Lazy Day, Hanging by the ...

pool

For more Singular Saturdays go visit Jenn in Holland.

Bitterballen Bonanza

Having read about the glory that is bitterballen - and subsequently trying the Haitian version...I had to try them in the motherland. I was not disappointed.

As my friends pointed out to me, there is a trick to eating the glorious bits of heaven. Always break them open first so that the steam escapes or else you'll get bitterballen burned. And that's no fun.


How do they compare to Haiti's version? The outside is crisper and inside is chunkier. Better but not so much that I won't pass them up next time I'm in Port au Prince.

And what's even more fun? When the waiter that delivers them is named "Jip P" - as in Yippee! How perfect!

Charming Dutch

What are charming Dutch things?

Wooden shoes

Bicycles

Old churches

and racy lingerie stores in residential neighborhoods

I Be Illin'

Invariably it happens, you're traveling and come down with something akin to the flu. Well, maybe it doesn't happen to everyone, but lately I've spent more time away from home so the odds were against me.

I went to visit my dear friends in The Hague for a few days before going on to Nigeria (for work) and came down with what seemed to be a nasty cold. Only it got worse and worse. And then my dear friends said to me "you are too sick to fly". At first I took this as a compliment - they wanted me to stay longer - but then upon hearing my own reply "nob I'b obay" I realized that I really couldn't breathe. Or at least talk and breathe, eat and breathe... so here I am.

Lucky for me said friends also have a doctor here in the Netherlands. Let me clarify - they have a doctor who prescribes drugs. Apparently, drugs are not commonly given out here - "tough it out the Dutch way". Seriously, we know women who were denied drugs during childbirth! Don't they know, better living through chemistry.

I got up early, changed my flights (I love my travel agent) and off we went to the doctor. Did I mention he's the same guy who took care of Milosevic (this being The Hague, the prison is just down the road.) Despite other less than charming patients, he treated me well. Joked around in incomprehensible English with a Dutch accent and I was on my way, prescriptions in hand.

I'm so happy now. I'm breathing.

Hey Sarah

This post brought to you by Soccer Mom in Denial - posting every Monday on a different musical memory.

****************************************************

I haven't been feeling very musical for awhile. Maybe it's too much travel, maybe it's the stress of this election. Maybe it's because the only music I listen to lately is Haitian and I've done just about enough posting on that topic...

Then someone sent me this. I love music.

War Is Hell

We went to visit a bunker - at one point Dutch, and later Nazi - in Hoek van Holland. It's now turned into a museum and provides an interesting look at military history.

The bunker is quite extensive - miles of tunnels - that includes a bakery, a prison (that's two I've visited in one month!), and officer quarters.

There are also lots of big guns.

And a medical center. What is this Nazi suffering from that requires the doctors to hover over him with his pants down? Crabs. Really.

Hungry?

The Dutch are an interesting bunch. Their language is something between English and German - I'm not sure which parts of either. Naming restaurants sometimes produces interesting results...


And if you're not in the mood for a restaurant you can always try the automat at the train station.



Yum, appetizing, isn't it?

Surprisingly Warm for ...

Fall

For more Singular Saturdays go visit Jenn in Holland.

I Spent the Day Canvassing for...

OBAMA

For more Singular Saturdays go visit Jenn in Holland.