Remember years ago when I posted about Fox News trashing the Netherlands? Then later about the Dutchie’s response to the ridiculous babblings of Bill O’Reilly? I don’t think it’s any secret that I think Bill O’Reilly is a complete douche, nor do I think it’s an unpopular opinion. He’s a blow hard who hears nothing [...]
On February 14, 2010 (Valentine’s Day) the Lock of Love art piece was placed in Rotterdam’s popular district of Delfshaven. The Lock of Love ritual has been taking place all over the world, and is now here in Rotterdam as well. Not just a rail on a bridge or a chain around a lamppost, this [...]
One of the things from my 101 List that I’ve been most keen to do is start riding my bike again. I’ve not ridden my bike in the last number of years because I never found it comfortable. To put it bluntly, I’ve been too fat and self-conscious.
We bought it about 5 years ago because [...]
Yesterday morning we woke up and it was foggy and grey. Not exactly what we hoped for on a Sunday morning but it would have to do. I had a lot of housework that I was avoiding, so I asked my husband how he’d feel about going for a drive so I could take some [...]
Tonight when I was getting ready to make dinner I saw a beautiful amber colored glow in our dining room. I looked out to see what was happening outside and saw the sun setting behind our building. I know when I start seeing the lovely gold and purple sunsets that spring is well on it’s [...]
Over the years I’ve had a lot of issues with seasonal depression. Not something I’ve ever suffered from in Canada, but it hit me quick and hard here in the Netherlands. I wasn’t expecting it but it happened, and it continued to happen for the past 10 years. Granted, for the first half of that [...]
There are a few cultural differences that become glaringly obvious when you move to a new country. For me, one of of them has been the issue of taking off shoes when you enter someone’s home. I would make a sweeping statement about how in Canada everyone takes off their shoes when they enter [...]
Last night on our way to the Film Festival I had to stop and just look at this for a moment. It’s the square at Schouwburgplein in Rotterdam. The photo doesn’t do it justice, but there were so many twinkling lights and on a cold winter night it looked really beautiful.
The red things that look [...]
Last night my friend Heather and I attended the International Film Festival here in Rotterdam. I have never been to a film festival of any kind so I had no idea what to expect. It was her idea, and in the beginning I was willing to go but wasn’t entirely on board. I’m not a [...]
A few weeks ago my friend Penny and I went to see The Full Monty Musical in Roosendaal. I had bought her a ticket as a Christmas present and we’d both really been looking forward to it. A girl’s night out, naked men, honestly… what more could we ask for?
Ok, maybe some homemade hot fudge… [...]
I got these eight books for only €27! Not a bad deal at all!
This past weekend I visited Het Boekenfestijn in Ahoy, which is a huge book festival that is held once a year to sell off books that were left over from the year’s stock. I had never been and was curious about what [...]
Our other expat friends gathered together at our house for dinner on Christmas Day
The hardest part about life as an expat is missing your family and friends, I don’t think there is an expat out there who can argue that… and in the age of Twitter, Facebook, and instant messengers, it’s [...]
The view from my balcony last night as my neighbours brought in the New Year with a bang!
Every year on New Years Eve I am on my balcony in hopes of getting some good firework photos. Back in 2007 I was bummed because it was raining on NYE so not as many people were [...]
That’s a lot of meat for only four people but in our defense, we did have veggies too!
Last night Xander and I went down to Roosendaal to visit with our friends Penny & Yuri. A few weeks ago when I went to visit Penny for the day we walked by a restaurant that sparked my [...]
Today we went shopping in the city center. While walking along Westblaak we saw this tree full of shoes. When I asked a local shop owner about it they said that one day someone bought a new pair of shoes in their shop and threw their old ones in the tree. Then for whatever [...]
This little girl took great joy in pounding her father with giant snowballs yesterday. He was a really good sport about it, and I thought that was really cool, because he looked like he was freezing his arse off. It was nice to see all my neighbours out, not just the children but the parents [...]
Yesterday is snowed in the Netherlands and I woke up and squealed like a crazy person. Thankfully I was home alone as it was one of the few days this month that my husband was called in to work. I thought about going out to take photos but it was so dark and dreary that [...]
Before Friday I had no idea that there was a Christmas Market at Kasteel Keukenhof, but thankfully DutchBitch not only told me about it but gave us her mother’s free pass to the grounds! So not only did we get in for free, but I finally got to meet her after years of reading [...]
Actually, no… don’t!
A week from today I have my 2nd appointment for a Gastroscopy, not fun. It goes a little something like this…
I just had it done on the 18th, and you’d think once would be enough but please… this is me we’re taking about. It goes without saying that [...]
Tunnels of Blood (The Saga of Darren Shan)
by Darren Shan
