The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see the future is... Waawaaah!

Hey there. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog the past few months. I've never published a blog, but it warmed the cockles of my heart to know that people were interested in the going ons and trivial musings of yours truly. I can't tell if the roughly 2,000 hits were genuine (or the result of one or more crazy stalkers), but it's probably best to just let sleeping dogs lie and say that they were.

Unfortunately since school has ended, so must this blog for the time being. I'm not sure if I'll reinstate my blog anytime soon, but this is the last post for at least the next little while. As far as the immediate future in concerned, I'll be travelling in Europe (Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, UK and Iceland) before returning to Vancouver in late June.

Studying in Rotterdam has been fantastic to say the least. If you're at all interested and have a chance to study in and explore another country, I'd advise you to give it a try. Not only can you learn a lot about the country in which you're studying, but probably a lot about yourself too.

Best of luck to you and keep in touch!

Teeks

Thanks for dropping by Rotterdam

I had six visitors during my exchange here in Rotterdam. And those lucky six were the recipients of one of the most unscripted, unbiased and uninformative bike tours of Rotterdam of all time. Monica, Gladys, Sandy, Tyler, Angus and Craig got to see first hand most of the interesting things and places that I know of in Rotterdam.

More impressive than my generally-poor descriptions was my unabashed willingness to admit that I actually know nothing about which they were asking. I hope that it has planted the seed of curiosity for them to learn and find out more about Rotterdam (and perhaps pass that knowledge on to me someday).

Amazingly enough, rain was forecasted for everyone's visit yet we didn't get rained on in any significant amounts at all. I am willing to take full credit for this. So really, thanks to me the worst we had to deal with weather-wise was some gusty winds which actually provided some mild, biking entertainment during the course of one of the days.

And I think it shows that everyone had fun too. Looking at the above collage of photos, pretty much everyone has a smile or is at least faking one. You may notice that Tyler does not look like he is smiling at all. I am, however, attributing it to his (self-admitted) inability to smile.

But finally and most important was the introduction of these fine people to krokets, stroopwafels and muesli cereal with mango-flavoured milk. Yeah, that's right. Mango-flavoured milk; don't judge it until you've tried it. It's crazy delicious.

Teeks

The bicycle hath changed me

I have ridden many bikes in my life. There was the white BMX I had when I was a little kid (loved that bike). And the green mountain bike I owned in my teens (that thing weighed a tonne). Here in Rotterdam I own a modest, mustard-coloured, metal steed that transports me with near-flawless execution every time. And thanks to constant use, over the past few months, I believe my riding ability has improved.

But improved over what? I didn't really take note of how good/bad I was when I first started riding. However, with the increased number of visitors who have been lucky enough to obtain a bicycle for a few days and enjoy Rotterdam the way it should be enjoyed, I've noticed that they are not very good in terms of stability, speed and stamina (with the exception of Sandy). So this begs the question "was I that terrible back then?" It's not far-fetched that the answer could be a "yes".

But since I've become such a bicycling snob, this answer is obviously ignored. Thus, I will continue to secretly roll my eyes to myself every time someone complains that "we're going too fast (because I want to see the sights)" or "I'm tired from riding all day" or "I'm not used to these bikes". Alternatively, I will mock your lack of bicycling prowess to my Rotterdam friends.

Be forewarned. =)

Teeks

The sun is setting

It's weird to have been living in Rotterdam the last few weeks. And I'm definitely not talking about Dutch becoming more weird (they are the same weirdness as when I arrived). I'm referring to the fact that Rotterdam sits at a latitude of about 51' 55º N.

Do you know what that means? It means that it's May 19 and it's light out until about 9:30 p.m. It's ludicrous. Take for example the photo above. It a shot of the view outside my window looking west at about 9:00 p.m.

Funny thing is how much I rely on the sun and its relative position in the sky to determine some of my activities. Case in point, I'm used to preparing dinner when the sun looks like its getting close to the horizon. But since it stays light out for so long, it's still broad daylight when I make my way towards the kitchen. Even more preposterous is the fact that the days will continue to get longer until June 21st.

Being from Vancouver (which sits at a latitude of 49' 16º N), you would think that I'd be used to this kinda thing. And honestly, I am. But it's always a weird feeling when you get caught thinking it's 6:30 p.m. when it's really 8:30 p.m.

Teeks

You win this round, Keukenhof.

The Keukenhof is a beautiful garden located near Leiden (it's actually closer to Lisse) in the Netherlands. On the way to the Keukenhof, one can expect to see a veritable sea of tulips of various magnificent colours... except this year. Well actually, I should qualify this statement by saying that the magnificent colours were there up until probably just recently.

You see, the Netherlands and its residents have been the beneficiaries of some unseasonably warm temperatures over the last few weeks. And while everyone (including myself) has been enjoying it, some of the repercussions were lost on me. That is to say, because it's been so nice weather wise, all the flowers have bloomed early and were cut & gone by the time I got to the Keukenhof last weekend. Egads.

Who knew that the incomparable sights pictured above would be rendered into a vast wasteland of culled botanical heartache? Seriously, who could have predicted this??? Perhaps an expert on flower stuff or some Dutch person from the Netherlands but, certainly not I.

However as you can hopefully see from the photos, Monica, Becca and I did make the most of it and had a good time in the process.

Teeks

Brussels, Belgium

Rich, Becca and I took a jaunt over to Brussels for a couple of days to check out the sights and to visit Rich's buddy (thanks for putting us up that night too, Shane). Brussels is a lovely little spot about 2 hours south of Rotterdam by train that boast a lot of curiosities for those interested. We checked out a lot of cool stuff over the course of two days and definitely had a good time doing so.

