Friday, December 23, 2005

Olso Hop


Oslo ski jump
Originally uploaded by j_kleitsch.

Jeg er ved oslo hop med familien. (Even (age 9) helped me with that sentence - i think i wrote "I am at Olso Hop with my family")

We are having a great time in Norway with the extended family. All the kids are playing, watching Harry Potter and decorating the xmas tree.

We have been on several hikes in the woods behind the house. There is a very steep hill - at the top is a rope swing and camp fire for roasting "polse".

The food here has been THE BEST! We had rummagrut (spelling?), smoked salmon with eggs, goat cheese on rolls, lefse, glogg (warm wine with almonds and rasins thrown in), homemade moose sausage... i mean 'cmon, can it get any better than this!?!?

Emerson College @ Kastel Well


2nd Moat
Originally uploaded by Andy Kleitsch.

In 1991 I spent 3 months at Kastel Well in the Netherlands. I was there to study... but, hummm... i cant remember much about my studies, but i sure can remember the parties, traveling throughout Europe and my college friends.

I really wanted to visit my old college kastel, so I rented a car in Amsterdam and started driving (without a map). I was only lost for 3 hours, but i eventually found Kastel Well. I missed all the students by 1 day! The Kastel was empty, except for a few workers cleaning up the mess.

Cafe Vink - Well, Netherlands


Cafe Vink
Originally uploaded by Andy Kleitsch.

What a flashback... I spent many nights at Cafe Vink while attending Emerson College in the Netherlands. Now, 15 years later, I returned to Cafe vink for Brand Beer, Frits Special and good company.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

My afternoon...2 pukes, missing bike part, dead mouse

3:40pm I remember the kitty hat: I called the botanical garden this morning, they found Britta’s pink kitty hat! (Yes, I was actually calling people looking for a pink kitty hat – what has become of me?!) I looked at my watch – 3:40pm. The botanical garden closes at 4:00pm. Can I dress the kids (it’s frickin cold here), put the rain bubble on the bike (yup, cold and raining) and ride 10 minutes to the garden before 4pm? I was willing to give it a try. What the hell, why not.

3:53 unlocked the mom bike.

4:03pm botanical garden: Yes! They’re still open. The very gay cashier informed me that the pink kitty hat looks really good on him. Uhh… great.

4:04pm back on bike: I’m feeling adventuresome now that the rain has slowed down. I take the kids on a tour through the edge of the red light district. Some pot fumes, more tourists – and we end up at Dam square.

4-5pm hanging at Dam: We grab some cookies from Santa and his Pete’s. Karsten rides the kid cars. I lose 7 euros – somewhere! Must have dropped them while running after Britta.

5ish riding home: Britta is finally asleep. all hunched over in her baby bubble.

5-6ish eating pizza at our local spot: Karsten and I split a cheese pizza. Britta slept the entire time.

6:30pm back home: Damn. As soon as I got home I remembered my bike rain cover… I left it on the bike next to mine! In my big hurry to rescue the kitty hat, I left it sitting on the bike next to ours. It’s gone. Damn!

6:30-8 trying to feed Britta: She had a few bites of spaghetti. That’s it.

8pm the first puke: Britta threw her sippy cup over the edge of the couch and SPLASH! The lip popped off! Britta!! (scowl) . I grab paper towels from the kitchen, and while I was sopping up the water puddle I saw a half-eaten cereal bar on the bookshelf. Hummm. That looks pretty new… here Britta, eat this. (at this point I’m trying to feed Britta anything) She takes one big bite, and… pukes! Greeeaaaat.

8:45 second dinner for Karsten: Karsten climbed down the stairs and said he was starving. I served up Brittas reheated spaghetti. That worked like a charm. Britta took one bite of banana.

9:45 second puke: While rocking Britta to sleep she gagged on milk/snot/sick-stuff and did a nice projectile puke on me, and everything. Change of outfits needed (Britta and Dad).

