Recapping 2007

Sadia on her Alphabet mat

Another year is drawing to a close. Where has the time gone?! It feels like only yesterday we were in the Netherlands, the place in which we spent a significant portion of 2007.

All smiles in Bagel & Beans Cafe, The Passage, Den Haag

Specifically it was Delft that we called home for almost a year, an idyllic town setting that we had grown to love so much so it was difficult to say goodbye to. There are so many wonderful things to like about Delft.

Sadia fooling around in the Delft's apartment

I think the main contributing factor to our stress-free, contented living in Delft was the location of our home. It was as close as we could get to the town centre but not near enough to be invaded by continuous throng of tourists and locals alike. Like the old, unassuming charm that Delft exudes, our apartment was aptly situated along Oude Delft.

Our backyard snowed in

This perfect location provides us with ample freedom to explore on foot the town at our whims and fancies. This translates to many an unplanned jaunt and memorable strolls whenever we needed a breath of fresh air or just felt peckish for Dutch’s creamy ice-creams or sumptuous Turkish pizzas. One of us could swing over to the nearby grocer, Albertheijn, if we had forgotten or were missing an ingredient for dinner, and would be back in jiffy before Sadia even asked for one of us! That was another thing I miss about living in Holland. The accessibility of a clean, friendly supermarket to walk into, as and when the needs arise.

Reading in the train

I terribly miss Delft and its simplistic, carefree life. With super-efficient public transport system, I don’t have to rely on a car to go anywhere and walking is a form of exercise that helps immensely for post-natal women like me!

Sitting by the canal

An uninterrupted line of serene canals, dotted by ducks, swans and other fowls, lends to the feeling of warmth and tranquility that I relish each and every day. Eating our lunch on the bench overlooking the canal, feeding the ducks there in the approaching twilight or tossing stale bread to the flock of ‘cute’ pigeons at the Plaza, we were blessed by such quietude that rejuvenated both the mind and body. This is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of a cacophonous city life that pounced on me the moment we landed back home. To be sure, KL has its priceless share of gems like late-night shopping until 10 p.m., which is almost unheard of in the Lands of Clogs.

Basking in the sunlight at HydePark

Trafalgar Square thronged with holidaymakers

Whereas Delft was the epicenter of our existence for the most part of 2007, we predictably indulged in some traveling which saw us in Luscious London during the Spring and in Picturesque Paris during the Summer. In early April, we arrived in London via the Gatwick Airport and spent four glorious days basking in some London attractions. The highlights of our trip were the lush greenery of Hyde Park, as well as the cobblestone, hilly shopping center of Guildford in Surrey. The trip also marked Sadia’s virgin steps onto a playground area, located a stone’s throw away from Aunty Idai’s quaint house.

The crowded EuroDisney

Paris was filled with a fantastic menagerie of sights and sounds, the types which rendered us completely and utterly useless at the end of each day. Strenuous schedule and crackling feet notwithstanding, we concur that Paris is one of our favourite spots in the world! The scorching heat in EuroDisney, the sinuous hallways of Louvre Museum and the soothing, aesthetic appeal of Luxembourg Garden round up my unforgettable Parisian jaunts. And naturally, the endless walks along the Seine turned into a daily ritual that we came to love.

Letting off steam on the grounds of the Louvre

Since the summer sojourn was the second time we visited Paris – the first one being in December 2006 – it felt as if we were coming back home. Balik Kampung. Everything smelled, tasted and looked familiar. We were on known territories. Even the sandwich parlor, Lina Café in Galleries Lafayette heightens our dejavu feelings.

Inside the Netherlands and outside of Delft, my preferred shopping ground would be Den Haag (The Hague), followed closely by Rotterdam and lastly Amsterdam. While I concede that Amsterdam is full of interesting places to venture into, I just don’t like the tourist trappings that are synonymous with it. Call me a typical country girl, if you please, but the noise and crowd level in Amsterdam perturbs me.

There were also temporary stays in Groningen and Den Haag during my husband’s two-week intensive course in those cities, which taught me lessons on patience, physical endurance and mental strength. The former, located in the country’s northside, is considerably parochial even for my standard and unless you have a bicycle, you have to rely heavily on walking for simple errands like finding groceries and toiletries. Lugging a 7-kg baby in the baby carrier for a 1-km round trip to the nearest shopping area was very exhausting to say the least!

With Marit & Robert at the lake by the hotel, Groningen

Strolling around the other lake in Groningen

Groningen was an emotional time for me since Sadia came down with high temperatures for a couple of days that resulted in rashes on some parts of her body. This also marked the first time that she got really sick in Holland. Luckily the doctor recommended to us was very helpful in explaining us her ailment and directing us to the hypotheek where we can get her medicine.

At the Malieveld park, Den Haag during Programme's session

At Kaldi's, taking a break from class

As for the Den Haag sojourn, which propitiously was the Programme’s last session, we were more than happy to bunk in a hotel in the middle of town, replete with food and shopping choices. This arrangement was in stark contrast to the awful Groningen stay two months prior. While hubby was in class, Sadia and I savoured the walks around the Hofvijver (Court Pond) in the Binnenhof area, and along the cobblestone roads of an exclusive shopping area, the Paleispromenade, gawking at the beautiful window displays.

Having lunch at DeBijenkorf's quiet food court

Apart from our tumultuous trip to Utrecht in January, the Dutch’s other memorable treasures include visits to the Garden Extraordinaire – Keukenhof, Mauritshuis, Rijksmuseum, Rotterdam and Amsterdam’s zoos, Bakkerswinkeland last but certainly not least, Dudok café.

Finally a Family photo during Raya Haji (hubby sans Baju Melayu)

On the Malaysian front, we celebrated both Eids amongst great food and company, especially last week’s Raya Haji as my Aunt, Uncle and cousin are back from the UK for the holidays. Also, in the short span of time since we arrived home in mid-September, we have executed two major purchases, that of a car and a house. It was high time anyway that we changed the Kenari into a more economical, family-oriented automobile. As for the house in-progress, it was a rather spontaneous yet serious undertaking that we went house-hunting that one fine rainy day. And how glad we are that we stick to our gut instinct!

Raya Haji at Kg Bharu

Saving the best for last, I finally dethroned the annoying monkey on my back last Monday when a Kota Bharu-based car dealer settled the outstanding balance of my loan. Alhamdulillah. After all the mind-numbing runaround, the parking violations for the car I DIDN’T drive in Kota Bharu and the last-straw police report, my husband and I heaved a huge sigh of relief!

Elisa, Sadia and Alya watching the chicks

Enjoy the last couple of days of 2007 everyone and hope all our 2008 resolutions will be followed through. *wink, wink!*