Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Amsterdammit
Friday night we took an afternoon flight to Amsterdam.
Sorry, what? How crazy is that?
We hopped on a train, hopped on a plane and a few hours later we arrived at our hotel in AMSTERDAM!?!?
The Westcord Art Hotel. How Amsterdammy does that sound? Shmancy!
Now, Amsterdam has a pretty solid reputation as far as the Night Life is concerned... but here are some things you probably didn't know you could do there:
1) Kiss Super Mooooooooo (Cow dressed as...)
2) Eat Chip and dip that is bigger than your face.
3) Buy, write, stamp and send a postcard to your mama within 10m squared. (This is new to me, anyhow)
4) APPLE PIE
5) Visit the Heineken Experience, drink Wort, have a picture taken with you as the centre of a beer label.
6) Visit the Bols Experience (Cocktails included)
7) MCDONALDS
8) Visit a coffee shop whose decor consists entirely of graffiti (surprisingly tasteful!)
9) MEXICAN FOOD
10) ITALIAN FOOD... in fact, pretty much every nationality in terms of food.
11) Test out some pesto cheese in a cheese shop (Yes, it is green, but in a good way)
12) Drink Heineken out of a blue and white printed PAPER BAG, so as not to alert the police mans attention to your naughty ways.
13) See a horse stable with the name tag 'Mike', but no Mike.
14) Sit inside the 'd' of the I AM STERDAM sign
15) Almost fall asleep inside the 'd' of the I AM STERDAM sign due to incredible comfort.
16) Run through puddles intentionally whilst hoping the tram doesn't close it's doors JUST yet.
17) Take photo's of buildings that Look Important Therefore Must Be.
18) More MCDONALDS
19) Ben and Jerry's
20) Visit the flower market... arguably my favourite part of Amsterdam. There is a roof made out of drying bunches of flowers. I'm sure that was stolen out of my dreams!!??
21) Fall asleep inside a hammock shop.
22) Visit the Torture Museum. A brief, but somewhat disturbing experience.
23) Gaze down the canal in the evening. The red lights look much prettier in the waters reflection.
24) See a giant bug statute
25) Sleep in Very Comfortable Hotel Beds till lunch time.
I Like Amsterdam
Sorry, what? How crazy is that?
We hopped on a train, hopped on a plane and a few hours later we arrived at our hotel in AMSTERDAM!?!?
The Westcord Art Hotel. How Amsterdammy does that sound? Shmancy!
Now, Amsterdam has a pretty solid reputation as far as the Night Life is concerned... but here are some things you probably didn't know you could do there:
1) Kiss Super Mooooooooo (Cow dressed as...)
2) Eat Chip and dip that is bigger than your face.
3) Buy, write, stamp and send a postcard to your mama within 10m squared. (This is new to me, anyhow)
4) APPLE PIE
5) Visit the Heineken Experience, drink Wort, have a picture taken with you as the centre of a beer label.
6) Visit the Bols Experience (Cocktails included)
7) MCDONALDS
8) Visit a coffee shop whose decor consists entirely of graffiti (surprisingly tasteful!)
9) MEXICAN FOOD
10) ITALIAN FOOD... in fact, pretty much every nationality in terms of food.
11) Test out some pesto cheese in a cheese shop (Yes, it is green, but in a good way)
12) Drink Heineken out of a blue and white printed PAPER BAG, so as not to alert the police mans attention to your naughty ways.
13) See a horse stable with the name tag 'Mike', but no Mike.
14) Sit inside the 'd' of the I AM STERDAM sign
15) Almost fall asleep inside the 'd' of the I AM STERDAM sign due to incredible comfort.
16) Run through puddles intentionally whilst hoping the tram doesn't close it's doors JUST yet.
17) Take photo's of buildings that Look Important Therefore Must Be.
18) More MCDONALDS
19) Ben and Jerry's
20) Visit the flower market... arguably my favourite part of Amsterdam. There is a roof made out of drying bunches of flowers. I'm sure that was stolen out of my dreams!!??
21) Fall asleep inside a hammock shop.
22) Visit the Torture Museum. A brief, but somewhat disturbing experience.
23) Gaze down the canal in the evening. The red lights look much prettier in the waters reflection.
24) See a giant bug statute
25) Sleep in Very Comfortable Hotel Beds till lunch time.
I Like Amsterdam
Friday, August 27, 2010
Did I mention the park?
It's literally next door.
