All good things must come to an end - My last week in Utrecht

My last week in Utrecht. So exciting, yet so sad.

I ended up getting assessed a week earlier than other students, which was great. The assessment was on the spot, and didnt go so bad. I was definetly hanging on my last strings with my project, so it was great to get it all out of the way and be able to enjoy my last week in Utrecht stress free.

The weather turned on me again. I spent most of the week huddled inside, sleeping in and reading books, emailing and beginning to pack...that sort of thing. I did venture out a few times in the week. Mostly to go shopping, but everytime i ended up swimming home on my bicycle and getting soaked through like a drowned rat. Some highlights of the week were:

On the tuesday night i went to our last international bible study. This was so great. This bible study has probably been one of the best parts of my time here in Utrecht. Its just been a real good way of getting to know other people and ill miss them heaps. It was kind of a farewell party for Rosy and I. We decided to thank them by making a pavlova - give them all a taste of New Zealand. Was interesting making a pavlova in a dutch microwave oven. Didnt work so well, but it was edible in the end and everyone liked it.

On the Wednesday some of my room mates and i had dinner together which was really nice. Originally just Anniek and I were in, and attempted to scramble together an omelette out of our leftover bits of food. It nearly ended in tears when i burnt it though. But Rob and his spanish girlfriend also decided to join in, so we decided to bin the omelette and go get chinese takeout instead. Its funny to think that the whole four months ive been there ive never really been able to sit down and hang out with these guys at the same time. After dinner Anniek and I watched a movie and drank some tea for the last time. It was great to hang out with her, im going to miss her heaps, shes the room mate ive probably got to know the best. But its all good, i know ill see her again one day - when she comes to NZ!

On the thursday night i went out to an exhibition opening of 'English whores' - performance and installation work by two exchange students from Leeds. This was a fantastic night. It was my last time to hang out with the exchange students. They had this great dutch electronica band there, so i put my dancing shoes on and had a good boogie. Fantastic.

On the saturday i decided to go on a massive bicycle mission to IKEA. Id heard alot about this shop, but had ever gone. So i decided it was a must see. On the complete other side of town, but with my trusty biking and map navigation skills, i finally made it. What an amazing store ay. And so cheap too. I was really dissapointed i wasnt able to by a sofa and take that back on the aeroplane with me. I did however invest in some icecube trays and a duvet cover. In the evening Rosy and I had dinner at Elvira and Rancos (bible study leaders) and then went to an evening church service. My last time at CrossRoads International.

In the last few days i have mostly been packing up my room and cleaning, and throwing some things out. Stressful. 20kgs is absolutely nothing - thank goodness im able to leave some stuff for mum and dad to take back in August. Mum and Dad are now in Europe. Travelling through Prague and on their way to Switzerland. It will be great to see them again. Tonight im enjoying my last night in my room, and making the most of my last night with computer and free internet access. Tomorrow morning my uncle Piet-Hein will come and pick up the house keys, and also my bicycle. It will be hard to part with my bicycle. My cousin Cor will also come and pick up the computer and also take me to the airport. Tomorrow on the 1st of June i am starting my month long travelling adventure. Starting in London, England. Im ready!Bring it on!

Den Haag

This weekend i jumped on a train to Den Haag to stay with another of Mums sisters Els, and her husband Hans. It was great to get away again. Not much time left in Holland, i feel like im hanging on my last strings here in Utrecht. Knowing theres only one week of 'study' left, im getting restless and just want to move on and go travelling!

I arrived in Den Haag about 8pm and took a tram in the direction of Kraayenstein. Uncle Hans picked me up at the last stop. I had some really good Nasi goreng for dinner (way better than my mothers) and spent the evening watching a really cool DVD. The DVD consisted of two of my Oma and Opa's wedding anniversarys, one in 87 and the other around 92. I remember watching these before, but i think the last time was when i was about 10 years old. It was great watching my first visit ever to Holland as a child of 2yrs, and seeing my brothers as cute little kids and laughing at my mothers antics. It was also great to be able to recognise all my cousins who ive been meeting this semester as little children. It was good laughs all around.

