Amsterdam Oriole

Farewells in 2020

Posted on December 3, 2020 by susancarey

It’s been a strange year. There’s been the pandemic to cope with, I’ve had some mental health struggles, we have bought a new house in Nijmegen and plan to leave Amsterdam in the new year. As if that wasn’t enough to deal with, another emotional challenge awaited us in October.

An Amazing Woman

Sadly, on 25 October, my mother-in-law, Dee de Smalen, died after a short illness. She celebrated her 95th birthday on 11th August, and was then in good health and very with it. To celebrate her birthday we gave her a book, Billy de Kat, (When Fraser met Billy) about an autistic boy who forms a special friendship with a cat. For her 90th I had given her, ‘A Streetcat named Bob’ which she really loved. When we were house-sitting in Worcestershire later in August she phoned me on my birthday, (we are both Leos which explains our love of cats) and told me how much she had enjoyed Billy de Kat.

I read a few passages to her from the book when she was in the final stages of her life. Frank held her hand. Whether she registered any of this or not, we don’t know. But Frank and I were there when she passed. She was born in Cheribon on Java on 11 August 1925. I imagine her early years must have been quite idyllic. She told tales of monkeys raiding family picnics, playing high jinks with the local children, convivial gatherings on the veranda, learning to cook Indonesian food with the house-keeper, and the sound of cicadas as she drifted off to sleep. But things changed dramatically for her and her family when the Japanese invaded the island in March 1942. Some of you have read the article about her years in the internment camps in Java during WWII which I published on my blog on her 90th birthday. Her life was truly a story of survival against the odds. Returning to the Netherlands after the war, she and her husband had to build up their lives from nothing.

She was always a faithful follower of my blog and it moved me to see the Prisma English/Dutch dictionary on her desk next to her computer so that she could read and understand my blog posts or stories. It’s difficult to believe that she won’t be reading these words. I am sad that she didn’t get to hear some of my stories which I have now translated into Dutch and even had one recorded for Youtube TV. I’m sure she would have enjoyed this one on Thuisbuis (lockdown TV) about Koko, the heroic dachshund who chases a thief into the woods.

Farewell, dear Dee. You live on in our hearts.

Posted in Animals, history, Uncategorized | Tagged A Street cat named Bob, Billy de Kat, blogging, Dee de Smalen, Dutch Indonesia, Farewells 2020, Java, Koko the dachshund, WWII Japanese internment camps | 10 Comments

Story Collection available on Amazon now!

Posted on October 20, 2020 by susancarey

I am delighted to share this good news with you! My short story collection,‘Healer,’ is available for worldwide buyers as an e-book and paperback on Amazon.co.uk Eighteen flash fictions, 9 short stories, and illustrations for your enjoyment. Many new pieces have not appeared in print before. This collection is dedicated to the memory of my mother, Ellen Rose.

Please spread the word on your social media channels and if you enjoy the book, leave a review 🙂

If you see me in person in the coming weeks you may order a paperback copy directly!

European buyers, E-book 2.70 euros, on Amazon.nl Paperback on Amazon.de 6.90 euros, or your local Amazon. My net proceeds from sales go to, Target Ovarian Cancer.
Thank you!
Angela (writing as Susan Carey)

Posted in Creative writing, short fiction, Uncategorized | Tagged Amazon, Flash Fiction, Healer, Jill Hesketh, Selected Stories by Susan Carey, short stories, Sophie van Llewyn, Susan Carey author, Target Ovarian Cancer | 8 Comments

Shifting Horizons

Posted on September 20, 2020 by susancarey

Some of you may know that in the not too distant future, Frank and I are planning a move to Nijmegen in Gelderland. We don’t feel at home any longer in Amsterdam (Plus the fact that like its southern counterpart, Venice, it’s slowly but surely sinking into the unstable ground it is built upon.) In the period up to and including 2023, some 23 bridges will be renovated, 800 metres of quay walls will be renewed and the replacement of 3,800 metres of quay walls prepared. The total cost is estimated at 450 million euros. Can you imagine the disruption and noise this will involve in an already over-populated and noisy city?

