Part 2. More summer with the perfect companions

After an incredible month going through Europe, I had some incredible memories and I was more tired than when I started but there is no rest when you have summer holiday in Europe. I had one night back in Holland to do some washing and have my own bed; but the next morning I was off once again, this time flying to Madrid.

I had a free day to myself in Madrid. I had the opportunity to go to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Real Madrid’s home ground. I went around the stadium and saw the trophies, field and change rooms. It is an incredible stadium and I could not help but think… one day…. I could…. Be the grounds man here. But I carried on in the impressive city and walked through the city park which really impressed me. I then had to head back to my hostel because I was meeting my travel team.

I walked back to my room to be welcomed by a couple familiar faces. I joined up with my two sisters and one of their friends. I had not seen them for seven months so I was very happy to see my sisters. They seemed happy too, still trying to decide if that was because of Europe but I like to think I played a role. That night we went on a pub crawl that was organised by the hostel; it was a great night with my sisters and I think I am starting to catch up with my older sisters.

The next morning we flew to Porto, Portugal. It was my first time in Portugal and it a country I could easily go back to. Porto was not too big but it had everything that we could ever ask for while travelling. We had good food, saw some incredible bridges and had a local Port tasting. Porto’s main feature must be the bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel which is in similar style to his more famous design, the Eiffel Tower. The advantage of travelling with my eldest sister is that she is an architect, so it is like travelling with a tour guide who can tell you all about the buildings and their style and period, which I thoroughly enjoyed and found fascinating. With Porto thoroughly travelled, we headed off to the next town of our trip by train, Coimbra.

Coimbra is a university town, the oldest university in Portugal. Incredibly, all the students still have to wear academic gowns every day to class in true traditional fashion. We were in the town during vacation, so the town was a bit of a ghost town. We did have a tour of the university which is something incredible and would put the history of our universities to shame. We only spent the one night in Coimbra before we headed off to the capital, Lisbon.

Lisbon is a city that I found fascinating. It is like a European Cape Town. I do not quite know how to explain it but just the atmosphere reminded of home, perhaps I was just starting to miss Cape Town. It is a very spread out city and it took a while to get around to everything. The Portuguese have a knack for dramatic statues and war memorial. In every town we visited there were memorials for different wars, but in Lisbon there was the most dramatic monument depicting a war scene. Lisbon also boasted an amazing modern refurbishment area. There must have been a huge lump of money devoted to this project, the train station, mall and promenade were all these incredible steel designs that kept my sisters fascinated for a long time, vowing that they would bring these ideas back to South Africa. And me vowing that one day I would understand what they were talking about.

Our next destination was our last Portuguese stop, in the surfing town of Lagos. We stayed in a proper surfing hostel, so I felt quite out of place without a wetsuit tan or ankle bracelet. The town of Lagos is very enjoyable; it has a very old walled city centre and incredible beaches with walks along the overlooking cliffs. It did take us far too long to find the beach but once there, we thoroughly enjoyed the beach and sun which I knew I wouldn’t have for quite a while longer.

There was not quite enough sun in the 30 degrees town of Lagos, so we decided to crank it up and head to Seville in Spain. We were greeted by a toasty 38 degrees where even a camel would break a sweat. Unfortunately I only had the afternoon in Seville. So we spent it eating Tapas and visiting the royal palace which is full of different designs and beauty. I would love to one day return to Seville and see the promising city that I only got a brief look at.

I had to leave my sisters in Spain, I returned to Madrid where I would get a flight the next morning back to Schiphol. My sisters carried on through Spain and I was most certainly a little sad to say good bye but it is not too long now till I see my family again. It was an incredible end to my vacation and a summer I will always remember and I am so grateful I had the chance to spend some time with my sisters.

I think someone wanted to remind me that I was back in the Netherlands because when I landed, it was raining. From 38 degrees to rain, my tan did not stand a chance.

Long Overdue, But not Easy to Put into Words Part 1

After an extensive education from a few finicky English teachers, I fully understand clichés and I have even begun to roll my eyes when actors throw out the now-trivial-phrases. But I carry on knowingly when I say; best summer ever.

The summer vacation in the Dutch schools is six weeks long and in those six weeks I spent roughly five days in the Netherlands. The rest of the time was spent on my great European experience. The day after the school broke up, my rucksack was packed and I headed off to London. There I once again stayed with my cousin in Guildford. I spent the next day with my cousin and two of her friends going around the North of London. We went on one of the paths through London starting at Little Venice; this path was along one of the canals that flows into the Thames. We had a picnic in Regents Park, strolled through the Camden market and ended the afternoon in a craft beer house before heading back.

