The end of the road

My brother and I arrived in Berlin last night, the last stop on my European tour. I've realized I'm not the best of travel writers, frequently not keeping up with the days activities. Sorry about that. Nonetheless, a brief recap:

Munich, Germany:

• We stayed at my brother's friend's house who insisted on feeding us Bavarian food every day. Sausage for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yikes! Fun to experience, but, whew! However, I now appreciate spatzel and will have to try making it when I get home
  
• I spent the better half of a day perusing the Deutches Museum, a museum of industrial history. Planes, trains, bridges, locks and keys, motors, printing, computers, my gosh--it just didn't stop and we didn't even see it all!
• I ate a lot of pretzels and only near the end, did I realize how good they taste with mustard! 
• Enjoyed a swim at one of the oldest public schwimmbads in Germany

Berlin, Germany:

• Enjoyed some phenomenal sushi two buildings down from my hostel.
• Walked to Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenberg Gate, Murdered European Jew memorial (very neat--at least the above-ground part!), and a remaining chunk of the Berlin Wall. Check an online photo tour here 
• Enjoyed a brief, half-understood, but very enjoyable conversation with an old man on the sidewalk who exclaimed "Ich bin ein Berliner!" after I told him I was from America. He told my brother and I that he was a seaman back in the day. It would have been so cool to hear more of his story!
• I've had fun having the "green man" guide me across the streets of East Berlin who is quite a local favorite and a tourist favorite as his silhouette is pasted on many a trinket
• Playing Frisbee on the lawn in front of the capital building
  

No photos, as my camera is up in my room, but I shall certainly post many upon my return home this weekend! 

Schermerhorn, Nederlands

Okay, okay, I really should write about Schermerhorn, Netherlands, after all, it is my homeland of sorts. However, I'm enjoying the hills and slight hint of fall in Heidelberg right now and being here is something to write home about, too.

Nonetheless, I'll write about Heidelberg when I can--I still need to let you know how great Amsterdam had been as well! Now with a cup of NesCafe cappuccino in hand, about my homeland.

So, Schermerhorn is a little village of about 1,500 people in Holland, the northwest part of the Netherlands. My brother and I learned that there once was a Lake Schermerhorn that the Dutch drained 300 or so years ago to use as farmland. Now the area is called Schermer (kind of a county name for us back home), and Schermerhorn is one of a few towns in the area. The Dutch used a handful of windmills to drain the lake into dikes and out to sea and if I remember correctly, it took about 3 years for the lake to be completely drained. Judging by the water I saw pumped at the windmill museum--it was one big lake.

Schermerhorn itself is a pretty lazy town, really consisting of only one main road, a church, two cafes, and dozens of canals. Check out the Google map of Schermerhorn to see what I mean. It sounds like it is a pretty wealthy town, judging by the English video we watched at the windmill museum, because the people in the area became wealthy form shipping various wares and food, including herring--ack!

Nonetheless, here's a photo of one of two ways of getting into town by car. (There are numerous ways to get into town by boat.)

I'm not sure what Schermerhorn residence do for work; they were everywhere in the middle of the day on a weekday.

And packed so tightly into this cafe, that my brother and I decided to leave before we got coffee. We think we might have walked in on some sort of town meeting or funeral luncheon of an old community member. Situations like this make it unfortunate that one doesn't speak the local language.

Ah, and canals. Oh, the canals!

How cool--and handy--to have a canal at the back of your backyard? At the very least, the neighbor kids wouldn't cut through your yard on the way to school and tromp on your rosebushes.

By the end of our time in Amsterdam, I was ready for more land, less water, and more elevation changes. The most elevation gained was climbing the 5 flights of stairs to our hostel every night. My brother and I rode across one of the Netherlands giant dikes and dams which just shows that the whole part of Holland (again, just the upper part of the Netherlands; Southern Netherlands is quite hilly, actually) and then some is naturally below sea level. In fact, Amsterdam used to be wetlands. (Yeppers, that's out the car window.)

The first houses were built on wooden stilts. Many of the old houses in downtown Amsterdam are built on top of tree trunks that were shoved vertically into the mud. Very strange, and it produces some pretty crooked houses.(Back in Amsterdam, anyway.)

And here are some windmill photos from our fantastic time at the windmill museum. It was pretty windy that day so the mill was cranking pretty fast.

 

I had a brief, yet exciting, video of looking out the third-floor window toward the arms of the windmill, but sadly, it won't load onto blogger. Oh, well.

More about Amsterdam and/or Heidelberg next. Have a good one!

