Kathi goes Den Haag

Dienstag, 11. November 2014

Between Halloween and Haarlem

I didn't know that Halloween is still that big. Well, not over the last years in Germany but this year, the part of the town where I live here did it big! The houses were decorated in the best Halloween style and the kids were all dressed up. (Well, lets forget about the 16 - 18 year old guys who wanted to sell me that they are still 12 years old...)

In our part of the town Halloween was that super duper cool, that even one princes aka one child of the king Willem-Alexander went here to celebrate it with other kids. Strange world. And yes, it needed to be said.

My hostmother organized it in our "buurt" so we even had GLÜHWEIN, yummy!

Limonade

Dressed up as fries. What the heeeeell?! No doubt, we are in The Netherlands.

That was our entrance. We did our best...

On a nice first November weekend we decided to use this awesome weather to do a bike tour. Actually we wanted to go to the beach in Noordwijk, as we haven't been there yet, but then the sign said it's just 13 km more to Haarlem. So we were like "Uhm... 13 kilometer aren't that much compared to what we already cycled today." So we spontaneously changed our plans and cycled further to Haarlem.

And to warn you: NEVER TRUST THOSE KM-SIGNS! They lie. And it hasn't been 13 km. Maybe 20 or even more.

KEUKENHOF! Tulips! Such a tourist place! Near by Lisse, you can cycle there from Den Haag or Haarlem. It's quite in the middle and a must see in spring.

And then, we have been in Noord-Holland. Goodbye The Hague, Goodbye Zuid-Holland. Just skipped provincies!

Haarlem! You might know, I have a "special" connection to this city. Almost my city where I would spend a year. Almost.

That is Haarlem. Wonderful old dutch city (like almost every city is here...).
And if you like to do a bike tour and LOVE to cycle 50 km one way, you might have fun to cycle there from The Hague or wherever.
Yes, we found out that our 32 km were a bit more. About 50 km to be honest. And yes, I believe that as the way back was sooooooo long and cycling for 3 hours seemed so endless.

Donnerstag, 6. November 2014

Ed Sheeran!

On Monday Ed Sheeran was in town. Well, not in Den Haag but in Amsterdam. And if you have the chance, don't miss him out, but get a standing place and not a seating as you will miss the atmosphere like that.
I sadly hat a seat so it kinda felt strange like people were only there to listen to his awesome music instead of going with his music.
But his show was super super great, no doubt!

Samstag, 1. November 2014

Kindliness of the dutch people.

I was parking my bike outside the parking lots for the bikes as there was no space anymore but then there was the police for controlling if people parked their bikes in the right space. So I was looking for an empty space but there was none as it was more than full. Suddenly a lady was coming and asked: 'Heb je een plekje nodig? Ik ga eruit.' (Do you need a parking lot for your bike? I'm leaving.) Yessss!
Then, on the way home, some idiot parked his bike between mine & someone else's bike (which is not allowed) so it was hard for me to get mine out. There was a man watching and asked "Gaat het? Kan ik u helpen?' (Does it work? Can I help you?).

That was preeeetty nice!

Dienstag, 28. Oktober 2014

A weekendtrip to Antwerp!

Last weekend we (me and four czech girls, all also Au-Pairs in The Netherlands) did a weekendtrip to Antwerp in Belgium which was only a 2 hours ride from Den Haag, so quite close. Also the train ride wasn't that expensive so why not.

Well, as some might know, the main reason for our trip was the concert of OneRepublic. Yes, a bit crazy but you just live once so we grabbed that chance and combined our desire to go to the concert and a trip to Antwerp :).

Antwerp is such a beautiful city and we pretty much had great weater, even though it is nearly November. The Grote Markt in Antwerp is a place you have to see if you are there. All those old houses and the city hall and The Kathedral, amazing!