My next day in London was my chance to see as much as I possibly could in my first time in the centre of the city. I arrived early in the morning and saw the sites such Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Royal Opera, the Houses of Parliament, Churchill War Rooms, Big Ben, the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, the Globe Theatre and St.Pauls Cathedral. I strolled through Hyde Park and St. James Park and was even lucky enough to see the Tour de France London Leg. I mastered the tube in that short time and ended off my touristy day at a restaurant on the banks of the Thames, next door to the Globe Theatre and eating Fish and Chips. I then made my way to the hotel where I would be staying the night and to meet the group of people who I would be spending the next 32 days with.

I was joining a tour group organised by the company Contiki. They organise trips all over the world for people from the ages 18-35. Contiki provides accommodation, transport, majority of our food and insight into the cities that we travelled to. The 'Contiki Team' consisted of a driver, tour manager and chef but they became part of our group instead. It is an easy way to travel as everything is organised for you and there are people with similar ideas about travelling as you do. Sometimes it is limited time in a city but that is a sacrifice you make to see as many cities as possible. Sometimes they have tours or activities or optional activities planned but you usually do get some free time to do your own touring in the cities. The next morning, 35 of us headed off before sunrise to the Cliffs of Dover where we would catch a ferry over to France.

After my first ferry ride, we made our way to Paris. This was my second time in Paris this year so some of the sites I decided not to revisit. But I did take in the beauty of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Arc’ de Triumph. During some of my free time, I spent a good few hours in the Louvre Museum, strolling around and acting like I knew what was going on. It is an incredible collection and I was personally surprised by the number of artefacts, collections and sculptures where I had imagined majority paintings. The museum definitely has more to offer than an A4 drawing of an indifferent girl which is where most of the tourists flocked to, admittedly I also sneaked a peek from 20 metres away. In my time there I also tried Escargot. I really enjoyed them, but I think it is mostly the garlic sauce as opposed to the snail. I thoroughly enjoyed Paris even though the weather was not on my side, but I do think I have seen enough of Paris and I cannot it imagine it somewhere that I will go back to. Next we headed into the wine areas of France.

We stopped just for one night just outside the city of Bordeaux. We were just there for the night to break up travelling distances. There was not much to do near the camp site, but this was our first time where we really had time to get to know everyone else on the trip. It was a good evening as everyone sat around chatting and it certainly became more jovial as we tried out the local Bordeaux grape products.

We then headed off bright and early to Spain, but just before the border we had an afternoon stop at the coastal town of Biarritz. This was an incredible little beach town, I really loved the views, the atmosphere, the beach and just wandering in and out of the city centre. But it was just a stop and our gang hopped back onto the bus and headed off to the Spanish town of Pamplona. 

Now Pamplona is known for one thing, San Fermin, otherwise known as Running of the Bulls. And I will also remember Pamplona as one of the longest days of my life. It was the last week of the festival while we were there and I do not think anyone knew what was to come next. After setting up camp and having dinner we headed into town and it was crazy. During this time the entire town is just one massive party. There is live music every night all over town, with street performers, concerts and every bar and club is packed. The streets are packed with people dressed in white but stained purple from the sangria. And so the longest night began, we decided to stay in town that night instead of back to the camp site so that we would definitely be in time for the Running of The Bulls the next morning. I bought the customary white clothes with red scarf and sangria skin and began to enjoy the festivities. I enjoyed local Spanish music as well as their love for the Classics and just the general pandemonium on the streets. People were lost, people were found but ultimately I think everyone was a little lost. We finally lay down for some sleep in a bus depot before we were kicked out and made our way to the centre where we ran with the bulls. I do not think I thought about what I was doing until I saw a full grown bull charging behind my shoulder. But I was safe in the end and there were no serious injuries during the run. Afterwards we headed off to the town of Zaragoza for lunch before we made the journey to Barcelona.

Barcelona is a city that I would classify as ‘alive’. It just looks electric from up the mountain and in the city everywhere you turn or go is busy and bustling and you cannot help but to get caught up in it. It is a special place, it has some incredible architectural influences, an awesome coastline with warm water and the entire city is designed to entertain visitors, from the main park, down La Rambla and into the port which is a great place to spend the afternoon. There is also the dominating figure of Sangrada Familia which is Gaudí’s masterpiece that will take 150 years to build. The food in Barcelona has little compare, incredibly well priced but very delicious. Paella and Tapas was pretty much my staple diet in my time in Barcelona. The Football World Cup Final was also on while I was there; which was an entertaining night with a group of AArgentiniansat our camp site. The night life in Barcelona is something electric as well; drinks do not hurt your wallet too much and the principle of ‘free-pour’ beat more than a few men that night. Foreigners definitely stuck out as the Spanish showed their moves on the dance floor. But the best part of the night life was towards the end of the night; you can leave the club, take ten paces and be on the beach. Barcelona has certainly got things right.