One of the attractions that we saw (and as you can probably guess) was the world-famous Manneken Pis. I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with this statue, but basically it's a bronze boy peeing into a fountain. Many people are enchanted by its innocent yet cheeky behaviour. However, many are also disappointed by its lack of grandeur.

No offense to those who love it, but to me people are going a little overboard with it. The throngs of tourists who line up just to get a photo are ridiculous; they marvel at its "je ne sais quoi" and snap picture after picture (mind you, I took one too) like some sort of rite of passage. Personally, I think the fellow who designed it was a some sort of medieval marketing genius. He was probably commissioned to boost the tourism industry in Belgium and created something that still lures 'em in hundreds of years later.

Teeks

Queen's Day in Amsterdam!

Every year Dutch people celebrate the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands. This day (April 30) is commonly referred to as "Queen's Day" or "Koninginnedag". Basically, Amsterdam (and a few other cities) shuts down and people take a day off to enjoy themselves. Typical celebrations involve outdoor music, lots of dancing and public drunkedness.

A few of interesting points to mention. First, April 30th is not actually the birthday of Queen Beatrix but that of her mother, Queen Juliana; Queen Beatrix's birthday is on January 31st. However, for practical purposes (i.e., weather) they decided to keep it on April 30th. Oddly enough, from what I was told the weather usually isn't that nice and for us to have a gorgeous day like we did was a very special indeed... or there maybe something to this global warming thing.

Second, Koninginnedag is also the day where everyone sells their junk. It's like the whole country decided to have a yard sale on the same day. Coolsingel, one of the main streets here in Rotterdam, was closed off for people to set up shop and put their crap on display. Everything from old clothes to appliances was being hawked to anybody with a penchant for second-hand deals.

Third and most fun, everybody dresses up and puts on some orange (called "oranjegekte") as a part of the celebration. This is reference to the name of the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange. It's quite entertaining to watch the sea of orange throughout the day and into the night. And as you can see from the pictures, my Dutch football jersey did the job quite nicely.

Hup Holland hup!

Teeks

Arrested Development

I don't know how many of you know of the show "Arrested Development", but I can say without a doubt that it's one of the best shows I've ever encountered (good job, Travis). The smart humour, absurdity, acting and how it all ties in every episode is pure genius. I'm willing to put money on the fact that there are a few others out there that love it as much as I do.

So if you know anything about the show, you've come to love Gob and his magical madness. I must admit, I am strangely hypnotized every time I see the spectacle that is Gob on stage. I will also fess up to the fact that I now smile to myself each time I hear Europe's (a successful Swedish band from the 80's) smash hit "The Final Countdown" which is always played throughout Gob's act.

I found this video while randomly surfing YouTube.com; I feel compelled to share it as it's quite entertaining for those of us in the know.

Special recognition also goes to Buster (Gob's younger brother) for contributing in the way that only he can.

Teeks

Don't let the door hit you on the way out...

It hasn't been very long since my last roommate update. Although I think this running saga is what keeps people coming back to this blog. The struggle of good (i.e., me) versus evil (i.e., him) in the battlefield affectionately referred to as "the kitchen" has been one of the only constants in this crazy, crazy world.

For entertainment's sake, I wish the trilogy could continue on (merchandising, spin-offs, movies, CDs with music inspired by the show and related international revenues can be rather lucrative these days). And if you read properly into my last statement, yes, it's true. I found out today that my roommate will be moving out. Will I miss him, you ask? Well, I can't really miss him until he leaves. But, I'm a sentimental guy; as a result, I will be taking the next 11 to 14 seconds to reminisce and reflect on our time together.

Sure as the Sun rose in the East and set in West, there was always an unclean dish left by roommate. Not only that, but the biology experiments that have been left in our fridge over the last few months improved my ability to navigate our shelves and to stack food in creative ways. Without a doubt, roommate set the standard for uncleanliness in our flat.

Done and done. See you on the other side, roommate.

Teeks

Utrecht

I've decided that I should stop ignoring the country in which I am situated and travel around the Netherlands more. Nevermind the fact that I've been to Elst, Amsterdam, The Hague, Leiden and Eindhoven (albeit just passing through it as I was on my way to the Eindhoven Airport), which is actually pretty decent in my books. So we set aside an afternoon for fun and frolic somewhere away from Rotterdam.

This time, we decided to check out Utrecht on the advice of several people. It's a gorgeous little town with a abundance of Dutch character. There's canals, little patio cafes & pubs and plenty of people on bikes. And honestly, what's a good European city without a giant church or cathedral? So we scaled the inside of The Dom Tower of Utrecht. At a height of well-over 100 metres, it's the tallest church in the Netherlands.

It's also a neat bit of trivia to find out that Canadian troops liberated Utrecht during WWII.

Utrecht is lovely. It's much like Amsterdam if you remove all the silliness and want to check out the non-tourist sites.

Teeks

The Saturday Market. Open Tuesdays as well.

Today I went to the Saturday Market to shop around. You can buy a tonne of stuff there and at reasonable street market prices. They've got everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to butchers, to clothing and knick knacks. There's also always a whole lot of people trying to purchase goods which can make it rather busy at times, but it usually remains very civil. It's quite the setup.

If you're in Rotterdam and interested in checking out the Saturday Market, it's just behind Blaak Metro Station. Just follow the sounds of the open-air commerce. You can't miss it.

