Productive Sunday...

Productive Sunday...

I putted a second layer of paint on the door and window frames in the hallway, that went alot easier then the first layer. This new paint I bought was expensive and had a thicker layer, the first one I bought was a cheap one and was so much thinner. Perfectionist as I am, I will put here and there a new layer on tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow in the morning I want to go to social services, to get things settled. Social services is known here as lazy and has lack of giving attention. Last Friday I went to Social services aswell to get things settled, but they told me when I asked for a anointment that they don't do appointments on Friday, I had to come back on a Monday, or on every day from 9:00 untill 12:00, but not on Friday. I have to pay a amount of money according to social services, and that's actually right, but the way the handled it is not right. 

That's why the visit tomorrow, aswell I still pay for a loan what I asked at social services. About that loan, I still don't know what I already have payed or how much I still have to pay. Lack of giving information! Tomorrow I will know more... This upcoming Tuesday it's my Dad's birthday, 75 years old! He's giving a small party with family and relatives, I'm looking forward to it, but aswell I'm a bit anxious. The uncles and Aunts from my Dad's side aren't always that nice, sarcastic aswell sometimes, smeary comments. Lat year I skipped my Dad's birthday too, just because of the Family, afraid of if they would start about 'Canada.' This time I will come, I will stand above it, "if" they start. When it gets to much I will stand up, turn around and leave. One more week of vacation, I think it's also enough though, 3 weeks of vacation. I had a very nice vacation! 

Dave Gahan- Miracles- Hourglass.

Weather forecasts......... sigh!

Weather forecasts......... sigh! 

Yesterday I decided to go to Amsterdam, cause the weather wasn't going to be that good as they forspelled earlier. Though later in the evening the weather man for spelled perfect beach weather, then I had doubts. Will it be beach or Amsterdam? I can always go another time to Amsterdam I thought, so the beach it became. I grabbed my travel bag, towels, slippers, food and fruit and a few things more. I was wearing shorts and a trainings jacket (long sleeve) it still wasn't that warm yet, clouds appeared aswell. "It's still early," I thought. When I arrived at the beach I could have guessed it that the weather wasn't that good for beach weather, still cloudy and a chilly wind, on the beach itself weren't many people, I already told myself in the train, "If or when the weather stays that way, I will go to the sauna." The sauna is near the beach. Actually right next to it. I walked around the beach and decided to go to the sauna, the weather was rubbish. (Grrr!) 

At the sauna waiting for the little bus.

The entrance of the sauna.

The sauna was busy, I never seen there so many cars in the parking lot. The visit to the sauna was good, though I would love it to have someone with me. I have been here before, this sauna is huge and there's not many people I know, many cabines and many baths and showers. Within two or three hours I was done, I felt a bit dizzy aswell, I had enough. I took a long rest in the sauna's garden. Afterwards I took a shower andwent for the second time to the beach. The weather was better and I layed myself down. Still not many people but 'oh well,' I enjoyed it. Around five I went back to the sauna to get the little bus to the trainstation. At the train station the sun really bursted out now, (damn, why now? And not this morning?) A bit dissapointed I took the train towards home, the sauna was expensive aswell, and in my eyes not that really worth it. Perhaps it would have been better if I went to Amsterdam.

Exciting week ahead.... Dad's 75 Birthday, gotta think of a present. Thursday is the day. 

City trip or to the beach? Sigh...

City trip or to the beach? Sigh... 

I would like to go out tomorrow, but haven't decided yet what to do. Later on the day I decided to do a city trip to Amsterdam, Amsterdam is nice to visit, and has lots of sight seeings what I never had seen. Though I would love to go to the beach aswell but for me it was still a bit to chilly today. Tomorrow's temperature will be a bit higher they said, but still, I don't know. So yeah, Amsterdam it will be, I thought. Until I saw the weather forecast again this evening, they for spelled just like I had suspected, warm weather, 24 degrees. (Hmm, I would rather go when it would have been 26 or 27 degrees) "Perfect beach weather," said the weather forecaster, damn! What to do, what to do. Going to the beach is cheaper, just a short train ride, then a short bus ride, and 'tadaa,' I'm there. 

No shops or stores at the beach. Still, sigh, I will decide tomorrow I guess, for now it's 50/50. It's been a okay day today, I had a mail from social services, They stopped paying me since May 2012 cause I have a job now, I knew that already in June from this year that they would stop paying me monthly. I have to pay a sum of money back, cause I received money in May from them what wasn't alowed, 

(not my fault) In the mail it said aswell that they found out that 'they' payed me to much from January 2012 until May 2012, they overlooked it. (Let's call it: them being lazy or lack of paying attention) I was on time telling them I got a job in May, but 'they' were being lazy in overlooking it and confirming. 

Either way I have to pay, in September from this year (they said)I will get the options how to pay them back in therms. In 2011 I asked social services for a loan aswell, cause of my so needed furniture and other special needs, (fridge, washing machine, bed, etc, etc) That loan I'm still paying aswell since 2011 monthly. I really would like to have a talk with someone from social services, a talk about how 'things'are going now, cause I receive almost no mail at all from them. For example telling me how much I already payed for my loan, or what I still have to pay. Aswell I would like a confirm that they stopped my income from them since may 2012. So, today I went to social services, and they told me to come back next week, cause they don't do appointments on Friday. Sigh, well, okay. 

Monday it will be then, Monday morning I will know more. I like things being settled, and confirmed.

11 days and then it's back to work...

11 days and then it's back to work...

I want to have at least 11 sunny warm days before going back to work, lol. My vacation is going well, thanks to the trip to Berlin. Though I want to go out a few days more, perhaps a visit to the beach or a few city trips in Holland, The Hague or Amsterdam would be nice. I don't know what it is but 'History' and 's ightseeings' interest me more then ever, is it my age? I can walk trough a forest for example and go, "Oh look at the nice view." When I was young I would just throw a stick there or climb a tree. Yeah I'm getting older, LOL! I don't mind though, I enjoy it the fullest. 

