Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?
This afternoon I met Giorgia for coffee. She has set up an impromptu office in a cafe in cow square. When I arrived I was hungry, so I ordered some bitterballen, a typical Dutch snack. It is minced meat and starch (maybe mashed potatoes, maybe flour, not quite sure) that is mixed into a goo then covered in breadcrumbs and fried, then typically served with mustard. A tasty snack.
Anyway, I ordered some and they came with some Dijon mustard, and other two unidentifiable sauces, one that looked like purple caviar, the other like wasabi. So I enquired, and they both turned out to be mustards. The purple one was made from grapes and was sweet, while the green one was mixed with herbs. Both delicious. I asked the waitress what they were called and where I could find them. She talked with one of the cooks, then came back with two jars. I thought she was going to just copy the names down, but she told me I could keep them! The purple one (Moutarde au Mout de Raisin) is almost a kilo and practically full and the green one (Verte aux 3 Herbes) is about a third of the size. I was so surprised that I kept on asking if she was sure if I could keep them (of course I will share them with Giorgia). Yum!
Anyway, I ordered some and they came with some Dijon mustard, and other two unidentifiable sauces, one that looked like purple caviar, the other like wasabi. So I enquired, and they both turned out to be mustards. The purple one was made from grapes and was sweet, while the green one was mixed with herbs. Both delicious. I asked the waitress what they were called and where I could find them. She talked with one of the cooks, then came back with two jars. I thought she was going to just copy the names down, but she told me I could keep them! The purple one (Moutarde au Mout de Raisin) is almost a kilo and practically full and the green one (Verte aux 3 Herbes) is about a third of the size. I was so surprised that I kept on asking if she was sure if I could keep them (of course I will share them with Giorgia). Yum!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Burns' Night
Friday night started off as a nice quiet night. A bit windy, but the prospect of sushi was enough to get me out the door. Unfortunately, the sushi restaurant was full. So we (Alejandro, Giorgia, Maria, Angela, Gaetano, and I) went to a Dutch restaurant in Cow Square that I had been to with my parents. The lamb chops were excellent. After dinner Alejandro and I were feeling a bit lazy, but he had been invited to a Scottish party. He called Jairo, who was there, and he said that they were just sitting around talking and drinking. How boring, I thought. But it was on the way home, so we figured that we would stop by...
When we arrived at Wendy's house (our Scottish English (writing) teacher) we found some friends drinking whiskey and reciting poetry. I felt like I was back in college for a moment. It turns out that January 25th is known as Burns' Night. To celebrate the birthday of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, one reads poetry and drinks whiskey and eats shortbread (we had missed the pudding earlier). So, there was poetry, singing, stories, recipes, and even a game.
Then there was the dancing. The rug was rolled up and the socks and shoes came off. The rest of the evening was spent dizzying ourselves by locking elbows and twirling for eight counts. Unfortunately I do not have authorization to show that video.
Alejandro and I came home around 3AM. The Australian Open was on, so he suggested we watch a bit of tennis. I changed into my pyjamas and dragged my duvet two doors down to his room and made myself comfortable on the floor. I think I fell asleep before the first point was over. I woke up at about 11AM the next day feeling great, except for a dream about teaching snakes how to slither in straight line. I think Burns would have been satisfied.
When we arrived at Wendy's house (our Scottish English (writing) teacher) we found some friends drinking whiskey and reciting poetry. I felt like I was back in college for a moment. It turns out that January 25th is known as Burns' Night. To celebrate the birthday of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, one reads poetry and drinks whiskey and eats shortbread (we had missed the pudding earlier). So, there was poetry, singing, stories, recipes, and even a game.
Then there was the dancing. The rug was rolled up and the socks and shoes came off. The rest of the evening was spent dizzying ourselves by locking elbows and twirling for eight counts. Unfortunately I do not have authorization to show that video.
Alejandro and I came home around 3AM. The Australian Open was on, so he suggested we watch a bit of tennis. I changed into my pyjamas and dragged my duvet two doors down to his room and made myself comfortable on the floor. I think I fell asleep before the first point was over. I woke up at about 11AM the next day feeling great, except for a dream about teaching snakes how to slither in straight line. I think Burns would have been satisfied.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Googling Home
So, I was just looking at maps. I was trying not to read the papers I have. Anyway, I found out that on Google maps, at least within the US, when you Google your address there are photos of your house. I got to visit my parents house (looks like spring) and my place in the city. I feel like I'm stalking my own house. I can even see my curtains through the window! How strange...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Bindia
The photos of my trip to visit Bin in India are finally up in Part I and Part II. I had a fantastic time there and hope to go back, just not to Nandi Hills...
In Calcutta we stayed with Bin's parents. They had just moved there from Shillong. I was also able to meet Bin's sister and her husband, as well as many friends of his. The brother of one friend was getting married, so we were invited to the wedding. We did not attend the ceremony, but the following day there was a New Year's Eve party at the house of the groom's family. The way the house was decorated made me think I was in a movie. There were flowers everywhere and the view from the rooftop was superb. There was a Rajastani band that played throughout the evening, and we drank and socialized until the early morning.