Teeks

Residence Wars Episode VI: Return of the Roommate

"Always two there are, a master and an apprentice." -- Yoda

I'm sure you've all been dying to find out what's going on with my roommate. Well it turns out he wasn't kidnapped or locked up in prison or anything cool like that. I think he was just visiting home for a few weeks. But on his return, he did not come alone. He brought... wait for it...

his mother!

Yes, that's right. Imagine my surprise upon returning one day to find a middle-aged woman cleaning our kitchen. My first thought was that someone new was moving in and the building manager was nice enough to order a cleaning from top to bottom. No such luck... well sort of.

I definitely wasn't getting a new roommate, but she did clean from top to bottom. The aggravating part was that I had finally gotten fed up and cleaned up the mess my roommate left for the past 3 weeks the day before Darth Mother showed up.

This seemingly trivial fact sticks out in my mind because I remember saying to myself "he's going to show up the day after I wash all his dishes". Lo and behold, he's back. Perhaps strong is the Force with me after all.

Teeks

Rotterdam Marathon

Went down to the city centre to check out the Rotterdam Marathon today. Well, I didn't exactly watch the marathon as that would take around 2+ hours of sitting and waiting. I did stick around to watch a couple of friends run the 5Km and 10Km races.

It was mighty hot today at around 24C which is starting to be in the range of slightly uncomfortable even when you're just laying around. Which is exactly what I did in the late afternoon down by the lake or what we like to call "the beach".

Rotterdam has this lovely lake in the middle of the city with a walking and biking (of course) path around the outside. There's also a sandy area where the locals can pretend they're on a beach in a more exotic locale. This lake is an absolute Eden in the middle of Rotterdam's urban expanse. I love it.

Teeks

In capitalist Russia, police mug YOU!

If there's one thing of which I'm sure, it's that Russia is cold. And it will be hard to convince me otherwise since I can still vividly see a wall of snowfall coming towards me while waiting to see Lenin in his final resting place (see above).

Tyler, Sandy, Richard and I took one of the annual SSE tours to Russia. We saw lots of neat stuff and were also warned about about an equal number of stuff of which to be wary, for example:

• Don't drink the tap water, you'll get sick.
• Be ready for random passport checks.
• Careful of fake police performing passport checks.
• Guard your belongings against pickpockets.
• Be careful of cab drivers who will mug you at knifepoint (happened to one couple).
  

Needless to say, it wasn't a stress-free holiday. But was definitely one of the more interesting ones.

To add to the stress was the running theme of "many minor debacles, no major screwups". There were too many small things that almost went wrong to list, but needless to say I'm still standing and back in the comforts of Rotterdam.

Russia, don't call me. I'll call you.

Teeks

Mo' money, mo' problems...

One of the minor yet important changes about going to another country is getting used to the currency. Now mind you, it didn't take too long to get used to the Euro (besides forcing myself to stop doing conversions every time I wanted to buy something). But my heart breaks a little each time I open my wallet and don't see good ol' Canadian dollars.

Now we could argue all day about whether Europe should be on the Euro and whether Europe represents an optimum currency area (thanks Prof. Abramson!); but that's the way it is, so let's ignore that discussion for the time being. I should say though that the Euro makes travelling sooooo much easier. I did a trip a few years back where I travelled to England, France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Spain and had to work with 7 different currencies. Nowadays, I think the same trip requires 3 currencies.

The Euro bills not only have different colours for the different denominations but also different sizes. These features coupled with the fact that I can read, it makes identifying a bill very easy. However, what I do find difficult is differentiating between the coins. They have €2, €1, 50 cent, 20 cent, 10 cent and 5 cent coins in circulation in Holland. The problem is that the €2, €1 and 50 cent coins are pretty close in size and so are the 20 cent and 10 cent coins. This makes using coins difficult as I almost have to pick up each coin and individually identify them.

Finally, another great thing about the Euro and Holland is that they round to the nearest 5 cents. Anyone at the Bank of Canada listening? It's like forced "Give a penny, take a penny" and it works quite nicely. A single penny can buy next to nothing these days and you always have too many or too little to complete a transaction. So why not get rid of it in Canada?

Teeks

Dear Roommate,

Where have you gone? Are you missing? Are you being held hostage?

Please have the kidnappers contact me so I can contact the Politie (Dutch police) so that you can be safely returned home... so that I may utter unkind words at you! Hmm... mental note: I have to work on my ability to threaten people.

Our place is a mess. Before I left for Spain there was a pile of dishes and other filthiness around our common area. After I came back, it's still there and more.

This flat isn't big enough for the two of us. We'll should meet at high noon in the centre of town to duel it out. Only you'll have a squirt gun as a weapon and I'll be driving a bus. My money is on me.

Teeks

Madrid y Barcelona

I was in Spain. Met up with Helen in Barcelona. Had a lovely time.

Check out the pictures that prove it!


Teeks

The Sounds were amazing.

The Canadians (Amber, Richie, Becca) and I took the train to Amsterdam to check out The Sounds concert this past Friday.

Under The Influence Of Giants opened for The Sounds and were actually pretty good. I had never heard of them, but they did put on a good show and the crowd got into it a bit.

However, The Sounds hit the stage after and were awesome. I had a fantastic time and I'm sure the pictures will show it when I actually get around to putting them up.

Teeks

Life imitates art...

I was thinking about the movie "Pulp Fiction" the other day and this scene came to mind. I'm sure most of you know and maybe even remember it. For me, it summed up nicely some of the trivial differences and how entertaining they are.

**********************************************************************
Vincent: ...you know what the funniest thing about Europe is?

Jules: What?