I would like to visit Amsterdam again, I have been there so many times but, now I would like to explore more from Amsterdam. There's so much more there then just shopping and sitting on the dam or walk past the canals. Ofcource there are some more cities in Holland that I would like to visit, for example Rotterdam, or The Hague. But it could be aswell that I plan to go somewhere totally different, a zoo for example, lol. Yep, lots of of plans. I hope my sore troath doesn't mess up all my plans, it started this morning. Could be aswell from all the painting I did yesterday. Will see!

The smell of paint, yack!

The smell of paint, yack! Plus day 5 (last day) trip to Berlin.

I started with painting the hallway today, I started early. I wasn't happy with the paint, the paint was thin and the door and window frames were hard to cover. The frames surely needed a good painting, it's been a while since they did that. The frames were yellow instead of white, but they were white at first. It was a hell of a job but I managed, though it took me almost a whole day. But I'm not done yet, I will have to do it one more to get a real good covering. Looks already nice though.  

My idea is to do the next covering next week or perhaps this weekend, I will buy a good covering paint and some good brushes. The first paint I bought was cheap and so were the brushes, but it did the job. Pretty satisfied about it aswell, the most work is done, the hall way is the most work with so many door and window frames. The doors itself can wait, I'm not in a rush. It was nice painting today, the weather was dull anyway. This coming weekend we get warmer weather, hopefully I can go to the beach then, that would be great!

Here it goes, from Berlin back to Holland, day 5! 

I had a so, so sleep last night, I think I slept for or five hours, I can't even remember. I kept waking up and looked at the time, it wasn't even needed, I had my cellphone alarm on at 6:00 am. Maybe just a little bit of excitement of nerves to go back home, maybe it's an idea to bring my own pillow with me the next time, just to feel comfier. The pillows here were to soft, even when I used two of them. Anyway, around 6:00 am I got up, took a long shower and packed further my suitcase and travel bag. I turned on the TV and watched it until 7:00. Then downstairs for my last breakfast, I will miss it, lol, no! I will miss whole of Berlin, I'm sure I will be back. Breakfast was good and ofcource I grabbed some fruit and sandwisches with me for in the bus, lol. Alright, everything was packed and I was ready to go, I left the hotel room nice and tidy. Time to check out and wait until everyone gathered around, I wasn't the first one. 

Ready to go home? Yes, I mean, no, uhm!

I could stay another week though, easily! I like traveling, the further away the better. At 8:30 am we all sat in the bus, Gerrit and I again in the backseat. It was time to leave, weird feeling when the bus took of and I saw the hotel getting smaller and smaller. The trip back went a bit faster then when we were going to Berlin, probably cause of the downhill highway and the 'moving on' traffic, lol. Aswell less roadblocks and no rush hours. We stopped two times for a coffee and snack break, I was in need of a coffee. I bought a cappuccino, 3 Euro and 30 Euro and 30 Euro cents. deng! "I dislike German coffee, I didn't had any good coffee here, London was better." After a long, long ride with lots of views of electric windmills and valley's we arrived in Holland. With one of our stops I talked with a nice girl aswell, she was with another girl and was a part of our group. 

Lot's of valley's to see on our way back.

I liked her already during the four days in Berlin, but didn't really go after her. In these four days I spoke twice to her and that felt good. If this whole trip would have last longer... well, who knows. Though I was a bit nerves while talking to her, slightly afraid to say a dumb thing, or silent moments. (Reminds me of my time in Canada, specially the last two months) We arrived in Didam (village in Holland) where we left too, all buses gathered here. Buses who went to different countries, such as, Italy, Spain, France. All of the travelers from these buses including us who will have a nice dinner together at the meeting point where a restaurant is. This was aswell when I got back from London. Every bus will have there own table, I think there were more then 800 travelers, oh my. We (Berlin) sat at table one, it took a while when we all started with dinning, a few buses were late. 

I'll explain later....

Dinner was nice, we had french fries, salad, soup, yum! After dinner we all got back in our own bus, the same travelers where I started with (In my city Almelo) sat down in bus number 13. That's the bus that would take us to our Provence. (The east of Holland) We had a double decker and Gerrit and I sat in the backseat, I was quit nerves and and actually excited to go home. I think it's normal when your almost home you automatically get excited and probably nerves, I wanted that the bus driver went faster. THOUGH this bus driver was something, lol. He was slow and not even thirty minutes before Almelo he decided to stop at the gas station for gas. (Okay it was needed) First of he took long, very long with paying, after 20 minutes he returned telling all of us that he had to pay the whole gas bill by his own, cause the money machine didn't work. (Okay, pity and understandable, but... 

What do we have to do with that?) The bus took of again and not even ten minutes on our way the bus broke down, on the highway. Yep, the bus driver putted benzine instead of diesel in the tank! One of the travelers was already suspicious, he smelled something while the bus driver tanked. Benzine... So, all of us out of the bus, suitcases aswell, the bus driver took a while with knowing what to do, and decided to call another bus. He announced that another bus will come within a small hour, small hour?? Damn, I gave up the excitement, and just laughed about it, what else could I do. Some travelers waited patiently, and some called for there family members for picking them up. And the bus driver? He just stood there in front of the bus watching the other travellers. Must have felt ashamed, I don't know. After a small hour another bus came and brought us home, it was already late. 

11:30 and I walked firm towards home, I don't like our neighborhood when it's dark. Awkward feeling when I returned home, opening the door, putted away the suitcase and travel bag, and grabbed my laptop. LOL, addicted much? Naah, I thought first all of the pictures on my computer, then I'm good. Funny that I still heared Gerrit's voice and his dry jokes in my head, yes, I shook his hand and wished him well, would be nice to see him again, he lives near, though in another city. I stayed up until 1:45 am.

Painting the next few days...

