Never Say Good Bye...

Friday was a day closure for me.  The work which brought me to Hengelo is coming to an end, and it is very likely this may be my last visit to this small town in the Netherlands.  Returning to the hotel earlier than our normal routine allowed me to walk the streets and say goodbye - to friends, to a place, and maybe a chapter in my life. 

I cannot close this blog without sharing a few snapshots of from this as well as  previous visits.  So please humor me with a short stroll down “memory straat” visually and in word.

This group of flowers from the market is often my computer wallpaper and always instantly brightens my day and screams "Be Happy".  


One those moments that have snapped a picture in my memory occurred on a snowy blustery night in January.   Randy and I walked the streets of Hengelo and hearing the bells we looked up to this fairy tale view.

And that ugly piece of modern art which overwhelmed the square in years past has now been replaced by trees.  Much more to my liking… 

And as I have written in blog… the bikes!  Especially the mom’s on their bikes.  The most I ever saw were 4 kids and mom with groceries.  Never could catch the event with a camera in my hand.

 

Or starting the day by riding to work from the hotel on a bike... Makes you feel like a local.  Until they started ringing their bells annoucing you are going to slow - comin' around - DING DING DING!

Ohh… The hours in the de Appel and all the stories… where should I start….Brandi’s and the missing 43 glass… maybe not

Children taking an ice cream break at a playground, which is located on busiest street corner unaware and unconcerned of the world around them

The streets lined in flower pots in the Spring

The smell and taste of a hot stroopwafel on a very cold market day

 

The color and beauty of the Basilica during Christmas Time

I know as I move forward in my life – I will always look back with great fondness of the time I got to spend in Hengelo.

However, there is one question that still remains unanswered for me about this town, which may draw me back there one day…

 Is this art or is it really the Stairway to Heaven?

Thank you for following the blog this trip and allowing me to look back and share with you a special place in my heart

Technical Problems

Sorry for no entries, but have not had internet
Flying home and will update in the coming days.

Lots of Pictures and stories...

Have a happy

Have you ever visited Goor?

Seeking an escape from Hengelo and wanting to explore a little more, I decide it was time for another Night Tourist adventure. However, with the current cold temperatures it was more...  I am looking for a new place to eat and why not take a train to get there. Accompanied by an associate, Mike, we chose Goor for a dinner destination.

Ok, let us give the Dutch pronunciation class... Today's word is the town name - Goor. First thing is imagine you have a hair ball in your thoart. So in one syllable bark out WHOR with a rasp and rumble on the first part. One more time WHOR. That's it! Now go share your new word with your co-workers and friends and use it in a sentence... Have you ever visited Goor?

Goor is a small town about 20 minutes away from Hengelo. The town is about 900 years old and was a textile center in years past. Over the years much of the past has been replaced by what I will call Dutch subria housing. However the church, an old windmill, and the Grand Cafe de Zon still give us a glimpse into the past. When we went by the windmill, I thought I will get a shot for the blog. However the winmill was about 2 kms from the train station... the opposite direction from the restaurant... and it was was 10 degrees... The BeeGees were not singing in my head - you are not a tourist you are hungry and cold - press on!

We walked straight to the restaurant with very little sightseeing along the way. Passing a gas station I thought the readers back home would like to know what a fill up in the Netherlands would cost. Here comes

the educational part again (using round numbers).

Gas Cost: 1.68 Euro per liter
3.8 liters = 1 gallon
$1.32 = 1 Euro
My car takes 15 gallons to fill up

Answer: $129.40 for a fill-up

And that Ladies and Gentleman is how
public transportation becomes preferred over a POV

Along the way I also had a thought - I should have been posting a sign of the day in the blog.
Little late to start now I know, but oh well here is today's word:

Please submit your answer in the comments field below :)

Arriving at the restaurant, Grand Cafe de Zon,  frozen to bone we chatted for awhile with the bartender and then proceed for dinner. Tonight I had a Le Menu again - a three course fixed price for about 30 Euro.

een salade met appel en walnoot,
geserveerd met reepaté en warme geitenkaas in rauwe ham

This is a salad of apples and walnuts with greens with Pheasant Pate and warm goat chesse wrapped in ham with blasamic vinegar.

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gegrilde hertenbiefstuk, geserveerd op rode kool, met een saus van appel en kaneel

A very generous portion of venison steak cooked to perfection in a apples sauce with that red cabbage cinnamon side and a nice French Merlot.   I should added potatoes, brussel sprouts, and a salad was served family side... And I ate 5 brussel sprouts

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Cheesecake traditionele, geserveerd met vers fruit en een bolletje vanille-ijs

Chessecake with fruit and wipped cream

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We finished the evening with Twentsch Kuierant a digestive only found in this region of the Netherlands. It is usually served around the Christmas season. Very yummy and only 30% alc.

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Warmed with a wonderful meal and wearing a low glow from the Twentsch Kuierant we bundled up to head back to the train station. The bartender came over an told us to sit back down. The train does not come for another 20 minutes and it is a 5 minute walk. It is very very cold. We sat down tapping our fingers being Americans more concerned about missing the train than the cold. Leaving sooner that we had been warned we set off into the dark and cold. Making it in time to enjoy a 5 minute wait on the platform with 8 other shaking souls.

