The second quarter of 2009 is probably one of the craziest time for me.  As it was approaching summer, I had the opportunity to actually enjoy more sunshine in the Netherlands than usual.   I am not a sun worshipper, but living under grey skies for a good three months, made me miss all the sunshine I used to have living in the tropics.  Sunshine is a commodity here in Europe and from what I learned in the few months that I’ve lived here,  it is a must to enjoy it while it lasts

My second quarter experience will take you through my escapades in the sunnier part of Europe.  Take note that sunny doesn’t always mean warm here, but it could pretty much mean good weather nonetheless.

APRIL: Spring Awakening

While March ended with a quick getaway to Italy’s most romantic city,  April started with a quiet weekend in the The Hague. After spending a few weekends away from home,  it actually felt good be back.  The fact that I can stay in my bed longer than usual just does it for me.   Not to lose out on the beautiful day ahead, I found myself having a leisurely stroll along the Herenstraat,  enjoying the Saturday open market.  I picked up my usual stash of fresh Holland Tulips from the bloemenmarkt,  fresh meat from the butcher and a bunch of fruits and vegetables .  Visiting the market is one of my favorite pasttimes in Holland so I make it a point to go there whenever I can (which is not very often!).

As  the sun continues to gleam brighthly upon us, we decided to go for a quick drive to Scheveningen to bask in the  sun, and simply chill by the beach with a bottle of wine.  I am a self-confessed beach bum and I wouldn’t pass up any chance to enjoy the sun, sea and sand.  Having sand on my feet brings back very fond childhood memories. To this day, it makes me smile each time I dip my toes into it like a little kid.

Chillin' out in Scheveningen

Easter weekend was a little bit hectic. On Thursday, a good friend of mine had his surgery and I spent the day at the hospital with him and Dennis.  While waiting,  Dennis and I bonded over Chinese food at a nearby winkelcentrum.  It was really nice how I managed  to see a deeper side of him during the few hours that we sat in the restaurant,  just chatting about life in general and about past experiences.

We went back into the recovery room and waited another couple of hours until Chris finally rolled back into the room, half asleep and half drifting into space with the morphine shots he took for the surgery.  It wasn’t my  first time to deal with hospitals in Holland, but I still can’t help but shake my head in disbelief with how they expect patients to get up and go home few hours after being cut up.

Keukenhof Garden, Lisse, Netherlands

A couple of friends flew in to visit Chris and also to explore the lowlands.  For the rest of Easter, I spent time with them going shopping at the outlet in Roermond and went for a very quick trip to Keukenhof to enjoy the most beautiful spring garden in the world. Indeed, Keukenhof is one place you wouldn’t want to miss when visiting the Netherlands during spring time.  Later that evening, I boarded my flight to my dream destination — Greece!

The Famous Santorini at Ouia

I spent a good 9 days of pure bliss in the beautiful, sunny islands of  Greece, hopping between Rhodes, Santorini and Athens.  In the future,  I will chronicle my great Greek adventure in a separate blog, but suffice it to say that Greece is indeed one hell of a place to explore and experience, from cuisine down to architecture, it’s history, culture and simply the way of life on each of the islands.  It is so diverse, yet so much alike in so many ways.

Blessed with another one of those long weekends, we decided to skip the crowd in Holland and  pack our bags for  a spontaneous trip to the Champagne Region in France.  There wasn’t a lot to see in the region, but it was nevertheless a good trip. This trip was highlighted by the fact that we managed to see the caves of  Pommery and Moet & Chandon. Both have their own charm, but I prefer the Pommery one because of the contemporary artwork inside the caves.

Moet & Chandon in Epernay

MAY: Basking in the Sun

May was probably  the best time for any sort of vacation. The weather was just fantastic. There was enough sunshine to last throughout the day,  enough warmth to be able to wear light clothes without freezing, yet enough cool breeze to balance it.  I would say the weather in May was just perfect.

Working for a generous company has its advantages.  During one of the long weekends of May, our company sponsored a 4-day trip to the Ardennes for everyone, including our families, in celebration of the company’s 7th year anniversary.  In my whole life working for different employers, I have never been to such an elaborate family gathering.  For 4 days in a row, we had the opportunity to try out different activities both for the adventurous and the faint-hearted.  There were loads of activities organized in separate venues from mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, rapelling, tennis and swimming… or for those who simply want to chill and unwind, having spa treatments or enjoying free flowing drinks and a game of pool at the hotel lobby proved to be an equally relaxing option.