Our time in Barcelona could not last forever, so we headed back into France where we stayed in the French Riviera. Our days consisted of sun and relaxation. We visited Nice which is a vibrant beach town, spent a night in Monaco at the Monte Casino, I decided not to risk my travel money. Even though one from our group left 100 Euro richer and that was our time in the South of France, where there is never any rush.

Moving into my sixth country of the trip, we headed to Florence. Dante’s very own forbidden paradise and Hitler’s favourite bridge and therefore the only still standing since before the war. Florence is a city rich with artwork from many of the great artists and home to Michelangelo’s David. I found that I enjoyed Florence going up and down many of the alleyways, as the town does not really have a main business/ shopping street as most other cities. But after one in the afternoon, it just became unbearably hot and you had to look for shade or refreshment. Our first night there, we found a karaoke bar, which ended up in plenty of fun with my new group compatriots. Myself getting up on stage twice, disregarding any pride I previously had. I will always have fond memories of Florence but I feel like I could have seen more in my time there.

We moved onto Rome where I took the opportunity to visit the Colloseum, the Pantheon, the Forum and many of the other rich historical sites that Rome has to offer. Rome truly is an ancient city, there are ruins everywhere, in and among the city and almost everywhere you look there is some sort of relic. And in the Roman time, they did not do ‘small’, everything is awe-inspiringly massive, from the Colloseum to the statues with two metre wide moustaches. I had an incredible time in Rome, and I feel I made the most out of every moment. In Rome we also picked up seven more people who would join for the rest of the trip.

But there was no time to wonder when more of Europe was waiting. We moved onto the coast town of Sorrento for another night stop, I did have an incredible supper on a cliff overlooking the stunning view that Sorrento has to offer. But the next day we headed off on an overnight ferry to the Greek island of Corfu.

Corfu was something else, it was four days on an island and our camp site was two minutes from the beach. Corfu was a holiday in the middle of a busy and tiring travel programme. Every day consisted of going to the beach, swimming, gyros and drinks at the beach bar and an afternoon nap. One of the most memorable days of the trip was in Corfu where all of us took a full day boat ride around the island, stopping at caves and little beaches to swim, and stopping for some food.  It was definitely a day to remember.

As much as we wanted to stay, we were excited to leave because our next stop was Venice. Venice is an impressive and a place like I have never seen before. It is really hard to imagine how this city has continued to prosper. The one thing I could not get my head around is how the main square just floods when the tide comes in and people just carry on with their normal lives but in ankle deep water, at home that is when we get the plunger out.

After Venice we drove up into Austria, which is one of the most incredible drives I have ever been part of. I would happily get lost in those mountains for a couple weeks. We then headed to Vienna which is a city I thoroughly enjoyed. I found the open and grand streets and squares very refreshing compared to the crowded and tight alleyways of Italy and Spain. I visited one of the older amusement parks in Europe. It was different to normal theme parks as it was open just like a normal park and the rides were only a part of the area. There were beer gardens and restaurants and people using it as their cycle routes. I also had the chance to visit the old Vienna Schnapps Museum which is something that they are renowned for. Staying with the Germanic theme, we then moved onto Munich, Germany.

Munich is one of the cities I will very happily go back to. It had the similar large and grand architecture as Vienna but even more so and with more green and parks in between. We made our way through the city on a cycling tour. We saw even more of the city this way, and stopped halfway at one of the large beer gardens that Munich is renowned for. This was fun, but cycling after a couple steins became more difficult and a lot funnier for the group. The night in Munich ended off at the Hofbräuhaus, the largest beer garden in the world and centre of the Oktoberfest. The night ended off well.

The next day was a day when we ticked a few countries off the list. We made our way through three countries, Germany, Lichtenstein and Switzerland. We stopped for lunch in Vaduz in Lichtenstein; oddly enough they have a very large Indonesian influence there and is where I had a very tasty honey Peking duck. We then moved into Switzerland and had a stop in Lucerne, where I saw one of the most incredible statues, a lion representing the Swiss Guard cut into the side of a cliff.

