Dutchies

[music in my head - i got 5 on it]

sitting near the coffee machine is great for people watching at work. you get to see who's drinking loads of coffee, perhaps more than they really should be, who's fixing themselves in the reflection of the machine, as well as listen in on all kinds of coffee machine talk. it's similar to the water cooler conversations, but since we're in the NL, there are no water coolers as they all drink tap water. I miss having my giant Nalgene bottle to gulp fresh BC water down. Right now I'm using a lil 33cl (that's 330ml for those who don't get centilitres) Spa bottle that makes me have to a) get up every 20 mins for more water and b) get up every 30 mins to take a piss. Hehe well it may not be that often but it's a close guess.

so i realised i might have missed out on mentioning some Dutch things, cuz since my blog's being shamelessly promoted among @sfu members, i thought i might write about something interesting for once (as opposed to what I buy in the grocery store, for example). here are some things Dutch-related:

• If you like the taste of something, you're supposed to wave your hand across your ear like youre waving hi/bye and simultaneously say "Lekker lekker!!" You can also do this if you're thinking, seeing or smelling something good to eat.
• The Dutch can cycle with no hands perfectly, while holding an umbrella, a mobile phone, 6 shopping bags full of groceries and maybe even more.
• Dutch men are on average the tallest in Europe (avg 6.0 ft)
• If you want to hang out with a Dutch person, you have to tell them at least 2 weeks in advance, so they can pencil you into their dayplanner.
• Dutch old ladies look very pasty, bulbous and wrinkly. (okay, so maybe that was just my Landlord.)
• If you're biking and there is a pedestrian in your way, and you are without a bike bell, it works much better to say "bbbrrring brrrring!" rather than "BOOT BOOT (like a car horn)" <--I know this from experience.
• Dutch locals dont actually smoke pot. Really. (Only tourists and foreigners do it).
  

So anyway, if I notice more things I'll let you guys know. Btw, last night I picked up my "new" bike for 20 euros, and besides having an extremely low seat/saddle and a hard skinny one at that, it rides quite smooth!