Rock Climbing and Rapelling at the Ardennes Spa, Belgium

As the temperature continued to rise up,  I found myself packing for  yet another spontaneous trip to Germany to enjoy a tour around the Rhein River.  This trip is truly one for the books.  It was such an amazing experience to be able to go around Koln and Bonn, both for sightseeing and also to party.  But what stuck in my mind the most is the part where I shared a huge villa with 3 guys who scared me to death nonstop with ghost stories, to a point where I found myself having a shower with the lights suddenly turning off! It was very tiring trip indeed, but really enjoyed that moment when the spirit of brandy kicked into one of our friends! Oh boy, was it sooo hilarious!!! (Hindi ko sasabihin kung sino, pero pag pinilit ako…hmmm… hulaan niyo!)

after The Climb!!!

Upon the suggestion of our friends, we took an afternoon drive to Konigswinter to the Drachenfels. No expectations whatsoever, not even an idea of what to see there, we put the address on the TomTom and off we go.  Little did we know that what was supposed to be a leisurely 2 kilometer hike around the park, turned out to be a challenging uphill climb that took us an hour to reach what seemed to be a restaurant/beer garden.  Surprised to see some strollers and little kids in the restaurant, we tried to figure out some mode of transportation from the top.  And then it hit us…  we were actually trekking the mountain-bike/hiking trail and not exactly using the facility for tourists with the funicular going up and down from the other side of the mountain!!! Too late, we were already at the top! And the funny part is, tired and lazy, we decided to descend the mountain with the funicular going down… and ended up on the other foot of the mountain, with our car parked somewhere on the opposite side. How we found the car is a story in itself, but we managed to find it with the help of the ever dependable iphone!

JUNE: Prelude to Summer

The weather continued to improve but sometime around June, it suddenly rained so hard.  It happened on that same day that we decided to go for a drive to the highest point in the Netherlands, which consequently is also known as the Drielandenpunt, a Dutch term for three land point.  It is that one place where the Dutch, German and Belgian border intersects.

Drielandenpunt

Like any other spontaneous trip,  I decided to pick London as my next destination to meet up with my good friend Kaye, who was planning to move to Australia.   I invited one friend to come with me… then it became two… then three… and later on, it became a team excursion and I found myself on a trip to London with 10 people, driving in 2 cars from Holland, and 2 guys flying out from Switzerland.  I have to say this was one of my best trips to London.  It was surprisingly strange to see London again, yet the familiarity gave me a sense of home.   It has been awhile, but when I saw the Underground and the Buckingham, all the silly memories and adventures came rushing back to me as if it was only yesterday.  Indeed, no matter where I go, London will always have a special space in my heart.

London, the closest thing to home

Looking back, I realized how much carbon I must have burned over the 3 month period that I spent traversing the different parts of Europe… and revisiting one that is closest to my heart.  Until the next installment… Summer is up next!

Birthday Celebs!

I tripped. I stumbled. I fell. I stood up.

HP Manila Goes to Den Haag

I made friends. I lost some. But I knew, I won them over in the end.

My BFF!

I live. I love. I Travel. I Work. I Party. I Dance. with a PASSION.

The Boss, The Nanny and The Little Boy

Today. I mark the start of new beginnings. Rekindled passion for adventure. and an unwavering commitment to dance with life like nobody’s watching.

TMNS Team Pilipinas!

The Markerwaarddijk is a 30-km stretch dike that separates 2 lakes: The Markermeer on one side, and the IJselmeer on the other side. The dike is part of the Netherlands’ 20th Century program called the Zuiderzee Works, which involves creating dams around the Zuiderzee and reclaiming lands using polders, as a way to improve flood protection as well as for agricultural expansion.

It continues to amaze me how Dutch people could actually conceive of this idea and build a long piece of highway across a massive body of water. Driving through a dike, with grass bordering on one side, and very low railings on the other side is a new experience for me. It was scary at the same time relaxing. What I learned is that it is important to really slow down when you see a huge truck coming on from the other side of the road. Trust me, it is not a funny experience! Especially for one driving a compact, I really felt the whole car shake and move backwards to the direction of the wind! But the whole experience was awesome!  I am completely at a loss for words.

