Just love this (game?/mashup?/webapp?): goggles! Pilot a small plane over various world cities: Amsterdam is one of them.
Flying over Amsterdam
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Author Archives: Timon
Pride Pics
You can see some pictures of this years Gay Pride in Amsterdam here.
Amsterdam Gay Pride 2006 (updated)
Today was the Amsterdam gay Pride highlight: the Canal Parade. You can probably find many pictures online (flickr, anyone?). I don’t have many of our boat, on account of being on it.
The offical theme for the Canal Parade was “Rembrandt 400”, we however didn’t really keep to that motto. Our motto was “Rembrandts Greek Period”, and we went as the Nana Mouskouri farewell tour. This was the poster on our boat:
Mouse-over for full effect.
Here’s one picture to give you an idea (Thomas as Nana Mouskouri):
I’ll add more pictures later, when I get them. Now it’s off to the street party along the Amstel, and later to the Warmoesstraat…
update: Jörg and Erik posted their pictures on Flickr.
Tarred, not feathered
Last week the “Broedertrouw” (the houseboat where we have the Friendship BnB) was towed to the wharf for its three-yearly check and maintenance. The insurance insists on regular upkeep, understandably, and the last inspection was three years ago. So we packed all the crockery into boxes (contents may shift during the voyage, after all) and organised a tow. And although the AYOR is a tugboat, it is no longer usable as one. Besides, Jan nor I is licensed to tow ships, so the whole operation would be illegal – and uninsured.
Everything went very well: we only just fitted under the bridge over the Achtergracht, but the rest was smooth sailing, as they say. The inspector from the insurance company could find no faults, and the wharf put on a fresh coat of tar on the hull. So the “Broedertrouw” is canal-worthy again for another three years.
I’ve put some pictures up here.
CSD Cologne 2006
Last weekend was Gay Pride (CSD, Christopher Street Day) in Cologne. Usually it’s the first weekend in July, this year – because of the Soccer World Championships taking place in Germany – it was moved to 14/15/16 July. The weather was excellent: sun, clear skies and high temperatures. A good time was had by all. You can see some pictures here.
No peace for the wicked…
We’ve just come back from a week in Portugal, and now we’re off again to CSD in Cologne. Never a dull moment. Unfortunately, Jan and I have to cut the weekend short and come back on Sunday, because my houseboat (for the Friendship BnB) has to go to the wharf for its three-yearly check-up and maintenance. So monday will be a busy day. But first some fun in Cologne. Film at eleven, or whenever I get around to it…
Gay Pride is on
Earlier this year the GBA (Gay Business Amsterdam) pulled the plug from their organising the Amsterdam Pride. After much discussion (and mudthrowing), another group stepped into the void: Pro Gay.
So after a long time of uncertainty, it now seems that Amsterdam Gay Pride (and the Canal Parade) are now definitely going to happen this year. Originally we had planned to skip this year’s parade, but we decided to take part after all. So you can see the AYOR again this year, as it wends its way down he Prinsengracht and the Amstel. The theme for the parade is ‘Rembrandt’; whether we will stick to that theme exactly will be a surprise.
See you there!
Trailer? Yes. Trash? No.
We’ve bought a caravan (trailer to some). It’s an Eriba Touring caravan, and we’ve taken it on it’s first outing. It’s surprisingly easy to drive with a caravan (as long as it isn’t in reverse). We chose Danmark as our first destination, because Jan’s sister-in-law, Lise, celebrated her 50th birthday on May 20, and we were invited. The original plan was to stay a few more days in Danmark, but the weather was so bad, that we returned early. The caravan however, performed flawlessly – it was nice and dry inside. You can see a few pictures here.
Queensday Pictures
I’ve uploaded some pictures (taken by René) on my .mac space.
Thanks for asking
A lot of people have shown a lot of interest in my recent gall stone operation. Fortunately, everything has been plain sailing so far. I’ve not had any problems or complications, I feel fine, and the scars are barely noticable. I’m amazed myself, that everything went as smoothly as it did. I must say, the hospital and/or surgeon did a grand job. I’ve got an appointment next week to check everything is OK.
And the winner is….
…the Fokker Friendship – the aircraft that is. Not the Friendship BnB, although that too has received much acclaim.
In a recent survey/contest to find the best dutch design ever, organised by the dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, the Fokker F27 (Friendship) was voted as the best dutch design.
Obviously I couldn’t agree more.
You can see an overview of the nominations on the design.nl website.
Another Queensday is over
Another year, another Queensday… This year it was very cold on Queensday. The traditional pasta at our houseboat was more than welcome! But although it was cold, the sun was out for most of the time, so people still had a good time.
