New York, USA - October 2006

My first time in New York....An experience I shall never forget. I've always been fascinated by american cities. My friends describe me as a discover and discovering is surely what I did while I stayed in New York for those wonderful 5 days... Let me first begin with my hotel, the Washington Jefferson hotel, located at 318 West 51 st, between 8th and 9th avenues, one block away from Broadway and amazingly close to the Rockefeller center and Times Square. Let's face it: the room was tiny and the price not that cheap, but its location was perfect, it was very clean and the personel was nice and helpful. Each day, I had breakfast at the Cosmic dinner on 52nd street and 8th avenue: good food, nice atmosphere and very good pancakes...not to mention the very nice pieces of paintings on the walls...Across the 51st street, opposite to the hotel, there is a french bistro called the "Tout va Bien" (i.e. all is good), which has been operating in the Big Apple since 1949. I went there once, had snails and one boeuf Bourguignon which I'm going to remember for a long time. The Chef definitely knows what he's talking about...Jean-Pierre, the host, comes from Brittany and he's got the tricks to make you feel comfortable in a second ( glasses of Lillet do indeed help also)...At the bar, I met one sommelier of the Cruiseship "France", who now works in NYC. He had so many stories to tell...A very nice experience during my New York trip. One place I strongly advise!!!

On my first evening, I went to Ellen's Stardust dinner, on Broadway and 51st street. The food there is similar to any other dinner (though I really enjoyed drinking a roots beer once again)...what makes the trip is the waiters singing live in front of you Broadway hits and 60s standards. The place is rather packed but it is definitely worth waiting. A scene to go to while in NYC! Next to Ellen's dinner, go to the Iridium Jazz bar , one of the most famous and broadly acclaimed jazz clubs in the entire NYC. Walk further down on broadway toward Times Square and you'll find the Bubba Gump restaurant....remember the movie "Forrest Gump"? The all-you-can-cook-with-shrimp scene? Well, they've launched a restaurant: the Bubba Gump Shrimp co.. Try their cocktails...and if you happen to sit with a nice view on Broadway, check the news on the opposite building: that's where I learnt about North Korea's first nuclear test. Since I've already spent so much time about food, let me then finish with that topic by mentioning:

the very good French Culinary Institute and their restaurant "L'Ecole". Your food is prepared by their students and I wish I could cook like them!!!!!

I had the best NY style cheesecake at Lindys on 7th avenue and 53rd street.

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Antwerpen Anders...Anvers autrement - September 2006

The Belgica club of the European Patent Office in The Hague organized a day trip to Antwerp in Belgium on September 30th. The day was sunny and all conditions were gathered to make this day a fruitful one, from a cultural and gastronomical point of view.
We started our tour at the train station of Berchem (those of you travelling from the Netherlands to Paris with the TGV know this station very well) with english-, french- or flemish-speaking guides (tours can be booked here ), and began walking through the Zurenborg neighborhood.
During the reign of Leopold II, wealthy Antwerpers favoured domestic architectural styles displaying their prosperity. In the Zurenborg district, around Cogels-Osylei, the houses show how individualistic they were. Said houses display a variety of styles: neo-renaissance and neo-flemish traditional houses stand among neo-romanesque and neo-florentine ones, which a dash of Art-Nouveau. The imposing exteriors made quite an impression on me. You are far from imagining that such houses can be found in Antwerp.
We stopped for lunch at the brewery Huisbrouwerij 't Pakhuis , located in the town quarter of "Het Zuid". This quarter boasts with fashion designers, offers museums and galleries as well as many cafes and restaurants.
After lunch, we boarded a boat for an hour-long trip which took us upstream along renovated neighborhoods of the Schelde river, through the old town.
The city tour then continued and led us into the Eilandje-St. Jansplein district. There, during the past 25 years, warehouses and industrial buildings have been restored and converted to luxurious and spacious living accomodations.
After walking so much, we enjoyed a well-deserved dinner at the Zuiderterras restaurant , overlooking the Schelde river. Antwerp definitely has much more to offer than just chocolate and diamonds...

