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?

A Day of Rest

What a difference a week makes. This Sunday I awoke earlier and had a lesiurely breakefast before 9:30 church. Last week I was running to get to 11 o'clock Mass. The morning was damp and cold and it smelled like snow as I walked the three blocks to the church or more appropriately the Basilica.

To be exact, Lambertus Basiliek Hengelo in Dutch. The beautiful edfice was started in the early 1800s and the first Mass offered was in 1890. During WWII Hengelo was a major train station and entry point into Germany, as well as being home to one of the largest steel plants in Europe. Suffice it to say in 1944 all hell broke loose from the sky and during a week in April much of Hengelo was destroyed by American Bombers. The Basilica took one direct hit and a bomb crashed through the roof landing at the foot of the Altar, but never exploded. After the war in 1948 it went under a major renovation and today remains an active parish.
Ahh I digress...

I found a seat with a great view right as the bell annoucedthe beginning of the Mass. First came 16 men dressed in robes, than 12 alter servers carrying candles, the crufix, and swinging inscence followed by an elderly priest. I wonder what all the pomp and circumstance was about. When the group reached the Altar the men began a chant that echoed throughout the Basilica. The words... the words... I recognize them - it is Latin. Yes, the service is what use to be called (pre-Vatican II) a High Mass. Almost 90 minutes long the entire Mass was sung. The priest for his age had a strong an clear voice, albeit I thought it took all of his strength just to stand. The man was definitely in the check out generation.

I am so glad I attended the 9:30 Mass and got to experience a spritual ritual rarely practiced anymore in the Catholic Church. I do not have any current pictures of the Basilica but I offer these I have taken on previous visits to give you an understanding of the beauty of this building. They were taken at Christmas time a few years ago.

The rest of the day was truly a day of rest. Watched a litte football as FC Twente, the local team, won 4-1 over FC Groningen, And Rotterdam beat Amsterdam to move FC Twente up in the rankings... (I Think) - Not real sure I understand all the nuiances of how standings are done in football. For that matter, I don't understand soccer - I mean football. But it was fun to watch in the hotel lobby and see fans get animated.

What to do for dinner - I wanted something lite but good. So I headed to a little french bistro around the corner. I figured I would never get in because reservations are always required. Well they had one table open right in front of the chef. He immediately said you came back. I said I had tried to get in the other night but there were no tables available. He said no...no... last year you were here an sat over there with a big group He was right and I was amazed. But what really impressed was watching this man work. He was a one man cooking machine. A dishwasher and two waiters had problems keeping up with him. I had his version of Cordon Bleu, which had an interesting twist. Besides just chicken, chesse, and ham there was pineapple and almonds on the top. Served with what I call Bene's potatoes and a salad, I had an Torrentes from Argentina which was crisp and refreshing. That is one wine that makes any dish with citrus a special meal.

Walking out of the restaurant I discovered it had begun to snow. Flurries were falling at a steady pace and I found a doorway with a slight over hang to fulfill our family tradition. That being, It does not matter where you are in the world you must call your mother on Sunday night.   Sweetie Too!

I spoke to my mom and then my sweetie.

After hanging up with my wife I walked back to the hotel in the snow thinking...

I miss you! 
See ya next Sunday!

12 hours - 500 Kilometers

One Train Discount Day Pass, A Bottle Water, Two Cameras, it is cold misty - Lets circumnavigate the Netherlands.

Friday night before the train ticket office closed, I stopped by and asked the nice lady behind the counter if there was one place I should go see while in the Netherlands? Her response was immediate, "Haarlem and it is market day tomorrow" So I said, that is where I would go! Then the big question was how much was a roundtrip ticket to Haarlem? She smiled and said 48 Euros...but you are a nice man I will sell you a day pass that allows you to go anywhere in Netherlands for 24 hours for a 40% discount!

28.50 Euros later I had a golden ticket and my plan began to form.

I arose early to begin my sojourn. The sun looked like it was trying to over take the clouds, but the chance of a sun win was doubtful according to the weather report. Standing trackside a few minutes after 8 am, the sun did peak through illuminating the glass on the train platform. Yep, I think it was going to be a good day!

