Last bit of Holland

16.11 TUESDAY – I went to work and worked the day. I went back home. I took my camera with me and stopped at McD and had my first dinner there in Holland. I took some photos of La Haye. From there I biked to Scheveningen and reached Dolphin Bowling. Johanna from Sweden, Frida, Johan and me bowled. Katrine and Fabienne arrived a bit later. We bowled. Then Johan, Fabienne and me went to the Kurhotel and had a drink in the fancy bar with live piano music. I biked home.

In front of the OPCW

Binnenhof

Binnenhof 2

Binnenhof 3

Sherlock Holmes

Eurojust team

Rasalism

Good style

Good style 2

My style

Kurhuis

17.11 WEDNESDAY - I worked the day. After work I went to a Chinese supermarket and bought some Chinese vegetables and shrimps. I woked at home and it tasted good. I skyped with M, P and T. After the skyping I watched a film, perhaps children of men.

Noodles

18.11 THURSDAY – I biked to work, worked and left a bit earlier. I got my hair cut in a place where they didn’t speak English, the price was 13.50 and the guy tried to sell to me Showtime Hair wax that is used in France and Italy. I biked home and forgot my life.

Hair models

19.11 FRIDAY – I went to work in the morning. I worked the whole day. I hurried home and packed my bag. I hurried on towards the train station. After sitting down in two trains that didn’t depart I had to take an alternative route to Arnhem Zuid because there was a fire in Utrecht. I travelled for 3 hours via Breda and South. I arrived somewhere around 8. A tasty dinner was waiting for me in Delaaristan. After that some TV and then sleep.

20.11 SATURDAY – WOKE UP AT AROUND 9 ON THE THIRD FLOOR. WE HAD BREAKFAST AND THE MANU AND NAH WENT TO ADAM TO SEE NAZ. WE TOOK THE BUS TO ARNHEM CENTRE AND SHOPPED A BIT. I BOUHGT TWO BELTS AND WE HAD TO BROODJE MEALS . AT AROUND 6 WE MET NICOLE AND WE HAD DINNER THERE. FROM THERE WE WALKED TO THE CITY CENTRE AND WATCHED AT THE CINEMA THE OTHER GUYS (3/5). REASONABLE COMEDY. MAR AND ME WALKED AROUND A BIT AND ARNHEM WAS ALIVE AS NEVER BEFORE. A LOT OF WELL PREPARED YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN WERE OUT. WE TOOK THE BUS HOME. THEN WAS THEN.

Slurp

Leaving

Hair

Arnhem

Table petit

Cheap & good kebab

Leaving

Cuba bar

At Nicole's place

Prison

Accident accident accident

Lively Arnhem

21.11 SUNDAY – WOKE UP IN ARNHEM. WE HAD BREAKFAST AND WENT FOR A LONG WEEK, I MEAN WALK. WE WALKED A SQUARE AND CROSSED THE MOTORWAY TWICE. AT HOME TEA AND SOME STUDIES. THEN WE PREPARED DINNER. CHICKEN, VEGETABLES AND POTATOES. THEN WE RECORDED SOME MUSIC. AT 21.15 I TOOK THE TRAIN TO ARNHEM ZUID, UTREHT AND THE HAGUE. 1.50 H LATE. SOMEONE SAID FLY OUT OF NETHERLANDS, THE TRAINS ARE WORSE HERE THAN IN BANGLADESH. HE WAS AN ANNOYING GUY WHO KICKED MY LEG ON THE TRAIN. I READ JAMES JOYCE ON THE TRAIN.

Walking on a Sunday

Dutch farm

Perspectives of Dutch countryside

Hallo

Highway

22.11 MONDAY – WOKE UP AT 7.45 BUT FELL ASLEEP AGAIN AND WOKE UP AT 8.50. I DRESSED UP QUICKLY AND BIKED TO WORK WITHOUT BREAKFAST BECAUSE I HAD NO BREAKFAST. I WORKED THE MORNING AND UNTIL AROUND 2. THEN I TOOK MY FIRST HALF DAY OFF. I BIKED HOME IN THE COLD AIR. I DISAPPEARED IN MY BED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. AFTER THAT I FELT LESS TIRED AND WENT OUT.

I HAVE LATETELY BEEN THINKING OF ALL THE THINGS I SHOULD DO BEFORE I GO BACK. THEREFORE I WENT TO THE LIBRARY, FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WAS BIG AND NEW AND NICE. FROM THERE I CHECKED THE FILMHUIS, WHICH HAS ALTERNATIVE FILM. FROM THERE I BIKED TO THE MOROCCAN BAKERY I USUSALLY VISIT. MARIA SAYS IT’S MOROCCAN BUT I DONT KNOW. THEY HAVE NICE BREAD. SOFT. I BOUGHT BREAD FOR 1,90 E. I BIKED TO ALBERT HEIN AND BOUGHT FOOD. JUICE, MOZZARELLA, ORANGES, BUTTER, SALLAD, ARTCHOCKES, LEECE. I BIKED HOME AND MADE AN ARTCHOCKES AND LEECE PASTA. WITH A LEFFE BLOND AND WATCHED THE THREE HOUR FILM PATTON (3/5). TWO STRAAPWOFFELS AND TWO CUPES OF JASMINE TEA. NOW IS NOW. I AM SITTING IN THE ARMCHAIR, TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, AND THE ROOM LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM HERE.

