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Friday, January 9
We thought it would be a once in a lifetime experience, when in December 2007 the world around us turned into a mega rimy Disneyland. But today, not only the grass and trees are covered with frost, but the canals and lake behind our house are frozen as well. The watery light - for which Holland is famous - gives it an even extra dimension!
Sunday, January 11
Last Friday the Mayor of the city of Nieuwkoop caused a national uproar when he put a stop to an iceskating tour around the lake. He expected too many people whilst the ice is still frail. But today not only one but two (!) major iceskating routes lead the elated crowds along the fringes of reed. There are Koek-en-Zopie booths everywhere. Ambulances drive back and forth, and at the end of the day the police estimates that about 20.000 people have brought a visit to our frozen backyard.
"Koek en Zopie"
[cook an soapee] is an old Dutch expression, only used in combination
with Wintery conditions and iceskating, meaning: cookies and something
to drink, f.i. a small glass of liquor to warm up again. But since we're
close to the sea many young people have probably never heard of the
expression. The last time we had a Winter like this was in 1997 (
)!
Thursday, January 17
Not our daily routine to spend a night in prison, behind a one foot thick wall and a huge iron door and only a keyhole window. But it's more than ten years already, since the last time we all got together... the members of JG's holding with their partners.
This used to be a house
of correction, a spinning house ().
In older days fallen women were forced here to spin. Our detention
period is no hardship at all! Within earshot the owners of this prison
run one of the best restaurants of the Netherlands: De Librije (),
which is one of only two places in Holland that have been awarded with
three Michelin stars.
Tonite our nick food exists of red mullet with lemon grass and a warm
salad of shrimps, squid and couscous. Yeah, doing time ain't always
easy!
Thursday, January 29
The Winter on Samos has been cold and very wet. That is, according to the Greeks! To us it feels pretty much like the middle of Spring. While everyone is walking around in coats, we love to absorb as much sunlite as we can on our bare skin. But it's true: compaired to previous Winters Mother Nature is a bit behind. There are not so many flowers, let alone many new botanical discoveries...
Until we find this purple
beauty near the beach. It turns out to be an Autumn Mandrake. Mandrake?!?
Didn't we hear this name before? Indeed! A short Google-session tells
us that we've found a very special mythical and magical plant ().
And we'd only come to see here the flamingo's.
