It’s all Double Dutch to me…

So you remember when I wrote about my last trip to Düsseldorf? No? What do you mean “no”? You don’t hang on my every word?! But you said you would!

OK – hurry up. It’s here. The rest of us will wait…

Anyway, I find myself about to set foot once more within its city boundary. Thanks to Kianys, I am armed with a recommendation for a good meal this time as a bonus. In the meantime, I flew in to Venlo in The Netherlands last night and spent today at my company’s international headquarters there, meeting my new colleagues. I’m staying in a pretty little hotel by the name of “De Bovenste Molen“, which I would heartily recommend to anyone finding themselves in the area.

I was so jet lagged last night I went to bed early, attempted to read a few pages of my current book and then slept soundly, except for the predictable West-East transit false start at 4am. Happens to me every time I fly to Europe from Vancouver. Managed to snag a couple of extra hours despite that, before ultimately being awoken by “Evolving Dream” emanating ever so insistently from my BlackBerry.  [Go on, MM, you can’t say I don’t set them up for you!]

Today was a busy round of meeting the beautiful people of head office, and then a quick spin around the mill pond before dinner. Some of the photos were from aforementioned RIM device and seem a little blurry. Or maybe it’s my eyes. Dinner though was exquisite, if a little pricey.

YVR trying to forewarn folks of incoming dodgy accents

If you’ll go Dutch, I’ll Double you

The room’s kettle and goody tin

The goody tin

Monsieur Holot’s fireworks perhaps?

Chez Elephant for a few nights

Aren’t diamonds in antwerp?

A fellow Canadian!

The hotel, ovelooking the pond

So very European, don’t you think?

Nice pair of… lights

Hotel’s exterior

European umbrella stand

De beurre, tapanade, pumpkin seed bread. All good

Salmon, European-sized shrimp, dill, capers, bits, bobs, stuff generally…

Drinks for the night: posh fizzy water and French wine. I forget the blend. Nice though…

Poncy stuffed mushrooms

Such a curvy duck breast

Don’t dessert me now! Mango mousse…