amsterdam « Owens Li'll Slice of the Web

Queens day!

May 1st, 2009 |

What fun, started with Cava and ended late. I watched a friend playing his guitar on the corner of Nes and Grimburgwal, and things decended from there.

I’ve put a few choice pictures in my gallery;

Playing to the crowd...

Nieuwe Baan

March 3rd, 2007 |

Owen

Back to the Configuration Management merry-go-round!
For all your Web Application needs, try Mirabeau

Recreatienoordholland.nl; is a good site to see all the major outdoor areas in the Amsterdam region (Noord Holland). I just discovered that my local area, Gaasperplas, is really just part of a much bigger area, the Groengebied Amstelland.

Only half a marathon man..

October 18th, 2005 |

Owen

So, I made it. 21.3 Km and I only walked when I was taking on water. I did the Amsterdam half marathon in 2 hours, 13 minutes exactly, I didn’t come last!
It sure took it out of me, the last five Km were very, very hard, my legs and knees were giving me a lot of problems and I lost quite a bit of time in the final stage, but I didn’t walk!
My friend Kevin did the whole marathon in 3h53m, which was a personal best for him, and his wife Lucy also broke her best in the half marathon with 2h22m. We had a grand weekend
You can see my results for yourself on the Uitslagen site, simply enter my startnumber, 15291 and you’ll get the result.

Marathon Man?

October 14th, 2005 |

Owen

Not quite, in fact, I’m only half a marathon man..
I’ll be running the Amsterdam Half Marathon as number 15291, and I expect you all to come and watch me

Who won the first marathon in Amsterdam? a history lesson..
“ On 5 August 1928 Boughèra Mohamed El Ouafi won the Amsterdam Olympic marathon, finishing in 2.32.57. ..While the time run by El Ouafi, whose coach gave him ten guilders and told him to ‘go and have a good time in Amsterdam’, is no longer cause for commotion, the marathon phenomenon still appeals to millions of people.“

Rent a Bike

August 12th, 2005 |

Owen

While I´ve been living in Amsterdam there have been a number of ‘White Bike‘ public rental schemes for bicycles, but they have all fallen afoul of the common thief. Meanwhile private bicycle rental firms have flourished, mainly becuse they take a deposit and ID.
Well, it looks like the French city of Lyon has a successful scheme now, using technology to track the bikes and making theft a much harder option. Quite an interesting idea really, I wonder how long before Amsterdam tries again..