The SentinelAmsterdamIntegrity, heart, humour

vol. 3 #15 - 14 September 2010

To DAREIS To Do

FEATURE

pERSpEcTivES

AN EMERALDTALELiFESTyLESOpiNiONTRENDScARTOONSpORTcLASSiFiEDS

Photo: © Darla D. Dench

02cONTENTS

In this issueFEATURE p. 03

cOLOpHON

The Sentinel Amsterdam

e-mail: sentinelpost@gmail.comwebsite: www.thesentinel.eu

Editors – Gary Rudland & Denson PierreDesign, realisation and form – Andrei Barburas & No-Office.nlWebmaster – Simon O. StudiosWebhost – Amsterjammin.com

Contributors: Darla D. Dench, Paul Unett, Colin Bentley, Dirkje Bakker, Simon Conheady, Richard Wilson, David King, Graham Jones, James Naylor & Maureen Kamp

To dare is to do

TRENDS p. 07

North

pERSpEcTivES p. 08

An emerald tale

LiFESTyLES p. 10 SpORT p. 14 MORE:

Another lifestyle left behind

The Gold Room cARTOON p. 06Thatch in da House

FiLM REviEw p. 11Room 2c

cOMpOST cORNER p. 12

cOLUMN p. 13Stud Marks: The first fight; awkward realisation

SpORT p. 14Fantasy Football Goldchampions League 2010-2011

cLASSiFiEDS p. 16

‘With the threat of black and grizzly bears I realised I was completely out of my comfort zone’

‘I look forward to the relaxed laws, and more friendly policy’

“For true retail therapy, the only option is a weekend away.”

‘What sort of a ridiculous language could possibly contain the term Hoofdorp in two separate place names?’

FEATURE 03

To dare is to do

04FEATURE

“i can’t believe you are cycling across canada without doing any training.” Several of my friends disagreed with my preparation methods prior to flying to Vancouver with my bicycle and all the supplies I might need to survive three months cycling across the second largest country in the world. It’s difficult to prepare for such an adventure, so my reply was always the same, “the Rocky Mountains are my training”. I wasn’t starting at the easy end, but the research I had done revealed that cycling from West to East would be following the direction of the prevailing winds. I was hoping the winds would help blow me all the way across Canada without having to expend too much energy.

The adventure began on 10 June, 2010. There was no fanfare, no people waving me off; just a solitary handshake and a wish of good luck. Then I started out on my planned 8,000-kilometre cycle ride in less than three months. During the first night camping in the Rockies with the threat of black and grizzly bears I realised I was completely out of my comfort zone, but I was already loving every minute of it.

I had divided the journey into six stages: the Rockies, the Prairies, the Lakes of Ontario, the province of Quebec, the Maritimes and finally Newfoundland. Each stage had its own highlights and demands, and I knew I needed to average 120 kilometres per day throughout the journey to make my return flight home.

It was impossible to plan exact stops due to unknown conditions, like the terrain, road quality, supplies and weather. Some days with good conditions became longer than expected, on other days long distances weren’t possible. Each morning I would look at the map and approximate where I planned to stop in the evening. I had my tent with me so I was able to camp almost anywhere without too much trouble.

“THERE wAS NO FANFARE, NO pEOpLE wAviNG ME OFF; jUST A SOLiTARy HANDSHAkE AND A wiSH OF GOOD LUck.”

Isle-of-Man academic and adventurer, Paul Unett, undertakes one of the more impressive challenges for a globally important and ultimately philanthropic cause: 133.871 kilometres per day.

By Paul Unett

FEATURE 05

Many people commented on how lonely it must be to cycle on one’s own. I never felt lonely at all, however, as I was talking to people on a continuous basis. I enjoyed some amazing hospitality along the way, too. There are many fewer compromises to be made cycling solo, plus I learnt more about the demands of long-distance cycling and what was needed to survive it.