Beside the Sea
Now in these Covid times when we have less freedom to ‘escape’ Amsterdam with our house-sitting adventures, we have decided that a new start is on the agenda. Exciting times! At present, we still have one of our pied-a-terres in Amsterdam and in the meantime we are making full use of visiting the nearby coastline which we will miss when in Nijmegen.

Blow away the Cobwebs
There’s nothing like a walk along the beach on a windy day to blow the cobwebs away. This time we plumped for Egmond-aan-Zee which is about a half-hour drive from Amsterdam. The former fishing village has a wide, sandy beach which borders on the northern Dutch dune reserve. It has had blue flag status for 10 years and won the award again in 2020. Blue flag approval guarantees clean swimming water, daily cleaning of the beach and the presence of a coastguard. We did however manage to find a stray bit of blue fishing net which Frank disposed of, but I guess because it was Sunday the cleaners were having a day off!

Colonial Past
An important landmark at the end of the boulevard is a lighthouse named after, ‘Jan van Speijk’ a Dutch naval hero of the 19^th century. For his attacks on Java and Bangka he was given the dubious nickname, ‘Terror of the Bandits.’

Those in Peril on the Sea
On the dune bank leading up to the lighthouse is a bronze sculpture of a coastguard crew. ‘The Lifeboat in the Surf’ is based on a real lifeboat displayed in the Egmond aan Zee museum. The boat was used many times to rescue those in peril on the sea during the period from 1912 to 1939. The KNRM (Royal Dutch Lifeboat Association) has been in existence since 1824. The sculpture which commemorates the bravery of the coastguards and all the lives they saved, was erected in December 2004. The creator of the stunning sculpture is Louise H. van Meurs-Mauser (1929 -2013). The backdrop of the lighthouse and sky I think you will agree, is stunning! Egmond is well worth a visit but make sure the seagulls don’t nick your fish and chips!

Posted in Art, travel, Uncategorized | Tagged Blue Flag Beach the Netherlands, Bronze Sculpture, Dutch coastguard, Egmond aan Zee, Jan van Speijk lighthouse, Louk H van Meurs-Mauser, Outdoor Sculpture, Seaside North Holland | 4 Comments

Apartment for Sale in #Amsterdam

Posted on August 6, 2020 by susancarey

SOLD!!!

With some sadness in our hearts, Frank and I have decided to sell our apartment in Amsterdam. Hoping to garner as much publicity as possible I am sharing it with you here! Please feel free to share on FB or whichever social media channel you prefer. Alternatively, you can use that old-fashioned but probably more effective method, word of mouth! Thank you! Click on picture below for the full ad or on Funda.

With a view over the picturesque Kostverlorenvaart, we offer a unique opportunity to live in a spacious apartment of approximately 80m2 square meters in the popular Westerpark neighborhood. From the balcony window you have a view over the canal towards one of the few remaining windmills in Amsterdam. Here you have all the amenities of the city nearby, but the apartment is very quiet if you have to work from home or just want to relax.

An elevator takes you to the first floor on your private terrace outside your front door; a lovely place to sit and dine in the summer months. Inside you will find the intercom system and a spacious bathroom on the right. On your left is a built-in wardrobe and the sleeping area. The kitchen has a hob with two induction plates, refrigerator and dishwasher. A food preparation table also serves as a breakfast bar. In the pantry is the connection for the washing machine

The seating area with floor-to-ceiling windows offers fantastic views over the canal where you can watch the boats sail by. The sliding door can be fully opened.

The apartment has a beautiful cast floor.

The apartment has a living / working destination

There is a common bicycle shed.

The apartment is a short distance from the Westerpark and the Jordaan. The Westerpark neighborhood has markets, festivals, galleries, a cinema and restaurants, which gives it a creative atmosphere in an oasis of green.