You can see the pictures of this day here .

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The Hague, The Netherlands - September 2006

Pretty unusual to write a travel blog over the Hague, where I am living after all. I thought however it would be nice to tell you a bit about a nice modern art festival which takes place there every year at the end of september: Today's art festival. On the Spui, next to the city hall, you find visual art performers, light shows and many other artists who gather to make you discover their world. Part of the festival is free. To be honest, the 2005 edition did not impress me and it was with much reluctancy that I attended the 2006 one. I got very surprised this year and I must tell you that I enjoyed myself a lot. I particularly liked a classical music show, where a dancer was performing in front of a hotel whose rooms were all dark at first. Each time a new instrument was playing, a room was enlightened...very nice and, for once, something inventive and full of creativity!!! An automat also attracted the public's attention. Finally, I'll mention the asian movies which were screened, particularly the one over Tokyo's subway system: this is what I call an overcrowded subway!!!









This year, I had a nice evening and I certainly will attend next year's edition. You can check the pics here

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Playa del Carmen, Mexico - August/September 2006

Mexico was not really an unknown country to me. I went there between Xmas and New Year 2000, while spending some days off in San Diego...Well, I went to Tijuana...which is not really Mexico..more like the backyard of California where US teenagers can drink and do other crazy things. So many things were however already different...the cars, the architecture, the food and I could see the signs of poverty, though well hidden... I thus always wanted to go back to Mexico and Playa del Carmen , on the Caribbean Coast, was too good for a deal to let it go without a try...So here am I: off to Mexico on August 26th for a week of sun, diving and fun at the Reef playacar all inclusive hotel. Let me emphasize the great animation team (especially Leonardo da Vinci...)!

The first thing that struck me when going off the plane was the heat (August was a cold and very rainy month in the Hague....) and the humidity...Took me a couple of days to adjust though lying on the beach and jumping from time to time into the sea does help a lot. The panel of blue also caught my eye...from the sky to the turquoise sea, you cannot stay insensitive to such beauty...not to mention that there is an amazing contrast when storms break in the late afternoon.

I had to celebrate my 29th birthday properly so I decided to take a field trip with my tour operator to the Mayan archeological sites of Coba and Tulum . I've been fascinated with the south-american civilizations since high-school and my first contact with the Mayas should stay in my head for ever (the same way the Egyptian Luxor did fascinate me two years ago). Such magnificence in the middle of the Jungle or on the sea shore...What if Cortez never did put his foot onto Mayan soil?

Staying on the beach, swimming a bit, jet-skiing, playing Water-polo..all those are cool activities and gee...I had so much fun playing with Harry and Clod from London....but nothing compares to scuba diving as far as I am concerned...that's why I went to a diving trip with the Reef marina water sports activities club of the hotel. Julien, the french representative of the club, did a good job selling me four dives...Off to Tortugas to see turtles...Due to ear problems, I unfortunately could only do the second dive. I though saw turtles, walls of fishes and stinger rays...The water was so warm and the colours so beautiful I could have stayed down there for ever... I really felt at home :)

The day after, I went to Puerto Aventuras for a swim with Dolphins...The best experience of my life with an animal: the sweetest, the most intelligent, the cutest, the funniest animal I have ever met..It feels like silk but it is really powerful (trust me on that one)! I will preciously keep the pictures and the DVD! I only met the dolphin for an hour or so but I miss her (well yes....it was a female) a lot.

I was supposed to go diving the following morning but, instead, I ended up in a clinic to visit a doctor...Diagnosis: barotrauma of the middle ear...no flying for 3 days....."Bummer" I thought at the beginning but I rapidly figured out it was not that bad: no more diving of course but nothing against more jet-skiing or sailing. This extended stay also gave me the chance to meet three wonderful people from Quebec, Allison, Marie-Claude and Irakli, with whom I did stick for the rest of my Mexican getaway...

