The last time I made a post about renewing my 5-year Dutch staying permit was in January 2020, which is another way of saying that the 5 years gets shorter and shorter every time (depending on when the request is made and not the expiration date--an infuriating story that's beside the point).
But, again, for the record!
This is my 5th permit since moving to the Netherlands on December 5, 2009, and my second time to pick it up in Den Haag/The Hague. My 2020 post is full of my impressions of The Hague from that wonderful, blustery day, so no reason to repeat any of that.
Just these very special moments:
Driving into this world-famous city gives me goosebumps.
It's home to the International Court of Justice!
(I'm thinking about Putin and Netanyahu right now.)
It's important to get there early, of course, since it's a scheduled appointment.
So we made sure we had time for a very nice latte macchiato first.
My appointment at 11 a.m. was across the street a block away.
No cameras inside, of course, but once outside, always the obligatory, thankful kiss!
We then had a quick walking-errand for Astrid to the nearby Decathlon sporting-goods store,
before heading back to the car for wherever Astrid would take us for lunch--a surprise.
I hadn't seen this building before so, yes, I grabbed it...
just before the memorable landmark of The Hague's Nieuwe Kerk from 1656,
just outside our parking garage.
Astrid's surprise was finding the only Wagamama on a beach,
which happens to also be The Hague's only Wagamama, in Kijkduin, its suburb.
Followed by ice cream next door, also on the beach, of course!
And yes, that's the North Sea that runs into the Atlantic Ocean!
Far off to the right we saw the nearby beach and city of Scheveningen,
another of our favorite memories over the years, especially with our kids.
This time I couldn't help but think of what's ready to happen across The Big Pond
with Trump's 2nd Presidency.
And I said to myself, Whew!
Another 5 years to be a legal immigrant without fear of being deported!
I'll drink to that....but God have mercy on everyone else?!
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