Because we havent had our shopping spree yet, Xing and I agreed to drive through the dike and back, a total of 48 minutes detour, including a pit stop at the middle to take pictures. However, we didnt manage to make good photos as it was too windy and our hands just cant hold the camera for long, we had to come running back to the car to seek refuge against the windchill!

As it turns out, this Saturday wasnt too bad at all. We managed to check off our shopping list, both from Batavia Stad and Amsterdam, then capped the night with some Chinese dinner and drinks with friends at De Botterwag in Den Haag.

For over five years working in operations, I have completely forgotten the concept of a weekend.  It has always been long hours on weekdays and on call duties on weekends.  To a certain degree, I built my life around work out of habit.  Weekend, to people in the operations and service management profession, meant change requests, on call support work, project cutovers and server maintenance windows.  Yes, for quite sometime, this has been my life… Not that I didn’t like it. This was a choice I made for the love of my craft.

If there is one good thing about moving to the Netherlands, it is that I rediscovered the phenomenon called “Weekend”. In my interaction with Dutch people in general, I found only two topics of interest and one of them is about the weekend. To a lot of Dutch people (maybe not only Dutch, but Europeans in general), weekend is the highlight of their week. It is like a culmination of a week of hardwork and stress.  It is a time to be away from the pressures of the world, and simply enjoy a laid back time with the family.

For expats living in Holland, it doesn’t matter how one spends the weekend.  There is always something going on during the weekends, that it is impossible to let one go by without having done anything. Personally, my social calendar is never empty on weekends. I’m either whipping up something in the kitchen, doing some sporting activities, partying the night away without getting too wasted, raiding the racks at the fashion outlets, travelling some 800 kilometers and back for a breathe of fresh air, or simply chillin’ at the beach with a good book on a sunny day (which is very rare in this country!).

Even on a lazy weekend, I would start mine with a trip to the market on Saturday morning. This is one of the things I fondly enjoy but don’t get to do quite often, as I am almost always in another country during weekends.  But whenever I’m in Holland, I make it a point to visit the open market, which is 2 blocks away from my place. It is not only refreshing to have a set of new tulips by my window, but I find the whole experience of visiting the slagerij and bakkerij for fresh supplies, a therapy for homesickness.  Yes, it makes me feel at home here.

Being able to immerse in the Dutch culture in the little ways that I know, helps to ease the loneliness of living alone in this cold country.  It makes me feel like I am really part of this world now.  Don’t get me wrong, I do not wish to lose my identity as a Filipino/Chinese. I still hold true to the values my parents taught me growing up, but in order to grow and find my happiness here, I am also enthusiastic about really living the Dutch life – and that includes having a gezellig weekend every chance I get!

Leiden is a popular University town between Amsterdam and The Hague.   It has a very rich history, one that I am very eager to know and maybe delve into, during my idle hours (if I still had some left!).   In the 16th century, Leiden played an important role in both the printing and weaving industry.   During the “Eighty Years War”, Leiden sided with the Dutch in fighting against the Spanish rule.  This loyalty paved the way for the founding of Leiden University by  William I of Orange in 1575.  Leiden University is an insitution amongst educational institutions, not only for being the  oldest university  in the Netherlands, but also for educating some of the world’s greatest minds like René Descartes, Christiaan Huygens, Rembrandt van Rijn, and many others.

So much like the little Amsterdam that it is known for, Leiden is also a haven for cultural exchange.  The diversity can perhaps be attributed to the influx of international students the world over.   One might ask, what is so special about Leiden that would make you want to move there?  Believe me when I say I could not offer any reasons, only feelings of finding home in this quaint little university town.  One has to experience the “life” that I saw in order to appreciate it.  It is simplicity, vivacity and beauty all rolled into one.  Because it is inhabited mostly by students from all over the world, being in this town inspired me think, to relive my ideals, and to really embrace life’s simple joys.

• I have a PINK Dutch Drivers License. And I love it!
• The yellow traffic light – I consider that to mean “Drive Faster!”
• I use triangles in the road to tell me if I must pass first.
• I have developed a liking for Frikandel (but only before I learned what kind of meat actually went in there.)
• I am eating more potatoes than rice.
• I am addicted to Griesmeel. (Thank you, Rina!)
  
• I actually own a horrible pair of Dutch boots,  a flashback of what being fashionable meant during the 80′s. (I’m sorry Giuliana, i know you hate seeing me wear them, but the boots are really comfy!)
• I am in love with fresh mint tea.
• My palate has become accustomed to less salty, less spicy dishes. (At least now I can say, I can find refuge in Surinamese food, as though it were real Chinese food!)
  