Maastricht, Netherlands

Hello, from another wonderful, cool evening in Amsterdam. Today my brother and I went to our family's homeland, Schermerhorn, and it was great, especially the windmill museum. Why pay amusement park prices when you can have as much fun on the third story of a windmill for only €4? More on that later, but for now enjoy a sneak preview

Here are a few photos from Maastricht. For some reason I didn't take any pictures of work or my coworkers. Oh, well--a reason to go back again...

 

 

 

 What's interesting about Maastricht is that it was first built as a Roman outpost. Here's part of the Roman wall built to protect the original city, with a bonus hot air balloon.

 

 

 Man, there's so many stories to share, but not enough time to write them all down now while traveling--or as I've realized, time to write them eloquently, too. I'm looking forward to sharing them in person with you!

I'll try to post again about Amsterdam and Schermerhorn soon. Have a good one!

Brussels, Belgium

I'm a few days behind on writing about where I've been so, I'll be writing about Brussels while sitting in the Amsterdam sunshine.

I'd like to start this post out by commenting on chocolate. Belgium will not allow Cadbury chocolate to import into Belgium for their chocolate is really a chocolate treat, laced with a lot of sugar. Cadbury refuses to label their "chocolate" as a candy treat and therefore is not sold in Belgium. Thus, what we have in Belgium is only the most excellent chocolate as depicted below:

 Phenomenal. But, one must eat it in moderation. The photo above was taken at a sweet little park in Brussels that featured a great fountain and gardens.

 

My brother had a friend, An, in Brussels who was kind enough to take us around Brussels, on foot, for the afternoon. What's handy about being a tourist willing to walk or ride bikes is that it's a great excuse to eat a lot of local food! I've probably walked 20 miles so far on this trip, which is at least 10 pounds not gained.

Nonetheless, I just took these photos while wandering around (my brother is the one who has the picture of the Manneken Pis statue on his camera, so read that website for more quirky information)...

 

 

 

I really enjoyed my time in Brussles, espeically walking around (and oh, how far we walked! and let's be honest, it was really a tour of chocolate stores). I would have loved to spend another day there, but my time was cut short as I had to head to Maastricht, Netherlands to meet up with some coworkers (more on that next!). My favorite was waiting in line for some frites and meat at a one-off frites-mobile down some street. Their fries were fantastic, and you get to choose from among 10+ kinds of sauce you want with them (Brazil, Jamician, curry, garlic, spicy ketkup, et al). A fun-- and quite inexpensive--time.

And a quick note on train stations. The Brussels station was small, but lots to eat and the best coffee thus far on my trip at Sam's cafe. It's super easy to catch a train to anywhere at European stations, with either handy e-ticket stations or at ticket windows. Which really makes traveling by train all the more enjoyable than by plane.(Though I don't sleep much since I feel obligated to take in the countryside and other scenes from my seat.)

Up next: Fun times in Maastricht, Netherlands!

Miscellaneous Fun

Just a few observations and events to share as I get ready to head out for dinner in Maastricht, Netherlands:

•  It was strange to experience my first McDonald's McCafe. Drank a cafe au lait with my brother right outside the Paris Nord station while Michael Jackson was playing on the loudspeakers certainly confused my senses
  
• My brother and I met a pantomiming drunk Parisian who was apparently willing to fight my brother for me (little did he know I would have paid him to take my brother). We also came across a nice protest inside the train station, including drums, banners, and firecrackers. No word on what they were protesting and the policie certainly didn't care any more than we did. (nonetheless, the drums were fun to dance to)
  
• Had a phenomenal cafe au lait and Belgium waffle at the Brussels train station this morning (though I prefer my waffles hot, it was still great).
• Learned that not every Belgium citizen is personal friends with Kim Clijster (shame!)
• At perhaps too much chocolate in Brussels. (I never thought that was possible. I stand corrected)
  
• Also learned that Belgium frites are double fried to create their tasty goodness
  
• Had a lovely dinner in Paris with my brother his friend and his friend's mother, of all people. It was a comedy translating what we could of the menu, throwing caution to the wind, and guessing the rest. I highly recommend this food-ordering method.
  
• I got to meet my coworkers in Maastricht who I've worked with for over a year, but just met face-to-face for the first time. (note: thankfully their humor and generosity are much better and more abundant than the office coffee) 

Perhaps I'll have time to write a more in-depth reflection on my life and times whilst in Brussels and Maastricht, but now it is time to play tourist and explore this city that was built by the Romans--can you believe that!?

Have a great weekend!

Paris, France

Bonjour!

I had a great train ride from London to Paris, maxing out at about 200 mph. My brother met me at the Gare de Paris-Nord train station at about 5:30pm and I have to say, it was great to see him again after not seeing each other for over a year.

We took the subway to the Crimée station (which I pronounce "Creamy") and walked a few blocks to our hostel. It's a pretty busy place, with a coffee shop and full bar on premise. We checked into our two-twin-bed room and went out for a little walk our first night down a quaint little canal into a fascinating park...


