A louder 'Halleluja'!

Sorry, I feel like I overdid it a little bit, with the amount of pictures... But the internet connection is so fast, plus, I'm so very happy to show them to you. Even if it's 2.30 am.
They're definitely not in chronologic order, except for the last one; its one which I took today, a couple of hours ago.


I would almost start to like this flag...

Tompkins Square Park.

The Great Lawn, Central Park.


Took this while I was in East River Park.

Cherry blossoms.

In Harlem.

Vierkante Tijd. (Times Square.)

What a country...

What a squirrel...

And what was I lucky to have my camera ready :)

Guess: Little Italy, Chinatown, or the Bronx?

Brooklyn Bridge.

Halifax Airport, while I was waiting for my bag. Oh, so lonely.

Memorial for fallen soldiers. In Battery Park, on the Southern tip of Manhattan, where the Dutch settlers, and countless immigrants after them, arrived. Great memorial, probably the best I've ever seen.

Jep. Taking this picture was dangerous. For sure.

Wish I would dare to take more of these kind of pictures.

Trinity Church, founded in 1697. Lower Manhattan.

Playground in Chinatown.

Manhattan Bridge, in the back Brooklyn Bridge. Buildings you see are Brooklyn, while I'm standing on the Eastside of the Island of Manhattan.

Central Park. Again :)

Ahhh. Evening sun... I feel as if I can never, ever, see or experience, too much of it.

Street in East Village, last Friday.

Took this one, only a couple of hours ago; it's the street where the pope was staying. Countless cops.

Speciaal voor zusje

Halleluja!

It's incredible how good it makes you feel to see some... thing... back, after missing it for just two weeks. And it's not even warm when you hug it. Let alone that it hugs you back...
You probably guessed right; my large backpack was dropped off yesterday, at the hostel in Harlem, where I used to stay :D
After the fourth completely sunny day in a row (which I used to discover East Village, its little park, and the surrounding neighbourhoods, with its parks too), I stopped by, to check if it was true what the DeltaAirlines-guy told me in the morning. (Are you noticing that I'm getting a bit suspicious?) The hostel is just around the corner, and even on the same block, as where Irene works, anyway. I hang around at his workplace a lot.
That's why I bought a book which claims 'You will learn to think in Spanish and you will know the beauty and rhytm of spoken Spanish.' Sweet, eh? And that for only fourteen dollars!

But from now on, I can read my bible again too! Seriously, that the best thing. And technically, I can go for a run, just don't know if I'll dare. Am getting more than enough odd looks in this hood, without running around :)
But I've more than enough fresh clothes now, of course. My bag turned into some magic treasure holder.

And I was going to say that I can FINALLY show you some pictures, and I already got started on selecting, because today the charger for the laptop arrived too. So, all computer trouble should be over from now on (I was fixing the charger every other day, stripping plastic from wires, twisting wires into eachother, wrapping tape around it). But it seems that I'm a complete jerk. At least...
I barely dare to tell you, but after a second search (first one very, very, well done, by the American customs; what a mess!), it seems that my camera chords are still at my bookshelf in my parents house... Darn!!

First thing tomorrow, after church. Digital camera shop, some where in New York. Don't know why I didn't come up with that plan a little earlier...
Now it's off to bed for me. While I can hear some children play outside on the street. And hear their mums talk and laugh. In the distant I hear a police car. Some teenagers are screamig at eachother.
Even with the two windows open, I wont need a blanket tonight, that's how warm it is.

Lotte in NYC - update

Hi there!

Yeah. I guess I actually do have some news for you. As far as I got some things clear now, I could try to enter Canada as a visitor. But even if they will let me in, they will track my steps, and I can't do any work till I get a work permit. And, of course, if I'll work before I get the permit, and something bad happens, me and some farmer will be in more than just 'some' trouble.
First step, for the permit, is a criminal check from the Dutch Ministry of Justice, via my home town hall. Which may take weeks. And after that, there's still the application for the permit itself. Which takes weeks. For sure. Guess NewYork will get to know me a little better. Or is it the other way around? :)
And after an unknown number of weeks, I should be able to pick up my old plan.

Still no pictures. 'Cause till last Thursday, there was this mix of hope, and thoughts, in me, which made me believe I was leaving the US in this past weekend. That's why I hadn't made the phone call to get my bag from Halifax into NY again. But now my bag should be on its way tomorrow.

I'm staying at a friends (Irene) place in the Bronx now. Hope I can find some illegal work to keep the costs of staying in this expensive city down. Plus, I want to have something to do too. Something more than visiting the laundromat, which I will do tomorrow. One of those real one's, you know. With huge washing machines. And two hours waiting.
By the way, spring has been hitting this city the past week; lots of the trees are in full pinkish bloom. Am enjoying some spring air in my t-shirt and summer jacket, walking around some blocks, here in the Bronx. Or in Harlem, where Irene works.