10:30 Britta is out: I went right for the Johnny Walker Red Label and popped in my DVD rental Kalifornia.

Midnight: OMG! There’s a live mouse flopping around in the other room RIGHT NOW!! My mouse trap went off but didn’t kill him! He’s frickin squeeking!! Oh man… I don’t want a LIVE mouse… UGGGG!!

Day One: 1pm Update

Breakfast: Kids didn't really eat much breakfast, but i did get Karsten to try something new - Toasted O's with MILK! He's a purist. Likes dry cereal. But we made a deal "daddy will buy you Snap Crackle Pop cereal if you try O's with milk!" It actually worked.

10:45: Quincy and his mom (Shea) took Karsten to Tun Fun & pizza… Shea said she would return Karsten “full and tired”. She’s a saint.

11:30: Britta goes down for a nap.

11:40: Britta is awake. Crying like crazy. After one hour of re-nap attempts (milk, rocking, laying in our bed, more milk) it’s official, nap time is over.

1:30: Oh! It’s lunch time! Almost forgot… hummm. Karsten is out, so I just need to feed Britta.

    Lunch Menu
  • First course: Pancakes w/ peanut butter. Britta took one bite.
  • Second course: Stew from last night. Britta ate 3 carrot slices.
  • Third course: cheese sandwich. Britta threw the bread, ate the cheese. Daddy offers second slice of cheese – Britta throws it.
  • Fourth course: Cereal ball. Two bites.

Have fun Jana, but come home soon!

Jana is traveling with a group of Amsterdam moms… she’s on a 2 day shopping and drinking spree in Germany!

Me? I’m at home with the kids. Talk about total role reversal.

I know it’s ‘wrong’ to say this, but I have not been looking forward to it. Just me and the kids for 48 hours. Who approved this?!

Can kids survive on herring and chocolate milk?

I’ll keep you updated.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

I love Dutch girls


IMG_2025
Originally uploaded by j_kleitsch.

I found this great Dutch hottie while riding my bike today...

She doesn't mind when i eat herring treats, and she has a nice rump from riding a bike every day. I'm in love.

The Ship Museum


IMG_2038
Originally uploaded by j_kleitsch.

The ship museum is my kind of museum.

Guns, ships, money, adventure and stories of extreme capitalism.

For hundreds of years the Dutch were the entrepreneurs of the water. Risking everything for fame and fortune. My kind of people.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Daddy look! Harry Potter!

Thanksgiving at the Hard Rock Cafe in Amsterdam. Classic indeed.

First there was the Harry Potter sighting. (John Lennon who?) Then, while watching music videos, Karsten yelled "Indians!" We had been talking about Pilgrims and Indians all day, so I didn't expect to turn around and see a half-naked Indian dancing on TV! It was Y.M.C.A. by the Village People - Karsten started dancing in his chair.

The Hard Rock was one of the only places in town serving a real t-day dinner. Sure, the turkey was from a can, but we had all the fixins.

Karsten had pizza & fries.

Monday, November 21, 2005

Gotcha! One less mouse in Amsterdam.

First I used peanut butter.
"Yuck" said the mouse.

Young Cheese. Oh yeah, that should work!
"Nope."

Old Cheese. Why didn't I think of that?! Of course, it's stinky!!
"Not interested."

I was defeated.

Can man and mouse can live in harmony? I was willing to give it a try... until you decided to enter my BEDROOM!! C'mon man. We made a deal. You get the kitchen (and I'll throw in the living room). But not the bedroom - you crossed the line you frickin mouse!

I pulled out the traps. again.

pondering... what should i try tonight? i broke the peanut butter jar this morning - so that's out. cheese isn't working. (dig, dig, dig thru fridge) Aha! Creeeeeaaaaam Cheeeeeese!

Gotcha!

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Eat This! Dutch Experiment #2

Steak Tar Tar. Oh yeah. Riding high from surviving the herring truck, I decided to roll the dice again - this time... raw beef. Actually... it was raw beef, raw egg, anchovies, onions and mustard. You'll be happy to know that in Amsterdam Tar Tar is served with a side of fries (with mayo of course).

Eat This! Dutch Experiment #1


Dutch Herring, originally uploaded by Andy Kleitsch.

I love taco trucks. So I was immediately in love with the herring trucks in Amsterdam. Actually, I was in love with the IDEA of eating at a herring truck, but I was too chicken to try one. Last week i thought to myself "What if the herring trucks are the BEST thing ever? What if I try one on my last day here and realize that I should have been eating at the herring trucks every day?!?!" That did it. I was committed. Must have herring.

The following day I was walking through the Albert Cuyp with the family and I spotted a herring truck. Damn, the line was too long! Really! No worries, herring trucks in Amsterdam are like Starbucks in Seattle - there's one on every corner.

I finally found a stand and had the glorious herring. supple. smooth. perfect. I'm going have one every weekend.

Friday, November 04, 2005

I almost went home…

I was at Schipol Airport waiting for my flight, when I realized I left my book on the kitchen counter. Crap… can I make it home and back to the airport in time?

Nah, not worth it for a book. Then I realized I left my iPod at home too! Ooohhh man. My book and my iPod?! That’s a little more tempting… perhaps worth a taxi ride home and back?

Nah, still not going to happen. So I headed to the airport bookstore – where I buy all my books.

Hummm… what to buy….

7 Habits of highly effective people? Uhh. No.
A book of brain exercises? That sounds painful.
How to make good decisions? Hummmm maybe… can't decide...
The 80/20 rule? I thumbed through this for 5 min… and almost bought it

But the book that beat them all… The winner is…

Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl

So far, it sucks. I actually thought it was a TRUE STORY about a NY call girl. Nope. Just a chick-novel. But really, it’s a combination of all the other books i almost bought rolled into one:

7 habits of highly effective hookers
A book of brain exercises - for hookers
and…
How to make good decisions - as a hooker

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

For a mouse

Really,
you could have lived in my kitchen all year.

A cute little mouse in my kitchen...
who cares?
As long as you keep hidden, afraid of loud noises.
Then i don't have to acknowledge
that you really exist.

I would tell Jana,
"i think we have a mouse, but i've never seen him"
then i would go back to my computer, tv, beer, coffee shop
life as i know it.

Instead,
i'm at the Blokker (think Bartell Drugs)
looking for mouse traps.

All because
that little mouse had to strut his stuff.
Hello!?!?! I'm in the ROOM! Looking at you!!
RUN YOU LITTLE COCKY MOUSE!
I stomp my feet.
he's too busy to care about me.

Ooooohhhh you're gonna pay for THAT little mouse!!
I look around for something to throw.
I grab a stack of business cards in a zip lock bag.
Hummm, maybe if I bundle this stack of business cards together
really, really tight... i twist the bag and make a little business card brick,
what the hell am i thinking?!
Is this how a metro sexual tries to kill a mouse? with business cards!?

Back at home now.
mouse traps armed with peanut butter.

It's been (look at watch) 19 minutes...

honestly, i expected to catch a mouse by now... I bet within an hour I'll get one.

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Dumb Americans in Luck

Conversation tidbits over the last few weeks...

In Milan - "No, I don't speak Italian. I took German in high school. Well... no, no. I can't really speak German. Yes. English only."

In Paris - "No. My French is really poor. I studied German in high school... but you can't really practice German in the US... so... well, yes, English is good."

In Zagreb - I'm at a conference right now. Perhaps 8% of the people are from the UK, and 1% from the US - yet, the entire conference is in English.

So all you dumb Americans (me included) you're in luck. The rest of the world is smart enough, so just relax. :-)

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Ode to Club Med

I'm hanging at the Club Med... Sure, it's a developer conference (99% guys) but still, i'm in the south of France hanging at the CLUB MED! Sure, it's raining and flooding, but it's CLUB MED!! Sure, i left my window open the first night and got 12 mosquito bits on my forehead, but it's CLUB MED!! Sure, i left my toothpaste at home and just chewed gum for 3 days, but who cares - there are no women, the weather sucks and i look like a freakin leper!

Hummm.... not exactly the Club Med experience i had in mind.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Amsterdam Picnic Moment

We visited the windmills today. Now, i have to admit the idea of visiting windmills didn't really get me excited. Probably going to be very boring... well, let me tell you. I highly recommend it. The windmills look like torture chambers on the inside and a gilligans island huts on the outside. They have big gears - really these windmills are like a mega-size Erector set made of huge old beams - and they have rolling stones (6 feet tall) rolling in circles crushing PEANUTS. That right, the dutch are making peanut butter ya'll.

Now for the Amsterdam Picnic Moment... we were near the windmills, sitting at a bench, eating a picnic lunch, and a group of tourists unloaded from a bus. Next thing we know, this guy waved at us and took our photo. He thought we were a dutch family having a dutch lunch near the dutch windmills. Poor guy. That's a BURIEN family in your Dutch windmill photo... sukka! :-)

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Internet cafe?

Not sure if im in an Internet cafe or some money laundring, drug smuggling, wife importing, religious broadcasting, non-showering cult. The same guys are here day after day. Please take a shower!!

As for me... my computer is still busted... and yes, that's the reason why my blog has been 'stale' (drew - just cause weed is readily available - i mean really, really available - that's not the reason for my lack of blogging!) :-)

OK, who's gonna visit me in Amsterdam? Really, this is too good not to share.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

My HP has the Asian Flu

My computer caught a nasty virus in Hong Kong, and now i am f$cked!! There are about 10 new spyware programs installed, all running crazy things, totally out of my control. Its hosed. I cant even check my mail, etc.

So... i landed in Milan 10 hours ago. staying in a shit hole. there are no internet cafes in Milan. the whole place sucks... but, ive got to admit, the women do dress nice here. as soon as i got off the train i spotted a 50 year old woman in black leather pants. nice! you dont see that in Burien.

Monday, October 03, 2005

Location: Internet Terminal Bangkok

I think it's time to start drinking. This next flight is going to be brutal. 11 hours to Milan, Italy. I still need to find a hotel in Milan, but i think i'll wait till i land before beginning my search. This last-minute type of behavior will only confirm jana's hunch - I'm crazy. This trip is proof.

My beers of the world tour:
1. Seattle -> San Fran -> Hong Kong -> Singapore
2. Singapore -> Bangkok -> Hong Kong -> Taiwan
3. Taiwan -> Hong Kong
4. Hong Kong -> Bangkok -> Milan, Italy
5. Milan -> Amsterdam
Take a week off... then...
6. Amsterdam -> Milan -> Nice
7. Nice -> Paris? -> Amsterdam?

And what do i have to show for it? What type of heirlooms did i purchase on this trip? Well... i bought a nice watch (swiss-army fake) in HK. I hope it lasts more than a week.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Gum in Singapore?

I was informed that it's OK to chew gum in Singapore, but you can't sell it.

Psssst! Dude... you want some Hubba-Bubba? You're not a cop, are you? This shit is outlawed man, i had to buy it in Malaysia. It's good shit.

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Andy's Boathouse is back!

Ahhh, like an old pair of dress slacks that never looked very good - the Boathouse is back!

Take the way-back-machine... 6 months or so... Erik Benson told Jana and me that his site had been hi-jacked by rebels. They were demanding money and threatening to erase everything! Erik paid their ransom, but the boathouse was lost.

Thinking back... I'm not sure anyone really missed the boathouse!?! Only Drew and Ted noticed it was m.i.a.