i've got a few rantecdotes i need to get off my chest. mostly generalizations about dutch people. and yes, L.B., i know that L.M. had a delightful time in amsterdam and met wonderful dutch people. i'm not saying wonderful dutch people don't exist. in fact, even i have met a few. this is for the few bad apples.
Dutch people don't understand queuing. Unless there is a sign specifying that you should line up at each ticket-window, it is perfectly reasonable (and typical) for one line to form, somewhere in the vicinity of the ticket-windows. It stands to reason that those people are queuing up for assistance from the person on the other side of the ticket-window. Ordinarily, the person at the front of the line will go to the ticket-window which next becomes available. Why then, do you persist in unfairly cutting the line? And why do people in the service-industry not enforce a fair and equal queuing? Who knows?
Example No. 1: When J.P. (and, J.P., you can back me up here), we went to Den Haag HS station to buy tickets to Amsterdam. Two ticket-windows, and a line forms somewhere in the center of the two. We are patiently waiting for our turn. The ticket-window on the left is un-occupied and then becomes occupied. In the meantime, a smug Dutch douchebag comes in to the ticket office and goes straight up to the now-free ticket-window person. Cutting ALL of the people waiting in line! And, what's worse, instead of pointing out the line that has formed for help, the woman at the ticket-window actually helps him, as though he is in the right. Of course, the other ticket-window person goes off to do something (because God forbid two ticket windows could be open at once, that would mean a Dutch person would actually be working) and then our entire line shifts left to stand at the place that douchebag is being helped. He shoots us a super-smug look as he leaves. It took a lot of self-control not to punch him in the groin and give him a clothesline. I was NOT about to let this unfairness pass. Oh no. We get up to the window and I point out to the woman that we were all waiting in line and that she helped someone who cut in front of us. I add that there is no indication that a line should form at each window. I am not going to let this go. The other Dutch people can stand around meekly and lament that this is just life in the Netherlands, but not me. The woman admits (weakly) that it's her fault for not making the process clear. Yeah? No shit sherlock!
Example No. 2: I went to the central public library today to do some work. I go sit on the third floor where there are three large tables with people studying or quietly using laptops. I find a spot and start reading. Shortly thereafter, a group of ferals arrives fresh out of juvie hall and they start being very loud and disruptive. They are louder than ought to be permitted in even a non-silent part of the library. It is a library, for *!?%'s sake! The rest of us exchange frustrated looks and shoot looks over to the offending group. They look back and don't lower their voices even an octave. Lame. Finally, I have had enough. The rest of the quiet people at the library tables aren't about to do anything. Leave it to me. I walk over to the loudest people at the group, and say in English: "Excuse me. There are a number of us trying to do work over here, could you please lower your voices. If you want to talk, maybe you should leave this area." One of them, smirking, says in English, "Sorry but I don't speak English." To which I reply, like !@&$ you don't. (ok, I really should not have dropped the F-bomb right then, but I did.). Then they start freaking on me and calling me names. One of them says, "learn to speak dutch." I have made my point, ineffectually, so I go sit down in my spot. A library employee walks by and doesn't nothing, even as they are loudly saying "@#$% you" to me. Ah, but of course. God forbid, he actually do his job! A while later a female library employee goes over to the group and tells them to quiet down. They do -- for about 30 seconds. So what does this have to do with queue etiquette? It is not getting any quieter as other groups of ferals come and go. People are openly talking loudly on cell phones. And people think North Americans are rude! As I leave the library, I wait at the librarian desk to let them know about the disruptives. There are 2 people working there, one is on the phone and the other is helping LP 1 (library patron). I am LP 2 and there is a LP 3 waiting behind me. I am standing at the lady librarian's side of the table. She looks like she'll be done soon. Whereas, LP 1 looks like he has a lot of questions. Lady librarian makes ZERO indication that she sees me (a living, breathing library patron standing right in front of her!). She puts the phone person on