Show you some pictures as soon as possible.
For now, good night.

Work permit needed

Spoken of warm welcomes...
Can barely believe in how short of a time period, things can change, turn around, flip over. BIG time. And I'm surprised by how fast a human-being is able to adjust.

In short; I'm at the Halifax Backpackers Hostel right now, but I'm being deported back into New York City, tomorrow afternoon. To make sure I'll show up at the airport, they seized my passport.
And because it took the Immigration Service so long to do some paperwork, Delta Airlines had more than enough time, to loose my big backpack. Sigh... The only thing they know for sure about it, is that it wont be there, when I'm flying out tomorrow.
I have to stay in the United States till some paperwork is taken care of.

Guess that the good thing, is, that this time, I know my way around in NYC. And they can't take that Tim Hortons hot chocolate, plus bagels, from my stomach. And I've seen beautiful Nova Scotia already (awesome landscape, lots of forests with rocks, icy lakes etc. And my friendly, personal, bus driver told me that Halifax is the second largest harbor in the world, and the first place in Canada where Europeans settled).
And they have free internet in this hostel, so I will be able to upload some pictures for you. And I can go pick up the dirty socks which I left under the bed in the other hostel.

But that's about it. For the rest, it's just a pile of shit. Travel ALL the way back for some stupid paper. Fly, to NYC (probably two flights; over Boston again). Take the airtrain to the subway. Get a subway pass again. Be in the subway to a hostel downtown for an hour again...
But I just came up with another good thing; I don't have to carry my big clumsy back anymore!
Don't worry about me. Canada doesn't block me out this easily...

Lotte is in New York City

First of all, I have two confessions to make. I sinned, and I'm addicted.
I said yes to somebody who offered me a drink, and before I knew it, I was holding one of those Star Bucks-cups... And I'm addicted to the smell of the laundromats. They're everywhere, with their ventilationsystems. Just wish I could store that smell somewhere...

Anyway. New York.
Tuesday we had this really warm wind, some showers and a grey sky. Wednesday was a blue sky for the whole day, chilly wind in the morning and nice and warm later on. Yesterday was ok, and today it's grey and rainy.

Some observations.
Lots of people chewing gum with their mouth open. Not so many tourists around here, and the ones I see are Americans themselves. It surprised me to see that there are people (mostly fat Americans), who actually wear the the I love NY-tshirts... There are lots of gangsta's on the street. And businessmen, some black, some even with hats :) There are choppers in the air, non-stop. This is the first place in the world where I saw a flag inside a church. All fire trucks, and there are many of them, are carying a big flag as well.

Been all over Central Park, seen the Strawberry Fields, Columbus, the Woodlands, etc. There seems to be a continuous marathon being held in the park, it makes me feel unhealthy. I totally love the parks here anyway, I got lost in one really big one, above Manhattan, and I ended up at a golfcourt during sunset, just hoping the gates weren't closed :)
But you find whole sportsteams practicing on the public (?) field. And little 5-year olds running around some tracks. And lots of joggers. And dogs. And combinations of them.

Haven't done anything really. Didn't visit some building, or museum, but walked around, took a subway, walked around some more. And more. And more. Talked with some people. Bought some food.
In Harlem, in Little Italy, through SoHo (tried to find Moby, to compliment him with his new album), East-Village, all through huge China town, have seen all sides of Central Park, spend hours walking in Brooklyn, even been to Coney Island and all the way down south in Manhattan, where the harbours are. Saw the little, lonely, Statue of Liberty, far, far away. Entered some churches, as well as the chapel near ground zero, which was real impressive. Walked all the way to Brooklyn over Brooklyn Bridge; half an hour after leaving the bridge, the traffic was still running through my head.
As a white girl, I am a minority most of the time, sometimes (most of the time) everybody is black, sometimes all Mexican. Or Chinese/Asian. Or Jewish. Or white, and businessmen :)

Had two toasted bagels, with butter, for breakfast, which I ordered in the back of a little grocery in Harlem, just as a lot of school kids did. Ate Mexican strawberries for lunch, bought at a corner in downtown Manhattan.
Men, my feet are tired, and so are my legs. My shoulders are still sour from my hike on Mondaynight. But I'll get out, enjoy a last day in this city.

By the way, not able to plug my camera into this computer. I know pictures would say a lot more than all these words about places you can't see. Sorry for that. Have to wait a little longer...

" Welcome to the United State of America"

Yeah right. I would almost believe it. Left fingerprint. Right fingerprint. Picture. No, no smiling!! What are you here for? Why do you want to get into the U.S.A.? How fast are you leaving again?

