Family run restaurants
Havana is not known for its good cuisine, but that might change soon. Family run restaurants (‘paladars’) have popped up all over the city. The most famous one is definitely La Guarida.
Paladar La Guarida is the place where the movie ‘Fresa y Chocolate’ was filmed, the only Cuban film with an Oscar nomination. Since then it has become one of the hottest places in town. So when I went to Havana, La Guarida was on the top of my list!
My expectations were very high, because I had read all the reviews on websites like Tripadvisor, Lonely planet, The New York Times, etc. To my surprise La Guarida had its own website, which was even available in English (not very common in Cuba). I booked a table online and counted the days until my departure!

Pasta al limone e vodka
The hotel warned me to take a cab, because the restaurant is located in a poor neighbourhood. But nothing could have prepared me for the entrance to La Guarida’s building; it felt like I walked into a movie. I won’t reveal too much though; you have to experience it for yourself!
It is an amazing place, with absolutely gorgeous interiors: antiques, paintings, art and wonderful food (certainly by Cuban standards): fresh vegetables, salads, honey-mustard chicken, pork, seafood, you name it. My first visit at lunchtime and the chef surprised me with a ‘mean’ pasta al limone e vodka. Wow!

Romance is all around
The waitress, Antonieta, spoke perfect English; she told me to come back at night for a more romantic atmosphere. So I did. And I was not disappointed! By the way, if you go at night, ask for a table on the balcony. But even if you’re sitting in one of the indoor dining rooms, romance is all around, provided by candle light and jazz music.

La Guarida immediately became one of my favourite restaurants, not just in Cuba, but in the world!!! Next time you’re in Havana, check it out. Be sure to book a table well in advance though.

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About Tara
My name is Tara. I’m 37 years old, a big fan of fashion, skiing and travelling! I’m a Dutch citizen, with an Italian heart and an international mind set. I started writing about travelling a couple of years ago. Working as a fulltime blogger or editor would be a dream come true.

Travelling means freedom to me. Most times, I travel by myself even if it is a little scary sometimes. It’s always an amazing experience! People come up to talk to you more easily and I can do whatever I want
My Dutch heart always smiles when I see a KLM plane abroad. Especially when I used to live outside of the Netherlands; it’s a little piece of home.

This eye catching artwork soon became a meeting point for travellers from Schiphol Airport - Amsterdam

Recently, in my task as floorwalker, I noticed a man — very tall and of advanced years — at the check-in machines. He was standing hunched over and I assumed he wasn’t feeling well. In the few minutes that I watched him, I was able to guess he was travelling alone. Very clearly, no one else was taking care of this lonely looking traveller. I decided to approach him and ask if I could offer help.

‘I lost my wife’
Ignoring my question, the man remained bent over. I touched his arm carefully and, very slowly, he turned to face me. Without a change in his expression he said, “I lost my wife a while ago. I’m alone now and don’t know what to do!” “Oh sir,” I answered. “I’m so sorry for you,” He finally straightened up and we walked together to some seats nearby. He was shaking from head to toe.

Misunderstanding
John, seventy-eight years old, was travelling to Atlanta. He told me that his wife, Barbara, had always arranged everything. She was his eyes and ears. Without her, he was helpless. His voice shaking, he asked how he would get home without his Barbara. In an effort to get this very tall, very old man to his flight on time, I suggested that we go to the assistance counter. The people there help those who cannot manage on their own. After taking just a few steps, a voice came from the crowd, “John! John!” And a sweet, delicate-looking woman came hurrying over to him. The man shouted in a frightened voice, “Barb!” I watched in amazement. This was the Barbara he had spoken of. She had gone to the restroom and had asked John to wait for her. But when she had emerged, he was gone. She had searched the entire hall for her husband. With tears of laughter at this misunderstanding, we said goodbye.

John Lost and Barbara Found are happy together. The End.

With LAV,
Morena

CODA, Dennis Adams (1995)
This meeting point is one of the most eye catching artworks at Schiphol. It’s created by Dennis Adams who named it CODA. The red and white blocks refer to the color code of many objects you will find on an airport. Within CODA 28 different photographs of red-and-white airport objects are incorporated: towers, electricity stations and signs. You find CODA at Schiphol Plaza just before passport control.