hold, and leaves the desk. Time elapses. I am tempted to leave without snitching on the ferals, but I can't do that. It just wouldn't be true to me. I wait. Then LP 1 leaves the desk to go to the stacks. I look hopefully at man librarian. He is doing something at his computer. I move over towards his station. Then man librarian holds up his hand at me and leaves the desk to go help LP 1 in the stacks! Now, LP 3 and I are loosely standing in front of each of the stations. I'm still closer to the one with the lady librarian. Man librarian returns and as I move over to be helped, LP 3 deftly moves farther to the left-hand side and TOTALLY CUTS IN FRONT OF ME! I can't believe it. Man librarian, of course, starts to help him. Even though HE SAW ME STANDING THERE EARLIER and motioned for me to wait. WTF!!! LP 2 has NO SHAME. Lady librarian comes back and picks up the phone. She's on the phone forever again. Now, LP 1 has returned to the desk. I've moved to the center of the two stations by now. There are 4 of us at the desk. LP 1 returned, standing closer to the lady librarian. LP 2 (me), LP 3, at the man librarian desk and LP 4 (who I smiled at and she totally looked through me. Hey, pick up a dictionary, look up the word smile. Try it.) Lady librarian puts down the phone AND (to my disbelief) gestures to LP 1 to come forward!!!! WTF! Of course, LP 1 goes to the desk and starts asking his question. Lady librarian doesn't even look at me. SHE SUCKS. They all SUCK. I look at LP 4 with a look that says, "step back, biatch, because i will cut YOU if you cut in front of me." LP 1 leaves the desk and I practically run to the lady librarian's station. I was going to point out that I was the first person in line and that TWO people were allowed to cut in front of me. But I decide that since I am complaining already, I shouldn't get on her bad-side. Once I started talking to her, she was very sympathetic to my problem. And said that she would make sure someone went over to keep an eye on the situation and would call security next time it happened. She also told me that there is a (crowded) area on floor 5 which is absolutely silent. Next time, I will go there.
I have to start a new post now, because this is super long already.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Photos of Blarney
Beautiful vistas from Blarney Castle. Emerald Isle, indeed! Oh, and one of me pouring imaginary boiling oil on N.O.
photos from ireland!
Photos of: Gallarus, Irish Surfers, Postcard from the Edge, Killarney Lakes & the Rock of Cashel (this kind of looks likes a frown-y face to me).
Monday, May 11, 2009
weekend in cork
I spent the weekend of May 2-3 in Cork, visiting N.O. and hanging out with his dad (and other members of his family, as it turned out).
Cork is a fun town. I had a great time. N.O. senior drove us around to see the sites around Cork. We went to:
On 02.05.2009:
1a. The Rock of Cashel (aka Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick's Rock): located in Munster - in the town of Cashel, County Tipperary. The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster for several hundred years before the Norman invasion. The buildings on the site date from the 12th and 13th centuries! It is known to be the place where the King of Munster was converted by St. Patrick (himself) in the 5th Century AD. As my friends at Wikipedia report: According to local lore, the Rock of Cashel originated from Devil's Bit - a mountain north of Cashel - when St. Patrick banished Satan (yes, Satan himself) from a cave. The Rock landed in Cashel with a wallop.
1b. As part of our trip to the Rock of Cashel, we also saw "Hore Abbey" -- unfortunately named. Also unfortunate was the used condom I saw on the way back from the Abbey (signs of the "new Ireland") -- Hore Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery near the Rock of Cashel. The best thing about Hore Abbey was the numerous cattle that were guarding it. Some big, ugly beasts. They didn't look to happy for us to be trespassing on their land.
2. Cahir Castle: We didn't actually get to go inside this castle, since it was already closed by the time we got to it. It was built in 1142 and is also in County Tipperary.
3. On the way back home, we headed into the University College Cork so N.O. senior could pick up some stuff from work. He is a very accomplished physicist and had an amazing office full of very incomprehensible stuff. Brain busting, pain in the temples type of physics equations.
4. Dinner at home. N.O. cooked up some delicious meat and potatos. We rounded out the evening with a viewing of two action movies: "Taken" and "Wanted". Massive adrenaline, over the top. Sweet dreams.
On 03.05.2009:
Another awesome day of site-seeing. We headed out West to the Dingle peninsula in West Kerry.
