Rupsje nooit genoeg eet onze peren uit onze tuin!

We hebben een perenboom in de tuin en zijn er het hele jaar wel druk mee. Water geven, ontdoen van luizen, dode blaadjes weghalen etc. Allemaal wel milieuvriendelijk uiteraard. Geen gif dus. Nu de vogels behoorlijk in de peren aan het pikken waren dacht ik ik haal er een paar peren af. Om te kijken of ze rijp zijn. Of ze te eten zijn. Nou, te eten zijn ze zeker... maar niet door ons! Wespen en rupsen eten de peren op. Dus geen peren voor ons dit jaar.

Ach, de vele peren hebben ons wel geholpen bij het leren tellen van de kleine man. Die stapte afgelopen jaar meermaals de tuin in en begon de peren te tellen.  3, 7, 2, 1, 8, ... :-)

How to get free apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod?

This blog is to provide tips how to get cool free apps for apple devices, even the Mac's and Android, but the focus is on the iOS devices. Lets dive straight into the first tips:

- My best and Favourite is AppZapPro. This is a very sophisticated application and community. You have for multiple platforms apps you can install : http://www.appzapp.net/en/app/

What does AppZapPro do?

Notifications: Create Custom-, App- or Developer-Alerts to stay up2date about changes of your favourite Apps and Developers. This means, you can tag apps you want notifications of, to get alerts when there are new updates, price changes even when it becomes free. Also if you like a certain app developer, that makes a whole series of these kind of apps, you can simply select to get notifications of the developer. This helps to avoid the need of tagging every single app of that developer. (eg now you get an automatic update for all Disney apps, or all apps from the Dr. Panda series etc).
Usually when I discover a nice (free) app, I check what the developer created and subscribe when interesting.

Community: Get in touch with AppZapp user all over the world and talk about what you love: Apps for your device. Not mandatory, but in the community you can check user reviews and remarks. It helps decide to pursue a download or not. Or it has tips. (eg free app, but providing adds or in-app sales)

And more… : …such as App-Videos, User App Tips, App Collections for special needs by user. So next to pictures you frequently have, also video's showing the app in motion can be seen here, which helps decide.

There are more ways to get info and free apps.

- www.iCulture.nl is one of the best sites for news, tips, reviews and daily a page with free apps. The daily page with description of the free apps is called iCulture Deals. An example you find here: http://www.iculture.nl/iculture-deals-aanbiedingen-28-augustus-2015/

There are more (international)websites that have such topics frequently appearing. Usually the one that work best (for me) are the ones I visite anyway, because of the broader content.

- Free App a day - Free Game of the Day - FreeAppMagic Daily - Appoday : Free App deal of the day - Free app finder - App van de Dag and the like... usually these apps notify you about 1 app per day that goes free. It can be a game, utility, etc. You can not tag/search specifics to your liking, its more of a daily gamble what comes up. So also daily popups/notification of stuff you do not want or like. 

- check the app store - I know it sounds too simple, but it works. Just check now and than the top free apps or games listed in the top charts. Many free stuff can be picked up, and as its in the top 10(or so), its almost always a good deal appearently, as you are not the first ;-)

- A general tip, when you follow these tips and download a lot, your space on your device might melt away quickly. With iOS devices it is easy to install and remove the app again at a later time. You can always download it again for free (as you have "purchased" it before already) when needed. I do this often for apps like travel guides. Free? Potential destination in the future? Download it for free and directly remove it again. You can even "buy" and download on the Mac and remove it, to later download it on a handheld device. Than when you do travel, check your purchased apps. :-)

Do you have tips for free and great apps? Leave a comment.
Thanks!

Below you see examples of screenshots from messages the applications provide, to inform you of updates, free apps, and also the TopCharts in the AppStore than you can manually check for goodies:

De route voor Limburgs Mooiste wielerronde staat vast.

Hi Fans ;-)

De route voor Limburgs Mooiste wielerronde staat vast.

Prachtig weergegeven op deze site: http://www.routeyou.com/route/view/317341/fietsroute-limburgs-mooiste-2011-blauwe-lus-110-km-licht.nl

Ik gebruik Runtastic, maar ik heb geen idee of ik mijn iPhone zolang kan gebruiken (tussen de 4-6 uur fietsen). Misschien lukt het, maar dan zal ik mijn telefoon uit moeten doen, denk ik.

Als ik Runtastic kan gebruiken, kunnen jullie Live volgen waar Diego en ik rijden (net zoals op de TomTom ;-) ), en jullie kunnen "juichen" op afstand via facebook/internet.