Painting on my schedule the next few days... (plus a post of day 4 trip to Berlin) 

I got a little bored today, what to do, what to do? I don't like sitting on the couch with my laptop for hours, or watch TV, allthough I could easily do that. I'm always in need of a little movement during the day, even if it was only for a half hour. But there's not much to do this week, I could go out but that costs money. I was thinking of painting the hallway when I saw the weatherforecast this morning, rain, cold, grey. I thought about it for a little while and decided to get the stuff I needed for painting, I already had some stuff so that was good. I only needed sandpaper, paintingbrushes and ofcource paint.

I figured that I had plenty of time to paint this week, this coming weekend the weather will be better, then I can go out. I sanded the door and window frames today and covered the side of the windows with special tape, Oh my the amount of windows I have, and that's the hallway only. Lots of work with the sanding and tape, but I got it done just before dinner. Tomorrow I will start with painting, then the day after I will paint it lightly again. I like it when it looks nice and tidy, a good thing I guess. So yeah, I will have my movements the coming days, all good.

Almost there, day 4, trip to Berlin...

St. Mary Church and the TV Tower became one in this picture, lol.

This day was our last day in Berlin, wow, how time flies! Today was on our schedule a visit to Potsdam, Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, 24 kilometres (15 miles) southwest of Berlin city centre. I had no clue what to expect actually, but heard good stories about it from some other travelers in our group. I slept good last night, allthough I had a late nap yesterday just before dinner. Gerrit knocked on my door, otherwise I would have slept further and missed dinner. The sunburn from yesterday is still there, so I will have to take it easy today with the sunbeams, another hot and sunny day is on his way. Gerrit offered me some sunscreen today, that was nice.How am I feeling? I'm good but aswell a bit excited to go home actually. 

In front of our hotel, waiting for everyone to gather around for the trip to Potsdam.

Though if the bus driver would tell us, 'We will stay another day or two," that would be okay too. Mixed feelings.After my delicious breakfast and grabbing some extra bread and fruit for today's afternoon's lunch (as you do) we took of towards Potsdam. It was 9:30, that's our usually start of every morning. I weared shorts today, just to warm to wear long pants. The weather forecast for spelled rain and thunder in the evening... It was a long ride to Potsdam, after a few roadblocks we finally arrived. The bus driver told us that we took longer then usual, normally it's only a thirty minute drive, this time ninety minutes. I was getting sleepy and tired, I longed for a nice cuppa coffee, no wait! A nice BIG cuppa coffee in a large cup! Potsdam wasn't quit what I expected, when the bus turned into the parking lot I thought, "Do I have to spend my morning here?" 

Sansssouci Palace from King Friedrich II

But it was surprisingly okay though, Potsdam is sure not the same as the centre of Berlin, you can compare Potsdam with a touristic fisherman village, nice, comfy and quiet. If you want to escape the loudness and hectic of the city then Potsdam is great! We visited first in Potsdam Sanssouci Park, with the famous Sanssouci Palace from  King Friedrich II, later known as Friedrich the Great. Really a nice area, I took several pictures, ofcource. Though I stayed out of the sun, cause it burned that hard on my arms and neck. (Poor me, lol) We stayed for a little hour at the park and returned back to the bus, oh I forgot to tell, Gerrit was with us today, he delivered his rented back in and joined us, just as he planned it. Joy full, funny man, he sang a few songs in the bus, and had jokes and lots of conversations, some loved it some not so, lol. 

A Dutch street with Dutch houses and decorations in Potsdam.

 The bus drove us to the Potsdam centre, we had two hours to shop, flaunt and to explore. Again, I thought, "What on earth I have to do here in two whole hours?" But it was nice, unexpected nice. The sunburn went okay, and I explored Potsdam centre. I actually had a great time, there was so much to see, though you had to look for it, and that was just the best part. While walking trough the centre I suddenly saw things what catched my eyes, for example a pretty garden, a nice painted building, or a decorated bicycle. Potsdam had aswell a few Dutch streets with Dutch looking houses and decorations. Yeah, I enjoyed myself, I took many pictures, I figured it's my last day here, I'm  going loose! Our group is getting closer aswell, lots of talks and jokes, I love it! It was 2:15 when we returned to our hotel, I was exhausted. Specially when Gerrit started to sing German songs, LOL! 

A bicycle store in Potsdam.

I was in need of a shower and a nap. The trip back took us sixty minutes, again long. My schedule further today was: shower, nap, dinner and then a walk with Gerrit. Though Gerrit informed me that he didn't wanna go for a walk tonight, he was tired and his feet were bugging him, oh well. I went on my own, it's my last evening in Berlin, one more time enjoying myself in the centre of Berlin. I started packing aswell, easy, cause I hadn't much with me. Putting things ready for tomorrow, passport, keys for my room, etc, etc. The walk was nice, but I walked firm cause there was rain and thunder on it's way. While I walked I had to be careful not to get lost, cause I saw many things what I liked, before you know your on the other end of the city. Berlin is not crowded, though it's busy, not much traffic, though there are many cars and bicycles.

The river Am Spree, with the 3 madchen statues. The clouds were getting darker and darker.

Berlin is wide and spread out, the traffic and tourists doesn't really bother you. It was a nice walk but I really had to return to the hotel, cause it started almost to rain. I was half way and all of a sudden hell break loose, I dived into a restaurant and walked further to the toilets, before the waitresses come to me for ordering. While I walked trough the hotel I suddenly appear in a lobby from a expensive hotel, lol. From there I could look outside trough the entrance, still rain and hail, and thunder aswell. I waited until it got dry. It went a bit dryer and I walked towards the hotel, a fresh cool breeze felt good. After I returned to the hotel, I turned on the TV (Olympics and grabbed my notebook, writing about my day. Tomorrow early up, I setted my cellphone alarm on 6:00 am. Leaving at 8:30 am. I'm gonna miss it!

Back to business day...