He pretended to recognise me when I went to visit him. We smoked a cigarette together outside and he kept calling me John, which was close enough for me, because my first name is Johan. We sat and played with the dogs until my father got annoyed with them and started shouting: “Shut up! Shut up!” Which was what he – a Dutch immigrant – always shouted when he meant “bugger off”.

We went back inside and I made several pointless attempts to strike up a conversation while my father sat staring at the book, which was sitting on the table in its garish wrapper.

“Shall I open it for you?” I asked.

When he didn’t reply, I tore off the paper and sat down next to him on the couch. I placed the book on his lap and opened it at a random page. I’m not sure which famous painting was depicted there – I think a Caravaggio – but I heard a sharp intake of breath beside me. And then my father started flipping through the book like a hungry man counting slices of bread, mumbling in wonder: “So, so difficult. So, so difficult.”

He stopped when he got to the paintings by Van Gogh, sighed in delight and exasperation and said: “Vincent … so, so difficult.”

“But your sunflowers are beautiful,” I said. “Mom still has them up on her wall.”

“The colours,” he said. “So, so difficult.”

My father passed away several months later. While we were clearing out his office, my mother asked if there was anything of his that I wanted to take back to Amsterdam with me. The first thing that came to mind was his oil paints and pastels, which I put in a plastic bag and buried between the clothes in my suitcase. When I got home, I put them in one of my drawers, where they lay unopened for four or five years, until my daughter needed paint for an art project. So we dug up the boxes and opened the twisted tubes one by one, our disappointment growing with each opened cap, because they were all dry and useless.

“Should we throw them away, Dad?” asked my daughter.

“No,” I said. “I want to keep them. Maybe we can put them to good use someday. Maybe we can make something Opa would have liked.”

PS: A warm word of thanks to Dr. Leo Jansen for guiding us around the fabulously renovated Van Gogh Museum and for allowing me to snap this picture of myself, with my father’s paints in hand, viewing Van Gogh’s sunflowers. I hope many of you will follow in my father’s footsteps and gain pleasure and inspiration from Vincent’s deceptively simple masterpieces, which are in truth “so, so difficult”.

PPS: The current exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum focuses on the artist at work: his technique, materials, development, contemporaries, sources of inspiration. All of which offer an intriguing, close-up perspective on the works we are so familiar with. The exhibition also includes some of Van Gogh’s sketchbooks, which are a wonderful reminder that even the most celebrated works of art began as a simple sketch.

Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander celebrate our gold-winning relay race at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

On Tuesday, Prince Willem-Alexander was crowned King of the Netherlands, which also marked the end of the reign Queen Beatrix. After 33 years on the throne, she handed over her responsibilities to a new generation. I have had the good fortune to meet her twice. On both occasions I had won medals at the Olympic Games. I also met – at that time – Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima a few times. They are great sports fans and deserve a top ranking when it comes to cheering on the Dutch squad!

My last race
My career as a professional athlete ended nine months ago. After 10 years of international competitions, I swam my last race on the 4th of August 2012. That was the Olympic final of the 50 meters freestyle in London. Winning a bronze medal, the best performance of my career, in the last race of my life is very special and something I’m very proud of!

Biggest fan club
I had known for three years that the London Olympics were going to be my last competition. I knew I would need a solid plan, a huge amount of training and discipline, as well as support from the very best specialists to achieve my dream of winning an individual gold medal. After the 4th of August 2012, my career was complete and, as we say in the Netherlands, “de cirkel was rond”, which means I had rounded things off as intended. My whole family was there; my daughter Hannah, husband Camiel, my parents, my in-laws, my four sisters and my brother, all with their partners. If there was an Olympic gold medal for biggest fan club, I would have won hands down!

T-shirts for the whole family

I gained 10 kilos
Having completed my swimming career as intended, made it easy to retire. A lot has changed since then. I’ve gained 10 kilos, not because I ate too much, but because I’m expecting my second child this week. As was the case during my first pregnancy, I’m still swimming four times a week. It still feels great and you can’t suddenly stop when you’ve spent 25 hours a week training for the past 10 years. You need to cut back the training intensity slowly, to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Blank page
And so the time has come to work on a new career. It’s great to get the chance to start on something totally new. It feels like I’m starting with a blank page. On the other hand, however, it’s also difficult to find a job that will give me as much pleasure and as many challenges as being a professional athlete. There were lots of questions: What is it I want to do? Should I work for a company, become a consultant, work in sports? What will be my new goals?

