Dutch in Translation

Eindhoven & Den Haag Fietsenstalling, Piazza, Eindhoven       I wish I'd had more time to show Karen Eindhoven's city center, but unexpected things happened and we ended up hurrying to catch a train to Den Haag. How come? First of all, and as you well know, it wasn't raining so the possibilities were endless! Anyway, after having visited La Piazza's underground bike parking lot, seen Sissy Boy's organic architecture from the inside with its original jungle-style restaurant, eaten a yummy toasted sandwich at Krok Madam  and while hanging out at Van Pierre , she saw a book on Escher and exclaimed, "Escher! Such an incredible mind!" Oh , I thought, should  we go to Den Haag?   Can we? Should we? Do we have enough time?  You might understand how I could not miss catching a train to Den Haag and visit  Escher in Het Paleis .       Before we get to Den Haag, I'll like to share two tips. One, have an extra OV-ch...

Nuenen &  The Potato Eaters Sculpture      The morning after our trip to Koblenz , and after I'd come back from tutoring at ISE, we got two of our bikes out of the shed: one for Karen and one for me. Before leaving, my sweetheart adjusted hers since she wasn't used to a high seat. After that, off we went! Hands up to Karen who biked around 11 km from Eindhoven to Nuenen and back!       The Universe is big and conspired by giving us a perfect autumn day, milky skies and a crispy breeze. Crispy. Why is crispy ideal? Because when you bike, you sweat! Sweaty clothes are not nice, not to me at least. I get sweaty and stinky, although I've found out that wearing cotton fabrics is the best solution. As long as my clothes are not synthetic, the smelly problem is solved, kind of; but enough of this, I think my thoughts are giving away too much personal information so let's go back to the bike ride.  Vincent van Goghplein  ...

           My Mexican friend Karen has many gifts. One of them is being a mentor. Her mission is to empower educators by giving them sparkling red shoes and leading them through the yellow brick road of understanding.  As if with a magic wand, and while I was still in Mexico oblivious to the fact that a few years later I'd move to the Netherlands, she showed me all the fun there was not in helping students learn but in leading them to understand. I'll forever be grateful. Thank you, my dear Sagittarius. (Our birthday is on the same day!)      This October, after eight years of friendship where both of us endured broken relationships, sickness, loss, fought battles, p ersonal growth , and even her daughter's wedding in between, she made a dream and a promise come true by spending a few days in Eindhoven before arriving in Israel, her final destination. It was my turn to build life-lasting memories. During the few days she...