Thursday, March 24, 2016

Blue Beautiful

With all that's going on the world, it's reassuring to remember that beauty keeps on, keeping on. Most of us give birth to countless moments of beauty each day, and for that I'm grateful.

I came across this today and thought to myself, while one person spent the last year hatching a plan to harm innocent people, this person spent that time making 80,000 gorgeous tiles in order to beautify the world and make hundreds of people smile each day.

Don't live in fear. Keep on being beautiful.

80,000 Delft Blue Tile Line Amsterdam Tunnel 

New Cycle and Pedestrian Tunnel in Amsterdam Features an 80,000 Tile Mural




Monday, March 21, 2016

Carnaval

While we're on the topic of dressing up (see my last post), I'm pretty pleased with my 7:00am face-paint job back in February when the kids celebrated Carnaval at school.




Sunday, March 20, 2016

Dancing Across the Stage of Tradition

Bravo little ones!

I'm awed by your courage and hard work. All the rehearsals, all the performances. 100% in Dutch. Witnessing the costume changes, alone, exhausted me. 

This was big time, kiddos. Congratulations to you both. 

Through this experience, I've developed a hearty appreciation for Dutch humor. This was a family production, and half of audience at each show was children. But I assure you the content of this show would never fly in the U.S. Too mature for a young audiences. While occasionally I may have winced at the cursing, never mind the nudity, it was never sexualized or vulgar--just funny. I really value the way in which Dutch children are taught to have common sense. It's simply an expectation that influences everything they do, from the playground when their young, to drinking and sex when they are older. Likewise, it is similarly reflected in the arts.

Frankly, nothing surprised me that this was a comedy musical set to the music of Michael Jackson (translated into Dutch) set to the theme of Puss In Boots, with a fairy tale backdrop and scene-stealing scenes from a spy name James Blond. Makes sense, right?!!?

As it was explained to me, Ro Theater's annual production, which runs from November through March is a tradition in Holland. It plays at multiple theaters in the area, and all the shows sell out immediately. People come with their entire extended family; we saw many there with up to fifteen of their friends and family.

What a treat for my kids to have danced across the stage of tradition while living in a foreign country.

This was an incredible experience for all of us, one that I imagine my little meatballs will remember for a lifetime. 

AS on left, RS on right of woman in blue.
AS second from left; RS far right.
Likewise in video, AS second from left; RS on far right:


AS in black in front, RS in black directly behind her.

AS second from left; RS next to Puss.

RS far left; AS in red, third from left.

Getting autographs from their co-stars.
Stadsschouwburg Theater, Leidseplein, Amsterdam
AS center back row (cheetah); RS far right back row.

RS and AS far left, front row.


RS front row; AS in far back with cheetah ears.