Back to business day...  (Plus a post of day 3 of my trip to Berlin)

Today it didn't feel much as a Monday, though there was some business to do, taxes! I still ow money from taxes, in the year 2010 when I lived in Canada I still payed my taxes just like everyone else, but I didn't even had to. I didn't live in Holland in 2010 so, paying taxes for Holland while I was overseas wasn't needed. Last Saturday I finally recieved a paper from the taxes office, the paper I waited for so long. I got a mail this year in February from taxes, they were telling me that I have the right on a sum of money from the year 2010 cause I lived overseas. 

I had to go to the nearest taxes office and ask for a M-file, that file I had to fill in and post it. And so I did, though from Frebruary untill now I waited for that M-file, they were out of M-files and had to order it. Now I finally got it, I had to fill it in but with some questions on that file I had some difficulties. That's why I went to the taxes office this morning, see if they could help me fill it in. And they could. Finally it's all done now, ugh, taxes, always slow. The guy behind the desk helped me out and then told me that I will get a mail as soon the money is made over, wi'll see.
 
Ready, steady go! Day 3, trip to Berlin.

I feel great, it's such a good feeling to know that everything is taking care off. I only had to pack my bags, hop in the bus and enjoy! After a refreshed shower I planned this morning already my breakfast, scrumbled eggs? muesli? Or just bread with jam or cheese? It became bread with cheese and a glass of milk. Do I feel homesick? Nope, not at all. Or perhaps not yet, I think I will be when it's Friday and will be on my way home. But for now I feel good, excited what the next days will bring. I slept okay on this third night, though I was early awake, 6:30! When I went down for breakfast I saw Gerrit aswell, (he's the old funny man who sat next to me in the bus) I saw him last night aswell. He told me he rented a bicycle and explored the centre of Berlin, he had such a good time. Gerrit showed me the pictures on his camera, today he will be going again. 

The sun shinned brightly today, it was warm and hot. I loved it!  Today we did another tour in the bus, yesterday we went in the centre of Berlin, today we went just outside Berlin. With some of the activities during these five days you have to pay extra, it's not that much tough, it's worth it. I payed the whole sum, the whole trip, breakfast, dinner and the extra activities. Ofcource, cause I'm on a holiday and I want to enjoy the fullest, like I said I didn't had to pay that much extra. It was after 9:00 and I went downstairs for the tour, again we had the same guide as yesterday. He's a good guide and tells his stories interesting, again he told about World War 2, and the East and West of Berlin in the war time. The bus driver drove just outside the centre of Berlin and our guide started talking about what we all saw outside, There sure is a difference between West and East Berlin, East Berlin is full of foreigners, cheap shops, loads of graffiti. (oh my) 

Motherland statue at Treptower Park.

The Soviet War Memorial at Treptower park.

                http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_War_Memorial_(Treptower_Park)

We drove trough East Berlin towards Treptower Park, that park is a historical place during the war and even after the war. The Soviet War Memorial is located here, I have seen it before on TV and in magazines but in real? No way, wow! It's huge and incredible, our guide told us a few stories about how this Memorial arise. Many, many Russian soldiers were buried here. I wanted to walk around the whole park and explore more statues, but we didn't had time. From Treptower Park we drove further to another sightseeing, Tempelhof Park. The park isn't that big but across the park is an old airport, Berlin Tempelhof airport.
Tempelhof was designated as an airport by the Ministry of Transport on 8 October 1923. The old terminal was originally constructed in 1927. In anticipation of increasing air traffic, the Nazi government began a massive reconstruction in the mid-1930s. 


                        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Tempelhof_Airport


This visit was awesome aswell, but way to short again, but okay, we had a full program these five days. So, sometimes we had to keep moving on. Plus doing a tour with such a big bus isn't easy aswell, parking lots in the big city, you know. This airport was ofcource not in use anymore but it's still intact. Berlin wants to keep the historical buildings as monuments or just as a remembrance.Ofcource some of the monuments and buildings are not intact anymore, architectures and builders are trying to re-build those buildings, etc, etc. Berlin in my eyes looks like a city under constructions, cranes, and builders everywhere. It's a good thing though. From Tempelhof the bus drove to Bernauer strasse, I had no clue what to expect, almost every visit is a surprise. It seems on this street where the 'Wall' was located many East or West Berliners try to escape over the Wall shortly after the war in 1961, some with succes but most without succes. 

Huge painting on the side of the houses in Bernauer strasse, formaliar picture, right?

The Berlin Wall Monument at the Bernauer strasse.

 Does it ever stop? Another interesting place to visit! I saw huge paintings on the side of houses, remembrance 1961 after the war when the wall was build up. There was aswell a awkward Monument what had to represent the Wall where it use to stand, huge stealen rusted pins in the ground a few kilometers long. When the bus stopped I ran over to the first house of this street to take a picture of that one particular house, the first house has a great picture on the side of the house. It was a picture of the first brave soldier who escaped from East to West Berlin, the guide told us the name of the soldier but I forgot his name, but what a incredible painting. The bus driver gave us only thirty minutes to explore this area, way, way to short. But oh well, I got several pictures I was satisfied and happy. The group of travelers getting closer, I spoke to a few of them, many of the travelers came from the East of Holland. 

I could hear it when they speak, it's the dialect, lol. I stay friendly with everyone, some talk alotmusea area, not even far from the river Spree. It's aswell close to our hotel, we stopped here for lunch, within a hour back for a boat trip over 'The Spree.' It was fine with me. The Berliner Dom is by far the most gorgeous building I ever seen, I took several pictures. Oh this whole area was outstanding, I surely will be back. Berlin is a touristic city, but not as busy and overwhelming as London. Berlin is more spreaded out, aswell this city has alot of green and lots of parks and small rivers. The traffic is not much aswell, you could easily crossover, watch the green light though! I could (I think( easily spend a year here, should I move? It was warm and sunny while I flaunted over the streets, I decided to order a ice cream and a glass of juice. 