Out our front door, 5 steps down the path, left, 5 steps along the pavement (or two good somersaults) and boom... there it is.
Lots of crazy running people. Some people walking with sticks like they're practicing for ski season. And a few clever ones in the beer garden / restaurant.
And so it was, that on that lovely, sunny afternoon, I had my first LITRE of beer.
It was so cold that there were tiny icicles floating around inside the mug and the glass was completely frosted over. (See below: my HUGE muscles when picking up the mug; the impossibility that is picking up two mugs; FROSTED GLASS!)
And the best part was, that we live right next door. So although I was feeling pretty happy by half way, I just had to do a few somersaults and I was home! Is this not the most amazing place on earth?
Out our front door, 5 steps down the path, left, 5 steps along the pavement (or two good somersaults) and boom... there it is.
Lots of crazy running people. Some people walking with sticks like they're practicing for ski season. And a few clever ones in the beer garden / restaurant.
And so it was, that on that lovely, sunny afternoon, I had my first LITRE of beer.
It was so cold that there were tiny icicles floating around inside the mug and the glass was completely frosted over. (See below: my HUGE muscles when picking up the mug; the impossibility that is picking up two mugs; FROSTED GLASS!)
And the best part was, that we live right next door. So although I was feeling pretty happy by half way, I just had to do a few somersaults and I was home! Is this not the most amazing place on earth?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Too windy for the beach...
Today was one of those days that make you grateful for not being at the beach.
It was windy, but I could still lie by the water (ok, it was a swimming pool, but I can dream) without sand blowing into my book, lunch and worst of all, onto my towel. Sticking itself to skin so that you are STILL finding sand behind your ears / in your hair for days, even after a thorough scrubbing.
Situated next to a very nice looking theater in Prinzrengenten Str is an awesome pool, surrounded by German-Green-Grass (what do they fertilize with!?). It also has an 'extra' pool that is converted into a volley ball court in summer and an ice rink in winter! Ass skating! Hooray!
Although I did not brave the water (the clouds kept covering the sun every time I warmed up and started looking at the pool) I did manage to catch a few rays. Am trying to get some colour so that I actually have something to lose come winter.
However, my South African-ness is still very much ingrained, so when it came time to rest my head for a few seconds I cautiously looped my bag around my arm... "in case". Only to wake up several minutes later and realise that no one was even looking in my direction, nor had anyone really noticed I was there. HELLO! Did they not SEE how nice my handbag is?
Back outside I meandered around, imagining myself having tea on all the beautiful balconies. Sigh... The architecture is really inspiring. And really well maintained! It seems strange to think about how many people have walked by them.
Once the wind had gotten the better of me, and I realised just how tightly I had wrapped my bright yellow towel around myself (this is what the people were looking at, not my nice hat! Silly me.) I headed home... time for tea!
I did consider going to do some actual swimming / exercise, but the 5 seconds passed and now, I think it's time for a beer garden and some lovely, cold... water! Obviously... I don't drink! pppffffft!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Home Sick
Today is the first day that I've felt a bit sad not to be in my hometown.
Well, it's either that or a lack of sleep. or hormones. could be anything really, but I'm going with homesickness.
My mom put it well when she left. It's not so much actually seeing people, but just knowing that they're there, just a few flick flacks down the road, if I ever need to talk or have tea, or just sit in company other than my own.
In a way it's a good thing because it's forcing me to settle down and make my home here (for now), and it'll make me really get to know myself. (Trust me, if you thought you knew yourself, move somewhere where not many people speak your language, especially not when they don't know you. You'll find your own head can be preeetttyyyy lonesome). But it is a bit hard to leave the people you've come to know as 'home'.
Emotions aside, I have successfully set up a yoga area, to balance my very lonely head. And I have begun GARDENING.
Strange thing though.... every time I go out to pull out weeds etc, it starts to rain and I am forced to come inside and drink more tea. Also, there are a few worms that I am just not ready for. I am going to have to get a spade and some gloves (some of these weeds have vicious thorns!!). Not much time left for gardening, but my herbs need to get out of their pots and into some nice spacious soil.
Time for a quick shop and then I will be drinking a glass of wine (or 3) for my left-behind-loved-ones. Hurry up and come visit already!!!
Well, it's either that or a lack of sleep. or hormones. could be anything really, but I'm going with homesickness.
My mom put it well when she left. It's not so much actually seeing people, but just knowing that they're there, just a few flick flacks down the road, if I ever need to talk or have tea, or just sit in company other than my own.