Presentations
Because I hold master’s degrees in both Industrial Engineering & Management and Economics, I’ll be pursuing a career that combines these studies with my experience as a professional swimmer. And because I also enjoy sharing the story of my swimming career with others, I’ll be giving presentations to a variety of companies and audiences. It’s interesting sharing my experiences on goal setting, motivation, top performance and mindset with people who work in a different environment – the business world.

But outside my working life, there will always be one activity that I will keep up: swimming. It still keeps me happy and fit. Even now, with a baby in my belly, I’m still swimming. And I’m sure I’ll continue to do so for the rest of my life!

Marleen

This was the last blog of swimmer Marleen Veldhuis. KLM thanks her for her interesting and entertaining contributions in the last months. We wish her all the best in her new career and with her family and the little new family member. Thank you Marleen!

Since then, the city has swallowed up the little island but there are plans to separate it again and have it entirely surrounded by seawater. As for myself, I don’t have that feeling of being in a strange place since Nagasaki looks so much like any modern Western city. After all, the port city of Nagasaki has been completely rebuilt since 9 August 1945. The very impressive Nagasaki Peace Park is a must-see.

But back to 1641. Walking through the gateway to the settlement of Dejima (Japanese for ‘protruding island’) really feels like going back in time. Japan today is modern, trendy, colourful and sophisticated. Back then, it was following a self-imposed isolationist policy. The only gaijins (foreigners) allowed to trade with the Japanese were the men of the Dutch East India Company. Talk about pioneering!

Every year, around 400,000 visitors just like me walk beneath the gateway to the seaward side of Dejima. They do this, of course, through the right side since this is the import entrance. Export goes through the other side of the gateway. After the restoration and reconstruction, around 700,000 visitors are expected to visit this little piece of Japanese-Dutch legacy every year.

It’s strange to think that so much knowledge and merchandise were exchanged between Japan and the rest of the world for two hundred years right here on this tiny island. Walking through the dining room of the residence of the head of the factorij (or trading post) you can see how the Dutch managed to celebrate Christmas, even though this had been forbidden by the Shogun. Clever as they were, they chose to celebrate the winter solstice on the eve of 21 December as if it were Christmas. And to show how they did this, the table is set with the plastic look-alike food samples so typical of Japan. They look absolutely edible. There’s a special factory that makes this fake food seen everywhere on the streets of Japan.

This window to the world remained open from 1641 to 1853.

Now, in 2013, we once again have a direct connection between the Netherlands and the southern island of Kyushu. From Fukuoka, the Japanese living in this region can travel as foreigners to Europe to get a whiff of European knowledge and culture – something they obviously enjoy.

As for myself, I’ll stay here a little longer and then take the train from Nagasaki back to the Hakata station in Fukuoka. Not on the Shinkansen (or ‘Bullet Train’) this time, but in a comfortable train unworthy of the name ‘out on a spree’. Once aboard, I’m whooshing through the changeable coastal landscape of lowlands and hills to Fukuoka. Three Japanese nurses sit across from me and my touring group. In high spirits, they tell us about their day trip to celebrate a birthday in Huis ten Bosch, another attraction on Kyushu where the Netherlands once again plays a key role.

Language is no barrier for these and other Japanese. It seems that English is still the perfect means of communication. Otherwise, feel free to use such words as mesu, sepoito and shinu. These are what are left of the words used by Dutch physicians who lived on Dejima: mes (knife), spuit (injection) and zenuw (nerve).

The influence of the Netherlands can be observed not only in the language but also in the food. The Island of Kyushu has a sweeter cuisine than the rest of Japan. Cargoes of sugar, once traded for copper, are the reason for this. It definitely adds something to their food (mostly fish).

The Fukuoka region offers a lot. I had a great but short trip.  I will definitely go back and visit this beautiful region again. I think you should go too, and here is my free tip for you .