I sat at a restaurant outside with next to me the Spree, life couldn't be better, but oh my the sun burned. I watched my clock, it was 1:30, I still had 30 minutes till the bus takes of again. Plenty of time I thought, but the waitress took long, after I ordered my bowl of ice and apple juice, I had to wait ofcource it. That took a while, but within fifteen minutes 'it' came, finally. I still had fifteen minutes to eat and drink plus paying the bill, brain freeze, brain freeze, lol. I wanted to pay my bill but the waitresses just walked by and by, I decided to go inside and pay there my bill. A waitress told me to go outside and wait for the other waitress, I told her that I haven't got much time, she alowed me then to pay the bill inside, sigh! Some Germans.... Right on time at the bus, we took of at 2:05 for the boat trip. I think it was at least thirty degrees on the boat, no covering just an open deck. 

The Berliner Dom!

Swans flaunting during our boat trip, was not that easy to take pictures from the boat, I sat right in the middle.

My first sun burn was a fact, it was hot, and the boat trip was... okay. Not that interesting. Though I sat next to a girl which I liked, she's one of the group. It was nice siting next to her, here and there we had a few jokes and a few talks. This trip is way to short for me though to start a friendship or even more... I need my time.. I'm first a observer for a long while. The boat trip took one and a half hour, a bit long but hey, it was good. The bus drove us back to the hotel for a rest and ofcource dinner, just what I needed. I had a few cramps, I'm sure it was the ice cream and the sun burn. Though I ated my dinner, and it did me good. Everyday we have something different with our dinner, mostly potatoes but always different vegetables and meat. Today we had ham but my stomach doesn't like ham, specially not after I had ice cream. I took a small piece of fish instead. 

I always like a complete meal, for example, rice with veggies and meat, or potatoes, veggies and meat. It will be rare when I don't have meat with my dinner. After dinner I went for a walk with Gerrit, poor Gerrit had a few blisters on his toes, so he went oh his bicycle, I walked next to him. A nice sunny afternoon, Gerrit wanted to take me to a place what I had to see, he insisted! It was a nice little square, it had a French look, a few little musea, a little square and a few terraces, very nice! Gerrit loves it!! It was nice to be here, the evening breeze cooled down my sun burn, that felt good. After an hour we went back to the hotel, it's been a long day, oh yes. Tomorrow will be our last day in Berlin, wow, how time flies. Friday at 8:30 we will take of to Holland, but I don't wanna go yet.

Reunion/brunch/lunch with some of my nieces. (Long post!)

Reunion/brunch/lunch with some of my nieces. (Plus a post of day 2 of my trip to Berlin)

Today on the program was a reunion lunch with four of my Nieces, I was excited and a bit nerves. In February I had a birthday party from my Aunt, when I went there I saw alot of my Nieces and Nephews back, they were all from my Mothers side though. (Way better then the Nieces and Nephews from my Fathers side sorry to say, it's true) The family from my Mothers side are much more opener and friendly. At the birthday party from my Aunt a Niece decided to organize a reunion for this Summer, a nice 'come together' for Nieces and Nephews only. What a great idea, I was already excited. Just before my trip to Berlin I got a email from 'that Niece' and I confirmed with the reunion. 5 August on a Sunday we will meet in my city at a near pub, for lunch and a drink, great!! This morning I rested and just before I had to go I took a nap, around 11:30 I took of for the reunion. 

Ofcource I was first, lol. I waited on my bicycle and 10 minutes later the Niece who organized this all showed up, we hugged and shook hands, it was nice seeing her again. Five minutes later two other Nieces showed up, hugs and shaking hands followed. Not every Niece and Nephew showed up cause of the Summer holiday, most were still on Holiday. We decided to do this reunion again in September of this year, "Then we will all come," said one Niece. It was a nice sit together, we sat outside and had lunch and drinks. We talked alot, and I didn't mind there were only Nieces, lol. It's a fact that on my Mother's side are more Nieces then Nephews. I enjoyed the whole two hours we were together, friendly people. Amazing right? That after such a long time we saw each other we talk in and out, like we see each other everyday. In September the group will be bigger, can't wait!


Here it goes, day 2, trip to Berlin...

City bicycles for rent, just like in London,pay with your credit card.

 After getting used to the bed and the atmosphere in my hotel room I woke up nicely on time, I had a nice and a okay sleep. I was nervous the air condition would turn on automatically during the night, but it didn't, I don't like wind blowing in my face when I sleep. I woke up around 7:00, I showered, I cleaned the shower afterwards aswell, lol. It wasn't even needed, but hey, just the way I am. At 8:00 I went downstairs for my first German breakfast, there was a host waiting for the guests, I had to tell my hotel room number and then could pick a seat. 'We' have our own spot while having dinner and breakfast in the hotel, not a rare spot, just in the hotel's restaurant. 'We' are with many people so the waitresses and chef's need to know when it's time for 'us' to eat, so that the waitresses can divide us and show 'us' our table. When it's time for breakfast and dinner we can choose our own food, like a buffet. I'm loving it.

After our breakfast I went for a little walk, I figured I still had a small hour before 'we' take off for the city tour. I wanted to take a few pictures with my new camera, I have two camera's with me, nerd I am, lol! (If I loose pictures on my old camera, I will still have pictures on my new camera (geesh!)) It was a nice walk, I took several pictures and was satisfied. Finally I'm getting more and more used to the new camera, though I need to practice more on the panorama function. I was still on time for the city tour, I'm getting more closer to the 'group' aswell. Ofcource we all have to get used to each other, that takes time. Though most of our group are elderly people, but there are people of my age aswell and even younger, a mixture of ages you can say. 9:30 am, the city tour began! Berlin has so many sight seeings, mostly it's about World war 2, but that's cool and very interesting. 

A piece of the Berlin Wall, so much art on this last piece of the Wall.

At Check Point Charlie... never knew this area would gave such an impact.