Mooie techniek tegenwoordig ;-)

Mijn Runtastic Profiel staat hier: http://runtastic.com/en/users/Marcel-de-Koningh

We zien wel. Eerst mooi weer en dan rijden :-))

Zin in!

What an odd product!

When we were traveling in New Zealand, we were in a shop with small stuff for in the house. Stuff for the kitchen, livingroom, candles, etc. The usual stuff.

But we also saw this product. It looked like some product they sell in Amsterdam in adult shops, but with a baby face? When looking up close, it was "something" to put tissues in. A tissue box! Strange!

Volleybal Toernooi en HELP JAPAN.

Dress-to-impress volleybal toernooi zondag! Thema:net als in de film. Mijn team:Karate Kid. Tevens verzoek om Japan te helpen via rode kruis website (www.nederlandhelptjapan.nl) en giro 6868. Japan heeft onze hulp nodig! Oja, 13:00 eerste wedstrijd in Westerwatering sporthal, voor de duizenden fans... Tot morgen!

 

The eagle has landed. Thank god.

Yeah! We are back home! What a flight. They warned for turbulence due to bad weather near the caspian sea, they were right. Almost 2 hours of heavy turbulence, made some people feel very sick. Sheila beat a new record with using three bags for flight illness. Luckily I did not feel hungry, so did not eat much, so felt not sick and had no problems,thus I appear not in the high score at all :-)… but did miss my night sleep :-s grrr. And the last days were energy consuming already. Singapore was fun to see. A little too hot and sticky for me, but I did like the shopping, sites and great food. Especially the Paradise Dynasty ! Incredible good food and great ambiance. We found it via an iPhone travel guide app, and when coming out of the restaurant they had an enormous queue of people waiting to get a seat. So we were not the only ones finding this place so cool. Dumplings are specialties here. sooo good. Whenever I will be back in singapore this is the place I at least will visit again. Unfortunately I was not able to meet up with my old buddy Egon. He was on holiday outside Singapore and when we started the holiday we had the Christchurch earthquake aftermath to worry about. Hopefully next time. The holiday was very busy. We have done and seen so much we need some time to recap all the extraordinary moments. We had some bad luck and a stressful time, the first time during a holiday I questioned when the real holiday would start. But we overcame the issues and had the privilege to do and see so much beautiful sites. Thanks to friendly people along the way, the beautiful nature and Sheila and I kept going. The magnificent and great adventure became a reality. Untamed wilderness, golden beaches, rocky beaches, rain forrest, dry grass land, dozens of waterfalls, lakes and rivers, ordinary sheep, extraordinary penguins or royal albatross and dolphins, sting rays, high speed jet-engine boat in canyon rivers, romantic boat in fjord of Milford Sound, picnic at sea-level at the beach or all alone at the top of a volcano with views like an eagle with only the sound of the wind… damn I already miss the lifestyle we had and that gorgeous nature. Good bye New Zealand. who knows we will meet again someday. At least I meet you in my videos, pictures and my mind. Cu all. Marcel/photokingh out.

All packed

We Cleaned and packed our stuff. Sunny in ChCH at the moment. Last day. We check out the beach. Maybe shopping-mall and the Arctic science center and call it a day, a NZ holiday even. Last campsite will be near airport so we can easily return the spaceship avoiding traffic. And flight check in we partially did last night via Internet. On our way to two days Singapore. and than… yep than unavoidable heading home to arrive at 7am Sunday. Brother cu than. Thanks for being there for us! Kingh out for now, heading to a beach picnic. :-)

How was your weekend?

Saturday morning Breakfast outside in the sun, shopping and buying cool shirts and sweaters, hours of Spa&hot pools, lunch in restaurant, dinner too, being 1 of 4 on a campsite in the middle of a forrest, skyped with mum and dad, skyped with father of sheila, got email of friend in japan she is OK, killed 20 sand flies, sunday driving between mountains, Forrest,next to the sea, seeing more red with white dots mushrooms(?) than ever before, watch cross motorbike race in the mountains, encounter with blue eyed penguin even touching one, filming fighting sea lions(waterproof street dogs), see groups of dolphins, walk a trail on the cliffs of Kaikoura, end up at a camping with again hot tubs, to close the sunny Sunday with see and hear tents blown away and smack agains our car in a sudden storm that dropped "out of the high mountains" glad our car was only shaking, not flying. So, we had a great weekend that we will remember for a long time, how was your weekend? :-)))

@Hanmer Spring. Did the Lewis Pass today.

