August 14: EXTREMA OUTDOOR and lab retreat
And that was it. Each year, the build up to EXTREMA lasts for weeks if not months, but 11 hours after the start it is really over. But what a day it was, better still, what a weekend it was!
As mentioned before, this year I was taking friends from London. So Thursday evening, I flew to Holland with Ben, Dan, Matt and Hannah, for a weekend of Dutch fun, food and alcohol. Starting that same evening, as we enjoyed some good times in our flat in Utrect. Friday morning after breakfast, we put them on the train to Amsterdam, while we went to see Willem and my mother in Staphorst. In the evening, we all gathered at my mother's house in Best, where later on Bart (Wijers) & Manon, Jan & Wietske and Bart (Maas) joined us as well. It was great to see the two groups getting on from the first minute. And after loads of Bavarias, bitterballen and bullshit (in between some very high level conversations, of course.... is that sarcasm, perhaps?), everyone went in search of some much needed sleep.
Saturday was the big day, of course, and after being joined by Wendy & Niels, we set off to Aquabest, where the party was held. With the weather forecast not very promising, we first visited the 'lake side', which was covered. But quite soon, the rain stopped, and we set out for a little tour across the festival area, meeting some interesting people on the way that somehow all wanted to have their photo taken with Ben, the moment they noticed him. After covering the whole area, we settled again at the Lakeside, where Behrouz was playing, one of the DJs I wanted to see.
To be honest, we were quite lucky with the weather, as apart from one short but very heavy shower, we kept things dry the rest of the day, and some of us (notably Dan, a normally pale English guy) actually got sun burnt. So that (aided by the consumption of several 'bevies') helped in creating a good atmosphere, where everybody is happy and friendly (and friendlier, and friendlier), and we steadily got into the party mood. Except for one or two short visits to the Future Funk and the Techno tent, we basically stayed at the Lakeside for most of the day, with DJs such as Satoshi Tomeii and Hernan Cattaneo in control of the decks. It was also nice to see good-old Dutch DJ Remy headlining the Lakeside stage, and playing some real nice tracks. Before the day ended, however, I had to show Dan, Matt and Hannah the Techno tent. It was great to see them going mental to the heavy beats of Dave Clarke, particularly Hannah who the day before had stated that she hated techno!!! After our little 'escapade', we went back to finish the day with the whole group at the Lakeside, where Rene Amesz had taken over the music on a podium that was steadily floating towards the middle of the lake, from where the final act was presented. A good end to a great day. Of course, the day could not end without the traditional tomato- and erwtensoep back home, and another beer for some (although most beers are found unfinished the next morning). A proper breakfast later, everybody went home, which for the English meant a flight home, and for me a 45-minute drive to Utrecht to spend some more time with Janneke. But on Monday, the weekend was really over, much too soon.

Back in London, I had no time to recover, as I had to finish some experiments before the weekend that sometimes take till midnight to get done. But the results were good, so I cannot complain. On Saturday, it was 'Batman night', with Ben and Vineet. We first watched 'Batman Begins' while enjoying pizza and beer, and then went to see the late showing of the new Batman film 'The Dark Knight' at the cinema. Great night, and I can definitely recommend seeing the latter one while in the cinema while you can.
On Monday, we went with the lab to North-West Devon for our very first lab retreat. Matt had arranged for us to stay in a private school while the children are away for the summer. It was a great location in a beautiful building. with swimming pool, indoor sports hall, cricket ground etc. In addition to talking about science which I won't go into (and you will all be devastated by that!), we had easy access to the beach at 'Westward Ho' (or 'something else Ho'), where the see was excellent with some decent waves in quite warm water, and not crowded at all. We also went to the lovely fishing village of Clovelly, where we had lunch. It was a very relaxed and useful, but again very tiring. A great preparation for another weekend away to Holland.........

July 11: In search for a new flat
After the lovely weekend with Janneke here in London, things returned to the usual state of work, footie and work. Oh, and flying, of course, as I went back to Holland again. Willem's health was not going well, and as it had been 4 weeks, I decided to go and see them. So the weekend consisted of nice evenings with Janneke, including a BBQ in our garden (yes, garden!) on Friday. On Saturday we went to see Willem and my mum, and Arno and Heidy and co were there as well, so I got to see Finn again. It was a very short and bonus weekend so after the family reunion of Janneke's side in the East of Holland, I flew back on Sunday evening.
So, back in London I have to find a new flat. Fortunately, it did not take that long, and I am only moving a couple of streets, so I can still walk to work which was my major wish. I am moving in with two girls from my age, and we got on very well from the start. So I am moving in next week, and hope to settle quickly.
I won't bore you with my work, so I will leave it here. Perhaps I will have another update early next week, but if not then surely the week after.

June 30: Italy and Janneke in London
So my last update ended with my journey to Bressanone in Italy. Bressanone is a little old (and very catholic, with the pope visiting next week) village in Southern Tirol, also known as Brixen for German speaking half of the people that live there. Beautifully located in the Dolomites, it is a ski resort in winter and great for hiking in spring/summer. Me and my friend Ben from work were sent there for a course by our boss, not a bad place for a course, I would say.
We went a day early, to be in time for the welcoming buffet on Sunday and used that day to go for a hike to the Monastry of Neustift (although Novacella sounds prettier, doesn't it?). The rest of the week consisted of lectures from 8.30 am, with a lunch break from 12-2 and then hands-on practicals till 5. Quite intensive, but with plenty of time to enjoy the local food, drinks and of course the football! On Wednesday afternoon, we went for another hike to a point with some amazing views of the spiky peaks that are characteristic of this mountain area. Overall, it was a very useful course, I met a lot of interesting people and simply had a great time.
On Saturday morning we left Bressanone to go back to London, but not before enjoying some 'wurst und sauerkraut' on Marienplatz in Munich where we had some spare time before catching our flight. Completely knackered, I arrived home just in time to 'enjoy' the second half of the Russia - Holland match ('nough said'). The rest of the week has just been back to business with a lot that needed to be done before this weekend. Although, on Wednesday I went to see Radiohead in concert in Victoria park with Ben and Fanie (his wife). I am not the biggest Radiohead fan you will ever see, but there is no denying they are very talented and often original. And the concert was absolutely outstanding, with 40000 people enjoying great music during a rare moment of beautiful weather! Oh, and a special mention for their support act as well, 'Bat for Lashes' a sort of Bjork-like music which suits me well, of course.
Friday afternoon, my weekend started early, as I went to pick up Janneke from the airport for a well-deserved weekend together. In general, it is great to go back to Holland for weekends, but our time together is often limited by all the visits we make to other people. So sometimes it is nice to spend some time together in london, where we don't have any other obligations. And we had a great weekend together, very relaxed! Went to the cinema on Friday evening, and meandered through 'Portobello Market' in Notting Hill on Saturday where we also bought all the requirements for a picknick in Holland Park..... fruit, pastries, crisps and a bottle of cold rose! So after seeing most of the market, we spent a couple of hours relaxing in Holland Park in the sun.... yes, in the sun! It does not happen often, so while it's there we have to enjoy it. We had dinner in a very nice tapas restaurant in Kensington, very much tucked away so you would only end up there if you knew about it ('The Priory'... write that down!).
On Sunday, we went to see Shakespeare's 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' in the the faithfully reconstructed Globe Theatre, at its original site Bankside by the River Thames. Old-fashioned comedy, but really well-done, and I can recommend seeing this show anytime during this summer.
Unfortunately, the weekend is over. Janneke is back in Holland, and I am back to the lab. But I am going to Holland again this weekend. Willem's health is going worse, and it has been over 3 weeks since I last saw him, so time to quickly go up and down with my friends from BA/KLM/BMI. Have a good week!