Joost,

Corporate Communications

Feel free to listen to my Osaka playlist:

Gateway to Kyoto
Osaka is ideally situated. Perfect for exploring that ‘lost’ feeling. JR (Japan Railways) takes you to Kyoto Station from Osaka Station within 40 minutes. Kyoto is an absolute must see. It’s known as the Paris of Japan. And I agree. Gets you to places like Gion. The mysterious Geisha district. And amazing temples. I visit the impressive Kiyomizu-Dera temple. On arrival, I’m greeted with a ‘gift’. The ‘cherry blossom’ on the cake. Sakura in early bloom. How beautiful! The best time is end March/start April. I also test my luck: ‘number 2, very good fortune.’ If your fortune is bad, tie it in a bow at the temple. Keep your good fortune with you in your purse. Despite the crowd, I feel serenely at peace. The view is awesome.

Memoires of a Geisha
Chawan-Zaka (Teapot Lane) takes you through authentic neighbourhoods. Geisha look-a-likes come out to greet me. They look beautiful. Let me take photos of them with pleasure. I wander through the genuine Geisha district Gion. During the day, you won’t find any Geishas, only Geisha schools. The curriculum includes lessons in dancing, pouring tea and flirting. It’s unbelievable. The world of a Geisha. While meandering my way through the streets of Gion I come to rest every so often, entranced by the mystery of it all. That’s the beauty of Kyoto, each area has its own atmosphere. Downtown Kyoto is the same as in any big city. Tall buildings, loads of traffic. From here, I head towards Kyoto station. Take the train back to Osaka.

Osaka Castle
On my last day off I visit Osaka Castle, located in Castle Park. People cycling, picnicking, working out. The castle itself has a turbulent history. Destroyed and reconstructed several times. But this replica gives me a fantastic view of Osaka. The sun shines. Japan is extraordinary. Actually, I never feel ‘lost’. A good travel guide, sense of humour and a smile get you a long way. To a little piece of Magic on Earth.

Vancouver | Gaia: “Is that in Canada?” | Jehanne: “Justin Bieber!” | My son (nearly 14): “I’m sorry, you’re never allowed to visit us again.” | Me: “This Canadian city was named after the explorer George Vancouver, whose ancestors hailed from the Dutch town of Coevorden, which means ‘cow ford’, a place where cows cross a river.” (Via Joseph Jones of the Vancouver Sun.)

Venice | Jehanne: “Eternal snow! Ski resorts! Lovely wooden huts!” | Gaia: “People with funny moustaches and boats.” | Me: “This Italian city gets its name from the Veneti, a nation whose name possibly derives form the Latin word ‘venetus’, meaning ‘sea-blue’.”

Vienna | Gaia: “I love Rihanna!” | Jehanne: “Serafina! From The Princess and the Pauper!” | Me: “The Austrian capital was originally known as Vindobona, from the Celtic ‘vindo’ (white) and ‘bona’ (foundation or fort). The ‘white’ possibly refers to the River Wien that flows through the city.”

Warsaw | Gaia: “War Child? That’s so sad.” | Jehanne: “Junior Song Festival! Warsaw, your points please.” | Me: “According to a romantic myth, the name of the Polish capital is said to stem from the legend of the fisherman Wars, who fell in love with the mermaid Sawa, whom he found swimming the River Vistula, which flows through Warsaw. The city even has a mermaid in its coat of arms.”

Washington, D.C. | Jehanne: “America! Obama!” | Gaia: “An old guy with wooden teeth and a white wig.” | Me: “The U.S. capital was named after President George Washington, whose family name stems from the Old English ‘estate of a man named Wassa’.”

Willemstad | Gaia: “Sounds like Holland! Maybe the planes just drive there.” | Jehanne: “My grandfather is called Willem! And Willem Alexander is going to be king!” | Me: “The capital of the Antillean island Curacao, a former Dutch colony, is named after William II of Orange.”

Xiamen | Gaia: “That’s a sweet shop!” (Jamin) | Jehanne: “Never heard of it. Write down: Unknown!” | Me: “This port on the southern coast of China gets its name from the Mandarin ‘lower gate’, which may be a reference to its position at the mouth of the Nine Dragon River.”