Saturday was a huge day! the weather wasnt so great, but we filled it in really good. We drove into town and walked through Den Haag parliament buildings to the Maurits Huis. The Mauritz house is a seventeenth century urban palace, its interiors are beautiful, and on its walls hang world famous paintings from the Golden Age. I usually find paintings from this period really boring, but i got to have an audio tour so was able to access interesting information about nearly every single painting there at the press of a button. I looked at the 'Dreaming of Italy' which i loved, but I think my favourite thing about the museum is that i got to see the painting 'girl with a pearl' by Johannes Vermeer, voted this weekend as Hollands favourite painting. Honestly its amazing, this painting actually gave me goosebumps.

We then took a walk to the MC Escher Palace. This was absolutely amazing. While Van Gogh inspires me to paint and be spontaneous and daring, Escher totally speaks more to the 'perfectionist' side of me, and makes me love Printmaking and want to make really amazing, precise, beautiful works. I saw all his great works, and even got to wear one of those cool virtual reality masks as well and explore his world in 3D. It was amazing. We also got a photo taken, in this room that totally screws with perspective. Amazing. I rate this museum , even more so than the Van Gogh museum!

After we had some lunch together, Els went off to work, and Hans and I carried on with our mission. Our next stop was Madurodam. Ohhhh my goodness, if you loved things like dolls houses and micro machines and minuture train sets as a child, you would love Madurodam. Its like nearly the entire country of Holland made on a scale of 1.25. I wandered around, awestruck, recognising all the landmarks of Holland and watching little cars drive past on motorways, and Boats putting up canals etc. (photo - standing next to a dutch windmill)


We went to another museum after this. The Photography museum. I had heard that Loretta Lux was having an exhibition, and i desperately wanted to see it. Im glad i did, it was amazing. If you have never heard of her work, she makes these really beautiful works of children that cross painting and photography. The children look like dolls. She shows childhood as a paradise lost.

We then headed out to Scheveningen, a beach resort. Oh it was sooo great to see the ocean again, but i didnt really enjoy Schaeveningen that much because it was really really ridiculously windy, and the beach is really really commercialised, the beachfront is covered from end to end with bars and shops etc. We walked out to the end of a pier, and also got an icecream. That was nice. (photo - view from pier)



Then absolutely shattered, we returned home for some Pizza and a night in front of the TV watching the Eurovision song final. Good times, but this really satanic rock band from Finland won.

I slept in this morning, i was really shattered from yesterdays events. I spent the morning looking at some photo albums from when my mother and her sisters were children. We then went to visit Hans and Els' son Paul (my cousin) and had tea and applecake, and checked out their babyroom, cos they have a baby due really soon.

I lazed around in the afternoon, and watched this cool DVD called The Mission. Then caught the train back to Utrecht.

In the evening, I went to see Aefke, my friend whom i havent seen since we flew the whole way from New Zealand to Holland together in January. It has been a pity that i havent been able to see her until the end of my time here, but we have both been really busy, and she has been really sick with glandular fever. We had a lovely evening though, Her flatmate Des, and a guy from Tim from New Zealand were also there, i had met these guys at the Christchurch airport before i left. We got takeaways for dinner, and spent the evening watching one of those dancing competition reality TV shows. It was such a good night, Im really glad i was able to hang out with Aefke again before i leave. I hope we keep in touch. (photo - Aefke, Des and I)

Familie Dag

Today i attended Family Day.

My mum has five sisters, and one brother. Out of the 7 children, she is the only one who lives overseas (complete other side of the world to be exact). The rest of them live in at least an hours train ride of one another. So living in NZ having never met any of mums side of the family, i always assumed we were missing out on something huge, that all the family were really ridiculously close and always having fun together. Turns out that i was a little misled. Talking to some of my cousins prior to family day, i heard comments like 'i havent seen him for like 10 years' or 'i havent seen her since opa died' or 'I dont want to go to family day, nobody knows who i am - they think im my sister'. This made me quite sad. I had assumed that they all knew each other well. It turns out the family only used to be all together only when opa and oma had their birthdays or wedding anniversaries. But i dont think the family has all been together since they died. I was quite excited about it!