The first 5,000 kilometres passed without too many problems. I had cycled from Vancouver to Toronto in thirty-five days with two rest days included. By 6,000 kilometres I was beginning to experience more and more problems, with punctures, broken spokes and new wheels being required.

By 7,000 kilometres my body was also broken and days of rest no longer had any effect. Determination was the only thing that was keeping me going. Determination is mainly what got me to the finish line. I reached 8,000 kilometres two days before the finish line and I was giving serious thought to stopping, my body was in too much pain. I knew that I would always regret not completing the entire journey, however, so I pushed myself beyond the pain barrier to the finish.

After sixty-two days of cycling and ten rest days, I arrived in St. Johns, Newfoundland. I had cycled more than 8,300 kilometres, had endured nine punctures, eight broken spokes, three new tyres and two broken wheels, and I felt totally physically drained.

Throughout the journey I had been attempting to raise money and awareness for the charity Article25. The 25th Article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the only article that refers to the built environment. It says that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and their families. This includes housing, food, clothing and medical care. Article25 helps to rebuild lives and communities by designing and delivering schools, homes, medical clinics and community centres to those in most need throughout the world.

“By 7,000 kilometres my body was also broken and days of rest no longer had any effect.”

“THE FiRST 5,000 kiLO-METRES pASSED wiTHOUT TOO MANy pROBLEMS. i HAD cycLED FROM vANcOUvER TO TORONTO iN THiRTy-FivE DAyS wiTH TwO REST DAyS iNcLUDED.”

06FEATURE

CartoonBy Colin Bentley

CELTIC ALSO TRIED TO SIGN YOU, SOL, WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE

NEWCASTLE?

WELL, THIS IS A GREAT CLUB WITH A GREAT

MANAGER.

SO, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH LOOKING REALLY

OVERWEIGHT IN GREEN AND WHITE HOOPS?

Currently, efforts are concentrated in locations such as Haiti, Pakistan and Sierra Leone. To make donations, please visit: http://www.justgiving.com/paulcyclescanada.

And for more details of my journey, click on my blog link: http://www.paulcyclescanada.com/

TRENDS

Shopping is not something to take lightly. It isn’t something that can be done easily or spontaneously, it doesn’t just happen. It has to planned and takes a whole lot of energy input, preferably generated by lots of lattes, cups of tea, cakes, quiches and other things that go straight to a woman’s brain and make it incapable of any clear thinking.

Shopping isn’t done on the spur of the moment or on a whim. You can’t force it, it can take days to get the mojo going and it might even be that, after all the time and energy invested, all that awaits you is disappointment, because you just couldn’t find the exact thing that you were looking for or would have bought it if only they had it in your size.

The best, and maybe the only, conditions for shopping are not to be found in the city where you live, in this case Amsterdam, but can only be generated by a change of scenery and a whole lot more shops than you find at home. For true retail therapy, the only option is a weekend away.

Top of the line shopping cities are Berlin, New York (great value for money since the drop in dollar value), London (since the pound crashed), Hong Kong (because they copy everything and the food is amazing) and now added on to the list, Stockholm, because Scandinavia is Style Central.

Recently, myself and three friends went on a very successful trip to the clean-aired, collected north to explore and experience the magic of this mythical place.

Conclusion: Shopping in Stockholm is the trend for this autumn. You cannot come back without having caught a good bit of sub-zero cool and all of a sudden look a lot more stylish and sophisticated than your Amsterdam friends, the sad suckers that still shop on Leidsestraat or PC Hoofdstraat.

By Dirkje Bakker

North

07

By the way, if you’re thinking about trying this, please keep in mind the essentials for a successful, non-nagging trip: similar taste in fashion, as well as food and everything else, similar endurance rates and no sense of shame.

Returning to the proverbial Dam after four spectacular, if slightly exhausting, days and all still floating on a shopping adrenaline rush, even the rain can’t sink our high spirits as we walk the streets of Amsterdam in a bliss of style and class.

