My Stay at Hostel DirkLein = 5 stars (out of 4)

As I get ready for bed, I am disappointed this is my last night staying at Hostel DirkLein.  Another super enjoyable day and it is clear the weekend with Catheleine and Dirk is just what I had hoped for.  We were all sort of bums and slept until noon, but that doesn't surprise me since we didn't crash last night until 3am.

They gave me breakfast!  With a real plate and glassware.  Pretty fancy for me, since I am used to wolfing down my Sausage McMuffin and throwing the trash in the nearest receptacle upon finishing.



It's the Netherlands.  So naturally there is a canal.

Since my plan was to be a local and absorb the culture, I did what any young Dutch male would do.  I sat on the couch and played video games with Dirk.  This lasted a bit before I struck out to walk around the city center.  Groningen has a great feel to it.  With a population of 200,000 it isn't too big or too small and they have quite a great variety of stores, eateries, and locales that probably all appeal to the (about) 32,000 students at the University here.  Being a college town gives it a boost, too.  Bottom line is that most European cities just seem to have a whole lot more charm than our own.

Side note: I was pretty excited there were some Christmas lights up still all over the city center and streets leading up to it.

I didn't know it when I snapped this picture, but we ended up having dinner at the establishment on the left with the Red/Blue lights on the building.  Apparently these lights are almost too tacky for Catheleine, as we just about skipped it for something less flashy.  A quick look through the window and we decided to brave it there.  It was a good choice--dinner was tasty and they had me try a Dutch staple--croquettes.  Sort of a fried mashed potato, I think.  I still am not sure, but they were yummy.  The menu was all in Dutch.  Please note this is not to be confused with croquet, which is an entirely different thing and obviously not a choice of food.

We rounded out the evening with a movie.  Check this out-- two Cokes and a large popcorn ran me $10.00 (barely even that).  The concession stand was like a quick-mart with non-ripoff pricing.  I imagine moviegoers in the US would do it more so if you could get that kind of pricing and choices in a theater.

I forgot to mention the weather.  It has been a brisk 20-35 degrees F each day.  While I was ready for it having checked out the forecast--I wasn't *really* ready for it.  And people were still riding their bikes for transportation.  Not just one or two, but all over, and not just students.  They had me freezing just watching them.

Alright.  Time to pack for the morning (early train) so I don't miss my transport to Paris.