Fall Foto-dump

I can see Kermis from my house!

Zoooooooooooooooom

Merm!  See that thing that looks like a sinking ship, next to all the blue flags?  You're staying near there!  I can see it from my roooooof!

Football in the park

Waiting for Sara outside the zoo

Cool housessss

This is a squat that recently opened on Plantage Middenlaan.  A squat is an abandoned building that people can inhabit if they register with the local government (and if they put a chair, a bed, and a table in it).  This place is a social zone, with a really nice mission statement outside about community and such, so I don't know if people live in it.  They have a free library and shop during the week, and they also host vegan dinners and yoga classes.

I attended one such vegan dinner, and the interior is really cool because it looks like a Richmond punk-haven with lots of comfy couches, and art on the walls, exposed brick, and eclectic dish ware (and the occasional "Up the Punks!" scrawled on the wall).  As much as I would like to, I just don't fit into that scene...plus, everyone was speaking Portuguese (or really fast Spanish, I couldn't tell), so I just drank my apple juice, faked getting a phone call, and walked out.  I'm very socially gifted.

That is the sun.  It is also pouring rain in the picture.  Ah, the Netherlands.

Awww yeah, Richmond!

Council voted 5-3-1 to approve an ordinance (PDF) which says Richmond will “to the extent now or hereafter permitted or required by law, recognizing same sex marriages that have lawfully occurred in other states and requiring the City to extend all of the benefits offered to the spouses of City employees in heterosexual marriages to the partners of City employees in same sex marriages that have lawfully occurred in other states.”

AND AND AND AND:

City Council voted to move forward with an early step of the $500,000 Floyd Avenue Bicycle Boulevard project. The next steps include putting together a design plan and getting public input and feedback.

Hurray!!!!

http://rvanews.com/news/city-council-support-gay-marriage-floyd-avenue-bicycle-boulevard/104571

It's Only 6 p.m. :(

TOO DARK.

Canterbury Tales

It's all fun and games until you get an email saying you need to read the text in the original Middle English.  Actually, it's still fun and games, take a peeker at this nugget:

"Of fustian he wered a gipoun
Al bismotered with his habergeoun;
For he was late-y come form his viage,
And wente for to doon his pilgrimage."

(Chaucer 75-78)

I'm getting the gist, though, don't worry.  Those first two lines above just knocked me for a loop :)

Wind

**UPDATE** So it turns out there's a legit storm happening, people posting pictures of fallen trees on Facebook, constant sound of fire engines, some people have died, warnings not to go outside, tram system shut down for the day...it's legit.  I was walking by the elementary school this morning and every time the wind gusted the kids all screamed because their playground is made of sand.


*Earlier*

I just tried to bike to the library...got halfway there and literally could not pedal because the wind was blowing so hard.  31 mph, to be exact.  The broken billboard and crazy tree movements should have been a good indicator that today was not the day to attempt extreme sports, but it was an experience nonetheless.  And my hair ended up like this:

The Best Things Ever

1. Skypeing with Anna
2. ...

Nope that's about it, actually.

YAY YAY YAY I LOVE YOU

The Vermont Road

There's a houseboat neighborhood I go through on my way to the Public Library.  Because fall has been making the leaves turn and such, this road reminds me of Vermont with all its...eclectic citizens and abundance of nature.  People live on their boats in the water, and then across the road they have sort of yards.  

See-saw!

Well, hello there, ma'am. 

From what I can gather, this guy set up a little station where dog walkers can hydrate their pets.

Just a nice little area of green in the midst of the train tracks and buildings :)

The Continuing Saga of My Residence Permit

TL/DR: Still don't have it.

Too much negativity.  Pros of this situation:

1. Going to be getting SO MUCH exercise riding to and from the immigration services building
2. I needed a photo for my ISN card anyway
3. Definitely reinforces the idea that you should ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING
4. It was a beautiful day to bike
5. Now I'm up and at 'em and can finish my essay for Bloomsbury (take THAT, Virginia Woolf!)

MY RESIDENCE PERMIT IS READY FOR PICK-UP. THAT IS ALL.

Weekendy Updateys

Class Was Cancelled Pt. 2: Urban Outfitters Launch Partaaaaay

The quintessential quote from Sara that sums her up in a nutshell: "If I was rich, I would not buy a rich house or a car, I would spend the money on travel.  And clothes.  Of course."  Thus, I wasn't all that surprised to find myself following her into this event:

For those who may not know, Urban Outfitters is a chain of clothing stores that caters to the wannabe "alternative" folks and also sells cheaply made overly-priced commodities, such as ironic hip flasks and things shaped like owls.  Probably my favorite thing about them is their "Urban Renewal" section, which rescues clothes from yard sales and sells them for 50 Euro.  Despite this utter ridiculousness, I do find their aesthetics quite appealing (and, not gonna lie, I have a scarf from them that I love).

Here's the gist of the spirit we stumbled upon:

3 floors of ca-raaaziness

Listen to music before you buy it.  Free vinyl 7s were available.

Oh, look!  These all used to be 25 cents at Goodwill!

A great way to appeal to this generation is by making the environment seem original and individualistic. 

Bonus points if you can get us to feel like we "made our mark" somewhere important and thus count for something.

Can you find my contribution?

Sara was quite taken with the trusty DFTBA inscription that she wrote it on her wrist.

Kat pewp!

Ah, a photo booth.  Instant, tangible images of ourselves.  These people know what they're doing.

Probably the most painfully "white" thing I've ever seen in my life. 

Free beeeeeer

"One time, I go to this store in San Francisco, and I was there for three hours.  I was alone." - Sara (luckily we didn't stay for quite that long)

The people have spoken: free water > free Coke!

A live DJ upstairs

Things that nobody needs!

Curious outsiders.  You are not cool enough to join us, older people.

The Kermis at niiiiight

Sara with her bike (no, really)

I'm not very good at selfies.  

Woohoo!  Sarcastic and critical-of-capitalism post done!

Pessimism aside (I swear, my lit classes have really been all about bashing this kind of thing so I'm just regurgitating my lessons), I had a lovely time with my wonderful gal pal :)