Henglo to Amersfoort change trains - Amersfoort to Amsterdam Centraal change trains - Centraal to Haarlem would be my first leg. Within 15 minutes of boarding the train a fog began to role in as I crossed the green marshes of the Netherlands. The sun was trying to break through with little luck. The beauty of the morning was breathtaking, and with my iPod on shuffle Van Morrison wailed "Into the Mystic". It will be five minutes of my life that I will never forget. The music, the view, the isolation, and the swaying motion of the train lulled me to a mellow state that is rarely achieved. No picture was taken - Oh but what an everlasting memory!

Trains run on time and frequent so my circumnavigation would allow me 4 hours in Haarlem and still allow me to jump on and off in towns of my choice for a few minutes to get a feel for the area. Hengelo where I am staying is about as far east as one can go in the Netherlands, while Haarlem is the Western extreme.
My arrival in Haarlem was a few minutes before 11 and the market was in full swing. The smells we overwhelming. Stands selling Fresh Bread, Desserts, Meats, Fish, and even a pinapple slicing dude were just a few of the vendors that were drawing the town people to the town square. As you would expect, the square was directly in front of a massive catherdal whose bells seemed to be annoucing the happenings in the street below. Once again, I was bummed out not to have vibrant sun for pictures, but let me assure you the colors just added to the fanfare in the streets.

I left the square and walked the alleys and streets of Haarlem. Crossing a small footbridge over the canal gave me a view back at what must have been a happening place in the 1600s. Strolling down the path along the canal one still had to be ever vigiliant of the moms on killer bikes. I escaped mishap all day, but with one close call. I got "the look" as mom dismounted and pushed the kids over the bridge.

The shops were as full as the market place and the whole town was a buzz - it seemed almost electric!  

The store front colors drew you to them.. A couple these entrances especially caught my eye.  One which the front was entirely decoupaged and one that made viloins.  I stood in front of both these stores like it was a museum.  So much to absorb and enjoy the workmanship required to do this front.

Feet sore and stomach rumbling I found a cafe looking down on the ongoings in the market. After a late lunch and cold beer (with fries) I headed for the train and began my return leg.

I decided to go south back to Hengelo. This allowed me to go through Leiden, Den Haag, Rotterdam, Dortrecht, Breda, Tilburg, Arnhem, and Zutphen before arriving in Hengelo a little after 8 pm. Twelve hours and 500 kilometers later I had completed my circumnavigation on this country. Cities, Farms, Rivers, Lakes, Canals, Windmills, and Dikes all slipped by window and once again the sun popped out just in time to offer a view of a hot air ballon and offering an orange glowing sky saying, Tom I hope you have enjoyed your day?

Back in Hengelo I walked out into dark from the train station in same mist I departed in 12 hours ago.

Life is Good!

A Walk in the Park...

It's Friday!

The highlight of the day was the sun.  It peaked his shiny smile out of the clouds just in time for lunch.  Even better,  I was able to have an extended lunch today.  This allowed me to enjoy a walk in the park.  The day was absolutely lovely as young couples strolled holding hands,  mothers pushing their little ones, and old people sat on the benches watching the birds.  One would have thought it was April.   The green space in the Netherlands is everywhere.   And literaly it is still green in January.  Groomed and well maintained paths allowed me to stretch my legs and replinish my body with some needed vitiam D. 

The parks here ironically are the only place that I have found signs that say  "NO BIKES".  Another strange twist... we take our children to the park to ride their bikes and it is the only place here where they are noticably absent.  This is the first time that I have been able to walk without fear of hearing the bell of death being aggressively rung by a mom, with a basket, and two kids hanging on her bike as it zooms by... I know mom is saying something to me and I think I am glad I do not understand Dutch.