• I look forward to waking up early in the morning on Satudays to go to the open market
• I have become experimental with my “cheese”.
  
• I wear tights and skirt sometimes.  Go Madonna!
  
• I can pronounce Scheveningen properly (sometimes!!!).
• I actually keep a strippenkaart in my wallet for emergency purposes.
• I am getting used to having a separate toilet and bathroom.
• I know my geography a little bit. I can tell you the capital of each of the 12 provinces… doesn’t that sound so geeky?
• I eat tosti met ham and kaas for lunch, sometimes!
• I actually love Dutch music – Think Tiesto, Kane, Armin van Buren, PVD, Chuckie, Ilse de Lange to name a fiew.

Griesmeel, my current obsession

I can go on and on about this whole Dutch life experience  and how much of me is still  left as unDutchable (like not owning a bike!).  At the end of the day,  what really matters is that I still keep the same values and I am still the same person, only with more love to give. To all the Filipinos shivering in the cold Dutch weather, here’s my favorite Dutch band to give you some goede lovin’ – Kane – No Surrender

Funny as it sounds, I am learning a lot out of these traffic jams I traverse daily from Rijswijk to Schiphol. I was in a pensive mood today and I had the chance to ponder on a lot of things about life:

1. Queue up. There is no point trying to get ahead of everyone else when youre treading the same road anyway.
2. Pay attention. There are smaller and bigger details to worry about but the most important thing is that you pay very good attention to everything that’s going on around you.
3. Be sensitive, be watchful. Like when driving, always take caution and look around… because you don’t know when you will get hit or you hit someone else.
4. Stop complaining about the traffic. Instead, find something to amuse yourself without endangering other motorists.
5. Never follow the navigator blindly. Always know which direction you’re headed to…I always forget this, but maybe now I should. I learned my lesson the hard and very painful way. But hey, it’s the only way to learn right?!?

Happy koopavond, everyone!

What changed overnight? You might ask. I was deeply moved, if not touched by God’s grace. Not only through friends who have been offering me support all this time (yes, they are my angels, I don’t know what I’d do without them!), but also through the words of Bo Sanchez, my brother’s favorite writer. In his blog, he wrote about The Only Thing That Can Heal Your Emotional Wounds and I’d like to quote something that really struck my core. He wrote:

But when a person forgives, he’s like opening a window in a smelly room because one person stepped on poop. Fresh air comes in. If bitterness wounds everyone, forgiveness heals everyone too.

It is a very simple statement that holds a lot of truth in it. I had the chance to mull this over last night and I realized that indeed, I should not allow other people to control my feelings. Simply put, I can get angry but never let that anger kill me or my relationship with everyone else around me.

So this morning, I woke up with a renewed commitment to forgive myself, to love and to share that love with others. This is the start of my healing. Yes, I do not deny the fact that I am still emotionally wounded, but it gets better in time. I am certain of that.

True enough, when you release your pain, when you share your sorrows with people who care about you, the burden becomes lighter.  So light even, that you barely know it’s there. As I start cleaning my emotional wounds, I pray that God will also touch your hearts and heal your own wounds.

Maybe I am exagerrating a bit, but clearly this fall has paved the way for a nosedive on my self-esteem and sense of self-worth. It feels like every single thing around me was falling apart, ripping right through my core as if to say “you’re coming down next”. It is crazy, scary and at the same time emotionally unnerving to see this all happen right under my nose. Indeed, only in moments when you hit rock bottom that you realize that God has blessed you with enough cushion before the fall.

“I believe in angels, the kind that heaven sends. I’m surrounded by angels, and I call them my best friends.”
~ Pamela Daranjo

In this day and age, angels don’t come with wings. At least, for my experience, they come clad in Berkeley sweat shirts, A&F pullovers, or even in the simplest pyjamas with heart prints. They don’t offer judgment, only words of wisdom, especially when you least expect it.

During this moment of bitter sadness, I have felt their presence in more ways than one – picking me up at my worst, cheering me up when I needed it, and sending me mp3s if only to make me smile… It sounds trivial, but when you lose what you thought mattered, even the simplest things become a reason to celebrate.