Part II – not in Capslock

23.11 Tuesday – I worked the morning. I had a briefing in the city centre. I went via home and changed clothes afterwards. I biked to Aloha surf and surfed on the south side so I had to paddle across the harbour. It was very cold and it went OK. I surf standing easily. I paddled back 1.5 hours later. I showered and helped Maurice and his intern in cutting would. I taught them a lesson in woodcutting. Finally something I was really good at. I stayed at their place and drank rock star and read about surf spots in Europe. I biked back and it felt good. I ate a broodje and skyped with Maria. I bought it in the melancholic place.

City hall & Library

Moon light

Bridge

My bike

Surf spots in Stockholm on the east side

24.11 Wednesday – I worked the morning and until about 2. I biked home after work and played some computer. I left home around 4.30 and went looking for suits. It was interesting to be looking for suits. It’s not that easy. In rain I biked towards Bogor, and Indonesian restaurant. I arrived first and Johnny, who was arranging called he couldn’t come. And some girl didn’t come either. So Johan and I had an Indonesian dinner. Johnny arrived 1,5 hours later. We stayed for 3 hours in the restaurant. We biked home in cold weather.

My room

my house

my alley way

Bogor

Bogor II

25.11 Thursday – Woke up and went to work. Worked the whole day. I went to an EU-briefing with Johan. From there we went to KFC. It was my first and last time. It was greasy and not tasty. Bah! From there we went via WagenS to plein and met some other trainees and also a new guy working at TNT, wow! Lol. We stayed there for some time and then went to Momford or something. I biked home around 11 p.m. Nice to be at home.

KFC is really shit

really bad

26.11 Friday – Woke up later for a workday. I biked straight to ICC. My last meeting at the ICC ended quite early. I talked a bit with Lorenzo and biked back to the centre. I topped up my phone and met Maria on the station. We biked to Sumo and had sushi. Good it was. From there we biked to the embassy. I was done around 3. We biked towards city centre. On the way we found a place, second hand rose. I bought a blue pullover after trying all clothes on the male department. From there we biked to the next place and I bought the suit I had checked out before. We biked home via Albert Hein and made a delicious sea food pasta. We skyped with Tits for the first time after his operation. Then we watched children of men, for me the second time 5/5 easily.

Last time at the HWG

Sushi at sumo

27.11 Saturday – Woke up at around 10:30. Breakfast. We biked to Tasty and had two cups of coffee. From there we biked to Xenos and bought Italian products. We found to plastic branches of spruce on the street that we picked up. At MorelS we handed over our gift. We had snack and PS. Then we had dinner and watched Ratatouille. At 10:15 I biked to the centre and to Johnny’s place. There we stayed for an hour or so. Then we went to a bar and after a while to another. I met a gay from Barbados. Not everyday you do that. The second bar was called hole in the wall. I was there 5 min. I was home at 3 a.m.

family photo

kissing

three beers

face face face

tight times

28.11 Sunday – Woke up at 10:30 to the phone ringing. Maria was calling. I woke up and had breakfast and made 1:30 minutes of nice music. Then I dressed up brushed my teeth and biked out from the mansion that was red burning. I met Mar, Nah, Naz and Noos in the city and I took photographs when they were looking for products to buy. It was cold. We had lunch at Vapiano. Then a while more of shopping. Mar and I picked up some stuff from WagenS and then biked to Morelstraat. We playes PS and ate snacks. Then we had dinner, tasty. This was followed by some more PS. Then Manu, Mar, Nah and Naz left and so did I. I biked home and started updating. Now is now.

house 1

Smoke

Pasta making with audience

The Hague

Nouse

Grote Kerk

Street

Hmmm

Shop

Turks?

Ropes tingle and tangle

Tired street artist

Zara dirty

driving

29.11 Monday – Woke up for my last Monday. I biked to work and the World Conference Centrum. I attended OPCW 15^th CSP. I met some colleagues from the MFA and the national authorities. At around six it was over. I transported Lorenzo on my bike to WS85G. He borrowed a set of clothes from me. It was snowing. We walked to the station and took a train to Adam and tram to Melkweg. Burger King first. Then it was time for foals bit. We missed the supporting act. The concert was great 4/5. After that I took tram and train back to La Haye.