1. We stopped at the Lakes of Killarney. I was forbidden from entering the city of Killarney itself. I couldn't have entered it even if I wasn't forbidden to, since I was in N.O.'s car, hurtling down the road at breakneck speed. There are three lakes and the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful. A bit of local knowledge: There is a famous German Butcher Shop in the area which came to be because of the Liebherr Factory, which builds container cranes. Liebherr is a German company, which had many German employees. The factory was built in Killarney because it was the only part of Ireland the owner had knowledge of. He'd heard it was beautiful (it is).
2. We stopped in the town of Dingle for lunch. Dingle: Population of 1920 people, at least as of 2006. There was a parade taking place in Dingle during the time we where there. I later found out that the parade was part of Feile na Bealtaine arts festival. We didn't check it out for long though. Back on the road.
3. Dunbeg Promontory Fort: Most Promontory Forts date from the Iron Age, but this one might date from the Bronze Age! Dunbeg is really quite remarkable. It's located on steep cliffs at the base of Mount Eagle. There are four lines of banks, five fosses and an inner rampart with an entrance flanked by two guards-caves. There's also a strange and freaky sou-terraine under the fort, which N.O.'s grandfather climbed into and walked along. In a suit. Many years ago, when the passageway was open to the elements and adventurous souls. Dunbeg was excavated in the 1970s. There aren't too many date-able finds in the fort, so it isn't easy to date the structure. There are dates of 900 AD found in the occupation layers of the "beehive" structure in the center of the fort, suggesting it was inhabited in the 10th or 11th centuries AD. But a charcoal layer under the top soil produced a radiocarbon date of around 580 BC - this layer might have been the result of the burning of a wattle fence (whatever that is). Very cool.
4. We then hit the beach. A beautiful sandy beach surrounded by sheer cliff. I'm not sure what the name of this beach is. It was quite a neat little place to explore and people were out enjoying the uncharacteristically sunny weather. In fact, two people were surfing! And some nutbars were frolicking in the water without the benefit of a wet suit. Fools!
5. Ballyferriter: The home of N.O. senior's first cousin. We stopped in on her (A.) and her husband (B.) since we were in the neighbourhood. What was really funny was the reaction of her husband when we arrived at their place. We were in a rental car with Dublin plates and since the steering wheel is on the right-hand side, I was the one sitting nearest B. He's looking at a brown girl in a car and can hear a manly voice speaking Irish asking after his wife. He was completely baffled by the scene before him. Once he realized N.O. Senior was driving, he responded: "Christ!" Hilarious. We went in and had some coffee with the two of them. Really lovely people. It was nearly impossible for me to understand anything B. was saying, even when he was speaking English and sitting right beside me. Later their son and his girlfriend showed up.
6. The Blaskets: All the way along our trip to West Kerry, there were sightings of the Blaskets. The Blasket Islands are amazing. A real sight to behold. They name of the Islands might have derived from the Norse word "brasker" which means "dangerous place." The description is apt. There are 6 principal islands, collectively called the Blaskets: Great Blasket, Beginish, Inishnabro, Inishvickillane, Inishtooskert (aka "dead man's island" - it looks like a dead man when viewed from the east) and Tearaght Island. The Blaskets (mostly Great Blasket) were inhabited until 1953 by a completely Irish-speaking population. They were evacuated to the mainland then. A lot of the descendants of the Islanders emigrated to the U.S. and many live in Springfield, Massachusetts. The story of the residents of the Blaskets took root and there was a great deal of interest in the the Irish they spoke and the island culture. Irish school-children had to read an (apparently, highly sanitized) account of one woman's life on the Blaskets -- Peig Sayers. I'm reading a book about the Blasket-ers called "Hungry for Home: Leaving the Blaskets" by Cole Moreton. N.O. Senior's cousin - A. - gave it to me. I spotted it at her place and she insisted I take it. It's an interesting read.
7. Gallarus Oratory (The Irish name translates directly to "The Church of the Place of the Foreigners") A very old (1300 years old) stone building that is shaped like canoe upside down, basically. It was built by early Christians and is believed to have been built between the 6th and 9th Centuries. The oratory has a really interesting design. It was built without mortar and uses something called "corbel vaulting" - a technique developed by Neolithic tomb-makers. The stones are all laid at a slight angle, lower on the outside than on the inside, so rainwater runs off. The interior is relatively dry even though there is no mortaring. The building is in really good shape. There is only one window in the building -- on the wall opposite the door. Local legend says that if a person crawls out the window, their soul will be cleansed. I am still a sinner.
