Month: February 2015

This Monday I was for work in the UK. It was an excellent opportunity to visit the rest of the van den Berg family in Woking. Couldn’t resist taking a selfie with Saskia.

Marco had to work but Anette and myself also had some time for lunch in Guildford. We also went to see an exhibition called ‘caught in the cross-fire’. Saskia had dancing lessons on Tuesday and I was able to catch a glimpse of her performance. Benjamin has grown tremendously since I saw him last August and he seems to be fond of his uncle. Sylvie showed me the secret stash of chocolate … sssht…. don’t tell anyone.

Herinnering aan Holland

Denkend aan Holland
zie ik breede rivieren
traag door oneindig
laagland gaan,

rijen ondenkbaar
ijle populieren
als hooge pluimen
aan den einder staan;

en in de geweldige
ruimte verzonken
de boerderijen
verspreid door het land,

boomgroepen, dorpen,
geknotte torens,
kerken en olmen
in een grootsch verband.

de lucht hangt er laag
en de zon wordt er langzaam
in grijze veelkleurige
dampen gesmoord,

en in alle gewesten
wordt de stem van het water
met zijn eeuwige rampen
gevreesd en gehoord.

—Hendrik Marsman

On my way to England for the part of this business trip. Had an opportunity to stop over in Wapenveld for a few days and have a coffee with my dad and visit my uncle as well.

The best ham, coming straight from the leg at the Bravo restaurant in Barcelona. Almost done with work. Over the weekend I will fly to wapenveld and visit Jansie before going to London.

Unfortunately my week in Dubai isn’t the end of this trip. There is a meeting in Barcelona from Monday to Friday that I also need to be at. It isn’t realistically possible to fly back on Friday afternoon from Dubai to home and be back in Barcelona by Monday morning. I decided therefore to spend most of the weekend in Madrid ( the airport most Dubai flights arrive into ) and take the train to Barcelona. It’s a 3 hour train ride but there’s no rush on a Sunday afternoon.

First breakfast in Madrid.

Even though it is winter, it was a beautiful sunny day just outside Madrid.

This week I am spending for week in Dubai. The weather is very pleasant and about the same temperature as home. Very different from my last trip here which was in the summer and scorching hot. Took this photo last night sitting outside with a view of the marina.

Some beautiful fog this winter rolling over the hills in OC.

I finally had a double sleepover over with my bestie friend, and we went to Dave and Busters YA. Here are some wonderful pictures of how awesome it is. I had the best day ever. 😊