Throwback: It's a Small World, after all!!!

When we arrived in Lagos, Nigeria the ladies of the expatriate community were gearing up for a yearly function called the Small World.

Founded in 1996 for a simple fact. The act of giving. 

Giving back to the host nation, Nigeria which has given a lot to them thru raising money for selected local charities. 

a few of the selected charities and the nation that sponsored them this year

Amsterdam: I AMSTERDAM (on my own)

Me and Madam, we go wayyyy back. So much so that we can second guessed each other. We have been in each other's company since the last century....hahahah..not as long as some, but long enough to be able to understand her mood, her reaction and everything in between. You can say I am a student of Madam's 'weather'. The look on her face when she is concentrating, the sound of her voice, what she thinks, the subtle change in her behaviour and worse, the sudden drop of temperature and suddenly the sun doesn't seem to shine bright enough...and a tempest is just over the horizon.  

I look at her, maybe I did something wrong or not to her liking. Can't help it, I was made to annoy her. It's an art that I perfected, and that's how I bump all the other suitors. Men, life is stress enough...inject some humour in your life. Make your partner laugh... that way you can have 2,3 or 4 in one go! Muahahahahahaha! My mantra to Madam, whatever it is you're still Number 1!!!

Now, Madam has very little trust in me. That made our relationship in a way 'spicier' and as a student of Madam's 'weather' I would just push the envelope little by little. To see how far I can go with something without EVER getting caught. And now this, letting me go astray in Amsterdam! Gosh! Even the flag has 3 X's (although it doesn't really mean that, actually..you know Sex). I don't think that's what the founding father's and mother's of Amsterdam had in mind. 

Left alone, I started to walk to a museum that caught my interest. 

The choice was obvious right? 

Zaandam, the walkabout

Province        : North Holland
Municipality : Zaanstad (stad means city)
Main City  : Zaandam (along with several others like Zaandijk, Wormeveer etc)

A river name Zaan, traversing thru the region which emptied into the lake Ij (sound like 'eye'). This region is also famous for its windmills in Zaan Schanse.

A tourist attraction map of Zaanstad, opposite the Stadhuis.
Note the location of Zaandam

Map of the Zaandam area.
Our hotel is at the left most of the map.

Amsterdam: Holland? The Netherlands? Why we go there?

Holland!

The country of tulips, windmills, dijk (dike), City of Amsterdam, museums, trams, bicycles, canals, weed, "coffee shop", space cake, bong, the Red Light District, the VOC (Dutch East Indies Company)..the..ahem.. fabled "Flying Dutchman" ship, Rembrandt and van Gogh...and somehow despite all of these..we totally forgot to mention anything about Netherlands.

The Netherlands

Time to get the facts right... ohhh.. and this is awesome as it was Madam herself in her defence said that it was her who showed me a youtube video on this  Holland vs the Netherlands. I cant remember if she did (thank you for the gift of forgetfulness) until last night she showed me the video...which I've never seen it before (honest)..

Anyway, the gist of the video was this...

1. The Netherlands over has many names over its colourful history.. even one United States of Belgium and Kingdom of Holland etc etc..

2. Holland is not a country..but a province and there are two of them. North Holland and South Holland

3. Those in Holland (North and South) called themselves Hollanders while the rest are Dutch

North Holland

South Holland

North and South Holland in The Netherlands

The Result

Welcome April!

Another month passes by and a few days..I mean about two  weeks passed without any new topic posted in the blog. What else can we talk about, the election of course!

But the timing couldn't just be more perfect for a holiday since it will be the children's spring break and Easter holidays. We are heading to Amsterdam this time. The capital city of weed and Red Light District!... I mean the Netherlands. Madam has been there a few times as her office's HQ is in Amersfoort.

Heading towards the airport

Danfo (to Ogun state, maybe)