8. Dinner in Cork: We went out for dinner in Cork - at a new restaurant (called Hardwood) that N.O. reported to be his best meal ever in Cork. The food was delicious and we had a great time. Post-dinner, we headed over to the city center to find a pub. N.O. Senior's youngest brother is very social and is friends with the owners of a local pub, called Counihan's - so we headed over there -- on the off-chance that N.O.'s uncle would be there. He was, along with another one of N.O.'s uncles and N.O.'s aunt and her husband. It was super fun. There was a band playing -- an Irish band called "Arundo" -- check them out here. I bought their CD and N.O.'s aunt got it autographed for me. The real deal Irish experience! Well, not the autographing, but you know what I mean.
On 04.05.2009:
Both N.O. and I were leaving Cork and in the morning we went to Blarney Castle (where I did not kiss the Blarney Stone -- I talk enough already) and the Blarney Woollen Mills. The Woollen Mills had some really amazing sweaters, but the ones I liked were entirely too expensive. Fortunately, I had left my wallet at home so I could only spend 50 bucks. I dodged a financial bullet by leaving my wallet at home. We explored caves under the Castle and walked all the way up to the Stone at the top. It was super, and the views from the top are amazing.
And that ends my report of Cork. Super-fun and I'd love to go back.
Cork is a fun town. I had a great time. N.O. senior drove us around to see the sites around Cork. We went to:
On 02.05.2009:
1a. The Rock of Cashel (aka Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick's Rock): located in Munster - in the town of Cashel, County Tipperary. The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster for several hundred years before the Norman invasion. The buildings on the site date from the 12th and 13th centuries! It is known to be the place where the King of Munster was converted by St. Patrick (himself) in the 5th Century AD. As my friends at Wikipedia report: According to local lore, the Rock of Cashel originated from Devil's Bit - a mountain north of Cashel - when St. Patrick banished Satan (yes, Satan himself) from a cave. The Rock landed in Cashel with a wallop.
1b. As part of our trip to the Rock of Cashel, we also saw "Hore Abbey" -- unfortunately named. Also unfortunate was the used condom I saw on the way back from the Abbey (signs of the "new Ireland") -- Hore Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery near the Rock of Cashel. The best thing about Hore Abbey was the numerous cattle that were guarding it. Some big, ugly beasts. They didn't look to happy for us to be trespassing on their land.
2. Cahir Castle: We didn't actually get to go inside this castle, since it was already closed by the time we got to it. It was built in 1142 and is also in County Tipperary.
3. On the way back home, we headed into the University College Cork so N.O. senior could pick up some stuff from work. He is a very accomplished physicist and had an amazing office full of very incomprehensible stuff. Brain busting, pain in the temples type of physics equations.
4. Dinner at home. N.O. cooked up some delicious meat and potatos. We rounded out the evening with a viewing of two action movies: "Taken" and "Wanted". Massive adrenaline, over the top. Sweet dreams.
On 03.05.2009:
Another awesome day of site-seeing. We headed out West to the Dingle peninsula in West Kerry.
1. We stopped at the Lakes of Killarney. I was forbidden from entering the city of Killarney itself. I couldn't have entered it even if I wasn't forbidden to, since I was in N.O.'s car, hurtling down the road at breakneck speed. There are three lakes and the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful. A bit of local knowledge: There is a famous German Butcher Shop in the area which came to be because of the Liebherr Factory, which builds container cranes. Liebherr is a German company, which had many German employees. The factory was built in Killarney because it was the only part of Ireland the owner had knowledge of. He'd heard it was beautiful (it is).
2. We stopped in the town of Dingle for lunch. Dingle: Population of 1920 people, at least as of 2006. There was a parade taking place in Dingle during the time we where there. I later found out that the parade was part of Feile na Bealtaine arts festival. We didn't check it out for long though. Back on the road.
