Feel the wind in your hair

             So I have bought my Raleigh bike but that doesn't mean that I should stop talking about them, ha! Instead of talking about a Dutch bike brand let's talk about a Dutch cyclist shall we? Here enters famous cyclist Joop Zoetemelk. He is a bicycle racing legend.
           He has finsished the Tour de France 16 times, which is a record, and he also won the race in 1980. Not to mention the Olympics and 67 other professional races that he has either won or raced in the top 10 in. Joop started off as a regional champion speed skater before turning to cycling. This guy, who has actually become better looking as he ages (if that tells you anything), is an athlete and a robust one at that. In the 1980 Tour de France which he won, it was claimed that he only won because a competitor Bernard Hinault had dropped out of the race. This is what Joop had to say about that "Surely winning the Tour de France is a question of health and robustness. If Hinault doesn't have that health and robustness and I have, that makes me a valid winner". Dutch directness?
             He won the race on a Raleigh, my favorite brand, and raced under the TI-Raleigh Dutch team. The team was known for their discipline. Joop was known for doing his job and doing it well even though sometimes he did not communicate with his team mates.  He was also disqualified during drugs tests 3 different times. Joop is now retired and runs a hotel in Meaux, France. His wife is the daughter of a Tour de France executive and his son Karl is a French mountain biking champion. There is a lot of bicycling on the mind in that family.

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de Vries, Hans de Vries. Almost.

In 1967 THE James Bond (Sean Connery) decided to step away from the world of James Bond films. EOS studios thus had to find a replacement. It came down to 5 men. 2 Brits, an American, a Australian, and a Dutchman. John Richardson, Anthony Rogers, Robert Campbell, George Lazenby, and Hans de Vries. None of those names ring a bell? George Lazenby won the part for the 6th Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. A movie that has been lauded both as the worst and one of the best Bond films in the franchise. If you haven't seen it, you should. It was the Bond film that 'Breaks the Fourth Wall', Bond gets married, wears a kilt, and goes skiing. But the reason for this post is instead of this; (Yes, THAT is James Bond) We could of had this. Improvement? Probably not. He looks a wee bit angry. Plus, no one watches OHMSS anyway. So, did de Vries have a movie career after Bond? Ha, no. The only notable movie rolls I can find for him were pre bond. And that was ...

"My Knitted Boyfriend"

Yes. You read that correctly. And no, I am not buying one. I used to have my dog sleep on my bed when I was little but that was when I was 7. Noortje de Keijzer (her website) a Dutch designer and illustrator has designed a life-sized, yes life size, knitted pillow in the shape of a man. Or a boyfriend. Whichever you prefer. Keijzer's " My Knitted Boyfriend " (click this link. It shows the different accessories and the book that accompies your 'man') project consists of two different oversized cushions, "Artur" (white guy with brown hair) and "Steve (darker guy with black hair)." The pillows come with a number of accessories, including knitted moustaches, glasses, watches, bow-ties, and even tattoos. There's also an illustrated book to show you what you can do with your knitted companion. Keijzer had her mother and grandmother hand-knit the body pillow. (Slave labor?, I'm still wondering why she couldn'...

Why Orange?

( There was a picture of a orange shirt here but now it doesn't seem to be working ) Have you ever wondered why the Dutch National Soccer team wears the color orange when the colors on their flag are red, white, and blue? The simple answer is that orange is the color of the Dutch Royal Family which hails from the House of Orange. The original orange (William I of Orange also know as William the Silent) organized the Dutch revolt from Spain. Unlike other Royal houses that were eliminated or viewed with contempt by the populace; The Dutch Royal House are still very popular in the Netherlands. The color orange has come to signify the country and therefore a national pride. On royal birthdays the tricolor flag is flown with an orange pennant above. Each year on April 30th, Amsterdam and the entire country turn orange. Revelers sing "Oranje boven, orangje boven. Leve the koningin!" (Orange on top, Orange on top. Long live the Queen!) The Soccer team's nickname is Oranje wh...

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