GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 07:47 AM

Bad news, broke a toe yesterday and can't walk for a while (general warning: going to church may be a hazard for your bodily health). But I shall join the gathering, even with crutches, inshallah.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 03:17 PM

Gute Besserung, Wilfried!

Hope to see you in Groningen!

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 01 Apr 03 - 10:07 AM

Danke, Mudguard!

So Gott will und wir gesund bleiben (werden), wie der Apostel Jacobus schreibt.

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 11:16 AM

Ok, time to refresh this here thread!

I just bought the train tickets, going to Papenburg on May 1st.
I will cycle from there on Friday, arriving (hopefully) in Groningen some time during the afternoon...
Can't give a specific time, depends too much on wind... ;-)

Looking forward to seeing you all!

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Letty
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 01:28 PM

Great to hear from you MudGuard. Papenburg shouldn't be too far (even though you're an experienced biker, of course).
I'm making final arrangements with a pub for the Friday night.
On Sunday, we could either 'jam' at Willem's place, or try and find
another pub (this pub has a session on the Sunday afternoon).
The reason I didn't reserve anything for Sunday night is that it's Remembrance Day, and I'm not sure if pubs are open, or if they'd like music being played. As long as we observe silence at 8PM, this shouldn't be a problem at my brother's place.
The band I play in will come too!

So, an updated list looks like this:
Anne (Germany)
Eric the Viking (UK)
Frank & Iris (Germany)
Glen and Ron (UK/Belgium)
Llanfair & sister (UK)
Mooman & Lady McMoo (UK/Belgium)
Mudguard (Bavaria)
Skipjack (UK)
Susanne (Germany)
Volker (Germany)
Wilfried (Germany)
Wolfgang (Germany)

Possibles:
Fossil & co (UK)
Ken Gilman (US/Belgium)
McGrath (UK)
Will Bakker (Netherlands)


And a few assorted Dutchmen!
More people = always welcome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(for the doubters: I found that B&Bs cost about 15-20E per night)

Looking forward to it.

Letty

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 02:24 PM

Oh Andy-sorry you will be suffering from too much wind-but better out than in!!!! Not long to go now-Boy am I looking forward to it.

See you soon

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 09:35 AM

Letty, do you want to hint that Bavaria is not Germany?

Erik, wind shouldn't be a big problem, I have an aerodynamic belly ;-)

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: GUEST,Letty (no cookie)
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 09:46 AM

MudGuard: I know you like to stress you're from BAVARIA... So I thought I'd mention it :-)
Long live free Bavaria!

Letty

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 09:48 AM

;-)

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: mooman
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 04:02 PM

Dear Letty and friends

A definite yes from Ken Gilman now.

Best regards,

moo

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 07:07 PM

Nothing is free in this world - not even Bavaria ...

Anyway, just three more weeks to go! Great!

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From:
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 10:53 AM

So, 21 days to go. Have a good Easter, then see you soon.Hope the weather is good-the weekend definately will be!

Cheers

Eric

Andy should we "liberate" Bavaria for you?

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 06:59 PM

liberate Bavaria?
Remove our Bavarian Prime Minister Stoiber?

Yes Please !!!

Happy Easter (Bunnies) to you as well, see you soon!

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 06:18 AM

Hi Letty,

I'm planning my arrangements for Groningen now. Unfortunately I have to do a guided tour through my home town in Friday's late morning, which brings me the money for the youth hostel. So I'll arrive at 21:15 (=9:15 p.m.). I'll first go to the hostel for checking in and then I'll join you.
Can you advertise me to the hostel people in advance? I need a bed in the dorm and hired bedlinen. An absolute must: I need a notice from you where the Friday gathering will take place.
By the way, where in Germany are you staying before the Weekend?

Eager to meet you all
Wilfried

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Letty
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 11:03 AM

Wilfried: I live in Bochum.
The place where we're going to be on Friday night, will probably be
Sally O'Brien's , but I haven't heard from them yet. I will post that as soon as possible.
I don't know what you mean by 'advertising' you to the hostel... Do you mean you need to confirm your reservation? You could send them an
e-mail (they have international staff, so they read English (and possibly German too)) at [e-mail] or phone them
at 0031-50-3135221.

Letty

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Letty
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 11:05 AM

Wilfried: I just realized after re-reading that you haven't made a reservation yet. I could phone them for you, if you prefer, but they will need your details (address etc.), could you PM them to me?

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 03:27 PM

Letty - Thanks, I have their Web-page now; I will make the reservation myself.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 03:35 PM

How is your toe, Wilfried?

18 days to go...

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: GUEST,Letty (no cookie)
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:39 AM

For those who might like to come and stay: flight from Stansted to
Groningen: 1 penny on 1 May (single fare)...