In a way it's a good thing because it's forcing me to settle down and make my home here (for now), and it'll make me really get to know myself. (Trust me, if you thought you knew yourself, move somewhere where not many people speak your language, especially not when they don't know you. You'll find your own head can be preeetttyyyy lonesome). But it is a bit hard to leave the people you've come to know as 'home'.
Emotions aside, I have successfully set up a yoga area, to balance my very lonely head. And I have begun GARDENING.
Strange thing though.... every time I go out to pull out weeds etc, it starts to rain and I am forced to come inside and drink more tea. Also, there are a few worms that I am just not ready for. I am going to have to get a spade and some gloves (some of these weeds have vicious thorns!!). Not much time left for gardening, but my herbs need to get out of their pots and into some nice spacious soil.
Time for a quick shop and then I will be drinking a glass of wine (or 3) for my left-behind-loved-ones. Hurry up and come visit already!!!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Schwimming, Shopping and Skirting
Friday night was a flurry of views of the Hofbrauhaus, a little dinner, a lot of walking, and my First German Beer.(Getting to the Hofbrauhaus at 8:30pm on a Friday is not such a great idea, so we grabbed the only table available, sadly this was at a restaurant - but they did have english menu's! It was fun, but I was beginning to itch for a proper pub experience.
Saturday dawned, and boy was it a good day! So off to the pool we went. The pool we chose was in the middle of a small park of the greenest grass and the water just shimmered. It seemed too good to be true given that only a few days ago I was shivering in Durban and now I was playing mermaids in sparkling blue water with the sun beating down on my skin!!!
A few laps and a couple of dolphin dives later (you didn't expect me to actually train or anything, did you?) we headed to Marienplatz for what we intended to be a small shop. But then we found the Planet Fitness. Heaven! and that's just the sneaker dept.! Cross the road and there's a whole other world of clothing paradise.
And that was before I introduced Frank to H&M.
Needless to say there were a lot of shopping bags involved in the ride home...
Popped home for a little rest and then it was time for My First Pub Experience.
Given the scale of this Very Important Event and the incredible heat outside, I decided I would make a little effort...
Riding a bicycle in a short, tight skirt is no easy task. In fact, it was one of the rare times I was incredibly grateful to be carrying a handbag. (Obvious benefits of handbags aside).
Riding a bicycle in a short, tight skirt after several beers, and some jagermeisters... now that's an accomplishment on it's own. (I may or may not have silently given myself a noddy badge when I arrived home).
All in all, I have to say that my First Pub Experience was a good one. The chicken wings were greasy, the beer was cold, and barring an unfortunate ruling from a particular referee and a kiwi victory, it was a really good night.
The headache this morning, however, was not so good.
Saturday dawned, and boy was it a good day! So off to the pool we went. The pool we chose was in the middle of a small park of the greenest grass and the water just shimmered. It seemed too good to be true given that only a few days ago I was shivering in Durban and now I was playing mermaids in sparkling blue water with the sun beating down on my skin!!!
A few laps and a couple of dolphin dives later (you didn't expect me to actually train or anything, did you?) we headed to Marienplatz for what we intended to be a small shop. But then we found the Planet Fitness. Heaven! and that's just the sneaker dept.! Cross the road and there's a whole other world of clothing paradise.
And that was before I introduced Frank to H&M.
Needless to say there were a lot of shopping bags involved in the ride home...
Popped home for a little rest and then it was time for My First Pub Experience.
Given the scale of this Very Important Event and the incredible heat outside, I decided I would make a little effort...
Riding a bicycle in a short, tight skirt is no easy task. In fact, it was one of the rare times I was incredibly grateful to be carrying a handbag. (Obvious benefits of handbags aside).
Riding a bicycle in a short, tight skirt after several beers, and some jagermeisters... now that's an accomplishment on it's own. (I may or may not have silently given myself a noddy badge when I arrived home).
All in all, I have to say that my First Pub Experience was a good one. The chicken wings were greasy, the beer was cold, and barring an unfortunate ruling from a particular referee and a kiwi victory, it was a really good night.
The headache this morning, however, was not so good.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Exploratory Adventures
I decided that today I would hop on my bicycle, figure out the tickets, hop on the S-Bahn and head to Marien Platz (city centre). So I packed some lunch, and off I went...