The apartment is easily accessible by both private and public transport. Various roads, including the A-10 ring road are a short drive away. in the area there are various tram and bus connections and the Central Station is also quickly accessible.

Particularities:
• Living area approx. 80m², NEN2580 measurement report available
• Double glass and cast floor in the house
• Annual land lease payments surrendered to September 30, 2048
• Owned HR central heating combi boiler from 2014
• Professional, active and healthy VVE with 64 members. Monthly contribution € 139.54
• Availability: directly

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Give us this Day our Daily Exercise

Posted on April 9, 2020 by susancarey

In these troubled times when the Corona virus is dominating our lives and restricting our freedom, it can be a challenge to find a secluded place to exercise if you live in a city like Amsterdam. Finding quiet places is especially important if you fall into the high risk category. As I have two underlying chronic conditions; asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, it’s essential I exercise somewhere not too overcrowded. Our nearest park, the Erasmuspark is only really accessible to me early morning or late evening because of excess crowds. So this morning I headed out west on my electric bike and was delighted to stumble across the oasis of peace, Heemtuin Sloterpark

Heemtuin doesn’t have a direct translation but it means that the garden only has indigenous plants and is left to grow without too much human intervention, save to keep it accessible to visitors. The spring birdsong was so calming to listen to. I love to see and smell bluebells in the UK, but as that won’t be possible this year, the Dutch variety will have to suffice! The visit to this little natural haven offered me solace in troubled times. The Heemtuin is an enclosed section within the Ruige Riet,a 10-hectare park which has walking and cycle paths meandering through it. Before 10 am it is practically deserted with only the occasional runner or walker so it was easy to keep the advisory 1.5 metre distance from other people. There is a red walk of 3 km or a blue walk of 1.5 km. It is also dog friendly and dogs are welcome in the Heemtuin provided they are kept on a lead.

The cycle ride to and around Sloterplas (lies adjacent to Ruige Riet) is approx 5 km so I have done 10 km on my bike as well as 5000 steps this morning. It’s ironic that the weather is so glorious when we are supposed to be mainly staying at home! A lot of people appear to be flaunting the rules and picnicking in groups of more than three in our local park. Occasionally, a police car drives through and hands out fines but the police seem to be turning a blind eye or have other more pressing concerns. I think that the difference in Dutch and English mentalities regarding authority play a big role when it comes to observing social-distancing behaviour. Here many folk seem to take it all with a pinch of salt.

Anyway, let’s hope if we are all sensible we will remain safe and healthy. And I hope you manage to find some quiet and inspiring places to exercise where you live!

Sloterplas

Sloterpark volunteers’ garden

Walks you can take

Heemtuin

Posted in health & diet, lifestyle, Uncategorized | Tagged Corona virus, daily exercise, heemtuin, Quiet Amsterdam, Quiet Places, Sloterpark, Sloterplas | 4 Comments

First House-sit of the Year

Posted on March 24, 2020 by susancarey

Unless you are a Buddha living under a tree you will have noticed we are in the grip of a pandemic which has severely restricted our freedom of movement. It now seems like some distant dream when we could move about unfettered! In February this year Frank and I had a two-week house sit in SW France in the region of Lot-et-Garonne. The weather was truly awful with almost non-stop rain each day so it will go down in history as a memorable house-sit for all the wrong reasons. I had some health problems too, but hey, we survived.

We had to care for two cats, an elderly brown lab and four horses. No trips to the vets fortunately but plenty of trips for me to the doc’s for an infected salivary gland. (With thanks to my cousin, Cheryl for her kindness in taking me back and forth to the surgery.)

I got in two decent rides on the Fjord pony, Carmen, then unfortunately she went lame but it was far too wet for riding anyway. The last night before our flight back to Bergerac we decided to stay in a grand chateau, Le Stelsia The chateau has been restored in bright colours and is owned by retail mogul, Philippe Ginestet, local man and owner director of the Gifi group. In 2011 he purchased the estate and, with his friend and architect Jacques Bru, decided to create a unique hotel complex. Several months of work was necessary to get their audacious architectural project up and running and thus give birth to this exceptional place.