Vincent: It's the little differences. I mean they got the same s*** over there that they got here, but it's just there... it's a little different.

Jules: Example.

Vincent: Alright, well you can walk into a movie theatre in Amsterdam and buy a beer. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer. And in Paris, you can buy a beer at McDonald's. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?

Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?

Vincent: No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the f*** a Quarter Pounder is.

Jules: What'd they call it?

Vincent: They call it a "Royale with Cheese".

Jules: Royale with Cheese. What'd they call a Big Mac?

Vincent: Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it "Le Big Mac".

Jules: Le Big Mac! Ahhaha! What do they call a Whopper?

Vincent: I dunno. I didn't go into a Burger King. But you know what they put on french fries in Holland instead of ketchup?

Jules: What?

Vincent: Mayonnaise.

Jules: Goddamn!

Vincent: I seen 'em do it man, they f****** drown 'em in that s***.

Jules: Yuck!
**********************************************************************

Teeks

I thought it was going to be a handwriting seminar...

Went to see the Cursive concert Thursday night at Rotown (a small venue near downtown Rotterdam; very cool inside). As it was explained to me, Cursive is an indie band that hails from the USA and is definitely "emo". The concert wasn't sold out by any means but, the band put on a cool show and everyone who was there got into it; even the 6 or so other international students who had never heard of them (including me).

Overall, the night was a pretty good one if you ask me. But to be fair, the standard downside to concerts in the Netherlands? It's the people/crowd/concert goers. Like I said before, these people are tall. As such, the only way to see the show was to either stand right up front by the stage (which isn't bad) or about 3 metres back from the person in front of you so you can see over their 1.90m heads. It's atrocious.

However at the end of the night, I walked away with a little souvenir (see picture above) of the evening. And to boot, my buddy Richie who's a like a Cursive groupie, picked up the set list from that night.

Teeks

Things are different here...

I'm not an idiot. Although many a great many things point in that direction. I'm really not.

Before coming to Rotterdam, I knew to expect that things would be different. People eat different foods, dress differently and have different interests and hobbies. And so far I think I've adjusted well to my surroundings.

But there are things here that are not right. Things that have been going on for a long time that will probably not change in the foreseeable future (or at least within the time that I will remain in Holland).

One of the things that I've noticed concerns eggs. Yes, eggs. Those natural, little coffers that store deliciousness when prepared properly. Here in Rotterdam (and in Paris and possibly many other parts of Europe), eggs are for sale in regular aisles and not kept in the refrigerated section. This bothers me to no end. Either in North America, we are being ridiculously cautious and putting eggs in the fridge where they don't belong or here in the Netherlands, they're neglecting basic food storage conventions. And I refuse to believe that both are acceptable.

This begs the question as to which method is correct. As far as I'm concerned, I'd prefer to err on the side to which I'm accustomed.

Teeks

The Dutch make good cheese and bad locks.

I have been diligently reporting to you for just under two months from the Netherlands. During most of this time, I have been in the possession of a bike. The bike, as I've stated earlier, while not pretty is still susceptible to theft by filthy, Dutch bike thieves. As such, protecting "The Eagle" with a bike lock is a sound investment.

However, as this is a different country than Canada, lock technology and styles are slightly different. The fixed wheel lock (pictured above) is quite popular and is a quick way to secure your bike should you just want lock it temporarily. They also have the typical U-lock, cable lock and chain lock; chain locks seem to be the most popular.

It was suggested to us to purchase a good lock to guard against potential larceny. In some cases, people own locks with a retail value in excess of the bike they are trying to protect. There are no shortage of stories about people who are more upset about their €50 lock being cut, than their €25 bike being stolen.

But since being here, I have owned three bike locks.

"Was it because someone tried to steal your bike?" you ask.
No. No bike misappropriations here.

"Was it because you're a paranoid freak and attach three locks to your bike?" you question further.
Uh, no. I have more pressing issues about which to be paranoid.

"Is it because you think of bike locks as a fashion accessory and try to match it to your attire or mood?" you inquire as you grin sarcastically.
No, you jerk. Why do I even bother?

Actually, it's because the first two locks failed on me. Keep in mind that these are €20 locks (while they are at the lower end of the price spectrum, they are not the Dollar Store, bargain bin special). My first lock had a problem where the key would get stuck in the lock and wouldn't budge. I finally snapped the key off out of pure anger and frustration. My second lock just fell apart one day as I unchained my bike and was beyond repair. Fortunately, the bike shop where I bought it replaced it after some discussion.

Which brings me to the present. Hopefully, this third lock will last more than a month.

Teeks

Rotterdam Museumnacht

One day every year, Rotterdam has Museumnacht or (for those of you who don't speak Dutch like me) Museum Night. Basically for one price you get to go to all the museums in Rotterdam between the hours of 8pm and 1am. Most of the museums are pretty much in the same area or within walking distance of each other which makes it even easier to enjoy.

It's really popular and people really get into it which makes it fun. I got to check out some classic works, cool industrial design, natural history, architecture (pictured above), photography and some contemporary art. Add to that some bands and DJs at some of the venues and you've got yourself a rockin' Dutch event.

I must disclose that I'm definitely not an art connoisseur. So some of the contemporary art really confuses me (although a lot of it is interesting and pretty cool). But, some of it is just down right shocking and bizarre. I'd post some pictures but pretty much all of the exhibits did not allow taking of photographs. But more importantly, some of the exhibits would violate the Saturday morning cartoon decency and innocence you've come to expect from me.


Teeks

More pictures!

Just added some more B&W pictures taken in France. Enjoy!