Our final stop for the day was in the small valley town of Lauterbrunnen, the town was surrounded by cliffs on both sides with waterfalls coming down all around. The next day we took a cog train up into the mountains and near Peak of Jangfrau Mountain. There was plenty of snow and games, there was an ice gallery carved into a glacier and since we were in Switzerland, there was a place to buy Lindt chocolate.

I had a great time in Switzerland; we were even upgraded to cabins while we were there. But we headed off back into Germany to see the amazing town of Heidelberg which is dominated by Heidelberg Castle. The town is quiet and peaceful but still has a good atmosphere. This was our last night were we would have food cooked for by our chef so it was a big and fun night at the camp site and plenty of stories about the trip bubbled to the surface.

We made our final bus journey the next day, to our final destination, Amsterdam. This was a really nice way to end off the tour with some amazing people. I saw a side to Amsterdam that I had not seen previously and had a lot of fun. Unfortunately my camera and tablet was stolen from the camp site while we were in town, but there is nothing I can do about that now.

On my trip I saw some incredible things, learnt some very interesting things about Europe and about myself and ate some incredible food from so many different cultures. But the thing that made this trip so memorable for me is the people I spent it with. I made some lifelong friends and have shared some amazing experiences with people who just wanted to have a good time but also wanted to enjoy the richness of Europe.

If you have any questions about the trip or some of the places, please feel free to post them or get in contact with me.

When everything is a stones throw away

Looking back over the last two months, I am truly astonished at the things I have seen, the places I have been and the need for sunscreen. I have truly made the most of every weekend and holiday. And there is even more planned for the summer, and for that I am keen. (Sorry, could not resist)

Since Easter, I have truly discovered the convenience of Europe and suddenly a bus ride to Port Elizabeth seems incomprehensible in comparison. Since Easter I have spent a week in Ireland with my mom and the rest of the McKinley Clan and Kincaid Brigade. I love travelling but there is always something special about seeing family again. I had the opportunity to see a bit of Ireland as well, including the Titanic Shipyard and museum. I thoroughly enjoyed my outing to the Bushmills Distillery and a quick look at Dunluce Castle. I think Ireland sparked a little fire in my heart and it is somewhere I will return to with any opportunity.  

Unfortunately my luggage was left in Ireland, but that just gave my mom an excuse to come over to Holland the next weekend. Together we made our way to the southern most province of the Netherlands, Limburg, where we visited the town of Maastricht. Maastricht is an ancient town, with the picturesque cobble streets, towers and the remains of the old City Wall. Taking time in the weekend to walk down the beautifully preserved streets and enjoy the local cuisine made a weekend to remember. In good Dutch fashion we were treated to some interesting culture, our trip coincided with the Annual Maastricht Duck Race. A charity event where people bought little yellow rubber ducks and they were 'raced' down the river. We were also treated to an underground adventure where we could explore the network of abandoned limestone mines that go for kilometres deep underground. It was an incredible experience, as the mines were only declared a heritage site in 90's and were open before then, so the mines are filled with impressive artwork dating back decades.

In good Gap Year manner, I left no time to rest. The very next weekend I headed off to Guildford near London, where we had a little cousin reunion. The Kincaid Brigade reunited once again. It worked out so well, I was in Europe and so was my cousin from Canada, two cousins flew over from Ireland and another three found time off work or study and headed down from further north in England. We enjoyed a weekend of catching up, sharing stories with a little partying in between. That is a weekend that I will always remember and ranks with some of my best weekends ever.

After all those adventures I was not quite yet sick of public transport so when my mothers European experience was drawing to a close, we met up once again at Schipol, otherwise known as my third home at this point, and from there headed off by train to Belgium. We spent a day and a half in Bruge which must be one of the most incredible old towns in the world and a place that deserves a week instead of a night but still enjoyed every second. We visited the various cathedrals and saw Michelangelo's Madonna sculpture and visited the oldest brewery in the town. every street is a new adventure and your eyes are never allowed to rest in the preserved little bubble in the north of Belgium.

The next day we headed of to Ghent which has similar characteristics as Bruge but has moved on with the times. There is an university and more of modern feel. It has some of the beauty of Bruge but feels more real and lived in and that is why Ghent has probably left a bigger impression on me.

Ghent by night

The final chapter of my Belgium experience was Antwerp which is a major city and has all the parts of massive city but once in awhile you find a little gem between the buildings and in true European fashion there is a massive city hall gilded with gold in parts and there is the impressive cathedrals scattered across the city. Unfortunately I had to head home early to play a hockey match. But I saw some incredible things that weekend and all of it was a three hour train ride away.