The lift bridge and pedestrian bridge right outside the hostel. Perhaps we'll dine al fresco by the canal tonight.

And, looking down the other way from the bridge. Oh, hi, Mark!

 This park we kept weaving in and out of was pretty cool. Too bad we didn't find any information about it; I have no idea what the name of the park was or its significance. 

We went to a sushi bar for dinner last night (we couldn't find a French restaurant) and then headed to the bakery for some of this:

 

 And this, which we didn't actually buy. I just thought they looked like miniature travel pillows:

The great thing about bakeries here is that it seems the lines to buy things are at least 8 people deep at all hours of the day. Delicious!


So far today, we've done the touristy thing: 

Alright, a little more serious:

And the full shot:

It was a cloudy day, but I think that kept a lot of tourists at bay, which made me happy. It was only 4,50€ to take the stairs to the second level, so my brother and I set forth

 

to enjoy the following views:

  

  

They had a variety of cafes and food stands on the two floors we visited, but really, who wants to eat while you're trying to convince your mind and inner-ears that everything is okay? Regardless of the Eiffel Tower's ability to keep hunger at bay, it was a great time hanging out up there (especially after the 400+ stairs we climbed).

After the Eiffel Tower, we headed to the Arc de Triomphe, something I've appreciated since being in the bicycle industry as le Tour de France circles around it a few times on the last leg of the race each year. Today, only a gaggle of cars were racing around it.

And here's the photo that pulls all of the days work together in one picture:

So far, Paris has been pretty pleasant. Tonight I'm hoping for some confit de canard (roast duck!), but really, I'm in Paris and will be happy with anything I'm served. Well, hold off on the escargot and caviar. But really, even an eau claire would suffice.

Au Revior for now!

International Bustling

Man, almighty, free internet at St Pancreas International.

Just a quick post to say how fun it is to sit and soak up the international happenings at St. Pancreas. Train station announcements in English and French, well-dressed business people, shopping, food, and the excitement of comings and goings (and wishing the best of luck to those running to their trains of catching them.)

I had a minor scare that I blew out my bad knee for good, getting my luggage off the Underground, but oh, so thankfully, it's doing fine now. (Thoughts of having to sit out of the fall Ultimate league flashed before me, before I walked it off and realized all was okay--whew!) Maybe though, I can use it to my advantage to get a quick pass to the front of the line as we wait in line for touring castles and museums.Sure, Europe isn't Disneyland, but I'll still see what I can do...

Thanks and goodbye to my friends on the Highfield Oval. 'Twas indeed a great time hanging out, eating sticky toffee pudding, wandering around the high street, chatting, eating M&S, and playing a sorry game of Mario Kart. I'm looking forward to meeting up with you all again one day soon, preferably over a giant vat of sticky toffee pudding! 

A Menagerie of Shots

Hard to believe I leave for Paris tomorrow. This past week has been great, again, just hanging out in Harpenden with friends and hitting up the ol' stomping grounds. Here's a bit of what I've been doing these past few days...

One of many walks down to the high street.

 

  

 

 

And of course an official Royal Post bicycle which always make me smile when I see them:

And back from the high street, a few groceries purchased (my gosh, I guess this means I have to admit I bought instant coffee!):

Around the bend on the Oval, I got to spend some time in the Oval Cafe with a few friends whilst it was closed and was able to take a couple of exclusive shots:

 

 

Later, I handed out some Fun Dip (classic 80s American candy) to some friends on base. These grown adults went crazy for it and I am now in an exclusive distribution deal with them. Nonetheless, they are good actors while on a sugar high.

Late last week I wandered into Luton, where I spent a lot of Wednesday afternoons back in 2008 at St. Mary's church. The building is 850 years old, something you really just do get back in America, do you.

 

Nothing like headstones of people who have been dead for a really long time (I prefer these to the crypts one typically walks on in the isles of old churches).

  

Before I took a few photos at the church, I went to the Arndale Mall across the street from the church for some necessary Primark shopping and a tuna and sweetcorn baguette from Gregg's. I took it all outside to eat on the pedestrian mall, which is a premiere place to people watch. People are always hawking their beliefs or selling various utilities and such to people out shopping. So, after being accosted by a yogi about a free book about spirituality and reincarnation (which I regretfully didn't take--it would've been a fascinating read--as I was too hungry to stop and chat), it only made sense that I was approached by some interns from the Luton News. They wanted my opinion on this week's topic of fasting for the month of September for Ramadan. Thankfully, I didn't get last week's question about one's thoughts on the band Oasis breaking up.


Ah, good times. I'm off on the Eurostar to Paris via the chunnel tomorrow. I'm looking forward to having flavour back in the food I eat again.