My cousin Edo picked me up in the morning, and we got a little lost driving out to 'The tea house', just on the outskirts of Utrecht. It was brilliant going out to the countryside and getting some fresh air, and we were lucky with the weather. The forecast was rain, but the sun held out for this day.

When we arrived the majority of the family were there..i already counted about 30. Others cam e later. Most of the family were there, minus a few.They were all quite pleased to see me, i guess i was sort of a novelty, coming from the other side of the world. Anyhow, i had to go around the whole family introducing myself, shaking hands, doing the 3 kisses on the cheek thing. Gets exhausting after a while. Im quite over it, i find it quite impersonal, give me a good old bear hug anyday.

It was lovely. I had some good chats with some cousins i hadnt met yet, and arranged to go and stay with the two aunties that i havent been to stay with yet. So thats quite exciting.We ate pannenkoeken and drank tea, very typical of the dutch.

I dont have any photos of the day, because i was too busy talking. But i will try and get some off my uncle, and post them later.

Spring Break Part three: London

London. The big smoke ay? Double decker busses?Red telephone boxes?guards that dont move?London has it all, and much much more..

Arrived in Stansted about 10pm Wednesday night. The plane from Amsterdam was really short, only like a hour in total. I caught the stansted express into Liverpool station, and then spent some time aquainting myself with the London Underground System. Its really amazing ay, Alot easier than i thought. I took the tube to Shepherds Bush where i was met by Louisa and Rod, who took me back to their 'mansion'. It was great seeing Louisa again, i havent seen her since our fun summer motel cleaning..i worked for her parents. (Photo - bank station)

On Thursday morning i slept in and spent some time looking at maps, an touristy books about what i should do. I ended up buying myself an Oyster card with a weekly pass, that would allow me to jump on any tube or bus for the week. I took the central line and got off at Bank station. I tried to find the Bank of England, because i heard there was a museum where you could learn about how Banks work, and actually see real gold bars. But i got lost and couldnt find it. So i wandered towards the London Bridge (london bridge is falling down..falling down...) and passed a memorial about the great London fire that had occured. I passed over the bridge to Bankside and ended up at the Globe Theatre. Here i did a tour which was really great. Informative, but most of the information i already knew from 5th form drama classes. But it was great to actually be able to go into the theatre and watch some rehearsals of Coriolanus, which was about to have its opening the following night. After that i had some lunch in the Southwark Cathedral garden. On thursday there was a freak heatwave..25 degrees and humid, so there were lots of people outside picnicking!It was so hot that the tubes were having delays because the tracks were expanding! After lunch i passed over the millenium bridge over to St Pauls cathedral and walked through the Gardens to the tube station. I took a tube back to Shephards bush and had a nap because it was so hot and my feet were hot and swollen. At about 5pm i went for a walk down to notting hill, and down a street in Kensington that is really really expensive.
I met Louisa and Rod back at the mansion and then we took a bus down to the River Thames to have a drink. Absolutely crowded with people though, and we ended up leaving cos the line for the bar was too long. Rod went out for dinner with his family, and Louisa and i went for a drink another Garden bar, but we also had to wait ages for a table here as well. We ended up having dinner at an Italian Restaraunt, which was lovely, but the food i ordered was quite strange. It was Gnocchi, but it tasted like thai chicken noodle soup. Wierd. (photos - globe theatre, walking over the millenium bridge)

Friday morning i walked down to meet Rosy at the tube station. She had arrived in London the previous night and had stayed in a hostel. It was great seeing her again, she filled me in on her adventures in Milan and Barcelona. We took a tube to the St Pauls Cathedral and had a glimpse inside, but it was far too expensive to actually get a ticket to go inside. So we crossed over the millenium bridge and looked for somewhere to eat lunch. We ended up at a place called Gabriels wharf, which had nice cafes and shops. We then continued along the river Thames towards the London eye. We contemplated going on it, but again the line was very long, and tickets were very expensive. Typical. The thing i noticed walking around southbank, was that there are alot of runners, its like the whole of London goes running in their lunchbreak. We then walked over the Westminster Bridge, passing Big Ben and the parliament buildings, past the Westminster abbey and towards St James Park. Then we took a nice walk through St James Park towards Buckingham Palace. Which was not as exciting as i thought it would be. Feet hot and Swollen again, we took a tube from Greek Park to Notting hill and went to an internet cafe to check our email and have a chai latte.mmmm. We then went back to Shepherds Bush and went on a mission to find a supermarket. We spent about an hour in the supermarket, Both excited to see food we hadnt seen for a while, including cadburys chocolate. In the evening we went with Louisa and Rod back down to a bar on the river for a drink. (photos - london eye, buckingham palace)

