Leiden - my home city in The Netherlands

Last Thursday evening I was having drinks with my colleagues and I was telling them about the most popular upcoming feast in Leiden: “Leiden ontzet”. Then I started talking a bit about this beautiful city where I’ve lived the past two years, and I realized, once more, how happy I am to live in a city with so much history and idiosyncrasy. In my blog of today I’m going to write about this city full with history and… water.
Leiden is the second city in the Netherlands with more canals, obviously the first one is Amsterdam, but I think it has to do with the size of the cities, in any case, Leiden canals are much cleaner and nicest to navigate. Leiden is home of the oldest university in the Netherland and has the oldest still operating astronomic observatory in the world. Leiden was home of Rembrant, one of the greatest painters in Europe, throughout the classrooms of Leiden University notorious thinkers and Scientifics found a place to develop and teach their knowledge, Einstein was one of them (today one of the most famous bars here is named after him). Is not for nothing that the Royal family study in this University.
It was from Leiden were the pilgrim fathers found refugee from the English persecution before sailing to America, where they will found a city called New Amsterdam, today, New York. In the XVII century was Leiden the bravest city to resist the Spanish siege, it was then when Wiliam van Orange, father of Holland, broke the dykes, letting flood the city and making the Spanish run away. William brought herring (the Dutch most precious typical fish) and white bread. The Spanish left behind some food, and from the leftovers, the hutspot was born. (Smash potatoes, carrots and onion). Nowadays this is a meal given to all dwellers of Leiden, as well to all people born here. It’s an amazing and huge feast of three days, but I’ll write more about it, hopefully, another day.
I’m happy to live in this convenient – located city, only 15 minutes away from the airport and no more than 30 minutes away from any important city in the Randstad, 15 min to the Hague, 15 min. to Harlem, and 30. min. to Amstedam and Utrecht. We have here everything that one can find in Amsterdam, but in a better and relaxing atmosphere.
We moved not too long ago to a new house, in front of a canal our own strawberry, parsley and mint garden. This is Leiden, this is my home-city in the Netherlands!

The fall of giants

I just want to tell the world I finish and amazing book: The fall of giants, by Ken Follet, yes, the same of The Pillars of the Earth, this book that many of us cried with. Well, I must admit with this one that I struggled not to cry more than once, this one even more, because it is based on real facts. Follet has an amazing ability to get you into the book and the characters, to present the story in a way that you almost feel you are the one who is living it. Arjan began with it today, I’ m sure he’ll finish it as quick as I did, it is without doubts one of the best one I’ve ever read.


http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7315573-fall-of-giants

Macedonia experience

I was eager to visit Macedonia ever since I read the book Alexander, written by Valerio Massimo, not to mention my mother is also fond of him and this beautiful land. That’s why when I was told I was being invited to the annual meeting of SPARK to be hold on Ohrid, Macedonia, I got so excited – that I could not hide it – and I even organized some few days before the meeting to go with Arjan to enjoy together of this promising land of lakes, mountains, abundant and delicious food, and kind people. Our dream begun last Friday evening when we flew to Zurich – there is no direct flight to Macedonia at an affordable price -. We spent the night there and took the plane to Skopje early in Saturday. We were landing at Skopje at 9. There was still a sweet and nice dream. But then, suddenly, I was awoken up by the border officer telling me that I was not allowed to enter their territory because I didn’t have a Schengen visa, and my long residence permit for the EU was not enough. For the first time in my life I was rejected at a border, it was like dropping from my happy European cloud to the cold reality of my Colombian nationality.
I am a Colombian citizen and I’m proud of it, I’m happy to be born in the beautiful land of two oceans and three set of the biggest mountains in earth. But undeniably, the European citizenship gives loads of privileges. I could not believe I was witnessing my own devolution in the same plane that took me there while the officer was telling to my husband he could enter and stay. Do not they understand the meaning of family? Do they don’t get the idea of traveling together and be together in the prosperity and adversity? It was like being the main character of a movie, a sad one. An illogical one.
A national of a third country with a Schengen visa for three months can enter Macedonia, but someone with a long residence permit card cannot. I’ve never heard such absurd regulation.
Letting aside the whole waiting, traveling and realization that I was indeed sent back to Amsterdam, it was a holistic experience. Not only because I realized once more the limitless love and support of my husband, but also because I could feel and almost touch the bond that I have with my colleagues at SPARK. They fully supported me and even offer me the hope to make it still working. We tried, but then I soon realized I was not ready to embark in another long and stressful visa process application. As a Colombian national and a travel-lover, visas are a permanent part of my daily life, that’s why I felt so frustrated I didn’t even think about it when I was happily planning my trip to Macedonia. In my defense, I had strong reasons to believe it was not necessary, and also because following common sense and a systematic interpretation of the rules I actually didn’t need it. I’m convinced of that.
I’m sorry because I’ll miss to see all my colleagues, to miss the landscape that for now I’m only allowed to see in google images, and also because I’ll miss to see a good friend there. Arjan will not enjoy the food, the weather and the hiking there, but instead we are having a lovely time at home with family and also new friends.

