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Tromsø , Norwich… & northern lights

01/02/2008 Hanneke

Hello!!

Time for an update!! It’s taken me forever, I know. I’ve been busy, have been back to Norwich for a while. It’s a bit weird to go straight from winter to spring…

It was nice to be back at UEA for a bit and see everybody there. Unfortunately I had a nasty cold and spend half my time in bed, but I still managed to see everybody and really enjoyed it. I didn’t take many photos so thanks to Karla for those nice ones 🙂

I did take a photo on a very misty morning… this is my favourite tree on campus 🙂

I came back to Tromsø in the middle of a snow storm, rough landing! It has been snowing a lot for a couple of days. It’s amazing how much snow there is… there’s a car I can see from the flat that hasn’t been moved for a while and it’s completely buried now! Big icicles are growing on our balcony, we took one inside…

We bought spike tires for our bikes a few weeks ago. They are incredible! I was very sceptical on how well they would work, but it’s just like cycling on a normal road with no ice… The most dangerous thing is getting off your bike when you have forgotten how icy the road is! But I find cycling here very exhausting, too many hills!! 😉

The northern lights are pretty active tonight, I took these photos from our balcony! It’s great to be able to take photos like that, though I’d like to go somewhere darker at some point. It’s a pity photos can never truly show what the northern lights are like… it was moving a lot, with beams shooting across the sky and sometimes showing pink and red… very impressive!

We’re going skiing tomorrow! We rented skies for the whole weekend, should be fun 🙂 My only cross country skiing experience was 4 years ago for an hour… it was exhausting! I’m more into downhill skiing… so we’ll see how this goes. I was glad to see that they come with very comfortable shoes!

Also we’re going to a concert and reception organized by the Dutch ambassador… I’m curious to meet all the Dutch who live here, apparently there are many! (I’m hoping for bitterballen at the reception hehe)

Hopefully I can upload some photos of the weekend soon!

Kat Flint

21/12/2007 Hanneke

Kat Flint is one of my favourite singers/songwriters. I first saw her at a Cara Dillon gig in Norwich (she was the support act but I thought she was better than the main act!). This is her at that gig:

I have seen her perform two more times since then, both times in London (once at an open air concert in a park!). The gigs are really nice and often small and cosy, which means I actually got to talk to her – she’s really nice!

I supported her with some money when she decided to produce an album without a record company, and in return I got the album with a really nice handmade cover. It’s one of my favourite cd’s and I listen to it a LOT 🙂 Her first cd used to be in my alarm clock and I’d listen to it every morning!

Anyway, she now has her first official single out! With a video to… This is the video of her song “Go Faster Stripes”. Hope you like it as much as I do!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5bQZuv6vhk]

I could have actually been in this video… would have loved to! Unfortunately it was filmed in the weekend that I spent working to prepare for a meeting 🙁

December update

12/12/2007 Hanneke

Hello!

Wow it’s been a long time since I wrote anything here. It’s been a very busy time! There’s so much to do to prepare for the move to Norway, and of course I also have to work! I’ve had a few important meetings in a row, even worked through some weekends… I’m looking forward to Christmas!

Here are some of the highlights of December so far…

I went home (to the Netherlands) in the first weekend of December, for Sinterklaas! It was fantastic, we had 13 people participating and a huge amount of presents, “surprises” and poems. I’ve laughed so much, it really was an amazing evening with my family. Too bad Paul couldn’t make it this year, as he was preparing for his viva.

Here some photos of this evening:

Kaya with her Nijntje and my sister with her look-a-like 😉

My brother with his new guitar and my dad and Anneke showing him how to play it!

Paul & Kaya, and the “thumbs up” photo – my brother was annoying me by constantly putting his thumb up when I was taking a photo! He soon got everyone to join in, great 😉

Joop & Anneke, and everyone watching the hilarious quiz that my brother had to take

The best surprise of the night: Kaya made this portrait of the whole family for Jan, it’s really great!! She also wrote a poem that describes every member of the family in a funny way.

It was really nice to be at home, even if it was just for a short weekend!

Back in Norwich, I also had a dinner (and secret Santa!) with some very dear girlfriends 🙂

Last Monday I went to a Christmas (folk) concert of Kate Rusby with Paul, Nem and Colin. It was amazing, I just love her voice and her music. I’ve been to three of her concerts now 🙂

Some good news, “we” (Paul!) have found a flat in Tromsø! It’s pretty big and fully furnished. It’s only for 6 months, but that’s fine. It’ll be easier to find something from there, it was quite difficult from here! The view from the balcony looks amazing 🙂

We’re going there on the 30th, I’ll come back sometime in January but not sure when yet. Exciting!

Ok that’s all, I still have some work to finish tonight!

Hanneke

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