25 March 2011.

Less than a week left, here in NZ, before we fly back to Singapore. Today we went into town Greymouth, as said earlier, when we had Library Wifi access.

We had clear skies today, great for the drive from West to East, via the beautiful Lewis Pass between and over the mountains. Had a sunny picnic at the river somewhere along the road. In Hanmer Spring we ate at “Robbie’s” cafe, just because we know a Robert at home :-) and the menu / food was good too!

We have wifi via the library again. Seems they opened up wifi for free, because of the quake, so people can get in contact with each other.

We were partly able to skype with ilja, just to say hello. But line dropped frequently. Anyway, tomorrow we are going to the hot pools and spa! Relaxing! Maybe we might watch whales and dolphins later in Kaikoura, before we go south to Christchurch and Banks of Peninsula and spent the last days of the holiday.

Today we were in an i-Site information desk, with brochures and booklets of hotels in Christchurch, many of them had stickers on it “Closed due to Earthquake.” Some of those things you will only notice, when you are getting closer to that town.

Arthur Pass completed. Greymouth.

What a magnificent drive we had the past two days! With the grand final of the Arthur Pass. All with blue sky and sun. Finally some luck :-) Almost can not wait to work with my photos back home. But we have a little week left. We are today (25th march) in Greymouth. Back for one day at the west coast. The library has free Internet so we can upload some small updates. After shopping here we continue with the Lewis Pass back to the east. Heavy rainfalls are expected this weekend, so need to check the weather for our last week.

Mount cook, glaciers and lakes

22 march we went to mount cook, the second time this holiday, but now approaching from the south east. This mount cook highway is driving straight at it. What a magnificent mountain. What a road. Wow! Superb! And this time we were lucky having the sun shine right at the mountain and it's glaciers. We did a small hike of 1 hour to view the blue lakes(which appeared to be green to me), but so super cool to see the lake, glacier and big chunks of ice floating in the lake. Well worth the climb. We set course for the next big lake to drive to and camp. (at the time of writing I forgot the name and could not switch apps without loosing the current text). In the evening we have dinner in,according to lonely planet and now also according to us, one of the best Japanese dinners in NZ. Mount Cook salmon farmed right at the corner, so fresher fish you almost can not get. It was goooood! 23 march we do not drive away right after breakfast, but go to the hot pools and spa to relax in the warm mineral water in the sun. In the forrest on a hill, with view on the lake and mountains. I know worse places to spent your time ;-) After two hours we are relaxed and clean. :-) buying at the bakery some fine food and enjoying it near the blue lake in the sun. After watching the scenery for some hours including the most photographed church of new Zealand, we set off in the afternoon further north and to the inland. Highway 72. After going into the inland roads, I never had so much road without curves. The record of the day was 15 mins at 100km/hour and not one turn, curve/bend/twist or other car. Arthurs pass we wanna drive tomorrow, back in the mountains again. whoopie!

Royal albatross and yellow eyed penguins seen

We have seen very rare species on this planet. From a distance to not disturb them, but great to watch. Penguins getting on the beach near dusk going back to their nests is great to see. Not many, only 4 in two hours, but as said they are threatened with extinction , so we were lucky to see these at least. We are now heading towards mount cook! Lets hope the rain stops traveling with us this time. We decided after this mountain to travel over the pass Arthur and pass lewis, next few days. We had to change plans because of the earthquakes and as we heard on the radio they still have red zones in christchurch, so seems we need to skip that part of the plan. Driving between the mountains is always fun. It's rough here, I like that!

Fok, Najib gemist!

Vandaag wifi en email kunnen ophalen. Hebben we een email dat we morgen(gisteren inmiddels) naar Najib gaan. Fok! Geen Najib waar we al 5 jaar kaartjes voor proberen te krijgen, weg geld en geen leuk kado voor mijn bro. Omdat ze voor deze voorstelling door-verkoop verwachtte hadden ze dit laat-laten-weten-systeem bedacht, zodat mensen de kaarten niet met winst gingen doorverkopen. Gelukt hoor! :-((((

Dunedin with rain. Mike birthday!

Today we wake up with drizzle and many clouds. So the sun was not able to stay after a successfully comeback yesterday afternoon, which was right in time to see the great royal albatross. What a width of wings those creatures have. Let's hope that in the 500 pictures shot at least one passes the quality checks ;-) We also went into the Dunedin city center for some shopping. It's a nice city with lots of shops. Here in NZ it's now 21 march, so the birthday of my brother Michael. I congratulated him at noon last night already with a SMS, which is funny as it than was still 20 march in the Netherlands. Today we go again to the center of Dunedin to visit the Cadbury Chocolate Factory with a tour. Funny in Japan we went to Mazda and now we again have an opportunity to see a factory operating in real time. Only this time we are getting samples of the products ;-) After this 75mins tour we will be heading North, Moeraki Bolders. Close to Oamaru. Also some seals might be viewable there, although we already saw many, it keeps fun to watch them. But first we go to the chocolates and will buy something to eat with our tea to celebrate my brothers birthday. Just like we did a few days ago on my mothers birthday. :-) see ya!