My six new pairs of understated black shoes are pre-insulated against water and I contemplate the virtues of rain, as one of my friends on Facebook is having a severely mood-challenged week due to the relentless showers. I could recommend going to sunny, crispy, clear-skied Sweden, where the music in the shops is just right, the cups of tea are HUGE (as are the people) and just spend too much too fast, and get high on a unique hormone-MasterCard-fuelled experience.

For those staying in town and battling the kalverstraat with umbrellas turning inside out:

virtue of rain #1:At least, on this planet, it is just water. Rain known or suspected on other worlds is composed of methane, iron, neon and sulphuric acid.

virtue of rain #2:The trench coat is always in fashion.

virtue of rain #3:It enhances the see-through effect of the already legendary Fulham FC shirts.

08pERSpEcTvES

An EmeraldTaleThe cool chill and damp air of an early summer’s evening could not smother my elated mood upon arriving at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Four years’ worth of studying had been completed and it was time to embark on a fresh journey.

Having procured my baggage, I rushed towards the cavernous train station located within the depths of the airport. My spirits soared as I followed my cousin’s well-written instructions, designed to ensure my safe arrival at her rented apartment. However, strategic planning is not the forte of the Irish and, by extension, myself. I was almost certain of the route that I had to embark on, yet, there remained a cloud of doubt. My impetuous refusal to engage with the locals where matters of directions are concerned culminated in the first self-inflicted mistake of my adventure.

Moving country is a tumultuous time, filled with trials and tribulations, and my case was no exception to the rule. My battered suitcase and heavily-laden sports bag hindered my progress, as I wandered aimlessly around a sleepy town called Hoofddorp. Enthusiasm had forced me to hurl myself on to a train which was bound for the aforementioned town. I thought the ‘luck of the Irish’ proverb had once again rung true as I attempted to forge a shortcut to my cousin’s place – how wrong I was. Her directions induced me to travel to where she lived, adjacent to Hoofddorpplein. I could not believe my fortune, or lack thereof. What sort of a ridiculous language could possibly contain the term “Hoofddorp” in two separate place names?

“Amsterdam, at times, appears to be composed of pure arrogance. The echelons of the upper-middle class scream yuppie as they don themselves with designer shades and noncha-lantly bask in the rays of the summer sun.”

By Simon Conheady

pERSpEcTvES 09

I cursed my luck as I slung my bag over my aching shoulder, having wandered through the desolate streets of the satellite town for over an hour. Hours late, I strolled down my cousin’s street and entered her apartment. My living quarters were meagre, but appreciated. Her digs were comprised of a one-bed studio and precious little else. There was ample room to house one; having a guest brought further spatial challenges. I resolved to sleep on the floor. That was my existence for a solid month, until I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a student residence for the final two months of my tenure in Amsterdam. A new arrival must deal with a variety of obstacles and bureaucracy. This particular tale of absolute frustration upon arrival resonates with, and epitomises, the fate of many a fellow traveller. One must press forward and my refusal to quit led me to the promised land of employment in O’Donnell’s pub.

Even the ‘frugal’ owner was a caricature plucked from the dregs of a failed daytime soap opera. The pub was awash with stories and scandal; friends and enemies; and the thrills and spills of England’s dismal exit and Holland’s incredible World Cup campaign; and I loved it.

I was also imbued with a strong sense of the local culture, which continues to remain something of a mystery, if not a downright enigma. The adored local FEBO cuisine is the personification of the quintessential Dutchman; cheap and cheerful, without lending itself to too much substance. Furthermore, there is a curious mix of contrasting and conflicting Amsterdam socio-types. On the one hand, there are the remnants of the stronghold of the hippy

commune that once was Amsterdam; these colourful members are perpetually cheerful and savour the taste of laughter and life. However, Amsterdam, at times, appears to be composed of pure arrogance. The echelons of the upper-middle class scream yuppie as they don themselves with designer shades and nonchalantly bask in the rays of the summer sun.

