Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/02/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Bruce, You are doing wonderful advertising for our adopted country, but truth be told, Dutch climate sucks and so does the food. I hope my fellow Dutch LUGgers will not take offense. The Netherlands is one of the best places in the world to live, but it is so DESPITE the climate and the food. The climate is basically rain year round, the only difference being that it is slightly colder in the winter than in the summer. The Dutch attitude to food is best illustrated with this country's lunch culture: since the body needs a certain amount of calories per day, and since some of those should be consumed in the middle of the day, lunch exists. But for most people it consists of eating a bland sandwich, often at the desk. Going out to a restaurant like people do in France or Spain is almost unheard of. But, as my children say, the Dutch chose well when choosing colonies during the imperialist era. As a result, excellent Indonesian food is widely available. This saves the day... I do agree that there are a few indigenous specialties, like the herring and the eel, which are truly excellent. But the average Dutch kitchen really is nothing to brag about. Sorry... Nathan bruce wrote: > As has been said, welcome to The Netherlands .................. > > to enjoy excellent haring, paling (smoked eel) plus a myriad of other > delights from the North Sea, home-grown free-range (small, 'cos we > don't have much land) chicks and pigs, lamb ............. and of course > milk and cheese ............... fruit and vegetables, grown in > glass-houses and tended day and night (mostly automatically), perfect > in size and colour ............ but low in flavor (compared to our > latin neighbours' market produce). > > to drink, we have water (preferably from Belgium), genever ( a sort of > Dutch korn), beer to suit all tastes (and if you want still more > selection, imports arrive from Belgium, Spain, Italy, Indonesia, Japan > ........ etc. etc.), arguably the largest selection of affordable wines > in ............. certainly Europe and North America ............. > arriving from the four corners of the globe. > > to decorate, visit the world's largest auction centers for cut- flowers > and plants ............ and local pricing enabling even the humblest of > families the possibility of a large "bunch" in a vase, every week! > > to mobility, an airport network spans the country ............... and > from Amsterdam daily to almost anywhere in the world. The largest port > in Europe to move goods in and out and then by air, road, rail and > water to wherever. A train service which, altho' beleaguered, works > pretty well (apart from the crazy investment in a trillion ?$? project > to put high-speed trains to Hamburg ........... and partially > underground ........... instead of ensuring the road network is safe > and sufficient till 2020)! > > to recreation, the known districts of the major cities are > internationally know for their coffee shops, red-light districts, > restaurants, bars, escort clubs ............ but there are also > chateaux, game parks, zoos (great layout and selection of animals), > royal palaces, musea holding many of the wonders of the world (Vermeer, > van Gogh, Rubens, Rembrandt, Mesdag ...........) ............ over 600 > of them! > > to reside, you must realise that this is a very small country with > little land and insufficient housing to cover the needs of the populus > (government view ............ but it's been fine for many years, a bit > cramped maybe, but ...............) BUT, three penthouses next to each > other and a large work surface in the cellar (to look-after possible > chemical leaks) is almost not possible. There might be a solution tho' > .................. > > can you all imagine three house-boats linked together by gang- planks > ................. each with about 60 m2 of living space: living area, > two bedrooms, kitchen, shower area (don't need baths) and a fourth for > the processing equipment. Dwelling in the heart of, say Amsterdam, > running water, electricity and sewage removal, from the city, coupled > to your premises. Direct access to most of the above-mentioned living > needs. > > and the chemicals (from the processing stations) ............ well > water could be pumped from the canal, used fluids .......... returned > to the canal (not allowed, but .... ), accidental occurances would have > water in abundance to quell most traumas .............. and you'd be > living in inverted penthouses. > > but finally, you have to understand that you will live under- water > ............. not an aquarius, but simply because this is a country > under the level of the sea, kept afloat by a highly complex and > semi-automated pumping systems which, together with ingeniously > constructed control barriers, maintains the sea waters outside the > land and recovered land masses. > > Problem solved? I don't do the financial bit! > > Additions and suggestions welcome, > B. > > > On 1-feb-2006, at 18:50, Seth Rosner wrote: > >> Just noticed a typo in my post. I meant that the Company will engage >> not a heater (chauffer) but a chauffeur to conduct your Maybach 62 >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Seth Rosner" >> <sethrosner@nycap.rr.com> >> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> >> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 9:18 AM >> Subject: Re: [Leica] Re:kodachrome NOW VOLUNTEERS!!! :-) - now paid >> mercenaries! >> >> >>> Now waitaminit, mon tres cher ami Ted, we need to do a little >>> negotiating. >>> >>>> Seth mon ami, >>>> In the Netherlands is quite OK, no problem at all, good food and >>>> beer! ;-) Now about the accommodation? The requirements are 3 >>>> penthouse suites >>> >>> >>> OK. >>> >>>> with running everything, maids, butlers, cooks >>> >>> >>> NO. Not acceptable. One maid to do all three penthouses on a regular >>> rotating basis; one cook to do meals for the three of you and your >>> respective and respectable spouses, mates and others; sorry, you >>> shall have to breakfast, (lunch on your own) and dine together, >>> though each of you (you three, this does not include your respective >>> and respectable spouses, mates and others) is permitted a butler, >>> Tina has a choice between butler and lady-in- waiting. >>> >>> Again, as I have priced out operating costs vs. potential income >>> from this Kodak-hating crowd, we can only afford one chauffer and >>> one chauffer-driven Maybach 6.2. HOWEVER, in the graciousness of our >>> hearts, each of you WILL be allowed a company-paid personal car; to >>> this end we have arranged with Cadillac to supply three supercharged >>> 4-cam V-8 STS-V saloon cars. If you decline, you may choose >>> alternative personal transport: a boat on the canals. >>> >>>> You might consider this as our "work flow time." ;-) Absolutely >>>> never on Saturday, Sunday, Monday morning nor Wednesday morning >>> >>> >>> Rejected out-of-hand. You will be allowed to say to management: >>> "Jamais le dimanche." C'est tout. >>> >>>> Now considering no mention has been made of, shall we say... >>>> "compensation I'll leave this for the moment to give you a short >>>> time to mull it over, which I'm sure you'll return with an >>>> extremely generous offer of wages, bonuses and stock options. >>> >>> >>> Wot, are you outta your bl**ding mind? You guys get a vacation in >>> dreamy Nederland, all expenses covered - and lavishly - and you want >>> to be PAID into the bargain? You should consider yourselves very >>> lucky indeed that we don't charge you for the opportunity. >>> >>> The issue of income taxes I leave to your collective senses of duty >>> and honor (assuming such to exist) and to the resourcefulness of >>> Internal & Inland Revenue. >>> >>> Further deponent sayeth not. >>> >>> S. >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > -- Nathan Wajsman Almere, The Netherlands SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BUY DANISH PRODUCTS! 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