Treading the ice

When the temperatures drop to below freezing the Dutch get very excited. Many head into their storage spaces to look for their shoe-like contraptions with metal strips: the skate. With the warming climate the bitterly cold winters of old do not come by that often. This year it has been colder than most and the last week especially so. The ice around the country has achieved skating thickness and a skating frenzy has exploded. There is even talk of the possibility that that race of races, the Frisian Eleven Cities race, could be held. In the mean time people young and old enjoy that most Dutch of past times.

Boxing Day

Our English Christmas is not complete without spending Boxing Day at Jeanne & Peter's. As always it was like we had only been there a few weeks ago, with only Michael and Martina seemingly older.

Turkey dinner

No Christmas dinner is complete without a turkey large enough to feed a family for several days. As always, Mum found a 'nice bird' and prepared it together with stuffing, vegetables and gravy.

Another traditional dish also not be missed: the Trifle. This year made by yours truly, with this time a gluten free sponge cake especially for Daisy. Delicious!!

Thank you Santa!

The kids already had their stocking filled, but Santa (and his little helpers...) surprised us all with all the presents that magically appeared in a huge pile. Boaz and Luca were the happy recipients of many a gift.

The Queen

Part of the Christmas traditions is watching the Queen's Christmas message to the Commonwealth.

It's great being an uncle!

Boaz and Luca are always a joy to be around, and they love their uncle Ben, too!

The boy's got wheels

Some time ago Luca got his own little bike. It took a while before he got the hang of it, but now he is unstoppable. Even in Bristol he got on and took the wheels for a spin.

Off to Blighty 2008

For Christmas the whole family packed their bags and set off for Bristol, the English city where I was born and where my grandmother still lives (she's 96!). Last year we celebrated Christmas there with the whole family for the first time in many a year. This year we went again, although Nana was in hospital with an infection and could not be with us for the traditional Christmas dinner.

This year we are staying in two apartments on the outskirts of Bristol overlooking the Severn bridge and the Welsh landscape in the distance.

Happy Hanukkah!

Today marks the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Hanukkah, from the Hebrew word for "dedication" or "consecration", marks the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the forces of Antiochus IV and commemorates the "miracle of the container of oil". According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil.

In modern times Hanukkah, especially in the USA, has also become a kind of Jewish version of Christmas with gifts being given, particularly to children. As such it has become part of the political correct "Happy Holidays" season, that encompasses Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

Start 'em young

A lot of fun can be had with empty bottle, as young Boaz demonstrates. Clearly to young for a nice, ice cold beer he has been observing his dad and uncles....

Pancakes

The Dutch love their pancakes. Not so much for breakfast like our American friends, but as dinner. Today Melissa and Rebekka had pancake baking duty…delicious cheese & bacon pancakes were had by all!

Dutch word of the year

In their annual end-of-year craze for lists and nominations, the Dutch have elected the verb – swaffelen - as the word of the year.

It netted 57 percent of the 16,000 votes on the website hosted by Van Dale Publishers, renowned for its authoritative dictionaries.

The word, swaffelen, is imported from English, and is not generally known.

Swaffelen is something only men can do. Apparently, it means to swing one's penis, making it bump against something, in order to stimulate either oneself or someone else.

Dutch lexicologist Ton den Boon says that etymologically, swaffelen is thought to be linked to the Dutch equivalents of swing, sway and sweep, and to the German equivalent of tail or penis (schwaf and schweif). There is also a Flemish dialect word known as zwaffelen.

The word gained notoriety through a video posted on YouTube, in which a Dutch student got arrested for swaffling against the Taj Mahal in India.

As voters did not have to justify their choice of nomination in the event organised by Van Dale, De Pers daily newspaper and the Netherlands language society Onze Taal, it remains a mystery why the Dutch chose this word.

The numbers two and three Dutch words of the year are wiiën (playing on a Wii game console) and bankendomino (banks falling over like dominoes).

Finally!