Last day tomorrow and then it will be time to begin my trip home.

I should added a side note....
Mike used to work for Exxon in the Far East.  Being an oil kinda guy he walked a public parking lot looking for oil spots on the ground and found zero - Quality of vehicle care by the Dutch?. 

Me - It is just too damn cold and the oil is frozen in the cars.....

How sweet is....

Following work with the sun bright and shiny and it being market day (again) I grabbed my camera and headed for city center. The temperature was 13 F and the winds were screaming up the street. My nose went numb immediately.  Now I have been in 13 degree weather and it is cold - damn cold in fact, but I do not know why it seems like it is minus 13 here.  When I arrived at the market many of the vendors were already gone, and the others were packing up. I guess it was too bitter to pedal their wares.   The wisest one at the market was this small child bundled in stroller which zipped up, and had a coat with a hood, and was placed in a sleeping bag. He was happy and warm, but his mother, as was I, were freezing.   At this point, I was desperate to get out of the winter blast... then I found the perfect haven!

Now I know I called this blog Beer, Bikes, and Fries, but I could have added another "B" for Bake Goods. It takes the will power of Job to avoid these establishments which offer sugar based nirvana to a passer by. As soon as I cracked the door, the warm air laced with the smells of fresh breads and desserts rush to invite me in. Standing frozen I just looked around as my senses went into overdrive. The smells, the colors, and the knowledge that my taste buds could soon be satisfied screamed - Welcome! Here are just a few of the treats that await a visitor trying to escape the cold

(Remember you can click on the picture and it gets bigger, but you cannot scratch and sniff.)

The nice thing about most towns in the Netherlands is that there are a lot of bakeries!  Hengelo is no exception.  I returned to the hotel stopping at 2 other shops to warm my toes and just enjoy.   And proud my will power stood firm... No Treats from Me!  But it was dinner time and I now needed to eat.

Joined by two associates and one spouse we headed to Intenzo for my second visit. One just cannot go wrong there. They are known for a special pasta dish which I got as an antipasto. In a large wheel of parmesan the waiter pours a little grappa and fires it off melting some cheese and softening most. He then adds pasta and works the melted chesse and pasta until they become one. It is almost like a cream with thin slices of one Italy's finest cheeses dressing the pasta. What a Great Start! A nice Sicilian White with crisp citrus flavors accompanied the dish. For the main course I opted for a Halibut which had been wrapped in Parma Ham and lightly coated with a magic sauce. This with the same Moscato from the other night was a perfect match. Salt and Sweet balance was spot on. The pictures do not come close to representating the meal. Side dishes served family style were roasted potatoes, and salad. On my plate was carrot, pepper ragu type of thing that my wife would have enjoyed, but even at 55 I cannot eat cooked carrots. I can still hear my mother in the back my head... "Eat them - they are good for you!"  For dessert a simple glass of Vin Santo was all I needed.

SPECIAL REPORT... SPECIAL REPORT...SPECIAL REPORT...

The change has begun!  The new company has taken over the Eden Star!

The hotel is now:

Last night the 2nd Thearte Floor looked like this:

Today when we returned from work the same space is now looks like this:

See Blog Post Below "Home Away from Home" for more detail.

This has been a SPECIAL REPORT...

Home Away From Home

As my trip draws to a close, I would be remiss not covering my place of lodging. I realized yesterday that over the last three years I have stayed at Eden Star Hotel for more than two months of my life. For many of my co-workers it has also been there landing pad for even longer. The hotel is geared to meet the needs of an international business person and does it well, but it is very unique in its own special way. Standing in the lobby it is very likely to hear anywhere from 4 to 5 different languages be spoken. The spoken word of Dutch and English appear to be the only two that business is being conducted, but the cacophony of languages and gesters make the lobby an interesting place to hang. When we were kids we always played the license plate game, with a Montana plate being the rarest find. I think at the Eden Star a person from about every country in the world has come through the door.

Yesterday, I learned that the Eden Star will be no more. A new company has procured the hotel, and how

they will change the hotel is still unknown. The exact hand over date has not been published, but many think it will be Wednesday 1 February. Late tonight there was a man in fancy suit that had taken over the office and going through the files... Hmmm... I think the change is soon.
So I will give a quick tour of this hotel will show you why I called this Dutch Hotel, "unique" 

Coming through the door you are greeted by founder of the Eden Group of Hotels. I have always liked this painting and never realized who he was till I read the plaque the other day - doesn't he look like a boss? The lobby, which is on the main floor (choice 0 in the elevator) is also where a great breakfast is served every morning. A bar, small office kiosk, and a stairwell full off bikes for travellers who feel like integrating into the Dutch the Way are available. And of course the front desk, where the some of the nicest people you will ever meet greet each and every person that comes through the door.

The hotel is built that each floor is a theme. As soon as you get in the elevator you will see a sign that will give you a hint, but it is not till the elevator door opens is the full impact of theme truly realized. The color schemes of each floor are eclectic with art or trinkets scattered around matching the floor's theme. This visit I was put on a "Travel Floor" and outside my door is a rickshaw. It always catches me off guard in the morning. I never did see a driver, but I am really really tempted to take it for a spin on the 4th floor.

