Ducks again!

the day started out pleasant, although grey. so we had a long walk and i insisted on seeing the ducklings once again. sitting on a bench nearby for a while, i observed that every child did the same; starting from the last duckling, they touch and sit on each and every one of them (there are 8 small ones), until arriving at the mother duck (above). this all is accompanied by many pictures taken by the parents (and/or strangers). and you can see that every child feels they own the duck, at least as long as their interest lasts... :) all the duck's heads became shiny from all the touching... :) (the sculpture is there since 1987)

this time the little boy was enjoying the ducks and posing for his mom (left), but then this lady needed the big duck for photoshoot with dog. she put a christmasribbon around the duck's neck, and then the dog was put next to it and husband with big camera took pics of dog & duck. all the while directing Lily (dog) to remain next to duck and look at the camera..... buuughhh... why? are those pics their christmas cards? or.. ? is there a dog/duck connection im not aware of (with ribbon?)? i found it ridiculous.....

anyways, this sculpture is from nancy schon and i just found out she made quite some public sculptures. interestingly, the "make way for ducklings" has a duplicate in moscow; it was a gift from one president's wife (barbara bush) to another (raisa gorbachev). (so thats what bored first ladies do!) cool detail: also in moscow the ducklings are placed on old boston cobblestones.

Gold buyers

become old buyers depending on how you hold your camera... :)

it was only when looking through the lens that i realized i should leave out the G.. but then the lady just moved a little, and well... couldnt ask her to take a step back again, right?

today sinterklaas (photos here!!) arrived in the netherlands... i remember the first year i lived in Utrecht i went to the lab on saturday and when going back, i ended up in the arrival of sinterklaas, which i had completely forgotten about. wasnt easy to get out of the crowd with my bike. i know last year we especially went to the city to see him, but did we actually get to see him? 

now being in the usa since april, i start to realize i miss all this kind of stuff for the first time in my life. that is just sooo weird! then i saw some photos on facebook of friends that were with a boat on the utrecht canals and thus having the best possible view of sinterklaas' arrival (he comes by boat!)... and that all made me a little homesick.... surely, being in another country makes you realize whats particular to your own....

oh my, i will miss all that sinterklaas-candy as well! pepernoten, chocolate letters (you get a letter of chocolate; usually the first letter of your name), marsepein....  weird, really weird. as if i cared that much about that all when i still was in the netherlands! (well, apparently.. :) ) ah well, here the stores are already filled with christmas-stuff. and maybe i should photograph all the turkeys piled up in the supermarket..?