3. Dunbeg Promontory Fort: Most Promontory Forts date from the Iron Age, but this one might date from the Bronze Age! Dunbeg is really quite remarkable. It's located on steep cliffs at the base of Mount Eagle. There are four lines of banks, five fosses and an inner rampart with an entrance flanked by two guards-caves. There's also a strange and freaky sou-terraine under the fort, which N.O.'s grandfather climbed into and walked along. In a suit. Many years ago, when the passageway was open to the elements and adventurous souls. Dunbeg was excavated in the 1970s. There aren't too many date-able finds in the fort, so it isn't easy to date the structure. There are dates of 900 AD found in the occupation layers of the "beehive" structure in the center of the fort, suggesting it was inhabited in the 10th or 11th centuries AD. But a charcoal layer under the top soil produced a radiocarbon date of around 580 BC - this layer might have been the result of the burning of a wattle fence (whatever that is). Very cool.
4. We then hit the beach. A beautiful sandy beach surrounded by sheer cliff. I'm not sure what the name of this beach is. It was quite a neat little place to explore and people were out enjoying the uncharacteristically sunny weather. In fact, two people were surfing! And some nutbars were frolicking in the water without the benefit of a wet suit. Fools!
5. Ballyferriter: The home of N.O. senior's first cousin. We stopped in on her (A.) and her husband (B.) since we were in the neighbourhood. What was really funny was the reaction of her husband when we arrived at their place. We were in a rental car with Dublin plates and since the steering wheel is on the right-hand side, I was the one sitting nearest B. He's looking at a brown girl in a car and can hear a manly voice speaking Irish asking after his wife. He was completely baffled by the scene before him. Once he realized N.O. Senior was driving, he responded: "Christ!" Hilarious. We went in and had some coffee with the two of them. Really lovely people. It was nearly impossible for me to understand anything B. was saying, even when he was speaking English and sitting right beside me. Later their son and his girlfriend showed up.
6. The Blaskets: All the way along our trip to West Kerry, there were sightings of the Blaskets. The Blasket Islands are amazing. A real sight to behold. They name of the Islands might have derived from the Norse word "brasker" which means "dangerous place." The description is apt. There are 6 principal islands, collectively called the Blaskets: Great Blasket, Beginish, Inishnabro, Inishvickillane, Inishtooskert (aka "dead man's island" - it looks like a dead man when viewed from the east) and Tearaght Island. The Blaskets (mostly Great Blasket) were inhabited until 1953 by a completely Irish-speaking population. They were evacuated to the mainland then. A lot of the descendants of the Islanders emigrated to the U.S. and many live in Springfield, Massachusetts. The story of the residents of the Blaskets took root and there was a great deal of interest in the the Irish they spoke and the island culture. Irish school-children had to read an (apparently, highly sanitized) account of one woman's life on the Blaskets -- Peig Sayers. I'm reading a book about the Blasket-ers called "Hungry for Home: Leaving the Blaskets" by Cole Moreton. N.O. Senior's cousin - A. - gave it to me. I spotted it at her place and she insisted I take it. It's an interesting read.
7. Gallarus Oratory (The Irish name translates directly to "The Church of the Place of the Foreigners") A very old (1300 years old) stone building that is shaped like canoe upside down, basically. It was built by early Christians and is believed to have been built between the 6th and 9th Centuries. The oratory has a really interesting design. It was built without mortar and uses something called "corbel vaulting" - a technique developed by Neolithic tomb-makers. The stones are all laid at a slight angle, lower on the outside than on the inside, so rainwater runs off. The interior is relatively dry even though there is no mortaring. The building is in really good shape. There is only one window in the building -- on the wall opposite the door. Local legend says that if a person crawls out the window, their soul will be cleansed. I am still a sinner.
8. Dinner in Cork: We went out for dinner in Cork - at a new restaurant (called Hardwood) that N.O. reported to be his best meal ever in Cork. The food was delicious and we had a great time. Post-dinner, we headed over to the city center to find a pub. N.O. Senior's youngest brother is very social and is friends with the owners of a local pub, called Counihan's - so we headed over there -- on the off-chance that N.O.'s uncle would be there. He was, along with another one of N.O.'s uncles and N.O.'s aunt and her husband. It was super fun. There was a band playing -- an Irish band called "Arundo" -- check them out here. I bought their CD and N.O.'s aunt got it autographed for me. The real deal Irish experience! Well, not the autographing, but you know what I mean.