To sum up, if you want to experience Mexico, go to Playa del Carmen....try all the riviera Mayas, the tequila sunrises, the daiquiris, the mudslides and the margaritas...And you cannot leave Playa del Carmen without paying a visit to two local bars which are so worth it: Senor Frogs and Blue Parrot !!!!!! Enjoy your stay...

Pics from this trip can be seen here . More pics can be viewed on Allison's web site


PS: if you ever go to Cancun, while in holidays, please bring me a CD from the dance club "the city"...Allison, Clod and me would be eternally thankful to you :)

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La Rochelle, Bordeaux, France - August 2006

to be published soon....

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Javea, Spain - July 2006

From July 27th to July 31st, I went to Javea on the East coast of Spain, south of Valencia, where spanish colleagues got married. I've seen worse spots for a wedding ;) The sun, the heat, the beach, the vibe...everything was there to make this long weekend a perfect mid-summer break! About 20 people from the European Patent Office attended the trip, from as many countries as Spain, France, England, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden....The weekend began on a catamaran off the coast of Altea...a very nice way indeed to get acquainted with each other and, let's face it, to get the tan we will never have in The Hague... Here are videos from that little sailing trip:





I went diving the day after with the Cabolanao diving club from Javea...Nice team and smooth organization...Could have been better without me getting sea-sick...I spare you the details. Came back to the hotel, slept a bit and got dressed for the wedding, which took place in a cute little church in the center of Javea. Enjoyed the great party at one fancy hotel (Gabriela, your brother Javier, is the greatest dancer I've seen in a long long time...He controls the dance floor like nobody else) and finished the night at a beach club downtown Javea. We spent the following day on the beach, trying to get as much as possible out of the sun, the sea, the volleyball and the cocktails...I flew back to Amsterdam very early on monday morning, with new friends (Patricia, Ruben and Gausia), full of memories and with the urge of coming back...

All pics from this trip can be seen here

PS: for those of you who'd like to go to Javea, I'd strongly advise to consider the Solymar hotel. It lies 50 meters from the beach, between Old Javea and the new downtown, near cute little beach bars. The prices are more than affordable, hygiene is good, airco in the rooms, easy to park...Take a look at the bar "La Luna" as well while in Javea...You cannot leave without trying the clara (bier and sprite or bear and fanta lemon).

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Dordrecht, The Netherlands - July 2006

A journey through time...

We all had to get up a bit earlier than usual on this beautiful and sunny Saturday morning but we were about to enjoy one of those warm days when you feel you are on holiday. A fantastic day, organized by the European Patent Office (EPO) AMICALE in The Hague, was about to hit us! About 50 people gathered at the EPO and were taken by bus to the 1000-year old city of Dordrecht, the oldest city in Holland. There, we first enjoyed a guided tour and learnt about her history: the Saint-Elizabeth flood which destroyed the area in 1421, the glorious days of Johan de Witt when Dordrecht was the most powerful trading city of Holland, the "Hof" where the insurrection against Spain was launched in 1572 and where Guillaume of Orange became the first Governor of a free Dutch Republic,... Dordrecht 's numerous harbours lie on the Rhine's estuary and still make the city one of today's most important shipping centres in the Netherlands. Dordrecht is not only the home of hundreds of sailing boats, it is also the home of one of the last remaining authentic steam boats still in activity, the "Peter Boele", the next step of our trip.

All aboard! aboard a steam boat...The one Jules Verne's fictional character, Phileas Fogg, could have taken in his tour around the world. Maintained and serviced by an army of volunteers, the "Peter Boele" is one outstanding piece of machinery, constructed in the late 1800s in Dordrecht Boele's shipyard and used to tow barges on the Rhine. The current oil-fired boiler replaced coal in the early 1960s, the ship underwent a thorough restoration in 1978, but the 1924 engine remains in its original operational status.

The old lady sailed on three rivers (i.e. de Noord, de Oude Maas and the Dordtse Kil), across the typically Dutch "Drechtsteden" landscape made of polders, dikes and natural reserves. We finally arrived at the UNESCO World Heritage spot of "Kinderdijk" where we "Piet-stopped". There, tens of windmills proudly stand on what used to be wet and rough areas of peat. There, one sees how the Netherlands used to fight floods and manage water supplies.