June 1: Indiana Jones and the evil Mojitos.......
After a useful but ordinary week, my brother Arno came over on Friday evening. After a few beers and pub food, we first did what we had to do. The new Indiana Jones film had come out on the Thursday, and as real cinema and Indy fans, we had to see it straight away. he did not come for it, but he could have....
On Saturday, we started with a little walk through London, ending at the 'Founders Arms', a pub next to Tate Modern with a terrace with a view on the Thames. There, we had brunch with some Rosé (on the right)... that signalled the intentions I guess. After some culture in Tate Modern and a visit to Covent Garden we went to the 'Lowlander pub' to have a few of my favorite 'Hertog Jan' beers.
In the evening, we first went to 'Latium', an authentic Italian restaurant in Fitzrovia. I can definitely recommend it, as the food was delicious and well-presented, the service was good and the Orvieto DOC tragugnamo was amazing.... and a lot! After that, we went clubbing in 'The Ministry of Sound, one of the most famous night clubs in London; We quickly found that the second, smaller room was a lot more relaxed than the main room, with a good atmosphere and better access to the bar. Arno wanted mojitos, but they refused to make them as it was too busy.... tell my brother that. To cut a long story short, we got our mojitos, and not just the one, and had a great time (ah, you can't see us on the photo... I think that is better for everyone). After a tough journey home and a good sleep, Arno had to drive back to Holland around noon. All I did was turn around and stay in bed all day. Overall, it was a great weekend, particularly as it had been a while that we shared some quality brother time.
Not only were the night itself and the day after tough, I have been tired all weekend as a result. I guess that is the big 3-0 starting to have its effect. Fortunately, Monday was a bank holiday, so the week started relaxed. On Tuesday, I went out for Indian food with Ben and Vineet from my lab and a visiting professor from Canada. I kept a low profile after that, went for a couple of beers to celebrate a birthday in the Bush bar around the corner on Friday. To finish off the week in a really nice way, I was invited for dinner by Ben and Fanie yesterday in Richmond. They prepared some delicious Japanese food, which went down well with a good red 'Corbieres' and some Talisker whiskey.
Busy week ahead now, but I have got the weekend to look forward to. I am flying to Holland on Friday night for some quality time with Janneke, as well as seeing Michael and Vanessa who are over from Australia. Should be good............

May 18: Beautiful spring
I flew to Holland on Saturday morning. At Schiphol Airport, Janneke was waiting for me with Juul, my 9-year-old niece (daughter of my sister). Juul had never been to the airport before, so that was already an experience. From there, we took the train to Amsterdam to visit 'Nemo', a science museum for children where they can discover about science and technology in a playful and entertaining way. There is so much to do, that we had to pick certain areas to cover. These included things with electricity, magnetism, light and colour, purification of water, and Juul's favorite, surrounding yourself in a soap bubble!!! She was really enthusiastic, and wants to go again. Maybe then I will teach her a bit about DNA, cause there is a whole section devoted to that.
In the evening, we visited my mum and Willem for a quiet night. It is not nice to live abroad when family is not doing great, so at least I try to see them every time I am in the country, if only for a few hours. On Sunday, we 'celebrated' Mother's day in Doetinchem with Janneke's family. The weather was great, so we spent all day in the garden, playing with Mirte, Floris and Lennard (our niece and nephews from Janneke's brother) while enjoying a lovely BBQ. On Monday, we went South, to celebrate Wendy's birthday (an old friend from Janneke) in Eindhoven in the afternoon, before returning to Utrecht for our traditional 'Sunday evening'... frikandellen and a DVD!! Boy time flies, and Tuesday morning I already had to fly back to London.
I had a good week at work, but I won't bother you with the details. The weekend, however, started even better. Together with Matt, Ben, Vineet and Dan, my friends at work who are also coming to EXTREMA this year, we had a 'BOYS FILM NIGHT' We first plundered teh supermarket for beer and unhealthy food and snacks, and then went to Ben's place in Richmond to watch three classical films that every man (but read boy) must have seen at least once: Team America World Police, Road House and Van Wilder party Liaison.... hard to beat, eh? It got a bit late, so Saturday morning I had a lie in, and in the late afternoon I went to meet up with Bart (Maas) and Jorrie, friends from secondary school who also live in Utrecht. They were here for a family weekend, so only had limited time, but it was great to talk to them face to face, as it had been a few months since I had last seen them. After that, I had a very quiet Saturday evening and Sunday, getting ready for the week. On Friday, my brother is coming over to London, and as icing on the cake the new Indiana Jones film comes out. The weekend WILL BE GOOD!!!