The upcoming months were not quite as adventurous but no less entertaining, my exchange, Stefan, returned and it was so good to see him after all this time. I had the opportunity to go to the hockey world cup for two days and see some of the South Africans that were there as well. It is so good to hear South African accents again. The World Cup Football started and the Dutch definitely know how to support. I have watched four of the games at fan parks and every time I am amazed at the Dutch reaction to a goal. I hope the Robben and his boys can see the World Cup through, otherwise I think the country will go into a period of mourning.

I have seen a bit more of Holland, including the fishing town of Middelburg, the beautiful, quaint town of Delft and the beach of Bloemendaal. I am pretty sure I have experienced more of Holland than most of the Dutch.

Working during the week and being a tourist on the weekend has certainly taken its toll. 

There has not been much time for rest and the last two weeks have taken their toll. I am so grateful for the timing of the Six week summer holiday that started yesterday. Even though it is holiday, I do not think I will get much rest...

I have just finished packing for my summer, and tonight I head off to Schiphol once again and I am heading back to Guildford where I am seeing my cousin. Hopefully I will be able to see a little bit of London as well. On Tuesday I start my month long Eurotrip through 12 countries, starting in Paris and ending in Amsterdam. I am truly excited and have not been able to sit still all day. My rucksack is packed and waiting at the door, all I have to do now is wait.

I will try post pictures or stories during my travels but I am not sure about how much internet access I will have, or spare time in fact.

Watch this space. 

One Great Month and a Bit

I would just like to start by apologising about my recent lack of updates. I thought that you may not want to read about the endless photocopying or the escapades of a drama class assistant. It even starting to get boring for me so I would hate to think what reading it is like. But I was quickly rejuvenated by holidays, travel, family and some fun here and there. So I have new stories to tell for my long absence and a sense of guilt from seeing a pile of my printed blog posts at my grandparents house.

The schools broke up for two weeks on Easter weekend, and we felt that it is important to make the most of the holidays while we have them. We first had to get through Easter, which could possibly have been tough away from family. But we were fortunately invited to lunch at a family of some of the kids we met. Their mom lived in South Africa for awhile and wanted to swap stories and experiences. Lunch turned into horse riding, horse riding turned into drinks in Amersfoort, Amersfoort turned into dinner and dinner turned into more drinks. Amersfoort is an ancient walled city and I was lucky enough to see some of the highlights. I would not say it was a traditional Easter celebration but it was a good day and one I will always remember and I was able to share it with some incredible people. Many thanks to the Smaakmans!

The next week was devoted to exploring a bit more of The Netherlands. Which started in the neighbouring town, Bussum. There was not really much there that is not in Hilversum but there was a hockey shop which tickled my fancy for what was probably too long. Netherlands is definitely the hockey capital of the world seeing a shop lined with hockey sticks and a practice field in the middle. But our real touring began the next day in The Hague (Den Haag), which is the parliamentary capital of Holland. We visited the historical museum and the oldest prison in Holland which dates back to the 1200's. The Hague is an ancient city which is encapsulated by Binnenhof Castle, yet there is a modern skyline with towers and an impressive modern architecture. It is an impressive city with history, culture, beauty and a good days fun, definitely somewhere I will return to. That day was also the start of The Hague's Kermis which is a fully kitted out carnival that goes over all of Holland at this time. I ate too much Carnival food, and lost a couple coins to games but I was able to get a better look at the city's skyline from 60 metres up on one of the rides. I just wanted to remind myself why I was not comfortable with rides. That was my first experience in the Hague

Binnenhof Castle

The first Thursday after Easter was a day of failed plans, stores were closed in Amersfoort, Rotterdam did not look possible and the pressure was on to make use of our time out from school. We decided to visit the Amsterdam Royal Artis Zoo. There is something strange about heading off to a different continent and then deciding to go see a lion or a zebra, which apparently are originally from my back garden. And it really is a shame to see some incredible animals in a cage and not roaming the lands like I am used to in the Game Parks of South Africa. I was still able to see some new and strange animals that I would never have the opportunity to see in my lifetime. The one that sticks in my mind might be the prairie dog, which is by no means a dog but some sort of Dassie and I would not be surprised to hear that it is the second closest relation to the elephant. Along with the 'dog' there were red pandas, sea lions, gorillas and many many more. (See Facebook photo's for a more in depth look). In the end it was an enjoyable day and it was officially starting to warm up here.

