Another Wild Hash Weekend...

We were excited when we found out that the Dutch Nash (aka national) Hash would be held at the local amusement park Duinrell. I helped organize the weekend event as a member of the mismanagement (although Neptunus deserves 99% of the credit!) , and Jimmy hared the Saturday run (he ran about 30K in the drizzling rain as he did the trail 3 times between laying it and sweeping). In another testament to our great parenting, we left the girls behind with two other little kids to go on the rides while we spent hours away on trail.
I was happy that my suggestion to do a toga party worked out well and we were able to recycle our costumes from Jimmy’s 40th. The girls especially enjoyed building a Roman city with the other kids out of Legoie-waferie thingies while we were busy dancing to a live band.

Leiden Invaded by Red Dresses...

In an effort to have the Hague Hash back to our house for one last time before we move, we volunteered to hare the 2nd Annual Red Dress Hash. In an effort to have maximum exposure, we decided it would be more fun in Leiden Centrum than running around our neighborhood. So here you see us on the train traveling into the city. While the group didn’t like my idea of singing while wandering through the train cars, we did create quite a stir when we stepped out into the busy station. Opee than led us on a route past lots of outdoor cafes and a few windmills with two beer stops along the river. We even passed through the middle of a McDonald’s. Here we are on a historic bridge. We eventually made it back to the train, then to our house for down-downs and dinner. Although some of these folks are still having a tough time actually wearing a dress rather than shorts with a long shirt, a great time was had by all.

She’s a Young American...

We were very excited that Veronica was invited to attend a 3-day performance workshop held by the theatrical group The Young Americans, which was founded in 1962 and is praised to be the first group to combine choreography with choral singing. The group consisted of 48 young adults, 2 of which stayed at our house for 4 nights, traveling to schools throughout Holland and Germany for over 2 months. After all the workshops in singing and dancing, the kids put on an hour long show for the parents after The Young Americans performed. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get a photo of Veronica as she was lifted into the air as a yoga girl. It was a great show and great experience for all the kids involved.

International Day...

A favorite day during the school year is International Day when everyone dresses up in costumes from around the world. Since the costumes don’t necessarily have to be from your home country, the girls were able to wear native dresses that Jimmy brought back from his big trip. I always try to volunteer to help with the potluck buffet that day so I can try all the yummy foods from the different countries represented in the class. This year I had an extra surprise as the teacher pulled a small wine bottle out of her desk and offered me a glass. Drinking in the classroom--that’s definitely a first for me. Wonder if the teacher only partakes on special occasions?

Valuable Lessons Learned on the Roads in Holland...

* Don’t ride your bike on the sidewalk facing the wrong direction. When the bike lane disappeared (as this sign depicts), Jimmy went on the sidewalk instead of riding along with busy traffic on the road. Little did he know, but the police were doing a sweep of criminals that day and were waiting to write tickets to wayward cyclists. Lucky for him, despite the $55 ticket, the officer was friendly and offered him directions and the use of his cell phone so he could call me to say he’d be late.

* It is possible to get two speeding tickets in less than an hour. In fact, it’s possible to get two speeding tickets in less than 5 minutes if Jimmy’s behind the wheel. When a ticket arrived in the mail in January, I had to think back to the day in September when Jimmy had a rental car and we tagged along to pick up the gear for his big trip. Traffic on the freeway was horrible, so we took back roads and the navigation system kept yelling at us. We were running late, so getting a ticket for 4 MPH over the speed limit wasn’t shocking. The shock came when a 2nd ticket arrived with a time of just 4 minutes after the 1st going 3 MPH too fast this time. Big Brother is Watching!

Street Music...

While Wikipedia reports that most calliopes disappeared in the mid-20th century after steam power was replaced, we see them regularly in the walking-only shopping areas of Holland. The larger ones are usually pulled by scooter or horse and are accompanied by two gentlemen with tin cups that they shake to the tune in an effort to collect coins by passersby. I still laugh when I hear old American tunes played in the streets here (but still not as much as I laugh when I hear Pink Floyd at the grocery store).

A License to Cycle?

While The Netherlands doesn’t require a license to ride a bike, there is a Cycling Proficiency Exam to ensure safe cycling. This exam is required of all public school students, but is optional at our school since some of the kids don’t even own bikes. The practice sessions involved giving up several Sundays to practice an obstacle course on the school grounds, a road course and quizzes on the road signs. The preparation was worth it as the five kids from our class all passed. Since Veronica will be cycling to middle school next year, it’s nice knowing she’s had this extra training and confidence building.