The weekend of August 8-10, we went to the south of France (Belvèze, nr. Montaigu-de-Quercy, Lot et Garonne) for a family get-together of Jan’s side of the family. Nearly everyone was there: only Jaap and Lise were missing.
Family weekend
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I took it
From the A List Apart website: “It is time once again to pool our information so as to begin sketching a true picture of the way our profession is practiced worldwide.”
Quick trip to Munich
From May 12 to May 14, my mother and I took a short trip to Munich to meet up with Cathy and Howard, as well as Paul and Chris. A couple of pictures below.
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- Asamkirche
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- Having coffee in the sun
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- Marienplatz
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- Marienplatz
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- Isartorplatz
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- Chess in the park
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- Special pasta
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- Dinner ‘al fresco’
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- Ice cream on Stachus
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- Karlsplatz or Stachus
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- Lenbachhaus
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- Lenbachhaus
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- U-Bahn Königsplatz
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- Viktualienmarkt
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- Lunch
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- Viktualienmarkt
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- University hall
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- Flugblätter (Flyers)
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- Ludwig Maximilian Universität
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- Waldwirtschaft
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- In the beergarden of the Waldwirdschaft
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- Waldwirtschaft
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- Waldwirtschaft
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- Waldwirtschaft
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- Neue Rathaus
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- Coffee on Marienplatz
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- Waiting for the S-Bahn
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- Brauhaus Airbräu
Queensday 2008
Queensday this year was quieter than previous years. Although we had reasonable weather, there were fewer people in town, or it seemed to be so at least. We still managed to have a good time. There was no traditional brunch over at Wim & Nick’s, so Jan, Thomas and I wandered around town for a bit, looking at the stuff on display on the freemarket. Not much interesting stuff, but I did manage to find a small coffee jug that my mother was looking for.
Afterwards we had a look on the Zeedijk, but the music was very loud, especially because it’s a fairly narrow street. So we went back to the Amstel, and took up our usual position in front of the Café Rouge (the former Monopole).
The pasta dinner on board Jonathan, after the music stopped outside, was – again – not as busy as other years, but we all enjoyed it.
The soldiers are busy building the stage for the Liberation Day concert (May 5). We’ll have the TV-crew here again, like other years. It looks to be nice weather (sunny and 20°C) over the weekend.
Some pictures.
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- Jan and Henk
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- Westertoren under threatening skies
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- Some Queen in front of the Barderij
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- Henk
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- Pasta dinner
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- Beatrix loookalike
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- Joey,Ulf,Ollie
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- On the Amstel
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- Jan
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- buying a newspaper
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- René
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- Jan
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- Paul
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- The Muziektheater
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- Henk and Cees
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The Ayor sails again
We had a slight mishap with the enigine of the Ayor: the braces that hold the startmotor in place, were worn through. Jan has manufactured a replacement, and now we can start the engine again. Last Sunday was this year’s first trip: Wim and Nick came along with Jan for the ride, but I was away at the Stetsons Saloon.
Not quite sprung, but springing…
Spring has not quite yet sprung here, but it’s definitely springing. We (well, mostly Jan) are nearly finished with renovation the garden house. Soon we’ll be spending our first night there. The weather is gradually improving, and it’ll be nice to get some sun and fresh air “in the country”.
Karneval 2008
I’ve made a selection of pictures, which you can see here. Or click the picture.
Amsterdam gets the Gold
In a the 2007 OUTtraveler reader’s choice awards, Amsterdam got the Gold as Favorite International Destination. And Amsterdam Gay Pride won bronze. Read all about it.
Ah-oh… Karneval!
We’ve just got back from another fun-filled Karneval in Cologne. It was not as busy as other years; maybe because it was the earliest in the year that Karneval could be, or maybe it’s getting all too expensive.
We did have a good time though. Weather was nice, except for Rosenmontag, when it rained on and off.
I’ll try to put some more pictures up soon; in the meantime here’s one of us (Niels, Timon, Jan, Frits) as teletubbies. Click the picture for the not-quite-safe-for-kids (anatomically correct!) enlargement.
And another year begins…
I’ve been busy today, clearing up the Christmas decorations. Not that we have that many, but it’s always more than you realise. And this year, instead of just shoving everything into a big box, I actually checked the fairylights. And then neatly stowed them in their original boxes.
You can see a couple of pictures of our traditional Christmas (well, day after Christmas for you Americans, Boxing Day for english visitors) dinner on this page.
Happy New Year!
A very happy & healthy new year to all!
The Merry Christmas Bells
During the Christmas Saloon, organised by the Amsterdam Stetsons, we did a little act as the Mary Christmas Belles, which got mangled to the Merry Christmas Bells – oh well.
The Mary Christmas Belles are (from left to right on the stage): Hans, Simon & Timon.
The music is The lord of the dance (Ronald Hardiman), Man, I feel like a woman (Shania Twain) and Christmas is here (Bearforce 1).
testing youtube embedding…
This is a trailer for the opera Lucia di Lammermoor by De Nederlandse Opera
pizzaboy: he delivers
Living in an A1-location like we do, we sometimes get requests to film on our houseboat. Sometimes we let them. This was the most recent effort. Rest assured, the special effects were just that: effects. And we don’t even have guineapigs…
To see what I’m talking about here, click the image.
progress report
We’ve been real busy with the renovations at our Dacha
Click the image for some more pictures.
Our Dacha
We’ve got a garden. It’s a dutch thing, like an allotment, but not just for vegetables – it’s a place to relax and get away from the busy city. In Russia and the former DDR, it would be called a dacha. It’s about 20 minutes cycle ride from the Amstel.
On the map below you can see the complex. We’re some where in the middle there:
Larger map
Click the thumbnail below to see some pictures
< insert bear-related pun here >
The Village People for the 21st century?
Buy the single on iTunes!
Read more on their website: bearforce1
Nearly over….
Today, we’re in Brighton, on our way home again from a short break in the South of England. Last week we were in Cornwall: beautiful countryside, nice quiet (gay!) campsite. And now we’re having one last day in Brighton, before we travel home again. More details and pictures when we get home.
Watching the boats go by…
Last weekend the annual Gay Pride took place in Amsterdam, with the traditional Canal Parade. This year we were not in it – we thought we’d give other people a chance…
I’ve put some pictures up, taken from the Jonathan. Here’s one to whet your appetite:
