The main thing in between all of the usual parties and stuff going on in Amsterdam is still ice skating.
After the previous post, which took place on a Thursday afternoon, I went back to the same Vuntus plas a day later. This time I took my friend Lili. She had borrowed some skates and she made it to some thrid of the course and back, not bad for someone who just started out. After she was done, I did a few more laps during which she took some clips.


In the week after thaw set in. All of the ice in the middle and southern region of Holland vanished and a greener world reappeared. I was able to fire up my bike again, which did not happen without any hick ups. The oil and all the sludge in it seemed to have settled a bit too much in both my starter system and my oilfilter, resulting in not starting at times, and also no oil pressure below 1500 rpm.
I added some fdetergent stuff to the oil and let the motor run for some 15 mins. After this I replaced the oil and filter. All fixed.

About a week ago we had organised a skating trip from work. About 40 mins away from where I live, there is an outdoor ice skating track of 5 kilometers length. It runs through the fields. (www.flevonice.nl)
I attached a clip I took while skating there. The whole track is lit so you can also skate in the evening like we did on that Fridaynite.

Last weekend I went to dad’s. He called me on Friday, urging me to bring my skates. I wondered, as all ice here was gone. I took the skates anyway. As I arrived around mid afternoon, dad and I had coffe and then went out back. I drove the car to the other end of the field behind the house, which was now flooded in water, about 30 to 50 centimeters. We walked on the ice and tested it a bit before actually skating. See the clip I took below.


After this testwork, we went back to the house and put on our skating outfits. We walked to the back of the yard and hopped over the small fence. From here it was straight onto the ice. What a luxury.
Dad and I made a few clips during our laps on the ice. During one of them you can see me fall. I hurt my knee there, and it untill today (wednesday) it still hasnt really healed. It was twice the size after I fell, now it’s like half the size of that. Progress is slow but sure….Sunday is the next skating session on a rink in Haarlem…..