Day 29: 1 month!

Hello there!
Haven't seen you for a long time.

It's one month since I'm in Holland, actually Zud-Holland :)) This language is so strange, I think all Dutch have problems with their throats, ask someone to pronounce "g". Sooo... Holland is a calm, clean, interesting and well organized country. People are friendly and open ... and very tall. I feel faint with my 1,83. Everyone is around 2 meters no matter a man or woman. The bicycles - everywhere. Still can't understand how can you ride to office every day wearing your neat dress. People here want to keep environment clear and look very sporty. Today my boss told me that every Wednesday afternoon he runs 20km back to home in Rotterdam.(Nasko, why don't you try it to "Zone B5") ... After all, Dutch deserve real respect after being the winners of the battle with the sea.

I had an eventful week. On Monday couldn't win the chess game. It went for chances for both sides but at some point I took the advantage and we reached the next position(see diagram). My chess program is smiling at it(-+ 7.73) and says that's an easy win for black ... but not for me :))


On Tuesday two Bulgarian friends surprised me a lot by telling me they could come and visit me traveling on their way from Munchen to Paris. And they came! Thanks Noni and Pepi! I didn't expect you so soon.




We went to see night Amsterdam. It was too lively at 21 with people on the streets and open shops. Drunk a few beers(unfortunately one was with cherry flavor) and at 2 o'clock we were back in Delft. As you might think we were short on beds :))

There was a small company party on Friday night(oh, no, don't think it's a simple Friday, it's the 3rd Friday of the month :)) everything is planned, you either go to play chess every Monday, to billiards every n-th Wednesday ... or stay at home). There was a funny tradition - you enter the bar, leave 10 euros in the middle of a table and then stand, talk and wait if you can get something to drink(I couldn't) :))

On Saturday finally found time to climb the Niuewe Kerk(some 360 steps) dating from 1396(the year Bulgaria got under Turkish rule). The town center looks very cosy from above. They say in Delft you can see everything you can see in Holland - architecture, channels, ceramic gifts ... who knows what else.

On Sunday my boss invited me to join him and his wife to help them in the preparation for the new sailing season of their yacht. It was really a new experience for me. These people are really brave to go with such a boat to the French coast or UK. We painted the boat and put the steering wheel. I was told: "Who has worked on the boat in the winter has the right to sail on it in the summer...". Be careful not to miss the news of a drawn Bulgarian in The Channel. :))

Goedenavond.