CSP OPCW - Mario and Lorenzo

Finland Italy

Laser plein

Laser plein 2

Melkweg

Foals

Snow in china town

30.11 Tuesday – Last day at work. I biked straight to work. I attended the CSP as well. I went back to WS85G. I met Anoup, Johan, Johnny, Lorenzo and Mario at Kee Lun and we had Chinese food. IT was tasty and interesting to see that an Italian didn’t like it so much. The Italian kitchen is so strong that other cuisines can’t penetrate the taste of Italians, it seems. We continued to De Paas and I had a Kapittel Blond. Then we walked back and home.

Red light

Australia

Snow

Embassy of Surinam

Embassy of Irak

Beer in De Pas with Johan and Anoup and Lorenzo and Mario

Yes

1.12 Wednesday – I woke up at 10:30 and enjoyed my first day of some kind of holiday. I laid in bed for a long while. When I got up I biked in icing weather to Aloha Surf. There I met Daphne and the intern. I was served hot chocolate and said goodbye now I am going back to Finland. I biked back. I had a pizza and a bottle of cassis at VIP. At around 7 I biked away and had dinner at Cecile’s place. I wasn’t very hungry. It was Cecilie, Fabienne, Johnny, Johan, Kaja, Katrine and me. It was nice. I said goodbye to all of them and then biked home.

harbour

Aldi 60's

OPCW corner

ICJ

Johan, Fabbe, Cecce

At Ceciles place

Youtube videos

2.12 Thursday – Woke up around 10. I biked to the train station and picked up Maria. It was snowing. We biked to buy bread and then home to have breakfast. After that we chilled for some time. At around 16 we took the bus to the residence of the ambassador. We attended an independence day reception. After that bus back and we had pasta in a pasta place. From there we walked home and met Far and Nosh a bit later. We went to Dudok and experienced very bad service. I said goodbye to them and we walked home. I started packing.

Cocktail party, independence reception

In front of residence

Den Haag centraal

Snow in Den Haag

MY FAVOURITE BAKERY (MOROCCAN)

3.12 Friday – Woke up around 10 for the last time at Wagenstraat 85 G. We had breakfast and I started cleaning and continued packing. At around 1 everything was ready. We went to a new coffee place. I had an excellent espresso. We biked to the train station and left the fiets in gratis fiets stalling. We walked back, handed the keys to Mandy and said goodbye. We walked back to the station with all the stuff. I train was just about to leave. We reached Arnhem Zuid. Manu was there. In Delaaristan a delicious meal was waiting for us, chicken. Then I tried to fix the keyboard for Mar, almost worked. Took a shower. Then we drove to the station and Maria and me waited at the station.

The train left at 8:07 from Arnhem. I waved until I was behind something built by someone. I shared the compartment with 3 Russians or Polish and with an Indian or Pakistani. When they Russians/Polish left he expressed his annoyance with their talk that lasted from Arnhem to Cologne where they got off to change. It didn’t bother me. I liked their quiet sophisticated manners. I think they were impoverished but happy middle class aristocrats. The train was delayed already in Köln. I had some evening snacks prepared by ma femme. Tasty, the Indian was looking at it with long eyes and had to leave the compartment in an anguish of temptation, I read from his face. I later saw him eat a black and oily banana. I went to sleep, if that is possible to say, due to the flimsy nature of sleep in trains, at least on my account.

Good

Nam Yum

Big houses

Many bikes

Den Haag centraal 2

Train

4.12 Saturday – Woke up around 3 and 8.30. The train was still in Germany. From there on nearly 12 hours of stress started. The train was losing more and more and the number of stops in the middle of nowhere increased. Delayed trains strengthen your nerves. There is no better way in harnessing them. Flying is for sissies in this sense. There you have only a brief moment of stress and when you fly you can’t stop. We arrived nearly 3 hours after scheduled arrival and I had missed my train. I crossed Stora Bält with a local train I was lucky to meet two fellow travellers who had to endure the same. Baba from the Netherlands and Otmar from Turkey were very nice gentleman. We waited at Malmö C. An hour later we got on the next X2000. At 15.15 we left Malmö. I talked with Otmar about his business and it sounded interesting. I also want to start a business in paper. I watched a part of Kick ass in the train. I took farewell of my companions and jumped of the train and ran as fast as I could with my three bags whomping around me. I caught a taxi with a sleepy driver. He drove slowly. I arrived 2 min before closing the check in and a man at the door said you will make it. I was relieved when walking aboard. I adjusted my packing and finished Kick ass (3/5). Then I ate a shrimp sandwich and drank Tuborg beer from Denmark. Main course curry chicken and meatballs. I walked around a bit in my slippers that I wore barefoot and in my soft trousers. I started watching flags of our fathers. I went to sleep after building by berth.

Dinner at boat

Snow

Snow 2

Also christmas there

5.12 Sunday – Just woke at 6:30. There were some loud foreigners that kept me us decent Americans who were in the dorm. Now I am sitting in the stern of Viking Amorella and can see the lights of Turku on the clouds. Finland is a deserted place. Now I am in the train. And now I have passed Salo.

My cabin