EXPAT ELF

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Delft...

Give me a name and I promise I will find it on a street sign here!

Photographer in action again...

The towers visible above these buildings crowned an incredibly large cathedral, one which apparently didn't merit mention on any map that I have. I think it's the Maria van Jessekerk.

Pisa, here is your Dutch sister.

Around the Hague

This little window, with just a chandelier visible to the outside, fascinated me for some reason.

Haarlem

The organ, still illuminated after our tour

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I won't say much about the start of the Karadzic trial, as it is being covered so extensively in the media (as evidenced by the plethora of news vans, satellite dishes, and microphone cables in front of the Tribunal - I thought I saw Christiane Amanpour, but it was wishful thinking). My own observation is that it was a sobering sight to see two buses with the Women of Srebrenica leaving a parking lot last night. The group was outraged when the trial was adjourned until today and stated that they would sleep on the lawn in front of the court until the trial commenced if need be, as they don't have the money for hotel rooms. Information about the group is here: http://www.srebrenica.ba/index.en.php?link=intro.

Just to add to the drama around here, today Biljana Plavsic was released from the Swedish prison that housed her, having offered "substantial evidence of rehabilitation." (http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/27/plasvic.release/index.html)

Saturday, October 24, 2009

More to come...

Today we trekked off to Haarlem to tour the inner working of the Müller Organ; I'm so glad my dad was able to putter around the registers and examine everything as closely as the resident organist would allow. I so wish he would have been able to play it himself...

We've been having such a great time together, chatting all the while and looking at what Holland has to offer in our limited time. I'm getting spoiled by my parents - lovely ankle boots, delicious wines with dinner, and of course just having them nearby!

I will be sure to post more photos within the next week, so be sure to check back. All my love to all of you!

Just a taste of Amsterdam...

This latest time in Amsterdam I shuttled my parents to the flower market for a quick pass-through of the bulbs, then on to the Hermitage Amsterdam to see the Russische Hof exhibit. The new museum is housed in a former nursing home, and while I am a budding museum snob I really enjoyed the displays of court gowns. It was interesting to compare notes with my mother on the real Hermitage in St. Petersburg, which we have seen separately but both enjoyed immensely.

My mother was a photographer before becoming a nurse, so being over here she's back in her element, aligning lovely shots of things I had completely overlooked. When we compare our photos at the end of the night, she has managed to frame beautiful vignettes from street scenes that I passed right by.