Our guide for today was not the bus driver but someone else, this Dutch guide is living in Berlin, studied German, architecture and German history. By the way he spoke you could tell he did his studies, everyone was quiet when he spoke. I saw the Berlin Wall, (wow, what a impact that gave!) Check Point Charlie, (another impact, I saw pictures from it in a book and I saw it on TV, but it's so much better to see it in real) and the Holocaust memorial, (that was amazing aswell!) Lol, I'm writing this post on a little notebook on a bench in front of a restaurant, and there's a woman sitting there, I think she wants to know what and why I'm writing. After the city tour the bus driver dropped us of at a huge shopping area near the biggest warehouse of whole Germany, (maybe even of whole Europe) the warehouse is called 'Kaufhaus des Westens,' in short Kadewe. 

Kaufhaus des Westens.

The meat section in the Kaufhaus, 7th floor where it's all at.

There was a small but cozy subway station aswell, I went there first for a little lunch snack. I like train or subway stations, I like to watch people going from A to B, lol. While walking you had to be prepared for foreigners who are begging for money, I saw a few, but walked further. Though one stopped me from behind, a little teenage girl had a notebook with her and she made it clear I had to fill in something. I could see she was poor and deaf, (or she pretended) she was friendly aswell. I'm weak, lol, so I filled in what she wanted. I had to fill in my signature, place where I live, and what country. I thought, "Okay, what's next?" It was kinda awkward, she looked at me and I could have guessed it, she wanted some money. So I gave her 50 cent. She showed me again the notebook, took her thumb of her writing and there it said, '5 Euro permitted or more.' 

Then I got angry, and I wanted to have my 50 cent back. I'm not a hard or though person, but, a beggar asking for 5 Euro is crazy, be happy what you get. Later I found out that she was fake when she was talking with another partner-beggar, I thought, 'damn you.' While I went on with shopping I saw many times the same beggars asking other people, I watched them for a little while. There was so much to see in this huge shopping street, I got sleepy aswell and searched actually for a place where I could take a little nap, lol. The only option were benches, I paused many times, and took it easy. Later on I felt better. At 4:30 I returned towards the bus, I was done. At 5:00 everyone returned and we took off, back to the hotel for a little rest and dinner. It was a full day, cause at 7:30 the bus took of again for the city night tour. I felt good though,dinner and rest did me good. 

Marlene Dietrich platz at a theatre near Potsdammer platz.

The huge meeting point at the train station in Potsdammer platz.

                                        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdamer_Platz

The city night tour was great, we had the same guide as with the city tour. Again great stories about Berlin, re-building of Berlin, the difference between East and West Berlin, tearing down the Wall in 1986. The bus took us to Potsdammer Platz, Berlin has actually 3 centers, Potsdammer Platz is the 3rd center. With hotels, shops a huge shopping mall and huge train station this platz is BIG, it has a casino and theatre aswell. I took alot of pictures of the amazing architecture and sight seeings. Our guide told us how this place was re-build, if you imagine that this area was once just a huge flat area bombarded with bombs in World War 2, it was a outstanding story the guide told us. The last event for the evening was the TV Tower, this tower is a television tower in the city centre of Berlin. 368 metres (1,207 ft high, and I'm going in. Ofcource I was a bit nervous, but I wasn't the only one. 

A few eldery guys from our group were aswell. Though I went in, and it went prety fast. It was dark and that kinda helped to ease down my nerves. The vieuw was great, thank god I couldn't quit see how high we were. Our visit to this tower was short, it was in, stayed 15 minutes and we went down again. It was all fine with me, it's been a long day with a full program, I needed a sleep for sure. But wow what a great day, I seen so many things, heared so many stories. Tomorrow we leave again at 9:30, but first, 'Good night!'

Lazy day... I love it!

Lazy day... I love it!  (Plus a post of day 1 of my trip to Berlin)

Lazy day today, I'm still a bit tired from the long journey from Berlin to Holland, wow what a trip and what a ride! Spending fourteen hours in a bus is sure not a pleasure, and then when you think your almost there, the bus brakes down. But anyway, more of 'my trip' in my other posts. I will be writing daily again and then end up with writing over Berlin in every post. five days, five little posts. I didn't do much today, I needed groceries for this weekend, so I bought that and further? Further not much. chilling, relaxing, napping, resting. Tomorrow at 12:00 there's the lunch with my nieces, just before my 'take off to Berlin I got a email from my niece, she asked me if I would like it... to have a lunch with the other Nephews and Nieces (from my Mother's side), I said "Yes!" So, yeah, tomorrow's lunch will be different, I'm excited and look forward to it.

Alright here it goes... Day 1 Berlin!

It was early in the morning... heading towards the train station. And then waiting for the bus.

It sure was early that Monday morning, I didn't sleep well. Perhaps the nerves, or just the way I am before a trip. I had nothing to worry about though, everything was settled, suitcases packed, papers and passport was ready. I only needed to get up, take my medication, have breakfast, clothes on and take off. But anyway, I got up, and had enough energy for this day, the lack of sleep was gone. The excitement took over. It was cold though, but dry, so that was good. While I walked to the train station I started to worry if the bus would show up, the bus what will take me to Berlin. I worried aswell a little if I had enough clothing with me, or enough equipment, I checked a million times yesterday and this morning so, sshhh, Sjon your fine! Arrived at the train station I saw no other travelers with suitcases, it was quiet. It was still early though, it was 6:30, the bus will show up at 6:40, (hopefully)

I saw a few other busses but they were all city busses, I surely would be relieved if a huge white bus will show up. And it did, pffeeww! More passengers showed up, I suddenly wasn't alone anymore. There were for sure more passengers then last year's trip to London. The bus driver checked our names and packed our suitcases, I saw the other suitcases and they were huge. I had a big travel bag and that was it, I knew I had enough with me, all was good. The bus driver took us first to other cities, to pick up other passengers. I was surprised of the amount of passengers in the bus when were done with picking everyone up, blame the Summer holiday. The bus drove to one meeting point somewhere in the middle of Holland, where all other travel busses will meet each other, from there ALL the passengers will be divided. There are busses who will drive to Italy, or Spain, or Prague and ofcource Berlin.

