10 Mile Run. The 26th 'Dam tot Dam loop'

Last week Eric and friends took part in the 'Dam to Dam run'. They're a great bunch of people and (most) meet up several times a week for training.

The 10 mile run from Amsterdam to Zaandam is a well known event. Many world famous runners take part in it and use it as a warm up for the next marathon.
I didn't run (no surprise there), but went to wave them off at the start and then hopped on the train to join up with Eric's mum and Henk to see them cross the finish line.

The team was sponsored by one of the team member's employer and they all looked very professional and 'snazzy'.

Group photo in front of 'Schreierstoren'

There was a happy, jovial buzz over Amsterdam. There were 2.700 teams in the 'business' part of the run.
The organisers had put a limit of 35.000 on the number of contestants but there were so many applications, that they'd sold out within two hours.

Hordes of runners, on their way to the start.

And once again there were tv camera's and press present on the ground and in the air.

4 balloons and a chopper (uh-oh)

We were standing by the side of the road, close to the finish. There were thousands of people cheering the contestants on and different types of loud music were blasting our ear drums.
There were people of all ages and sizes taking part. I admired them all.

Watching out for the red and grey T-shirts, we first recognised Ron and Sjors and then suddenly, there was Eric. I tried to take a picture of him, but he was too fast. Never mind, here is a happy, blurry Eric, just before he crossed the finish line.
Turned out, he ran faster this year than he had in the last 3 years!

arrival 'zippy'  Sjors

Eric at finish

Well done Lillian

Report to family

Everyone went home happy, satisfied and with a Medal.

Earring-Lovers

All the women in my family are real lovers of earrings.
We find it fun, to see which earrings go best with our outfits or, I'm ashamed to say, sometimes it's the other way round.
However, the undisputed champion of 'color-coordinated-earring-wear' is definitely my sister Marlies.
She 'manages' many, many special boxes with little drawers and compartments in which she keeps them all and, somehow, is able to find the ones which are at least 30 years old, but which are 'exactly right for the occasion'.
Not only do we love wearing them, but I love making them. No surprise then, what they'll be getting for Christmas, this year!
Here are a few I made last week. Click on the pictures for real detail.

(above) Sterling silver studs, with 'peacock' pearls and zircon in silver. The pearls are 1 cm. in diameter.

(above) Studs. Silver cup-shape discs with swirl, beautiful quality pearls and zircon in silver. The discs are 13 mm. in diameter.

(above) Clips. Sterling silver with pearl, zircon in silver and facetted, Labradorite drop. The Labradorite drops are of a high quality and reflect an amazing 'blue glow'. The pearls are 11 mm. long.

Restaurant Flamingo Paradise + family

One of my family's favorite restaurants is the Indonesian 'Flamingo Paradise' in Wassenaar.
Any excuse we can think of, and we're off for a visit to FP (as I've come to call it).
Yesterday's reason? A short visit from my lovely niece Natasha who lives in England but has just roamed around Zambia, looking after wild animals.
So there we were, with the relatives who still live in Holland.

Quite often, tourists visiting Holland, want to try an Indonesian speciality called 'rijsttafel' (translated into 'rice table'). The restaurant offers a wide choice of different rijsttafels but they always consist out of many, different, small dishes.

Looking at the pictures of the food, some of you may think that you've seen it all before, but I have to say that tasting it will make you realise why we like the place so much (that, and the fact that my mum says, "What's really nice is that the owner recognizes us and comes to our table for a nice chat, every time. Such a lovely man.")
The ambiance is warm and welcoming, the service is very friendly, the trees/flowers are real and people who like to smoke (not me) get a covered, open-fire-lit, comfortable outside area to relax in.
Here are some pictures of the food (and us).

part of a 'rijsttafel'

4 kinds of saté

very tasty chicken + cashew nuts dish

family

family/ambiance

'Pin Cushion Pearls'

Gold and pearl earrings. I have named these my 'pin cushion pearls'.