Unfortunately, the summer sun faded – unlike those who bask in it – as did my Dutch adventure and I was gutted to return to Dublin. Yet, regardless of my sentiments and stories, this city retains a special niche for all visitors: bicycles, birds, booze and blow; it’s all here. Tot ziens, Amsterdam.

10LiFESTyLES

Another LifestyleLeft Behind

I’m certain that a large portion of The Sentinel’s learned readers have at some point in their lives embarked on a sea-change. Perhaps the love of a once-foreign-land instigated a brave move abroad? Perhaps the life lived back home didn’t satisfy your burning curiosity and desire for new surroundings? Perhaps you just got fed-up with life as it was and needed a change? Regardless of your motivations, you would have undoubtedly experienced the intoxicating feelings of excitement, anxiety, thrill, sadness for those left behind and happiness for those you’d yet to meet. I write this on a beautiful spring evening in Sydney, Australia. The sound of distant Kookaburras (our native bird) echo poetically through the lush surrounds. I can feel a warm and soft breeze gently blowing the scent of freshly blossoming jasmine toward me. In a few months, I’ll be leaving all that I have in this magnificent land behind. I’ll be making the journey to the other side of the world, and my future home: Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Fortunately, I’ve had quite a good life out here in Oz. I’ve had a successful film and television career, I’m just about to finish a Psychology degree, and I have an abundance of friends and family who love me, and are loved in return. I sometimes ponder the motivations for my move. Why would I want to throw away all that’s good for me in Australia? What about my family and friends? “You’ll miss them tremendously,” I sometimes think. Plus, finding somewhere decent to live in Amsterdam is a nightmare! “Stay here, Richard; where it’s safe, known and comfortable.

My mind then wanders to that dreaded feeling of regret I may experience if I don’t make the big move. My ‘rationale’ kicks in – “You’re only 26 years old, single, have been accepted to the University of Amsterdam, saved your pennies and bloody love the place: go for it!”. The excitement and newly coined ‘rationale’ has won. I’m leaving, no matter how hard it will be to say goodbye, the possibility of a new hello has me captivated!

I’m no stranger to the Dam. My older brother, Rob, has lived there since I was a teenager. I’ve often embarked on the twenty-four hour flight from Sydney, only to extend my stay by weeks; sometimes months. I’ll have a niece in November, as well as recently gaining a sister-in-law that I’d love to get to know better: a lovely Dutch lady, called Annette.

I can’t wait to spend some quality time with Rob and his new family. Some quality time without that dreaded flight home looming over our shoulders. I look forward to buying my first Dutch bike, bell and all, and riding to university or work alongside those stunning canals. I look forward to vinyl-hunting, the quirky stores and markets, and beautiful cobble-stoned streets. I look forward to the relaxed laws and more ‘friendly’ policy. I look forward to hopping on a plane, or in a car, and being in another country inside a few hours. Breakfast in Paris, anyone? Am I expressing a romanticised ideal of ‘greener-grass’? Perhaps. Am I failing to include the negatives? Most certainly. Am I blindly following a deep-rooted excitement and joy, deviously veiled as thoughtful ‘rationale’? Possibly. But ultimately, excitement as brilliant as this cannot be ignored. No matter how comfortable my life is back home. I’ll be seeing you soon, friends. Put the kettle on – I won’t be long.

Richard Wilson’s filmography can be found at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934019/

By Richard Wilson

By David King

The Searchers (1956)

Surely the best of the collaborations between John Ford and John Wayne, this film traces the five-year search and trials of returning Confederate soldier, Ethan Edwards, to find his baby niece, who has been kidnapped by a band of Comanches. Can she be saved or will she even want to be?

This is not your typical ‘cowboys n’ injuns’ movie, as both groups display elements of racism and compassion. A ground-breaking film in its day, which also includes some rather extraordinary panoramic photography.