On saturday morning we got up nice and early and went with Louisa down to the Portobello Markets in Notting hill. These markets were amazing, lots of antiques and cool clothing. Then we all parted. I made my way into Oxford Circus because i had planned to meet Marcia Butterfield, a family friend at a place called Top Shop. Well, i had a little browse in this shop and its amazing, even cooler than H&M which i didnt think was possible. I met Marcia and her friend Renee and we spent the afternoon walking around town looking in shops, and had a coffee in a cute cafe called the Breakfast Bar. It clouded over and finally i experienced some true dowdy London weather. Later on we took a tube to Wimbledon, and did some supermarket Shopping because Marcia was cooking dinner that evening. We made it back to their house in Wimbledon and i caught up with Dianna and Neil, and stayed for dinner and dessert. It was lovely, i havent seen them for nearly two years i think.

Sunday morning, we got up early again and went to some lovely flower markets. Oh i just love markets. Then we went to this crazy thing called speakers corner in Hyde Park. It was pretty lame but Rosy really wanted to go. Most people were just arguing about the Trinity and weather Jesus was God or not. We carried on town Oxford Street and looked in Top Shop again, before meeting some of Rosys friends for lunch. They took us out to this yummy Japenese fushion style restaraunt. Then we went to the Campden Road Markets which were fantastic. This area is really grungey and punkish, alot of mohawks around the place. We browsed through the markets and then returned to Shephards Bush for dinner. In the evening we went into China town where i met up briefly with Peter, one of my brothers best friends from highschool whom i havent seen for about 6 years! It was cool, he still looked the same and it was like there hadnt been a gap. Im thinking of heading back to london once ive finished my time here in London. I saw a flyer that Fat Freddys drop are playing the 2nd of June so talked to Peter about going to that which he was keen for. Rosy and i went for a walk through China town and Piccadily Circus and Convent garden. London is great at night! Everyone is out and about!

Monday morning it was raining once again. I had woken up early about 5.30 because there was a massive downpour. Rosy stayed at home in the morning, while i went for a mission back to Top Shop to buy some clothes that i had seen. We then had some lunch and packed up and read some magazines before taking the tube to Liverpool st around 1pm to catch the stansted express back to the Airport. Alot of waiting around at the airport. I looked in all the Duty free stores, smelling perfume, and bodyshop products and was almost tempted to buy some books from the bookstore, but didnt want to have to lug them around. The flight to eindhoven went quickly, but getting back to Utrecht from Eindhoven took forever. I didnt have my bike either, so i had to walk all the way home with my bags. Its great to be back here again. The garden outside has been totally transformed which was a nice suprise. It is no longer a dumpyard but an actual garden! I have so much to do now though, Im psyching myself up for the remaining three weeks of study that i have here in Holland. Im quite scared about it, but i trust that it will all work out ok. Im looking forward to finishing up here, so i can go travelling with my parents and of course head back to New Zealand! So not long to go! Wooohooooo!

Spring Break Part Two: Utrecht

I ended up sleeping through my alarm on Sunday morning, and was late to meet Sarah at the Airport! It was so great to see her again and give big hugs! It feels like i havent seen her or any of my friends for like years, although its only been a few months that i have been away. Feeling very hungry, we scanned the airport for a nice place we could have something to eat! We then missioned our way on trains and metros to get to church in Amstelveen. I got the times totally wrong so we ended up late for the first service (which i thought was the second) but at least we had the next service to sit through! We then took a train back to Utrecht from Zuid WTC. I filled Sarah in on the dutch pronounciation of (Zoud way-tay-say) and other words like CD (say-day) V&D (vay and day) TV (tay-vay) LCD (al-say-day) etc etc. She loved it and caught on quickly.

