German Christmas Market Mugs
One of my favourite things about German Christmas Markets is the mug system. I don’t think “mug system” is the technical term but it works for me. When you buy a hot drink at the market, you will pay a small deposit for the mug that the drink comes in. When you are finished with your drink, you can return the mug and you will get your deposit back. If you have decided to go for a second (or third/fourth/fifth) drink, then you can just hand over your mug which will be refilled and you will pay a little less since you already...
read moreMonday Madness: Those Crazy Euthanizing Dutch Doctors
Usually my Monday Madness post focuses on the weird and crazy things that the Dutch get up to, but this week I’m afraid I need to stray a bit from this objective. The madness that I have come across is just too “mad” not to make it the focus of today’s post. At least as an added bonus the topic is about the Netherlands. Well actually it’s not but that’s part of the story. Recently, the republican presidential candidate, Rick Santorum, said that old people in the Netherlands are being euthanized against their...
read moreProject 365
It has been a busy weekend so this week’s 365 photos will be posted next week. I’m sure you understand but just in case you don’t, here’s one photo to keep you happy.
read more14 Christmas Markets: Stuttgart
You know that phrase, the one that says “all good things must come to an end.”? That is how we felt as we drove into an underground car park in the city of Stuttgart. Stuttgart was to be the last German Christmas market we would visit on this adventure. We popped out of the car park onto a sunny side street and followed a group of people on their journey to what we assumed was the Christmas market. In all honesty, we didn’t even need to follow them because the moment we got around the corner we arrived at a very busy street...
read moreDutch Food Delights: Poffertjes
Last week I teased you with a photo of one of the yummiest Dutch foods that you will find in the Netherlands. Then I told you that you had to wait a whole week to find out what they were, if you didn’t already know. The good news is that you need to wait no longer. What: Poffertjes – Small, fluffy pancakes made with yeast and buckwheat flour. They have a light, spongy texture and are typically served with a lump of butter and then covered in powder sugar. Why: I can’t find a history on poffertjes so I am going with the...
read more14 Christmas Markets: Tuebingen
When a Christmas market is only open for one weekend during the season, it must be good. Especially when the details talk about a Swabian dish known as krautschupfnudeln, that involves even eating the plate! It was these two things that sold us on the city of Tuebingen. We were so sold that we even planned our whole trip around the one weekend that the Tuebingen market would be running. Tuebingen is a town made up of side alleys, rolling streets and picture postcard architecture. The market however, was one part jumble sale and one part local...
read moreMonday Madness: Free to Take
Not everything that is free is worth taking, especially if you don’t like snakes. At a school in Haarlem, an unknown man (or woman) left behind a white plastic box with the words “gratis mee to nemen” (free to take) on the outside. However, if you were expecting some hidden treasure then you were in for a big disappointment as inside the box was not an old game system, some great clothes or even a pile of books but instead two snakes. The snakes, harmless corn snakes, have been taken into quarantine where they will stay for...
read moreProject 365: 36 – 42
Day 36: Winter walks equal winter trees. Day 37: My bananas appeared to come fro Ecuador, is the cute stickers were to be believed. Day 38: When I went for a walk at a nearby park there four of these cards near the skating ramp. Day 39: Early flowers for Valentines Day. Day 40: I love herons and they are nearby a lot. When I came home from wherever I had been this one was outside in the snow. Day 41: Today I visited the Hof van Wouw, almshouses around a central courtyard. Inside was really beautiful...
read more14 Christmas Markets: Ludwigsburg
Horizontal snow, warm golden lights and gigantic angels with wings and halos crafted out of strings of white Christmas lights. It is impossible to visit the Ludwigsburg Christmas market and not be dazzled by its beauty and Christmas atmosphere. 170 decorated stands are nestled between the two baroque churches that stare each other down from opposite sides of the market square. The lights from the stands, the illuminated church architecture and the glittering angel wings all bathe the market in a glow that makes you certain that you just...
read moreDutch Delights: Do You Know What These Are?
Do you know what these are? If not, I’ll tell you all about them next week in the next Dutch Delight’s post. I can tell you that they are one of the yummiest things you will find in the Netherlands!
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