Two Days in The Netherlands

Or should that be Day Two in The Netherlands. Day two in Hoofddorp, which I today learned in pronounced Hoff-dorp.

I arrived yesterday, in advance of starting a three month contract in everyone's favourite DRM and broadcast encryption firm, Irdeto. Flew in to Schiphol after not sleeping the night before. Spending most of it with Cian and johan in Kat and Andrew's place acting like gobshites and generally preventing Kat and Andrew from sleeping. Strolled home since Cian had a puncture, didn't get back til 6 and then decided to stay up watching Angel Beats in case I fell asleep and missed my flight.

Flew Aer Lingus, painless as always. Slept through the short flight and landed feeling wrecked in the middle of one hell of a thunderstorm. Hailing a taxi as soon as I could, I gave him the location of the hotel and asked to be brought there, and spent half the journey with him shouting at me that I should've taken a bus. Fantastic.

Checked into a the nice little hotel that Irdeto provided for me in Hoofddorp and slept away the day. Today I went for a wander in Hoofddorp itself, and marvelled at the cycling culture here in Holland, and the rest of The Netherlands, I would presume. Cycle lanes and bicycles everywhere. Nearly got run over by one while unwittingly standing in a cycle lane.

The area is lovely, green and well taken care of. Also took a visit to Saturn, the most impressive electronics store I've ever been to. Massive selections of every kind of electronic device I can imagine. They even stock unlocked mobile phones and have bargain buckets of electronics. Cheap last gen iPod nano anyone?

Tomorrow I start in Irdeto, not being able to figure out the bus system, I'll just take the short thirty minute walk there. Still need to find a more permanent solution for accommodation.