Oh where did the year go?

Sunday is my birthday, or is it? I can go on about my mishandled life this past year ad nauseum, but I wont. A streak of bad luck followed me and there was nothing I could do about it.
Friday, Thuy and I went out to the movies to watch "I am Legend." This movie gives science a bad name, about curing cancer and unleashing a viral plague on humanity...hmmm.
San informs me for my birthday I will have a threesome of some sort. I decline and feel that she is insensitive. But I follow her advice and goes to meet her that nite, only to be surprised that she has plans for us to go snowboarding with my cousin Tiger at Lake Tahoe. Its kinda a 3some :-) We drove up and checkinto our rental before heading to Sugarbowl. After all that, we were on the slopes by 2pm. I tried teaching San snowboarding; she wanted to go on the lift and go down. I was hesitant but we went anyways. San got stuck about 1/3 down and had to be rescued. However, she was a good sport about it. We went out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant and turned in early since both of us was not feeling well. Coming home on Sunday, we talked more about our childhood and what makes us react. We were able to arrive in time for my birthday party with family and friends around 2pm. The Goolishes came along with Robin and Jana. The curtains are drawn and I am left in the nite, still feeling alone.

Jetsetting to slightly East Europe

Overview of my week jaunt to Zagreb,Croatia; Frankfurt, Germany, and Amsterdam, Holland, blessed with good fun and good weather.

Landing, busing, and then taxing into the capital of Croatia, i was struck that most people could speak English, after meeting a few folks at the hotel, around town, and at a conference on translation tools. At nite San and I walked around downtown to feel Christmas festivities and watched some traditional dancing. We ate dinner across the street, at a local pizza shop. We even watched Hitman Agent 47 at the local movie theater where we could order cocktails. On our last day, we dared ourselves by driving on their highway system in a lil Ford Clio. We were pushed out of the fast lane as we puttered to Plivitec Lake National Park. For a two hour trip we saw 5min of the spectacular waterfalls before eating an early supper at the local restaurant and rushing back to the airport, barely half an hour before our departing flight.

Next we flew to Frankfurt, Germany, not the capital, which is Berlin. Here we were greeted with the best beer ever. We tried their traditional apple wine (cider) but not as good. We stayed outside the city of Frankfurt, in a town called Offenbach. San ordered sandwiches, mozzarella and tomatoes from the local gas station. We had an awful fight about $85 and purchase of a wallet.

Finally, on the last leg of our trip we commuted into Amsterdam on the express train ICE. After SFO, this city is a must see. The canals of Amsterdam were mainly built during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th c, and have led the city to being termed the "Venice of the North".[1] [2][3] [4] The three main canals Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht form a concentric belt around the city, known as the grachtengordel. From what i heard, it smells a lot better too!! Of course, we visited Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, and the Red Light District where women stood to display their goods.

We found out that Heineken is a Dutch abv pale lager made by Heineken International since 1868 when H. Elion finished the development of the Heineken A-yeast. This is the yeast that is still used for the beer.[1] Since 1975 most Heineken beer is brewed in the Heineken brewery in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands. It is the flagship product of the company, and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. The final product has forced carbonation.

Finally we were fascinated by Holland's coffeeshops where you can purchase mj, mushrooms, and hash at a reasonable price.

What is not to love about this city? :)