I dedicate this post to genuine friends, my angels, my shrink, my life – Thank you so much for giving me a reason to smile despite the dark clouds looming in my horizon, for making me find my way, even when my world is crumbling down upon me. Words are not enough to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the things you’ve done for me. You may not know it, and I don’t say this often – but you have touched my life with your honesty, sincerity, love and compassion.  I cannot thank you enough.

On Board KLM to Schiphol, Amsterdam

My first impression upon arriving in Schiphol – My gosh, they sound funny! Little did I know that a few months later, I will actually start loving this fatal throat-clearing disease called the Dutch Language.
Indeed, to be able to embrace the Dutch culture completely, one must first learn to speak and understand the language.

Keukenhof Garden, The Netherlands

In the few months that I have lived and immersed myself in the Netherlands, particularly in The Hague, I found one very distinct characteristic of  the Dutch way of life that never fails to amaze me - their most cherished gezelligheid (translate: coziness).  This lingering quest for everything cozy can be witnessed as you pass by cute little houses lined with flowers by the windows, fairly lit canals at night, little cookies that come with your coffee, and the small weekend markets in the neighborhood.  While everywhere in the world the retail giants put together huge one-stop-shops for convenience and to increase market share, the Dutch retail market continues to lean towards a more personal approach to shopping. It is cute and charming how Dutch people still opt to buy fresh meat from their butcher (slagerij) across the street, newly baked broodjes from their local bakerij (bakery), or pick up their favorite wine from the liquor store(slijterij) at the corner.

Keukenhof during the Summer

While the Netherlands is popular for its Klompen(wooden shoes), Gouda cheese, Stroopwaffels, and giant windmills, Amsterdam, being its capital has  also become  a popular tourist destination for it’s Red Light district, Coffee Shops and beautifully lit Canals.  Diversity is what makes Amsterdam what it is today – a melting pot of cultures, where the expatriate community congregate.  One can argue that there are more expats living in Amsterdam than native Dutch people, although I don’t have the figures to back that up.

As a country of 12 provinces, the Netherlands has a lot of things to offer. The Groningen, elected as ”de beste binnenstad” (the best city centre) of the Netherlands, is a university town popular for its bustling nightlife, where some bars do not close until 7AM. For a city as small as this, the cultural scene is quite remarkable and vibrant.  Lelystad, the capital of Flevoland, is one of the newest municipalities with the biggest area in the whole of Netherlands. The other provinces in the North Eastern part of the Netherlands – Drenthe, Friesland, and OverIjssel offer its own charm and Dutch heritage.

Map of the Netherlands

Centrally located, Utrecht is a host to the biggest university in the whole of Netherlands.   My personal take on Utrecht is that it is a smaller version of Amsterdam with a little more Dutch heritage left to boast. Bordering it on the Southeast part is Gelderland, with Arnhem as its capital.   Arnhem is home to Holland’s biggest National Park and Museum. The Kroller Muller museium owns an extensive collection of paintings from great masters such sa Van Gogh and many others. Bordering Germany on the southern part of the Netherlands, is another Municipality called Limburg, with Maastricht as it’s capital.  Though Maastricht is popularly known for its traditional Dutch festivals/carnivals, I have formed a deep connection to Limburg through my favorite shopping outlet right in the heart of Roermond. After all, I am a girl… and shopping is my favorite past time.

Noord Brabant, on the other hand, borders Belgium. A little bit of research showed me that North Brabant is mostly flat but nearly every part of the provincie is above sea level, therefore there are not as many canals as in the lower parts of  The Netherlands. On the western part lies the municipality of Zeeland, where the sun sets the latest in the whole of the Netherlands. It is one of the richest, fishing and sailing harbors in the Netherlands.

Moving up towards Zuid Holland, The Hague, it’s capital city, is also the Seat of Government, as well as my home away from home. It has a high concentration of expatriates and tourists alike. Finally, bordering Zuid Holland on the North is Noord Holland with Haarlem as its capital.

iAmsterdam

Everything in the Netherlands is at least 2 hours away by car or train. As I continue to discover more about this country, its sometimes quirky yet sometimes annoying cultural idiosyncracies,  I cannot help but smile at how far I’ve come.  Who would have thought that what started as a silly attempt to console myself would actually open up new doors for me in the opposite side of the world? As I look back, I can only say dank u wel for the opportunity. Indeed, there is more to every country than what can be captured in photos and I’m glad to have this chance to experience living the Dutch life…for a while at least.