This afternoon we heard the good news we had been waiting for....the final approval for our client's loan for his new hotel has been given. It is always nice to finish a project, but in this case it is extra special as it is our first large project in Suriname. Not only will we earn a very nice fee for arranging the financing, but there will be additional projects that our client is giving us to ensure that his hotel will be the best in Paramaribo. All the hard work and frustrations have paid off!! In January we will be off to Suriname again for the signing of the financing agreement as well as network for new projects.

Japanese houses

Japanese are strange people for us westerners. We all know the weird quiz shows and the outrageously dressed teens, but what about homes?? Due to the high land prices every small plot is used, leading to some slim buildings.

Sinterklaas evening

A loud knock on the door let us know that Sinterklaas or Black Peter had paid us a visit. To his great surprise Boaz found a basket filled with presents for him and his cousin Luca.

What fun to open your presents and play with them!!

The grown-ups weren't forgotten either....

Sinterklaas

All Dutch children are looking forward to tonight when Sinterklaas and Black Peter come with sweets and presents...providing one has been good this year, of course. While mainly a festival for children, the adults are not forgotten either.

The kid is back!

After more than three months in his dad's country, Chile, Boaz is back Despite a nearly 24 hour journey from Santiago via Sao Paolo and Zurich to Amsterdam, my young nephew showed no sign of being worn out. Surprised and happy to see his Uncle Ben, Auntie Lydia and cousin Maurits, he came running through the gate.

Hilarious CSI parody

Thanksgiving

Today Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, possibly the most important holiday after Independence Day and certainly the one for all Americans. The dates and whereabouts of the first Thanksgiving celebration are a topic of modest contention. Though the earliest attested Thanksgiving celebration was on September 8, 1565 in what is now Saint Augustine (Florida), the traditional "first Thanksgiving" is venerated as having occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in 1621. Most people celebrate by gathering at home with family or friends for a holiday feast. Though the holiday's origins can be traced to harvest festivals which have been celebrated in many cultures since ancient times, the American holiday has religious undertones related to the deliverance of the English settlers by Native Americans after the brutal winter at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The next Tour de France winner

Uncle Ben was surprised to see that Luca could ride his bike all on his own. He loves to ride around the living room and show off his skills. If he keeps it up, he is bound to become a future Tour de France winner!!

More snow

My street is very idyllic with all that snow. Too bad it didn't last...

Snow!

The winter has really started and the first snow has fallen. it probably won't last very long as it is not really freezing, but at least we have the sense it is winter. The question now is: is this a freak occurrence or will we have a traditional cold winter and a white Christmas after all??

Your Majesty

We had the pleasure to be invited to the East Meets West concert at the Concertgebouw. The music was a fusion between modern western music and traditional Indian music. Guest of honour was our head of state, Queen Beatrix. Although she attends many functions during the year and as such is a very visible monarch I had never seen her in real life, let alone close-up. Arriving in a convoy of cars with police motorcycle escort, she arrived just before the concert was about to begin. Surprisingly there was an apparent lack of overt security and one could come quite close to her.

Netherlands India Business Meet 2008

November is India Month in Amsterdam. Besides the many cultural events celebrating the diversity of India, business has not been neglected. In the Beurs of Berlage the largest Netherlands-India business event was held. Honoured guest were the Indian Minister of Finance as well as the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs. Aim of the event was to trigger increases cooperation between companies of the two countries as well as to promote the increase of trade from the current level of just over 3 billion euros per year to at least 10 billion within five years.

The kids are happy

Dutch kids are rejoicing today. In just a couple of weeks they can expect their winter gifts from Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas, the original Santa Claus. As per tradition he arrived in Holland by boat from Spain, where he lives with his helpers called Black Peter. From this evening until December 5th kids can set their shoes, filled with carrots for Sinterklaas' horse, near the fireplace in order to find it filled with chocolates or presents the next morning.

Barack O'Bama??

Can't wait for the White House parties!

Got to love those geeks!

There is no spoon

The Matrix is one of my favourite movies. The parody below is hilarious!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Work and play

Luca loves his dad and enjoys playing around the house with him. But it isn't all fun and games for the little one. He also likes to help his dad on the laptop.

