How To Celebrate a Birthday

 

 

 

 

Flowers fitting for this week  are these fiery blooms on the little tree on the side of the Dutch Consulate in Los Angeles – since these kinds of international documents are a constant part of our son’s life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we discovered last year that our son’s 30th birthday would be 2 days after we planned to go back to the USA, we postponed our flight from Amsterdam. When you have your birthday late in June, it’s exam time in Europe, but in the USA where he grew up, it was already summer vacation. Thirty comes only around ONCE:)
On his birthday we did lunch at a little coffee shop  (of his choice) in the center of the Hague, the city where he studies, and after that he needed to go a few hours to school, so we could resume his birthday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Didn’t quite realize it, till we were walking through the streets of The Passage – a mall that was already there when I studied in the Hague many moons ago. The skylight was already there, but they modernized the shops. You see the stairs on the right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not only did I study in the Hague, but I also married there

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had promised him that we would join whatever he wanted to do that day! He choose bowling. Not my favorite thing to do, but I promised:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hague has changed so much, and rerouted so many things with one way streets, that we were happy to have the GPS with us. Coming near the bowling gallery, I thought it looked familiar. And I was right! When I saw this building – the Kurhaus – I immediately knew we were in the same street at the beach of Scheveningen where I studied, and later taught, after my study the States. How serendipitous! When we stepped out of the car, the smell of the salt in the air, transported me to a time so long ago .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A tiny fence here

 

We ended the day with his choice of restaurant, which satisfied his eclectic taste, and is for the Netherlands quite unusual – the food was a blend of Italian, American, and W-European. The pasta was made right in front of the quest, but the rest was buffet style. Quite a memorable 30th birthday for son, and for hubby, and I as well!

Today, Aug. 3rd, is a memorable day as well because it’s that “feared” birthday (mine) today –  Am too tired to feel anything, because yesterday the movers came 2 days after a 14 day escrow of the condo closed (it’s madness!) we were living in, and put our stuff in storage, so we can move when escrow of our new house closes. It’s like moving twice in 14 days, and is now officially on my list of “never again!”  The good thing is that everything went well:)  So, the only thing we had the energy for that supposed to be so special birth day was drive to a ginormous mall where a Krispy creme  doughnut shop was, and ordered a chocolate covered vanilla filled, and a banana filled with nuts on top doughnut for each, and a coffee.  WHO says it gets easier when one gets older??

 

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