On 04.05.2009:
Both N.O. and I were leaving Cork and in the morning we went to Blarney Castle (where I did not kiss the Blarney Stone -- I talk enough already) and the Blarney Woollen Mills. The Woollen Mills had some really amazing sweaters, but the ones I liked were entirely too expensive. Fortunately, I had left my wallet at home so I could only spend 50 bucks. I dodged a financial bullet by leaving my wallet at home. We explored caves under the Castle and walked all the way up to the Stone at the top. It was super, and the views from the top are amazing.
And that ends my report of Cork. Super-fun and I'd love to go back.
welcome back
there are so many things to blog about. i have notes on what i wanted to blab about from weeks ago. but i have been super lazy about blogging. it's tragic. i won't bore you with the full-scale version, so here's a re-cap. and i will blog more regularly.
1. 30.04.2009: queen's day attack on queen beatrix. this probably made international news. what's strange about being here is that i don't know anything that goes on locally. all the local news seems to be in dutch - with no english subtitling. i found out about the attack on queen's day though, from a friend who was at the houseboat party. she was expecting visitors from italy and had heard that something happened that put a damper on the festivities. apparently, a lot of events in the hague were scaled back or canceled. the attack didn't take place at the hague, though. the queen was in appeldorn. someone drove through barricades and tried to drive into the bus that was carrying the queen and her family in a parade. the story was covered by the guardian here
2. all the time: my awful tv habits. i've been watching some awful tv while i'm here. the all-the-time in english channels are bbc, cnn and mtv. instead of learning more about the world, i've been watching more mtv than is healthy for a 33-year old woman. and what am i watching on mtv? i know who paris hilton chose for her new BFF. i know more about hulk hogan and his family than anyone else. i've seen relationships die a slow and painful 30-minutes. and i've seen the same 5 videos over and over again to the point where i forget what good music sounds like.
3. all the time: poverty sucks. big time. okay, okay. it's hard to have any sympathy for someone who spent the last 4.5 years being vastly overpaid. but humour me. it sucks to see stuff you can't afford to buy. which is everything. i went to a fancy department store here [like holt renfrew in canada or bloomingdale's in NY) and had to leave before i fell into depression. nice european clothes, that i couldn't buy. i mulled over the purchase of pantyhose and a scarf for about 40 minutes. poverty sucks. yes, i am a brat and i'm not really poor. i will now shut up.
4. J.P.'s visit: we were in amsterdam. P.D. (who is originally from amsterdam) recommended a restaurant on the "9 streets" (nice cute streets, also where the eyeglasses museum is located). J.P. and i looked for it. couldn't find it where we thought it was. so we went to a place similarly-named, thinking it might be the place. it wasn't. but... our waiter was super cute and tall. i was trying my witty banter on him all through dinner. hopefully, not embarrassing J.P. too much. at the end of the meal, i decided to be ballsy. and make his week. i left a note on the bill telling him he's adorable. and then we hustled out of there! no contact information on the bill, though. but still. yay, me.
5. 20.04.2009: houseboat party. E.B., M. (don't know her last name) and I went to amsterdam for queen's day. i wrote about this already. anyway, wanted to write a bit more about B.'s houseboat party on queen's day. the houseboat party was super fun! the houseboat was way nicer than most NYC apartments! very nicely decorated. with a working fireplace! greet food, drink and company.
6. 06.05.2009: there was a status conference in the karadzic case. it was quite the scene. judge bonomy (the presiding judge on the panel) was in fine form, as was dr. k. they were both in very good moods. and, unfortunately for the prosecutor, the judge was kind of in a shut-him-down mood. it was substantively very interesting: i wasn't in the court-room however, since i'm not officially dr. k's counsel. we're his "legal advisors", not counsel. and he's pro se, so he's in there all by his lonesome. the prosecution had 4 attorneys in the courtroom. judge bonomy was on fire, clearing a tonne of motions that were ripe for decision. this is a pretty great job in many ways. i use the word job loosely.