Dunedin today

No rain anymore. Tomorrow to chocolate factory. Guess who asked for that!? :-) Short msg as we are on the middle if town outside on some unsecured network. Thanks. Heheh. Mike, happy birthday! Only a few hours here in NZ and I will say cheers to my brother! Stan I heard the sad new of the dog:-( we think of you guys from the otherside of the world. Ps they have a Great King street, love it they respect me with a street name ;-)

PhotoKingh is in Queenstown

Today we arrived in Queenstown. The weather is great with blue skies. As you noticed we found some wifi spot to sync our blog and check emails. Have fun and greetings from Marcel and Sheila. Ps mum has birthday the 17th, here in NZ that means almost half a day earlier we can celebrate that already. :-) We will buy something sweet for with the tea here! Happy birthday mom!!! We first went to Arrow Town. A small town with some old wooden buildings and some of the old settlements of the Chinese, when they came digging for gold. While driving to Queenstown we drove past the jettop boats attraction. This super fast boats racing between the canyon in the river. We went in for an half hour action trip, so cool!!! At queenstown we sat at Starbucks for a hot chocolate and a cinnamon role.

PhotoKingh is in Queenstown

Today we arrived in Queenstown. The weather is great with blue skies. As you noticed we found some wifi spot to sync our blog and check emails. Have fun and greetings from Marcel and Sheila. Ps mum has birthday the 17th, here in NZ that means almost half a day earlier we can celebrate that already. :-) We will buy something sweet for with the tea here! Happy birthday mom!!! We first went to Arrow Town. A small town with some old wooden buildings and some of the old settlements of the Chinese, when they came digging for gold. While driving to Queenstown we drove past the jettop boats attraction. This super fast boats racing between the canyon in the river. We went in for an half hour action trip, so cool!!! At queenstown we sat at Starbucks for a hot chocolate and a cinnamon role.

Milford Sound

From the expensive, without unpaid showers campsite in Queenstown we set course to Milford Sound fjords. A long bit boring drive until we reach lake Te Anou. From there it gets more and more incredible. We have rain during the trip. Not as much rain as fell last night. 3 hour drive gave us still 20 mins to buy tickets and onboard the vessel. Incredible views of high mountains in the fjord-land. We had rain, but the boat-trip we were lucky , finally, the sun appeared. We travelled on the same single road back, and decided to camp in the park near the water without facilities.

Dunedin

20 March 2011

We are in Dunedin… so you know. No time for long blogs ;-)

The weather was rainy the last days, lets hope some sun comes in today. At least its dry right now.

Mirror Lake with view on Mount Cook, drive to Queenstown

15 March 2011

Today we woke up by the alarm at 7am, as we did want to get up early and walk to the view of views of the mountains, reflecting in the mirror lake. It was early, and we had little breakfast to safe time and use it all for the 45 mins walk. A lot of fog was there, but the best luck we could have, after a full night of heavy rain, was an almost clear blue sky. Great for the walk and the pictures. The walk was great in the dense forest. The lake was indeed a perfect mirror early in the morning, with almost no winds and the fog away when we arrived at the best picture spots. The mountain reflected great, and we took a lot of pictures and shot some film. After this 2 hour trip, we continued, as we had more than 300 km of road to take over, between and next to the mountains. Via the Haast Pass we travelled south, targeting a town just before Queenstown. Its called Wanaka. The road and its views is sometimes spectacular. We stop at a special salmon farm that uses the mountain streams for its fish, and have smoked salmon sandwiches and a big homemade chocolate muffin. Along the road, we stop some times to watch the beach, waterfalls or great outlooks over the lakes and mountains. But the stops are short, as the sand flies are with more than we can kill and they are thirsty like hell. Acting like… real bugs. In Wanaka we find a campsite, after first getting into the little town and do some shopping. We eat early, read the news of Japan in the newspaper, relax with some movie and prepare some blogs, so later we can upload them when we have WiFi…. Queenstown should have a McDonalds, so the family, friends and colleagues should be able to watch these blogs quick this time… and we might catch a burger or ice-cream, who knows… its still holiday.