Welcoming back Hans and Benthe at Schiphol this afternoon.

Finally!


Hugs all around:








We sat down for a drink and travelstories:)

"....and that's how we got our LASEReyes"

Long weekend marathon with S. We watched loads of CSI on Saturday (second half of S9 plus a classic episode from S3), even more SPN on Sunday (S4?), with an extra dose of Jensen Ackles in My Bloody Valentine (3D!) and Dark Angel (emo-episode) plus for dessert William Petersen in Manhunter (1986)

Picture is taken on Monday, after three days up in my attic;)


Tired, but satisfied :)

Went toy- and bookshopping in Amsterdam yesterday and made some touristy pics:)

Took another exit than usual from the train station: this is a view of the Prins Hendrikkade.


Never shopped here before: Spuistraat.


Another part of the Spuistraat; isn't this what people imagine all houses in Amsterdam are like? ;)


I spent a lot of money on toys, delicious showerstuff and books. Score!

I got back home in time to cycle to the DIY-store...



..and bought some new shelves and better holders to repair the hallway closet:


Tadaah!
(Yes that's a Mark Owen doll sitting on top of the bookcase and Brendon Urie's FACE on the right. Shut up. They are lovely.)

When I pulled out my postcard-album, the shelves in my hallway closet collapsed...


(Picture taken after I took out all the photoalbums that were dangerously close to falling)

I emptied out the closet, fixed the shelves and put my stuff back in. This is what happened next:


Awesome

XXL by Tom Of Finland was delivered at work this week. I didn't want to corrupt my intern, so I didn't open the package until I got home;) OMG, so gorgeous. The cardboard suitcase was a nice added surprise, the book itself was even bigger than I remembered from the store and it has a fancy ribbon bookmarker \o/



I need a bigger coffee-table.

The Hague, May 2

Cycling into town behind J. and G. I'm riding G's bike with gears and hand breaks. I'm not used to that and am a little stressed about all the things I have to do with my hands at the traffic-lights (break, push button, hold on;) But I survived \o/


Bert! Ernie!


Ice-cream :) (Don't worry, we all had our own)


Love this sight: hundreds of bikes at the trainstation.

Bonus video-footage for G. (imagine the music:)

Antwerpen, Friday May 1st


Took the 8.41 train to Rotterdam, caught a train to Antwerp there. Arrived just after noon and met T. at the station. She gave me a tour of the city:)


Right outside the station is the impressive entrance of the Zoo. (Didn't go in;)


Pretty statues and decorations all around on The Astridsquare.


So many beautiful buildings in this town.


The city's house of celebration.


The gorgeous entrance of the cathedral (Onze Lieve Vrouwe)


It's a HUGE cathedral!


City Hall. People are waiting for the socialists' parade (May 1st)


Grote Markt square, statue of Brabo (see below)


Commies!


Told you it was big. You can see the cathedral from everywhere.


Two pictures together to show one of the first stone buildings of Antwerp: a castle/prison build around 1200 AD called Het Steen (The Rock...)


In front of Het Steen stands a statue of Lange Wapper. (A legend from the 16th century about a giant who irritates or provokes people. A big bully;)


Detail on the wall of Het Steen.


The meathouse/slaughterhouse was build around 1500 in late gothic style red bricks and white sandstone.


Brunch with birthday-girl T.: waffles with whipcream and cherries, mmmm.


Druoon Antigoon's hand. (see story of Brabo below;)


After dropping off T. at the station I did another touristy walk by myself. Look at the big dromedary on the roof of the zoo!


Balcony of yet another beautifully decorated building in The Meir street.


The Saint Anna tunnel was build in 1933 and the original wooden escalators are still running!


The tunnel under river De Schelde is 572 meters long, along the walls you can read an eleven hundred meter long poem:)


Former Sint-Julianus chapel with the black panther above the gate is now an art galery.


On my second touristy round I made a close up picture of the Brabo Fountain on the Grote Markt square (see story below;)


In the Stoelstraat: the oldest still remaining wooden house of Antwerpen.


I didn't have time to check it out, but I liked the information above ground of the Antwerp subway.


Camera whoring in the bathroom of the cinema (I was very surprised I had to pay for public restrooms in Belgium, even in the restaurant they wanted money! How very Dutch;)


Fell in love with the escalator in the cinema: you go up through a dark tunnel with constellations above.


I loved the auditorium even more: sitting in the dark with stars all around until the movie started. It was magical! (the three big lights are the left wall, the tiles are the ceiling;)


In the train up north: traintickets, moviestubs, souvenirs and Belgian chocolate for the family.

So what's with the big hand?
Read about the legend of Brabo to find out (click to enlarge)

Mom made me a carepackage for Easter. I've already gobbled up all the chocolate eggs, but I'm saving the bunnies for dinner and dessert tomorrow:)



(Also in the picture, but not included in the package: Panic At The Disco Special Edition Box, I ordered that myself in Canada;) Package arrived from New Zealand. Huh.)

A close up of the bunny my mom made (it says 25 because she's celebrating her 25th anniversary on the job and she made a ton of these treats for her co-workers)



Also: I tried a new ready meal from the daily chef today: I never had red pears before, but it was delicious!



I had already expected to love the mashed potatoes and beef (that was so well done, it melted on my tongue)

Mm-mm-mm.