May 9: on my own again
It has been another great 3 months with Janneke in London. We were truly settled in our little flat in Richmond, and enjoyed spending so much time together again. Not only the nice things, but you realise how great it is to do the little 'normal' things together.
What was also important to find out that from day 1 it felt like we had not lived apart for so long, which gives confidence for the future... well, at least it gave me enough confidence to ask Janneke to marry me!!! For those of you who did not know yet, Janneke and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary by going for a weekend to Snowdonia in North-West Wales. I can definitely recommend it, particularly when it is pissing down all weekend like it had not done this year (as we found out). Because only then are the rivers are most powerful, the water falls most dramatic, and most areas devoid of people. But we also had some dry weather, when the rain was replaced with wind..... and loads of it, as you can tell from the photo on the beach in Anglesey peninsula.
The last three months, people realised that now was the time to visit us in London. So first we had Wendy and Niels over in January, who are friends from University (ah, those good old days). That was a quick one, as they basically just dropped by to visit us, rather than London. So that was really nice. Then in February, we had a visit from almost my whole family. My mother and Willem, Arno (my brother), Rianne (his wife) and Finn (my then 10-month-old godchild), Heidy (my sister), Michiel (her 'man') and Juul (my 9-year-old niece). It was great to have them all around, with some of them staying in a hotel just around the corner. We went into London for two days, although we did take it easy as driving around Finn's buggy was not always convenient, and Willem is starting to feel the effects of his lung cancer. It was a lot of fun, but very busy, as you can imagine. A week-and-a-half later, Janneke's mother and father came over, flying for the first time. To be honest, they are a bit fitter than my mother and Willem, so they 'made' us show them all of London, including of course a ride in a black cab (see photo). Being the tourguide, i have to say that they were a good audience (then again would I say differently about my in-laws???). Them gone, it did not take long until an old friend from Janneke came over, who she knows from primary school. As I only vaguely knew her, it was great to finally meet Liesbeth a bit better.
So with most weekends occupied with family and friends, we only managed one more day trip, which was to the Cotswolds. A beautiful area, which is meant to be the most typically English area of England (and the area on which Tolkien based his Hobbit village of 'Lord of the Rings'). It was indeed very nice, with some old-fashioned villages (in particular Arlington Row in Bibury on the left) and a beautiful area to walk around for a few hours.... although they did not always make finding the right way very easy (on the right).
By that time, the time to take Janneke back to Holland had almost arrived. We first invited some friends to 'Casa di Holland', as our little flat was called for the evening, as a leaving do. We had organised a 'Dutch-style' evening, which will sound very familiar to most of you. Starting with coffee or tea with apple cake or a 'stroopwafel', and alcoholic drinks after that, including melba toast and egg salad, nibbles and a few rounds of cheese blocks with gurking, pickeled onion etc. Finally, a Dutch evening cannot be taken serious without frikandellen and bitterballen (with the real curry!!). Except for the liquorice (drop) and ammonium chloride (salmiak) balls, they enjoyed everything.
The last weekend of March, we drove back to Holland, visiting our families, moving back into our flat in Utrecht, and picking up Doerak (our cat) and Oscar (our rabbit)! April 1st, however, the time had come to call an end to our 6 monts together. As I could not afford to keep living in Richmond, I have moved house again, This time, I chose something closer to work, in Shepherds Bush. Under 20 minutes walking from work, it is sooooo convenient not relying in tubes and buses anymore. Downside is that the area is more expensive, so that I am living as a student again, everything in one room, sharing bathroom and kitchen with 4 other people. Four very nice people, I should add, although I hardly see them with my current style of living..... working, sleeping, working, sleeping etc. But, that's why I am here, and I have to admit I enjoy it, so no need to worry about me.
And now, summer is starting, or at least the weather is great... let's enjoy it while it lasts! Matt ( a mate from the lab) and Hannah had invited me and some other friends for the first barbie of the year last weekend, and plans are being made for all kinds of summer-related activities: Pitch 'n Putt golf, pubcrawl, more bbq's.... sounds familiar, doesn't it?
This weekend, I am off to Holland. Will update you soon!

January 1: December in London
Most people have this idea about Xmas in London. To be honest, it is not as perfect as you see in films, with over the top decorations, snow everywhere, and a children's choir on every street corner. Still, it is pretty good, mostly because of all the Xmas parties that fill up your agenda in December. With work alone, I have had (1) drinks with the 'section', (2) a dinner party with the lab, (3) drinks arranged by the management team and (4) a party with the whole institute (see photo on the left with me and some people from the lab). Add to that Xmas celebrations with friends and football, and you can hardly get any work done in December. Particularly, as I had been asked to organise this year's Xmas party for the whole institute. I do wonder why me........... and why am I never asked to organise scientific events?
It was a bit of a hectic month, so Janneke and I did not get to spend a lot of quality time together. So we picked a Saturday and spent it doing alk kinds of Xmassy things. First, we went out for a nice lunch in Covent Garden. Then, we enjoyed a long walk along the Thames, to Tate Modern where a Xmas market lit up the Southbank almost to the Tower Bridge. There, we went ice skating underneath the Tower, the medieval Castle in the middle of London. After a quick bite to eat, we then went to th Royal Albert Hall for a Classic Christmas Caroll Concert, where you were meant to sing a long...... excellent, we were so in the Xmas mood, that we were surprised that it was not snowing!
And by then, Xmas had almost arrived. My work did not allow me to celebrate 'Sinterklaas' with my family on the 5th of December, and I had not seen my family since I picked up Janneke three months ago. So it was great to go home. On Saturday the 22nd we drove up to Holland, straight to Nijmegen to visit Bart, Manon, Jan and Wietske for dinner..... a dinner that went on until 4.30 am!!! Needless to say, it was great to see them again. On Sunday we went to my mother and Willem in Best. Before Xmas, we received the terrible news that the chemotherapy does not affect the tumour in Willem's lung, and that is growing too fast. So the prospects are not looking too good. So it was great to spend some time with them alone. We always celebrate Xmas eve with my mom, brother and sister and co, with presents and then dinner with all of us making one course (e.g. Janneke and I made 'saffron soup with river lobsters'). Finn had grown a lot since I last saw him, and he is so much fun and laughs all the time.
Xmas day we always celebrate with Janneke's family, where her mother and Leon (her sister's partner) prepare dinner. Mirte, our niece, has become a real sweetie. And like Finn, Lennart and Floris had grown a lot and are becoming real boys. Floris in particular was interested in me, which I think may had something to do with the Xmas hat I was wearing all day (see him on the photo).
Janneke misses them all a lot as well, so she is constantly playing with the young ones...... I think she wanted to take them with us back to London! We stayed overnight with Walter (Janneke's brother) and Karin, which allowed us to spend some more time with the kids, and in their own environment. That evening, we went out for a Xmas meal with my dad in the city of Den Bosch, where he had booked a table in a nice restaurant. Again, after a few months, there is lot to talk about, so it was a very enjoyable night. The day after Xmas, we visited some more friends in Heleen in Den Bosch, and Bart in Utrecht. It is great to find that although I do not see or speak them very often now that I am in England, it instantly feels as if it were years ago on secondary school.
So, overall a great week, but very tiring. On Friday, we drove home to have a few more days together. As the coming months will be busy with visiting family and friends, we used the time to go for a day out. This time we visited Stonehenge, and the medieval city of Salisbury. Stonehenge is one of the most famous prehistoric monuments, and it is over 5000 years old. It is still unknown how it was built, and more importantly why? It is mentioned in many myths and legends, such as the legend of King Arthur, and it was great to finally see it in real life after reading so much about it.
And yesterday was already the last day of 2007. Pfew, time goes so quickly.... too quickly mostly! So much has happened, and Janneke has already been here for 3 months (only 3 months left, but we don't talk about that!). We stayed in bed in the morning, to save energy for what was to come. In the afternoon, we first went to the National Portrait Gallery to see the exhibition that goes with a prestigous prize for best portrait photo. After some shopping in the afternoon, we went to the Dutch pub to eat Frikandellen speciaal....... ah, delicious as ever. In the early evening, we were joined by Nikolay and Pippa, two friends from work. We stayed at the pub all evening, popping champagne for Bulgarian, Dutch and English New year! Hope you all had a great NYE, and best wishes for 2008!