Bus ten, I already grabbed my suitcase. It looks a bit of a mess, but everything went fine.

So, grab your suitcase and pick the bus you need, I needed bus ten. Everything went quit easy, although there were a little 1000 travelers. I think everyone included we had a little sixty passengers in our bus towards Berlin. There were more then ten busses, wow. Before the take off all passengers could have a little coffee/tea break at the meetings point restaurant. At 9:00 bus ten took off, heading to Berlin, I actually had no clue how long this journey would take. I decided to sit in the back of the bus, cause of my long legs. Another elderly guy was sitting there already, he actually adviced me to sit next to him in the back seat. "So we have enough space for our legs," he told me. The elderly man is a nice guy I found out while we were riding, great sense of humour aswell. He works as a teacher, he teaches (age 5 till 18) with a down syndrome how to stand in their lives. He told me about it, and it's very interesting.

I compared him with Mr. Humpries from are you being served? Cause of his movements and the way he talked, I could tell he was either gay or bi. Though he was married he told me, so I had doubts. But all that... didn't matter, he was a great and interesting guy, he made me laugh many times. The trip to Berlin took long, very long. We were more then five hours on our way and then we still had to drive more then 400 kilometers. It looked like it was one long highway, with here ans there hills and a few curves. Though the views were now and then breathtaking, so nice. With many hills, valley's and huge electronic windmills. We had two stops on our way, to stretch our legs and have a snack or drink. The bus driver needs a rest aswell, after four and a half hour he needs to stop for a rest, that are the rules for a bus driver. There was one stop that was amazing, we stopped at Helmstedt/Marienborn border. Ofcource I took some pictures.

This border checkpoint was the largest and most important border crossing on the inner German border during the division of Germany......

excisited from 1945 untill 1990.

After thirty minutes we took off again, Berlin was waiting for us. I had ated my lunch and had a drink, I was ready for the last part of kilometers. Our bus driver wasn't so clear in his talking, he mumbled in his microphone, and his accent was hard to understand, but okay. I could always ask the other passengers. It was 6:00 pm untill we finally arrived in Berlin Germany, though we still had to drive a little 20 kilometers to our hotel. When we arrived there things went pretty fast, checking in, getting our suitcases. Though there was a little mixture of failures cause our hotel was next to another hotel, ofcource we tried to check in at the wrong hotel. After that fail, we could go to our own hotel rooms. I had room number 536 on the fifth floor. the view wasn't so pretty (cranes for builders, a parking mall, and some dirty backyards) but the room was awesome! Double bed again...

The bathroom was pretty, there was even a button for the volume for the TV. Small room but oh so pretty, I love it! At 7:00pm there was our free dinner, well free? I payed for it when I payed the whole trip. I will have in the five days four times breakfast, and four times dinner, drinks are not free. The food is like a buffet, pick what you want. Delicious! After dinner I went for a walk, the old man who sat next to me in the bus went with me, his name is Gerrit. Again so much laughs, and Gerrit knows alot of Germany and Berlin aswell, he could show me alot of things ans talk about it. We walked only for a little thirty minutes but saw already so many things, so interesting to see all the history plus the monuments, buildings and statues. At 10:00 I went to bed, it's been a long day, I'm sure I will sleep. Tomorrow we will have to get up early and leave at 9:30am, for our first excursion.

The usual sleepless night before a trip...

The usual sleepless night before a trip...

Everything went well yesterday, suitcase is packed, got the house clean and tided up before the trip, etc, etc. Then off to bed on a nice time, though I wasn't even tired, I thought, "I will fall asleep anyway." Yeah, I thought! But I didn't, I was clearly awake and my Turkish neighbors were loud again. It was alright as always, but this time it wasn't, the little worries and m awaken made it only worse.

"Why are they so loud?" I thought, "Can't they talk normal?" It was late aswell, I went to bed around 10:30 pm, and at 12:00 pm the neighbors were still loud. Then I knew it, 'Ramadan,' they wait until a certain time and then they all eat together. There are several Turkish people in the flat, so yeah, that's why. I took it for granted, and fell asleep late. Around 2:00 am I woke up and felt I slept for 30 minutes.

At 4:00 am I woke up and decided to get up and wake up slowly, there were a few little things more to do before my take off. I will try to have a sleep in the bus, I had it before that I couldn't catch my sleep before a trip, it's surely not my first time. Though it doesn't feel good, but anyway, off to Berlin, Germany! I will catch you readers on a Thursday or on a Friday, lol, I don't even know when I will be back. That doesn't matter either, it's gonna be lots of fun, and that matters!

Suitcase is packed... I'm ready to go!

Suitcase is packed... I'm ready to go!

Alot done today, getting everything ready for take off. Cleaned and dusted the rooms a bit, packed my suitcase, emptied the fridge as it comes to 'what can go bad if I leave it there for a week.' I bought one bread to much last week, so I ated bread nearly two times a day, for breakfast and lunch. Yes, I have a freezer, but that thing doesn't work so well. Perhaps time for a new one in the near future. Though I love my old second hand freezer, it has that ol'classic look. Excited for the trip? Yeah, it's starting, but the nerves are there too, lol. Have I enough with me in my suitcase? Should I take two or three trousers? Did I pack my passort now? Yes or no? 

Lots of statues in Berlin.

And funny street art, lol, try to get your parking ticket out of that machine.

