Bugs

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Meat is getting more and more scarce. There are more people every day, and even though we can fit more animals in smaller spaces they can’t keep up with the growth of the human population. In our near future we will have to widen the range of things we eat, and it looks like we will have to include bugs into our diet.

Alex and me have started already. A dried bug it’s all that bad, and if you mix it with something else it should be okay. What surprised me was that Alex didn’t have any problem trying a little bug.

Bugs, Alex and Adrie!

Coincidences don’t exist, or do they?

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When Alex was heaving some surgery a few month ago we met another family who’s daughter was having the same surgery as Alex. By coincidence it turned out the the girl, like Alex, had a Dutch father and a Spanish mother.

Later we fount out that our children go to the same school because coincidentally we live quite close to each other.

Month go by and we regularly meet in the street when we take our kids to school. Thanks to them we get in contact with a few more semi Dutch families.

Today I was really surprised by the level of coincidence. While I am at home in Holland, in Noordwijkerhout Ana meets the other family in the street and somehow the conversation turns to the background of the other Dutch father. It turns out that he comes from the same small town as me, Noordwijkerhout.

Truly a remarkable coincidence!

Beer!

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Beer!Una cerveza por favor. This is a much heard phrase in Spain. It is the way to ask for a beer and it is one of the first sentences I mastered when studying Spanish.

But… I will not be needing this sentence anymore because we are going to try and make our own beer. We already have a big package of natural ingredients, two huge plastic buckets a a lot more stuff. I look forward to making a all natural beer.

We need to think about a good name for our beer. Does anyone have any ideas?

Macho man

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Macho man!On his way to school Alex often walks past a garage, and there the employees have developed a fondness for Alex. When he passes he will even get a little present at times. Alex often repays the favor by bringing some Dutch treat like stroopwafels or some other tasty treat.

Recently Alex got a present again. Two plastic fighter men, and although we thought Alex was a bit small for these kind for toys Alex was really happy. He was fighting with his little men a lot, and he was even allowed to bring one to school… with his peers the little fighter was also very popular.

A few days ago we were in a toystore and noticed the price for the little fighters. 30 euros each! We were lucky that Alex still preferred a nice green balloon. It was a lot cheaper :)

Swim

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Swim!Alex has adapted to the water. After a slow start he has changed his view of the pool. We now have dificulty getting him out of the water. He gets out only to jump right back in. He likes to swim, splash, etc.

Happy meal vs. wok

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Happy meal!Canary wok!Alex loves to eat food he knows, and if the food comes with a little gift it makes him a very happy boy. Last weekend Alex did not want to go to the Wok. He wanted a happymeal, because he could see the McDonalds right next to the Wok restaurant. After checking with the Wok place it turned out that it would be no problem if Alex entered with his parents and his happymeal and ate it at the Wok.

Once seated at the Wok a few things happened. We were sitting next to a big tank with a few turtles. Enough for Alex to loose interest in his little plastic toy. Still he had his fries and chicken. These were still good.

But then we started getting food. Alex saw his parents with plates full of shrimp, little lobsters, squid, little shells, mushrooms and a little vegetables. This was something Alex needed to try (just like his grandfather), and he didn’t touch his happymeal anymore. It was the first night Alex ate so much that we skipped his milk. He went to bed with his stomach filled to the brim.

In a few month his grandmother and father will be visiting. The perfect reason to go again.

Fish

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Alex and the fish!We love to go the the beach, and we’re lucky because there are lots of beaches nearby. Both Ana and I prefer a nice sandy beach. Handy for putting up the parasol, and great for relaxing in the sand. The only bad thing it that a little bit of wind can cover you with a thin layer of sand that is impossible to remove, except by jumping into the cold ocean.

Alex on the other hand prefers a rocky beach. The perfect place for walking around with a little net catching everything that moves. Shrimp, little fish, crabs, ec.

Recently Alex caught a little fish. It ended up it his little bucket, and the good times started. First he got a big scare when he put his hand in the water and the fish touched him, but this changed with amazing speed. Soon Alex was playing with the fish and the little fish became more and more tired, until we released him back into the ocean.

Radar & In a ditch

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Leiden - Brahmslaan!My appartment in Leiden was part of a TV program and it was featured on TROS Radar.

But, as often the case, the media coverage involved exaggerating the facts a little. Once there was also an article in the local newspaper about me. It informed the people that some victim of an accident involving a car and a bit had broken his jaw. In reality the victim was me, and though I had indeed been hit by a car, and taken to the hospital, I was without damage.

The TROS Radar TV show went undercover to film at my apartment. The program wanted to show that people that wanted to rent a home were changed things that had also been paid by the people that supplied the home. Something like that, and if was shown that it was not legal to charge two different parties for the same thing. Only the renters could be charged or the person renting out the place. Not both.

The funny thing was that the person representing me (I never met this person in my life) did have quite some stories about me to share. I was heavily in debt, divorced, and basically having a very bad time.