Turn on the Lights 2013

On Thursday last week one of the big events of the Festive Season kicked off. Yes, it was Turn on the Lights, which those of you with long memories will remember, we first went to last year. I headed into town early and dragged Himself away from his desk in order to get a good spot to see everything!

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We got there with plenty of time and then debated with friends where would be the best spot to stand. You know you’ve been here a while when you randomly run into people you know when the city at large is converging on Dam Square! Which, we did! Would you like to know more?

Happy Birthday! And some housekeeping.

My little blog is growing up! As I become affiliated with more sites, the readership keeps growing each week. It’s hard to believe that it began just 3 short years ago as my weekend wanderings around the Inner West of Sydney.

Happy Birthday little Ghoti Industries Blog!

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In the intervening years I have travelled to Cairns, Christchurch, Paris, Prague, and we now live in Amsterdam in the Netherlands! And through the blog you have all come with me on these adventures. Would you like to know more?

So much has been going on!

First and foremost it must finally be Summer! Windows have begun sprouting school satchels, which means that school is over and someone has passed their exams!

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We had a night celebrating a little while ago, Would you like to know more?

Koninginnedag 2013

Such a massive day yesterday! The last Queens Day for some time to come, as the old Queen (Beatrix) abdicated to make room for her son, the New King Willem-Alexander!

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I didn’t want to miss a minute of it, and I also wanted to make sure I didn’t miss out on seeing things I missed last year.

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So we got up and donned our orange, and headed out on foot through the masses of crowds and street stalls. Would you like to know more?

Lunch

This is what it looks like when I throw you a birthday lunch.

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We had non-traditional bruschetta made with toasted french bread-stick with pesto, sauteed mushrooms, and shaved parmesan cheese (top right). Prosciutto ham and Old Amsterdam cheese sandwiches on heavy Dutch brown bread (top left). Mini bacon and brie frittatas (bottom centre). And double chocolate cupcake/muffins (centre top).

We began with T2 Blue Mountain, before moving on the T2 Very Berry for dessert!

Delicious! Even if I do say so myself! And even if I did set off the smoke detector at one point …

Also, I’ve asked to join an expats blog community to share my experiences with a wider audience. They have a wonderful network of writers and I can’t wait to be able to contribute my own little slice of the world!

ExpatsBlog.com - Where Expats Blog

I’ll update with a link shortly if I get in!