Zurich | Gaia: “Sounds sour.” (“zuur” is Dutch for “sour”) | Jehanne: “I don’t mind sour, but I can’t stand bitter.” | Me: “This Swiss city was originally named Turicum, which possibly derives from the Celtic ‘dur’, meaning ‘water’.”

To round off, I’d like to announce the winner of the title contest from my previous blog. There were some fabulous and funny entries (all listed in the comments under the blog, some of which alerted me to the fact that the dolphin or porpoise in the picture might also be a condom. That said, I felt the best title was “The Birth of Play” submitted by Katherine Hajer. Please contact me via Twitter or Facebook, Katherine, and I’ll send you the drawing.

If you ever had the opportunity to join us – KLM ground employees -  during an evening break, the first thing that would strike you would be the smell. Here the cuisines of China, Thailand, Italy, Turkey and the Netherlands mingle. And everyone who, like me, is mad about delicious, healthy food, swaps recipes for their favourite dishes.

Sometimes a recipe reaches me in a very unusual way. Four generations of an Indian family were travelling back to Delhi one day. Namaste to all of you! This promised to be a special check-in…

“You look healthy”
While the sons attempted to get the luggage down to the right weight, the grandmother came to stand closer to me. “You look healthy”, she said quietly to me. I looked at her in surprise. “You like yoga?” she added. I nodded yes and added my preference for organic and vegetarian food. It that case, she had an Indian recipe for me. One which was not only nutritious, but also easy to make. I quickly scribbled it down on a KLM shift-swap form. The woman whispered that this dish would do my mind and body good and ensure the right yin and yang effect. At her request I checked the on board evening meal list. “An Indian vegetarian meal request”, I read, my mouth watering.

I scribbled the recipe down on a KLM shift-swap form

Let’s try her recipe
I decided to try her recipe for Palak Dhal at home. I brought the lentils, salt, turmeric, and chilli powder to the boil in a saucepan with some water. I then let it simmer for a while and added the wild spinach and a bit more water. In the melted ghee (Indian butter) I fried the garlic, cumin, mustard seeds and onion until the onion had softened. Stir frequently, she had said.
Finally, I added the mixture to the lentils. The spices and lentils mingled together in a juicy, colourful mass. And then the finishing touch. With perspiration forming on my forehead I sprinkled in the garam masala and added the coconut milk. With a piece of warm naan, I sat back and savoured all the flavours.

I circle my next evening shift in my diary. My colleagues are going to taste the latest culinary tour de force!

Is there anyone else who would like to pass on their world recipes to me?

Morena

Bij Boska Holland draait alles om kaas. En dat al meer dan honderd jaar. Je kunt het zo gek niet bedenken of Boska maakt. Was het oorspronkelijk leverancier voor de professionele kaasbranche, inmiddels ligt de focus op kaasaccessoires voor thuis op tafel. Van kaasschaven, -raspen en -planken tot raclette en fonduepannen. Boska wil mensen samen laten genieten van kaas: Enjoy Life, Explore Cheese! De kracht van Boska? Kennis van kaas, innovatie en ontwikkeling.

1. Hoe belangrijk is export voor Boska?

Tot tien jaar geleden hielden we ons er nog niet zo mee bezig. We deden wel wat met het buitenland maar dat beperkte zich tot een paar landen in Europa. Dat veranderde nadat ik in 2002 Boska van mijn vader overnam en onze naam ondertussen in Nederland gevestigd was. Inmiddels exporteren we naar 83 landen en ligt de focus naast Nederland op België, Frankrijk, Duitsland en Amerika. Ongeveer 60% van onze omzet komt nu van buiten Nederland; het zal de komende jaren alleen maar meer worden.

2. Wat heeft het Wereldveroveraars netwerk u gebracht?

Vooral veel inspiratie en motivatie. En verder is het netwerk natuurlijk bedoeld om met elkaar in contact te komen en van elkaar te leren. Kijk, de export is ongelooflijk belangrijk voor Nederland, het is hét middel om onze economie weer aan de gang te krijgen. Om ervoor te zorgen dat Nederland koploper wordt op het gebied van de export hebben we elkaar nodig. En dat betekent niet alleen dat we onze successen moeten delen; we moeten elkaar ook vertellen over de valkuilen. Exporteren gaat nu eenmaal met vallen en opstaan.