Room 2cfilm

FiLM REviEw 11

12cOLUMN

popcorn

1. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan that has a lid.2. Heat the pan to a moderately high temperature and add 1 or 2 kernels to test whether they pop. If so, add the rest of the corn and immediately place the lid on top, adjusting the heat to medium to avoid burnt kernels.3. Shake the pan occasionally to make sure the kernels are loose and covered in oil. 4. When the corn stops popping, quickly take the pan off the heat and pour the popcorn into a bowl.5. Add salt or butter to taste.

Baby sweetcorn salad

ingredients1 red pepper1 yellow pepper1 small red onion4 cucumbers1 carrot10 baby sweetcorn

Dressing3/4 cl vinegar3/4 cl sugar3/4 cl olive oil4 tbsp water1-2 tsp salt

1. Cube the cucumbers.2. Shred, grate or slice the carrot.3. Slice the peppers and the onion very thinly.4. Place all the ingredients in a salad bowl.5. Mix the dressing and pour over the salad.

vegetable of the month – SweetcornAlthough sweetcorn has been grown since land was first cultivated, the sweetcorn we know today has only been around since the 19th century. The plant hates frost and having its roots disturbed. In mid-spring, plant one seed per module in a seed planter and transfer one plant each to 10cm plant pots when they are 5cm tall. Plant out after the last frosts of spring, leaving 50cm between each plant. Sweetcorn grows quite fast and up to 2.5 meters tall, with the seeds (cob) at the bottom and the flower at the top. For successful pollination, it needs to be planted in blocks instead of rows. This way the wind always blows pollen on to the cobs below.

The cobs should be harvested in the autumn, after the tassels turn brown. There is a huge difference between the taste of freshly harvested and shop-bought sweetcorn. Once the cob is picked, the sugars turn into starch and this affects both the tenderness and flavour. Aim for no more than an hour between picking and eating!

Baby sweetcorn is simply cobs that have not been pollinated. Again, eat as soon as possible after harvesting, either raw or cooked. These are easy to grow, since you can plant them in rows instead of blocks and only 20cm apart.

Sweetcorn makes popcorn! It is produced by leaving the cobs on the plant to dry (not rot!), after which you can pick and dry them at home on a rack. Test one or two kernels in some hot oil and let them dry longer if they don’t pop and expand.

Corn is packed full of goodness: lots of vitamin B1 and ferulic acid (an excellent antioxidant that helps prevent diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s). It also contains vitamins A and C, dietary fibre and phosphorous.

Health Tip: for an autumn boost to your immune system, to fight the onset of colds and flu, take Echinacea during September only and then take supplements of vitamin D throughout the winter.

Compost corner

Recipes of the month

By James Naylor & Graham Jones

Stud marksBy Maureen Kamp

“cool, reliable and self-confident. works in movies, works in real life.”

If you were to ask me what my favourite position is… I would have to say goalkeeper. It’s that ‘je ne sais quoi’ thing they have. I mean, why would you want to be a goalie? Is it because you wanted to be runners, swimmers or tennis players, you know, individual sports, but just weren’t good enough? And so you go and play in a team of which you are actually never really a part?

It must be like the world’s turned upside down. If your team plays well, it’s very unlikely you’ve had much to do with it (and there you are in the pissing rain or freezing cold, standing between your posts for 90+ boring minutes). And when your ‘teammates’ perform their (very uncool) goal celebrations, they’ll probably do it without you. You’re probably not quick enough to join in, or you would have become a sprinter.

But my guess is that, like me, you probably find the celebrations uncool and would rather celebrate alone with a little masculine fist clenching. And if your teammates are rubbish, you’ll probably have to work very hard and you might even be ‘man of the match’. How does that work afterwards in the dressing room, those conflicting emotions?

