One night in Rotterdam:)

Hi guys, I decided that it would be great to catch up with some old friends... they were in the neighbourhood... well so they came to Rotterdam. I found out that it actually only takes 1:15 to get from Eindhoven to Rotterdam... so I caught the train like 80% of all Dutch, and went there after work.

The trip was great, and I must admit I have not been to Rotterdam for 6 years.... and boy was I surprised. It actually is really a nice city, really modern, very different from Eindhoven.

I had a great meal with my friends, and of course we had to cross the famous Erasmus bridge...:)

Well what can I say... it was really great and I am sure that I will go back to Rotterdam one day... part of discovering the Netherlands:)

Kamone

A weekend in Dusseldorf:)

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Hi guys,

Well after my weekend in Venice, I thought I should check out Dusseldorf...So I went to Amsterdam to see a friend, had a coffee with her and caught the high speed train to Dusseldorf:) The train is actually very cool:) 2hours... you can hook your laptop to it, it is great. Flying is over rated for short distances, I mean think about it... if you fly, you need to be at least 1h before your flight... you land, and have to go through security checks and then you have to get to the city centre....

IF you go by train... well... Need to be there 1minute before the train, and then you get out in the city centre!!!

Anyway... moving on I wanted to go and meet Pedro... the playmaker and old friend from Portugal...

It was great to catch up with him, he is really a cool guy:) We are not that different, we both left our comfort zone looking for new challenges in life... so I found them in Eindhoven and he found them in Dusseldorf.Had this great meal... Portuguese food in Dusseldorf... well to be honest the international community in Dusseldorf is AMAZING:)

Went out at night... and ya Dusseldorf is pretty cool:) Met a few of Pedros friends....from Spain, Iceland, Japan, Portugal,.... lol what a night:)

(Gudrun, me, Pedro:)
friends 4ever:)

Next day we went sight seeing and ended up spending this great day in a chocolate shop:)

After that had a game of football with some of Pedros Friends... it was really cool to go to Germany to play football... Well the best part was to play with Pedro again... just like the old days: Tropinas852!!!! He still hasn't lost his touch:P

Ya you guessed it I did not take this photo, as the weather was cold, but still it gives you a feeling of what Dusseldorf has to offer:)

Thanks Playmaker for the great weekend:)

I will have to back there again soon:)

Kamone, Ideas, Gerrit:)

Weekend in Venice

Hi everyone,

Life is great... life at The MathWorks is FANTASTIC... each day is better and better.... So after working hard during the week I thought I would celebrate my second pay check from my dream company... so I went to Venice to meet Alex and Bia 2 old friends from Portugal. They had decided to go 4 a week but I went for the weekend....

It took me 6 hours to get from my house to the center of Venice.... only to find Alex, Bia, Rafa, Ines and Susana waiting for me:)

I mean look at this picture... Bia and Rafa.... we were on a boat and their smile says it all:) WHAT A WEEKEND:)

It was great to see Grandao again:) I mean how many times do you meet up with old friends in.... Italy?! lol

Ya that is Ines... a true... "Ideias".... she has more ideas, games, adventures, than I do.... I guess she sees the world differently to us mortals:) Never change Ines...

PS - nice photo:)

I caught a boat to the airport on Sunday... but I must say... this was my second time in Venice... and I really enjoyed it:) I am going back for another weekend on the 28th of March:) I cant wait. I mean the city is romantic, beautiful and full of energy/culture/history:)

At night however it becomes a ghost town.... but that itself gives the place a special feeling....one night in Venice... is like a night in heaven just with a lot more water:P

Gareth

On my way to Cozumel

As if going driving around Miami in a Limo wasn't good enough... I decided to go to Cozumel... what a way to spend my birthday... went on this cruise ... 12 floors...over 2000 people... (ya I made a lot of friends:))

A friend of mine caught me thinking on what life is about... I guess we all need to take a moment and think.... I just chose my moment...

For those of you who do not know Cozumel, it is a small Mexican island... not really Mexico, as 2000 tourist arrive the traditional Mexico goes out of the window...
However I really tried to find a local bar... and ya... finally found one... and challenged with a friend the locals to a game of pool...

I must say after a few tequilas and beers... I was in no condition to play... but we both put up a good game... and just lost!!!

It was still very close... and we made lots of friends with the locals... 20 dollars is not that much anyway!!!

It was all about the experience!!!

I guess this photo kinda of puts everything into perspective....

Gareth

My Birthday...the big 27!!!

Hi guys,

Ya 4th of Feb was my birthday....I thought I should do something special....

So I decided to go to Miami eheheh... not a bad place... well actually it really rocks:)

This is the skyline from an interesting perspective.

As if going to Miami wasnt enought I decided to share my birthday with some friends... I rented a limo.... 10 people Limo!!! and was driven around Miami for 3 hours!!!

The truth is... people with lots of money live a very diferent life style to you and me...this one night I really felt special.... as we stop at the front door of really cool club...

Lots of people are waiting to get in, the Limo driver comes and opens my door... me and my mates we get out one by one... and go straight to the club!!!!Straight to the VIP room.... what a life!!!!

What can I say about the VIP room... well ya.... there is a lot of alcool!!!


Anyway... I really enjoyed my 27th birthday... had the time of my life and could not have had better company... no... I am not talking about Sharon, but my friends who came to Miami with me... they really made my night!!!Thanks guys:)

Gareth