Backwards…no, no, too much…as I attempted to keep my balance and steer my Segway at the same time, I wondered if I was going to become the only one in the group who managed to fall off before we had even left the car park. However, it wasn’t long before I was zipping along the dusty paths like a pro. Up ahead the snow topped Pyrenees came into view. The mountain range somehow managed to not look out of place amongst the rugged Montgrí Massif complete with its own castle at the top.

The day before I had learned a lot about the area while at the Musea de la Mediterrània in Torroella de Montgri. What I loved about this museum was the passion behind it. The passion to show the region in all its visual glory on large TV screens, to educate visitors on the effect of their behaviour when splashing around in the water near the Medes Islands and the diversity of the background of the Mediterranean people that fill the local towns and villages. By the end of your visit at Museu de la Mediterrània, you’ll know which aromas will float across your skin while you are walking the trails, how different cultures collide in the region creating a unique and varied group of people and you’ll learn about the traditions and events that grace the cultural calendar.

With some extra pressure on the left handlebar, we turned left and headed into the winding streets of a local village. The gentle hum of our two wheeled machines was the loudest sound to be heard bouncing off the stone houses and walls. I tried to imagine what these streets must look and sound like during festival days. I didn’t manage to catch one of these fairs or festivals but I did get to look eye to eye with the giant ancestors of the Torroella de Montgri’s traditional “giants.” These giants play the leading role in one of the most popular street parades/festivals of the summer. Even undressed and at their shortest height (the giants upper torso and head are supported on the shoulders of their human companion), I wanted to stay and admire their design.

The tour leader guided us towards a rocky, steep incline that I was confident was going to be the death of me. Somehow though, my trusty Segway took each rock in its stride heading into the hills for a view across the plain and out onto the Costa Brava coastline. The Medes Islands popped through the water’s surface about a mile off the beach.

From here the earlier hour-long lesson at Gualta Pitch & Putt, which had put me through my paces, seemed a distant memory. I had attempted to get golf balls further down the driving range, practised keeping my wrists straight while chipping and muttered under my breath when my golf ball rolled towards and then promptly away from the intended hole on the putting green.

We headed back to Ocitania, an activity centre complete with laser combat, miniquads and ziplines via the fragrant apple orchards. “Would you like one,” the guide asked tilting his head towards the apples. I wasn’t going to turn down a genuine Catalonian apple, especially not when it was probably the healthiest and smallest thing I would eat the entire trip.

Last night, as the Hotel Medes II owner had taken away my not totally empty starter plate, his eyebrows arched up. “Oh no, it was very good but I figured out the secret after last night’s meal.” I re-assured him. It had only taken me one mealtime to figure out that my current strategy wasn’t going to work. There was no way that I was going to manage to do anything but lie on the bed wondering how long death by overeating took, if I kept attempting to eat everything on the plate, no plates, that appeared at each meal.

I double checked the facts with my hosts at lunch earlier that afternoon and they had confirmed my suspicions. Portion sizes in L’Estartit and the surrounding areas are by nature relatively large. The cheese croquettes, followed by the pork with melted cheese and fried cassava chips before being finished off by a mammoth slice of a creamy custardy dessert was more the rule than the exception.

Disclosure: This trip was sponsored by the Spanish Tourism Office and Estació Nàutica L’Estartit – Illes Medes. All opinions and experiences are my own.

L’Estartit: Huge Portions, Passionate Museums and Giants

A 48-year-old man from Eindhoven was arrested Sunday night for stealing manhole covers.

The manhole covers were piled up where some work was being done. In the name of “finders-keepers, losers-weepers,” the man already had twenty covers loaded in his car by the time police arrived on the scene. He was taken to the police station where a report was made against him.

Interestingly enough, manhole stealing seems to be the new big thing as the police stated that there was no indication that the the man has something to do with other recent manhole cover thefts in North Brabant. In total, in the past two months, 28 manhole covers have been stolen from Waalwijk, Dongen and Raamsdonksveer.

Clearly if you live in North Brabant you need to keep an eye out for where you walk lest you end up down a hole and in the sewers!

Monday Madness: The Manhole Thief

As I mentioned a couple of days ago in my post about how I fell in love with Ghent, today’s travel photos present a small (very small!) snapshot of the city. If you ever get the chance to visit this city, grab it with both hands and don’t look back!

Travel Photo of the Week: Ghent

No, that wasn’t a typing mistake in the title. For today’s Dutch Delights we are actually stepping over to Flanders, so instead of Dutch Food Delights, we have Flemish Food Delights.

What

Cuberdon – A conical shaped sweet, with a deep purple colour. The outside is a hard shell and the inside is a dark, raspberry flavoured syrupy filling.

Why

The recipe for cuberdons dates back to the 19th century. During the Second World War there was a lack of gum arabic import meaning the art of cuberdon making almost disappeared. Luckily, some passionate candy makers remembered the unwritten recipe and production restarted again in 1946.

Where

You can find cuberdons in candy shops across Flanders and Brussels. Even better is that you can also buy them from open-air carts in the city of Ghent.

When

You can find cuberdons year round but they need to be eaten fresh, otherwise the shell becomes too crispy.

Varieties

Varieties come down to three things – the name, the flavour and the shape. Cuberdons are also known as neuzeke, tsoepke or Gentse neus because of its resemblance to a nose. They traditionally come in a cone shape but I even found them in the shape of a face. The original flavour is raspberry but nowadays many flavours are available.

How Much [Should I Eat]

Cuberdons are sweet and rather yummy. They aren’t the type of thing that you sit there eating by the handful but one or two here and there are rather delightful. The raspberry flavour is not overly strong but definitely present.

