Tomorrow morning we'll be leaving for the Spellenspektakel (Games Spectacular), a big games fair in Eindhoven. It is (partly) organized by some people of 999 Games, and many of our friends will be there.

This the 4th time I'll work for the Spellenspektakel. The first year I explained a single game (Land in Zicht) 3 days non-stop, that became quite boring in the end. Last year I helped out in various things. This year I'll be doing a lot of different things again, which is nice.

Daniel will bring his laptop and Ettie her digital camera, so with a little luck I'll be able to update my website regularly.

There will be a lot of tournaments during the fair, including some Kolonisten ones. To see some participants visit this thread on Kolonisten.nl.

As always there are many volunteers on the Spellenspektakel, most of them explaining games. Read one of their stories here, or see what this shop-owner thought about the fair last year: spelmagazijn.nl (with a lot of pictures).


The Spellenspektakel starts on Friday. Tomorrow we'll install all the things necessary, decorate the booths etc. Last year it took us till midnight. Let's hope this year it will go smoother.

Click on the picture for a nice animation of the previous cabinet. Be sure have your sound on.

(through mijnkopthee.nl)

Now I'm done with the test on Formal Methods I can finally start with my internship.

I just spoke to my coach at Chess and we agreed on an assignment. It's a different than the previous one -- it will be more about the process of Software Engineering, less about hardware. So I won't be working with the SHAM. I like the assignment though.

Next Tuesday I'll go to the VU to find a university teacher who will help me with the internship.

Sad news, Bassie and Adriaan announced that they will quit in January 2004.

For the non-Dutch visitors: it's a children's show. Bassie is a clown and Adriaan a acrobat. Together they solve all kind of mysteries, and always catch the bad guys.

The official press release (Dutch) is here. Bas van Toor and Aad van Toor (as their real names are) said they want to quit on the top of their career, and not wait untill they'll get tired of their work.

If you have Flash enabled then their website is definately worth visiting: www.bassie-adriaan.nl. For those of you who have many childhood memories of them (like I do): there is a wonderful picture collection online.

I've just added a new link: Bulgarije.tk, a website for Bulgarians in Holland.

I think it might also be quite interesting for people who are just interested in Bulgaria. The site is in Dutch and Bulgarian.

The Haarlems Dagblad has a picture of the tree that fell yesterday.

You can see the prison in the background; compare it with a picture from the view from our livingroom window.

Picture: United Photos de Boer / Marco de Swart

Wow... the wind is really strong now.

A tree just fell on the road, blocking it for traffic. A public transport bus is parked against it, it looks a bit damaged in front but luckily enough the tree didn't fall on top of the bus itself and nobody seems to be hurt.

It happened right in front of the Hofje Van Noblet, very near the policestation. Here's a satellite picture of the Hooimarkt; the arrow is pointing to the tree that fell.

Ten minutes after it fell the police and firebrigade arrived, five minutes after that photographer came. He parked in front of our house and he didn't pay for his parking. Normally that is a very bad idea in our street, as there is very often police checking. Let's see how it will work out for him in this weather.

It's been a while since we had such an easy Sunday. Late breakfast, coffee... and now catching up with some magazines and books to read.

The wind is really strong here; happy we don't have to go outside.

As you can see on the Haarlem webcam the Grote Market is completely empty.

On the Spaarne the waves have white heads, just like the sea.

Quite an interesting matter. On Schiphol.nl it says that Ettie's plane is due to arrive at 2:10 (so not 4.00 o'clock). However, this night at 3:00 o'clock the clock will put turned back one hour. So if it says 2:10 does that mean 2:10 summertime or 3:10 summertime?

My parents are guessing the first -- so they're leaving now.

Oma Bosman has a birthday today and we went to see her. My parents will pick up Ettie from the airport tonight, but she just called that her plane has a 2 hours delay.

So that means that we have to fill the time till 04.00 o'clock. Guess what we'll play... Steden & Ridders of course.