Door Knockers: I

When traveling about, everyone has a "thing" they like to focus on. It varies from places of famous battles, gargoyles, church windows, etc.; we all have that odd something we zoom in on.

I have chosen a few "odd" obsessions. I would like to introduce you to my first one:

Door Knockers.

The detail and craftsmanship taken to create each one, adds to their mesmerizing story. I hope they delight you at least a fraction of the happiness I get from seeing each one.

A typical one, but still unique diamond shapes to Uttrech

Uttrecht

I discovered this one and the rest below in Amsterdam. Notice how light the hand appears holding the apple. (side not: Dutch apples--nothing compared to Washington ones. I love apples, but every time I buy one, I forget that I'm not buying local Washington ones and get disappointed. Why can't I learn?!)

This was a lion on a much larger scale than the one seen beforehand.

 

I didn't get the best of shots, but the intricacy of this piece was beyond words. Each door panel, had a separate face.

I liked this hand-shaped knocker since it appeared much older than others I had seen and the hand has a ring on its ring finger. I'm not exactly sure if that indicates that the woman living there was married or what.

Well executed horse and nice horse shoe.

Bike Ride!

After strolling (see below) through Keukenhof, watching the lovely flower parade and hanging around Lisse (town near-by) with Guido, our friend from school who happened to live there, we decided to take a bike trip. We borrowed Guido's family's bikes and took off on bike route number 4 to the Zilk and Vogelenzang.

We rode well over 30 km basking in the glorious sun, cooled by the gentle breeze, smelled the luscious hyacinths and ooooed at the world-renowned tulips. Of course we got lost and asked for the mercy of locals to point us in the right direction, but it was amazing. The level fields gave us a great peek into "normal" Dutch life: farms, small brick villages and towns, secluded forests and flowers, flowers and then some.

After our wonderful adventure, we decided to go the supermarket and pick up food in order to make some dinner at Guido's. We went to three or four markets in order to find one that was open at 7pm. But we triumphed. The last few photos are of us making a Dutch-Chinese meal--devoured in minutes.


Drive-by shootings:

(corny? I know...)

Look at my cool scarf! Ha.

I like to be focused when I ride

Lamb!

Us making dinner

I burn like no one's business and put on sunscreen before I go out. Hans on the other hand, did not. Paid the price.

Flower Parade!

We timed our visit to Keukenhof to coincide with the annual flower parade. I had no clue what that actually meant and seriously expected people marching bouquets at hand. To my delight, the flower parade turned out to be a miniature Rose Parade like the one we have back in Portland, Oregon. There were cute little marching bands (sans twirlers and dancers), floats covered in flowers. We sat on the side of the road along with what seemed the rest of the town. It was wonderful. Also an interesting note were all the cars decorated with dazzling and intricate flower arrangements. This is when we first started working on our tans. Foreshadowing? Yes.

There was an operational ferris wheel on the float as well.

This was one of the many cars covered in beautiful flower arrangements.

Us, waiting for the magic to begin.

Flowers, just plunked down on the car. I still don't really get it.

Keukenhof

This past weekend, I took a trip to one of Holland's tourist-y places: Keukenhof. A huge park dedicated to flowers, tulips mostly. It was a train and bus ride away, an hour or so actually. The flowers, as the pictures allude, were pleasant. It smelled nice, until the fertilizer lightly waifed inside your nose. The variety of tulips was incredible, but what interested me more, was the amount of tourists.

This park is only open from the 20th of March until the 18th of May. And thousands upon thousands of people travel to see these flowers. Most of them were old, proudly wearing their blindingly white sneakers (thank goodness I only wear them for jogging, it's an immediate tourist alert if one does). We were some of the few people who could tie their shoes--there were two extremes--grandkids too young--or their grandparents who couldn't bend over. Also, I was shocked by how many Russian-speakers I heard. Soon enough I found out that there were bus tours from Russia visiting the park. Apparently, that's a norm! No more iron curtain and the Russians visit tulips. Hmmm.

Overall, it was nice. I know I've been spoiled in the US and am actually used to the lavish display of flowers and ornate landscaping ala Disney and every other theme park, even Portland's Rose Gardens compare, yet on a severely smaller scale. However, it was still cute.

An ode to the Dutch flag

These tulips looked like silk: "Holland's Glorie"

Another landscape

They have these amazing sandbags set up. We, of course, grabbed a few and soaked up the rays.

I cannot emphasize enough the craziness of the crowds there. Oh and just so you know, not a hot spot for fellow students. We were part of the handful of young adults there.

Yes, they have a tulip "Perestroyka"

A little snip of the park's layout

The traveling crew:
(From right: Aditi, Maria, Guido, Mimi, Hans)

You can't be nice all the time

Chinese garden

BIKE!!!

My dear ladies and gentlemen, I, Ms. Anna Demyanik, am one step closer to being Dutch.

I have a bike!

Last night, after enjoying the Man U game and the company of international students, I was walking home with Maria and Hans, when a homely-looking man on a bike approached us coughing something at us. Hans, bless his heart and as you know, speaks Dutch and translated that the man was selling the bike. He offered the bike for 20 Euro; a price far too high for any savvy student to actually accept, we got 10. But first I wanted to try it.

Now, while the Dutch are beautiful, especially with their amazing height, but that means that their bikes have that extra little bit and this particular bike was a guy's bike to boot. I tried. I was too short. We told the man, sorry, but the bike doesn't work.

How does this man respond? By telling us, wait, wait, I'll be back in within a quarter of an hour. Thus, we agree and stand, in the middle of the night, in the middle of the street. All of a sudden Hans shouts out that he wants a bike too and runs down the street the man rode off on. Maria and I wait some more--and within five minutes, the man shows up--with a decent women's bike! 10 Euro!

The seat's pure old plastic, the brakes work, the speed shifter doesn't, yet I have elastic rope to hold packages in the back and a little seat to transport people--which I did right away. (Sorry Maria my skills aren't up to par just yet)

It's the most magical piece of welded metal ever!

Lastly, I wanted you all to really understand the crazy bike culture here and here is a close substitute, so check out this blog:

http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/

Proof That I Actually Left Holland

Aditi and another spiral staircase inside the casemates. The amount of stairs was mind boggling.

There were A LOT of monuments for the two wars

Ready and armed toward the outside forces

The houses are practically built into the walls

Part of the wall

Crazy tunnels

One of the bridges

Meter-long strips of sugary goodness
Lex-I was totally thinking of you when I took this shot and ate the candy

Hawaiian themed chocolate stand

My fantastic hostel!

My traveling buddies:
Hugo, Mik, Hans, Aditi and Juuso
Per ran away

From the wall