A waterfall of words

I had the pleasure of babysitting my nephew Luca tonight. On our way back home his dad had to get some snacks for Uncle Ben so Luca and I had a little chat. It took a little while for him to tell his stories, but once he starts....

The battle ahead

The first Tuesday in November is rapidly approaching and Holland is in a frenzy. The pros and cons of each candidate are discussed daily in news broadcasts and talk shows. It is, however, not a local election that divides the opinions of many a Dutchman, but rather the American presidential race across the Atlantic. It is fair to say that the majority of people have a preference for Obama, although quite a few feel that despite the charisma and the message of change and hope McCain might be a better president due to his experience. Nevertheless, the fact that McCain is in his seventies, has a 30% chance of dying in office and thus gives Palin a real chance of getting her finger on the button makes Obama by far the choice of most people. Coming Tuesday many an election party will be held around the country and all through the night the Dutch tv channels will broadcast live from the US of A. I can remember watching the election broadcasts in 1980 when we lived in Washington to see Reagan beat Carter. I'll be burning the midnight oil this Tuesday to, hopefully, see Obama beat McCain.

Subh Diwali

Today is Diwali, or Deepavali as it is also known, a major Indian holiday and a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Many legends are associated with Diwali. Today it is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the globe as the "Festival of Lights," where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being.

In many parts of India, it is the homecoming of Lord Rama of Ayodhya after a 14-year exile in the forest, after he defeated the evil Ravana. The people of Ayodhya (the capital of his kingdom) welcomed Rama by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (deeva), thus its name: Deepavali. This word, in due course, became Diwali in Hindi. But, in South Indian languages, the word did not undergo any change, and hence the festival is called Deepavali in southern India. There are many different observances of the holiday across India.

Dutch autumn

This year we had a rainy season instead of a summer. An Indian summer also proved to be too much to hope for. Now the autumn has started in earnest and it is turning out to be a traditional one: grey skies, rain and low temperatures. Luckily a new trip to Suriname is scheduled for the coming weeks so I can get some much needed rays of sun!

Delicious dinner

If only we could enjoy our dinners as much as little kids!! My nephew Luca is certainly enjoys his.

Middle Eastern food war

(DPA) A new war between Israel and Lebanon has erupted, but this time the war is not geopolitical, but rather an issue of cuisine-who has sovereignty over traditional Arab dishes and sandwiches.

The president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association Fadi Abboud, said he is preparing to file an international lawsuit against Israel for allegedly "taking the identity of some Lebanese foods" and thus violating a food copyright.

"In a way the Jewish state is trying to claim ownership of traditional Lebanese delicacies like falafel, tabouleh and hummus" Abboud said. According to Abboud, the Lebanese are losing "tens of millions of dollars annually" because Israel is selling and marketing traditional Lebanese dishes.

"The Israelis are marketing our main food dishes as if they were Israeli dishes," he charged.

"We are working on registering all the foods and ingredients which will be submitted to the Lebanese government so it can appeal to the international courts against Israel," Abboud said.

"The Israelis are marketing such Lebanese delicacies under the same names and ingredients around the world," he added. "This is harming and causing great losses to Lebanon."

Abboud said he prepared his memo on the subject, based on the case of the Greek "feta cheese precedent" that occurred six years ago.

At the time, Greece managed to prove in international institutions that it was the "originator" of feta cheese and won the case.

According to Abboud, while Lebanon never registered the names and ingredients of its own delicacies, "it can refer to the Greece precedent since these foods are historically known as traditional Lebanese foods.

"By doing so, we are preventing Israel from stealing our main food trademarks and selling them around the world," Abboud added

Visiting auntie and uncle

Tonight my nephew Luca came to visit with his parents, the first time he came to our humble abode. He enjoyed the new surroundings, seeing many things he wanted to pick up and play with. He enjoyed the company of his auntie Daisy and uncle Ben, too, of course!