I returned to the restaurant where I had my first dinner and long time favorite.  It is called the Blue Angel...  well not really but that is how it translates.  They offer typical food of this region.  A grilled chicken with some unidentified herbs was very enjoyable.  Of course it was accompanied by french fries and a salad.  The draw to the Blue Angel is the Heineken Extra Cold!  As I told you earlier the bars are very loyal to as single brand.  The Blue Angel is the Heineken bar in Hengelo.


Extra Cold was released a few years back in Europe, and I hear it has finally made it across the sea!   What makes it so special?  Some how the beer flows from the keg through the tube and out the tap - reaching your glass at a -4C degrees.  Some kind of good! 

TempF = (9/5) * TempC + 32.  - How cold is that beer?

And Richard... No I am not looking for -4C as the answer  :)

And yes that is ICE around the tap!  It forms naturally because the beer is so cold.

So in my attempt to keep this blog entertaining as well as educational...
the math problem can be the educational part and my spelling and grammar can be very entertaining - and with that I have completed another day of:

Beer, Bikes (not) and Fries.

Night Tourist...

Flashback 1977... the sounds of disco and the harmonies of the BeeGees singing Night Fever... Night Fever..., are you singing with me?  Now change the words:

Night Tourist... Night Tourist ...

Then I get we know how to do it.
Gimme that Night Tourist we know how to show it.
Here I am prayin' for this moment to last
Livin' on the music to fine born on the wind.
Makin' it mine.
Night Tourist

Well that would be me!  I get in a taxi now a few minutes after first light of morn and return to the hotel with only about 1 hour of useable light for photos at night.  Don't you hate it when your job gets in the way of fun?   Well you got to dance with the one who brought you and honestly the weather has been abnormaly warm 5 deg C and raining most all the time.  So I am a Night Tourist... Night Tourist...

Looking for a change of scenery after work today I went to the train station picked a town from the map and off I went.  In my haste I jumped on the first train to my destination which turned out to be a local and went on the secondary route that caused me to change trains.  However on the positive side of things I got to go an unplanned town called Zutphen, and I also got to meet a very interesting man on my ride.  I think initially he thought I was nuts to get on a train on a cold rainy night after picking a town off the map that I knew nothing about for dinner and walk.   The town's name is Deventer and about 45 minutes from Hengelo.  (On the express train)

No reason to lug the big camera, so armed only with my point and shoot off  I went to explore this mystery destination in the dark and rain. (I have only unpacked the big camera once since I have been here)  Deventer Absolutely Beautiful - Even in the Rain.  Walking at night allows one to see things in a whole different perspective.  Without being called a peeking "Tom" (pun intended),  there are a series of small brick streets in Deventer that link the town
square and a very large church.  The Dutch love light, and their homes are have very large windows to bring the outside into their living spaces. This also allows, a Night Tourist... Night Tourist, like me to have a glimpse of not only the architecture of homes 300 years old, but the decorations inside.  Here again being wise beyond my years, I avoid picture snapping of the inside of peoples' homes - pretty smart you think?

Hunger and cold were begining to set in.  The restaurant search was underway.  Finding a little hole in the wall with a name of Food & Joy, I could not resisit.   Because food and wine are important to me I have become efficent at reading Dutch menus.  The board outside the restaurant listed this for the night's special.  (Let me impress you with this new found knowledge) 

Tonight's special is  Boar and Deer Parts, with a red cabbage, mash potatoes with a red wine sauce.  It was a must have!  The wine selection, as printed on the menu, was Red or White.  I opted for red which turned out to be a Merlot from Chile. (Red Wine Sauce - Duh!)   Very Nice and went well the dinner.  And the had some black bread that was to die for that was served with green olive tampanade and garlic butter.  The deer and boar could be cut with a fork and melted in your mouth.  The red wine sauce was great on the meat, but when put on the potatoes - yum yum yum! And the red cabbage so different that it is hard to describe, but it was cooked with a lot of spices (cinnamon being the prime) and was served warm, but not hot.  What a nice healthy side dish that added great color to match the wine. 

