Happy Birthday Ingrid!

While in Amsterdam we were invited for dinner to celebrate Ingrid's birthday at one of our favourite restaurants Toscanini on the "Lindengracht". The weather was fabulous and we were able to eat "al fresco" outside which is still very special in Holland.

Lovely, real Italian food, nice wine and even our men dressed Italian style.

Koen in Riethoven

After visiting my brother Jochem in the hospital I went over to Riethoven for a cup of tea outside in the garden. It's nice to see Koen and my dad having fun.

FAMILY REUNION

My youngest brother Jochem managed to break both bones in his left ankle by doing something that he shouldn't have...
As I was in Holland anyway I was able to go and see him in the hospital and also see my other (older and wiser) brother Thijs with his son Koen who were over from Taiwan for a week.

While we were in Amsterdam we did some galeries. This one was nice: an exhibition of Wim van der Linden. Photographer of life in Amsterdam in the 50's and 60's and also of the famous book cover of "Ik Jan Cremer". The exhibition is in the Gemeente Archief of Amsterdam and the building is worth a visit on it's own.

Dutch Windmills Modern Style in Flevoland

VIVA ESPAÑA!!!!

Nine minutes playing time and it was still 0-0...


We were in Holland watching the game with Martin and Petra.

Wedding

Images of the 2 day wedding event of Anna Marie and Michel in Friesland. I didn't touch my camera because there was a very professional photographer doing the work and it was kind of relaxing not having to think about it and just enjoy the whole event. The wedding took place on the grounds of the dairy farm of Anna Marie's family and was the perfect location. Lot's of love in the air! Photography done by Johan Brouwer

Finally the day has come! They're installing the gate today.
The daughter of our old neighbours in Coín, Rocío, is a welder and together with a guy she knows from work they made the gate and came today to install it.


Leveling everything...


Attaching the rails to the gate.


And now we have a real posh electric sliding gate.


Cheers!

Jan Pieter and Ingrid enjoying themselves after a "light lunch" and a bottle of Spanish Rueda...

Jan Pieter Roozen was here again with Ingrid and did we treat them to a couple of nice relaxing days at the pool? NO... Hard labour. Digging a ditch for the electricity for our gate. Both Chris and JP had huges blisters on the hands afterwards.

Tos and Chris hadn't seen each other for about 17 years.
They used to work together and Tos has now become an artist.
Click here for his work


We all live in Spain now and Tos saw Chris's name on a real estate folder which we photographed and called immediately.


So now they're here for lunch, catching up and it looks like it could be the beginning of a new friendship again...

Rich&Willow came over for dinner and Tyler came as well.
He loves to roll around in his walker on our concrete floor; doesn't have this kind of space at home...

A "David Hamilton" shot...


Love these long warm evenings eating outside...

We've added a gazebo (in dutch: party tent) to the pool surroundings.
Looks nice but is very fragile especially on a windy mountaintop!

nuevo look

Went to the hairdresser yesterday and decided to do something different.
Hope you like it...

The Spanish transport section is on strike this week to protest against the rising oil prices.
This led to empty shelves in the supermarkets and people panickbuying food and gasoline.
Meat, fish, vegetables and water were completely sold out at the end of the week. Empty aisles in the supermarket. Funny feeling...

Step 2: rendering
For rendering we have another expert neighbour: Richard!


And I'm the apprentice today.
Heavy on the arms but fun to do.

We've started a new project, enclosure of the terrain with a gate.
Step 1: build a wall.
And again we are the assistants of our master builder down the mountain: Oystein!


Say Queso!


New blocks arriving for more wall...

Drinks and dinner at Diane & Ragnar's in Marbella


to inaugurate their newly built fountain


had a lovely time out on the terrace!

Today is the first time we went in our pool. Wet!