Some call it faith, some call it love.
Some call it guidance from above.
You are the reason we found ours
So, thank you stars!

Some people think it's far away,
Some know it's with them everyday.
You are the reason we found ours
So, thank you stars!

There are no winds that can blow it away on the air.
When they try to blow it away, is when you know it will always be there.

To some it's the strength to be apart,
To some it's a feeling in the heart.
And when you're out there on your own... it's the way back home.

There are no winds that can blow it away on the air.
When they try to blow it away, is when you know it will always be there.

Some call it faith, some call it love.
Some call it guidance from above
You are the reason we found ours
So, thank you stars!

So, thank you, stars!
So... thank you, stars!

Katie Melua "Thank You, Stars" (Piece By Piece, 2006)

Posted by Vitor at 2:01 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

Saturday, after some more-then-needed sleep, I went for some shopping, as my fridge was screaming for help.

Later, I had a dinner at Rodrigo's place, delighted by his cooking-abilities and thirsty for all the portuguese wine! It was really nice to spend some time with him and Cabeludo, plus my sweet-sugar that gave me once more the pleasure of her unforgetable company.

We all went afterwards to Palladium, a really nice bar at Leidseplein, to wish happy birthday to Nahal, a half-sweedish-half-iranian colleague from Canon. It was amazing to see so much people from Canon present there! I barely could keep focus on any conversation, dizzy from talking with Bernardo and Paulo, then with all amazing colleagues, plus other friends of theirs, and my sweet Suzy! Of course, everybody knows who I ended up spending more time with. ;)

Afterwards, me and Suzanne just went to our own lifes, enjoying some brazilian rythms but didn't made it too late...

The rest of the weekend ... well, I'm not allowed to write. But it was a real treasure.

To you reading this, if not completely bored already, please go out there and have a nice week! Start with a smile, go through it with a laugh, and finish it having fun!

Posted by Vitor at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

Although I feel tired, I cannot complain: I just had an amazing weekend!

Friday I started by drinking some Guiness beers at Tara, in the Rokin. I met the Swedish group, and had a lot of laugh with my boss's wife Maria. Although now married, and living a "family" life, she used to be a party woman also, knowing all the nice clubs in London and all the famous people! What a surprise!

Afterwards, I went to the "Que Pasa?" party, where getting in was crazy due to the stupid organization of Melkweg, since everyone on the queue wanted to go to the other party happening also there (they should have made two different queues, as always, but this time decided not to?!?!?!?).

In "Que Pasa?" I had a LOT of fun! Paulo and Bernardo were crazy, drinking like madman, and always bringing more and more drinks to get me crazy as well. Uhhmmm, I guess they achieved that goal, I got a bit more pissed then planned, but no complaints: after all, my sweet-dear-amazing-beautiful woman was there, and nothing can top that! She also invited one of her best friends, Martine, who enjoyed the party as well. I also like Martine a lot, besides happy, pretty and friendly, she is also an amazing dancer!

Now talking about dancing... I danced the whole night! Could not stop myself, the music was just wild thanks to one of my favourite DJs, Eduardo! Besides, dancing with Suzanne is always a pleasure that I'm constantly looking forward to. I think we really fit well... who knows he? ;)

Other surprises at the party, with honor, were the ex-organizer of this party, Tinne (really nice Dutch girl that I love to talk with, with a boyfriend who I've always had a lot of laughs with), and Knowledge, a portuguese MC who is a really cool guy, that really knows music and who I respect a lot! Of course, we also have a lot of fun when together!

Damn... once more, once again, this party was unforgetable! Crazy music, sweet surprises, my best friends Paulo and Bernardo, my sweet darling Suzy, her amazing friend Martine, the over-the-top-DJ Eduardo, the ever-cool Tinne and the ever-amazing-MC Knowledge! Can't wait for another "Que Pasa?"!

Posted by Vitor at 8:30 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

Working this week has been great! So nice to be with everyone in the office again. And, after so much "rest" due to illness, I feel full of energy and enthousiasm to go through any projects/issues!

Today I also spoke with Raimana, one of my best friends, he is from Tahiti and he used to call me "Party Mentor" when he was living here. Now he's back to Paris, living with Albane, his goddess and a really sweet girl that I just love to hug! I miss this guy, he planned to come to Amsterdam every 2 months but found out later that is a bit hard to achieve... but it doesn't matter, friendships are forever, and a reunion, after a few days or a life time, is always something sure between friends.

Tonight I'll start by having some drinks at a Swedish gathering, and then will go dance at Que Pasa, in Melkweg. Already convinced a few friends to join in, so it will be a fun group, getting crazy with all the Reggae, Ska and Reggaeton!