We had begun to tick of attractions at an alarming rate, and we carried on by seeing the world famous tulips in Keukenhof, Lisse. My host mother joined on the little excursion as she had never been to see the flowers, a bit like those Cape Townians who have never been up Table Mountain. I am by no means a flower person, I have even been known to make jokes about those who go searching for flowers. But this park was truly incredible. There were masses of tulips of different colours and arrangements and really displayed all the beauty of the the small flower. And where there were no flowers, there was an immaculate park, shows and little shops. The park is a truly great experience for everyone and it really is a shame that it is only open for a month and a half a year. It may have even opened my eyes to the joys of gardening but I won't let my dad get wind of that.

Keukenhof Gardens

The first week of my holidays ended with a truly eye opening experience and a cultural shock of note. Kings Day. Kings Day is a public holiday where the whole country celebrates the Kings birthday, and celebrate is what they did. The entire country dresses in Orange and heads to Amsterdam, or another city or one of the many festivals available on the Day. Drinking starts first thing in the morning and I am not sure it even ended that day but there were quite a few strugglers by the end of it. Traditionally people open up little garage-like-sales outside their homes or on the street, signifying there trading roots. But the day turns into one massive party. I found myself going to a music festival in the old Olympic stadium in Amsterdam. It was a great festival even though I was left dazed by the orange overdose. The highlight if the day was seeing my favourite South African band, Goldfish, halfway across the world. I have seen them many times before but this just seemed incredible. I will always remember the Dutch as those people I saw on that day, having a good time as a nation. The Day is an impressive event, and it leaves me wondering what would happen if our country celebrated our presidents Birthday and that thought leaves me worried.

That was the end of my first week of holidays. I now have a better perspective of the Dutch and their country and I am truly excited to see what else is on show in this unique nation. And there is still so much to come.

I really do miss the beauty of South Africa, like the Mountain Ranges and the sunsets. But when this is the view from my bedroom, I really am not complaining.

Eiffel Tower at night

Three Days in Paris

I was told explicitly that the drive to Paris through Belgium is beautiful and not to be missed, and definitely not to be slept through. And it is a truly magnificent view. The first time you see a church spire in the distance with a quaint village around it, and then the windmills and the rolling hills, you do see the beauty. Even with the second old-style village and windmill farms it is still pretty but by the thirty-seventh little village and spire with a windmill next door, you do get the slight feeling that this is familiar.

It is an absolutely beautiful view and a magnificent drive and that is undisputable. But the mountains without end along the Garden Route or the views from the Eastern Cape just seem to be slightly more awe inspiring.

Paris is a city with little compare. The first part to be driven through is the ‘slums’ of the city. It is not quite Nyanga but it does make you realise that Africa is not alone in poverty, something that we forget from time to time. And after being stuck in traffic for a couple of hours, you think this is any other city; well it seems that way. Our opinion did not change much as we drove through the city for the first time on that night. We arrived in what seemed like the business area with skyscrapers and glass buildings; it was not synonymous with the Paris that we see from post cards. But once on top of the fifty-six story Montparnasse building, the beauty of the city was just beneath us.

All the lit-up streets seemed to lead to some beautifully illuminated cathedral or monument or church. As we moved around the platform in the chilly air, a new view from below caught our eye and soon made its way onto my camera which did by no means justice to what we saw that night. But what dominated the view was the lit up Eiffel Tower. I have never seen a photograph or a post card that captures the magnitude of the cast iron tower.

We then went to supper in the Latin Quarter which is the old Students boarding area. So it was very busy and with lots of buzz. That saw an end to our first night in Paris.

The next day we found ourselves touring around the city. Apart from the whole ‘French people’ thing, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. We went to the lock bridge (where people place locks on the bridge hoping that there love lasts forever, or something like that). We saw The Louvre with the glass pyramids outside and the final Arc completing the line through the city. Unfortunately we could not visit the Louvre as most museums are closed on Tuesdays in France apparently. We carried on with our tour making are way through the city, where we saw the Obelisk and the Arc de Triomph; which is another impressive construction. We saw the le Madeleine Church and the old opera house. We visited the Eiffel Tower this time up close and in daylight; it is a truly amazing radio mast. I will leave going up the tower for my next Paris trip (I hope there is another). The Notre Dame Cathedral is another beautiful building and something to be seen. Another successful day in Paris and quite a few things ticked off my list of things to be seen.

The final day in Paris was a bit more laid back; we made our way to the north section of the humongous city. That is where the Sacre Coeur Church is. This is a truly magnificent building, beautiful and awe inspiring building and you cannot help but to not feel worthy when in a building like that. The area it is in is a lovely place to visit, where there is the painter’s square with reasonable and authentic art on show and sale.

