Buckaroo Thandi

It is good to be on a roller coaster. Several days ago I said goodbye to the Netherlands and the new discoveries I made there. I discovered, that among other things, Europe is vastly different from the US when it comes to the outlook of individual persons. The objectives of their systems both political and economical (and I have blogged about these systems several times over) overlap but individuals view the world differently, and they view themselves and their culture differently. It's good to have travelled to both places; US and Europe so as to compare elements of what we here in the Southern Hemisphere refer to as the West.  And for time spent there, dankuwel Orange!...and if you are reading this Folkert, here's to YOU! I said 'hello' to Germany a few days ago. Thanks to friends, I was able to see and taste a range of German culture. The experiences, I hope, will help colour this blog further in my processing of the world as I see it from this end of the globe. So

It was a great game, between the Netherlands and Spain. Too bad it didn't turn out into a victory for the Dutch. Congratulations to the Dutch for such an exciting performance, and too bad that my days as a lucky charm are over, me thinks. No room for superstition, except when it comes to certain sea animals. I miss the Orange excitement around here. I went to see a windmill yesterday, in Burdaard. Wow! those things aren't for making the scenery look pretty. 35 meters above ground and I was dusty from the grain and wood dust of the mill and saw-mill that form the production side of the wind mill. Amazing engineering, and this particular engineering was worked out before the 20th century!  Windmills aren't child's play, neither are they to be only wind sails mounted on high to generate power to the X times X amount. It was like being in an engine craft the size of high building.  Our own maize or saw-mills in Malawi do the job required of them koma tichepetse noise po