The next day, Sunday, Jan took a couple of guys for the first boattrip of the season. Again, it was cold, but everyone had a good time. Hopefully it will be the first of many trips this year.
out patient
About 2 months ago, I spent the night at the emergency room of the OLVG (local hospital) because of a gall stone colic. That was not an experience I’d care to repeat, so I avoided fatty foods, coffee, chocolate and eggs since that night. (All over Easter, too!)
Of course, I went to see my doctor, who referred me to the hospital. The diagnosis was, indeed, a stone in my gall bladder.
The only way to get the stone out, is to remove the gall bladder itself. Or so the current medical practice says, anyway. So I was put on the waiting list for an operation.
Fortunately, medical science has progressed and nowadays it’s possible to have the operation as an out patient: you turn up in the morning, they take your gall bladder out, you’re home before dinner.
And thankfully, that’s exactly what happened. Jan took me to the hospital this morning (actually we cycled there – it’s only five minutes) and I was in my operating gown by 7:30am. Not very fetching, by the way – unlike some gowns I’ve worn. But I digress.
By 8 o’clock I was in the operating theatre, by 8:10 I was out like a light.
I woke up in recovery at about 10:30am. With a little cup on my nightstand, which contained this. (Not the coins, they’re for comparison!) All in all a necessary operation, I’d say.
After a couple of hours, I was well enough to go home again. Jan and Wim came to pick me up, by car this time, and I was home by 4pm. So far I’ve not had any great pain or discomfort. I do have 4 cuts in my belly though. Something to show off on the beach this summer I guess.
So Queensday – which is celebrated tomorrow, Saturday April 29 due to some strict Christians not being allowed to have fun on a Sunday – will largely pass me by. I’ll be happy to take it easy at home.
It’s going to be cold anyway. Although I’m up and about, I think I’ll have to take it easy for a while. On the upside, I can have a Oranje Tompouce tomorrow without having to worry about the fat-content….
Finally, the computer computes
If you are on a Mac, and you want to quickly calculate something, you can simply type it in whatever (applescript-enabled) editor you’re currently using and hit command-shift-8 to get the result.
For example, type (12 * 12)-44, select it, hit command-shift-8 and it’s replaced by the result 100
nifty.
The white stuff update
Pictures are here:
.mac (please excuse me while I get to grips with iWeb and .Mac)
The white stuff
Just got back from Val Gardena in Italy, where we (Wim, Nick, FrankvBB, FrankK and me) were for a week of skiing. In my case, that was only 4 days, because I couldn’t get away until monday.
The weather was phenomenal: wonderful blue skies and pleasant temperatures; pleasant for skiing that is. This picture is after a hard day’s skiing. Val Gardena is a vally in the Dolomites, and part of the conglomerate of ski areas that goes under the name of DolomitiSuperSki. One pass for 1200 Km of slopes and 450 lifts: more than anyone can do in one week. But we tried…
Pictures to follow.
The hills are alive…
I’m off to Italy for a couple of days of skiing.
If there is WiFi.access, I’ll try to add some entries here.
Bütz mich!
..or ‘Kiss me!’. One of the features of Carneval in Cologne is Bützen. Which is kissing, but without sexual intent. Another feature is Schunkeln, which is moving to the music (and there’s music everywhere). Anyhow, bützen was appropriate for our costume for the Rosa Funken Ball: we went as Snow White and the seven dwarfs. And Show White was brought back to life by a kiss, of course. More on Karneval (in german)
Carneval was a lot of fun, of course. We seem to have come through it without losing our voices, or catching colds. But it’s only monday now, so we’ll have to see what develops.
Meanwhile, see some pictures here.
update: pictures of the Rosa Funken Ball are on the website for the Rosa Funken and photographers Viktor and Volker’s website.
all about Timon
I didn’t know I had it in me… (found on the net)
…Timon can give you that special feeling that you are the only one for him in the world…
…If he thinks it’s necessary he puts on his ‘beaten dog’ face and ‘asks’ to be set at ease and to be hugged. And of course we can’t resist that…
Kick your heels
On Sunday, March 5 a new event hits the scene in Amsterdam: the Danserette. The flyer promises:
Dancing on a steaming dancefloor with mirrorballs and discolights. Über-Dutch “gezelligheid” and hits with a nudge and a wink. Running the gamut from Dolly Dots, Kylie and Baccara to ABBA, Wham and Madonna. But Eurovison songs and disco classics as well. Completely shameless. Golden oldies and todays favorites, that are fabulous and… completely Danserette!
We’ll have to wait and see what it’ll be like. But it’ll be nice to have something other than jungle-, groove-, harcore-, techno- or any other house music dance parties.