Up for a Challenge

Summer 2012 - The Hague

This is something different. For about a year I have been hearing about the amazing-ness of macarons. I had a few back when I was in Houston this summer, and was intrigued. Would it actually be possible for me, someone who is essentially a novice at baking, to pull off this difficult cookie?

Well, I baked three batches over the summer. The first ones looked perfect but were not the right consistency/hardness. The second batch was completely cracked, so the photo record I had taken was abandoned half way through as I dimly watched the cookies in the oven. 

About a week ago, I decided to try again, in our new kitchen. These were to be Earl Grey Tea Honey macarons, and they were to be wonderful. 

The meringue - it has to be super stiff before you can incorporate the dry ingredients.

The macaron batter - this is the tricky bit. Too stiff, cookies crack, too runny, they don't bake up with their signature little feet. Full disclosure, this is not mixed well enough. After piping the first tray (below) I could tell it needed a mix or two more. 

Do you see how these are not flowing into little circles? That's the problem there. 

Well they puffed up like little sheep. You can see the cracks and everything. 

BUT...

The second batch came out perfectly! Ok, so my piping skills could use work... but hey! 

Here they are ready to be given as a gift :) Again you can tell the piping is not the best, especially on the filling (honey buttercream, by the way) but they still tasted great!

Anyway, that was that. Baking was definitely fun to attempt to photograph. 

ps. When I edited these photos, I was actually finally up to date on all things photography! However, today we went out to Naarden, a very pretty Dutch city, so as of posting this, I am unfortunately not up to date. Darn. And, of course as I write this, I am not yet in Edinburgh (though when you read this I'll have been there for a month! (head spinning yet?)) where I am sure I will be taking many more photos. le sigh.

On the Streets

Summer 2012 - Utrecht

Utrecht's streets are full of many combinations of art - illegal, legal and Medieval all coexist. 

Illegal - the classiest stencil I've ever seen.

Legal - The Letters of Utrecht, an endless poem that began lining the streets of the Oudegracht (Old Canal) this June - every Sunday a new letter is laid. 

Medieval - A rock chained to a building. Why? The rock was originally placed on the corner so that carriages would not run into the building. Sometime in the middle ages it was decided that evil spirits congregated around it, so to keep them from taking it away, it was chained to the building. And, you know, it just stayed there. 

I absolutely loved the day that I spent in Utrecht - I can't thank Chris enough for showing me around and sharing with me all it's fascinating history. 

Door to the Sky

Summer 2012 - Utrecht

A door to the sky, a rainbow bicycle, and a horse hitch hiding in ivy. 

Utrecht

Summer 2012 - Utrecht

Even though I've called Holland my home base for a little over seven years, before this summer I had never been to Utrecht. Luckily, my friend Chris lived in Utrecht, and he is a Medieval historian, so he knew quite a few interesting places to visit. 

One of the most famous sights in Utrecht is the Dom Tower. The tower is the tallest church tower in Holland, but it's not actually connected to the church. The construction for the church and tower began in the 1300s, but the church was never completed. A few hundred years later, a tornado (seriously) swept through Utrecht, and through the church, separating the tower from the nave. Eventually the nave was reconstructed but not reconnected to the tower. If you visit now, look at the church - there are still pieces of the broken wall visible on the outside. Also look at the ground in the square between the church and the tower - there are gravestones, like one would normally see on the floor in a church.

Just peeking out from behind the building on the left in the second photo is the Catholic Cathedral. 

And in the bottom photo is what looks like another church - but also a bar. Yup. It is an old church converted into a pub! It looks like just a normal restaurant from outside, and that is because it was a hidden Catholic church - built inside a normal house but hidden from the Protestant officials.

Den Haag Sculpture

Summer 2012 - The Hague

Every Summer, the median of the Korte Voorhout in The Hague is lined with sculptures - every year a different theme. This year's was called The Rainbow Nation and all the sculptures were done by South Africans. 

The sculptures included an elephant made entirely of recycled strips of tyres (pictured), Granite slabs with tally marks for the number of days POWs were imprisoned, metal sheets with reflections of the words "LOVE" and "HATE," a kneeling man made of South African dirt, straw and rocks (pictured), and a bus made out of plastic hangers. 