Frank and I first visited the spa within the hotel complex and were very impressed by its design and the friendliness of the staff. The deluxe room was on special offer for Sunday night and it most certainly did not disappoint. Definitely a high point of our trip. The lawn and gardens and topiary animals were also very impressive! Afterwards we took a trip up to Penne d’agenais and admired the mighty river Lot winding through the landscape. Atop the hill is the impressive Basilica of our Lady, needless to say I lit a candle and prayed for the safety of humanity.

Atop Penne d’agenais

Back in April

Mothballed till summer

A new kind of zebra

My little Pony

You wanted pink!

Topiary eagle

Spring flowers

More spring flowers

In front of the chateau

Daffodils

Topiary giraffe

Cedar tree

In our purple parlour

Sunrise

Carmen the Fjord pony

Carmen in front of house

Having a nice snooze

Frank in Bergerac

Notre-Dame de Peyragude basilica

Posted in Animals, lifestyle, travel, Uncategorized | Tagged buddhism, France, Hotel Le Stelsia, house-sitting, Jacques Bru, Lot et Garonne, penne d'agenais, Philippe Gestet, River Lot | 1 Comment

Central Library, Oosterdok – The Jewel in Amsterdam’s Crown

Posted on February 4, 2020 by susancarey

OBA which stands for Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam boasts in total 26 branch libraries, 177,000 members and has 1.3 million books, CDs and DVDs in its collection. Amsterdam Central Library, Oosterdok is one of my favourite places in the city. The Central Library was designed by architect, Jo Coenen, the former state architect of the Netherlands. The Central Library project cost an eye-watering 80 million euros! It was completed in 2007 and was selected as the best library in the Netherlands in 2012.

Fond Memories?
When I moved to Amsterdam in 1986 I remember the rather shabby library on the Prinsengracht. Although I preferred its location along the historical ring of canals, and its homely feel, I was less charmed by the first thing that always greeted you as you entered the building; the smell of the public toilets! So it was with some excitement that I visited the new library in its location in 2007! And I still feel the same excitement and anticipation of enjoyment when I visit nowadays.

Membership isn’t Free
Unlike the UK, library membership is only free for those under 18 years old. Currently, an annual basic membership is 35 euros per year. However, you do get bang for your buck as it is not only a place to loan books, the Central Library (spread over 10 floors) has 600 computer work stations, 1200 seats and a floor entirely devoted to help those seeking work. There is also an auditorium, an exhibition room, the Gerard Reve Museum, and (not unimportant in Amsterdam) 2000 parking spaces for bicycles! On the seventh floor is a restaurant and summer terrace which offers fantastic views over the River Ij and the city. If you are visiting Amsterdam do go to the library even if it’s only to enjoy the views from the top floor.

Multi-Language Sections
One quarter of the second floor is entirely devoted to English language fiction. Also available are books in French, Spanish, Italian, German and Arabic, so that those who don’t speak Dutch as a first language still have plenty of literature to choose from.

Access to Libraries
It makes me sad to read about libraries in the UK closing down. It’s so very important that children and young adults have access to books. It is heartening to go to the Central Library, or indeed any of Amsterdam’s smaller local libraries, and see them being well used by people of all generations from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Libraries are one of the institutions, alongside schools, which enable social mobility and help young people to better themselves.

Back in the Seventies
Growing up in the English countryside, our school only had access to a mobile library. Being a pony-loving child I always devoured the Jill pony books by Ruby Ferguson, and of course the series by Elyne Mitchell about the wild Silver Brumby horses in Australia. If I had experienced the children’s section of the library in Amsterdam I would have exploded with excitement at all the choice on offer! The circular shelves, big stuffed animals, and soft chairs create a playful space for parents and children to enjoy together.