All together I had a fantastic time in France and I hope to return as I left plenty still to do. Paris is a beautiful city and fully deserves the hype. It does not only have beautiful old monuments, impressive architecture and rich culture and history but even the buildings along the street are beautiful and old fashioned. I should probably also mention that there are a couple shops here and there. I did leave with some corny touristy souvenirs but the biggest thing I left with is an untamed craving for Nutella crepes.

Another Day

20^th February 2014

Today was my coldest day here so far; no fun cycling in the rain but something that must be done.

I had the opportunity to sleep in this morning and I took it in open embrace. After I felt fully rested I made my way to town to buy hockey boots, and I met up with Chelsea and we made our way to Johan’s office for our meeting. We spoke about a few ground rules regarding our time here and helpful tips on how we should live. We then made our way to the apartment and received our sets of keys. We also received our first ‘pay-check’ so we have to make that last.

The apartment is very nice and fully equipped. We are very excited to move in and start living independently. There is a washing machine and tumble dryer, unfortunately the dish washer is broken. There is a coffee machine and new fridge and there is a closet which is quite cute. It seems to be a cupboard filled with all the things that the other gappies left there over the years. We just need to organise ironing stuff. And stock the kitchen and, well, move in.

I had hockey practise in the evening at Huizer Hockey Club with Craig Sieben. It was a new experience; they are obviously at a much higher standard than at back home. It is amazing to walk into a hockey complex that has four lit-up AstroTurf’s and to realise that this is a mediocre second division side. I did not play well at all but I am there again next Thursday. I didn’t have the opportunity to see much of their hockey but I can say, even though they are better than us, the Dutch do not have many  natural sportsmen, certainly not as many as South Africa.

This will sound funny but I am starting to crave cookies, so I am sure I will stock up on those.

First experience of schools

18^th February 2014

Today was my first meeting with Laar and Berg School. It is fair to say that it is not a traditional single sex school. I was shown around the school by André and the biggest initial difference is probably the ‘smoking section’ for the kids. No one really greets each other there; it is not really a school thing but a Dutch thing.

The school is nice and fully equipped, the school is apparently in a rather wealthy area, so I believe the children come from relatively wealthy backgrounds. The kids dress as they want and well kind of do what they want.

I was introduced in the staff room, and some of the teachers spoke to us afterwards. There is one teacher who is very excited to have me for their teacher’s hockey side, and it looks like I might be doing a lot of work for the English department as that would be the most convenient for us. I am excited to help out with PE. We are already going on an excursion to Amsterdam with the History class to Amsterdam and some of the Jewish museums next month.

We sat in on two of André’s geography lessons, they were in Dutch but it gave us an idea if how classes worked. They are a lot more conversational, kids were not as severely punished for talking as I am used to. And they are allowed their cell phones in class; while not technically for personal use, it did not stop the kids from texting or going on media.

Well the classes may seem less disciplined; I really do see the merit in the style of teaching. It really does allow the kids to think for themselves and be more interactive.

So those were my first observations of a Dutch school and I was impressed and truly excited for some work.

So tomorrow I have a meeting at the other school ATC, it should be interesting as well.

Exciting times.

Amsterdam Town Hall

first day in the capital

17^th February 2014

 We boarded the train to Amsterdam and to Amsterdam we went.

On Mondays shops only open at one o’clock. They know the pain of those Monday mornings. We went there in the afternoon. We decided not to be too adventurous as this was our first outing there and we only had the afternoon. We stuck to the main roads and tourist places. We saw The Dom, which is the main square with monuments and a beautiful Town Hall. The train station itself is a marvellous building. The weather was on our side so we walked up and down a couple streets, went into stores and saw canals. We did not get to the Red Light District nor did we see any coffee shops in the part we went, I’m sure you can hear my disappointment as I write this. The event of the day is that we visited the Amsterdam Historical Museum (For free with our cards) and that took us through a thorough history of Amsterdam.

Chelsea continued to shop; nothing there warranted me to reach for my wallet so I returned with nothing but my memories. It is official, the Dutch have no shame, they do not hold back on any opportunity to display anything sexual or use profanities. While it does make them unique, some disclosure has never that bad.

So that was our first day in Amsterdam and I am sure it will not be our last.

I found a website showing all the performers coming to Holland, and Miley might be bumped down my list.  

 I am starting to get a picture of how expensive this year will be. But I go on in good spirits, and tomorrow I have my first meeting with the school.

Fact of the Day: The February Strike in Holland during World War 2 was the only mass workers strike against the prosecution of Jews.

Going to Utrecht

14^th February 2014

So here I am thinking that Holland is pretty cold, and I’ll be okay if I wear enough layers and plug the holes. And to be honest it is a great plan; but only if you decided to only step outside between ten in the morning and eight in the evening. So yes, when I cycled to fetch Chelsea at eight thirty this morning, I was cold.