3. Wat raadt u ondernemers aan wanneer zij naar het buitenland gaan?

Focus! Toen ik net begon, wilde ik alles tegelijk. Maar je kunt niet meteen een merk bouwen in 83 landen. Het is dus belangrijk dingen stap voor stap te doen. En natuurlijk moet je wel doelen stellen maar die moeten vooral niet te ambitieus zijn. Anders belemmer je jezelf alleen maar. Onderzoek doen is goed, maar teveel analyseren kan ook blokkeren. Ga dus vooral aan de slag. Doe dat met enthousiasme, creativiteit en energie. Dat is het halve werk.

4. Wat was voor u het grootste struikelblok?

De cultuurverschillen. Ik kom veel in Amerika, spreek de taal, ken de mensen. Toch heeft het tien jaar geduurd voordat ik het echt in de gaten kreeg. De Amerikanen hebben een mooi gezegde: go positive but be realistic. Een hele ware. Veel zaken duren langer dan je verwacht, dat moet je niet onderschatten. Maar verder is het  vooral hartstikke leuk.

5. Wat zou u internationale ondernemers adviseren?

Ga op zoek naar een methodiek die bij je past. Voor mij is dat de Rockefeller Habits. Een heel praktische methode. Je begint met het schrijven van een one page strategy. Je bepaalt je kernkwaliteiten, je missie, je doelstelling. En die langetermijnvisie vertaal je vervolgens naar wat je morgen moet doen. Het is ontzettend belangrijk om zo’n methodiek te hebben. Ik zou iedereen aanraden daarnaar op zoek te gaan.

5.  Nog meer aanraders?

Formuleer je bijdrage aan deze wereld. Niks hoogdravends, gewoon een nuchtere boodschap. Maar het is wel belangrijk erover na te denken. Mijn missie is mensen samen te laten genieten van kaas met onze kaasaccessoires. Dat vind ik mooi, dat past bij mij. Die missie kun je vervolgens vertalen naar zaken als klant- en medewerkertevredenheid. Het geeft precies aan waar je als bedrijf voor staat.

Harm Kreulen,

Directeur KLM Nederland.

Julian calendar
Ethiopia – a land so old that it has neither a beginning nor an end. And it has unusual customs, too. Ethiopians adhere to the Julian calendar, for instance, which is now seven years and eight months “behind” our Gregorian calendar. Their clocks also run differently, with 00.00 hours at dawn, rather than at midnight. Which is logical, really. Ethiopia is also a country where all three major religions coexist peacefully and respectfully.

Crater lake
We took a trip out to a crater lake. To me, the journey is just as important as the destination. On our way, we saw Africa’s biggest market, where everyone was trying to sell their ware. In the villages alongside the road, we saw children in uniforms on their way to school and women carrying water on their backs. Once we got out into open terrain, we saw the reed huts of farmers, who were processing their crops. There were goats and shepherds and children playing in a river bed. On the downside: the dust kept trying to creep into my camera. But that’s a professional hazard, I guess.

People often associate Ethiopia with sprawling deserts, but the highlands are very fertile and the interior of the crater is incredibly lush and green. We were up at an altitude of 3,000 metres and covered part of this superb journey on horseback. Sometimes the terrain was too steep for the horses to carry us, so we had to dismount and walk uphill with them, scrambling and sighing.

Intriguing
We spent the night in reed huts and, after breakfast, we rode over to a family who showed us their reed house. We got a pretty good idea of how they live. The local market offers a wide variety of products: vegetables, clothing, chickens and cow dung. The people were very friendly and clearly didn’t mind being photographed. We were just as intriguing to them as they were to us.

After a trip like this, it’s great to wash the dust out of your ears. We rounded things off with dinner at the best Italian restaurant in town, Castelli, which has been around for more than 66 years ago. Those who plan to fly to Ethiopia from Amsterdam this summer, will do so with our partner Kenya Airways. KLM is suspending its service to Addis Ababa. Bye-bye, Ethiopia, hope to see you soon!
Jör

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