Icelanders Give the UK and The Netherlands Two Fingers
Th Icedlanders did what was expected and rejected the deal to repay the UK and The Netherlands in a referendum. After all it wasn’t the fault of the good people of Iceland, that their banks went bust.
The trouble is there is a hell of lot more than one born every minute. A few ended up running the Icelandic banks and many more individuals and councils from the UK and The Netherlands invested in banks that were paying a rate that was too good to be true.
If you put any money in something that is outside of both the banking regulations and the UK, you’re asking for trouble. I know people who put all their savings in such as Icesave. They’d have got a better return in Corals, backing horse number 7 in each race.
But the individuals were all compensated by Gordon Brown, using our hard-earned taxes. After all if he hadn’t, the election result might have been different!
Councils, like these in Scotland are still waiting.
Commentators and politicians say the dispute will end up in court. So the lawyers will love that one!
A Previous White Christmas
All of this bad weather reminds me of a tale of getting home for Christmas in probably 1978. I say probably as the BBC have said that that was a very bad winter. Ian, one of our consultants, was working in Amsterdam and joined the exodus with many fellow Brits back to the UK on Christmas Eve at Schipol. But Heathrow was closed as many aircraft were frozen to the stands. More by luck than judgement BA were able to get a Tri-Star to Schipol after finding out that East Midlands airport was free of snow. The jet then did several shuttles between the two airports to bring everybody home, albeit not to where they wanted to go. BA also hired every coach they could find to complete the passengers’ journeys.
One version of the story says that the last flight came in at three in the morning of Christmas Day.
One gets the impression, that that sort of spirit no longer exists in our transport industry. Although as I said at the time, I’ll give credit to National Express East Anglia for getting me home on Saturday from Ipswich.
The Netherlands By Rail
I was looking at Eurostar, as I want to go to Berlin at some time to see the new museum.
When I went to The Netherlands last time on the train, I had to wait for about an hour in Brussels to buy a ticket to get to Den Haag, as it was impossible to buy one before I left London. Now though you can buy a ticket from London to any Dutch station. All you have to do is get to Brussels Midi and then take a Dutch domestic service within 24 hours! The rules for return, are that you can take any Dutch domestic service that arrives within 24 hours of your Eurostar departure.
That sounds like a really sensible way of travelling. You could catch the next train to say Rotterdam and save time or you could catch a morning train to Brussels, have a look round the city and perhaps have a good lunch as I did in the spring and then take an evening train across the border.
It would seem to be cheaper too, as my ticket last time to Den Haag from Brussels and back would have cost 60 Euros in Standard Class. Looking today and going in a couple of weeks, it looks like I can do the whole journey both ways for about £120 or less. That price was for next week, so I suspect, you could beat that if you booked further in advance.
Incidentally going by Thalys to say Amsterdam from Brussels on the same dates, doesn’t have a very good choice of trains and costs twice the price! I suspect you might save a few minutes on the journey, but because of the connections, you would probably have to leave London an hour or so later. That is not my style, as I’ve always been one for an early start! I always think that you can get a good lunch in Brusssels anyway. Or you could visit the falcons in the cathedral.
It all sounds to be a good deal to me! But one that won’t be too good to be true!
The Dutch Lose a World Record to the Iraqis
I don’t think the Dutch will be too bothered, as it’s only the record for the longest time taken to form a government! The full report is here.
Send For The Dutch
Blackpool has a problem in that they’ve now run out of orange paint. Apparently, it got worse when Blackpool beat Wigan in their first match in the Premier League
I think the Dutch ought to send some of their emergency supplies.
It strikes me though that it could be an opportunity for a great deal of fun and partying on both sides.
Do Blackpool have a Dutch branch of their Supporters Club? I suspect that they will soon!
What is addiction to orange called?
To Say That Some Must Have Paid Thousands To See This!
The World Cup Final has been a thuggish affair, with just a couple of clear chances, that anybody on their money should have put away with ease.
Now here’s an idea. I support Ipswich and have therefor seen most of the teams in the Coca-Cola Championship. Suppose you created a team of the league, from the best players regardless of their nationality and gave them a manager like Huddink, Hodgson or perhaps even Sven, for a one-off game against either Spain or The Netherlands, you would have had a much more enjoyable game, probably with a deserved winner. And it wouldn’t necessarily be the better-paid team, as Championship sides don’t always lose cup matches against clubs from the Premier League.
If you think, I’m biased towards the standard in the Championship, feel free to do the exercise with the Second Division of any European League.
We would certainly see more skill and commitment and probably less fouls and bookings too!
But some people must have paid thousands to see this rubbish!
I see though that Howard Webb has just sent off a Dutch defender. So that means the match will get worse as the Dutch play for penalties.
Are the Dutch PLeased With An English Referee?
The BBC’s panel of experts think that a couple of the Dutch team should have had an early bath!
But then you see much tougher football every day in England. And then the referee and his assistants are all English!
If they had been from l;ots of other countries, there would be a different situation at half-time.
The Dutch Are Hanging In
But for how long?
I think I’ll put some money on penalties!
There seems to have been litle mention in the build-up to this game, that The Netherlands was once controlled by Spain. It’s not history I know too well, but I seem to remember that the Spanish Armada was going to pick up Spanish troops under the Duke of Parma from Flanders for the invasion of Great Britain.
Perhaps, just as the first Elizabeth supported the Dutch in their fight against Spain, we should do the same today.
How To Be Rude To Visitors
I am watching the World Cup semi-final with a visitor from The Netherlands.
Their experience is ruined by the constant adverts and crass commentary on ITV. After all none of the adverts is relevant to someone with intelligence or who lives outside of the UK.
ITV also always refer to The Netherlands as Holland, which is incorrect, as Holland is just a province of the Netherlands. It’s like using England, when you mean Great Britain or the United Kingdom.
I tried to find a Dutch channel on SKY, so that we could both enjoy it, but there isn’t one.
So we just switched over to Radio 5 at half-time to avoid the drivel!
Tomorrow is Darrell’s Day
The 4th of July means a lot to Americans, but it also means a lot to us here in Suffolk, as on that day in 1667, Nathaniel Darrell and his brave marines at Landguard Fort near Felixstowe, repulsed the last attempted invasion of the United Kingdom.
If he hadn’t been successful, we might all be speaking Dutch!
The Anonymous Widower 