Ahoy Deutsche land

Where to even start....

Maybe with the part about having the nicest, most accommodating and friendly relatives in Holland EVER.

If you read this, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!

The plan was to stay a couple days to see the Bokkers family in Holland as I was almost the only one who hadn't been to the country and visit. Well a couple days turned into a week and a half of royal treatment and fun.

Getting to Putten involved my first and only near miss with the train system so far. Had the Miley Cyrus obviously cranked on my iPod and didn't realize I was in Rotterdam and had to transfer, so was a bit slow getting off. Then I realized I had forgot something on he train, resulting in a panicked run back on with the buzzer going, and jumping out sideways, sucking in my stomach as the door closed and started to roll away, yikes!

Point form may be the best way to bunch up the days:

• Got initiated into the dutch culture with a brief 37km bike ride to the October '44 war museum in Nijkerk, along a dijk and back to Putten, with a delicious stop for beer and a toasti in the town market

• Spend 11:11:11 11/11/11 eating apple gebak with Maaike
• Visit the location of the Battle of Arnhem, appropriately on Remeberance day
• Dutch food, yum

If you know anyone at home who is from Holland, are are curious why they bike so often, you will understand if you see the people here. Everyone bikes Everywhere! And for good reason, it's cheap, easy, "green" and efficient. I wish we had this amount of access to bike paths at home. Furthermore, I can't remember seeing a single obese person.. Coincidence?

Did some shopping in Amersfoort and witnessed the dutch tradition of Sinterklaas in the shopping area. Interesting how different countries have different was to celebrate Christmas. Zwarte Piet, is an intruging sidestep from our traditonal Christmas at home. Instead of the little elves that help Santa, they have Zwarte Piet, who spanks naughty kids, and sometimes even "puts them in the bag and being taken back to Spain", as old songs mention.

• Fries and Mayonaise, yum
• Dutch Kroketten, ask Nikki Leyser

The area was nice, and the food was a plentiful, so the two dogs, plus MOHAMMED the cat, went for a stroll. Never before have I taken a cat for a walk, until then. Let alone a cat named Mohammed?

Did I mention how flat this place is? No downhill skiing resorts here, thats for sure.



Always wanted to try one of these bikes, as well as wear very tight clothing?



Getting access to a computer is proving to be tough with the time it takes to write on here, "Amsterdam" will have to wait...