January 2011

Welcome back to our Eurotrip adventure. The New Year has started off very well. Just back from a 2 week trip to the US. Sorry if I didn’t get to see you when I was back, but this trip was really to meet and spend time with my new nephew. It was so nice to be with my family and friends who I did get to see. It was great that I happened to be home during Noah’s third birthday and got to go to his school for a birthday party and give him his presents in person. I got to experience some of the crazy East Coast weather in the time I was home as it snowed about 3 times. I was debating whether to bring to the states my snow boots and it was a great thing I did. I made sure to eat in as many kosher restaurants as I could to get my kosher food fix. I even decided to bring back a few bagels with me, so when I think of home I can eat a genuine NY bagel. We also brought back about 8 lbs. of American cheese and a few more Wacky Mac boxes so am all set. It was hard to not go crazy and buy everything in sight to bring back with us, but I think we stocked up well this trip so will be set for a while. I am not sure the next time we will head back to the states, and I am sure in the next few months we will need a US fix, so feel free to come visit.

After being away for a short time, now back settling in to The Hague. It was nice to head back to our Synagogue last weekend and catch up with some of our friends. I even taught one of them about Pam cooking spray. He had never heard of it before, imagine that. It came up in conversation, because I was telling him how I had brought one bottle back from the states because here is very expensive. It is funny because I carried a bunch of food items back from the states that since I have been back I have seen in the shops. I swear they weren’t around before. Just yesterday I discovered a new kosher shop in Amsterdam that sells salsa, Pam, crock pots, warming trays, hot water makers, and many other items I recognize from home. This was a very exciting discovery.

This week was exciting because I drove for the first time in The Netherlands. I took a baby step and drove to a friend’s home a couple miles away. My concern never is the actual driving, but rather the parallel parking. Thankfully as was during the day there were many large spots available and I was able to park. Go me!!! Now the possibilities for exploration are endless.

This week I also had the opportunity to go to Amsterdam and tour the Resistance Museum with the American Women’s Club. This group organized this event and about 19 women showed up. We first walked around the museum, which was very powerful. It showed the history of what happened during WWII with those who tried to resist the German occupation and also portrayed the story of the Jews. After we walked thru the museum we had a walking tour around the old Jewish section seeing buildings that used to be part of Jewish life like a hospital or home of a community rabbi and then also the old Jewish Theater where the Jews were rounded up to prior to deportation. Now living here and knowing people who were alive during that time, you really have a different perspective on this history. It is not like being in Washington DC and going to the Holocaust Museum. To know the history and then see the places around you is very overwhelming and powerful.