The next treasure found
Door: ibrahiminnederland
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Ibrahim
04 April 2010 | Nederland, Utrecht
Wednesday (03/31) I had to say goodbye to Carole to meet Ernest in Amsterdam, where he was waiting for me. Then we had to find another train to Utrecht. It was a very nice journey. Only for me to realize that Utrecht was such a very big city too. It had a very big train station, at least 20 platforms. This was really amazing to see the railways. We did some shopping for dinner at the train station. Quite a lot of people walking up and down. After a while we had to go again by train to Lunetten. This was also a very nice and quiet community. Ernest had newly moved in that house. So he was worried that it was not finished yet. But I still liked the place. As a bachelor he had to cook. I was surprised that he did well, he was a good cook. After dinner we talked and than later we had to go to bed.
The next morning (thursday 04/01) we had to go to Utrecht to meet Marielle who was waiting for us at the train station. We were a bit late, but she was already there waiting. So we then asked what to do and where to go. So I said 'just let us walk'. We walked through the city and the plan next was to climb the church tower, the highest in Utrecht. It's called the Dom. It was a lot of work. It was almost 300 steps going up. We did it in bits. There was a piano somewhere. The guide explained how it worked and Marielle was made to try to play the piano. It was funny. After we had to go further again and there were this big bells and small bells in the room. This was also the bell room. Very big bells. Then after we went further again. And there were some big bells and small bells that were automatically operated to play every 15 minutes. This mechanism had been in place already in the 16th century. It was still functioning correctly. There the guide told us we still had 100 steps to go on our own, to the very top. It was very difficult to do it. But we managed it at last. We were all tired. It was scary to really look down and also to look up. I tried to stay alive. We made some pictures there and in 10 minutes we had to go down again to meet the guide. He was such a nice young man. Then he went down with us. There we had to walk around and we decided to go to the canal bike. In the beginning it was difficult for us to control the canal bike. After five minutes Ernest got the trick. So we were able to go around. It took us one hour to go around and come back to the same spot. Somewhere half way I saw a dead big fish floating on the water. So I said 'oh no, this is big meat'. We had to continue to drive and we could not do anything about it. It was nice to go under some of these bridges to see the birds sitting on their eggs and also some young birds. We finally had to leave again to a book shop. After the book shop we went for dinner. Then after we had to go back to the train. We said goodbye to Marielle. Later around 20.00 I went with Ernest to the community centre where they had this theatre sport. It was nice to meet the members. I was made to understand that this had to do with the community meeting every wednesday for them to get to know eachother. Ernest was in a club where they had to rehearse, so I joined them. It was nice to do. I also gave them some stories about a young girl and her grandmother, who were joining a double decker bus. If you want to also hear the story, you just ask me...
They acted that story and it was really nice. But there was an unfortunate accident, where one of the members, a lady, hit her head against a pillar. It was really not good. But before the end of the practice she was okay. We had a good time together talking about my experience in Holland. And they were also informing me about things I need to know about Holland. One example is: as a man you don't kiss a fellow man, only a fellow woman. They acted it. We made some pictures together and had to say goodbye.
The next day (friday 04/02) we had to meet Floris and Annemarie at the train station. I was really happy to see them, it was such a long time. They live close to the train station. So on our way we surprisingly heard someone call 'Ibrahim!' So when I turned it was Deborah, a volunteer who was in Bolga 2,5 years ago. By then she also had an interview to attend so we had to say goodbye and I wished her good luck. Floris rented two bicycles, for me and Ernest. So we had to put my suitcase at their home and then went into Utrecht. We went to a sawing wind mill, where they were sawing wood, but it was closed. And we just continued to ride around the city. We packed our bicycles somewhere and had lunch. Then we went to Floris work place, a theatre. As a technician he showed us around two theatres, a small one and a big one. After 20 minutes we had to move to a museum where they had candy from the old days. It was nice to taste them. Then we later continued to their place for dinner. Jiske also joined us. After dinner Mariëtte also was there to pick me up. It was really a great time with Floris and Annemarie. They gave us a lift with their car to the bus station. So I had to go with Mariëtte to De Meern.