November 14: Life with Janneke
It has been almost 2 months since my last update, so I will only briefly go into some of the things that have happened since. Most important, of course, is Janneke moving to London. At the end of September, I took a week off and flew to Holland to visit family, friends and prepare for our move to London. On Thursday the 27th, we drove up to London by car via the ferry from Calais to Dover. Fortunately, it did not take long to get used to driving on the left, although it took some energy focusing on that and looking for the way. But hey, we arrived safely, which is what counts. On Saturday, we received the keys of our new home in Richmond, so we used the weekend to move. We are really happy with the place, with its central location in Richmond, and the cosy atmosphere. And, importantly, there is plenty of space for visitors to sleep over (see photo).
Since the, life has gone back to 'normal', whatever that means after a year and half of living separately. It is really great to have Janneke back, and it feels so natural that it is actually like it has never been different. One downside though, is that I now have to get up at 6 in the morning because Janneke has to start working early! That in itself would not be too bad, but it means going to bed at 11, which is something I am not used to. Especially when coming home after 8.30, the evenings become very short. But don't get me wrong, it is all worth it.
Janneke is enjoying working at King's Hospital very much, helped by the fact that things are going well. Where patients suffering from relatively rare diseases turn up once or twice a year in Utrecht, here she has already seen 10 in 6 weeks, so it is a great opportunity to learn a lot. For me, things at work have continued as usual, so no complaints there.
Although work keeps us quite occupied, we have had some breaks going out to the cinema, drinks with friends/colleagues etc. Two weeks ago, I went to see my heroes play live again with Ben, a close colleague from work. It took a while to get there (actually, 10 hours driving in total!), but it was worth it. Liverpool beat Cardiff 2-1, so we drove back happy.
Ever heard of 'remember, remember, the 5th of November'? Perhaps you have seen the film 'V for Vendetta'? Anyway, on the 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was subsequently tried as a traitor with his co-conspirators for plotting against the government. Fawkes was sentenced to death and the form of the execution was one of the most horrendous ever practised (hung ,drawn and quartered) which reflected the serious nature of the crime of treason. In England the 5th of November is still commemorated each year with fireworks and bonfires culminating with the burning of masks representing Guy Fawkes. In our case, we met up on the Saturday before the 5th with people from work at Ravenscourt park for some impressive fireworks and a huge bonfire. And afterwards, what a surprise, we went out for drinks!
Last Saturday, Janneke and I drove up to Bath, which is about two hours West of London, ten minutes East of Bristol (if that makes it any clearer). Bath is well-known for its natural hot springs, its excavated Roman baths, its abbey and Georgian architecture across the whole town. We did a city walk, and were really impressed with Bath, particularly the excavated Roman baths were very impressive, and the related museum was well done. The water from the natural springs were supposed to have healing effects, so we had to taste some of course, but we wished we hadn't cause it tasted horrible (very rich in sulphate) and Janneke had to throw up all night.
However, that might be unrelated, as I am lying in bed now with a stomach flu. That is usually how things go; Janneke picks up a virus from patients in the hospital, feels a bit bad for a day or two (but nothing serious), and two days later I am ill for two to three days!! Anyway, I am hopeful that I can go into work tomorrow afternoon at least. Take care yourselves!!

September 19: We have a flat!!!
Yes you read that correctly. But before I elaborate on that, first let's just briefly tell you what has happened since the last update.
First of all the latest on Willem's health. Fortunately, he is doing quite well, basically ever since the news that the chemotherapy is working. They travel up and down to Best and Staphorst all the time, spending valuable time with family and friends. I look forward to seeing them again this weekend.
So, the week after the last update started with the visit of Jack, a friend from my time at University in Nijmegen whom I am still in contact with. He had a conference in London, and stayed at my place to catch up. More importantly, by staying at my place he was saving on travel expenses for the conference, so as a (very generous) gesture he took me out for dinner (strictly speaking his boss took me out, but she was not there!). As Jack is starting to become a bit of a connaisseur himself after visits to places such as 'De Librije' (one of two Dutch restaurants with 3 Michelin stars). So, I booked a table at 'The Boxwood Cafe', a restaurant run by the biggest fucking chef of all, Gordon Ramsay. As we both appreciate good wine as much as food, we did a taster menu, with every course accompanied with the perfect wine. We had a great time, as we had not seen each other for a while, and the food, wine and service made it a great night out. I can definately recommend it, and if you are not yet convinced then have a look at what we had that night on the left. Oh, but you do need a big wallet if you are planning on going there!
It was good to have Jack around that week. Not that we saw each other that much, but every evening we finished with a pint at the Castle Bar down the road which has a nice terrace. On Friday, I went out with Jack and his colleagues for a bite to eat in a Libanese restaurant near Piccadilly Circus, and after that for a few drinks. But, as I had to fly to Berlin that Saturday, we took it a bit easy. I had a workshop in Berlin on Sunday and Monday, so I flew there on Saturday evening. Arrived in my hotel, I crashed in bed watching a round up of all the international football in German. The meeting was very useful, with a limited number of participants, which enabled you to talk to all the well-known scientists. It ended around 6 in the afternoon, so I took a tube into the city centre and joined up for an organised pubcrawl through Berlin. A good way to see a bit of Berlin while having a beer, and meeting some people as well. Like most tourist spots in Europe, it was crammed with Aussies (from Australia), Kiwis (from New Zealand) and Saffas (from South Africa)..... it was like being in Shepherd's Bush in London! The next morning, I joined a bicycle tour with a guide, that took us to all major attractions in Berlin. Obviously, it does not allow you to see things properly, but you do get a good overview and feeling of the city. And what a beautiful city it is, rich in history, great architecture and very, very liberal... I could really picture myself living there as well. After the tour, I met up with my cousin Michael, a nephew of my father from my Aunt and Uncle that live in Geneva. Michael has moved to Berlin as his girlfriend, Ulrike, lives there. It was great seeing them again, as we do not see each other very often.
On Wednesday, I flew back to London, for what was going to be a short work week. I arrived Wednesday evening, so only had 2 days before the weekend. Normally, weekends do not make much difference when it comes to working, but this weekend Janneke came over. On Thursday, I had already arranged a flat, and on Saturday we went back so that Jans could have a look as well. It is quite small, like living in a Centre Parks cabin, but it ticks all the boxes with respect to a one-bedroom flat, location (safe for Janneke to walk at night) and travelling to work for the both of us. And small though it may be, it is quite cosy, and we can definitely make something of it. The flat is located in Richmond, one of the best areas of London, in the middle of the centre with all its shops, cinemas etc. Moreover, it is about 1'30 from the river Thames with its restaurants and bars (see photo). We will move in on September 29, and I cannot wait.
After Janneke's short visit, things turned back to normal for one week. Cause on Saturday, I am already coming to Holland to visit some family and, more importantly, to pick up Janneke. Until then, I have a very busy week which did not start too well as I am a bit ill.... nothing that keeps me away from work, just common tiredness, headaches, cold and hot rushes etc. I am sure after one more long night's sleep I will be fine tomorrow. Take care!