Dessert, I almost forgot...  I asked for the only thing I could not decode on the menu.  It turned out to be french toast, a hint of syrup, vanilla ice cream and star fruit. Not sure what the bread was fried in, but it was
just not butter and egg.   Now I have had fresh star fruit in the rain forest of Puerto Rico and this was just as good.  Only my wife can relate to that, because what we get normally is bitter and hard - what we had in
PR was magic.  A piece of fruit, french toast, and ice cream was a culinary explosion in your mouth.  Dinner was great - dessert was excellent.

Stuffed from dinner, it was time for another walk.  Deventer was coming  alive as I walked off my dinner.   The young people gathered in the shopping district, parents hustling small childern here or there, and long distance commuters walked home with their umbrellas and brief cases.  I returned to the train (with the free internet) read some email and headed back to Hengelo.  Humming Night Tourist... Night Tourist... 

So what did I learn about Deventer:
- It is where they filmed the movie "A Bridge Too Far"  Not in Arnhem where the actual Bridge is located.

- Every year they do a live play of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" - The audience walks from location to location through the city.  - Sounds Fun... And Cold

-  It is where the Albert Schwietzer Foundation was for years and there is a big bronze statue in the center city.

-  The center city is called "The Brink" and a whole bunch of stuff has happended there over the years...


For the record: I hate Disco - Did then - Do now!   But I heard the song in the lobby of the hotel as I was leaving for the train station and it stuck in my head.... God, please make it go away when I go to bed.  May I wake to sounds of Pink Floyd or Santana...  Please Make it Stop... Night Tourist.... Ahhhhh

Market Day!

In each small town or village there is at least one market day a week. In Hengelo those days would be Wednesdays and Saturday. The town square fills up with vendors selling vegatables to boots. It starts in the morning and continues on till 5 or 6 at night. The stores downtown also stay open late on market days. Normally most of the shops are closed by 6, but tonight they will be open for a couple more hours.

As you walk down the street the closer you get to the market you can hear a buzz in the air. It has a carnival atmosphere. Vendors are annoucing the latest prices, the smells of all sorts of food being cooked is overwhelming, and the walkways begin to fill with people who are wandering from booth to booth. Yes, there are grocery stores, but most will buy their vegatables, meats, cheeses, and fish at the market. Oh no, I cannot forget candy! The Dutch love their candy and the king of the sugary delights is "Drop" or what we would call black licorice. (Yes Gloria and Shirley I will remember).

Waffle cookies are the other treat which is always sure to please when hot the griddle. No matter how cold, the stroopwafel man will be making them off as fast as the waffle iron will heat them up.

Honestly, what totally amazes me is the freshness and the quality of all the items... from the flowers to the fruit. Where does this stuff come from? Back home, one would have to go to the finest "Gucci Organic Grocery Store" to even get close to the freshness of most of these products.  I could understand if Hengelo was a major metropolitan, but this town is far from that!  One can walk from end to end in 30 minutes.

No better example would be the flowers.  It is January in the Netherlands guys and it may stay light for maybe 9 hours a day - You walk by the flower stand and one would think it is April.

Once again the most important thing one must remember when they go to the market...

You still have to carry it home on your bike.

Please Register and follow along - Comments are always welcome...
you do not have to be aynonomous and  I would love to hear from you
because.... 

I really get lonely....

Ok.... "Not Really" -  I just miss Janet

Legs or Wine - that is the Question!

Well tonight I thought I would do a blog entry for the ladies.  I began walking around town just taking shots of the store front displays of the latest Dutch fashions, and of course the shoes.   Ok, let me come clean.... Dutch women have legs that have to start at 38" and get longer that very quickly.  Even the manakins in the window have long legs. 

As I have aged I become wiser and realized that boyfriends and husbands (let alone my own wife) would  not appreicate me snapping photos of ladies legs.  After being assualted in the town square in La Spezia, Italy for taking pictures of a young mother and child I realized tonight's topic had the possibility of a repeat of an old woman screaming at hitting me with her purse.

So I decided on a safe topic - like good food and wine.  For a small town in the Netherlands, Hengelo has what I think is a world class restaurant.  And believe it or not it is Italian!  Longing for a quiet dinner with my sweetie or maybe a special dinner with our friends - I opted to go to Intenzo.  Their card says "Basic Italian", but trust me that is such a gross under estimation!

