|
Photo page 11 |
Monique's birthday is June 15th, but as Holland plays soccer
against Germany that day, she celebrates 2 days early. We have been invited
to Rob's garden, where Roberto creates one of his famous barbecues.
|
As a birthday present we have arranged the cakes. Son had just discovered
a wonderful bakery just opposite the airport. The shop is named Chocolat,
and that is most fitting. The owner cheers up when Son agrees to have the
cakes decorated with high ornaments, adding 3 menhirs of brown sugar to the
chocolate cake, and meringue rolls with cream to the cheese cake. And of
course "mazal tov" signs. Sonja never drove home more carefully! Congratulations
Monique, have a wonderful Jom Hoeledet.
|
Through an employee of the supermarket we get in touch with
Anat, who is absolutely crazy about Holland. She and Sonja go out to
explore the town, and end up in a garden center somewhere near the mountains
which can only be found by locals. Gigantic cacti, tropical trees and lots
of garden ornaments: if we would have a garden, Sonja would have had a field
day.
|
This lizard was hidden in the grove of the garden center. It has adapted
its skin color to the surrounding rocks and is very hard to spot.
|
The last week we have some very local rain: water starts dripping
down from the ceiling of the utility room where the air conditioners and
washing machine are. Clearly there is a leakage in the apartment above us,
but the neighbor there knows nothing and does nothing about it. The house
committee has no budget, and the owner of our apartment does not respond.
Finally, after a week of constant dripping and paint falling down, a plumber
arrives, but as the neighbors do not open the door, he leaves without solving
the problem. Some things can be arranged with lightning speed here in Israel,
but as soon as someone has to pay money it comes to a hold.
|
The front of the utility room: 7 feet of ceiling with
water dripping down. The bird crap gets wets and starts emitting a terrible
smell, and the neighbor downstairs also has leakage. Still nothing
happens.
|
23 June: our ninth wedding anniversary. We celebrate it with again a
barbecue on the balcony. You would almost get the impression we have started
to like barbecuing ;-).
|
The final picture of this shabaton: at the balcony of the flat,
with the sea, the mountains and the clear blue sky reflected in the window.
Tomorrow we will drive to Tel Aviv and board the plane to Holland on Sunday.
That will be a temperature shock: the weather forecast for next week is rain
with a maximum temperature of 17C. Whhhaaattt? SEVENTEEN Celsius!
Mid summer in Holland, and only 17C. Fortunately the winter duvets are
still on the bed, and hot water bottles are at hand.
|