Religious convergence

As happens with calenders based on the lunar cycle, sometimes religious celebrations from different traditions coincide. This year this is the case with the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Rosh HaShana, the Jewish new year. Neither of these celebrations have official status in Holland, so unlike quite a few countries we don't see many advertisements inspired by these events such as the Ramadan inspired hamburger ad and the one for those delicious kosher & organic sausages.

Meeting a Maharaja

My business partner Anand was in India last week with a client. During his visit he had the opportunity to meet with His Highness Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Bahadur, Maharaja of Mysore and head of the royal Wodeyar dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Mysore between 1399 and 1950 (when the Indian kingdoms were officially abolished). Although the Maharaja is no longer ruler of a kingdom, he is still regarded as a local leader by his former subjects and plays an important role in local religious and social ceremonies. As with many of the former rulers, he has turned to business for income. Besides being an accomplished fashion designer and promoter of Mysore silk, the Maharaja has also turned several of his palaces into luxury hotels. If all goes to plan, H.H., in his capacity of hotelier, will become a client. I foresee frequent stays in palace suites....

The airport, again

It's been a week of airport visits. First to see off Talia, yesterday for some last minute contract signing and today to have lunch with my dad, who was on his way to a conference in Denmark. I love going to the airport to see all those travellers jetting off to all corners of the world and returning Dutchmen being greeted by friends and family. I would prefer going to Schiphol to fly off myself, but that will have to wait until another day...

Business frustrations

There are different kinds of clients. The one is very flexible, the other is seemingly unable to change his position. My business partner Anand is set to go to India tomorrow with a client. Getting all the contracts in order, however, is proving to be quite a challenge. We always try to prepare contracts that are professional and clear. Sometimes the clients, or their lawyers, do not want to be flexible or use their common sense and get stuck on a certain clause. This seems to be the case now. It's all very frustrating, especially as they are leaving for Bombay tomorrow. It looks like the contract will be signed just before the plane leaves.

Dutch treat

What is it that tourists crave most when visiting Amsterdam? Is it the apple tart, the nederwiet or delicious chocolate? None of the above!! It is the smooth, creamy taste of that most singular delicacy: the kaassoufflé....

Cycling with the family

What better way to see the Dutch countryside that on the back of a bike? My legs would perhaps disagree, but it certainly is nice to enjoy the green fields so close to the city. Talia and I, after first getting lost in Amsterdam North, joined my sister, brother-in-law and nephew Luca on a little trip to Holysloot. Luca was not too enthused by the 4km bike ride, but absolutely loved the apple juice at the cafe where our journey ended. Uncle Ben, meanwhile, put his muscles to the test while his Israeli guest filmed the surroundings.

Talia in Amsterdam

My friend Talia from Tel Aviv is in Amsterdam for the first time. After hearing about Amsterdam for years from her good friend Hilla, whom I met last year, and knowing me, she decided to spend a well earned holiday in our fair city. After picking her up from the airport we embarked on a small tour of the city, ending up at the Film Museum for a drink and some rays of sun.

Totally knackered

After an active afternoon, both Uncle Ben and Luca a.k.a. Manny are totally knackered.

Classic cars

This morning I went to a classic car exhibit with Johannes. He treated me to the exhibit and a delicious lunch as a thank-you for being his witness at his wedding. The cars ranged from the Dutch DAF to the Mini, Fiat 500 and 2CV. Great to see some beautiful cars up close.

Leaving for Chile

Rebekka and Boaz, accompanied by our mum, have left for Chile. My brother-in-law Cristian, who hails from the South American country, already left a couple of weeks ago. His job at a university in Santiago requires him to stay there for four months. Last year Rebekka stayed in Holland for that time, but this time the family is making the trek. As family tradition dictates, the siblings meet up at the airport to see the other family members off and enjoy a drink or some food at one of Schiphol's many snack points. Boaz, who is fascinated with planes and was very much looking forward to the flight, had the pleasure to use the playground in the restaurant before taking off.

Summer's here! Again...

These last two days have been unusually nice. Temperatures have been very summery. But, alas, it does not seem to last. The rains are approaching again. Dare we hope for an Indian Summer???