Teeks

Things are expensive in Holland...

Nevermind this post that I wrote a month ago. All of that has changed.

After coming back from Paris, I have now come to the conclusion that while the basics of living (groceries, alcohol, etc.) are certainly affordable in Europe, luxuries definitely come at a cost.

Take for example the other night a few weeks ago. About six of us wanted to go out for dinner. Being students and all, we tried to look for an inexpensive place to eat. So we finally ended up at a Thai restaurant near downtown.

Now I don't know about you, but I'm from Vancouver, Canada. In Vancouver, stuffing your face is cheap. Asian food, especially, is cheap. So going out to dinner and stuffing your face with Asian food? Yep, you guessed it. Cheap. What I'm trying to say is that food in Vancouver is cheap. Paying $30 for a Thai dinner would still be cheap considering that's probably the bill for 3-4 people.

However, this Thai restaurant seemed to think it was okay to charge €20 (that's $30!) for a single plate of Pad Thai. PAD THAI!!! I'm not sure if you know what's in Pad Thai, but it sure isn't €20 of anything. I'd still consider it expensive even if you had the Queen herself cook it. Or gave me a special plaque to commemorate my expensive dining experience. Or had a life-sized robot powered by cold-fusion serve it to me (though it would be awesome).


Teeks

J'aime Paris

So I just came back from a week in Paris chillin' with Angus and Philippe. I got to see a ton of stuff and more importantly a bunch of stuff I missed the first time I went to Paris (which was about six years ago). Fortunately, the weather held out and even got to see some sun.

France and Paris are amazing. Not only is the city busy with the hustle and bustle but it also has a lot of history that gets folded into the mix. Angus hasn't done the tourist thing in Paris either, so we both took in a lot of the sights for the first time. So thanks to four days of hard work, we got to see:

• Le Louvre (just the outside)
• Les Champs Élysées
• L'Arc de Triomphe
• La Tour Eiffel
• École Militaire
  
• Le Grand Palais (nice Egyptian exhibition)
• Château de Versailles (see below)
• Hôtel des Invalides (Napoleon's Tomb and an excellent war museum)
• Notre Dame de Paris
  
• La Place de la Bastille

Now I won't bore you with the history and such as most of the magic will be lost through my poor description, but I will say that Château de Versailles is one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen. It's almost unbelievable how much decadence can be crammed into one place; if you've seen the movie Marie Antoinette, you'll get an idea of what to expect from that place. Well worth the trip out to Versailles and definitely one of the highlights for me.

Other than that, what can I say? I spoke bad French to Parisians; although a couple times I had to repeat myself ad nauseum because they didn't understand what I was saying, but I held my ground until they gave in. Food and drinks (50cL of Coke is about €3) are expensive in Paris; however, there are some nice baguettes and pastries to be found for reasonable prices. Finally, the Parisian French accent is quite pleasant to hear. Strangely, there were a couple of times while I was sitting in the metro when I overheard conversations and I suddenly felt like I was in a French foreign film. It was weird.


Teeks

Germans wear funny clothes

I spent last weekend in Bonn/Köln again to take in Karneval with my good buddy, Craig. Karneval (Germany) and Carnival (Brazil) are similar to each other, although both celebrate in their own special way. Since I have no idea what Carnival in Brazil is like, I'll stick to describing my weekend.

Karneval was interesting. Basically the entire Rhineland region shuts down for this week-long festival that really gets started on the Thursday (but technically starts in November). I arrived on Friday and took in the sights after we dropped off my stuff; Saturday night was reserved for the crazy parties going on all over.

The best way to describe it is to say it's like Halloween except everybody gets into it: old and young. The thing that's different is that anything strange qualifies as a costume. In North America for Halloween you usually dress as something; in Germany, if you have weird clothes you've got a Karneval outfit (as you can tell by the pictures, I'm dressed as an idiot).

We got to a bar called "Spielplatz" at roughly 4:30pm and to my surprise there was already a line of people about 100 deep. This isn't that strange unless you consider the fact that the bar didn't open until at least 5:00pm. So, special thanks to Craig's coworker, Alex, for getting us in front of the line with his friends. After you get in, you basically drink and listen to "oom-pah-pah" music all night. Guter deutscher fun.

On another note, some people have been asking me if I'm doing any work over here since I seem to be spending a significant amount of time travelling. To that I say, "I'll talk to you when I get back from Paris."


Teeks

I'm not a photographer, but I play one on the internet...

Over the last few weeks, I've accumulated a small amount of photos that I though were kinda cool and I thought I should share. Just a forewarning, they're mostly cliché b&w's taken with a point and shoot digital camera. So they're not even close to "high-school" photography class quality. I still like them though.

I generally prefer candid photos to posed ones, but in this instance I can't really take candid pictures of myself (without myself knowing). So, posed photo are acceptable.

I fixed up some of the shots with my laptop to make them look a little better (e.g., I made the London Underground shot have the yellow line and signage come up while everything else is b&w). I'm not definitely some skilled (or magical) photographer that gets great angles and lighting.

I'll keep these photos up until my eyes well up with tears when I can't take the criticism anymore. =P


Teeks

PS - fyi, the Rotterdam Wallpaper is supposed to have the obvious stitching in the middle.

Amsterdam makes you do strange things...

I just returned from a weekend trip to Amsterdam with some classmates. I've been to Amsterdam before, but I completely forgot what a circus the city was. Bikes, cars, trams and pedestrians all trying to navigate the streets. And then there's the Red-Light District. This place is insane. No description would do it justice. You just have to go and experience it.