But after a chilly start to the day, we had an excellent time. We left by train to Utrecht, South West of us. (Utrecht is the fourth most populated city in Holland, for all you General knowledge fundi’s out there).

Utrecht central train station has a great thing going for them. The main exit of the Station is the entrance to the local shopping mall. And since I was with two women, the shopping commenced. It did not last too long as the price tags quickly took the wind from our sales. I should probably mention that the Dutch is an impeccably dressed population, everyone seemed to be well dressed and fashion conscience. What I did notice is that about 80% of the people would be considered ‘hipster’ in South Africa, with the glasses, Euro-cuts and blood restricting pants. I could not help to wonder if the remaining 20% could be the new Hipsters.

I’m sure my dad will be glad that the shopping was the smallest portion of our day. After I was done judging the style of the population, we soon found the tower that dominated the Utrecht skyline. We went to the DomKerk (oldest church in the region). We could not go on the tour as there was a wedding on but we did get to see some of the church and one of the courtyards. It was built in 1735 and registers as the best looking church I have seen.

We walked the streets of the town and were astounded by the beautiful canals and old houses, all the buildings seem to be ancient or completely modern so it leaves a stunning place to visit. We had sandwich’s from the most famous Italian bread deli in Utrecht (Don’t Worry, I was also blown away by their credentials). We continued walking when Chelsea and I walked past a few shoe stores and decided to get High-tops. When in Europe, do as Europeans do. So we got ourselves some shoes. From there we returned to the Station, we indulged in Starbucks coffee, only ever seen before in movies by South Africans.

So I do have to quickly apologise for the some of the rubbish I have written between the title and now, but well done for reaching the end. 

Utrecht

1st day in Holland

12^th February 2014

“It looks like a beautiful day in Holland, little to no cloud cover and great visibility up to 10km. On the ground it is 3 degrees……….”

There was no simpler way to be told that I was no longer in Cape Town, and was indeed in Europe. At least I was not alone, as we disembarked the plane, there was a general pain felt as in turn everyone put down their hand luggage to put on a jacket and all warmth of South Africa was lost.

Anyone travelling alone would admire the simplicity of Schiphol Airport. I was directed very clearly by signs to passport control, luggage halls and arrival hall. And as you pass through passport control, you think, “Well this is going to be simple enough”. Straight afterwards the baggage hall with opens up in front of you; you look at the monitor to find out that baggage from Johannesburg will be on belt 16. Now in my head 16 is a pretty small number, and it is until you have to first pass 15 other belts. As it turns out Schiphol’s baggage hall forms a semi-circle around the arrival hall, so once completing the half-moon to get to belt 16, you look back and you can see where passport control is, about 50m away.

But as much as I can moan, it was an easy trip, I slept well and I had no hassles. I still haven’t seen Wolf of Wall Street though.

After leaving the airport, and facing the cold for the first time, you realise that you can deal with this weather. So we pack the car and begin the drive to Hilversum. Now at this stage my eyes are set firmly out the window, looking at the countryside and the highway and making my initial observations of Holland. They take great care of their country, no litter, trees planted alongside most of the roads and where there is no road, building or tree there is grass, a lot greener than you would find in our back yard.

The Highways have walls constructed on the sides, I assume to stop cyclists from trying to cross. These walls have been constructed to have some design or pattern to liven the place up. The Roads are very clear as to where to go, especially the circles with divided lanes. And after about 15 minutes of driving, you realise you that you finally reached the edge of Schiphol. But my biggest observation was that as far as you look in any direction, the highest point is a tower or the tip of a tree. When people say Holland is flat, believe them, they are not over-exaggerating anything.

It seemed appropriate to go for a cycle on my first day. And that is what I did, cycled through the streets and the town and the park. There is no easier place in the world to cycle. There are bicycle lanes almost everywhere and cyclists have the same rights as drivers. Cars wait for bikes at corners and cyclists have their very own robot system. But what makes cycling so easy and dare I say enjoyable is the fact that Holland is so flat, my steepest incline all day was a speed bump. Very little energy is used and the only time when your legs feel the burn is when you are cycling into the wind. While I enjoyed my time on the bike, I may still give the Cape Argus a couple years.

So far so good in Holland, I am settled and having a good time, I look forward to putting down some more thoughts. But I must first mention the biggest revelation of the day, and that is their Wi-fi. I no longer feel that far from home as I can always stay in contact and it helps that it is a lot quicker than anything at home.