And it will be a special night, since Suzanne is also coming with me. What more could I wish for, to be at a party that I love, together with the woman that I sigh for...

Posted by Vitor at 5:42 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

Today I started working, finally!

Although I just updated myself on all the e-mails, and the current projects, it felt really good to go. Also, meeting all the colleagues and friends I have there was a real life-breather!

I feel like... I'm back!

Posted by Vitor at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

Saturday...

I started by going to CREA to watch a percurssion show, where the brazilian Samba band had playing there a friend of mine, Heleen. It was actually a cool show, but unfortunately had to leave for a birthday party which was happening in a bar nearby.

Ruben and Laura had a nice idea by meeting everyone at this bar. It is one of the oldest bars in Amsterdam, where the sailors (more precisely the whale-hunters, who I don't support but that's alright for now) used to hang out. You could actually see that in the decoration.

Then I went to meet with Suzanne and her cousin Mariella, who were somewhere having dinner with wine, then went to some bars, and now were waiting for me at Zebra.

This Saturday they had the "Zoom" party, which I have been going at a lot, throughout last year, since their first edition. It was packed with people dancing like crazy! I met with the organizers and DJs, but even from the DJ table I could not find Suzanne and Mariella anywhere. Only when the second floor opened I found them, in the middle of the dance floor, completely surrounded by sharks! What a pleasure I had to dance with them (sorry meat-hunters, one of these girls was mine).

From that moment on, the party just went up and up the scale! When the night was over, I clear smile could be seen on my face, from ear to ear.

Posted by Vitor at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

Damn! What a nice party!

Yesterday I met with with Bernardo and Paulo at SkySports, a sports bar in Leidseplein which is mostly visited by tourists but where the manager is Paulo, another good portuguese friend of mine, and who makes amazing shots that you cannot find anywhere else! Actually, that guy rules, he has such a life!

Then came Suzanne (my sweet girlfriend) with Martine and Anne-Marie. Immediately they were presented with a shot with burning flames, just to start the evening.

After that we went to the Arena Club, where we had the honor of coming through the guestlist door (thanks to one of my best-friends, Claudia, who works there). The party was amazingly full of people (we even met, by surprise, inside with Martin, a German colleague of mine that just loves to have fun!) and I heard the queue to get in stayed long for 3 more hours still! It was really nice to sing the old 80's tunes while shaking our bodies! Specially when I have my best friends Paulo and Bernardo there with me!

... and I have to admit that I really like going out with Suzanne and her friends. They love to dance, they dance the whole time, and always smiling and having fun! And, of course, it is really a privilege to be together with Suzanne. She's ... well ... when I have the words I'll write them here.

Posted by Vitor at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

Well, I needed sometime off-everything! These past days I've been relaxing at home, really taking good care of myself to have a full recovery.

I'm now glad to say that I feel really good! In fact, next week I'll start working again (although part-time, ordered by the company doctor). It will be interesting as I actually miss work and an active life!

This weekend I'm also going out, another thing I miss a lot!

Ohhhh, it's nice to feel life coming back...

Posted by Vitor at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

And the proof of my words came later that day! Amazing!

The same afternoon, after an appointment with the doctor, I was still in a lot of pain. This should not be a surprise, but the next morning I rushed in a taxi to the hospital since I could barely walk. Immediately they told me I'd have to stay and be operated. Amazing how the doctor that checked me the previous day could not see this coming! I was right, he was probably in a rush and had no patience, so there it was the result: another abcess forcing me to go to surgery! I sometimes wonder if I should do something about him or not!

Nevertheless, even though I had some harsh comments about the Dutch Health system, I must admit that since Saturday my opinion has become better (but still critical!). The operation went successfull, and their treatment has been amazing. I believe this time they've done a proper job.

Now I've spent these days at home, have to take good care of myself, stay quiet at home and deal with the open wound they had to leave in me. Only next week I'll know if things have actually improved or not, but I can feel already my body much more rested then before.

Actually, since end November, I've never felt so good! It is such a relief!

I really hope in two weeks to be back to a normal life, working with my colleagues (who, yes honestly, I'm starting to miss...), and going out with my new girlfriend, who I've just met and am still starting to know better, but who is showing up to be a really sweet person (even though we're still at the beginning, she has been an amazingly-supportive woman).

Tonight I'll have the visit of one of my sweetest friends, Paula, which I've not seen for two months due to initially her health problems, and now mine. We have a lot to catch up on... I miss you a lot, Paula!

Posted by Vitor at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

There is no better way to describe how people are treated in Holland, when it regards their health.

