Golden Tulip Kuurhotel Fontana Groningen

No photo's this time guys!
I just wanted to share the fantastic news with you all that I am officially a Dutch resident.
The lawyer called us with the news on Monday morning.
We are ecstatic. This means I can reapply for a five year residency in July next year.
It also means I can now search for work.
I will keep you all informed of how that search goes and of my ongoing travels.

Wish me luck!

Shannon.

... the battlements which we went straight to and watched until it finished.
Bourtange is surrounded by a series of hexagonal moats and large man made hills which have cannons at every point of entry.
We watched live sword fighting, celtic music, celtic dancing, archery and an array of other medievil treats which were all top quality and fantastic!
Most people there were dressed in period costumes and at the end of the day, all of the market stall holders ...

... which I imagine would make for a rather uncomfortable ride!

After Appingedam, we went to a restaurent called "Robin Hoods" which is fitted out to look like a tavern from the times of Robin Hood. You can throw your peanut shells on the floor and the staff are all dressed in period costumes. It was a fantastic meal to end a fantastic day.

... I left from Liverpool Street station London, on Thursday the 23 July, and we're off to Berlin tomorrow where she leaves me and I fly solo.

Hopefully the photos speak for themselves...in this, my very first entry on 26 July.

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... years or so. They are very proud of this as there are many much larger places close by that maybe called cities but have missed out on being included.

One of the things that is rather difficult to get used to is the vision of a sailing boat seemingly sitting in the middle of a paddock hidden somewhat by the farmers crops but moving along at a steady pace. More so in Friesland than other parts of Holland do you see this.

Thanks for the emails and messages

... mijn troep... Ik doe het allemaal weg. Nog 10 dagen dus... En nog zoveel te doen. Mijn hoofd is een grote things to do list en 's nachts lig ik wakker van de dingen die me binnen schieten die ik nog moet doen... Die moet ik nog bellen, daar moet ik nog langs en die papieren kloppen nog niet.. Ergens maakt het me allemaal niet uit, we gaan toch, we gaan gewoon weg..! We hebben een tas, teva's en een lonely planet.. een ticket en Marcella heeft haar visum al... Ik ...

... Groningen is the Dutch equivalent of Toledo! I asked for a restaurant recommendation, but she couldn't think of one and asked the owner, who replied "There's an Australian restaurant. They serve kangaroo." The reception girl was horrified ... I would have like to try kangaroo, but couldn't bear horrifying such a cutie! Instead, I went to the Satehuis for Indonesian. Too bad I forgot my camera, because this was one hell of a meal. I ...

... set higher and groceries are stocked higher. In homes, pictures are hung higher on walls than is typical in the US, and cabinets are higher. I spent two years climbing up on my kitchen counters every time I wanted something from a cupboard! So, it's no real wonder that the Dutch like their buildings tall as well... Groningen is a lovely city in the North of the Netherlands. The centerpiece of the downtown area is the Martini Tower. It ...

... opened. The machines were only accepting credit cards. Great! Spent some time sitting around and ate something ****** from a machine in the station. At 6:45 I was off back to Helmond! Didn't get any sleep in the train again but I was okay. After arriving in Helmond I had to walk 45 minutes to get the keys to my mother's place where I was staying. And sometime around 12 pm I went to sleep and slept for 4-5 hours.

... sugar and dished them out to unsuspecting non-Dutchies like myself as some sort of joke? It was only after I returned to Geneva that I found out the truth, Amber had done some more research and e-mailed to tell me that Olliebollen do actually exist, it’s just that they’re only served in Holland as a treat at New Years. That being the case my bigotry against Olliebollen will now probably continue for a while yet.