September 6: A long weekend in Holland... and good news.
On Friday the 17th, I took a day off and flew to Holland in the afternoon. That way, I would have an evening extra with Janneke. We went to see the new Harry Potter film, 'The Order of the Phoenix'. Like the book, it was highly enjoyable, but not the best in the series. The first half in particular, not too much is happening, but after the break (yes, we have intermissions in cinemas in Holland) Harry is clearly fired up.
We did not have any appointments that Saturday, so we took it real easy in the morning. Not that we had a very long lie in, the cat ensured that won't ever happen again, but at least it was not an alarm that woke us up. In the afternoon, we went shoppen in the city centre, and after doing 'The Messages', we had a cosy BBQ for 2 in our little outside terrace.
Every year, we have a day out for my father's birthday with his children and grand-children. This year's event was planned for the Sunday. Arno had rented a bus for 9 people, so together with Rianne and Finn, Heidy and Michiel and Juul, and my dad, they came to Utrecht to pick us up. So after coffee and cake, we set out to Alphen aan de Rijn, to visit the 'Archeon', and small educational park about ancient times and in particular the Roman Empire. So we had witnessed how people lived in those times, how they used tools to enrich their lives, but also gladiator fights and Roman legions at work. And Juul, my little niece, was brave enough to go into an old-fashioned canoe with me. Really good fun, and we were lucky with the weather as I even got sun-burnt a bit (although I admit that my English-style white arms and legs are easily burnt). After the park closed, we drove back in our A-team bus to Best, where we had a BBQ at Arno's place.... a delicious barbie, I have to add. That night, we stayed over at my brother's place, cause we had to be there the next morning anyway.
For it was the day that my mother and Willem were getting married. As you can imagine, it was beautiful, but also very emotional. This was exemplified by the registrar, who could not hold back a few tears when reading a poem that my mom had written for the occasion. After the ceremony, we went to my brother's place again (you might start to think it is a 5-star hotel, but they really have other jobs) where Arno and Rianne had prepared lunch for 16 people. Altogether, I had a very good feeling about the whole thing.
When Willem got tired in the afternoon, Janneke and I went home, and had a traditional Sunday night on Monday. Back in London, normal life resumed again. On Saturday, I met up with Steve (my old flatmate) and Huib, the Dutch van Persie look-a-like. Huib is going back to Holland as he got a good job there at Glaxo Smitth Klein. Bad news of course, but a good excuse to hang out all day in the pub. Starting at 12.30 in the afternoon with the Liverpool game live on. What a great country England is on Saturdays in particular, with football on from noon till 7!! After a frikandel speciaal in De 20080816_and_before, we made Soho unsafe, and took the nightbus home. Fortunately, I only had to work for an hour on Sunday, so I had some time to recover. That will come in handy, as Jack, a mate from Holland, is staying at my place this week!
I would like to end this week's round up with some good news. Willem has had another scan of his lungs to see whether the chemotherapy is having an effect after the recent sessions. And fortunately, the tumours have decreased in size, so that provides a spark of hope in difficult times. Let's hope they will keep doing the job. Have a good week!

August 17: Enjoying that one week of summer
The last update ended with the BBQ weekend. The week after included Tuesday the 7th of August, birthday of Heidy, my sister, and Stephan, my godfather. Also, Dan's birthday had to be celebrated that day at the British Beer Festival in Earl's Court (an exhibition centre similar to 'the Jaarbeurs' in Utrecht). Upon entry, you buy a special festival glass of a pint. With 700 British beers to test, so fortunately the marks for half pint and one third pint were also on the glass. All the beers were ordered by area, so North of 'West-England' was 'North-West England', then Scotland etc. And at each stand, several brewers had all their beers on tap. But with so many beers, none of which you are familar with, where do you start?? The trick was to appear interested, that way they allowed you a quick taste of some of them, after which you bought half a pint of the one you liked most. In my case, it was more a case of which one you dislike least, as English beer and me are not a match made in heaven. I already knew this, and now it has been confirmed. Mind you, English beer should not be confused with beer sold in England, of which I am still a regular consumer! Anyway, on the left is a brief overview of some of the beers that I tasted in proper amounts (Note that the 'Chistoffel' is a Dutch beer, of one of the few non-British stands). If I had to recommend one of these, it would probably be the Exmoor Gold. Anyway, we had a good time, and that's what counts.
That week, while Holland was having another Autumn-like week, we had beautiful weather in London. But unfortunately, it did not last much longer than a week, so Saturday was going to be the last sunny day. A good enough excuse to get a few beers and play Pitch 'n Putt Golf with Ben, Matt, Vineet and Tom Saturday afternoon (after work (!), for those who are beginning to think that all I am doing here is have fun). Pitch 'n Putt is basically amateur golf on a par-3 course (9-holes). You get an Iron-8 and a putter, and that's it. Good fun if you can but even better if you cannot play golf. We were a mixed bunch, but everybody played well relatively to their standards. Matt invited us that evening for a BBQ at his and Hannah's place in Chiswick, a good neighbourhood South-East of Ealing. There, they are living in a very nice one-bedroom flat, with a small garden. If Janneke and I can find something like that for October, that would be perfect! We all brought some food and drinks with us, and Hannah had shown off her kitchen-skills as well, particularly with the burgers that rival the ones from Marco Radulovic (a colleague from work who made 15 kg (!) of burgers for his BBQ in Spring).
The past few days, nothing much has happened that is worth mentioning. Except that I have closed a very important chapter in my life, the end of one of the most important things in my life for the past few years..... I have finished reading 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', the last book in the 7-part Potter series, the films of which are also in the cinema. I cannot say anything about the contents, as I am sure some of you will be reading it at the moment or very soon. I will stick to saying that I was not disappointed! Anyway, I am looking forward to going back to Holland this today. To see Janneke, to have our annual day out with my dad and on Monday, my mother and Willem are getting married! Willem has had a few complications in the form of a small heart attack, and the chemotherapy is tough on him as well. So let's hope everything will be alright on Monday!

