Bike Ride to Germany

The weather was beautiful on Saturday and instead of wasting it inside catching up on American TV shows that we miss or reading our books, we decided to go on a bike ride to Germany. We literally live minutes from the border but is still weird for me to say “bike ride to Germany.”  The closest I’ve lived to another country’s border was when we lived in Syracuse, NY and were a few hours away from the Canadian border. When wanting to visit another country, I’m used to double checking on my passport’s presence and then boarding some sort of train/plane/boat/or automobile. So the fact that we rode our bikes over a border without a passport is still a little mindboggling.

It was so anti-climatic. We literally rode on a little path with overgrown bushes on both side and saw the Duitsland sign. Once we left the “secret” (using the adjective “secret” makes it seem a little more adventurous) path the only thing that made us realize we were no longer in the Netherlands was that the road signs were now in German. My Dutch is still pretty basic but now I recognize more road signs. While in Germany, I had to use Gearoid to translate.

I’m jumping the gun though. We left the house with me nervous about how long Gearoid was going to have me ride a bike and him nervous that I would become a shrieking shrew if it became too difficult. I don’t mind riding bikes but Gearoid is like the Energizer Bunny. He can ride and ride and ride whereas I need limits. How long or what’s our destination? Also, if I am in some combination of hungry, tired, overexerted, thirsty, hot, cold, or have to use the bathroom he’s in the danger zone.  So of course to go to Germany, we had to go up. The Netherlands is pretty much flat with a few random hills to mess with me. There is a place referred to as the 7 Hills which of course is the way we went to get to Germany. Gearoid and I both got off lucky though. He was only called “annoying” once in English and Dutch (vervelend!) by the shrieking shrew (i.e. me) and the hills although challenging were actually enjoyable- especially the extremely fast down hills.  It helped that the weather was just right- not too hot or too chilly- and the landscape was beautiful. The 7 hills gave the landscape a “rolling” effect and everything was in Technicolor. The fields were so green and if they weren’t filled with onions or chard there were usually several horses enjoying the greenery. Right before we entered the secret path to Germany, we happened upon a historical landmark that indicated that the fields we were passing were used as a runway for planes during WWII. I know the States has history but it is quite fascinating to me to just happen upon a field that was used during a significant period of history.

We then crossed over to Germany and enjoyed the now German scenery to a little town called Kranenburg. The town was honestly a little creepy. For a Saturday, it was very quiet with no open shops and few people walking about. We did manage to find some open cafes near a fountain artistically depicting a couple of bulls and decided to stop for a drink and lunch before heading back to the Netherlands.

The total round trip distance was 17 miles. It was enough for me but has Gearoid dreaming of a bicycle trip to the Black Sea this summer.

Marikenloop

I originally joined my running club here to begin running again and to meet people. I also picked up some Dutch words. I joined the beginners group and our ultimate goal was to be able to finish a 5K by the end of the 6 weeks in a reasonable amount of time. The Marikenloop happened to fall at the end of the 6 weeks. It is a really unique 5K in which only women (and about 10,000 of them) are allowed to participate. Donations raised are sent to programs that empower and educate girls in Africa.

I have run many 5Ks before, admittedly some slower than others, but I’ve always finished. The women in my running club are pretty fit looking women and for many of them the idea of running the 5K was scary. There also seemed to be some kind of idea that you would fail if you walked at all. In fact, last year a woman died participating and this year a woman was rushed to the hospital where she ended up receiving angioplasty.  I know more competitive people (i.e. Gearoid) who believe the time is what matters. I firmly believe that finishing alive and breathing is the most important thing. I did have to stop myself for a 30 second break because the feeling of needing to throw up was interfering with my need to breathe. In the end though, I ran 99.9% of the race and finished at a personal best at 33 minutes and 26 seconds. It was a proud moment and I was happy to meet with my running group buddies and Gearoid at the finish line.

The Marikenloop was very similar to many of the 5Ks I’ve run at home with a few differences:

1)      Warm ups- Warm ups were pretty intensive.  In the States, it’s everyone for themselves. I often saw people running as a warm up before the race and had the attitude that I wasn’t going to run anymore than necessary. However, my running group warmed up with stretches and a brief run around the park and the Marikenloop had a professional on stage leading us through stretches and Zumba-like moves. It contributed to the festive atmosphere though and it eradicated my usual feeling of “Why the hell am I doing this” when I first start with stiff legs and cold lungs.

2)      Cattle herding- So there were no cows present but we were herded like them. When you register for the race you have to estimate how long it may take you. The day of the race you receive a personalized bib with your name and a color dot that determines what fenced in area you will wait in before the race. When I signed up, it must have been at the beginning of my training because I marked 45 minutes and ended up the green group. Green didn’t mean “go” though and I was in the last pen with the rest of the slower runners.  Luckily, a couple of girls from my running club also made this mistake and joined me in the green pen. I thought maybe I would sneak up to the orange group which estimated a 35 minute finish time but people were actually at the opening of the pens checking your dots. You could be slower but you couldn’t be faster. It makes sense. I’ve been in races in which posters bob around uselessly in the places where you should be (6 minute mile runners, 12 minute mile runners, walkers, etc) but inevitably some walkers want a closer view of the “action” at the beginning and clog up the runners or a person overestimates his/her ability and suddenly bends over panting a quarter of a mile in making a runner behind him/her nearly trip and fall. So overall, cattle herding although a little demeaning was useful.

