As I look at my face in the mirror.. .I think ...hmmmmm... man do I look tan.. no wait wind burned...

Well, that's what I get for biking all over Den Haag today... from the playground, petting zoo, Dutch surf shop (thought I was home for a sec), harbor, and fisherman's area with Jan and Kevin this morning... to the sand dunes, beaches, and a small little cafe in the woods for beer & pancakes (yes surprisingly they go well together) with Jan (sleeping by now) Tessa, Emily, Gerry, and Steve.

Tomorrow.. .shoping with Tessa... yippee...

By the way .. my new favorite discovery (other than Pancakes & beer)... Curry Ketchup... SOOO much better than Heinz.. I am going to beg to have it sent to me when I return home!

Man am I loving this biking (it's getting me in shape for the island... good thing)

Love,
A

Even Tessa... a born and bread girl from Holland (I mean The Netherlands)...  says The Hague...  either way I AM HERE...

Yippeee... and so begins... the new adventure of my trip to places I've never been.  I've been to Europe several times but never north of Paris... all I have to say is Den Haag is COOL...  much more than I ever expected. 

Tessa was slightly embarrassed that my first view of Holland was going to be the oil refineries...  she kept saying I promise its prettier... no need to fret my dear I have no doubt that the country that produced you HAS to be beautiful... but the smoke towers were definitely a bit industrial..  but kind of cool for a backdrop to the 100's of Kite Surfing lessons on the North Sea (hard to believe that less than 48 hours ago I was on the Mediterranean in the southern Italy)...  variety is the spice of life!

After the afternoon of watching Kite surfers we (Kevin, Tessa, little Jan, and myself).. met up with Emily & Gerry (with whom I'll be couch crashing in Luxembourg in a week or so).  So the 5 of us hopped on our bikes (main form of transportation.. again sooo cool) and toured around the city... got some ice cream then booked it as fast as we could to the coast in order to catch a beautiful sunrise... I LOVE biking with friends down the street (whether its in SB, Mackinac, or HOlland)... it always makes me feel like a grown up kid!!

What an amazing day  (BTW.. .I would have a ton more pics.. like of the amazing sunset but darn it all my battery died and I am STILL looking for another adapter)

Here are just a few pics from my last day here today...  one last spritz with A in Firenze from a beautiful little secret rooftop cafe...  a lovely courtyard in Greve...

Alla Prossima...  (until next time)  mi amore Firenze!!

Now... tomorrow 7:30 a.m... I'm off to Amsterdam & Den Haag to see Tessa... YEAH!!!

So my home for the past week (besides the quick jaunt to Sardegna) has been at this amazing Villa in Tuscany between the two beautiful cities of Greve & Panzano.  This beauitiful establishment is the center point between Firenze and Siena.  It has everything you could need.. beautiful surroundings, wonderful apartments (for 1-8 ppl), awesome showers & baths (always a plus when traveling), wireless (for those workaholics like myself who is up right now at 2am), and a pool... okay enough  of my sales pitch .. just take a look...

And here's the website for the next time you want to come to Italia  (http://www.tuscanyhorizons.com)

Here are a few more Italian Lifestyle shots... I especially like the one of the couple...  so  sweet...  such look of adoration .. taken from a rooftop cafe overlooking Piazza del Republica in Firenze...  they have no idea anyone in the world is there!!.. then again neither did the fishing lady ;)