July 31: a weekend back in Holland.
After the pubcrawl, there was still a lot that needed to be done before I could go back home. So after a few stressful days, I finally off for Holland late Tuesday night. Tuesday night? Indeed, a few days early for several reasons. First, this way I got to see my mom and Willem for the first time since hearing the news about Willem's lung cancer. Second, with EXTREMA scheduled for the weekend, I would not get to spend much quality time with Janneke in the weekend, so at least I got to see her a few evenings more. Finally, well before hearing the news about Willem, I had agreed with Marten (my boss during my PhD) to come over for a few days to finish an article to get it submitted. So, a busy week ahead.
After arriving very late on Tuesday, I went to have brunch with my mother and Willem, just before Willem was taken up in the hospital for the first of his chemotherapy sessions. It was great to finally be able to see them, hug them, and talk to them face to face. I can also tell you that until now, the side effects have been limited to fatigue and some nausea. Now let's hope it is working....
During the days, I got all the necessary work done for the paper, so that was good. But the best thing about the week was just being home, the little things that were the same as they used to be when i still lived in Holland. Working at home, with Oscar (our rabbit) and Doerak (our cat) keeping me company, and then preparing dinner in my own kitchen (yes MY kitchen, no matter how much time Janneke spends in there!), and having dinner with Jans. It is interesting to notice that although I love doing fun things with Jans, the things I miss most are these little, ordinary things.
After submitting the article on Friday afternoon, Jans and I drove South to my mother's house, to start a well-deserved party weekend. That evening, we just relaxed and shared some beers, bitterballen and conversations with Bart & Manon, Jan & Wietske, the other Bart and Nick. And also, Arno and Rianne (my brother and his wife) came over with little Finn, who has grown so cute (see photo on the left). After a good night's rest, the big day started. Here, I will just mention that we had a great day, but if you are interested in what we have been up to that day then read HERE.
On Sunday, we drove up North to Willem's house, where we gathered with the whole family, including Heidy and Michiel (my sister and partner) with my lovely niece Juul (see photo with Finn on the left). After spending some time together there, Jans and I went back to Utrecht, where we enjoyed our final night, before I left for London in the morning. After what had been a great, but heavy and quite emotional weekend, I was a bit depressed upon my return to the UK. And it took a day or two or even three to get back into normal life again. But hey, here I am, doing fine and completely back into the rhythm of working, eating, sleeping, working, footie etc. Have had a weekend of hard work, but am looking forward to next Friday, when I am having a BBQ with some people from work. Have a good week yourself!!

July 15: more bad news, but some entertainment to get the mind of it.
After last week's news, this week was a tense one, as we had to wait until Friday for more news concerning Willem's lung cancer. In situations like this, you look for positives. Well, it is not a 'small-cell cancer', which generally has the worst prognosis. However, it is also found in the other lung and several lymph nodes, so it is in a more advanced stage. He will receive chemotherapy very soon. In all, not such good news, and Willem and my mother are devastated, as are we.
Fortunately, some entertainment was scheduled for this weekend to get my mind of things. Together with Matt (see photo on the left), a colleague from my lab, we did a pub crawl with some people from our institute. Old fashion style, so one pub = one drink!! We started off at the Anchor on the Southbank, with a view on the river Thames. From there, we walked to another pub along the Thames, and then through the City, London's financial centre, towards Covent garden and Leicester Square. There were people from several labs, from the CSC football team..... and a whole contingent of Iberian ladies! Later, my Dutch mate Huib (the van Persie look-a-like) also came along. As a huge Arsenal fan, Matt was happy to get on a photo with his hero. Judge yourself on the photo on the left. After 7 or 8 pubs, only the real men still went strong, so Matt and I went clubbing for a bit. At 2.30 pm, we called it a day, but I think everybody enjoyed themself. The PHOTOS should make that clear.
Manish, my flatmate, had organised a bbq on the rooftop of our building for people from Craig House, where we live. So everybody brought food, nibbles and drinks and I met a lot of new people. From the rooftop, you can really see very far, and we had great views of fireworks in Richmond, rainbows and a lovely sunset. But after the heavy one the night before, I did not make it beyond 0.30 am.
This week, I only have to work two days at the CSC, as I am flying to Holland on Tuesday night. It was always the idea to come a day or two early to write up a remaining article with my previous boss. Now, however, it is more important to see my family, and Janneke of course. And Saturday is the big day, EXTREMA OUTDOOR...... I can't wait!

July 8: bad news
After the great week with Janneke, life turned back to normal. That is, things mostly revolve around work, playing football on Monday and Wednesday.... and I went to see 'Die Hard 4.0' with Steve and Sam on Saturday night. Just a regular week, except for one thing.
Willem, my mother's partner (for those who don't know him, that's him on the left), has been struggling with his health lately. Doctors have been looking what is wrong for months, but last Wednesday we got the news. He suffers from lung cancer..... That's all we know for now, but more tests are planned for this week. So, there is a very tense week coming up. This is one of those moments when being abroad is not so good, when you want to be with your family. Fortunately, EXTREMA OUTDOOR is in two weeks time, and I will be going a few days early.
Because I am going to Holland next week, this week will be very busy with work, but there is something nice to look forward to. Together with Matt, a colleague in our lab, I have organised a pubcrawl in the centre of London, and we expect up to 20 other colleagues to come as well. So that should be a laugh!!

July 1: Janneke in townh
Ah, July is finally there. June generally sucks doesn't it, with all the rain.... Then again, I should have known that it would be raining this week, as Janneke was coming over to London. Strikingly, Janneke has never enjoyed a nice and sunny day in London yet, not when she was in London for two months in 2001, and not when visiting me in the past 1,5 years!!! So, next time you see Janneke comes my way, that should be a good sign for you to book a trip to some sunny resort.
But, the weather was never going to spoil our long weekend together. We started it in the way we usually end it, more or less, by having a 'frikandel speciaal' in de 20080816_and_before, the Dutch pub on Macclesfield Avenue. we were hoping they would be showing the Holland - Serbia final, but by the time it should start it became apparent that they did not have the rights. So, after searching for about 20 minutes in the pouring rain, we found a very small pub that did. We were the only Dutch people there however, so we had to create the atmosphere with the two of us. The result of the final suggests we did a good job!
The rest of the days we relaxed a lot...... had a lie in, got a bite to eat, watched a film (we both recommend Shrek 3!), visited some musea etc. Also, with the prospect of Janneke coming to London in October, we have thought about where we would like to live, as Ealing will be too far away from where she will be working. So, we visited a few places, and now I cannot wait for October! Our preferred destination would be Putney, a neighbourhood in the borough of Wandsworth on the southside of the river Thames. From there, the commute would be similar for the both of us, and it is supposed to be a nice area.

Janneke had an interview in the hospital where she will be working, and had to get registered which was quite a hassle. So, to celebrate that everything went really well, we set out to party in the 20080816_and_before on Wednesday, where a Dutch-style pubquiz was organised. As 'Mengvoeders United', Janneke and I, later supported by Madita, Marit, Hester and Fleur from previous Dutch nights out, we got to the final, where I screwed up! So, we did not get the prize, but we did get T-shirts and hats from Oranjeboom, which we were very happy with (who wouldn't). After that, Mark and Emmy joined us for a proper Dutch party, with bad Dutch dance tracks and 'slagers', only topped by an old-fashioned 'polonaise'! I left my debit card behind the counter, ony found out when we were almost back in Ealing, so I guess that tells the story. Click HERE for more photos if you are interested.
With that, our weekend had come to an end. On Thursday, Janneke returned to Utrecht, and I had to get back to work. After doing only some necessary things for 4 days, I had a lot of ground to make up, so you can have three guesses where I have been since then. Friday, I went with Steve, my previous flatmate to a wedding reception of Alex, a great guy that I know from Steve, in a pub in the city centre. That was my week, let me know yours if you want!!

