I visited another outlet of Mannekin Pis again on Tuesday, some days after my first visit, and enquired as to what Americansaus and Remouladesaus were (there was also Sambalsaus, but that's self-explanatory). The former was described as being tomato puree with herbs and "disgusting", and the latter as being like the yellow McDonald's Sauce (the man could not be more specific). Forgetting to ask for a sample, I tried the former and indeed it was disgusting. It was indeed like tomato puree with herbs, but there also seemed to be an unhealthy dose of chili in it. In the end I threw away maybe half the sauce and a fourth of the fries. I must remember to ask for a sample next time.


Big leg outside the Gerechtsgebouw
I have no idea what this stupid leg was doing in front of one building.


This building was so hideously ugly that I just had to take a picture. No grace, no subtlety, no elegance, no beauty - it's as if a brick golem had stopped there and taken a dump. The building was built out of rectangles; even the windows were ugly. I asked 2 passers-by what it was but they had no idea.

On Wednesday, I went to Kasteel de Haar with my Korean housemate and his girlfriend. It was 2 zones away from the city centre, and so required 4 strips on the strippenkarten. I had my monthly pass for 2 zones, so I only needed 2 strips (gah) - what it would cost me if I took the bus to the edge of the second zone, walked to the next zone and then travelled to the correct stop.

The Chinese are most intrepid - even 2 zones out of Utrecht Central, in a suburban area where there were only cottages, there was a Chinese restaurant.


Poor swans swimming in algae


Me on the road to Kasteel de Haar


Road to the Kasteel

When we got to Kasteel de Haar, we found out that the castle interior was closed due to there being some children's theatre show in Dutch. I was quite pissed off, since the English version of the website hadn't said anything about that (I just checked, and the Dutch one does). So we ended up wandering the grounds.


Gatehouse

Personally, I felt quite cheated, since though you expect some degree of photoshopping to publicity pictures, in this case you could be forgiven for thinking the place shown in the 'photos' and the actual Kasteel were two totally different compounds. Also, although it was marketed as a castle, it was in reality a fortified manor house.






I'm told this piece of water-landscaping is called an 'artificial lake', though it looks more deserving of the title of pond. There's one at Versailles; this place (or the gardens, at any rate) is apparently called a mini-Versailles.
















I saw chicken feet on sale for €2/kg. Wth. I wonder who eats them; are there even enough Chinese people to sustain a market for chicken feet?

I haven't seen any Malaysian mannikins, and am very greatful for that. Meanwhile, almost all of the mannikins here have heads. My friend in Canada says she's seen Malaysian mannikins there; gasp, shock, horror. They're taking over our planet! First palm oil, now mannikins - what will be next?!

The tudung-ed women all look very warm. Maybe I should wear a tudung. As an added bonus, my hair wouldn't fly in my face.

Seen at the bus terminal: "Gratis koffie tijdens de maandagachtendspits". Free coffee during peak hours on 13/2, 20/2, 27,2 and 6/3! Wow. Now I know why bus fares are so high.

Twice, I saw someone lying stomach down and strapped to a motorised ambulance trolley. And I've seen people on motorised wheelchairs zipping down bike lanes. The disabled here are most empowered.

Seen: Martin Luther Kinglaan. Uhh.