7. i found the post-office.
8. and i also found out that there is a sikh temple in the hague. it's located near-ish the big turkish market (apparently, the largest open-air market in europe) and near a couple of indian shops (little india, style). i'm planning to go to the sikh temple one of thse sundays.
9. i've done very little to figure out project TROM-L (the rest of my life). i'm trying to be okay with my lack of doing anything on that front.
that's it for now.
hope to post some pictures of my digs very soon.
1. 30.04.2009: queen's day attack on queen beatrix. this probably made international news. what's strange about being here is that i don't know anything that goes on locally. all the local news seems to be in dutch - with no english subtitling. i found out about the attack on queen's day though, from a friend who was at the houseboat party. she was expecting visitors from italy and had heard that something happened that put a damper on the festivities. apparently, a lot of events in the hague were scaled back or canceled. the attack didn't take place at the hague, though. the queen was in appeldorn. someone drove through barricades and tried to drive into the bus that was carrying the queen and her family in a parade. the story was covered by the guardian here
2. all the time: my awful tv habits. i've been watching some awful tv while i'm here. the all-the-time in english channels are bbc, cnn and mtv. instead of learning more about the world, i've been watching more mtv than is healthy for a 33-year old woman. and what am i watching on mtv? i know who paris hilton chose for her new BFF. i know more about hulk hogan and his family than anyone else. i've seen relationships die a slow and painful 30-minutes. and i've seen the same 5 videos over and over again to the point where i forget what good music sounds like.
3. all the time: poverty sucks. big time. okay, okay. it's hard to have any sympathy for someone who spent the last 4.5 years being vastly overpaid. but humour me. it sucks to see stuff you can't afford to buy. which is everything. i went to a fancy department store here [like holt renfrew in canada or bloomingdale's in NY) and had to leave before i fell into depression. nice european clothes, that i couldn't buy. i mulled over the purchase of pantyhose and a scarf for about 40 minutes. poverty sucks. yes, i am a brat and i'm not really poor. i will now shut up.
4. J.P.'s visit: we were in amsterdam. P.D. (who is originally from amsterdam) recommended a restaurant on the "9 streets" (nice cute streets, also where the eyeglasses museum is located). J.P. and i looked for it. couldn't find it where we thought it was. so we went to a place similarly-named, thinking it might be the place. it wasn't. but... our waiter was super cute and tall. i was trying my witty banter on him all through dinner. hopefully, not embarrassing J.P. too much. at the end of the meal, i decided to be ballsy. and make his week. i left a note on the bill telling him he's adorable. and then we hustled out of there! no contact information on the bill, though. but still. yay, me.
5. 20.04.2009: houseboat party. E.B., M. (don't know her last name) and I went to amsterdam for queen's day. i wrote about this already. anyway, wanted to write a bit more about B.'s houseboat party on queen's day. the houseboat party was super fun! the houseboat was way nicer than most NYC apartments! very nicely decorated. with a working fireplace! greet food, drink and company.
6. 06.05.2009: there was a status conference in the karadzic case. it was quite the scene. judge bonomy (the presiding judge on the panel) was in fine form, as was dr. k. they were both in very good moods. and, unfortunately for the prosecutor, the judge was kind of in a shut-him-down mood. it was substantively very interesting: i wasn't in the court-room however, since i'm not officially dr. k's counsel. we're his "legal advisors", not counsel. and he's pro se, so he's in there all by his lonesome. the prosecution had 4 attorneys in the courtroom. judge bonomy was on fire, clearing a tonne of motions that were ripe for decision. this is a pretty great job in many ways. i use the word job loosely.
7. i found the post-office.
8. and i also found out that there is a sikh temple in the hague. it's located near-ish the big turkish market (apparently, the largest open-air market in europe) and near a couple of indian shops (little india, style). i'm planning to go to the sikh temple one of thse sundays.
9. i've done very little to figure out project TROM-L (the rest of my life). i'm trying to be okay with my lack of doing anything on that front.
that's it for now.
hope to post some pictures of my digs very soon.
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