June 23: A Nobel prize winner (well..... not me of course)
Truly settled in my new house, life got back to the usual rhythm of working, working and... working. Fortunately, I consider it to be a hobby, particularly as things appear to finally work for me for a few weeks running..... perhaps I have changed the all important corner, and data will start to accumulate from now on. A week ago on Monday, I scored two great goals at football, which is very rare for me. So I was all fired up for Wednesday and Thursday, but as I woke up with a sprained neck, I have been walking around not eing able to turn my head..... so football was not an option. The weekend was quite boring, as I mainly worked. On Saturday though, I went to see Pirates of the Carribean with Steve and Sam. I am sad to say that that was a huge disappointment. Three hours was too long, even though Keira Knightley was in it!!
This week started of great, with James D. Watson giving a talk at Imperial College about his rules for successful science. James D. Watson got the Nobel prize in 1962 for his discovery (together with Francis Crick who died 3 years ago) of the structure of DNA in 1953, arguably the most important discovery ever made. After that, he has become one of the most famous scientists in the world, so it was great to finally see that hero in real life. And what a great talk it was, 25 minutes (he is 79 years old, so give him a break) without slides, but he held our attention for every second. A really funny guy, who knows how to play to the public but does make his point. I got him to sign two books of him that I own.
The rest of the week was just normal as ever. I have made sure everyone here knows about how Holland defeated England in the European Championship for under 21's, and look forward to watching the final today. So not much has happened, although I did get some new photos of Finn for those who are interested. On the left is one of Finn and Juul, my niece...... how my brother and sister have (separately!!) managed to get such cute children is beyond me!!
Now, I am just counting the minutes (at work) until Janneke arrives at Stansted Airport, after which I will pick her up from Liverpool Street and our long weekend can begin. She is staying until Thursday, so we really have some quality time together, without any obligations (well, actually we do but I will tell you all about it next week). Take care!

May 30: Moving house
Unfortunately, my time in my previous flat was up! When I moved in here, I knew it was probably only temporary, but it was still disappointing to hear I have to move. Sam, the landlord, had returned from the Middle East, and found a job in London. As a result, he wanted to move back in his flat. Good for him but shit for me, although it is good to have Sam around, as he has already proven to be a great bloke.
It took a while and a lot of effort to find a new place, but I managed to find a flat with a nice 31-year-old guy called Manish. It is a nice place, although it was not easy to find a plcae for all my stuff as my previous room was bigger (see photo on the right). However, the living room is bigger (see photo on the left), and I have my own bathroom! And the best thing is that it is just 200 meters down the road from where I used to live with Steve. So, the commute remains the same, the shops and more importantly the pubs!! And it is still easy to meet up with Steve! So, it seems as if I will be doing fine the next couple of months.

May 27: Stabel family day
Last month, I went home to attend the annual family day where uncles, aunts and cousins from my mother's side gather. After coffee and cake, we went to the outskirts of a small village to play 'farmer's golf'. Complete with original 'Stabel' hats and beer in the hand, playing golf with small footballs and clogs at the end of the clubs (see Janneke in action on the left) in the fields between the cows and horses. Although all competitive, winning is not the most important thing, as you can tell from the 'blue' team celebrating their third prize (.......... of three!). After a pitstop in the disco-bowling alley, we had a great barbeque in the garden of one of my uncles. It was great to see that everybody was doing really well, especially since I missed last year's gathering. I look forward to next year.

May 12: Bart's graduation party
Bart is a friend that I went to university with in Nijmegen. After we graduated from 'Biomedical Sciences', Bart decided to continue Medical School. After 11 years of study (lucky bastard!), he graduated, and organised a party. Of course, I had to go over to Holland to celebrate that with him! A good excuse to come over and spend some extra time with Janneke on the Sunday, especially after hardly spending any quality time with her when I was here for a whole week at the end of April!

April 27: Michael's Viva ('promotie')
Michael was 'paranimf' (like a best man at a wedding) when I had to defend my thesis. Now was the time to return the favour. And as I had to prepare things for that day, it was a good excuse to come the whole week. And I managed to pack that week with loads of things to do.... celebrating birthdays on Saturday, a day out to see 'Tarzan, The Musical' in Scheveningen with my own 'Knuffeloom and -tante', dinner with my dad on Tuesdays..... And in the meantime Janneke and I spent a lot of time doing interviews for a video we were making for Michael with a few more friends of his.
We were all proud of how Michael defended his thesis, and the whole day was great, ending with whiskey and cigars at Michael and Vanessa's place around 6 in the morning. It was worth all the effort.
Unfortunately, that left only Sunday for Janneke and me to spend some time together.....

April 9 - 17: Keystone conference
Science does not pay..... but is does allow you to visit nice places once in a while! This time, there was a great conference on epigenetics, the field that I am working in. The meeting venue was in Breckenridge, Colorado, in the middle of the Rocky Mountains....... how unfortunate! The conference was great, the snowboarding even better. The resort was at 3000 meters, and with an additional 1.5 m of fresh powder during the week (in April!), it was great for trying my first jumps. I managed to do it, but at a price ;). In the evenings, we had to socialise of course, which sometimes ended in after parties in the hotel room that I shared with two colleagues from my institute, Stephan and Eric. I have already spotted another Keystone conference next year........

March 30: Promoted to Knuffel Omepatrick
Another arrval..... I guess the beginning of July was a fertile period!! This time, Rianne and Arno (my brother) are the happy couple celebrating family expansion. Their son is called Finn, who weighed 3340 grams at birth. And, what's more, I have been chosen to be one of his Knuffel ooms, or cuddle uncles!! With such huge responsibility, I traveled to Holland the same day so I could see him straight away!! He is really cute, and brave, as he was lying in my arms really comfortable without crying!!! Another Liverpool fan in the making!!

March 2: Omepatrick once more
For the people who don't know yet, 'Omepatrick' means Uncle Patrick. I took this nickname when my first niece Juul was born. 3 years ago, Mirte was born, the daughter of Karin and Walter, Janneke's brother. On the second of March, Karin gave labour to Lennart and Floris, twin brothers!!!
They are doing really well, and Karin and Walter are coping really well with taking care of three children. Meet Lennart and Floris on the photo on the side (left and right respectively).