Living in Germany Lesson 3: Whilst looking lovely on, and being very practical for when wearing boots, skinny jeans may not be the best bicycle riding attire. Especially the Very Skinny Kind. It's as though every time you bend your knee to push a peddle they creep further and further down your backside. And since I had a waist belt on there was no way I was putting one around the top of my pants to keep them up. I sincerely thought that was what my bushmans bum was for!
Living in Germany Lesson 4: Check route before heading out? I couldn't remember where the station was. I had a map, and plenty of street signs but somehow still managed to get a bit confused.
So, mustering up all my memories of German lessons I stopped a lady and asked for some help. Of all the people I could have asked, I picked the one formerly from Cape Town... Hooray! She pointed me in the right direction (naturally the direction I was going to go in next! ;) )and off I went again.
It's really beautiful in Marian Platz! Except for my memory failure when it came to finding THE ice cream shop. (I don't usually believe in jetlag, but in this instance, I'm SURE it was to blame... I must have been half asleep last time we headed that way).
I browsed around and then decided to walk further out. It was as though I has stumbled into some sort of giants lair! The buildings, while very old and beautiful, are HUGE! I felt smaller than a full stop in size 6 font. And that's pretty small!
Vertical challenges aside I meandered forth to discover the University. If every kid in Munich, in the whole of Germany even, does not go to Uni just to be around all THAT, then I just don't know. It's stunning stunning stunning! (Pics will follow shortly).
After a glorious day out, a lovely lunch in the park, near abduction by bank promoters and a chocolate and tirimisu icecream, I decided to head home.
Living in Germany Lesson 5: Before waiting on a platform for half an hour, furiously searching your maps and cursing the Right Train for taking so long, make sure you are on the Right Platform. This is handy if you ever want to get home.
Tea Time!!
Living in Germany Lesson 3: Whilst looking lovely on, and being very practical for when wearing boots, skinny jeans may not be the best bicycle riding attire. Especially the Very Skinny Kind. It's as though every time you bend your knee to push a peddle they creep further and further down your backside. And since I had a waist belt on there was no way I was putting one around the top of my pants to keep them up. I sincerely thought that was what my bushmans bum was for!
Living in Germany Lesson 4: Check route before heading out? I couldn't remember where the station was. I had a map, and plenty of street signs but somehow still managed to get a bit confused.
So, mustering up all my memories of German lessons I stopped a lady and asked for some help. Of all the people I could have asked, I picked the one formerly from Cape Town... Hooray! She pointed me in the right direction (naturally the direction I was going to go in next! ;) )and off I went again.
It's really beautiful in Marian Platz! Except for my memory failure when it came to finding THE ice cream shop. (I don't usually believe in jetlag, but in this instance, I'm SURE it was to blame... I must have been half asleep last time we headed that way).
I browsed around and then decided to walk further out. It was as though I has stumbled into some sort of giants lair! The buildings, while very old and beautiful, are HUGE! I felt smaller than a full stop in size 6 font. And that's pretty small!
Vertical challenges aside I meandered forth to discover the University. If every kid in Munich, in the whole of Germany even, does not go to Uni just to be around all THAT, then I just don't know. It's stunning stunning stunning! (Pics will follow shortly).
After a glorious day out, a lovely lunch in the park, near abduction by bank promoters and a chocolate and tirimisu icecream, I decided to head home.
Living in Germany Lesson 5: Before waiting on a platform for half an hour, furiously searching your maps and cursing the Right Train for taking so long, make sure you are on the Right Platform. This is handy if you ever want to get home.
Tea Time!!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Boxes
Today the boxes arrived.
Well, first they got horribly lost and I rode up and down, and up, and down, and all around our road in my cow print pyjamas trying to locate the delivery van.
They found their way eventually.
In unpacking I had just one question.
WHY did I bring so much clothing?
Specifically, why did I bring so many dresses?
I'm not entirely sure where I THOUGHT I was going... or what I thought I would be doing when I got there!
Packing aside, I did learn a valuable lesson today.
Living in Munich Lesson 1: When going shopping, take a back pack.
It is much easier to carry groceries when they're not swinging into your bicycle wheel off the handle.
Living In Munich Lesson 2: Once packed full of groceries, said back pack can prove to be rather heavy. Especially in the case of a not-so-strong person such as myself.
This makes cycling a bit tricky.
That said, the hotdogs for dinner made it all worth while :)
I love hotdogs!!
Well, first they got horribly lost and I rode up and down, and up, and down, and all around our road in my cow print pyjamas trying to locate the delivery van.
They found their way eventually.
In unpacking I had just one question.
WHY did I bring so much clothing?
