first impressions

After weeks of farewell parties and send-offs, my friends finally got sick of me and put me on a flight to the Netherlands. I think even now, as I walk the cobblestone streets, watch the mallards and swans swimming in the canals, brushing past the water lilies which are just starting to bloom, and listen to strains of Dutch being spoken wherever I go, it still hasn't sunk in that this is my new home. Part of me thinks I'm just on a business trip and that I"ll be back in my comfort zone soon. And then I remember that all my stuff is packed away in a shipping container headed to New Jersey before crossing the ocean, and that my apartment in Boston is empty and ready to be moved into by the next tenant.

I don't think it was until I tried to use the pay phone at the Schiphol Airport this morning to track down my taxi, or went to the train station in the afternoon to take some Dutch passport photos in a photo booth which had all instructions listed in Dutch that I realized what's in store for me in terms of settling in, acclimatizing and making this place my new home. At least I could make out some of the menu selections at the restaurant that I went to earlier this evening.

I checked into the hotel this morning. It's a small little inn, really, located in the heart of the city. With my two large suitcases, a backpack and my laptop case in tow, I climbed up a few flights of steep, narrow stairs, sweating it out, and finally
setting the bags down and taking the suitcases up the remaining staircases one at a time. Once I got into my hotel room, I marveled at the large dormer windows in both the bedroom and the bathroom and was in awe of the fantastic view of both the Old Church and the New Church situated in the main square, just several rows of houses away.

As it had been a long morning, I really needed to make my way to the bathroom to relieve myself. Now, being jet lagged and completely worn out from carrying my bags up the staircases, I wasn't really paying much attention to anything aside from the business at hand. I did pause in embarrassment however, when I noticed that several flashbulbs were going off at the top of the old church from the tower. I realized then that I had neglected to lower the blinds in the bathroom and was essentially putting on a show for the tourists from my bathroom window. With a shrug and a sheepish smile, I waved at them
and said, "Welcome to Delft!" and then quickly washed up and ducked out of view.

....and I've only been here for a few hours.

pb&j

Saw Peter Björn & John at the Paradise Rock Club in Allston last night. They played a high energy set including "Amsterdam" which Linda, in true dork fashion, dedicated to me. And Peter answered the question that's been plaguing me since I discovered their music – they hate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. "The worst, most unhealthy American Invention."

Gotta love a trio of Swedish geeks who can rock out like nobody's watching!

springtime in vancouver

It's been about a week since I returned from Vancouver, and spring is just starting to hit Boston. It feels like I've gone back in time, but since spring is my favorite season, it's great to experience it twice! Here are some photos from my trip home:

A felled tree at the entrance to Stanley Park. Notice Swiss scupltor Heinz Aesclimann's steel work, "Composer" behind it, in the distance.

Grape Hyacinths sprinkled with spring rain.

Burnaby Mountain, near Simon Fraser University.





View from the Seawall. Stanley Park to the left, and the Vancouver city skyline to the right.

Cherry blossoms in full bloom atop Burnaby mountain.