Tonight's special... A three course mystery dinner, the chef prepares for you in the blind, and each course is paired with wine. (Does that rhyme?) 

So the first thing  of the evening arrives and it is a chef's treat.  Eggplant puree with on a toasted piece of bread with parmigiano reggiano.

Hello taste buds are you awake?

The first course was a piece of tuna that had  been cooked in a parmasen vinegarette (meaning the vinegar cooked it not a stove) with wild greens in a cheese taco for lack of better description.  Served with a Moscato - the dish melted in your mouth.

Course two was a beef dishes served with a celery truffle puree and leeks.  Can I get an Amen?  Not yet... the waiter brought over a sharp knife and

sealed container.  Once the container was open he began to slice black truffles over the meat.  Served with a red from Sicily that just blew me away.

Dessert?  Absolutely!  A dessert wine from Tuscany,
vin Santo, which is like the nectar of false gods...  I was sipping on this treat enjoying my dessert when a plate arrived that had a pear tart, tiramsu, and chocolate mousse. 

  Yep it was a pretty strong closer!

A long chat with the owner who gave me a card with the name and address of a bed breakfast in Piemonte that I must visit my amazing dinner came to end.

The dinner was probably a lot safer than taking pictures of ladies legs...

How Come?

So I guess I should explain why I named this blog Beer, Bikes and Fries. I have been lucky enough to visit the Netherlands multiple times now. Altough it can be cold and dreary in the winter, the people more than make up for the weather with warm hearts and friendly smiles. When some one ask me why I like this country so much I will always answer, "The People!" Coming in a close second would be the beer and the fries (especially when served together) And the most amazing thing which will leave a lasting impression on any visitor will not be the windmills or the tullips - It is the sheer number of bicycles.

Those who know me well know I am not a beer drinker, do not care for French Fries, and have had very little use for a bike since my 14th birthday. However, when in the Netherlands do as the Dutch.

I must admit when it comes to fries they do think I am weird because I love mustard on mine instead of mayo as the Dutch eat them. That is right sports fans no ketchup to be found... well maybe in the high tourist areas you will see the red goop, but you will have to ask for it. There is a Dutch word that translates something like "French Fry Wars" where the youth will mix mayo and ketchup together and live on the edge. Me that is one life experience I am glad I missed in my youth and will skip in my adulthood.

The beer is just good! They serve it with a big head and then scrap off the top with a beer knife. The glasses are even marked where the beer should end and the foam should start. You do see some folks ordering a bottle, but 90% of the time the golden liquid flows from the tap. Not real cold... but not warm either, and always in a glass that proudly displays the name of beer inside the glass. Unlike back home, usually a restaurant, pub, or bowling alley just serves one brand of Dutch beer and a sign outside the establishment indicates the libation offered. You may find Beligum or German brews offered, but only one Dutch.

Until one walks outside Amsterdam Centraal Train Station and sees a 4 story parking garage for bikes totally full, they cannot grasp the dependence of this society on two wheels. Everywhere you go there are bike trails. Black for car roads, red for bike paths, and grey for sidewalks. And bikes have the right away! I think you can ride from the German border to Amsterdam on bike paths never having to share the road.

And the bikes come in all sizes and shapes.

The one in the picture is very common for the lady of the house (the soccer mom's mini-van). The baby would be in the front cart with the recycle grocery bags, the two year old would be on the back seat, and the 4 year old on the handlebars as she heads to market. None of the 3 passengers or the mom on the pedals will have on a helmet. Just amazing... oh yeah it is 28 degrees and the wind is blowing at 15 mph. Sure puts a whole new twist to day of shopping. No tears, no complaints from the riders, but that may have something to do with the ice cream cone they are enjoying as mom pedals to the shoe store.

If you get a chance cross the sea and meet some real nice people - Drink beer, Eat some Fries, and Ride a Bike! (No helmet required)

Adds a whole new twist to being the Designated Driver