Thurs Feb 9

Thursday
February 9 - Den Haag

This is
quickly being composed at 11:30 - HOORAY!
We have watched 'The Bourne Identity' tonight on RTL7 - the landlady
rang Rene today to explain when the cable should be connected (Friday she
hopes!) and also explained that since we don't have a 'normal' TV - it's a
B&O (Bang and Olifsomething) it requires mastery of a remote control to
make other 'mere' remotes tremble. I
stayed in the city a couple of hours longer after Rene headed back home and
when I came in the TV was working with around 20 free channels, but when we get
internet and cable MORE channels will appear (apparently).

Today after
a late start we took a #23 bus to Thereisa Straat and walked around the
suburb. It's quite nice, and one of my
schools is situated in this area, but the Centraal Station and city office
blocks are really separating it from the main part of the city, but it is close
and very walkable (let alone moments on a bike). Whilst walking we came across the NH hotel
Rene's niece is working in as part of a tertiary course she's completing. We popped in, but she was busy when we rang
and couldn't see us. Further along the
road we came across another local makelaar, called in, and left with several
property descriptions to contemplate. I
have to say that the majority of makelaars and staff we've met have impressed
me a lot - especially sine they started from such a low status in my mind.

We then
took the same 23 bus in the opposite direction to Scheveningen, the beachside
suburb and most popular place in Nederlands in the summer. After lunch we walked along the esplanade and
recoiled at the ugly collection of buildings surrounding the jewel of Den Haag
- the Kuurhaus. This incredibly elegant
hotel would not be out of place in Paris, and the interior is stunning BUT the
incredibly unsympathetic mish mash of architectural styles surrounding it makes
the area a B- as far as aesthetics are concerned HOWEVER all is not lost. 3km of the esplanade is being remodelled by a
Spanish architect to incorporate walkways and so on on top of a functioning
dyke designed to protect the suburb from the severe winter storms. It is due to be completed by Feb 2014 and
looks quite impressive.

Today as we
walked alongside the North Sea it was like a mill pond and it even began
lightly, occasionally snowing - and continued at least until I got home at
5:30.

We walked
on to the harbour, then detoured towards a makelaar from yesterday on 'The
Fred' where we were to pick up some more suggestions for properties. A tram to the Centrum ensured a speedy return
(the transport here is bloody brilliant) and Rene and I parted company so I
could do some grocery shopping on my own for dinner, and while I was at it I
looked into some stores and streets we hadn't been in before. The Passage is an elegant mall or arcade of
very swanky stores with prices to match.
It is beautiful to look at, although the emphasis is seriously on female
fashion.

I wanted a
casserole tonight for dinner. Easier
said than done. I managed to make a
curry beef and vegetable hot pot with sliced potatoes on top and baked (first
time using the oven) to perfection.

Afterwards
we watched the movie, and following my shower I'm finishing off this
entry. The morning kicks off at 9 -
better get to bed.