Visit to Katwijk

Side street in Katwijk

I still haven't mastered the name of the town we will be living in starting Friday, but I'm getting a little better. Tonight after work, I even ventured out to explore the town.  Sharon and the kids will be dead tired when I pick them up on Friday, and even Sharon's masterful powers of navigation might be dampened by sleep deprivation.  I thought a dry run might be a good idea.

It's a charming little town.  I walked along the short canal that our apartment is on, up through the town and to the North Sea (a 5 minute walk away), where I had dinner at the "Key West."  With both U.S. and pirate flags it was some sort of homage to the Florida Key island, but for what reason, I do not know.

I had a tasty burger, explored two small grocery stores (both of which frightened my a little, I will admit), and then gave up on my search for a hair dryer for Sharon and Emma.  I will attempt that quest again tomorrow.

Another discovery of the day....currency exchange stations are a ripoff.  Sharon was going to bring traveler's checks with her (yes, we're old...the guy at the bank told us so), so I was looking for the exchange station at the central train station.  The current exchange rate is $1.31 for a euro.  The exchange broker will buy my Euros for $1.22 and sell them to me for $1.44.  So, I figured out that the ATM fees are much cheaper than the exchange rate ripoffs.  As my colleague pointed out, it is more profitable to own a bank than to rob one.  But the owner and the robber both look like thieves to me!

I needed Him at the train station today.

My last discovery--an admission, really--is that I'm sorta digging mayonnaise on my french fries.  Like Vincent and Jules, the idea seemed gross at first, but I figured, "when in Rome..."  Now I will admit that I quite like it.  Plus the french fries here are great no matter where you get them.  You would think Americans would have the best fries (or the French, I guess), but nope.

"They f***in' drown 'em in that sh**."