Nothing really exciting transpired. We walked the streets in the freezing cold. We went to the Van Gogh museum. It rained.

And then it happened. I turned my back on one of the things in my life that I hold most sacred.

I ate at McDonald's.

If you've known me for any period of time you've likely heard me yammer on about my no-McDonald's streak dating back to 1999. I decided long ago to cut out something unhealthy from my life and since McDonald's is the easiest fast food to acquire, it became my small sacrifice. Honestly, I've adhered to this policy quite faithfully (with exceptions for the occasional apple pie and soft serve sundae) and am happy I did it.

For the sake of full-disclosure, there was another incident in 2000 (the last time I was in Europe). I partook of a McDonald's meal in Switzerland. Not because I craved it, but because I was starving.

This time, I quasi-broke the rule for a reason. Before coming to Europe I decided I was going to try and sample as many local delicacies as possible. If a whole nation thinks something is delicious, then it probably is. The Netherlands is no different. They have this thing called a "kroket" that is eaten in a bun. It looks like a fish stick and is basically a breaded, deep-fried beef ragout. Well, McDonald's puts this thing in a burger-format with some seasoned mayonnaise and presto! McKroket Burger (€1.95). And it's as tasty as it looks.

So despite what I said above, I still consider the streak to be alive. Well, in North America it is at least.


Teeks

I'm not as young as I used to be...

Getting old is easy. All you have to do is sit there and it will happen.

The hard part is staying young (or at least postponing old-age). People try to accomplish this feat everyday of their lives. They eat healthy, exercise and keep the bodily abuse to a minimum.

Through good genes (if you believe in evolution), the grace of some god (if you're religious) or witchcraft (if you're just plain jealous), I look younger than I am. But, I'm not shy about my age. If people ask, I'll tell them.

More importantly, I've managed to postpone my mental maturity. Thanks to that, I've been able to successfully re-infiltrate and re-integrate into the undergraduate life here on my international exchange in Rotterdam.

However, I've felt the oldest I've ever felt the other day. While sitting around with some exchange friends (who were both born in the 80's) the song "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" came on. If you don't know who sang it, don't feel bad; it's not at the tip of everyone's tongue. But I imagine that all or most of you do know of this classic song from the 80's. It's by my favourite group from the 80's "Wham!".

Unfortunately, Amber and Rich didn't know by who it was; so I said, "it's by Wham!".

To which they replied "who's Wham!?".

I almost cried.


Teeks

Chicken... run!

I don't know how many of you know this but, Holland (and Rotterdam in particular) is the victim of an invasive species. About 90-years ago, some genius brought over a non-native type of chicken that was supposed to be better for farming. However, this breed was so aggressive and adaptable that after a few got loose, there was no controlling the wild chicken population.

As a result, there are certain areas that are not safe to travel without at least an experienced guide or a vehicle of some sort. These areas are marked with signs (see above picture) and people are indeed serious about the possible threat to one's personal safety. The wild roosters (reaching almost 1.20m in height) will attack most passerbys with the most common injuries being scratches and bites. However, there have also been several recorded incidents of people losing arms or legs.

To help remedy the situation the local government passed by decree "De het Pikken Orde" where wild roosters can be hunted within the surrounding park areas. Additionally, there are social incentives to collecting wild roosters. For example, Jerry, one of the Dutch student buddies, bounced a cheque at a local grocery store. As punishment, the store owner put the bounced cheque up on display for customers to see. However, the store owner offered to take the cheque down if Jerry would get a rooster and win a cockfight against a bigger chicken. Fortunately for "Little Jerry", Jerry's friend Kramer stepped in to stop the fight.


Teeks

Fast bike? She's fast enough for you, old man.

Lock up your daughters, dads! That's right. I purchased a bicycle yesterday. And soon, I will be terrorizing neighbourhoods again like I did when I was 10-years old.

As you can see from the pictures, it's not fancy. It's not pretty. But, it's got a lot of things going for it:

1. It's got two wheels - while looking for a bike I asked myself "what do I reeeeealy want?". And the answer that came up first was "two wheels". Fortunately, there are plenty of bikes available with this feature.
   
   
2. It's ugly - I don't want Dutch locals and perhaps unsavoury international students thinking that this bike would look better under their own ass. Therefore, I picked a bike for which almost no one could care. Think "Charlie Brown Christmas" and you'll get a better 3D mental picture in your head. Only those pitied by the desperate are going to want to steal this bike.
   
   
3. It's special - is it the mustard yellow colour? Maybe. Is it the "The Eagle" decal that's emblazoned on the bike's frame that exudes a quality best described as "awesomeness"? Getting closer. Is it because I look like a down-and-out rock star from an episode of VH1's "Where Are They Now?" when I ride it? Absolutely.

But seriously, the Dutch like to bike. It also helps that pretty much everywhere you go, there's a designated bike path. There's even traffic lights just for the bike lanes. It's so popular that I think there's probably TV shows on about bikes with people falling in love or crime dramas with cops on bikes ("Pacific Blue" would have killed out here).

Basically moving to Rotterdam and not owning a bike would be like... like moving to Montreal and chopping off my legs... actually, that's not a good analogy. I'll have to think about that one...

At least I feel like I belong now and not like one of those schleps walking. Haha!


Teeks

School started! Well, sort of...

So last week, school in Rotterdam officially started for me. I say "officially" because I was required to attend the orientation for all international exchange students for RSM Erasmus. But no classes as of yet.

It was very well put together by the school and the instructors. For the three days in Elst, Netherlands (about an hour east of Rotterdam), we did team-building, trust and cross-cultural learning activities.