Tomorrow at this hour I will be in Berlin I guess, it's not that far as London. No computer for a week, oh dear, naah, piece of cake!! I'm actually looking forward to it, being without the net for a week, it will be easy. My blog can have a rest aswell for a week. though I will have a little notebook with me and several pens, to write everyday a short story about what I went trough that day. Just like I did with London. So, tomorrow I will be off, and last night I looked already for some new travel sites for a new next trip. I want to go just like last year between Christmas and New Year. Though I couldn't find anything what suits me, maybe I'm to early.  I heard the weather will be good in Berlin, grey tomorrow but not cold, later in the week lots warmer with lots of Sjon-shine.

One more day... One more night!

One more day... One more night! 

Am I excited to go to Berlin? Uhm, it goes actually, but the closer it gets the more exciter I get. Still it feels like I'm going on a holiday in my own country, Germany is surely not that far. I got informed and the trip will only take a little 5 hours, I heard that Berlin is awesome though, so it should be good. I will be packing my little suitcase and handbag tomorrow, plus the usual things to do for a trip. Cleaning the house a bit, do my last ironing, make sure I got everything locked up or locked off, and checking twice I got my tickets and passport. And everything else what is needed for the trip.

The usual nerves are starting a bit aswell, lol. How will it be being on a holiday again? What kinda people will there be with the excursion? What if the bus doesn't show up? Oh well, in the end everything will be fine, I will be sure to check everything more then twice, I'm good at that, sometimes even a bit to much. But that's good. I'm a good timer aswell. I had the idea of buying a new camera aswell today, I had that idea already for a long time though. I take alot of pictures, I love taking pictures. Usually when I have the idea of buying something, I will buy it either way. So yeah, I bought a camera. 

New camera.

Old camera.

I went to two electronic shops, the first shop had amazing camera's, but this shop is known as expensive! The seller showed me a few camera's, though I was looking for a Canon camera, just a small one, just like my old one. But this shop didn't had Canon, the seller showed me camera's of Nikon and Fuji. Such a nice camera's but the price made me almost faint. More then 400 Euro! Not in a 400 years I would spend on a camera that expensive! The other electronic shop I went to is a shop where I go often, good quality and sometimes cheap. Seeing all those fine new cameras there made me buy one. I bought a Sony, nice and small. See picture above. 


Ofcource the seller wanted to charge me more with a one year warranty, and a camera bag. A warranty should be come automatically in my eyes, but anyway. I had a price limit in my head before buying a camera, when I bought the camera I was under my limit, all good. It was a nice day, rested alot and the weather was better then yesterday. It rained all morning, in the afternoon the sun came back. Though the temperature was much less then yesterday still it felt warm. It felt good to be outside though, shorts and t-shirt.

Waiting for the rain... to cool off.

Waiting for the rain... to cool off. 

It's just to warm to do anything in the house, usually I'm on the laptop in the evening, but I closed it a few times cause it's just to darn warm. Rain and thunder is on his way, pffeeww, if were lucky we will get some in the middle of the night. I might even go for a walk just before going to bed, a nice and fresh breeze is what I need. This morning felt nice, I opened all doors and a few windows, that felt good. I had some luck aswell today with my flat tire, I thought I would loose my bicycle for the rest of the day today, just because the bike repairer might have it busy also with other repairs.

I was on my way to the repairer early in the morning, I knew it would be quit a walk. I took a short cut trough the train station, and there I saw aswell a bike repairer, I thought, "Hey, ofcource, the train station has a bike repairer too." I stopped for a few a seconds and thought, "Shall I go here or go further?" I decided to go further but after ten seconds I turned around and went back to the 'train station bike repairer.' I went inside the shop and saw a old man busy with a bike, I told him what was wrong with my bike and he told me he could fix it right away. 

Then I asked him when I could pick the bicycle back up again, I told him that I live close by. "No need too," said the repairer, "You can wait for it, it only takes a few minutes." Wonderful! My bike will be ready in a few minutes, who would have thought that? Surely not me... I had a nice little chat with the repairer, and after he was done he charged me with a small 12 Euro, not bad at all! I already planned that I would do my grocery shopping walking, but that was different since my bike was repaired so quickly. I did my groceries, and went home.

I figured I didn't need much groceries, because I will be off to Berlin this coming week, and there's no work either. Less food! I was excited what I had bought though, and the price was fine. I took a nice bike ride in the afternoon after my nap, today's the last day it will be this warm, so I thought, "I'm gonna spend it well." It was warm but the bike ride felt good. That's just me, lol, I have to get out on such warm days, I just love it to grab my bicycle and just take off.

Warmst, tomorrow even warmer, ugh!

Warmest, tomorrow even warmer, ugh! 

I nearly fainted today at work, it was that warm. It was quit a busy morning aswell, I did alot but felt good, although it was warm. Just before the lunch break I bended down on my knees to repair something, when I got up I went pale and a bit dizzy. "That's it," I thought, "I'm taking it easy now." Perhaps I was a bit TO busy. I can stand heat quit well though, I think this was the first time I nearly fainted from the heath. It took a while when I felt a bit better again, after the lunch I continued my work, but took it easy. Not that fun working with more then 30 degrees Celsius.

At 3 'o' clock, we cleaned up and at 4 'o' clock we sat down to have a nice meal together, a few fellow workers prepared a little area in the factory were we could sit and eat. The staff hired some food, drinks and snacks, there were a few tables and chairs where we could sit. The food was good, we had different kinds of Oliver salad, satay, shawarma and lots of drinks, including wine and beer. It was nice sitting with each other, no chance of feeling left out for me. Great bunch of guys. After an hour I took off, more people were going, so...

Everyone wished each other happy holidays and went home. Now, when I wanted to grab my bike I saw I had a flat tire, sigh! But I cycled home anyway, a fellow worker cycled with me. He lives near me and cycles most of the time with me towards home. I can repair a flat tire but I don't have the tools for it yet, I will bring my bike to the bicycle repairer tomorrow, it's the same one where I bought my bike from. Maybe he will shorten the money when he fixes my flat tire. I will have to walk tomorrow with my bike, but that's okay. Only a little 3 km, I walked further then that before.