3)      Metric System- Even races in the states call themselves 5Ks or 10Ks, but the markers along the way are in miles. A 5K is 3.1 miles, and although there are more kilometers they go by quicker. Ok, I know distance is distance but it was nice to see the 1K marker much sooner than I would the 1 mile marker. When I was struggling to the 3K marker I reminded myself that it was pretty close and wouldn’t you know it but it was! In fact, it was much closer than the 3 mile marker which was like 2K away. I haven’t fully embraced the metric system since being here but I do find kilometers a lot more motivating than miles.

4)      Flowers- The Dutch love their flowers and bouquets. At the finish line around the starting area there were free yogurt samples, lockers, porta-potties, smoothie stands, beer gardens, an ice cream truck, a bounce house for kids and the most amusing area- a flower stand. An informational email sent before the race even bragged about the flower stand. What’s even more amusing is how many people who finished the race were carrying around bouquets of flowers. Viewers at the finish line held bouquets to bequeath on to their loved ones after they crossed the finish line and received their free bottle of water and medal commemorating their success. Although it is a very sweet and sentimental gesture, if you ever come to watch me finish a race please bequeath on me a giant bag of peanut M&Ms instead of flowers. M&Ms would be much more appreciated by me.

5)      Late starting time- The race didn’t begin until 1PM. Most of the races I’ve done in the States begin early in the morning so that normal traffic patterns can resume as soon as possible. Also, as a runner you have the rest of your day to enjoy/recover/whatever. My morning was spent trying to eat the right amount for energy but not too much so I wouldn’t feel it bouncing in my stomach, trying to drink the right quantity of water so I was hydrated but didn’t have to use the bathroom too much, trying to warm up but not too much so I didn’t use all of the energy from the limited food and hydration from the right quantity of water- you know the usual stuff but for an extended period of time.  By the time I got home, I felt like the day was practically over. However, there is a reason for this madness. People from all over the Netherlands participate in the Marikenloop. The race is at 1PM so people can be greener (referring to the environment and not the level of slowness you may run) and take the train to the race instead of driving. The country is small enough that everyone can participate.  Coming from such a giant country, I never even considered this.

Differences aside it was great race for an even greater cause. It was also nice to see an audience of mostly men at the finish line.  

Queen’s Day or Koninginnedag

On April 30^th, the Dutch people celebrate Queen’s Day. It is a celebration of the Queen’s birthday, although it’s not really her birthday but her mother’s. The Queen’s actual birthday is in January but the weather is generally nicer in April for a day of outdoor drinking/celebration.  Other than outdoor drinking, Queen’s Day is also known for the amount of orange people wear (the official color of the Royal house), outdoor concerts, and flea markets. Queen’s Day is the only day in which people can sell stuff on the street without a permit or- this is shocking for the Netherlands- not pay taxes! In this tax crazy country (in my opinion- I mean you have to pay taxes on your dog) the Dutch, who also enjoy discounts, go all out to buy secondhand items without having to pay taxes.   

The biggest secondhand market in Nijmegen is held in Goffert Park which happens to be two blocks from our house. On the way to the flea market, it was funny to see people dressed in orange balancing the items they bought on their bikes. Unfortunately, at the park there were so many people that it was difficult to see what was being sold. Gearoid and I looked at used rollerblades and for tiny baking dishes to use in our tiny “oven”. From what we could see, people were selling all types of things: old clothes, books, toys, electronic wires, dishes, etc. If you looked hard enough, you could probably find anything you wanted. Other people took advantage of the crowds and sold pieces of cake and cups of coffee.  Children got into the spirit of the day as well by setting up games and performing instruments for a small fee.  One girl was literally making money by asking people to drop coins onto an X in the bottom of the bucket. If you hit the X you got to keep your money but most people just let her keep it.  In the end, the crowds overwhelmed us and we just left with a Dutch DVD that cost us 1 euro and the experience of having experienced the flea market at Goffert Park. 

After Goffert Park, we braved more crowds in the city center. We had to park our bikes outside of the center because of lack of parking and walked the short distance into town where around almost every corner there seemed to be a band playing or a makeshift bar set up. We eventually ventured to another secondhand sale where we bought books (surprise- imagine Gearoid or me leaving a secondhand place without buying books) and enjoyed the latest artwork- a giant bunny you can climb inside. Although, the biggest outdoor concert is in Amsterdam, Nijmegen also put on a free concert which was quite nice. After the concert, we made our way home to end the day with a nice piece of Queen’s Day Cake.