Still I already know that four, five days in the fascinating city wont be enough. I feel as if I want to live here for a year. Maybe I'll get back on that point, but that's something else.
I sat down on a rock in Central Park, eating my muesli-bread.
Already used the subway quite a lot, although that's not necesarry a good sign.
Saw hundreds of those yellow taxi's. And all the huge cars. And crazy people on the subway. And a little lost-looking tourist, with one big and one litte backpack.

I'm getting out into Manhattan. Score some breakfast.

Bah. Bye.

The last three, four, five, days have been crammed. Every second was filled; with a last night of doing the dishes (I washed approximately 5000 plates during my contract-time), a last day at the hospital-restaurant, a last (sliding-)training, a very nice party at my house (with one great result; my goodbye present to the house; the lower part of the toiletdoor is missing now :), my very last game (won with 8-1 :D), a last beer, wave and bye at Confide, C.S.R., and yesterday, it was time for me to close the heavy Perron 0 front-door, for the very last time that I was officially living there. And sometimes, sometimes...., I slept!
So many goodbye's. Collegues phoning me from other buildings, to tell me I should be carefull. Little presents. Goodbye-hugs from old friends at my parents church. Cake. Hugs, and lots of the three dutch kisses in the changing-room. Beer for me during the break in the game, more little presents and beer afterwards. One extra beer after work at LEF. Everybody seems to know that I'm leaving.
And I hate it.

But somehow, I felt like saying goodbye to all the 'I-do-recognize-and-greet-you-but-I-don't-even-know-your-name' kind of people, who I see walking around in Delft. The guys from the snackbar in our street. The cute, quiet doctor I always hope to see at the restaurant of the hospital. The lady at the supermarket. Guys from the footballteam. Neighbours in the street.

Anyway. The goodbye's are almost over. Only some of the ones closest to me, to go.
Than it's time for hi's and hello's. To old friends, and, I guess, to new one's as well.

Easter

2200 christian students, from all over Europe (from 40 different countries) visited Linz, Austria, for the Easter- weekend for a conference of IFES. Services, biblestudy, praying, free time, talks, live music, some sleep, and some more service, worship-music and talks.

The gym at the Kreutzwesternschüle in Linz.

Dinnerhall, everybody got a meal within an hour(!)

Some views; one afternoon we took the steepest railway in Europe, or the world.

Sundaymorning véry early. A park in town, filled with all those students. Trumpets. Halleluja. Singing. Celebrating.

(And cold feet.)

Mhmm. Easter-breakfast.

Main hall, used for services, talks, worshiptime, concerts, etc.

Two well-used free hours (a day) in the afternoon :)

The perfect son-in-law...

Long story cut short; we had to take the train back, instead of the car. Little accident, because of snowfall. This is in the first train, feet still frozen.

Germany.

Sleeping Maaike.

Sleeping Roy.

Sleeping Roel.

We lived in 8, or so, different trains. From 6.30 am till 9.30 pm.

Barcelona!

For four full days, five nights (at a youth hostel), we walked through Barcelona. Arrived Thursday at the end of the day, left Tuesday morning early. We didn't use public transport at all; our feet, legs and knees had enough of it, on Monday night (to be honest also already during the day). My mum and sister envited me on their citytrip, which was tons of fun. In a beautiful, warm city.
Barcelona is a clean city, with a relaxed atmosphere, situated at the Mediterranean sea.

Arc the Triomphe

Some work of Gaudí. He's everywhere in this city.

The Cathedral of Barcenola.

First view at the Sagrada, seen from the roof of the Cathedral.

Colombus, at a height of 50 metres, looking out over the Mediterranean sea.

Quite some picture's of Gaudí's masterpiece; the Sagrada Família. It's defenitely one of the best churches I've ever seen; the whole building is drenched with praise to our Creator. And it hasn't even been finished yet! Lots of things are based on nature, and eventhough it is a place crowded with tourists, the sculptures are so impressive, that the passion of Christ hit me again.

You see the church is still open, scaffolds are everywhere. Should be finished in 2025.

Front.

Impressive.

La Rambla, the busy boulevard which leads to the old port.

National flag, with that lovely clear blue sky as background.

La Pedrera (Gaudí again), with some enthousiast family members.

At Olympic park Montjuïc.

Pool (with view over Barcelona), which is mostly enjoyed by sea-gulls at this moment...

Swiss and French alpes. One hour and fifty minute flight.

We experienced some véry sunny days (even for Barcelona, at this time of year), so we ended up with our eyes closed, faces towards the sun, on a bench, or in a park, every once in a while... Delicious.

Check that fresh, full, green grass... Spanish mothers talking to their children. The birds singing their songs. Sun. Relaxation.