Historia del rey transparente

Mis últimos libros han sido de autores españoles, aunque me gusta leer en otros idiomas para aprender no solo de la historia, sino de la forma de escribir en otra lengua, leer en el idioma materno es una experiencia doblemente enriquecedora. No solo por que uno se entera de todos los detalles que el autor quiso expresar, sino porque también sirve como fuente de conocimiento en el propio idioma, y es que incluso en la propia lengua, hay palabras y expresiones que por el uso tan discontinuo que les damos, a veces tendemos a olvidar su significado, aunque después descubramos que estaban guardados en un rinconcito de nuestra memoria.
El primer libro es de Javier Marias, columnista español, titulado “Cuando fui mortal”. Se trata de una compilación de cuentos cortos, que sin ser demasiado brillantes, tienen buena calidad, aunque no pude dejar de compararlos con la idea original de los doce cuentos peregrinos de Gabo; por lo demás todos los desenlaces comparten el elemento común de la muerte el desengaño y la sorpresa que de alguna manera los hacía menos imprevisibles.
El segundo y último libro de los que quiero escribir hoy se titula: La historia del rey transparente. Escrito por Rosa Montero, también periodista y escritora, madrileña. Su obra me conquisto, la forma como describe un tiempo oscuro donde las oportunidades no existían y solo reinaba el poder de la Iglesia y la nobleza, envuelve de una manera inconsciente, pues uno se transporta virtualmente a un mundo de herejías y de inquisición donde las personas, y en especial las mujeres y los no creyentes estaban en constante lucha por sobrevivir. La historia principal son las peripecias de una muchacha que se ve obligada a disfrazarse de caballero para poder sobrevivir, pero se inmersa también en la persecución y exterminación que sufrieron los cataros en el siglo XIX, todo ello envuelto en las guerras infinitas de los nobles en aquella época oscura de la historia de occidente.
Es un relato lleno de aventuras, de amor, de traición pero también de esperanza, pues nos muestra la valentía de muchos hombres y mujeres que no se dejaron llevar por la masa y que lucharon por sus ideales hasta el final. Aunque el final de la edad media solo ocurriría varios siglos más tarde, los acontecimientos verdaderos contados en esta historia, fueron sin duda fundamentales en la transformación de la conciencia humana abarrotada por los las ideas absurdas de la Iglesia, entonces, todopoderosa.

Freedom of expression cannot be confused with hate speech

This week was known the verdict in the Wilder’s case. Wilders is a Dutch politician who represents one of the most discriminatory political parties in the NL and has won 25 of the 106 sits of the national parliament in the last elections. For many, even not sharing his views, this is a triumph to freedom of speech. But aren’t they forgetting there are other rights that also deserve the same protection? The freedom of religion is one of them.
For centuries the religion has been the main reason for wars and slaughter confrontations. And the Islam has not been precisely the main author of those. Different from the Christianity, the Islam does not call for intolerance, and all those terrorist attacks come from extremist groups, but never from the religion itself. There is sadly a group of Islamic extremists who pursue this holy war, but that’s not reason enough to consider the religion itself as a threat to the values of the occidental world.
The judge says all those unfortunate comments from Wilders were made against the Islam and not against Muslims. I wonder who can someone insult a religion without insulting their believers. I would like to see the attitude from the same judge or the ones who share their opinion if someone with the same influence that Wilders has, says something similar about the Catholicism or the Protestantism.
One of the most non-sense comments of Wilders, if any could categorize them, is that the society should learn to be intolerant to the intolerant. Could anyone tell me how to be selective with what you are going to tolerate? Isn’t the meaning of tolerance to accept all different beliefs and life styles without any prejudice? I might not share some costumes or traditions of the Islam or other religions, and I have the right of express my opinion in a public debate, there is no doubt about that. But those words and specially the words of a popular leader as Wilders cannot be in the tone so offensive that breaks the fragile barrier between freedom of expression and hate speech. One cannot be going around saying and knowing that thousands are listening, that the Koran is similar to Mijn Kampf of Hitler. Wilders, more than any other ordinary citizen has the responsibility to watch out for his comments, he might think whatever he wants, and he can express it loudly as long as he respects within his speech the rights of the others.
With his words you can feel all the hate he criticizes in the Islam, that feeling can be easily transmitted in a society that is full with media reports about the threatens of those extremist groups. But are all the Muslims extremists? I believe they are not, I believe the majority of Islam believers are pacific people. And yes, they can have different and odd traditions, but aren’t our traditions also strange to them as well?
I have been always admired the Dutch culture, their liberal way of thinking in contrast with their conservative style of living. However, the decision of the judge doesn’t make me feel at ease. I understand a condemn to Wilders would have been in a way a step backwards in this liberal land, where many liberties that are not yet allowed in other countries have found a space here, but I remain seriously preoccupied for this inopportune break between the freedom of speech and the hate speech.

