Who needs tea and cake when you can have espresso martinis and a good cheese platter?
Never start with the weather.
It was a chill and bleak Winter day in Amsterdam that found Pukeko waiting at the Rijksmuseum for his mate Rupert to turn up for a visit from Australia!
He had thought he’d watch the ice skaters while he waited … Would you like to know more?
Leiden – Part 2
So we were in Leiden, the photographic walking tour ended up being a bit of a bust, but it was a Saturday, and therefore it was Market Day.
Netherlands markets are just amazing and wonderful! There is so much to see, hear, smell, and touch, they inspire all your senses. Would you like to know more?
Pannenkoeken and Poffertjes
Or; Pancakes and … mini pancakes. I guess. *shrugs*
Himself and I have finally been to a Dutch Pancake House, and it only took having visitors from Tokyo coming to stay with us to get us there. I’m pegging that on the fact that three of the visitors were kinderen. In fact, as it turned out, we made it to two in as many days! I was a bit pancaked out after that!
But I’m here to tell you about how wonderful they were! Not to mention filling! The first such stop was in Zaanse Schans where we took our lunch break on Friday. Being lunch I opted for a savoury bacon and cheese topped pancake. Not too bad if I do say so myself! But the real treat was the promised pancake breakfast we scheduled for Saturday morning. We chose to go here, the Vier Pillaren. (Four Pillars)
Prague – Part 3
The food post. I’m going to try and do this only once, but I make no promises!
Czech food is like a lot of European food I’ve discovered so far. Quite heavy, filling, warming, and with lots of potato or bread carbs on the side. The Czechs have perfected the dumpling which is in fact a good combination of both spuds AND bread! Yay them!
The secret in finding a good place to eat is to find an alley which looks like it belongs in the Goblin City of the Labyrinth…
… and gets narrower, and narrower …
… and before you know it, you find yourself surrounded by locals in a room filled with ambiance!
Be aware that smoking is not only accepted to varying degrees all over Europe, but you can still smoke inside in designated restaurants in Prague. *cough* Haven’t experienced THAT in a few years!
Though happily, not where we chose to eat the first night! *grins*
To give you an idea of local traditional dishes, here’s this handy menu! The exchange rate is about CZK100 to AUD5 or EUR4. So, remarkably inexpensive!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a meal in Prague without beer. Our dinner companions, Rupert the Red Panda and Reginald the Meerkat, are pleased to meet you!
We opted to eat traditionally while in Prague, as all of us feel that part of the purpose of travel is to try new things! So the first night, one of us had the Pork Knuckle …
… there was hot wings with cheese sauce, pork tenderloin braid pierced with garlic and cheese sauce, and I went for the roast duck breast with blueberry sauce!
I will save myself the embarrassment of showing you all the picture my wonderful friend took of what the blueberry sauce did to my teeth and tongue. Something about blowing a Smurf … *pulls a face* It was delicious and I wouldn’t have changed my menu choice for anything!
For sides, because you can’t NOT have a side dish of carbs, we have potato with blue cheese sauce and garlic!
To DIE FOR!
Most of our dining experiences were variations on this theme, often with Himself ending with a traditional apple strudel. I should really bake more apples for him in Winter. Oh well, next Winter at this point! Now I’ll try not to put more posts up about food. But you know you wanted to know!
ghoti industries 