Yep, that's right. Things that you've only heard about, I did them. Acrobatics, juggling, painting (see above) and the "talking stick", all made an appearances.

And not only did I learn something from the instructors during the three days, but also from out student buddies. The Dutch buddies assigned to us were tremendous in giving us the scoop on where and what to do in Rotterdam and Holland and definitely what not to do.

I also learned that the Dutch like to party (much like everybody). And although we were only there for a little while, those crazy Dutch (especially my student buddy) shut the bar down every night. So it should be a fun and interesting time over the next few months...


Teeks

PS - more pictures to come; I was pathetic in taking pictures so I'll have to hit someone up for them.

I did it... finally.

Yep. I did it.

I finally updated my photos to capture the visual component of my time here in Europe. Feel free to browse through.

Featured photo sets:

1. London, England

2. Rotterdam, Netherlands

3. Bonn/Köln, Germany




Enjoy!

Teeks

My computer is back! Hahaha!

I'd like to thank all of those who kept me and my computer in your thoughts and prayers. We've managed to endure and overcome the challenge of keeping in contact with friends and family even though the internet was at least 10 minutes away through inclement weather. I think that the bond between PowerBook and I will be even stronger now that we know what it's like to be apart.

Honestly, it's been an excruciating 2.5 weeks of not having a computer. Having to truck it over to school just to send some simple e-mails or check information is a serious pain-in-the-ass. I think I can safely say that owning a computer at home with internet access is for all intents and purposes a necessity these days.

So as much as not having a computer sucked, having no agenda and no contacts in Rotterdam was even more hellacious, as time would completely slow down. On the bright side, not having a computer at my disposal for two weeks gave me a little more to keep me occupied during this time; for example, each day instead of just "I used the internet today" I would stay busy by "walking to school and using the internet".

I also managed to spread out the reading of "Jitterbug Perfume" (good book by-the-way; thanks, Tyler) and "Life of Pi" (thanks, Craig) so that I had something to do everyday. Additionally, I think I've completely caught up on sleep that I've missed out on over the past five years. Finally, the grocery store employees don't mind if you only buy €5 worth of groceries everyday.


Teeks

Things are inexpensive in Holland...

I picked up this baby (Sony Ericsson T290i) for a measly €25 when I subscribed to a T-Mobile Prepaid plan last week. Deduct from that the €5 of free initial airtime and the €10 of additional time I get for filling out a straightforward customer survey. And at what do we arrive? Well, we arrive at a disposable cell phone for €10. Nice!

Not to mention the fact that as a part of T-Mobile's generous 24/7 Prepaid plan promotion (or inventory-clearing event), I was also given 247 free (assuming my Dutch is still as good as it used to be) outgoing text messages. So based on a €0.08 cost per text message, I got a free cell phone. That, my friends, is the definition of "inexpensive".

I've already received a call (which freaked the crap out of me when it rang; thanks, Steve!) and a couple of texts (thanks, Carolyn!) since purchasing my phone too.

And the phone isn't bad either. I mean, it's got all the basic features and exemplifies the technology of 2005 to a tee. Plus, I was tired of the "flip-phone" (it's soooo 2006). So what's not to like?

I'm sure I'll find something...


Teeks

I have a roommate. He is a slob.

There was probably a time when I wouldn't mind messes. I mean, a pile of dirty clothes is still not unheard of when it comes to discussing the state of my laundry. But I think I've matured over the years (it would actually be pretty embarassing if I didn't) and have come to expect a standard of kitchen and bathroom cleanliness. Just on the surface (no pun intended), the speed and type of digusting stuff that can accumulate and grow is something to consider on a regular and periodic basis.

Since returning from Bonn, a pile of dishes continued to grow in the communal space that I share with my roommate*. Like pimple on a supermodel's face it demands attention in the landscape of our kitchen. However, as high as one is able to build things, there is a limit. And that limit has been reached. By my unofficial count there are about 10 dishes stacked right by the sink asking... nay, pleading to be washed.

One would think that in realizing that a terminus height had been reached, lest roommate tempt fate and likely 10 broken dishes, that roommate would consider washing them.

What has roommate done?

Started a new pile next to the old one.


Teeks

*THE EVENTS, CHARACTERS DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE FICTITIOUS. ANY SIMILARITY TO ACTUAL PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. THAT IS TO SAY, PLEASE DON'T MURDER ME IN MY SLEEP, COOLEST ROOMMATE... EVAR! THANKS!

Like a Rhineland Cowboy...

I want to learn all I can about Holland while I'm here. So, naturally, during my first weekend I decided... to go to Germany. Makes sense, right?

I travelled by train to Bonn where, a good friend and former classmate, Craig was living and working. Bonn is a nice little city with a few sights to take in and many museums in which to pass the time. Some of the trivial highlights about Bonn include:

• Currywurst and fries - it's just like it sounds and it looks rather unpleasant. However, it's apparently a foodstand staple not only in Bonn, but in Germany (my source could be wrong). Having tried it a couple of times, it can best be described as sausages with BBQ sauce (or ketchup) with curry powder. Oh and the fries? They just love mayonnaise all over it. Delicious.

• Pastries - I don't know what Germans collectively decided in making pastries, but they're unbelievably good and cheap (in-and-around €1). I imagine that, in general, they have less hang-ups or concerns about healthy eating as North Americans, so another indulgence can't hurt. My tastebuds definitely benefitted from this style of thinking.