Alveer een kilometer

Hace una semana Arjan y yo corrimos los 10 kilómetros en Leiden, la ciudad donde vivimos en Holanda. Fue una experiencia chévere, sobre todo porque pude adelantar a holandeses que me llevaban entre 10 y 20 centímetros… claro está muchos otros holandeses de igual o menor tamaño, y de incluso más edad, también me pasaron… En fin, lo importante es que ambos llegamos sanos y sonrientes a la meta, Arjan después de 46 minutos y yo después de 59 minutos de comenzar, para mí esto represento 4 minutos de mejora comparado con nuestra última carrera, en la que corrimos también en Holanda junto a Juanjo, mi cuñado. El ambiente del maratón es muy alegre, lleno de pancartas animándote, de música, de gente en las calles y por supuesto de una medalla esperando en la meta, y como no, de una cerveza fría. Aprovechamos con mi hermana y mi cuñado para tomar un par de vinitos que no habíamos podido degustar antes de la carrera, .
Fue una experiencia bonita y saludable, muy recomendable para los que estén pensando en que deporte hacer, correr no cuesta nada, tan solo se necesitan unas zapatillas deportivas adecuadas y el ánimo de querer dejar que tu mente se desconecte del mundo por un ratico… Vale la pena intentarlo!!
Aquí un video mío casi llegando a la meta:
http://www.racetimer.eu/uitslagen.php?v=%25252Fnl%25252Frunner%25252Fshow%25252F1337153%25253Flayout%25253Dracetimer_eu%252526amp%25253Brace_id%25253D507

Kosovo Journal

I am visiting Kosovo for work. I came 4 days ago to Mitrovica North, that means, I am in a part of the country that does not really belongs to it, not either to Serbia, although they only speak Serbian and use their currency. For a stranger and someone who doesn’t really know a lot about the Balkan’s background it’s really difficult to understand this whole issue. In other words, I’m struggling to get the complete picture in my mind and understand why Kosovo Serbs don’t feel save going to the South, and why they can’t live in peace together. It’s really hard to understand how ethnicity can influence people’s behavior like that, already for centuries and centuries. Well, leaving aside this whole history, I must say Mitrovica is a nice city. It’s nothing to compare with Western Europe. Instead it makes me think in my home town in Colombia, Tunja and the towns around. The huge holes on the streets, the zebra spot only for decoration, the bus stop used as shelter for the cars, the pathways as parking places, and the people walking in the middle of the street, and many times, just standing there having a chat. I know sounds a chaos, but you get some how use to it.

The weather now is cold, you can see it for the stalactites on the water tubes in front of the buildings, or in the gas stations where they threaten you to fell down any minute. However, the cold sensation is not that bad, maybe because I’m already use to Holland and its humidity or most probably, because I’m most of the time inside in the offices or the hotel, where the heating is reaching the 40 degrees. I’ve never felt so warm in my life during the winter!!!

The food is also something remarkable. I’ve been in East Europe before, and I already knew the food is nice and you normally get big portions for quite low prices. Kosovo exceeds all of them. For less than 8E you can get a huge plate (beef/chicken/turkey… ) that so far I’ve not been able to finish one completely (not at least in only one attempt). Yesterday, for example, we shared one plate with two other girls, and we just couldn’t eat more than half of it.

Social life looks pretty much fun around here, locals and internationals get along well together and you can find a relax atmosphere easily, not to mention parties and good beer (Lav is the one that I’ve been drinking the most)

Well, to sum up my experience so far: Nice people (although serious faces), nice food (in my office they bring food every day as well), huge portions at dinner, good music (although in my hotel a bit repetitive), pretty mountains around, old monasteries (that I only know for references), and most of all, nice colleagues to share my experience in this country, so far away from my land, but so close also in many other aspects.