D5200 | New / Amsterdam

What a coincidence: on the same day that you (lrod’s blog) nominated me for the Liebster Award, I got up to 100 followers! Wow! I am very pleased with the Award and with the 100 followers, and that number still allows me to look at all the bloggers who “like” what I do, and I can “like back”. Thank you very much!

Of course, I had seen the Liebster Award logo on several blogs and wondered what it was. It comes with some conditions, and indeed it reminds me of a chain letter, as someone mentioned, and I am not too fond about those. Would it not be nice, if we could just nominate and that was it?

So, here is the easy part. I am pleased to nominate the following bloggers, thinking that you qualify. And I encourage all of you to go and look at their blogs, which is what I have done, looking at all the other nominations:

Highlighting the good and the beautiful
My daily visual
Random Pretty Pictures
Glenrosa Journeys
Images and words by Lorraine
Karmathartic: everything is possible

Happy to see you accepting this nomination, and equally happy if you do not. No need to let me know either. Plus you may be “overqualified” ;).

I have copied the rules for accepting the Liebster Award from my nominator’s post:
What the nominees have to do if they accept the Liebster Award
The main rules associated with the Liebster Award are as follows:
1: Acknowledge and accept the Liebster Award by leaving a comment on the blog where you were nominated;
2: Copy the Liebster logo and paste it onto your own blog;
3: Inform your nominees by leaving a comment on their respective blogs;
4: In your blog post about the Liebster Award:
Link back to the blogger who nominated you.
5: List 11 random facts about yourself
6: Nominate, and link to, three–11 other blogs which you enjoy and which have fewer than 500 followers
7: List 11 questions for your nominees.
8: Answer the 11 questions put to you by the person who nominated you, which I am doing here:
1) What motivated you to start your blog?
I was very curious to see how a blog would work and interested in sharing my photos and in the mean time, I have also seen many other wonderful blogs and photos and I enjoy what WordPress has to offer.
2) What is your favorite holiday of the year?
When I was young, my favorite holiday was Saint Nicholas (or Sinterklaas in Dutch) on 6 December. Nowadays, I enjoy all occasions to get together with family and friends.
3) What are some family traditions you enjoy?
My grandmother made an effort to keep her six daughters and their families close together and it paid off, because we still get together, including nephews, nieces, second cousins, etc. We all know one another.
4) Thinking back 3 years ago, did you picture doing what you’re doing now?
Three years ago, yes. Ten years ago, I had not expected to move back to New York, which was a great thing to do!
5) What piece of technology is one you can’t live without?
I would definitely miss being able to contact our family abroad, which happened for about three days after Sandy. Luckily I had warned in advance that this might occur.
6) Do you prefer using WordPress from your phone or your computer? Why?
I prefer using WordPress from my laptop, which I find easier.
7) Have you visited any other place outside from where you live? Did you like it?
I have lived in different countries and can very much recommend the experience, it is very enriching.
8) Favorite movie of all time?
I would say: You’ve got mail.
9) If you could move anywhere else, where would it be?
I would probably enjoy living in Rome for a while.
10) Favorite food?
Anything with lemons.
11) What makes you feel better when you’re having a bad day?
Classical music, any time.

11 Random Facts about Me:
1) I am from The Hague and live in New York;
2) When living in Madrid, I was called “la clássica Holandesa” by my landlady;
3) We grew up playing outside, riding bikes and going everywhere by ourselves;
4) Played squash in competition;
5) Still play the viola;
6) Typically Dutch, I speak many different languages;
7) Happily married and we have a 24-year old daughter, living on the other continent;
8) Worked in a restaurant for many years during my studies, which I really enjoyed (including serving dinner to Julio Iglesias!);
9) Hope to own a dog one of these days;
10) Am ambivalent about a “retire2be”;
11) I suppose ten random facts are more than enough.

Here are my questions to my nominees:
1) What are your favorite hobbies (other than photography)?
2) In which country would you want to live for some time?
3) When you were really young, what did you want to be as a grown-up?
4) What is your favorite animal?
5) How did you acquire your first computer?
6) What is your favorite meal of the day and why?
7) Do you have a preference for the sea, the mountains or the woods and why?
8) Favorite movie of all time?
9) Favorite kind of music?
10) Favorite food?
11) What have you always wanted to learn?

Enjoy, and remember, it’s OK if you don’t want to do this.