Snow day!

It snowed all day today, and since I was doubtful of the reliability of the Dutch trams (this isn't Boston, or Copenhagen, you know), I stayed home. I won't bore you with details (they largely consist of me, a couch, a feather duvet, tea from Paris, and falling snow), but here are pictures of my view. It's a far cry from a couple months ago.

Windows and Balconies

The weather has been unseasonably sunny and "warm" (in the 60s), allowing us to make use of our balcony before winter sets in.

Everyone here seems to have a balcony, just like how every building here seems to have big windows - and a lot of them. It makes me nervous for winter, if the pursuit of every ray of light is so deeply institutionalized in the culture.

Apartment Hunting

We went looking at apartments today in the historical center of the Hague and found some oddities - coming from DC, you could not fathom the extreme location of these places. So in today's security climate, which seems less safe?

Option A: The house right on top of the entrance of the Dutch Pentagon, with a steady stream of people in military uniforms filing past your front door and through the guard booth (we'd have to make friends with the guards; otherwise, it would be awkward).

Option B: The apartment right next to and overlooking the guard booth and garage entrance for the American Embassy (as in, wake up in the morning, roll over, look out the window, wave at the rifle toting guard two stories below).

I continue to maintain we would have been safer in Bogota. But at least our chances of being burglarized would be close to nil...