Sinterklaas parade

The man himself, riding his faithful steed Amerigo

The Spanish representatives

Little kids catching pepernoten

This little guy got into the spirit of the Zwarte Pieten, most likely hoping to ingratiate himself and avoid a trip to Spain. The Wiki entry on the lore states: "the lyrics of traditional Sinterklaas songs and some parents warn that Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet will leave well-behaved children presents, but punish those who have been naughty. They will kidnap bad children and carry these children off in a sack to their homeland of Spain where, according to legend, Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet dwell out of season."

Zwarte Pieten...

"It's pretty much the Dutch versus the world on this one..."

Apparently even within some circles in the Netherlands this is now a controversial event. I saw how much the kids were enjoying this; to what extent does their innocent enjoyment of the day need to be tarnished by a proper historical contextualization?

Yes, those really are camels. Somehow Sinterklaas - coming from Myra, Turkey, by way of Spain and then the Scheveningen harbor - managed to bring some fuzzy friends along for the ride.

David Sedaris hits the nail on the head

I will post photos of the Sinterklaas parade soon! In the meantime, check out David Sedaris' take on Sinterklaas...

http://www.poetv.com/video.php?vid=27940

Hilarious!

20th Anniversary

Tonight is the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and as much as I would have loved to make it there for the celebrations, I just couldn't take more time off from work. I remember the night that the border opened. My parents were hugging each other in the kitchen at home, wiping away tears, watching the news on our little black and white television perched on the countertop. I remember exactly where I was standing, though of course I didn't fully appreciate the event at the time. I just knew that if my parents were that excited, this was something big.

I had my father scrounge up these photos from the trip that my mother and I made a few months after that November night. As is true of most children, I remember odd things from that day. I picked up a discarded, sandy piece of rebar and whacked away at the concrete, pretty unsuccessfully at first. What stands out the most are those nuns. My mother, with her eye for that perfect shot, wanted me to peer through the hole in the Wall you can see above. It was not meant to be; I was blocking the opening for the nuns, and I still remember their glares and grouching. You'll note my bemused expression, my measured distance?

Berlin will always hold special meaning for me. I remember flying into West Berlin before 1989 and being under the watchful gaze of multiple heavily armed guards, all circling above the baggage carousel with their fingers on triggers. My parents crossed the border, but not with me. In the years after the Wall came down it was palpable where the Wall had been; West Berlin Omas would tend summer flower boxes that bursted with red geraniums. Then the invisible line would be crossed and most of the buildings remained gray and sterile. I remember my latest trip to Berlin and driving down the now-renamed Karl-Marx-Allee (Stalinallee). The architecture is pure Moscow: apartment buildings in the incredible wedding-cake style that stretch on for seemingly miles. I loved the look of the Hotel Ukraina, such an imposing style, but it is striking to see it in Germany.

Berlin is the birthplace of my entire family and a city that I recognize my childhood in.

Photos of the flat

Finally, some photos of my apartment - nearly in time for me to leave.

My cluttered fireplace mantle with photos from home, roses (of course), and Dutch tv

Nest of a bed - the gorgeous print is from Champagne Mercier, a present from Maria

Dining table that is much cozier now that Mom moved the lamp there

Journal girls

My wonderful friend Julia - fellow editor. Please observe: this is apparently the waviest my hair is capable of getting. I slept in Medusa-like braids the night before, and this is all I got out of it. Grumble.

Hectic week

Sorry for the silence on here lately - it's 10 to 10 right now, and I just got home from the office. I'm sure that this pace will ease up after this weekend, but for now I am just trying to tread water!

I'll be sure to snap some photos soon, and will be back in posting shape in no time!

Miss all of you, and love your comments! Keep them coming!

xxoo

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.

Amsterdam again

Haarlem

The organ, still illuminated after our tour

Basement of het Paleis

Scheveningen

Karadzic

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)

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!