December 24-26: Xmas in Holland
Like the rest of London, I went home for Xmas. Due to fog problems it was uncertain whether I could get home for Xmas, but after a 8 hour delay I was finally home at half past 2 on Friday night. Xmas eve is traditionally at my mother's place in Best, where all couples prepare a course, which appears to be a guarantee for great food. In between, it took us about 5 hours to open all presents under the Xmas tree, Xmas day always starts with Breakfast at my Arno and Rianne, my brother and his wife. This year, however, was a bit more special as I was asked to be godfather of their child!!!!! Naturally, I felt very honoured, and I now cannot wait till the child is born, which will be around March 24th. On a cloud, we then went to Janneke's family in Doetinchem, where we enjoyed another delicious 5-course dinner. Tuesday, I cooked for my father and Janneke at our place, and before you know it Xmas was over.

December 20: Lab Xmas dinner
As we had had a lab night out quite recently, we initially did not plan a Xmas dinner with the lab. But seeing all labs around us enjoying their lunches and dinners, we spontaneously organised one for the few people who were still in the lab this close before Christmas. As our lab is composed of people from Scotland, Germany, Spain, Romania etc. many people go home a few days before Xmas. Or tried to go home, cause that was not so easy with the fog problems in London. So we went for a meal at the Sopranos in Kensington with the ones who were there. The food was not bad but also not very good, but we still had a good time and after a few more drinks in a great pub around the corner we felt very Christmassy.

December 15: CSC Xmas party
In the UK, you can have an end of the year 'Christmas-do' every day if you want. A Football award ceremony (see below), Xmas dinner with the lab (see above) and if you are part of a knitting club, I am sure some Xmas lunch will be organised. In addition to the lab, the Clinical Science Centre organised an Institute-wide Xmas party. As it was in the Wolfson Conference Centre, I did not expect too much of it, despite what we all have heard stories about what British Xmas parties are like, you know, with the copy machine and all ;). But, after a slow start, the party ended up being very good fun, and the fact that I danced while the DJ was terrible should say enough to those who know me well. As I was not the only one who had a few drinks, some people were not to happy with the pictures that Pat Paparazzi took that night!

December 13: Football Award Night
As most of you will know, I play football on Mondays and/or Thursdays. Five-a-side on astroturf with a bunch of guys, all of which are much better players than me. At the end of the year, an anonymous vote was held between all players for awards such as 'Best all-round player', 'The Golden Glove' for best goal keeper and 'Best dressed player'. Obviously I did not win any of these, though I got third prize in 'Player's player' and 'Best Newcomer' (out of 4, I guess). Of course, prestigous awards like that are not presented at a football pitch, but at the best Nepalese curry restaurant of Ealing, 'Monty's'. Hot curry needs to be balanced by cold refreshing (alcoholic) beverages, and needless to say the only person who played well the day after was not present at the ceremony!

November 22: Liverpool - PSV Eindhoven
Born about 5 minutes from the PSV Eindhoven stadium, and many family members and friends supporting PSV, Liverpool playing them in the Champions League (you know Steve, where Everton never plays in) was always going to a bit different. Especially since Bart took the effort to come all the way to London so we would be able to watch it together in the pub. If he takes so much effort, I figured I should put in some effort as well, and I could suprise him by getting tickets to see Liverpool - PSV live at Anfield. So I took the day off and we took a 6 hour bus from London to Liverpool (I do not recommend it). When we got there, I had to do some shopping in the official store cause I did not have the new kit yet. After some fish and chips, very local and horrible, we hailed the Liverpool players off the bus and went into the stadium to get a few pints........ not!!!! Apparently, no alcohol is served for European games. But nothing could spoil it, not even a coke. Before the match I spotted my cousins in the away stands, and I was proud of the noise the PSV support produced. Nothing beats 'You'll Never Walk Alone' at Anfield though, and the 2-0 victory rounded things up nicely. Finally, in our hotel we got our well deserved beer..... nice!! A memorable night, much better than watching it in a London pub, eh?

November 17: Lab dinner
The start of several new people in recent weeks was a good excuse to organise a dinner with our lab. We went to an Indian restaurant in Soho called 'Imli's'. Here, they served Indian dishes tapas style, so it was a good way of getting to know all kinds of food. Oh, and the beer and wine were also very good.... and plenty! After dinner, me and the other boys from the lab went for a few more pints, and a few more and eventually ended up in the 'Onanon' at Picadilly Circus. Wrong place, at the right time!!

November 10-12: Heleen visiting
Heleen has been one of my best friends since I was 14. As she is a real traveller, it was my pleasure to welcome her to London. We had not seen eachother very often since I started writing up my PhD, so it was great to spend a whole weekend together. Normally I take visitors out to see places, but this time Heleen took me to Tate Modern on both Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. As an Art School graduate, she could tell me all about the works and artist in the exhibitions (though I still dared to say that certain things are not art!!). And we had so much to talk about, that the evenings were well spent over dinner and drinks. On Saturday, we walked into a restaurant called 'Arbutus'. Never heard of it, but it looked nice from the outside, and the menu looked alright. The next week 'Arbutus' was voted the UK's best restaurant........ and I did not even like my main course!! On the photo, note the red things on our coats, which we bought for memorial day to support war veterans and their families.

November 3-6: Barcelona.... finally!
As you may remember, Janneke and I had initially planned to meet up in Barcelona in July, to visit Nick and Anna. Due to a strike by personel from Iberia, my flight got cancelled that weekend. This time, everything ran smooth, so we arrived just as planned on Friday evening at Barcelona Airport, where Nick and Anne picked us up. After checking into our hotel, we went out for drinks, dinner and then more drinks. On Saturday, Janneke and I spent doing all touristy stuff. I had visited Nick before, but had seen Barcelona only by night (if you know what I mean!!!). I have to say, Barcelona is a beautiful city, and I can see why Nick enjoys himself there. In the evening, some more 3D's in central Barcelona. Sunday evening is holy for Janneke and me, even in Barca, so we spent our last night there together (without frikandellen, I might add!). All in all a great weekend....... just too short!

October 13-15: Arno and Michiel in London
I had managed to get tickets for the Liverpool game against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield, and invited Arno (my brother) and Michiel (my sister's partner, but more like a second brother) to come with me. So on Friday evening they came over, and we spent some quality time with Charlie at 'Baroque', the Kiwi place opposite my flat. All three hungover, we drove all the way to Liverpool the next morning, where at 3pm a dream came true...... singing 'You'll never walk alone' at Anfield. Despite the shit game (1-1 draw) it was a great experience. A good meal and some final drinks back in London, they left Sunday morning...

September 15-18: My dad's visit to London
As a birthdat present in March, when my dad turned 60, we gave him tickets to a famous concert in the Royal Albert Hall, as well as plane tickets to come to London. We went to see Mahler's 8th Symphony, which requires almost a thousand people to perform, which was very impressive. The rest of the weekend we enjoyed London's history and culture, ranging from Houses of Parliament to Soho.