We slowly sailed back to Dordrecht where we had the chance to shop, rest in the sun and have a few drinks before hopping on our bus and returning to The Hague....A wonderful experience for all of us and many exciting memories for all the kids who travelled along. A perfect way indeed to begin the summer...All aboard!

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Brugge, Belgium - June 2006

coming soon...

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Marbella, Spain - May 2006

Well, since Marriott offered me a nice weekend in their Marbella resort for a competîtive price, I thought I'd bring my good friend Misha with me...and there we went from May 4th to May 7th...Sun, cabrio and beach....A perfect spring getaway.
The first day started very early: the cab was more than 20 minutes in advance in front of my door...which compensated for our plane being somewhat late in Madrid later that day. Once in Malaga Airport, we decided to upgrade the car from a Clio toward a BMW. That one ended up being very dirty...We got a free upgrade for a Peugeot 307 CC, which had some sort of radio/CD player problem...After some time, we finally got our cabrio and off we were to Marbella...
Arrived on site, I handled the check-in while Misha took pics of a neighbouring car which he thought scratched the right door or OUR CABRIO...After all, not much to see...Parked the car (very tiny space to get through this garage by the way), got ourselves excited when entering the appartment (100 sq.m luxury) and off to the swimming pool for Misha...Later on, went to dinner in the resort's fine restaurant (Paella...) and for a drink at Charlie's (10 euros the Vodka Red Bull....not every day).
On Friday (we arrived on a thursday...logically), we decided to head for Gibraltar, the GB colony in southern Spain. We enjoyed the ride and tried to sneak into Gibraltar...Misha needed a Visa so he had to stay out and I cowarldy did leave him alone while rapidly touring the center, taking pics and buying postcards).

I'd love to go back there just for the cheap Armani costumes I saw...We drove back to the hotel, enjoyed the Sun and finally went out for dinner in Marbella. We parked the car at least 17 blocks away from where we were supposed to go but it was a nice walk. The restaurant we went to (restaurant Buenaventura in Marbella) is located on the Church's square...We both ordered the gastronomie menu (we were lucky to get this 75 euros voucher from Marriott...otherwise...). I had three words: Oh my god! Delicious food, nice ambiance, nice waiters and awesome food again...Remember that duck Misha??? and that wine? and the cake at the end? and the tomato soup/juice at the beginning (we now know how to eat it!)? Here is the menu: Buenaventura appetizers ; Duck Foie with creamy Goat cheese and mango ; "Porra" from Antequera with quails eggs and tuna fish ; Baked turbot with season vegetables and citrus reduction ; Magret of Duck with vegetables and stewed apple compote ; Sorbete de fruta de la pasión ; "Tocino de Cielo" with raspberry mousse

On day 3, we had this presentation from Marriott about their Timeshare system. Rita was our commercial representative. Nice girl from Portugal...almost bought it...still think I'll buy it...have to think more...:) Went back to the hotel with our driver Terry who showed us the Beverly-Hills like area of Puerto Banús. Had another end of the afternoon to the beach but the weather got cold later...went for dinner and a nice last-evening ice cream next to the swimming pool...Nice idea by the way Misha...:)
Day 4 was the last day in Marbella for us. We checked out after a nice breakfast and headed toward Marbella and its beach. Had a drink over there, enjoyed the sun and the view and finally drove back to Malaga airport.
At 22:00 we were in Amsterdam. Got my train to The Hague pretty soon while Misha had to take the bus back to Utrecht to catch his train...Very nice vacation...something to do more often:)



All pics from this trip can be seen here

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Visited countries or US states

I've been told not so long ago that I've already seen a lot at 29...I thus wanted to check and it appears that this is not at all the case....Life is short and the road is long...I should hurry....!!!






create your own personalized map of the USA
create your own visited country map

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