The 1st of September

13 days ago was a much awaited feast in Libya.... the famous 1st of September - the so called Al Fateh Day......

This year, the G.S.P.L.A.J. - for those who don't know this is the offical name of Libya - and not the postcode!!!! (Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) - celebrated its 37th anniversary of the Great Al Fateh Revolution, the day which marks the beginning of the Libyan Revolution of September 1st 1969 by Ghaddafi to overthrow King Idris.

Tripoli was like a Christmas tree.... lights haphazourdly hung everywhere, little green flags all over the place, the big poster signs with Ghaddafi's face on them and big 36s were now changed to contain the exact same portrait but have a big 37 instead!!! Even the Emad Towers were beautifully lit and every building had a massive 37 sign on it commemorating the 37years of the Colonel's years..... It felt like christmas but instead of stars and bells you had big 37s....

the 37 sign outside our office

Usually nothing much happens in Tripoli on Al Fateh day, people take a day off, families stay at home and eat their usual massive Libyan Meals. Usually a big Military Parade is held in one of the cities in Libya. People only know which city it is on the day intself.... so all the cities make it a point to have the best decorations. Usually Sebha is the chosen city as its the city of the Colonel... however this year it was Benghazi and Ras Bajjda...... so as there was nothing much to do in Tripoli we decided to entertain ourselves in another way...

We decided to attend a Grand Prix..... Nah... unfortunately it was not the sort of Grand Prix one would expect... big racing cars and their sexy drivers!!! It was a Remote Control Car Grand Prix, and their middle aged owners!!!!

the racing course and a bunch of Libyan kids amazing at how these '0ld' people still play with remote control cars!

The race consisted of 10 laps of a race course constructed with a piece of rope by the sea. The pit stop consisted of the owners running up three flights of stairs, quenching their thirst and running back down again......

It was quite interesting in an awkard way!!! Hey, although I've walked around the Grad Prix stadum in Spa, I've never been to a 'real' Grand Prix..... besides, nothing better to do on a Friday, especially if it is a public holiday!!!

... and the race begins...

The race went fine, though I never figured out who won, as some crazy kid decided it would be fun to drive their car on the race track where all the little cars were driving!!!!! It was funny but sad!!! Unfortunately I did not grab my camera on time to get a snapshot of this!!

Last Stop - Belgium

The last stop of my long awaited vacation was 4 days packed with relaxing and reminishing in Brussels.

My favorite statue in Brussels

I walked around the grand place, ate frites, dined in China Town (or rather China Street), visited the Mannekin Pis and ate waffles, visited the bar by the Jenneka Pis and drank my pampelmousse beer, stayed in my old house and chatted with my old landlords, shopped till in I dropped in Rue Neuve and Port de Namur, rode the belgian trains, and last, but best of all caught up with friends from the past.

Me, Maggy and Eva infront of the Antwerp Grote Markt

It was great meeting up with the special people who meant a real lot to me during my time in Belgium. The person I definately had to spend time with was Eva, Eva is also doing HR in a big multinational in Belgium, so apart from reminishing the past we also got the discuss the present, our joys, worries and fears, as well as our past and aspirations. They were the best 3 days of the holiday.

Belgium.. the land of beers

We also got the chance to hop up to Antwerp and meet up with Florjan, Evy and Maggy, which was totally great.... and also got the opportunity of doing something I had never done before, cause I was a student, but now as a working woman its something I can afford - Diamond Shopping in Antwerp..... what an experience!!!! (Can you beleive that you can actually bargain Diamonds!!!! Viva my Arabic bargaining skills!!!)

Eva and I also enjoyed a Sunday Afternoon shopping down at the Market in Clemenceau and a lunch consisting of our famous broccoli soup and delicious pancakes!!! In the afternoon we met up with Paula and Christophe for Hagen Daas Ice-Cream.... I can't beleive those two are getting married!!!!

Eva and Robin making me pancakes!!!

Brussels was pretty emotional, I could not help sitting in the Grand Place with a pack of frites in my hands and not have tears clouding my eyes, while I remembered the drunken nights of eating frites at 4am with friends, or the drinking champagne in the middle of the Grand Place when our team year finished, the light shows, or the amazing concerts we sang with and danced to in the middle of that magnificent square.

The amazing concerts in the Grand Place

Good Bye Brussels.......

2nd Stop - The Netherlands

So, the second part of my trip consisted in catching up with friends in the other neighbouring country of Belgium.... The Netherlands....

I love this statue.... is on the coastline somewhere next to the Hague..

After a morning chilling out in Brussels - hot croissants, hot chocolate and loads of rain - I jumped on a train that took me straight to the Hague.... What was I doing in the Hague?? Francesca... who I haven't seen in years, was a friend since 6th form and also turned out to be an AIESEC colleague in the future. It was great catching up. I had missed her engagement last year, so we sat in her appartment and looked at photos, reminished and caught up. I later got a tour of the Hague in the pouring dutch rain and enjoyed a big dinner of mussels and wine on the dutch coast..... a pleasent way to spend a couple of hours.....

mussels, wine and Franny

I once again jumped on the train... this time the next stop was Rotterdam.... there I met up with Tom who I haven't seen for ages too. Tom has spend the last year in Rotterdam and thus knew every corner of it..... we enjoyed dutch apple pies, walks admiring the strange Rotterdam architechture, Rotterdam bridges, pancakes, this funny dutch egg thing, and kinderdijk windmills..... although it was cloudy and rainy most of the time.... all you had to do is not think of it and you'll enjoy the beauty of Rotterdam....

the block houses... I still can't understand how people live in them.... but got the chance to go in one and they look pretty cool!!!

in denial.... it is not cold, there is no rain and the sun is shining

windmills..... they somehow remind me of Don Quixote

The final destination on this Dutch trip was obviously and inevitably Amsterdam..... Tom and I headed up to Amsterdam..... where I stayed in the same hostel I stayed in 4yrs ago (looks exactly the same), withdrew money from the only ATM in Amsterday that would give me money 4years ago (as is still the only ATM in Amsterdam that gives me money), walked down the same streets, looked at the same markets, and drank beer in the same cafe I used 4years ago!!

Apart from the drunk English men enjoying their stag night stumbling around the red light district, and young teenagers stoned in the coffee shops for probably their first time.... Amsterdam is quite an enjoyable city. The walks in the little streets with the little canals, the serenity of the place as well as its hidden treasures make Amsterdam quite an enjoyable place to spend a day or two. Not to mention you still get to enjoy the delicious Dutch apple pie and catch up with friends such as Arthur and Russel!!!

mmmm... dutch apple pie

... Amsterdam...