shop stands (e.g. produce stands, flower carts, etc) as it is. THEY rarely ever share the bike path with anyone. So, I refused to step aside. I just stood my ground and continued walking smack-dab in the middle of the sidewalk. I was banking on him being too afraid of being in the wrong to actually run into me.
Fortunately, I was correct. He swerved off the sidewalk onto the bike path just enough to get around me.
A small victory for pedestrians in NL!!
Is it "V" or is it "W"??
I've gotten MOST of the Dutch alphabet under my belt.
There are 2 letters, however, that have become the bane of my existence: V and W (X, Y and Z are still unfamiliar to me because of this problem I'm having)
I can hear a difference in the sounds they make, that's not my problem. If someone said "veld" and "wereld" I would definitely know that 1 started with "V" and the other with "W".
My problem is in SAYING the letters. I've listened to a couple YouTube videos going through the alphabet and I cannot, for the life of me, hear any difference between the 2.
ACK!!
There are 2 letters, however, that have become the bane of my existence: V and W (X, Y and Z are still unfamiliar to me because of this problem I'm having)
I can hear a difference in the sounds they make, that's not my problem. If someone said "veld" and "wereld" I would definitely know that 1 started with "V" and the other with "W".
My problem is in SAYING the letters. I've listened to a couple YouTube videos going through the alphabet and I cannot, for the life of me, hear any difference between the 2.
ACK!!
Friday, 8 March 2019
A little Dutch lesson (part 1)
"ij" makes a long "i" sound - e.g. "kijk", the Dutch word for "look" (you will hear children saying it a lot) sounds like "kike"
"ui" makes an "ow" sound - e.g. "huis" sounds like "house" and that is exactly what it means ('thuis" means "home", the "h" is silent)
"oe" usually makes an "oo" sound - e.g. "hoek" and "boek" mean and sound like "hook" and "book" respectively
"oo" usually makes a long "o" sound - e.g. "brood" means "bread" and sounds like "brode"
"g" sounds like a guttural/raspy "h", kind of like you're trying to cough up some phlegm ;-) (think the "ch" in the Hebrew word "L'Chaim")
"j" is pronounced like "y". There's a local grocery store named "Jumbo" and is pronounced "yumbo"
(Speaking of grocery stores, they don't accept credit cards. Only debit cards and cash)
Since NL is a small country they love things to be "gezellig" (cozy) and often add "je" (or some permutation depending upon their spelling rules) to make something small/cozy. "Kat" means "kat" and "katje" means "kitten". HOWEVER, some words have been permanently mutated to include the "je". e.g. Kopje koffie is used regardless of how big the cup of coffee is. Go figure.
"Coffeeshops" are always pot shops (all 1 word with coffee spelled in English). A "koffie shop" is where you can get coffee.
Thursday, 7 March 2019
Regrets
In an international expat group (and by that I mean it was for any expat anywhere on the globe, not just in NL) someone asked if people had regrets about the items they had taken with them to their current country. For the person posing the question their regret was that they had taken an electric blanket to Thailand. Not exactly something that will get a lot of use there for sure.
That question got me to thinking and I realized that my regrets lie in what I DIDN'T bring with me to NL. I don't think there's a single thing I brought with me that I wish I hadn't.
An area of regret lies in the kitchen. I was not 1 for doing a lot of cooking back in the US. I had a full-time job and by the time I got home I wasn't interesting in spending 45 minutes making a meal that would be consumed in 10. So, most of my meal planner centered around pre-made things or anything that could go in the microwave. So, I naively assumed that I just wouldn't need most of what was in my kitchen. Gone went the nice cheese grater and "slap chopper". To hell with my measuring cups! What use would I have for colander?!? Things were donated/told/tossed at alarming rate because I just wasn't going to need them, right?
Well, here in NL we don't have a microwave. Hubs has offered more than once to get one, but we don't really have the available counter space for it. Secondly, food tends to be a bit pricier here in NL than back home (then again, EVERYTHING tends to be pricier). Thirdly (and lastly) I don't have a job and because of that I want to keep expenses down by preparing the meals myself and I have a lot of free time to do that.
And, so, most of the kitchen items I so carelessly disposed of would have been of much use here in NL. I HATE wasting money and every time I have to purchase and item I had owned in the US it bugs the ever living crap out of me. UGH!!
Clean windows are a civic duty
From what I've seen so far, the Dutch seem to be obsessed with clean windows. I've only been in NL for a little over 6 months and window cleaners have come by 3 times already to clean the exterior windows where there is no balcony. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have clean windows, especially since the rain and salt water take their toll on our view. But, still!
When I take my walks around the neighborhood it's not surprising to find someone's windows being washed somewhere and it usually looks like the photo below.
The weather is definitely not a deterrent for cleaning one's windows either. The photo below was taken while it was raining. But, then again, if people waited for it to NOT be raining to clean windows then the windows would never get cleaned. I don't think a week has gone by where it hasn't rained at least one day.
For those that cannot afford a professional service to clean their windows they are left with committing daredevil acts to achieve the desired result as shown below.
I have to admit that I have purchased the requisite window cleaning supplies and have actually used them once. Maybe I'll use them again when it stops raining. 😏
When I take my walks around the neighborhood it's not surprising to find someone's windows being washed somewhere and it usually looks like the photo below.
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| How the Dutch clean windows |
The weather is definitely not a deterrent for cleaning one's windows either. The photo below was taken while it was raining. But, then again, if people waited for it to NOT be raining to clean windows then the windows would never get cleaned. I don't think a week has gone by where it hasn't rained at least one day.
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| Window cleaning in the rain |
For those that cannot afford a professional service to clean their windows they are left with committing daredevil acts to achieve the desired result as shown below.
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| I. MUST. CLEAN. MY. WINDOWS!! |
I have to admit that I have purchased the requisite window cleaning supplies and have actually used them once. Maybe I'll use them again when it stops raining. 😏
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