2023-08-01 20:33:30 CET I am back and I have the first work day behind me. With about 5000 emails in backlog and some open support cases assigned to our team it already busy day. Additionally there were some interesting developments in my latest big project that needed some urgent "coordination"...
The trip back from Greece went extremely smooth, everything including packing and leaving the house in Greece, returning the rental car, taking the flight back and getting the car out of the long-term parking in Amsterdam airport and driving back home. We even could perfectly time it to also pick up J's girlfriend K who was waiting for us with home cooked dinner (so sweet) at the tram station.
The routine changed dramatically and started for all of us suddenly today, J with his studying for the exams, H with all the preparation and daily work and I jumped back into the daily work. I must say that it all went great for all of us. Important is to be able to keep the balance and the focus, but not get lost in the daily work too much. We just have to remind our self's about the fantastic time we had and what really is important in life.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-08-01 20:34:35 CET Did you know that today in 1571 is the day when the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus Read more about it on Wikipedia. is concluded, by the surrender of Famagusta.
2023-07-30 13:35:40 CET We are preparing for the last day here in Messini (peninsula of Peloponnesos). It has really been a fantastic time, all the nice things we did and the beauty here is spectacular. Towns or villages like Methony, Pylos and Koroni (the plan is that we will visit it today) were all great. Also, the Greek way of living is very appealing to us, friendly and relaxed.
The boat trip we did yesterday and the evening we had together was magic - memories for a long time. Anyway, we are getting ready to go out in the heat (UV index 10, so thick layer of sun cream on) and explore. The plan is to be back earlier this evening to start packing (I have already checked us in). Not so fun to be busy with but necessary unfortunately.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-30 13:30:33 CET Did you know that today ...I am on holiday in Greece?
2023-07-29 13:35:40 CET We went this morning to the closest supermarket (called AB food market) to buy food for the breakfast - fresh bread and some nice stuff. The home brewed coffee on the terrace and enjoying the view before the heat made wonders too.
OK, we are on our way out for the Proti Cruise boat tour which leaves from the pier not far from Pyros.
2023-07-29 20:55:40 CET We are back from the boat cruise in the Navarino bay. We made 4 stops of which one was at the Sfakteria island. An island with an important history. It started around 400 AD in the war against Spartans, then against the ottomanian in 1825 for independency. We saw French, Italian and Russian monuments raised in memory of these events.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-29 13:30:33 CET Did you know that today ...I am on holiday in Greece?
2023-07-28 13:24:40 CET we are currently enjoying the pool here where we are staying, the fantastic Afentiko Pigadi resort in Menthoni. It is a really nice and relaxed place and we are enjoying every minute.
The trip yesterday to the ancient messene was absolutely spectacular! What an amazing historical finding. The whole place is actually an ancient little village, a whole community that lasted for about 400 years, started around 300 BC.
OK, that is enough with sun/pool time and time for lunch... oh, J is just joining us.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-28 13:18:33 CET Did you know that today ...I am on holiday in Greece?
2023-07-27 13:04:40 CET We are already starting our 4th day of the holiday here in Greece. We have a lot of nice memories and experiences already in this extremely nice location. The weather is extremely hot (if you follow the news, you have probably not escaped the news about the extreme weather conditions in the southern parts of Europe). I think the peak of the heat wave was yesterday, it was simply too hot for visiting the little town and we ended up in the shade on the beach (the very nice beach called Zanzibar beach in Methoni).
For the longest time I have been looking for ways of updating this website from my iPad or even my iPhone and use the existing technology/workflow as much as possible. Some time back I posted something about using dynamic content with Notion and a 3rd party service. it worked fine until the service changed into a paying service (strange pricing). Then I found the Git client called Clone for ios (see details on the bookmark page). I tried it out yesterday (updating the bookmark page) and, until so far, it looks really promising. I am using it to make this post as the first bigger update. I will keep using it and see how well it performs.
Today we will make a trip to see the "acient Messene" which is one of the biggest Amphitheatre of its time. It is about 50 km away, would have taken about 45 minutes in normal conditions/roads, but here it takes 3 times longer.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-27 12:59:33 CET Did you know that today ...I am on holiday in Greece?
2023-07-21 14:30:40 CET This morning both of us slept until 10!!! That is about 2 hours more than what we normally sleep when on holiday. That's unreal!
Most of the day went to drive K (J's girlfriend) to TomorrowlandTomorrowland is, for you who doesn't know it, an unreal experience more than just a concert. Half of Belgium is transformed during these 3 weekends completely supporting the spectacular event that has grown into a global concept. About a million people will attend it..., she is working there this weekend. First she registered in one place, then we had to drive (madness to let her walk alone for so long) to where she had to enter as a crew member.
I also finalized all the preparations for the next trip to Greece - the car rental, the flight and the long-term parking in Amsterdam etc. Most of it should have been done by now.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-22 19:03:33 CET Did you know that today in 2011 is the day when the Norway is attacked Read more about these terrible events on Wikipedia! - first a bomb blast which targeted government buildings in central Oslo, followed by a massacre at a youth camp on the island of Utøya.
