I (am)sterdam

On Saturday there was a little trip (organized by ESN) to the capital city of the Nethelands :) I had been to Amsterdam before but that was seven years ago...and seven years is a long time to forget things. However, I still remembered a couple of details and locations (my memory is not that bad). 

the portuguese group

@ bloemenmarkt

admiring the view 

@ red light district

It was a full day, with a bus ride, walking, boat ride and more walking :P Just a little taste for a future return while I'm living in the Netherlands... The sunny weather made it even more worthwhile :D

The weekend came to a close with a friendly basketball game of girls vs boys (6-8)... not bad, right? Future trips are already being planned...

FC Twente

Made a pit stop by the FC Twente stadium yesterday. The stadium is located near the Enschede-Drienerlo train station :) Nice if you want to stop by just for a game.

My team away from home... don't even have to change colors :D

Ice-skating

Sunday the weather was nice... Nice enough to bike around campus. 

However, one must never trust the weather too much because here, in the Netherlands, it can change very fast. The picture above has the best description of how quick the sun can shine and the rain fall.

On Monday the research group where I am working on my thesis had its monthly 'get together'. It was dinner followed by ice-skating. For a first timer, I didn't do so bad... I fell only once :) I had some difficulties at first in maintaining my balance but my supervisor helped me out by crossing arms with me. In the end, I even went one time around the big rink. I had loads of fun even though every muscle in my body was contracted while I was on the skates... 

I really want to repeat the experience in a near future but I think I'd like to have someone who is experienced very close by. Still, I have a video to remind me of my fast evolution on ice-skates :)

Ich bin ein Berliner

News from Berlin! Nine people arrived around 2pm on Friday and waited for the remaining nine group members to join us from Hamburg (they had left on Wednesday for that city)... The trip was five hours but quite enjoyable.

The hostel - Amstel House - was located a little bit away from a subway station, but nothing that couldn't be handled. The facade of the building was beautiful:

Room and common areas were in good conditions, which made it for more pleasanter experience. The last time I was in a hostel was about six years ago, which made me unsure of what we were going to find, but the surprise was ideal :) Very comfortable beds and plenty of room...

First stop: Fernsehturm. Last time I was in Berlin, I didn't go to the top. This time, we all went. Even though it was night, there was still a nice view in 360º overlooking the whole city. Still, I'm quite certain I would not pay what I did pay to visit it again. Perhaps I'd have a different idea if it had been daytime. 

@ Sony Center

@ Oberbaumbrucke

@ East Side Gallery

@ Rotes Rathaus

@ Berliner Dom

view from the Dom

@ Brandenburger Tor

@ Reichstag and Bundestag

@ Tiergarten

@ victory column

Last stop: straße des 17. Juni. Following the walk through the Tiergarten, we walked most (if not all) of this avenue, ending up at the Brandenburger Tor once again.

Last opportunity to buy souvenirs and make our way to the train station for our train back to Hengelo. Those five hours were spent sleeping...

It was nice to see somethings I had already seen six months ago again, but this trip also gave me an opportunity to get to know some of my Erasmus buddies better and also to discover other parts of Berlin I didn't get a chance to see last time. 

As we arrived the Netherlands greeted us with it's traditional weather, rain!