Children’s Section
My favourite thing in the children’s section is, The Mouse House, made almost entirely by hand and inhabited by mice created from felt. Its creator is Karina Schaapman. The two main characters are Sam and Julia, and Schaapman has written a series of children’s books about their exploits. I could happily spend hours perusing each tiny room in the Mouse House, admiring the hand made details, imagining what Sam and Julia get up to when the library closes at night…

The OBA café
I also like just sitting in the OBA cafe situated on the ground floor and reading through the magazines. A regular thing for me is reading the short story in, The New Yorker. The stories are usually far too literary and go way over my head but I enjoy it nonetheless. Also, I find it more relaxing to catch up on UK news when reading from paper rather than a screen. The experience of smelling the news print and turning the pages helps one absorb the information more deeply. Anyway, I hope I have convinced you that the Central Library is worth a visit. Perhaps I’ll see you sometime in the OBA café! I’ll be the one reading The New Yorker with a puzzled expression on my face.

Entrance

Children’s section

English section

sit and relax

study station

Theatre

Study station

Restaurant

Children’s Section

Automated lending system

Study amongst the books

English section

Downstairs from restaurant

Views Across the Eye

Café

Mouse House

Sam and Julia

Children’s section

As you come in

Polar Bear

Mouse House

Posted in Creative writing, lifestyle, poetry, travel, Uncategorized | Tagged Amsterdam, Amsterdam Central Library, Books, Learning, Libraries, library OBA, Literature, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, Sam and Julia, the Mouse House | 5 Comments

The End of the Dutch Golden Age

Posted on November 20, 2019 by susancarey

A Night in the Museum
Only last week I was invited to an evening in the Rijksmuseum by a girlfriend who is a friend of the institution. The event offered a chance to speed-date with various experts dotted around the museum and you could linger by paintings or artefacts and learn from the specialists’ knowledge. Our first port of call was the doll’s house that featured in the book, The Miniaturist.

Of course I have a Museumjaarkaart, (an overpriced 64,90 euros per year) and I can visit the Rijksmuseum whenever I want, but I hadn’t seen the doll’s house since before the 10-year renovation, so pre 2003. More pertinently I hadn’t seen the doll’s house since reading historical novel with magic realist elements by Jessie Burton. The TV adaption was broadcast over Christmas 2017 and in the Rijks I recognised the house instantly from BBC set designs. Just the three of us alone in the room with the doll’s house was quite an experience. Usually one would have to shuffle behind endless amounts of tourists to admire this priceless, miniature world.

I told my Dutch girlfriends what a great novel The Miniaturist was and quickly googled to find out what the book was called in Dutch. Het Huis aan de Gouden Bocht. Literally translated; ‘The House along the Golden Bend.’ The Golden Bend is the curve in the Herengracht (one of the ring of canals) where the most prestigious houses were situated during the Dutch Golden Age.

Painting of The Herengracht in the Golden Bend

Lost in Translation
It amazes me how book titles can change so radically in translation. And it also got me wondering if now with the controversy around the Dutch Golden Age terminology, it hadn’t been a poor choice. The book is good, do read it, but pay no heed to the Dutch title, which to my mind makes it sound like a rather dull history book.

In September this year, the powers that be at The Amsterdam Museum, announced that they were going to scrap the term, Golden Age. In a bid to be more inclusive and truthful about history, this period will be known in the museum simply as the 17th Century.

The name Golden Age was coined because the Netherlands was an economic and military world power in the 17th century, said curator Tom van der Molen. “The term ignores the negative aspects such as poverty, war, enforced labour and the slave trade.”

Post-Colonial Guilt
Generally speaking the Dutch do not suffer greatly from post-colonial guilt, so this announcement has met with quite some resistance. The Rijksmuseum announced that they would continue using the term Golden Age because it also represented a flowering period in the visual arts and in their exhibitions they strive to show all sides of the the era, warts and all. Changing the name would simply be a whitewash of history.

The Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, said the discussion was rather silly (I’m paraphrasing) and that a small country like the Netherlands should be rightly proud that it had achieved such power on the world stage. Of course there were things that wouldn’t stand the light of day nowadays but we should mention those too.