:-)

Letty

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Noreen
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 11:58 AM

More details, letty???

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 03:22 PM

http://www.ryanair.com/
Try this Noreen (if it works!)

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 03:24 PM

Bloody hell-it does!!!!! I think I might start learning to play the guitar now I've mastered this!!!! Only a couple of weeks plus a few days to go.

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Noreen
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 04:51 PM

Amazing! (Both Eric's skill & RyanAir's prices!)

If I wasn't tied to a job this would be ideal.

Fly out Thursday 1 May 11.10 Stansted > Groningen 1p
Return    Tues   6 May 13.40 Groningen > Stansted 1p

With taxes & tithes comes to £25.22 return.

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 04:56 PM

Just untie yourself, Noreen! ;-)

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Noreen
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:09 PM

Think they'd miss me, Andy :0)

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:11 PM

They would get you back on Wednesday ;-)

If you don't come, I will miss you!

Andy/MudGuard
XXX

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Letty
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:29 PM

25 pound for a return ticket... that's cheaper than going from Groningen to Amsterdam by train (and back).


Night!

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 06:15 AM

Take a sickie-I wouldn't do it myself, but.........

Leave of absence? Non teaching staff are allowed to take leave during school terms-it's in the contract!!!!

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 07:03 AM

Hi, Mudguard!

Haematome is receding fast. Changed from the crutches to a solid walking stick and am working again since Monday.
Made my reservations in the jongerenhotel today, hope they won't kick me out when they see how old I am.
For May 1st I wish you a good steady wind from Eastern directions.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 09:11 AM

Wilfried, that sounds good, keep on getting better!

The wind on May 1st does not matter, I am travelling on the train on the 1st. The May 2nd is the wind-like important day... ;-)

See you soon!

Andy/MudGuard

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 18 Apr 03 - 03:08 AM

Only two weeks!!!

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 19 Apr 03 - 06:49 AM

13 days only...

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 19 Apr 03 - 09:55 AM

Thanks, Mudguard, for the countdown. You seem as eager as me to meet the other blokes and blokesses of the great Multinational Union Dedicated to the Celebration of Ancient Tunes.
You should have posted the countdown yesterday, man! So I lost a 40% price reduction of my Netherlandish train fare, but could gain the national reduction still today when booking.
I nourish the suspicion that in counting the days you are exerting an unalienable human right you are entitled to: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. Oh yeah, Im sure we'll find it.

Eager to meet you all!
Wilfried

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 19 Apr 03 - 10:52 AM

I DID post the countdown yesterday.

And yes I am eager to meet the people there - some of them again, some for the first time...

Your Mudcat definition is a nice one!

Just a tiny thing: MudGuard with a capital "G"...
(Mud from Mudcat, Guard from my surname Waechter)

still 13 days...

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 21 Apr 03 - 01:25 AM

11 days

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 21 Apr 03 - 08:00 PM

OK-not long to go now.

Letty, some questions.

1) Our return fare from Schipol is e36.20. How long does a return ticket last?1-4 days or more or less? Or do we have to buy single tickets? (one way)We would prefer to buy a return as it's much cheaper but it would need to be from the Friday to the Monday evening, as we leave 21.15

Also is there a tourist reduction? (Reductions is e21.70)

Train times-we should get the 21.23 from Schipol, arriving at 23.54 at Groningen.

Where will everyone be at this time? Or do we go straight to Deliplein?If we are very lucky we could make the 20.53, change at Amersfort, arrive at 23.15 (But not very likely)

Richard as an alternative, if your offer still stands (but only if convenient-I'd want to get there sooner if I were you! It is 227 Km by rail from Schipol to Groningen) We land at 20.35. (But that's only dependant on plane being on time)It would make you and Pat very late arriving.About a good three-four hour drive I'd guess.

Much longer by bicycle from Europort!! I think we cycled it in 5 days with the children last time we cycled up that way-Don't cycle like Andy!!

Last question, Where is the guitar shop? Oh and Skip will want a coffee shop-but I'll get him to AH.

See you all soon

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 22 Apr 03 - 07:23 AM

More questions for Letty:

Arriving at Willem's place (Deliplein 116), which doorbell is the one to press?

I guess I will arrive early afternoon (13:00 - 14:00). Is someone at Willem's place at that time? Or should I meet you or Willem somewhere else?

10 days...

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 22 Apr 03 - 10:59 AM

Oh, oh - the driving engineers of the German Railway are threatening with a strike just about the next week(s). Let's hope the best for the timetables.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: mooman
Date: 22 Apr 03 - 11:21 AM

Dear Eric,

I planned be "on route" somewhat earlier (and via a slightly different route) than your estimated arrival time in order to avoid traffic but could revise plans if you're really stuck.