2023-07-21 14:30:40 CET I woke up this morning in my own bed and we enjoyed a very relaxed holiday morning. Even though it was a fantastic holiday, loved every second of it. Great plans and everything went perfectly. In fact, it was absolutely one of the best location in Sweden we stayed at. Despite all that, it is always nice to wakeup in your own bed again.
We are just back, unpacking and going through the practical stuff - closing off Sweden holiday and starting the preparations for the upcoming trip to Greece.
In the last post, I stopped just before the Vasa museum excursion. It was as interesting as always. I believe it was my 3rd or 4th visit, but it's many years since last time. I think the youths also appreciated it as it's a very unique experience and impressive museum.
As we were driving back after a full day in Stockholm, we started talking about where I grew up which is not too far away from where we were staying. We basically passed it when driving into Stockholm. J wanted to see it when I asked if I could pass by to show them. It was very interesting to see it again. I think it was 20 years ago since last time. It was great to show him the places and talk about memories as I was driving through the streets where I played as a kid. The coolest thing was when I stopped in front of the house my dad built in 1973 since I saw someone working in the garage. I presented myself and we talked for a little while. I asked if I could take some pictures and it turned out that the person I was talking with is one of the children to the woman who bought it from my parents in 1984...
So after the Vasa museum and all the other memorable things happening, such as meeting up with friend E (drinks at rooftop bar and the dinner at Ångbåtsbryggan), enjoying Rosendal's garden (in the fruit-tree garden where also animals joined in on the great food served there) it was time for H's birthday celebration. I had planned some things in all secrecy together with J and K (I even had some time the day before to find something extra for my wonderful wife). The greatest thing of all is that all the plans, everything we planned in the day just turned out perfectly! From in the early morning until in the late night everything was just perfect. The morning birthday song with all of us, the day excursion to Artipelag The owner of Baby Björn founded this place, read more about it on the home page.. The spectacular exhibition, in true honor of H, was Monet. When the youth went on their own, we went on our own to visit Prince EugenRead more about this very interesting person on Wikipedia. palace at Waldemarsudde (extremely interesting person). We ended the day with drinks at Oumi (fantastic place in Old Town) and then the surprise dinner at Movitz Brilliant restaurant in Old Town of Stockholm! (in Old Town). The atmosphere reached an almost magic level, the food and service to match!
The following day was the very last in Sweden. We cleaned up, packed our stuff into the suitcases stuffed them in the rental car (Opel Mokka, in memory of our little lady cat). The last excursion was a nice lunch in Vaxholm before we had to hurry to Bromma airport. One very memorable holiday!
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-21 14:35:14 CET Did you know that today in 1873 is the day when - at Adair, Iowa - Jesse James and the James-Younger GangRead more about it on Wikipedia. pull off the first successful train robbery in the American Old West.
2023-07-18 10:33:54 CET We are really enjoying the days in Sweden, exploring the sights in and around Stockholm. We are really trying to keep the balance between getting out as much as possible of every day but still keep it relaxed and enjoy it as much as possible.
We took a boat out to Fjäderholmarna and had a great lunch at "Röda Villan", we spent a day in Sandhamn (took the boat from Stavsnäs). We also met up with family and friends; visited my younger brother in Bromma, we drove up to Sågtäkten (outside Hudiksvall) to visit my parents and older brother. Yesterday we met up with friend E for a drink at Bank and the rooftop bar and had a fantastic dinner in the restaurant called Ångbåtsbryggan on Strandvägen. Other cool places and things that stood out was the dinner at Grodan (the one at the royal opera house), cold drinks at the Icebar to celebrate J's girlfriend K's 20th birthday.
Apart from all the sightseeing, we are enjoying the fantastic views where we live in the nature close to a spectacular view of water. The view of the sea gives a special feeling! OK, we are getting ready for another day in Stockholm, the Vasa museum is one of the planned activities...
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-18 10:34:55 CET Did you know that today in 1812 is the day when the Treaties of Orebro Read more about it on Wikipedia. end both the Anglo-Russian and Anglo-Swedish Wars.
2023-07-13 12:32:51 CET Woke up early this morning but slept like a baby after a fantastic day in Stockholm. It was K's birthday yesterday so J and K celebrated it there. J guided them around the sights in Stockholm and only sporadically we met up all together here and there. It was an absolutely fantastic day which created memories for life!
We have been very lucky with the Airbnb house that we rented, the location is great. The house is placed elevated which gives a spectacular view of the sea and we are secluded only surrounded by lush nature.
Today on the schedule is a visit to "Wira bruk" for a quick lunch (very quick if we follow the tempo of the youth) and then we are off to meet up with my brother N. and family. There awaits a gruesome tournament of Kubb followed by a BBQ (if I understand the planning well).
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-13 13:01:46 CET Did you know that today in 1985 is the day when the Live Aid benefit concertRead more about it on Wikipedia. takes place in London and Philadelphia, as well as other venues such as Moscow and Sydney.
