Biking with a phone

Here I am diligently obeying the law. Last week I was fined 95€ for biking while holding my phone. It's a new law, and they're enforcing it as much as possible. Ironically, I was using my phone to have directions to get to the cheap-o grocery store. I ended up not saving that much money.

Gedempte Zuiderdiep

One of the busiest intersections in the city, with around 20.000 pedestrians and cyclists crossing it on a regular weekday. No traffic lights of course, just a bunch of crosswalks. It's very quiet standing here. It wasn't always like this though; this used to be a canal!
Oh, and it's a leap day! Yay!

Bird's eye view

You can see our house on here, somewhere on the left, across from the museum in the water. A very nice scale model representation of Groningen's inner city, binnenstad. It is diligently kept up to date by the municipal workers. It's not that much bigger in real life - to walk from one end of the other is about a 15 minute walk. With very few cars in the way.

Nürnberg

What is it like to be a sleepy chameleon hanging out on a branch?
He must get a lot of random visitors, peering into his lair.
He reached out for me as I approached.
Maybe he wanted to clamber up onto my face, and escape.

Mooie Zeilschepen

This is change I could get used to. There are sail ships just hanging around everywhere. They even light them up at night. I want to take beginner sailing lessons, starting this spring, at a lake not far from here, Zuidlaardermeer. One step at a time.

Rituals

I like my routines and habits. Like my breakfast routine. I like to do things the same way, even in the same order. It is comforting. The smallest change is challenging.
So coming here and starting everything anew was hard. But here I am, settling into my breakfast routine. At least there's that. And it seems to be here to stay for a good little while. This brings me joy.

Goedenmiddag Groningen

A 'wintry' afternoon view from our new home, facing the Groninger Museum. No, I do not miss the snow. I like the sounds of bikes and pedestrians as they weave between each other, and the sight of the warm sun shining into our living room to nourish our plants. I am filled with joy to be here.