After Dutch lessons the whole class went to the Oude Leidse Pannekoeken Huis (wow, or something similar-ish) for pannekoeken. This translates as pancakes, but it should really be thought of as being closer to crepes. Dutch pancakes are nothing like IHOP. First of all, they're very thin with bits of stuff baked in. Mine had bananas and powdered sugar, but you can get all sorts of fruit and nuts, or cheese and meat if you like. So, nothing like a pancake, unless you're that kid who scoops hash browns, bacon, and all onto your poor pancake. And even then, not the same.
They are also several sizes larger than your head.
Today was our last day with Miranda (our Dutch teacher.) I really liked Miranda. She was extremely perceptive to our needs. She knew what questions to ask each person so they could simultaneously exhibit their strengths and work on their weaknesses. At least, that's how I felt. I am going to miss her. We went through an entire book in only two weeks!
After lunch, Vanessa and I went back to her house in Den Haag and swapped horrible boyfriend stories (I chose to tell her about my personal favorite ex of mine, Der Schlitzer von Friedrichshain.) Her house is exceptionally cool since her family has spent the last umpteen years in Asia. Asian everything. Cool. Then we met up with some Dutch girls she works with in the lab, and we all rode out to Rotterdam to shop. I didn't have any money on me, and I don't need anything, really, so I didn't buy anything. Just the looking was fun though. (I am on the hunt for a nice rain coat, and some cute rain boots, however.)
There is something so very therapeutic in shopping. It's not in the buying. It's in the searching for beautiful things, and it's in seeing yourself and your friends in these beautiful things. Does that make sense? I see a skirt that would look amazing on Vanessa, and I tell her, and she smiles. Female bonding, man. Definitely a requirement today.
After wandering around forever in Rotterdam's rather rockin shopping district we ate at Burger King. It was rather glorious. I don't eat fast food much, even less so when in Europe, but now and then, a burger is just...right. Yum. In that gross sort of, I can't believe I just ate that, yuck, sort of way. :-)
Now I'm waiting patiently for my mom to show my brother how to use Skype so we can have a huge family pow wow. And then maybe I can finally sleeeeeep.
No comments:
Post a Comment