Specifically, why did I bring so many dresses?
I'm not entirely sure where I THOUGHT I was going... or what I thought I would be doing when I got there!
Packing aside, I did learn a valuable lesson today.
Living in Munich Lesson 1: When going shopping, take a back pack.
It is much easier to carry groceries when they're not swinging into your bicycle wheel off the handle.
Living In Munich Lesson 2: Once packed full of groceries, said back pack can prove to be rather heavy. Especially in the case of a not-so-strong person such as myself.
This makes cycling a bit tricky.
That said, the hotdogs for dinner made it all worth while :)
I love hotdogs!!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
It's Finally Happening
One false start, a very rushed booking and a cry-pocalypse later, I finally left for Munich.
In my huge rush to check in and go through passport control, I failed to note the lack of ANYTHING beyond check in. No atms, a very tiny shop and very few chairs by the gate.
Good thing Ker and Dee gave me some snacks and a magazine or I would have been very bored. Had hoped to be able to do my forex once I'd checked in! Whoops...
Arrived in Dubai very grateful for the few Euro's I had (thank you Jagga's) but alas, no one had change. And didn't take coins? strange...
Cleaned myself up in the very warm bathrooms (are the toilet seats heated? I thought I had wee'd on myself!) and headed for duty free... desperately seeking some form of hydration!
A few pages of reading on the floor, and spilling sprite all over my clean self, it was time to board, and head to Munich. HOORAY!
Landed at abt lunch time (1pm) and passed through passport control like a breeze.
Picked up my suitcase and rushed through the doors looking for the man I thought would be standing there with open arms... but the trains were late, so I just stood around like a dork. :)
Found an atm, and again sought hydration.
I then proceeded to give Franks some very confusing descriptions of my surroundings so he could find me. Got him totally confused... but eventually we found each other.
Well, I was walking determinedly in the wrong direction and he found me.
Caught a taxi home, and. Oh, not sure if you read that right, I said home.
I have a new home. haha
small, but lovely, clean, new. And there's a GARDEN! amazing.
Unpacked and then we RODE BICYCLES to the train station to head to the city, to a shopping square.
Strange, I was the only person in sandals. Think the germans may be on to something there. Had ice cream, bought some lovely bread for dinner (STEAK) and headed home.
A strange thing happened though. I fell asleep on the couch, and when I got up to go to bed, the sun was still up. This may take some getting used to!!
Off on my first solo exploratory mission now... Target: Supermarket (I need tea!)
p.s. I have a sneaky feeling my clothes will be completely inappropriate for Europe. Oh dammit, I'm going to HAVE to shop.
In my huge rush to check in and go through passport control, I failed to note the lack of ANYTHING beyond check in. No atms, a very tiny shop and very few chairs by the gate.
Good thing Ker and Dee gave me some snacks and a magazine or I would have been very bored. Had hoped to be able to do my forex once I'd checked in! Whoops...
Arrived in Dubai very grateful for the few Euro's I had (thank you Jagga's) but alas, no one had change. And didn't take coins? strange...
Cleaned myself up in the very warm bathrooms (are the toilet seats heated? I thought I had wee'd on myself!) and headed for duty free... desperately seeking some form of hydration!
A few pages of reading on the floor, and spilling sprite all over my clean self, it was time to board, and head to Munich. HOORAY!
Landed at abt lunch time (1pm) and passed through passport control like a breeze.
Picked up my suitcase and rushed through the doors looking for the man I thought would be standing there with open arms... but the trains were late, so I just stood around like a dork. :)
Found an atm, and again sought hydration.
I then proceeded to give Franks some very confusing descriptions of my surroundings so he could find me. Got him totally confused... but eventually we found each other.
Well, I was walking determinedly in the wrong direction and he found me.
Caught a taxi home, and. Oh, not sure if you read that right, I said home.
I have a new home. haha
small, but lovely, clean, new. And there's a GARDEN! amazing.
Unpacked and then we RODE BICYCLES to the train station to head to the city, to a shopping square.
Strange, I was the only person in sandals. Think the germans may be on to something there. Had ice cream, bought some lovely bread for dinner (STEAK) and headed home.
A strange thing happened though. I fell asleep on the couch, and when I got up to go to bed, the sun was still up. This may take some getting used to!!
Off on my first solo exploratory mission now... Target: Supermarket (I need tea!)
p.s. I have a sneaky feeling my clothes will be completely inappropriate for Europe. Oh dammit, I'm going to HAVE to shop.
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