The weather was not so great on Sunday. I walked my bike home and Sarah lugged her huge suitcase back to my flat. Sarah had a wee nap and i tidyed my room and played on the computer. We then decided that we would not let the rain get the better of us so we went for a walk into town in the afternoon. I wanted to take her to this cafe Rosy and I had once been to where you can play boardgames, but it was shut. So i took her to this other cafe where she was able to taste my favourite dutch 'Apple balls'.mmmm. We came home for dinner, and then i took her out to T'Oude Pothuys where we had a drink and listened to some jazz. Then we walked home again at night.

The weather on monday was not too much better, though Sarah was convincing me that it would get better because it has always been great weather when she has been on holiday. We didnt do much. Slept in, went to the supermarket to get some food. Had lunch. Sarah baked some cookies and a chocolate cake. In the afternoon we went into town to have a look around at some shops, and Sarah got some presents for Jane and Ruth in Australia. For dinner i made stirfry which was very sickening and then we headed out to the movie theatre to Watch Memoirs of Geisha. This was a fantastic movie. Very beautiful, but very sad.

Tuesday i woke up and wished Sarah a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY! She was turning 22! We had another lazy morning. She opened presents and wrote emails etc etc. The weather on Tuesday was absolutely fantastic! Like really hot, it was a freak heatwave for Holland. 'I told you so' said Sarah. We walked back into town. It was great having Sarah around because it meant i was able to do alot of walking instead of bicycling all the time. We posted off the presents to australia and then did some shopping before having some lunch in the sun down by the canal. After we were energised we headed back into H&M and spent a long time having fun trying on lots of clothes! The H&M shops are always crowded and usually have long lines to the changing rooms, so to make it worth it you need like 10 items of clothes to try on. We went to the library and got out some dvds to watch in the evening. Big fish and Elizabethtown. We came home to watch Big fish and made ourselves sick eating a packet of cheese and onion chips. Never again. Then about 8pm we walked into town, again, to find somewhere to go for dinner. I wanted to take Sarah to the Pancake restaraunt where you can do all you can eat pancakes, but because it was apparently a holiday they werent having the student special. So instead we went to the Greek restaraunt, the one Rosy, Aliki and I went to in our first week in Utrecht. Delicious as usual. On our way home we passed the Gelato stall, and spontaneously Sarah brought half a litre of icecream (8 flavours) for us to eat with the chocolate cake while watching Elizabethtown. That was also a great movie.

On Wednesday the weather was warm once again! We packed our bags and trolleyed them into town to have a look around at the markets. But the guy selling Stroopwafels was not there so i was a bit let down. So we jumped on a train to Schiphol, so we could store our luggage there and explore Amsterdam before we both flew out of Schiphol later in the evening.
We sat down at this place to eat falafel for lunch which was delicious, but left quickly because there were masses of pigeons around and one of them pooped on Sarahs face. hehe.
We then looked at some touristy shops and followed the streetsigns all the way to the Van Gogh Museum. It was so good to go back here again and have a proper look around. I just feel so inspired when im in that museum, ive decided for Good that Van Gogh is definetly my favourite artists. And so i was justified in spending money on two posters and some postcards.

On our way home we had a near death experience. After looking both ways we started crossing a street, only at the last minute to see a flash of blue on our right, and see that we were standing in a trams path and it was like 2 metres away from squashing us. After almost wetting our pants, we decided that we should sit down for a breather. We lay down next to a canal and enjoyed the sun for a while, but was interupted by a man on a motorbike who decided to park up where we were, amost running over Sarahs head (near death experience #2). Sarah then decided that it would be fun to go and sit in one of the boats so that i could take a photo. This was quite funny..cos she struggled to get back onto the street. This could have been near death experience #3. We went out for dinner in a nice restaraunt and then headed our way back to the train station, where near death experience number #4 nearly occured. In running to catch a train, the handle of the toblerone shaped box containing my posters fell off, sending the box skidding along the ground and stopping a few centimetres short of falling into the traintracks. Im not sure what i would have done if it fell in. We made it to the airport, and collected our luggage and said our goodbyes. Sarah was flying back to York and I was flying into London for the remainder of my Spring break.