The next day was the wedding reception. Bin's cousin helped me pick out a sari the day before and the mother of a friend of Bin's dressed me. I felt like I was getting a bed sheet wrapped around me for a toga party (granted, it was a very luxurious and elegant bed sheet). After 20 minutes of folding and tucking I emerged.
The reception was nice, we only got to briefly congratulate the couple. Most time was spent eating. The food was excellent with a buffet of dozens of types of foods, including a curried lobster. The desserts were delightfully sweet and after dinner, instead of an aperitif, I tasted some paan. Paan is a digestive. It is a betel nut paste and some spices enclosed in a betel leaf. One is supposed to eat the whole thing at once, but I was forced to bite it into pieces and chew and suck (the leaf is huge). The party was fantastic, though I was happy to shed my sari when we got home due to my excessive fear of spilling something on it through the entire evening (try to delicately deshell curried lobster without making a mess...it's near impossible).
In Calcutta we stayed with Bin's parents. They had just moved there from Shillong. I was also able to meet Bin's sister and her husband, as well as many friends of his. The brother of one friend was getting married, so we were invited to the wedding. We did not attend the ceremony, but the following day there was a New Year's Eve party at the house of the groom's family. The way the house was decorated made me think I was in a movie. There were flowers everywhere and the view from the rooftop was superb. There was a Rajastani band that played throughout the evening, and we drank and socialized until the early morning.
The next day was the wedding reception. Bin's cousin helped me pick out a sari the day before and the mother of a friend of Bin's dressed me. I felt like I was getting a bed sheet wrapped around me for a toga party (granted, it was a very luxurious and elegant bed sheet). After 20 minutes of folding and tucking I emerged.
The reception was nice, we only got to briefly congratulate the couple. Most time was spent eating. The food was excellent with a buffet of dozens of types of foods, including a curried lobster. The desserts were delightfully sweet and after dinner, instead of an aperitif, I tasted some paan. Paan is a digestive. It is a betel nut paste and some spices enclosed in a betel leaf. One is supposed to eat the whole thing at once, but I was forced to bite it into pieces and chew and suck (the leaf is huge). The party was fantastic, though I was happy to shed my sari when we got home due to my excessive fear of spilling something on it through the entire evening (try to delicately deshell curried lobster without making a mess...it's near impossible).
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
The Incident
Still in India, now in Bangalore, but head back to Delft tomorrow night. Today is Bin's first day at work so I am sorting out all our photos and buying random things for his new apartment (just moved in on Monday). The holiday was great, except for an incident yesterday...A prime example of a tragedy that does not occur...
First of all, we are both alright, but yesterday we were attacked. We had left the city to do some hiking. There was a bit of confusion between us. I guess that I had neglected to tell Bin that there were stairs and our driver thought that we were crazy to climb the road that went to the top of this hill. So we figured out that we can hike up the road and take the stairs down on the other side. It was 8km of road to the top.
There were some vehicles on the road, a few buses and cars, some motorbikes with couples. Just after 3km a bike with two men on it stopped. Bin and I both thought it was odd that one guy looked like he was covering the license plate with a handkerchief, but we kept walking. Then he started to talk to us, ask where we were from, wanting to shake our hands... we kept walking. We walk a bit faster he walks faster (his friend is sitting on the bike with it in gear) we tell him to leave us alone that we just want to be by ourselves. Then he grabs Bin's hand to try to pull him away and then grabs me around the waist and picks me up like he's going to carry me off...
I scream.
I had no idea I could scream like that. Somehow Bin gets this guy off of me and pulls me away. We stare at the guy for a moment and walk the other way and this guy gets on the bike with his friend and they speed off.
We pondered what to do and then walked back down, never reaching the top. I was terrified. I was really bothered that the didn't even make an attempt for the camera or the watch or the backpack, which means that these guys just wanted me.
We made it back to Bangalore safely. I'm ready to return to Holland.
First of all, we are both alright, but yesterday we were attacked. We had left the city to do some hiking. There was a bit of confusion between us. I guess that I had neglected to tell Bin that there were stairs and our driver thought that we were crazy to climb the road that went to the top of this hill. So we figured out that we can hike up the road and take the stairs down on the other side. It was 8km of road to the top.
There were some vehicles on the road, a few buses and cars, some motorbikes with couples. Just after 3km a bike with two men on it stopped. Bin and I both thought it was odd that one guy looked like he was covering the license plate with a handkerchief, but we kept walking. Then he started to talk to us, ask where we were from, wanting to shake our hands... we kept walking. We walk a bit faster he walks faster (his friend is sitting on the bike with it in gear) we tell him to leave us alone that we just want to be by ourselves. Then he grabs Bin's hand to try to pull him away and then grabs me around the waist and picks me up like he's going to carry me off...
I scream.
I had no idea I could scream like that. Somehow Bin gets this guy off of me and pulls me away. We stare at the guy for a moment and walk the other way and this guy gets on the bike with his friend and they speed off.
We pondered what to do and then walked back down, never reaching the top. I was terrified. I was really bothered that the didn't even make an attempt for the camera or the watch or the backpack, which means that these guys just wanted me.
We made it back to Bangalore safely. I'm ready to return to Holland.
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