Our First Holiday Trip: Alkmaar

This is it! Thomas and Dita finally went for holidays together. No moms, no dads. I was kinda depressed the last few weeks, imagining that I might have no summer holidays in Indonesia this year, which is for me, kinda no holidays for the rest of the year. I asked Thomas to spend some time with me, just for us. Not at home.

I know our financial situation is actually not that good to afford long holidays in a good hotel including transport and foods etc. So, Thomas kindly asked his uncle who lives in Alkmaar (NL) whether we may stay over for a few days in his house. And he said YES! So, this is a start of our journey :)

We caught up on our train on Thursday, March 17th at 7:50 in Lindern. Change trains in Herzogenrath, Heerlen and Utrecht. We arrived there around 12. Thomas was in Alkmaar 10 years ago. And Alkmaar has been changed within these years. However, Thomas finally found the way to Jürgen's house. So, his house was so neat and pretty and clean. I love it. We looked around the house and put our stuff in the guest room, which was quite small with the double bed, but I totally love it. Somehow. Nice, colorful (eventhough lil bit pink dominant) room and bed sheet. Thomas said, the house hasn't change so much after more than 10 years. I was really hungry, so we went to Alkmaar city center. I haven't been in Holland for 4 years, was quite shocked seeing the prices in front of the restaurants (I forgot to bring cash with me! Stupid me. Haha). Anyway, we decided to eat in a Greek restaurant. I think it was delicious (or I was too hungry ;)). Then we walked around the city center. Thomas showed me some places he knew from the past. Jürgen wrote us a letter that he would be back at around 17:30. So, we actually wanted to sit in a small cafe, enjoying tea and dutch dessert. But suddenly Thomas got stomachache. So we decided to run away back home. After a few time arriving at the house, Simone (Jürgen's girlfriend) came home. Around 17:30 Jürgen arrived home as well, but he still needed to go to see his therapist first. So, Thomas and I took a small walk to a small supermarket behind the house that also hasn't changed after 10 years.

on the way to the supermarket

Jürgen was back and he brought us to the beach (Egmond aan Zee). He actually wanted to eat in a restaurant right on the beach, but full. So we went somewhere there on foot. Restaurant De Oude Clipper. I love the place. They have ship inside the restaurant as the bar, surrounding with water with some gold fish in it. Nice fine dining restaurant. I ordered fish platte and dame blanche as dessert. Yummy! Then we went back home.

We finally went to the beaaaaccchhh!!! We love see! 

On the next day (Friday, March 18th), Thomas and I stayed in bed longer after waking up so early on Thursday. And I was basically K.O after those days (I worked the whole day on Monday, travelled directly afterward to Aachen for the DAGA, so yes, I was at DAGA for the whole Tuesday and Wednesday, and still went to the band practice on Wed night). Jürgen came back after half-day work and took us to Zuiderzeemuseum. It was unfortunatelly closed. So we went further to Batavia Stad. It was like in Wertheim, factory outlet heaven with a Batavia ship on the other side. We decided for a tour on the ship. The tour was just for four of us (Thomas, his uncle, his uncle's girlfriend, and me) guided by a middle age dutch man who speaks also german. So he explained everything in german (as Simone understands german quite well). Batavia Ship is a ship that used to bring the Dutches from Amsterdam to Jakarta and spices and indonesian slaves or women from Jakarta to Amsterdam. The ship was remade and had not the original size. Though, it was still impressive and to operate such a ship, you need LOTS of physics and mathematics. Sounds like fun. But no, I don't want to travel with that ship to Jakarta. No thanks. Hahah. So, we continued our journey to Enkhuizen find something to eat (I was starving). And yeah again, we went for fine-dining there in De Drie Haringhe. Note: we didn't pay a cent. The food was soooo delicious. I love my roast beef appetizer with truffle mayo and breast duck for the main course. So well cooked!

on the Batavia Ship

Eckhuis

Jürgen challenged me to cook some indonesian food for dinner. I took the challenge and cooked opor ayam with tofu and eggs as well. With no instant spices. Yeah, I was good. LOL. So yeah, we went shopping for the dinner in Alkmaar city center on Saturday. We went first to a toko. And I felt like in heaven!! Indonesian food everywhere!! But I knew what I want: Spekoek! (Ind: Kue Lapis or Lapis Legit).Thomas made Bakwan Jagung(proud girlfriend lah!)and Jürgen was responsible for the appetizer (Thai soup). The opor was at last successful, after worrying because the opor tasted so plain at first.

Alkmaar city center

On Sunday, Jürgen invited us to watch Cirque du Soleil Amaluna in Amsterdam. I was surprised and told Thomas about the price of the tickets we got from his uncle. Amaluna was super cool. Lots of Chinese people doing the acrobatics. Amazing show. Then we splitted. Thomas and I continued our trip to Leiden to meet Jenov and Christoph there. It was so nice of them to show us Leiden. Leiden is nice, very dutch (you know, windmills, grachtfahrten, bridges and even sold cathedral...). They have also a small burg, where you can see Leiden from above and the oldest university in the Netherlands. Then we ended in an italian restaurant V.I.P (Very Italian Pizza). They had a very delish salmon pizza and tartufo! Jenov ordered Ravioli with truffle sauce, it was delicious!

Amaluna, Amsterdam

Double date in Leiden

 Monday is the day to go back. I was kinda sad. The trip was so nice and that day we couldn't meet Jürgen before our departure. We had said goodbye to him the night before. Nevertheless, we met Simone, said goodbye to her. We went first to the supermarket, bought something for home, headed to Linnich again and can't wait for the next trip :)

Bye Alkmaar! Til next time :)