Once I snapped my left foot in a wrong way on a doorstep. It swallowed and hurted too much to walk confortably. As it was weekend, I could not contact my normal doctor, I had to make an appointment with the weekend doctor (you ARE NOT ALLOWED, in Holland, to go to the hospital directly). When looking at it, he said it didn't look like anything was broken and I should just wait 1 or 2 weeks to see how it goes.
It seemed too long, but how can I argue the judgement of someone who went through medical school and all the necessary hard-earned degrees? It amazed me to know that you can clearly tell I don't have any broken bone just by looking at the foot, this doctor should probably be working at some international institute instead of a small town like Purmerend where I lived back then.
Needless to say, after two weeks I still had the same pain, only slightly less painfull, but still hard to walk confortably, and amazingly I had to insist with my doctor to really be attended at the hospital.
Not to my surprise, they made me an X-Ray and found out that the outer-bone of my foot was broken (duh!), although luckily it was already healing by itself... the explanation for the healing? By coincidence, the week before I broke the foot I bought new shoes that were actually pretty tight on my feet, so they kept my bones on the correct position, which allowed for the healing.
So, instead of being properly taken care of, which is why we pay a ridiculous amount of taxes in this country, I am today lucky to be walking normally.

Well, again I found myself in a situation where I needed assistance. I've been ill since mid-November, with a problem which I won't describe here. After the operation I was feeling much better but that didn't last long. Only when I complained again of pain, I was told they noticed some fluids left inside me, but they expected my body to get rid of them by itself. This is something unbelievable... in Portugal, they would never have allowed me out of the hospital without being 100% sure I was free of issues. But ... I'm not in Portugal, I'm in Holland. I'm not in what they call a third-world country, I'm in a 1st top-of-the-class country right?

Well, since then I've been already twice at the emergency service, and still today I have pain!

Today I came back from the doctor, a doctor which felt more like he was rushing me out (I barely had time to answer his questions, as much as making my own). When asking for more of my medication which is running out, he said I could get it from my house doctor... ehr... why should I do that when he is also able to give me that same perscription I was given there one week ago? Is he not skilled for that? Had a wrist problem? Or did he really had to go somewhere else?
The worst part: they were about to give me a new appointment in only 3 weeks, when I have pain almost every day!!! Can you believe it?

Please take my advice... when facing health issues, DON'T get treated in Holland. Save yourself a lot of hassle, if you can take some vacation time and travel to your home-country.

The Dutch either never had, or have given up, on one of the most basic elements they should be helped on: their health!

I might earn less money in Portugal, but at least I know I will be properly supported and taken care of.

Dutch Health Care System is CRAP!

Posted by Vitor at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

Paulo is my best friend, a guy who I would put my hand on fire for him. He has been my pal for more then 5 years now, and if it wasn't for him I don't think I would have stayed in Amsterdam for so long (although now I'm glad I did).

He is the coolest, most peaceful and joyfull guy to hang out with, one of those persons I can truly call my friend!

It is the first time, since moving to Holland, that he is celebrating his birthday here (he always goes to Portugal, the bastard). Since this is a Tuesday, and not much is happening in town, we will take it easy and just have dinner at a nice restaurant (it is already reserved for us). But on Friday we'll celebrate his birthday at our favourite latin party "Que Pasa?", in Melkweg.

Paulo, you really deserve the best dude! Thanks for being my best friend! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Posted by Vitor at 5:46 PM | Permalink | Add your comment

I cannot even begin to describe how much fun I had on New Year's Eve. Even though I've been ill for some time already, I was really looking forward to party (not hard, but at least to enjoy a good time with my friends), and what an event it was!

I met with Paulo, Nuno, Eek, Claudia and Pedro, and we went early to Arena TOnight Club at 23:00. There were only a few people (of course, it was still early!), but after midnight it started getting packed with too much women (who, by the way, were all dressed to kill!) and then the mood was set to lift off! The DJs were amazing, playing different styles (only remark for the second one, who at a certain moment played too much House music).

Unfortunately, somethings in the organization failed: for example, the free champagne was almost non-existent after all.

Even so, the party was really wild, and I cannot recall when did I ever got so many "spicy" invitations... clearly they all must have been really drunk! Nevertheless, I was hoping for someone that night, who graced me later on with a surprise gift.

I can only say that I've got the best New Year's Eve I could have wished for! An amazing time, with wild and funny events, and an ending which I'll never forget. Welcome, 2006! I've got my sleeves up and I'm ready!

Happy New Year for everybody!

(you can check the photos here)

Posted by Vitor at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Add your comment