The next morning (thursday 04/01) we had to go to Utrecht to meet Marielle who was waiting for us at the train station. We were a bit late, but she was already there waiting. So we then asked what to do and where to go. So I said 'just let us walk'. We walked through the city and the plan next was to climb the church tower, the highest in Utrecht. It's called the Dom. It was a lot of work. It was almost 300 steps going up. We did it in bits. There was a piano somewhere. The guide explained how it worked and Marielle was made to try to play the piano. It was funny. After we had to go further again and there were this big bells and small bells in the room. This was also the bell room. Very big bells. Then after we went further again. And there were some big bells and small bells that were automatically operated to play every 15 minutes. This mechanism had been in place already in the 16th century. It was still functioning correctly. There the guide told us we still had 100 steps to go on our own, to the very top. It was very difficult to do it. But we managed it at last. We were all tired. It was scary to really look down and also to look up. I tried to stay alive. We made some pictures there and in 10 minutes we had to go down again to meet the guide. He was such a nice young man. Then he went down with us. There we had to walk around and we decided to go to the canal bike. In the beginning it was difficult for us to control the canal bike. After five minutes Ernest got the trick. So we were able to go around. It took us one hour to go around and come back to the same spot. Somewhere half way I saw a dead big fish floating on the water. So I said 'oh no, this is big meat'. We had to continue to drive and we could not do anything about it. It was nice to go under some of these bridges to see the birds sitting on their eggs and also some young birds. We finally had to leave again to a book shop. After the book shop we went for dinner. Then after we had to go back to the train. We said goodbye to Marielle. Later around 20.00 I went with Ernest to the community centre where they had this theatre sport. It was nice to meet the members. I was made to understand that this had to do with the community meeting every wednesday for them to get to know eachother. Ernest was in a club where they had to rehearse, so I joined them. It was nice to do. I also gave them some stories about a young girl and her grandmother, who were joining a double decker bus. If you want to also hear the story, you just ask me...
They acted that story and it was really nice. But there was an unfortunate accident, where one of the members, a lady, hit her head against a pillar. It was really not good. But before the end of the practice she was okay. We had a good time together talking about my experience in Holland. And they were also informing me about things I need to know about Holland. One example is: as a man you don't kiss a fellow man, only a fellow woman. They acted it. We made some pictures together and had to say goodbye.
The next day (friday 04/02) we had to meet Floris and Annemarie at the train station. I was really happy to see them, it was such a long time. They live close to the train station. So on our way we surprisingly heard someone call 'Ibrahim!' So when I turned it was Deborah, a volunteer who was in Bolga 2,5 years ago. By then she also had an interview to attend so we had to say goodbye and I wished her good luck. Floris rented two bicycles, for me and Ernest. So we had to put my suitcase at their home and then went into Utrecht. We went to a sawing wind mill, where they were sawing wood, but it was closed. And we just continued to ride around the city. We packed our bicycles somewhere and had lunch. Then we went to Floris work place, a theatre. As a technician he showed us around two theatres, a small one and a big one. After 20 minutes we had to move to a museum where they had candy from the old days. It was nice to taste them. Then we later continued to their place for dinner. Jiske also joined us. After dinner Mariëtte also was there to pick me up. It was really a great time with Floris and Annemarie. They gave us a lift with their car to the bus station. So I had to go with Mariëtte to De Meern.
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05 April 2010 - 19:56
Anandi:
Hello Ibrahim,
it is so nice to read all your stories and I am very happy to hear and see that you are still doing fine.
It is also nice to see the pictures of you with the other volunteers I was in Ghana with, Ernest, Marielle, Jitske, Floris and Annemarie. It brings back all the good memories! All the best wishes, Anandi
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