General Update (a little late in posting)

After last week’s adventures, things have been pretty low-key in the Martens-Millar household. So not having too much to say, I just wanted to give an overall update of what’s been happening.

•       Easter- This weekend was Easter and being in the Netherlands, Gearoid had a 4-day weekend. It was really nice to have him home and it helped that the weather was beautiful. We’ve had more than a week straight of pure sunshine and warmth. We thought about taking a day trip to Belgium but decided that for this brief vacation we would enjoy the comforts of home. We also had a ton of Easter chocolate to get through. From what we gather, Easter in the Netherlands is a time to spend with friends and family. Our landlords had non-stop visitors all weekend long. There are also special sales on Easter Monday. I happened to be in the town center on Monday and enjoyed watching the crowds, listening to Dutch polka music, walking through a giant balloon tent shaped like a yogurt cup (they were passing out free yogurt), and buying some of the recently picked regional strawberries. I think the nice weather contributed to the festive atmosphere. 

•       Immigration- I am still on a tourist Visa here in the Netherlands. We’ve made a couple of calls inquiring about paperwork and the responses have been disappointing. I finally got a person and not an automated voice in regard to my apostille that I requested back in January. Instead of being mailed to my house as requested, it was mailed back in March to the U.S. consulate in Amsterdam. When I called the consulate, I was told they had received it but it was damaged and they have requested a new one. Nobody bothered to inform me of any of this. Then Gearoid’s HR person called the immigration office to find out where my registration and work permit are. The response they gave went something like this,” It should be ready but it’s not. I don’t know why.” So at this point, nobody knows why my immigration paperwork hasn’t been processed. At least it’s not just me. A more recent phone call revealed that my paperwork was misfiled and the processing of my immigration status hasn’t even begun.
•     Gearoid’s work- Gearoid’s work is going well. He likes his office and the people he works with. In fact, a new colleague recently moved to Nijmegen from the same neighborhood I lived in the States! What a small world.  Gearoid’s days are filled with finishing articles to submit for publication, finding funding for future research back in Africa, and preparing for his one class a week.  It really is a good work environment for him.
•     Natasha’s hobbys- I’m still taking Dutch classes twice a week and am hopefully (fingers crossed) closer to getting a language buddy. I’m sharing another American’s buddy next week and I’m excited to use my Dutch which basically consists of ordering at cafes and talking about the weather. The bike lessons are going well. I mostly direct women from driving into the bushes because the language barrier prevents any actual advice but it’s nice to feel like I’m contributing in some way. I also recently joined a planning committee for a festive day at the refugee center. The day should include a football match, music performances, children’s activities, and pampering for the women. So far planning has been good- mainly because our first meeting was in English- but I’m excited to help other people living in limbo in a foreign country. For all my complaints, I know and appreciate that I have an immensely easier situation than these people.
•       Socks- For about 8 years now, I have been an off/on knitter. I would go through phases in which I would spend a few months on a scarf or a pair of socks. I spent most of last year knitting a blanket. Most of my knitting was done while I was watching bad TV or movies so I would feel a little productive but often I was too tired after work to do more than a couple of lines. Well not working has boosted my knitting productivity. In the last couple of months I have knitted 4 pairs of socks with more to come. Gearoid and I debate whether I can sell them but most likely (SPOILER ALERT) they will be Christmas gifts for friends and family.

•       Bluntness- Most of our Dutch culture books warned us about how the Dutch are blunt and it often comes across as rude to people from other countries. My landlady, who enjoys practicing her English with me and letting me walk her Great Dane puppy (I enjoy it too), has even mentioned to me that she doesn’t want to say anything inadvertently rude to me. Those of you who have met my family and boyfriend know that it takes a lot to offend me and the blunt comments I have experienced (i.e. You gave up your job to move here with him!) have appeared merely inquisitive. However, recently I don’t know if I was especially sensitive or if people have been actually rude. In the town center last week, a shirtless thuggish looking man yelled “F**k you b**ch” at me after I declined to speak Dutch or English with him. However, the sly comment from a woman saying the Great Dane puppy was smarter than me because it understood Dutch stung a little more. I’m leaning towards rude.
•             Bugs- I have always been a bug magnet. If there are 10 people in the room and 1 mosquito- I am the one that gets bitten. I don’t even have to be in the room. With the warmer weather come bugs. We have large beautiful windows that are our only source of fresh cool air in the house, so we keep them open most of the time. The problem is the windows don’t have screens and so bugs have been travelling through our house. I don’t find these bugs as offensive as the ones that think I’m a human windshield while riding my bike. While cycling from place to place, I avoid bugs in the eyes and mouth with sunglasses and a closed mouth. However, a quick glance at my shirt reveals an assortment of bugs just hanging out and catching a ride. If you haven’t seen it before, check out Bee Movie. There is a scene on a windshield that perfectly describes what’s happening on my shirt( including Chris Rock’s voiceJ ).

Sorry for the boring blog. I hope to have more exciting things to post very soon!