2023-07-11 08:57:47 CET Yes, it is holiday! A late night last night (last time I checked the time it was 01:07) and a very early morning this morning, woke up at 05:55. Probably a mix of brain activity and anticipations.
It's a travel day today, first we're off to Zaventem airport to fly to Sweden. Then we'll pick-up the rental car and drive to our Airbnb house. Can't wait to have some time off, to relax and enjoy the days with a mix of nature and city sightseeing and family time. Take the days as they come as much as possible.
I have my drone with me so hopefully I can show some nice footage later on. Next time I update here will be from Sweden. Now we have to get going, drilling the youth to be on time.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. 2023-07-11 09:00:52 CET Did you know that today in 1899 is the day when Fiat Read more about it on Wikipedia. founded by Giovanni Agnelli in Turin, Italy.
2023-07-08 17:17:20 CET Yesterday was a hectic last working day of the week. I still have Monday next week before my holiday, so there are a lot of stuff to prepare.
Later in the evening we were invited for dinner at friend B (and his dog) together with friends M and B. It was really nice company and a lot of laughs. It got late and today it was difficult to get up. I am not in the best shape, let's put it like that. I could however do some administration preparations for our travel, but not much more useful than that.
We are just going to say hello to my parents in law, a visit before our holidays.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. Wed Jul 5 2023, 8:14:41 am CET Did you know that today in 1497 is the day when the Vasco da Gama Read more about him on Wikipedia. sets sail on the first direct European voyage to India.
Wed Jul 5 2023, 8:13:20 am CET It's been extremely windy the last couple of days. I really do not like when it's windy for this long, that constant ripping sound and all the debris from trees shaking. Day and night. That reminds me, I have to fly up with the drone to check the roof and the solar panels as soon it's calmed down.
We heard from J last evening. It's so great to hear from him and all their adventures together, his thoughts and ideas. Stories like the extremely friendly one legged Swedish 39 year old that they felt sorry for and who's been with them the last couple of days. Or the story about when some of the guys - since they did not took the short-cut - got apprehended by the very corrupted police there. After they payed 500€, they got their bikes back and were released. But also hearing his thoughts around how he is thinking about the future trips. Very interesting to hear...
I also have some sad news, one of my Koi fishes - the doitsu-like one - is dead. We found him floating in the pond this morning. It's the one that got sick some time ago (even though I thought he was looking much better). Last time I fed them he did not come up and I remember that I was wondering how he was doing. It's really sad, I reckon he's been with us for about 10-15 years. I will look for pictures of him and post later.
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. Wed Jul 5 2023, 8:14:41 am CET Did you know that today is the birthday of the one and only Bill WattersonRead more about him, the great creator of Calvin and Hobbes! .
Sat Jul 1 2023, 9:04:12 pm CET Another month has started. And it started good, busy but good, I must say. I must say that June ended even more busy than July begun... We are just back from Utrecht after a very nice time with our Dutch friends A and P. It was especially nice this time, we can really talk open and freely with them. Very special friends!
It was "planned" on Friday that J would arrive home (somewhere) during the day. He had been away for a couple of days celebrating his girlfriend's birthday. The problem was that I had an appointment in Brussels on Friday to ..ehum.. change tyres. Yes, into summer tyres. It's a long story starting in February of this year with the accident I had that took months to fix, two missed appointments at the garage...let's leave it at that. I left early to be on time for the appointment... it ended that I was 10 minutes late after have been stuck in traffic on the ring of Antwerp for an hour. I was clearly not going to be able to keep the strict schedule so J got picked up by H while I was waiting to get the tyres fitted.
All worked out fine, J and H arrived safely at home. I finally got the tyres and after another 2 hours in traffic (two accidents on the ring of Antwerp going back) I arrived home and could finally hug and connect with J again. Yes, it doesn't stop there. J was going to a friend the same evening where all his friends would come together to catch a very early flight from Rotterdam to Spain the following morning. We had a very limited time to spend some quality time with our son. The final packing for the trip had to be done too. Well, then all of a sudden we had to let him go again. Now he is away again for a week. Tough to be a parent!
Tomorrow we have another appointment with friends. It's been changed, postponed, cancelled, Changed.... for months. Now finally we all meet up at our place for a lunch. There are people there that I have not seen in years...how about 10 years, I think?
I also have to mention something about upcoming plans. It just hit me that next week is my last working week before our holiday. It will start by us going to my home country Sweden for 9 days together with J and K. We have an Airbnb there outside Stockholm, arranged for a rental car for the time to be able to move around freely. Mobility is so important, maybe the most important ingredient for a successful holiday. OK, then after Sweden, we have booked a real close family trip to Greece again. This time to the mainland but with the same travel agency - the concept of Flight, stay and rental car. Again; flexibility and mobility. Mobility!
Well, that is it. Now it's time to zoom out for a second and then go to bed...
Today in ... is the day... Randomly picked historical events that occurred on this day. Thu Jun 29 2023, 8:15:51 pm CET Did you know that today in 1885 is the day when the Congo Free StateRead about it on Wikipedia. One person responsible for a not very nice period in Belgian history... is established by King Leopold II of Belgium.