Aspiring footballers always like to say how proud they would be to wear this or that club’s shirt (even the pink Parma one). Not the goalie. It doesn’t even matter for which club you play, you all wear the same: orange kit, green kit, yellow kit. There’s a reason why orange, yellow and green are never the new black; they’re the kind of colours that look shit on almost everyone.

So, it’s the goalie for me. Cool, reliable and self-confident. Works in movies, works in real life. Or, as the Dutch would say, hij staat z’n mannetje (he stands his ground).

First choice for Stud Marks XI (and there were quite a few to choose from) was Shay Given. The dark hair, the blue eyes, the firm jaw line, the accent, the determined look, improves with age, perfect! But on came Joe Hart and snatched his place. At Man City that is. Not in my team, Joe Hart‘s got no a chance of making it into Stud Marks.

So, in with my second choice, Tim Howard, and the more I think of him, the more he pleases me. Tall, dark, handsome... Well maybe not that handsome, but the Bambi-brown eyes, the cute oversized ears; imperfections have their own beauty. Those great big tattooed arms, now there’s one to cuddle up to, purrrr! And, my God, does he look good in yellow...

The eagle-eyed among you (and those who can count) may have noticed one player had slipped away from my team last week. It was the one who has scored me the most points, too: Florent Malouda (Chelsea). I hope he forgives me.

13cOLUMN

14SpORT

jOE HART (MAN CITY) vs

pETR cEcH (CHELSEA)

Number of matches (PL): 4

Number of shots on target faced/saved: : JH - 19 , PC - 11

It is always one of the greatest joys to see a super-athletic goalkeeper flying through the air to repel powerfully

driven and clever attempts on goal. But with a substantial five-point difference between a clean sheet and conceding

just a single goal, in this game at least, there are safer fantasy goalkeeper bets than Joe Hart this side of 2011.

SpORT 15

The GoldRoomSudden early-season injuries and inexplicable loss of form and/or place in teams always ensures that the first six weeks of the season is a nervous period for FFG-CL managers. Selected key players are already down and out for weeks and their numbers are growing after the first international break. FFG-CL managers face the prospect of using some of the most valuable resources available to them: substitutions. Fortunately, a quick look at the injury & fitness databases shows that, overall, we are at the highest likely level of mass match fitness we can expect throughout the season, making replacements readily available.

Otherwise, without even trying, Arsene Wenger and Arsenal have seriously affected some managers’ planning by holding on to the goalkeeper most felt sure would be jettisoned and failing to grab the more reliable Mark Schwarzer. Had Schwarzer (£3.5m) moved to Arsenal, managers would have cashed in their ghost goalkeepers to directly enjoy the bonus of having a very good and cheaper keeper at a club of higher standing than Fulham, contesting extra matches in the Champions League and with the ability to progress to the latter stages of the domestic cup competitions.

Another keeper with great appeal to managers, due to his price, is Manchester City’s Joe Hart. In the FFG-CL, the full team budget is £50m. Joe Hart costs only £4m and has had a very strong start to the season. His form has been so demonstrably good that I feel therein lies a problem.

Manchester City appear at one moment strong and the other like an imposing piece of work in progress. They are rugged in midfield and have the highest quality attacking players in reserve. In defence, I feel they are somehow still lacking, however. Although they have players capable of following Roberto Mancini and David Platt’s tactical instructions, they have been porous up to this point. Joe Hart is, in fact, being over-exposed and needs to make super saves too often, due to the number of occasions opposing players are allowed to breach the defensive system and shoot on his goal. With the dimensions of a goal unchanged, the law of averages dictates that more of those photo- and super slow motion-friendly fingertip save attempts will prove increasingly futile, if the frequency of attempts on his goal does not decrease markedly.

The great Petr Cech at Chelsea, a team which does defend consistently well, costs £1.5m more than Joe Hart. Here are the basic statistics which should aid decisions about whether buying the England and Manchester City number one is good fantasy football business, when we know that obvious liabilities must be avoided in order to win this game.

By Denson Pierre

16cLASSiFiEDS

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