I went to get my Dutch passport renewed today. It was a little strange, because I am quite sure everyone at the consulate spoke Dutch, but we all spoke English to each other. I found that weird. But oh well. They had to take a photo for my passport, and after I spent a good time after the gym this morning fixing my hair and my fringe in particular, I was asked to push all my hair to the side, my forehead had to be visible. The resulting photo is woeful! That's going to be in my passport for years! Sigh.
There was a big poster in the Dutch consulate of the Keukenhof, a permanent tulip garden, which is about a 10 minute bike ride from the town I grew up in. It made me smile and think if the tulip fields I used to ride my bike past every spring. I can't remember the last time I was at the Keukenhof. At least 20 years ago.
I then went and had a coffee and a baguette at the Commercial Bakery, which I had found by using my Good Cafe Guide app from The Age. I am always keen to find good coffee. And I love it when apps are helpful. The coffee was good and the baguette was delicious. It was nice to be in the CBD, tucking into something delicious in a hidden laneway. It was very Melbourne. It made me think about my dual life. I am so Melbourne, but I am also still quite Dutch. And I like that. It's not an easy life, but it's an interesting life.
I look forward to going back to Amsterdam. I have really fallen in love with that town last year. I was never that interested in it when I lived in Holland, and even after, when my sister moved there and loved it, I couldn't really be bothered with it. But last year, when I had lots of time to ride my bike along its lovely canals and enjoy its hidden gems, I really came to appreciate it.
I am the Dutchstralian, and that's the way I like it.
There was a big poster in the Dutch consulate of the Keukenhof, a permanent tulip garden, which is about a 10 minute bike ride from the town I grew up in. It made me smile and think if the tulip fields I used to ride my bike past every spring. I can't remember the last time I was at the Keukenhof. At least 20 years ago.
I then went and had a coffee and a baguette at the Commercial Bakery, which I had found by using my Good Cafe Guide app from The Age. I am always keen to find good coffee. And I love it when apps are helpful. The coffee was good and the baguette was delicious. It was nice to be in the CBD, tucking into something delicious in a hidden laneway. It was very Melbourne. It made me think about my dual life. I am so Melbourne, but I am also still quite Dutch. And I like that. It's not an easy life, but it's an interesting life.
I look forward to going back to Amsterdam. I have really fallen in love with that town last year. I was never that interested in it when I lived in Holland, and even after, when my sister moved there and loved it, I couldn't really be bothered with it. But last year, when I had lots of time to ride my bike along its lovely canals and enjoy its hidden gems, I really came to appreciate it.
I am the Dutchstralian, and that's the way I like it.
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