Live Accordingly: June 2006

Friday, June 30, 2006

Pictures

The long awaited picture...(just for u yuen :P)

He looks better if he had shaved. haha..

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Welcome to Amsterdam

In Holland, not many places are hip and happening and definately not many places whereby you can hear people speak in English. Sorry if I am a bit paranoid about the whole English thing because I am still very much frustrated that I can't understand people and I can't speak! Then again, in Amsterdam most people speak in English so it was nice. Well, that's also because Amsterdam is packed with tourist. It is considered to be one of the only remaining city who still had mediveal houses and other stuff. Most importantly, the canals are just gorgeous.

There's lots to tell but pictures say a thousand words, so enjoy.

Anne/Anna Frank's house (the one with the green doors), the secret annex is behind

Opposite Anne Frank's house. The same place she looked out a window and saw her fellow countrymen being led to concentration camps

University of Amsterdam, the oldest university in Holland

The national palace. No one lives there. It is not open to public perhaps only during weddings and other state events.

This house is really weird. It is leaning sideways.

Meeting of two leaning houses. There are quite a few of such houses in Amsterdam.

I really want to put up the picture of my tour guide cum companion throughout the day but blogspot doesn't permit me. So I guess, you guys just have to wait for the next update.

Till then, Tot Ziens!

Monday, June 26, 2006

Adios to Hup Hup Holland

I can't believe it! AHHHHH... !!!! Holland lost to Portugal 0-1. sheesshhhh... Lousy Portugal with all the acting skills and wasting time. Lousy referee who only knows how to give yellow cards and red card. 20 yellow cards and 4 red cards. Can u imagine??? England is going to sail through to semi-finals due to the fact that more than 80% of the players from Portugal has one yellow card.

Although Holland didn't win but it was a funny match with all the yellow card and red card and all the fighting between the Portugal and Dutch players. I must admit that Holland didn't play so well too. In my opinion,, they lost because Van Nistelrooij didn't play. So bias I know but still I like him.

I tried to resist this update but can't help it. Too upset! No more Hup Hup Holland. sigh. sad sad.

To compensate for such an emotion post, the below are pictures of Amersfoort, a place in Holland.

An old church in Amersfoort

The Oude Haven clock tower

' Muurhuizen', this street is filled with the only remaining wall houses

The canals in the old city of Amersfoort which is surrounded by modern buildings.

Canal ride anyone?

'Koppelpoort' The gate to enter the old city

The old city is surrounded by a wall which is mostly broken down due to some war and the wall separates the old city and the modernization around it.

Tot Ziens!

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Halo BARCELONA !

Barcelona is so much fun ! I am contemplating whether I should move there. Everything is just fantastic. The weather is good. Food is GREAT ! and Shopping, my gosh unbelievable. MNG and ZARA is everywhere and so much cheaper than in Malaysia. I can really stay there if I can get a job after my studies. The only setback I would say is that there's no protestant church there but loads of catholic churches that are huge!

Just arrive back in Holland at 12am last night so still recovering from all the walking and walking and walking. Will post pictures soon. Oh and the architecture there is simply amazing and just awesome. And football is crazy too! FC Barcelona rules!

Then again I am back in Holland so Holland rules! haha...Wait I support Germany so yea Germany Rules 2-0 against Sweeden. Next, they meet Argentina. Gosh, I hope they make it. Argentina is really strong this time around. The football fever is ON !

Till then, pictures up soon.

Tot ziens !

Saturday, June 17, 2006

FOOTBALL FEVER !

Football fever is ON ! Everyone here in Holland are crazy over football. They set up a big screen in the middle of each available space in the city to watch football especially if Holland is playing and everyone is wearing something orange everyday. Went to a library yesterday and what y'll know, the librarians had bright orange tie on ! Was really funny to see them in orange tie.

I am glad I am here at this season, I won't have to stay up late to watch a match. I am enjoying all the matches so far. Argentina was really good ! They put servia montenegro to shame with a win of 6-0. Utter nonsense ! Then of course, the most exciting match today was Holland against Ivory Coast. My heart was beating so much faster than ever. hehe. Good goal by my ever-favourite Ruud Van Nisterooij. However, Ivory Coast put up a good fight though. Unfortunately they are out for good. sigh. It was a waste. Then again, may the best team wins ! According to football news, the team to beat this world cup is Argentina. They are really good this time! No kidding !

The main setback of watching world cup in Holland is that one will only get to watch it in Dutch; which is a good thing because I can learn a few Dutch words but it can be very frustrating indeed! And the Dutch people also quite 'ham sap' in the sense they have this women's football as well but there's only 5 per side and they are dressed in bra and panties. Such good fun to see the girls play! I had a real good time watching them play (as in the girls in lingerie). The best thing is that it is always shown during the 15 minutes break of a match. Today for the girls, Holland won France 2-1. Yay! Double Victory !

Ok I am getting too excited here over football so I guess I better stop now as it is getting late here. Finally the sun is down at 12am. Time to 'kau kau chu'

One more thing. GERMANY ROCKS ! I can only say this online, can't say it in Holland, they will probably stone me. haha

tot ziens!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Ameland

Me at the back of a windmill (one of the trademarks of Holland)

Nes, town center of Ameland. With uncle and cousins.

A lake 30 minutes walk from Nes. Aunt and I

Ameland (pronounced as A-ME-LAND) is an island north of The Netherlands. It's mostly windy and cold although they have sunshine and nice beaches. The town is usually alive only during the summer when it is supposingly not too cold. The definition of hot in Holland is 9-16 degrees with strong winds. And the month of June is considered the hottest month in summer. How comforting! :)

Went there for my first weekend. It takes about 1 1/2 hour drive from where I live now in Garderen (translation = forest area) to the dock and another 1 hour ferry ride to the island. In Holland, a ferry is known as a BIG BOAT not as a ferry. Isn't it AMAZING ??

The journey to the dock was mostly nice with the scenery and all then suddenly, when we are about to reach the dock, my uncle breaks the news that should the sea decide to come in when we are on the road, EVERYONE in the car had better know how to swim to save yourself should the dyke breaks. People in Holland mostly have a diploma in swimming especially if you live near the dyke or reclaimed land. If you don't have a diploma, you have to put on arm bands. haha.. just great !

There are more pictures about Ameland but I can't host them up yet because my camera has no more battery. The below is pictures taken in a town called Duukom (pronounced as dock-em). It was where my uncle was born and it was a town on the way to Ameland.

Me along the main canal of Duukom.

Gable houses along the canal also in Duukom.

There are loads of pictures that I took but too many to put up. For now, just enjoy these and will put up more pictures of another place I went. Coming up... Amersfoort, an old city!

Monday, June 12, 2006

Paleis Het Loo

Situated in Aperdoorn, Utrecht; the palace Het Loo was built in 1686 as a royal hunting lodge. Generations of the House of Orange used the lodge as a summer palace up until today. Due to its magnificence, it is known as the "Versailles of The Netherlands". Certain parts are now open as a musuem.

I had the privilage to visit such a magnificent palace but wasn't able to take pictures inside. So forgive me if you guys can't see the inside of the palace. I must say that most of the walls and ceilings were painted with pictures of paganistic beliefs. In the palace, one will understand the whole history of the House of Orange ( the royal family ) and also see pictures of how each one of them looked. It's amazing that the royal family of The Netherlands have blood ties with the Russian Tsar a long time ago.

The history goes way back but I won't reveal it all here just so you guys won't be bored. Enjoy the pictures !