Bye, Holland!
Friday I arrived at Harm and Jovanka’s place 3 minutes before Jovanka pulled up. We had frites (“French fries”) for dinner and some assorted other fried foods (they were using a deep fryer). I suggested making crab rangoon, Beth and I made it a few times and it was great. Just the frying without a fryer was a bit too messy.
So I looked up a recipe and we discussed the translations. We decided to have it for lunch on Saturday.
We watched “Holland’s Got Talent.” and it was pretty good. They had breakdancers, a juggler/drummer guy, an absolute weirdo, and two violinist “cats” with an attitude.
Saturday Harm went to the market early, and got all the right stuff for crab rangoon. We then went to the Huizen Festival (they live in Huizen, a former fishing village).
Highlights:
- Cilia jumping 20 feet to a mat in an inflatable ride.
- Buying a diablo and yo yo for Brady.
- The people in traditional dress.
- Real stroopwaffels – they look exactly like flat ice cream cones but are filled with caramel. Crunchy, gooey and warm.
- Going to the steeple/bell tower of a church while the bell was ringing for 15 minutes straight. Harm and Cilia stayed partway downstairs until the bell stopped ringing so loud. I just covered my good ear and went up. It was spiral stairs then 3 staircases that were practically ladders.
- Singing flowers (you have to see a picture)
We then went back home and made the crab rangoon. They only lasted long enough to cool down. Cilia’s birthday is next week and they are planning to make them as appetizers.
I also had to fit everything I bought into my bag. At the airport they told me my bag was 2 kilos overweight. They also told me jeans are about one kilo. I moved some stuff into a shopping bag I brought for this very problem – solved. Harm drove me to the airport – I didn’t want to go.
I have a stopover in London for 4-5 days. Going to a salsa night in London tonight. A bus runs from my hotel all the way up there. I hope it’s still running at 1am, or I’ll have to take a famous London cab.
Haven’t decided what I’ll do past that. Am on the plane waiting for it to take off.