A British Welcome Tea and some other stuff

This is me with my friend Judi who arrived at the beginning of this year but recently learned that she and hubby (and actually my "Pagan husband) from last year Summer Solstic party if you remember that entry)
are moving back to North Carolina in just a few days :(

Me and Judi hamming it up.


Judi and Steve

Me, Judi, Steve (upper left) Bob and Kent. Alex is the photographer :)

Below - the British Welcome Tea

Early this month, I attended the British Welcome Tea hosted by the American Women's Club of the Hague for our newest associate member, the British Club of The Hague, who have recently moved into our Clubhouse. Coffee, tea, cucumber and egg & mayonnaise sandwiches, cakes and treats of all sorts - delicious! Above are a few pictures of this lovely event.

Recently Alex and I had dinner with our friends Judi and Steve who have recently learned that their assignment in the Netherlands won't be extended and they will be headed back to the States at the end of this month. We had dinner at the Noordmolen Restaurant (North windmill) in Schiedam (near Rotterdam). This restaurant is a favorite of many of us, and is housed in one of the five tallest windmills in Holland. FYI for those who know me very well - I ordered and ate FISH for dinner! Strange changes to my tastebuds - after 40 something years it turns out I don't dislike all fish. For my entire life I've steared clear of anything that swims (with some odd exceptions like mussels and sushi - (and yes, I know that being from New England I should enjoy the stuff, but I never have). I'm going to give it another go.

Another interesting day for me was my lunch at the home of the Korean ambassador to the Netherlands. At the Perfume Lunch about which I blogged I met a couple of new friends, including Jenny (Jung Hee Kim) who invited my friends Corinne and Lisa (two special women themselves) and me to lunch at her home (very nearby our place in Wassenaar) today. Well, I'd no idea until I drove up to the gates of the massive house that I would be lunching at the home of the Korean Ambassador to the Netherlands - quite something! I was greeted by Jenny and one of their house staff (who took my coat, etc. and waited on us throughout the visit) and escorted into the spectacular living room for ginseng tea. We then had a traditional Korean meal in their very formal dining room (I think all in all we had five or six courses - including two desserts, one prepared by Jenny personally). We had won-ton soup, kim chee, tuna sushi, Korean pancakes (with crab), pork with glass noodles, sesame beef, home-made vanilla ice cream with fresh berries, and Jenny's special pie (not sure what it was, but it was yummy!) Later Eungene complimented me on my chopstick action (ok, she didn't say it quite that way) - but I was adept at using the silver chopsticks that were part of the elegant setting.

Jenny has also invited her friend Eungene (pronounced oon-jean), who is the wife of another Korean diplomat. I'm unsure of his title but he is essentially the ambassador's right hand.

This was one of those rare and wonderful opportunities that makes me appreciate our time here all the more. The exposure I'm getting to so many cultures is a delight and very educational, to say the least. The friends I'm making are truly special and it is days like this that remind me how very lucky I am to be here. I have since spent some more time with Jenny and Eungene, and Alex and I have been invited to play golf with Jenny at one of the local private clubs. We plan to take her up on the invite and perhaps in April will have some nice photos to share.

Lastly here are a few photos from our most recent art gallery opening, featuring two artists, one Canadian and one South African. The combination of their collections just works together - two very different styles, but one great exhibit. Unfortunately, because of an unexpected system crash, I lost most of the photos from the opening, but you can see the gallery in the background of the British Welcome Tea photos.

My next entry will be after my upcoming trip to Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania. I will be attending the FAWCO (Federal American Womens' Clubs Overseas) annual conference, in preparation for my role as AWC President in the upcoming Club year. Our election is in early April, and I will be installed into my new office in May. More on that as it happens.