All the best

Richard

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 22 Apr 03 - 12:59 PM

Richard, did you get my PM?

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 22 Apr 03 - 01:00 PM

And yes, Wilfried, I fear they will be on strike on the first of May (which is Labour Day in Germany)...

Andreas/MudGuard

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Letty
Date: 22 Apr 03 - 04:11 PM

hi there!

Loads of questions...
I'll try to answer a few now: I'm planning to be in the pub on Friday night, but perhaps everyone's tired and gone bij the time Skip and Eric are arriving... You know what? I'll collect you from the train station in Groningen (I have scribbled down my mobile phone number somewhere in this thread, if you're early/late you can call me) and bring you to wherever you are.
Wilfried: I hope you won't have to hitch-hike from Germany... But strikes are out of my control of course.
MudGuard: in the afternoon, I'll be on the Deliplein 116, the name on the door is L. Nijhuis (that's me).

Train tickets: a weekend return would be cheaper, but that's only valid from Friday night through Sunday. So, buy a normal return ticket (open return). Still less expensive than two single fares!
Dutch rail is really stingy, only way to get a discount is to hitch a ride with a student (students and two companions per student get a 40 % discount), but you have to chat a student up first :-)
So you're right, return should set you back about 36Euro.

Driving from Schiphol Airport to Groningen takes about 3 hours.
Guitar shop: two of them in the Nieuwe Ebbingestraat, around the corner from Willem's house (well, walkable in any case).
Coffee: available in every supermarket, not just coffeeshops (there is a real coffee shop, i.e. selling coffee, in the Zwanestraat).
Soft drugs are available too (though not in supermarkets), though you need proof you're over 18. Actually, there's a coffee shop about 50 yards from where you're staying. And Willem used to have a neighbour who baked spacecakes, but she's moved. Maybe she left a receipe!

BTW, if you're serious about getting high in Holland, don't ask me, I don't even smoke normal cigarettes.

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 23 Apr 03 - 07:44 AM

Thankyou Letty-you confirmed what I'd already worked out. We'll be on the train.You kind offer of a lift is gratefully recieved, I have printed out all the details etc.

Richard-it is no problem. I figured that it would make you and Pat very late ariving, as I said. But thankyou for your kind and generous offer (For those who don't know Richard-it is typical of his warm and kind nature) By the way.

IT WILL BE RICHARD'S BIRTHDAY THE WEEKEND OF THE GATHERING.

so see you soon.

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 23 Apr 03 - 12:34 PM

And the weather forecast for Friday 2nd Mai is......... Showers but quite warm. Lets hope for a sunny weekend.

Letty, to mobile phone you I will need 0031 drop the 0 before the 6 is that right? Though my phone will switch to local (can't remember which company).

Who is asking about the drugs?

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: MudGuard
Date: 23 Apr 03 - 01:12 PM

Letty, thanks for the answers.

Erik, how often is the weather forecast correct for the next day?
Do you really trust it for 9 days???

9 days only!

Andreas/MudGuard

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Apr 03 - 01:27 PM

Can't make it. It sounds like it'd be well worth the trip. Ah well.

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Wolfgang
Date: 23 Apr 03 - 01:51 PM

Maybe we should make the next Mudcat meeting of this type In Britain? It started as a German Mudcat meeting (with more English speaking than Germans attending) then moved to the neighbouring countries like Belgium and the Netherlands. So maybe a part of England closest to (or fairly close to) Germany could be the next choice.

Hull

Wolfgang Hell
(I had many years the line 'from Hull and Halifax and Hell, Good Lord, deliver me' at my door as a treat for the students)

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 23 Apr 03 - 02:39 PM

Wolfgang, my good friend, look forward to Letty's keynote address..........

Looking forward greatly to seeing my EuroCatChums, and watching Moore get curiously younger. I think he is taking jOhn's therapy of Pot Noodle and John Smiths as his elixir of life.

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: mooman
Date: 23 Apr 03 - 06:23 PM

My dear Skippy,

That very kind remark definitely wins you a pint!

Looking forward to seeing everybody!

Richard

Subject: RE: GRONINGEN meeting 2-4 May: the follow-up
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 23 Apr 03 - 07:01 PM

hi Greg and Eric - had a great comment on Letty's suggestions last night but unfortunately fell asleep before I could post it, so you're safe! Looking forward to seeing you both.

As to next year, why not combine it with Selby? Seeing I'm going to miss that by a hair's breadth this year, I'd love to go, and Hell - sorry, Hull, is fairly easy to reach.