Oh, England

As I'm lounging around watching British television, eating Jamaican Ginger Cake and drinking tea, here's a little recap...

I had a pretty uneventful train ride from Liskeard to Harpenden yesterday. "Uneventful" meaning I didn't get thrown up on, for just as I was eying some seats across the isle from me (one can switch seats on the train as much as one switches lanes on the freeway), an old lady came walking briskly down the isle to the toilets with her hands over her mouth and vomit spewing between her fingers onto the floor. I know, gross. BUT, the person who had the window seat I was eying took one look at the "sick" (as many call it) and immediately went elsewhere for a seat which meant I got the window seat on the ocean-side of the train for the rest of the trip to London. Hooray! So, just remember that sometimes, one person's sick is another person's treasure.

After that, it was smooth sailing into Paddington and then to St. Pancreas (my favorite station--very suave, bustling, and beautiful and where the EuroStar departs from). I got off at the Harpenden station and thanks once again to the house with the giant gum-drop-shaped bush, I knew just which way to go to get to the Highfield Oval on Ambrose Lane. I walked up to my friend Dave and Ulani's house, took my shoes off, hugged Ulani and picked up right where we left off when she and Dave were in the states last year. Well, with another 11-week addition to their family, baby Aliyah.

My friend Christine and I, with whom I did my DTS in 2008, walked down to the high street and went to good ol' Sainsbury's to get some dinner. We made some pasta with mincemeat, bought some Bulmer's for later, and really just relished in the inexpensive joys that Sainsbury's brings us. Bland, but inexpensive.(Taste will come later, in the rest of Europe.)

Today I took the train to St. Albans for their outdoor Wednesday market. I don't know why I like going there so much, but I do. More for the idea of the market than the things I can buy; I guess I really just like the idea of a community market that sells everything to its neighbors. I noticed I was the only person wearing shorts--it was probably around 65--and I got a few astonished looks. I, however, didn't give my astonished looks to those who I thought were overdressed, but instead to all the mums in the coffee shops. What do they and/or their husbands do where they can just sip away on their Italian beverages in coffee shops with their children all morning long?! Then it was revealed to me that mums get 1 year of maternity leave here. Amazing.

The next few days I'll be here in Harpenden, just hanging out being a foreign-resident of sorts, doing the things I did when I lived here in 2008, as kind of a vacation among the vacation. For, the travels I have planned with my brother on the back half of this trip will be non-stop, full of unfamiliar foods and languages, late nights, internet cafes, and bicycles. For now, I'm enjoying hanging low with some good friends and what little remaining Cornish yarg I have left to share.

Gastronomy part I

Yes, this really will be a month of eating great things. It started with the pasty on Saturday in Looe, beef, potatoes, onions, and such, in a flaky, portable crust, much like a Chipotle burrito for beef stew. It was great until we came across a coffee shop that caught our attention and we tucked them away for later (which is the joy of pasties, so conveniently portable!).

 

(I'll admit, the first night here I had instant decaf coffee at my friend's house. Funny how many of the English foods that either tasted gross or made my stomach dodgy the first time in 2008, I now actually don't mind or even enjoy now!)

I'll never understand English coffee shops: £1.50 for a small Americano of which its contents is usually questionable (was that instant coffee or wasn't it?). I put up with it though, for it's the idea of getting coffee in England that counts. 

Whilst in Looe, Roz took me to a little cheese shop where I was introduced to Cornish Yarg. Yarg! Yarg is a wonderful light cheese that is wrapped in stinging nettle, and since we're right where it's made, it is very inexpensive. It's phenomenal! (Especially since your mouth doesn't go numb from the nettle).

We're heading over to a friend's house tonight for wine and cheese so we had to pick up some Wenslydale with cranberries. It'll be great to indulge since it is usually only available around Christmas time at specialty cheese shops back home. Sweet!

Also in that cheese shop I sampled some (hard) cider and some Cornish Lust, strawberry-cream wine akin to Bailey's Irish Cream. (They promote it as "strawberries, cream, and a little Cornish magic," but I know the Cornish magic is just wine.) I suspect it'd taste great with some dark chocolate regardless of whether an endless chain of scarves comes out of an empty bottle or not.

And then today it was cream tea (though eaten at high tea) for lunch up on the Moors among the sheep and, well, sheep. Shredded cheddar cheese sandwiches with cucumber and tomato, scones, strawberry jam, Cornish cream, tea, and cake. I had forgotten how great shredded cheddar cheese sandwiches are--so simple, yet so satisfying! Needless to say, we didn't even make it to the cake--way too much food. 

And I'm pretty sure if I were to ever write a cookbook this photo would grace the cover. I mean, what better photo to invite people to take a look inside?