• Bonn's greatest export - I don't know if you know this. And if you do, feel free to skip this part. Bonn is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven. The Beethoven Society has managed to preserve his birthhouse (i.e., Beethovenhaus) and exhibits a variety of Beethoven memorabilia. It's like Graceland for Beethoven groupies.

Another thing to mention about Bonn (or perhaps Germany) is that everything is closed on Sunday. Now I can remember a time in Vancouver when things were closed on Sunday, but that was ages ago. However, pretty much all the shops with a few exceptions take the day off. Sounds great if you're looking for a quiet day off, but can be a nightmare if you're in desperate need of entertainment.

Finally, I took a day trip to Cologne. In practical terms, we went there for the afternoon, saw Kölner Dom, had some awesome Indian food for dinner and left.

All-in-all, a very enjoyable trip.

Teeks

Guess who's in Rotterdam?

I arrived in Rotterdam about a week ago with a general idea of what to expect. So no big surprises on my side. However, for those of you who haven't been to Rotterdam before, I'll do my best to describe my initial impressions so that you have a crystal clear image of what I see when I step outside...

First off, the architecture is not what you'd expect. Rotterdam got the crap bombed out of it in WWII. So many of the buildings are not super old. Thus the city is relatively modern and lacks that historic feel. Still very European though.

Second, it's been raining. Now I do realize that it's winter; but when I say "raining", I don't mean the friendly TV-commercial kind where everyone is smiling. Plus being close to the ocean, it's frickin' windy. Basically, the rain comes down on Rotterdam's inhabitants like a French teacher on bad pronounciation (like when you don't do that 'liaison' stuff). So when you do the pretend math, it equals unhappy time outdoors as shown below:

R(ain) + W(ind) + Teeks = Time(unhappy)

Third, the Dutch are tall. And I don't mean, "hey, that guy is pretty tall." I mean, "hey those fifteen guys over there and the twelve girls over there are pretty frickin' tall!" I should clarify that when I say 'tall', I'm talking like 2.00m. Those of you with a complex about your height deficiency (unlike me) needn't worry. There are short people; however, they are jeered and laughed at...


Teeks

Big thanks to our most awesomest hosts!

Special blog entry for Sandy (pictured-left) and Monica (pictured-right) who were unbelievably generous in putting Tyler and me up for the weekend in London.

Not only were they gracious hosts, but they took some time out to show us the parts of the city and made sure that we were ridiculously comfortable in their fine abode.

I can't thank them enough for their kindness and the fact that I now have a standard to which I can measure my hosting abilities.


Teeks

London, pound-for-pound, is a great place...

I had a great time in London. Lots to do and see. Plus, they make it relatively easy to get around the city. The Underground (or "tube" to which it is affectionately referred) is quite easy of which to get the hang and to ultimately navigate.

Despite that dastardly weather combined with some wicked jet lag (and Tyler's flu), we saw the highlights of London including:

• Tower Bridge (pictured above)
• Westminster Abbey
• Buckingham Palace
• Leicester Square
• Trafalgar Square
• The British Museum
• Madame Tussauds

And if that wasn't enough, I also got to catch up with some friends (Monica, Sandy, Drew, Sandra, Dan, Bryce) who are currently situated in London.

And to top it all off, yummy meals were ingested pretty much everyday.

So... I bet you're all waiting for the trademark complaints now. Nah, let's just leave it like this.

Teeks

Dear Air Canada, You suck. Sincerely, Teeks

Travelling is tough. I don't mean the fun holiday stuff when you arrive at your desitination, but the logistics and effort involved with the actual transport. And in this day and age of "heightened security" things are even more complicated (as they should be).

Having said that, one would think that an airline like Air Canada would try and make travel as enjoyable as possible. Did they? Based on my last flight with them, in my opinion, I'd say "Hellz no!".

Was it because of the hollow-shelled individuals who call themselves flight attendants? Probably not.

Was it because they decided to show "The Commitments", a movie from 1991? Not necessarily.

Was it because the food sucked as it always does? I don't think so.

Or was it because they decided in their geniusness to book our connecting flight to leave 40 minutes after we were supposed to land and thus we had to run our asses off to get to our International departure gate?

Or the fact they were late and had there not been a tailwind, we would have missed our connection?

Or the fact we had to wait 30 minutes to get off the plane because the engine wouldn't shut off?

Or the jerkface flight attendant who spilled hot coffee in my lap and was not only less than apologetic, but simply put 20 napkins on my tray to make up for it?

Add these all together and, in my mind, their customer service failed miserably.

Hey Air Canada, here's a plastic spoon so you can eat my ass.


Teeks

Does AppleCare? We'll find out...

It's 2007. Another year closer to Armageddon. But let's try not to focus on the apocalyptic catastrophe that awaits us... let's talk about me.

Actually, I like pronouncing it "ar-Meh-ge-Don" as opposed to "Ar-meh-Geh-den"; sounds more sinister. As a side note, if I was to be reincarnated as a Transformer, this is what I would like to be called. However, knowing HasbroGod's sense on humour I would be a something completely retarded like a Vespa that transformed into a kitchen hand-mixer. Or a Bedazzler that transforms into a spare tire. Damn you, HasbroGod. Damn you.

Anyway, I finally got confirmation of my AppleCare coverage via e-mail today. Woo hoo! Happy days, happy days. Now it's just a matter of figuring out if I can get my 12" Powerbook G4 repaired before I leave or whether it will be after.

I want to thank all of you who took the time to lend me your ears regarding my Powerbook. The sincerity with which the words "that's sucks", "oh man" and "shitty" were uttered were heartfelt. =)


Teeks