Amsterdam Garden Days

Summer 2012 - Amsterdam

Every summer private gardens all over Amsterdam open up to the public for a weekend. Last time we went, it poured rain for the first half of the day, and stayed cloudy and grey for the rest. This time, the sun was out the whole time. We went to about eighteen of the forty gardens, over about three hours. I can't imagine doing them all in one day! 

Purple Light

Spring 2012 - Leiden

All of these photos from my trip to Leiden have this lovely glow of purple - not something that usually happens. 

Safely Above

Spring 2012 - Leiden

Rising above the flat landscape of Leiden, the Burcht van Leiden (Hill of Leiden) still stands at the top of the hill as a reminder of a time when the city just encircled it's walls. Today, it's a public park and a great vantage point to see the rest of the city. 

Quite well framed through the red doorway of the Burcht is the Hooglandse Kerk, a church I've tried to go into many times, only to find that it's never actually open. On the other side of that doorway are what I can only assume are the Coats of Armour of influential families in Leiden. And then, there's me. Sometimes I attempt to take self portraits. Sometimes, I even like them!

Free Love

Spring 2012 - Leiden

Ah Leiden. Since we've moved to The Hague this summer, we haven't been as much as usual. Leiden is a beautiful city - hands down. Actually it reminds me a lot of Edinburgh, in some ways.* I think for a photographer, Leiden is a perfect city. Lots of historical, picturesque buildings, while at the same time the city vibes off of the many students who call the town home. 

First shot is of the St. Pieterskerk, which can be seen in almost every post I've done about Leiden. We always walk by it on the way into town. Another regular on the blog are photos of Leiden's street poetry, but for some reason, I can't stop taking photos of it. Then there's the other, less determinant street art - the QR code for Free Love and the least happy green light I've ever seen. 

*I'm writing this on August 25th - yes, my posts are time delayed, but that's really the only way I can publish regularly, especially with my erratic schedule. In a week from today I will be flying to Edinburgh so one could certainly say I am excited.  

However,

when you read this, it will be September 9th, and I will have just moved into my housing in Edinburgh. Crazy, right?

 

Flowering

Spring 2012 - Keukenhof and A Field

When it's Spring, bulbs are all over The Netherlands. If you're interested in seeing pretty flowers all in one place - Keukenhof, (mentioned in the previous post) is the way to go. At the same time, it can be fun to hunt down flower fields throughout the countryside. 

First and last shot are from fields somewhere in between Keukenhof and Leiden, and the middle two are from inside the greenhouse at Keukenhof. 

New Growth

Spring 2012 - Keukenhof & Leiden

In the Spring there are flowers, sure, but at the same time leaves are growing, and everything green looks a little greener. 

First shot is from Keukenhof, which just happens to be the world's largest flower garden. It's mostly known for it's bulbs, but this shot is from the Classical Garden on the grounds. 

The second two are from Leiden. There was just something so arresting about the bright blue pin pushed into the purple-y bark of the tree, I had to take a photo. Then there are the bright green seed pods on this other tree. What a great colour. 

Back from the Film Archives - Spring in Holland

Spring 2012 - Wassenaar and Leiden

Sometimes small things catch our eye. 

The first photo is somewhat of a memory now, as it's the number on our garage in our house in Wassenaar. This summer, we moved to The Hague. The second shot is an art deco post box in Leiden. 

Using Up Film

Spring & Summer 2011 - Delft, Dublin, Wassenaar

The problem that I have with my Lomography cameras is this - I take film photos of something or somewhere really cool, like Sicily, and then I still have about 10 shots on my camera. Three months later, I finally develop them.

The first three shots are of Delft, all taken around the town square.
The next two are from Dublin, one taken while walking across the Liffey, and the other looking straight up from Front Arch in Trinity.
The final shot brings us back to Holland, in the fields outside of Wassenaar where my dad and I were riding our bikes.

Wintry Mix

Winter (January) 2012 - Holland

Have you ever noticed that the weather sometimes says it's going to be a "Wintry Mix" today? Well, that's almost every day in Holland. Especially in the Winter. 

First photo of the lovely Clouseau, or Clousie as he's known to his closer friends.

Second photo is of Leiden. Usually I'm in Leiden for the street market, so I hardly see this view. Even in the summer, the canal is lined with cafe barges. It's hardly ever this deserted.