While I agree it wasn’t a Golden Age for everybody, I’m not entirely convinced that the term should be scrapped completely. Probably two generations from now youngsters will never even have heard of the Golden Age, and whether that’s a good or a bad thing, well I leave that up to you.

Posted in Art, Creative writing, travel, Uncategorized | Tagged Het Huis in de Gouden Bocht, Jessie Burton, Rijksmuseum, ring of canals, The Amsterdam Museum, The Golden Age, The Miniaturist | 5 Comments

Balloon Flight over the Chateau

Posted on October 2, 2019 by susancarey

Frank and I celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary in September. On our ninth house-sit of this year we decided to book a balloon flight. Paying for our accommodation in kind (offering pet care) means we free up cash which can be spent on experiences otherwise beyond our budget. We’re staying in the Perigord Blanc region which is in SW France and the flight company which caught my eye, Montgolfiére Chateaux, operates from Beynac-et- Cazenac. Beynac is a picturesque town (arguably the prettiest in France) on the Dordogne which boasts an eponymous chateau. The chateau is much photographed because of its dramatic location on top of a rocky outcrop.

You know how it is when you arrange something online with a few clicks of the mouse then the day of the event dawns and you wonder what on earth had you been thinking? I did my maiden balloon flight in 2011 but when I looked on Tripadvisor the baskets used by this company looked worryingly tiny and cramped. Suddenly the idea of being more than 2,000 metres above the ground in a flimsy wicker basket gave me the collywobbles. During the last minute phone call to check weather conditions were good before we set off for Beynac, I was half wishing it would be called off…

Strangely enough though, when you are up in the air your nerves disappear completely. You don’t experience that giddy feeling and the pull of gravity that you get from the top of a high building. I wore ear protectors because the gas blowers are very noisy, but this isn’t obligatory. Not very flattering on the photos but anything is better than even more hearing loss! Pictures tell much more than words can. The camera was fixed on one of the balloon strings so that’s how the shots from outside the balloon are made.

Inflation

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The chateau

Follow that balloon

Happy bunnies

Busy up in the sky

Rays of sunlight

Do my ears look big in this?

Higher and higher

Through the clouds

Our shadow

the descent

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Posted in lifestyle, travel, Uncategorized | Tagged balloon flight, Beynac chateau, Beynac-et-Cazenac, day trip in Dordogne, experience, house-sitting, Montgolfiére Chateaux, Perigord, Perigord blanc, Tourism, travel | Leave a comment

Sailing along the Amsterdam Canals

Posted on August 27, 2019 by susancarey

Dear readers, I promised you a blog about Amsterdam and here it is! You might remember that Frank and I are OOPOEHs. Omas en Opas Passen Op Een Huisdier, which translates into the rather unflattering; Grandpas and Grandmas look after a pet. Oopoeh is an award-winning social initiative to bring people over 55 together with dog owners who require dog-sitting services. Oopoeh is an exchange model which hopefully leads to canine and human companionship, enhancing both the dog’s, the owner’s and the Oopoeh’s lives. It’s nice if a friendship can blossom and that certainly has been the case with Rakker and his owner, Joanna. But sadly for us, they both have been away the last six months in Peru. Good news though, Rakker and his mummy and daddy are back in town. So to celebrate we organised a boat trip together!

There are loads of canal boat companies vying for the tourist euro in Amsterdam so instead of being bored listening to a dull commentary squashed next to a stranger on one of the bigger boats, I suggest you fork out a little extra cash and take some friends/family out with this smaller company which enables you to sail independently through the city; Boats4rent

Boats4rent B.V.
floating dock next to
Polonceaukade 2
1014 DA Amsterdam
+31 6 263 264 20

It costs a reasonable 79 euros for 3 hours on the canals. Maximum 6 passengers and room for a well-behaved dog too! No previous experience required. Tips for the best routes and a map are given by Boats4rent employees before you set sail.

Some useful tips (in English) to make your trip go well from the Boats4rent website. Have fun and maybe see you on the water!