You'll always be my Valentine!

Every 14th of February or Valentine's day, couples/lovers are preparing how they can make special on that day. For the reason, Valentines day is a day of love, romance and relationships where we exchange flowers, chocolates, cards, and loving sentiments with warm feelings of admiration, affection, and infatuation. In many countries, restaurants and eateries are seen to be filled with couples who are eager to celebrate their relationship and the joy of their togetherness through delicious cuisines. 

Valentine's day is not only for couples/lovers but includes everyone loved by us. It is celebrated to express love to anyone we are closed to. He/She would be our parents, siblings, children, friends, relatives or dear ones. We must take opportunity of the Valentine's Day to express our love and gratitude to all persons we love.

For those single persons, they feel that the V-day strongly reminds them of their unattached status and not having someone to spend the day in romantic and much popularized manner. But they can make the most of Valentine's Day by spending the day in the company of those they love or by indulging themselves with something luxurious.

For me, Valentine's day is just the same with the ordinary days. I never had valentine's date before or received flowers or sweet stuffs on that day. But this year was different, full of surprises and sweetness that I felt on that day. I saw a gift on our  computer chair when I woke up this morning. It was a heart-shaped pillow with I love You's on it. I felt surprised because I didn't expect it. I said to Dennis few days before V-day that it was not needed to make something special on Valentine's Day. But still, he wanted me to surprise and made me feel special.

Dennis gave me a heart-shaped pillow and blanket(with I Love You designs) to keep me warm and remind me that he always love me as said by him, and a personalized  photo canvas of us with a sweet message by him. I wanted also that I had something to return on him. I gave him a couple cute mugs where I just bought it on the same day and made a nice dinner for us.

Valentine's day 2012 was the first V-day that we (me and Dennis) celebrated together.  Being together on that day and for long time was enough for me but having with these stuffs, our V-day made more special and strengthened more our relationship. Contentedly being with him, I can say now that... Dennis will always be my Valentine!

Freezing Netherlands!

This last few days, The Netherlands converted into freezing landscape because of the decreasing temperature  from zero degree Celsius down to -10 degrees or much more lower. Last Friday (3 February), a heavy snow invaded The Netherlands which brought major traffic problems, train and plane cancelled. But of course, for the children, it was nice to play outside, throwing the snow ball, making a snow man or skating over the frozen rivers.

Playing on snow with kids (Robert and Kaye-lyn), Nanthicia and Dennis

According to Wikipedia, a cold wave was registered in the Netherlands, with a low of −18.9 °C (−2.0 °F) in De Bilt, the lowest recorded since 1956, and a national low of −22.8 °C (−9.0 °F) in Lelystad, the lowest temperature recorded all over the Netherlands since 1985. . A homeless man was frozen to death on February 2.  People have been ice-skating on the canals of Amsterdam.

After a few more days of freezing weather, the cold snap brought misery to Europe especially in Ukraine which is reportedly the biggest hit area with nearly 100 deaths in the country. Most of these deaths were due to people being homeless and not having a place to stay warm. But for The Netherlands, it was the most exciting moment for them to hold again the Elfstedentocht, a natural ice-skating marathon in the northern province of Friesland that goes through 11 cities and covers 200 kilometres.The last four tours were held in 1997, 1986, 1985 and 1963.Dutch people speculated about the possibility to organize this mythical tour in Friesland. Unfortunately, the ice was not good enough to handle the race. The ice didn't reach the required thickness which should be at least 15cm length. Frustrations or sadness was felt by some of the Dutch people for stopping,organising this event but still, they were looking forward that it's going to be happen in the near future.

Walking on the frozen lake

Photos of Winter 2012

Yim Siam for Dennis' Day

 

Simple but memorable, that's how I can describe the birthday of Dennis. A week before, we just had a little conversation how we could celebrate his birthday. Dennis always asked my opinion in everything. For this situation, I've told him that it was depend on him because that day was his day. So it's up to him what we were going to do on that day. But still, I suggested to eat in a restaurant with his father and brother because we didn't have yet dinner outside with his family. Throwing a party was a nice too but a lot things needed to prepare.So he agreed to me and asked which restaurant could we celebrate his birthday.  I suggested to eat in a Wok restaurant because I missed also eating Chinese food.  But when Dennis talked his father, he suggested to eat in a Thai Restaurant and said that it was great food there. So we were in dilemma on that time where we were going to eat but on his birthday, we ended up in Yim Siam. I wanted also to try new things for me. Me and Dennis never yet eat in a Thai Restaurant and we are curious how good the Thai food is.

 

5 February was the birthday of Dennis but we decided to do it on the evening of  4 February(Saturday) so we could have more time there and no worry to wake up early for the next day. It was nice to experience this unique cuisine that balances the flavours of salty, sour, spicy and sweet and combines the freshness of fragrant herbs such as lemon grasses/leaves. This kind of herbs is popular to put in the soup,Tom yum goong which is made of stock and fresh ingredients such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, fish sauce and crushed chili peppers. This soup is one of my favorite Thai foods but sprinkling of fresh chopped coriander leaves (Cilantro/Chinese Parsley) on it  is not suited for my taste buds but still, this kind of leaves have bring health effects to our body. A study found that both the leaves and seed contain antioxidants and  have antibacterial activity against Salmonella choleraesuis.