Downtown with mom & dad

As I promised, I’ve got pictures and vids from the lovely day in town with my parents.
I was planning on photographing the market only, but while sitting in the car, I realized that a lot of the surroundings I’m used to, are not ordinary sights to non europeans. So I’ll take you on a little trip through typical Dutch normalties.

Ah Crap!! WordPress can’t publish quicktime files..
Well, luckily I made enough pictures aswell.

Dordrecht, (close to Rotterdam)

Wijnstraat (winealley) in Dordrecht

I love Dordrecht.

I was born here. Marit as well by the way.

Because it’s small, every inhabitant of Dordrecht knows eachother.

That can be very annoying, but also a lot of fun.
Every step you set downtown comes with greetings all around, people asking you how you’ve been. 

Me and my mom

We headed to the market, which is so typical dutch in some ways, that I took pictures of it. Flowers, cheese, bread, nuts and fish everywhere. People yelling at you to buy them. They call you crazy if you wouldn’t buy something ‘this beautiful’ or cheap, or tasty. It’s hilarious. We dutchees have a saying when someone talks really loud. we call them ‘viswijf’. Which letterly means fishbitch. Because of the marketpeople screaming to get people to buy their fish.

Grosssss!! I don’t like fish.

Nuts and Cheese

While walking around, photographing things, I come across two black pete’s. The city is filled with them. They hand out candy, and prepare everyone for upcoming ‘Sinterklaas’.
I quickly grab my camera, put it on record, and videotape the two black pete’s that are staring at me.
I’m thinking: this is good stuff for the blog, to show everytone what they look like.
Suddenly, one of them says: Lotteee!!
I’m really confused, and look at her closely. Then I realize that they are two friends of mine, Berit and Kelly! Dressed up as black pete’s.
Its too bad I can’t upload vids, cause its really funny. You can see them looking at me, starting to smile, and call my name. There’s a silence from my part, trying to figure out what just happened, and then you hear me say: Oh!! Kelly!! and we all laugh.
I explained to her that I was recording them for my blog, and she was like: Allright, take a picture of us then! So I did.

Berit and Kelly dressed up as black pete’s.

Sint in Amsterdam

Liquorice

It doesnt get more dutch than that.
In my experience, you have to BE dutch to even like the taste of it.
Marit and I often offered it to our american friends, and they letterly gagged.
They did not like the weird black candy at all.

The ingredients of liquorice candy are liquorice extract, sugar, and a binder.
I’m not a fan of sweet liquorice, but I do love the salt kind.

The market had a lot of candy to offer, and ofcourse because of the season; sinterklaas candy!
Lots of it. You can’t walk a meter without tripping over the food and the black pete’s throwing it around.

Kruidnootjes (spicenuts)

My personal fave. Especially covered in chocolate.

Though there called nuts, they’re just small cookies, the size of nuts.
Its basicly oat, flower, sugar and cinnamon.
I got myself a bag of them.

We bought a lot of stuff, like winterassecoires, food and presents.

Stroopwafels!! <3

Made from two thin layers of baked batter with a caramel-like syrup filling in the middle.
They are sold in the streets as a snack.

After walking around, we finally sat down at the Dordrecht Pancake house.
It looks depressing from the outside, but its very cute inside, and the pancakes are amazing.

While driving home, I felt so happy in the car, next to my big pile of bags filled with december.
Though I’m 22, I felt like a spoiled 8 year old.

I had my music on, and was looking at the houses passing by, all decorated in little lights.
This season had such charm. I love December and everything attached to it.
Even the cold, even the snow. I love it.

I’m comfy at home now at my fireplace, enjoying my kruidnootjes!
Tonight i’m going to Harry again, this time with my parents.
Looking forward to it.

Cheerss!! Haha I look retarted on that picture.

I’ll blog more later.
Last night I went to the birthday party of my crazy uncle.
It may sound boring, but it really isn’ t.
You’ll see…….