New Year's Eve

This is what we traditionally eat today: oliebollen!

'Oliebollen' are a variety of dumpling made by using an ice-scooper or 2 spoons to scoop a certain amount of dough and dropping the dough into a deep fryer filled with hot oil. In this way a sphere-shaped oliebol emerges. They are traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve and at funfairs. In wintertime, they are also sold in the streets at mobile stalls. Oliebollen are usually served with powdered sugar. (from Wikipedia)

I wish you all a wonderful New Year's Eve!

Kiss and Ride

K+R
KISS+RIDE 

take and bring

A sign at the entrance of a primary school in Coevorden.

Linking to signs, signs.

The start of multitasking?

At the exhibition 'Knitting!' in the Fries Museum there are several showcases telling about the history of knitting in the Netherlands. This particular display shows a number of knitted cakes and pies as well as a few magazines from 1934; the left one named 'praten & breien' or 'chatting & knitting'. Well, I am pretty sure 'multitasking' wasn't a word yet in the 1930s but is this how it began for the women in the Netherlands? ;)

Knitted art

Of the pieces from the exhibition ´Knitting!' in the Fries Museum this is one I liked very much: the knitted artwork created by Zoë Landau Konson, a London based artist and designer.

Doesn't this make you smile? :)

Lappions

Encouraged by the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden, nearly 2,500 primary school students started knitting last September. Until November 2015 each of them knitted a piece - or more, if they got hold of it. These so-called 'lappions' (a combination of the word 'lampion' and the Dutch word 'lap' or in English here: 'knitted work') show the marvellous result of their efforts.

Several lappions can be viewed in the Fries Museum now as a part of the current exhibition 'Knitting!'. Go see it if you can, it's fun!

Ice carvings

A few days ago I showed you an ice sculpture of a Brazilian dancer. This thick wall of ice was actually at the start of our 'journey through a frozen world', as the ice sculpture exhibition in Zwolle is called. The carvings picture symbols from ancient cultures in central and south America.

It's Christmas!

Let's take a step back from our busy lives today and enjoy time with our loved ones. Best wishes to you!

Photo taken at the Saint & Angels Christmas Fair in Meeden.

Fijne Kerstdagen!

Merry Christmas!

Imagine there's no countries,
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one

(From:  'Imagine' - John Lennon)

Christmas #12 - window shopping

Window shopping around the market square in Bourtange during the Christmas Fair.

Christmas #11 - beards!

Lots of hair at this year's Christmas Fair in Bourtange ;)

Christmas #10 - the dinner table

With only a few more days to go until Christmas, another fine decorated corner from the indoor Christmas Fair "Saints and Angels" in Meeden.

Ice sculpture

View the elegance and extravagance of a Brazilian dancer at the carnaval of Rio de Janeiro sculptured in ice! It´s part of the "Journey Through a Frozen World", as the ice sculpture festival in Zwolle presents itself. With unusual high temperatures outside of +12°C (53.6°F) today, but inside around -10°C (14°F) we felt a touch of Winter ..  ;)

Christmas #9 - red and white

A display of Santas and a snowman at "Saints and Angels", the annual Christmas Fair of Tuingoed Foltz in Meeden.

Enjoy your weekend!

Christmas #8 - Groningen Christmas tree

The Grote Markt is the central square in the city of Groningen, with the Martinitoren or St Martin's Tower on the right. Note that 10,000 lights shine in this year's Christmas tree!

Shopping for Christmas in the Herestraat, earlier today.

Christmas #7 - Bourtange shop

The shops at the market square in Bourtange are always opened during an event like the Christmas Fair. 'De Commanderie' (The Commander's House) on the photo sells all kinds of presents as well as nostalgic Dutch candy.

Christmas #6 - Bourtange Christmas fair

The market square during the Christmas Fair in Bourtange.

"DAVID BOWIE is" in Groningen!

After London, Toronto, São Paulo, Berlin, Chicago, Paris and Melbourne, the next city is Groningen! Since last weekend the Groninger Museum hosts the famous exhibition "David Bowie is"! According to the museum's website (HERE) it is a stimulating multimedia experience that includes more than 300 objects from his personal archives. Bowie kept handwritten lyrics, original costumes, photographs, album (cover) designs and other rare material from the past 50 years.

I have planned a visit in January, as tickets need to be booked online with selection of a date and time. Looking forward to see the exhibition, and I will let you know how it was! :)

Christmas #5 - reindeer and santas

A gathering of Rudolphs and Santas just begging passers-by to take them home! :)
Photo taken yesterday at the Christmas Fair in Bourtange.