The rooms are large and carry the theme into your living space. Being on travel floor, hanging behind my bed is a large painting of "The Needles". A rock formation at the extreme tip of the Isle of Wight, which is the location where Guglieimo Marconi in 1897 transmitted the first radio signals. I only knew that because I was there a few months

ago, but that was another adventure. The rooms have radiators and floor heating. I have never turned on a radiator nor have I ever closed a window. Winter or summer the window stays open for fresh air. And I am not alone leaving the windows open. When you go outside and look at the face of the building probably 80% of the windows are open. Got to love floor heat. The other advantage is that one now has a refrigator in the room. A wide ledge with a window open will keep water and beer right above freezing, yet the room remains toasty. Many nights the duvet is tossed aside because the room is so warm, and the curtians are blowing to beat the band in the -10 C winds.

The one downside of the room maybe in the bathroom. Being an American male, I am partial to soap and shampoo vice body wash. The fragrance of orange blossom and cedar just does not do a whole lot for me. Over my trips I have learned to bring my own soap and shampoo, as well as a wash cloth for good measure. The rooms have plenty of large towels, but no little ones. And of course the hotly debated discussion point on toliet paper in Europe - soft or abrasive? Well I leave that arguement to the picture. But if you must... try this with on Charmin and a fountain pen - I rest my case.

The hotel truly shines in two areas. First, and most important, the friendly staff. Each everyone of them will go out of there way to make your stay pleasant. And like the golden rule of real estate, it is location, location, location. Eden Star is only 2 blocks form the town square and dozens of restaurants, pubs, and shops. The bells from the city tower and the Basilica are easily heard across the town and can act a your snooze alarm. One can set their alarm for 6:55 and roll over, and at 7:00 the bells will begin tolling saying get up!

The Theatre Floor

My hope is the new company, Hampshire Hotels, will change little about the Eden Star. Well maybe a new brand of TP, wash cloths, and a bar soap would be nice - but the rest is All Good!

Blaaaaaah Monday

It does not matter where in the world you are - Mondays are Mondays. It is the day one must return to work and then afterwards catch-up on all those things that should have been done over the weekend, but skipped because they were not as important as fun and relaxation.

The weather has turn bitter cold and the winds form the east have driven the temp below 0 deg C, which in itself is not that bad.  However, the wind and dampness cuts right through you. Snow spits every now and then and it is like a gloom has settled in over Hengelo - it truly is a Monday.

My goal today was to get the laundry done. I purposely packed for 7 days so I would not feel like I was carrying my closet, and I have found doing laundry on travel is not that big of deal. Or is it?
Why not just let the hotel do it you ask - you are on business travel? Well I researched that option and the hotel charges 3.50 euro ($5) per pair of underwear x 7. Holy sh.... that is a lot of money!   I am not sure Angelina Jolie's skivies should command that price for a little soap and warm water!  I am certian mine are not worth that amount of money.   So if underwear cost 3.50 euros what is a shirt or pair of jeans... Yep 8 euros!   Being pretty good ciphering for a King George High Graduate, I figured it would be over 100 euros for me continue to wear clean clothes. Laundromat time!

Easy enough... NOT!

There is only one choice in Hengelo I have found with self operating machines. It is open from 10 AM to 6 PM and closed on Sunday. My work ends around 4ish... Back at the hotel around 4:30. The laundromat is 1 km away from the hotel. How long will it take to cycle through a wash and dry, and of course: To Walk or Not to Walk that is the question? My Amazing Race mentality begins to kick in...

Here is my thought process: a) My time is limited before the laundromat closes, b) I would have to drag my suitcase of dirty clothes through the streets of Hengelo, c) it is dark, d) it is 17 degrees F and the wind is blowing.

My whole decision was based on d). Taxi it is! Ok the taxi cost me 15 euros for a round trip ride, but hey that is only 3 pairs of underwear in the big scheme of things. Such a deal!  I arrived at the laundromat at 4:45 and the young man running the laundromat was doubtful my task could be completed before closing. He saw my sad face and all of sudden he said let us get it done and was very helpful and got me rolling quickly. At 6:05 I walked out of the wasbeertje with a bag of clean clothes... Even the word for laundromat has "beer" in it! 

The cost to wash and dry a suitcase worth of clothes - 9 euros.  The cost of the taxi 15 euros, having clean underwear - PRICELESS!

Dinner was simple one. I was freezing and just walked the one block to the de Appel for a Thales Burger and Fries. Quick, simple, and good! A meal that every cardiologist can support. Well it least it keeps them in business.

Special shout out to Kevin - I got your email explaining the football standings. I can see why the folks around here are pumped. Seems pretty cold to me to be running around in shorts and sliding in the grass - but right now this town is a buzz with FOOTBALL!

So let us take a vote! 

How many folks would have paid the big bucks and let the hotel do the laundry?

How many folks would have just worn dirty clothes?

and now the tough question.....

How many folks would pay the 3.50 Euros to wash Angelina Jolie's skivies?