Dutch Clean

The week I first moved here, there were some things I expected to find around the house, but couldn't.  One of the first was a broom for sweeping our kitchen and living area (the whole main floor is hardwood and tile.)  Martim assured m that he had one, but it was an old outdoor-style broom, with curled bristles.  Something like this (but after about 10 years of use)

I insisted that we go shopping for a broom.  I wanted a proper kitchen broom with angled bristles... the kind that is good for getting in the corners and under the cabinets.  Despite our disagreement about the importance if this, Martin took me out to look for a broom.  We went out to all the home and kitchen shops and department stores (at least 6 of them), and I was shocked to discover that all I could find was the outdoor-type of broom.  I couldn't find my angled kitchen broom anywhere, and I couldn't figure out why, so I decided that the old, curly outdoor broom would have to do until I solved this mystery.

At the same time, I was noticing that there was no carpet on the main floor of any house I had been in here, and their floors were always clean.  I'm sure that part of this is the fact that "you notice the imperfections more in your house than others", but I knew that there was more to it than that.

A few weeks later, I noticed a sound coming from the neighbours... I heard this sound at least 3-5 times a week, for about 5-10 minutes at a time, and it would come from both neighbours houses.   The vacuum!  People don't sweep here because they vacuum ALL the time!  But the nice thing is that it only takes 5-10 minutes to vacuum the whole level.

I still haven't found my nice angled kitchen broom, but I have embraced the vacuum.  It is fast, it means no need for the annoying dust pan that always seems to attract dust with static electricity, and it sucks the dust up instead of just moving it around (oddly enough, the direct translation for a vacuum cleaner in Dutch is "dust sucker.)

I had a doctor's appointment a couple days ago.  (Let me point out that it is fall, so there are piles of decomposing leaves on the sidewalks, and it rains almost every day.)  I walked into the doctor's office with a stroller (after walking to the office).  The office had dark blue carpet.  At the end of the appointment, as I was walking out, I noticed a strange look on the doctor's face.  I then followed his eyes... he was looking ah the tracks I had left all over the floor, and he said: "well, I guess I have to vacuum now."  I apologized, and felt very embarassed, and as I left, I saw him go find a vacuum cleaner, and I heard that all-familiar noise (the vacuum) coming from his office.

Never, in Canada, would an office be vacuumed between patients.  And never, in Canada, would the doctor, himself, do the vacuuming.

If you hear the term "Dutch clean", I would say you should believe it.

Balloon fiesta

 I feel like a real Barnevelder now.  I've experienced the annual "Balloon Fiesta".  This is four days where they launch a LOT of hot air balloons from the park each evening.  Here is what it looks like from around the neighbourhood:

And on Saturday, we went to the fiesta (or festival).  Martin wasn't thrilled about going, but I wanted to go, just to experience it, at least once.  We sat in the bleachers, and watched hot air balloons inflate, and take-off, while listening to an announcer give a play-by-play on the status of the balloons.  Ha!

If you look closely, you might see something a little unusual here:

Yes, these are people jumping out of the baskets!

Parachuting down, with orange smoke coming from their ankles...

And a small, hand-held balloon that we could touch... this is the backside of a bee.

I now understand why Martin wasn't thrilled about going, but I'm glad I got to go!  AND the best part was after dusk... the "lazer show".  They had 7 big balloons, and 6 or 7 small balloons set up, and "anchored" (with human weight, I believe) to the ground, as well as lazers set up around the park.  Anyone who knows how much I love lights may understand how much I enjoyed this part!  It was such a creative display!  I *think* the lights were supposed to be choreographed with the music, but I guess it's difficult when the sources are massive engines that are run by people who can't communicate with each other, and likely don't practise together.

That's a "woody woodpecker" hot air balloon in the middle... he came from Brazil to be part of this fiesta!

This certainly doesn't capture the experience, but it may give you a taste.  So cool!  I later discovered that they have done the lazer show for 29 years, and they have used the same music... for 29 years.  I really don't feel the need to go back again anytime soon, but I'm glad I got to exierience it :)