Forum members who have actually met face-to-face

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

If I wear a beard, people sometimes think I'm turkish (I'm not). Which is, under the political correct surface, not something people really love from their hearts, to say the least... When we bought our house in 2002, people thought like "eek, turkish neighbours!!!"

And - did you devalue your neighbourhood in the end?  Or are you always clean-shaven, just to be on the safe side? 

[karlhenning]

HAH! 

[Renfield]

Let me belatedly add what an immense pleasure it was for me as well, to meet Novi (a.k.a. Marcelle, the surprise over her being 'unexpectedly' female I had already gone through earlier ), Colin and Mike for a most civilised, and quite extended, breakfast.

I can assure you there was indeed never a dull moment of conversation (unless perhaps when my big mouth was at work): as Mike indicated, we never even got the chance to discuss the trivial, out of the sheer amount of other subjects touched!

(Though with the unfortunate side-effect of Colin's parking ticket, it would seem. )


It's always a joy to meet people as interesting as this; and even more so from within a shared context, like GMG.

Yet I admittedly must also express a small degree of guilt over Mike's very charming wife, who visited our conversation table, but likely did not find the subjects under discussion at these moments all that penetrable, to the GMG-outsider!


[Johan: Well spotted! I upgraded to this pair of glasses early this year, giving me a viable alternative to the contact lenses, as my only surviving older pair isn't quite up to scratch in terms of vision-correction, to be worn outside.]

[Herman]

As has been documented before, Brett aka Catison is making a Grand Tour of the Netherlands this spring, and so it happened he and I met in Leiden and spent some time on of Holland's prettiest canals the Rapenburg (at the place with the green shades, Barrera, which used to be my college era haunt)



We talked about how GMG has changed since 2005, and, more pertinently, how we have changed since then, Brett getting married and finding out what a powerful connection love is, and me doing the same becoming a father. We were interrupted by a rock band on a boat giving an encore even though I said "No, no, no!" when the singer asked if people wanted more. I was also intrigued to hear about a 25 minute piece of Karl Henning's specially composed for Brett's wedding. That must have cost a fortune.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Great that Brett has seen Leiden (and you, of course). I am glad you had excellent weather today.

I know Barrera quite well, too. Some of my friends have studied in Leiden and we went there for a drink quite often.

[Lilas Pastia]

I don't know how Belgium and Holland manage to hide so much of their population . Although they have the highest density of people per km2, every town or village seems to inhabit its own space, intact and separate from the rest of the area. You never feel you're part of a crowd. Here we're lucky if we can find 300m of continuous unused land. Its' called étalement urbain (urban spreading)  .

[Christo]

I don't know how Belgium and Holland manage to hide so much of their population . Although they have the highest density of people per km2, every town or village seems to inhabit its own space, intact and separate from the rest of the area. You never feel you're part of a crowd. Here we're lucky if we can find 300m of continuous unused land. Its' called étalement urbain (urban spreading)  .

Actually, Belgium and Holland are rather different countries, in this respect. The étalement urbain you mention, is found everywhere in Belgium, but less so in the Netherlands, due to different styles of urban policies since WWII. (But I have to confess you really need so see the Eastern and Northern provinces of The Netherlands to undergo the difference ...). 

[Que]

I don't know how Belgium and Holland manage to hide so much of their population .

As for Holland: by building many houses on a limited amount of space. Result: relatively small houses, with small gardens or no garden at all, many apartment buidlings and sky high real estate prices. Building houses is actually forbidden outside of specifically designated areas.

Q

[Catison]

Yes, I had a great time meeting Herman today.  I learned more about Dutch culture and about life as a student in Leiden specifically.  This time I tried Palm, as part of my grand tour of Belgium beers.

Yes, I have changed quite a bit from early avant-garde touting days on these forums.  Now I even love Mozart!  Who would have known?

Another thing we both agreed about what the lack of the great, informative posts we so often came across in those early days.  (No doubt, I am going to trample on someone's feet by making a remark like that, but GMG and CMG before it, used to have many more longer, well-argued posts than I see lately.)

Johan and I also met once again last weekend, and this time I had my camera.  See image below.  Now, I had my camera with me in Leiden today, but I totally forgot to take a picture.  Next time perhaps?

[Catison]

I was also intrigued to hear about a 25 minute piece of Karl Henning's specially composed for Brett's wedding. That must have cost a fortune.

I have been a little careful to go posting this around, because I never got Karl's permission, but here is a link to the recording of the wedding music.  And just to forewarn you, the organist was sweating bullets about playing it, so take that into consideration before judging Dr. Henning himself.

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/btstewart/Music/Henning/

And I assure you Karl was very reasonable with the commission.  It was a true wedding gift!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Hm, I look rather stern. But it WAS a very enjoyable meeting!

I don't like photos. 

[Dundonnell]

Hm, I look rather stern. But it WAS a very enjoyable meeting!

I don't like photos. 

You look as though you were wearing a rugby top, Johan....but that would clearly not be the case

[knight66]

I don't like photos of me either. Some time ago I had a photo-pass done to access various buildings. The process seemed to be taking some time. I was looking at the camera just idly wondering when they would be ready to take the photo....then without warning, it happened. The result was self revelatory. In merely relaxed mode, I looked either that I was about to announce the death penalty on someone, or had just had it passed on me.

Recently I had it replaced, a more carefully composed set of features appears, to not much better effect. I claim the effects of gravity as against gravitas.

Mike

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

You look as though you were wearing a rugby top, Johan....but that would clearly not be the case

No. Though I would be feared in a scrum.

I don't like photos of me either. Some time ago I had a photo-pass done to access various buildings. The process seemed to be taking some time. I was looking at the camera just idly wondering when they would be ready to take the photo....then without warning, it happened. The result was self revelatory. In merely relaxed mode, I looked either that I was about to announce the death penalty on someone, or had just had it passed on me.

Recently I had it replaced, a more carefully composed set of features appears, to not much better effect. I claim the effects of gravity as against gravitas.

[Catison]

No. Though I would be feared in a scrum.

Now now, no fibbing...

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Now now, no fibbing...

Proof that clothes can lie. No more, no less.  0:)

[knight66]

Perhaps it is part of the Rugby School uniform that has strayed into your wardrobe.

Mike

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Perhaps it is part of the Rugby School uniform that has strayed into your wardrobe.

As my wardrobe is a very welcoming place, this could certainly have happened.

You nailed it! 

[vandermolen]

I too have been to the Rapenburg in Leiden - a beautiful town. Here is my wife in Leiden last year during the visit which included the famous encounter with the two Johans:

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I too have been to the Rapenburg in Leiden - a beautiful town. Here is my wife in Leiden last year during the visit which included the famous encounter with the two Johans:

Yes, an historic meeting. The Three Tenors are dead. Long live The Two Johans!