Pas Op! (Watch Out!)

If you have some fillings or other intensive dental work, proceed with caution!

Flemish Food Delights: Cuberdon

As the train pulled into the station I was already impressed. This wasn’t like any other train station. This was a castle inspired station. And as if the gargoyles and brick stepped facade weren’t enough, the columns and decorated ceiling inside meant I couldn’t get my camera out quick enough. If the station was anything to go by, then Ghent was going to be amazing.

I didn’t know quite what to expect when I learned I was heading to Ghent in Belgium for a few days. I had read all about its architecture, food and history in the weeks leading up to my departure but nothing could have prepared me for the view of the cathedral and the towering belfry, both within hopping distance of my hotel. My cab driver was right; I was going to have a great stay.

My days in Ghent flew by and I was sorely tempted to start looking at property and planning my new life in Belgium. I had well and truly fallen in love. Here are five reasons why Ghent has earned itself a spot in my top 5 list of favourite places in the world:

The Atmosphere

There is a buzz in the air of Ghent and no it isn’t from the tram tracks that run through the city. Despite being a university town (or maybe because of it) there is an overall feeling of acceptance. Never once did I feel out of place or not welcome. All the people I spoke with were friendly and helpful – from the person at the post office to the lady packaging up my homemade sweets.

The Food

Waterzooi, cuberdons, mustard, sweets, soup, cheese croquettes, caramel hot chocolate and that was just the first day. According to the Visit Ghent website, there are 650 cafes, 475 restaurants and 250 different types of beer in Ghent and I think that is probably a conservative estimate. Food is part of the culture in Ghent and it is a very, very, very good part of it.

The Architecture

Ghent is a beautiful city. My eyes hurt from trying not to blink too much in case I missed something. I took so many photos, some of which I will share with you on Sunday, that my camera struggled to keep up and I felt like an excited tourist again. If you can’t wait until Sunday, have a look at some of these photos of Ghent.

The Shopping

I travelled to Ghent by train and thought it would be a wise idea to bring my smaller suitcase. Crowded trains and an extra large suitcase don’t gel well, so in theory the smaller one was a better idea. That is, until I saw the shopping opportunities in the city. Thirty hectares of pedestrian space in the city centre also make shopping convenient as you don’t need to worry about paying attention to cars. Perfect!

The Activities

To say there is a lot to do in Ghent is an understatement. There is so much to do that it makes you want to sell your soul for a few extra hours. I packed in as much as I could and even then was still left not even touching the tip of the iceberg. Whatever you do don’t miss the boat tours, walking at the top of the Belfry, the Huis van Alijn, Graffiti Street, the Castle of the Counts, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb and the Cathedral itself. Like I said, only the tip of the iceberg!

5 Reasons Why I Fell in Love with Ghent

Oh my goodness, can we not tell that there was a full moon this weekend? There were so many stories that could have fallen into the category of Monday Madness, when I looked this morning. So many, in fact, that I couldn’t choose just one. So you get three. Enjoy!

I Knew We Should Have Taken the Stairs

Three young people in the city of Den Bosch were no doubt wishing they had taken the stairs when the lift they were riding in came to a grinding halt. The trio (two girls and one boy in case you were wondering) were stuck for hours on Friday afternoon. As anyone who has ever been stuck in an elevator before knows (ahem, Invader Stu), it is no fun. But perhaps what is even worse is sitting in an elevator in the Netherlands and being told you are waiting on an engineer from Germany, who couldn’t find the store, apparently.

Luckily the fire brigade (the Dutch one not the German one, I assume) came to the rescue.

The Most Feared Weapon in the World: The Lollipop

Kids these days – always playing around, always throwing things and always eating sweets. But it was precisely this combination that scared off a burglar. In Den Haag, a nine-year old boy and his friend were playing at a nearby playground when they noticed someone they didn’t know trying to break into a house. With nothing else to hand they flung a lollipop and a branch at the individual, which was just enough to scare the crud out of him and off he ran.

No More Beer for You

You probably have heard that the Netherlands has begun introducing “weed passes” as a way to cut down on tourists having access to marijuana while on holiday in the country. Understandably it is not just the tourists who have travelled hours upon end for some recreational relaxing that are upset but our neighbours as well. And in response, one group in Belgium is trying to raise support for a “beer pass” that would keep foreigners (although I dare say this would be more strictly enforced for one country over others) from drinking their beer.

I wonder if I’ll be able to swap someone my weed pass for their beer pass?

Monday Madness: Broken Lifts, Lollipop Weapons and Beer Passes

This week’s travel photos are from the city of Berlin in Germany where I was last month with some people of the photo club that I am a member of. The weather was sunny and just warm enough that you weren’t cold but cool enough that you still needed long sleeves, i.e. my kind of perfect!

Travel Photo of the Week: Berlin

What

Borrelnootjes – a snack food that is made up of a nut (usually a peanut) covered in a flavoured crispy outer shell, often served at parties. The flavour of the shell can vary from a salty yet herbal flavour to a spicy paprika.

Why

To truly appreciate the wonder that is borrelnootjes, we need to do a quick Dutch vocabulary lesson. Borrelnootjes is actually a compound word, made up of the word borrel and the word nootjes. Nootjes means nuts, in actual fact it means little nuts (stop laughing!) because when you add “je” to a word you are indicating that whatever you are talking about is small in size.

Borrel means drink but more of the boozy, party like drink. A child wouldn’t have a borrel. So, borrelnootjes are boozy drink nuts. And that would be why you often find them at a party.

Where

You can find these crispy snacks at the supermarket near the nuts section. You can also usually find them at petrol stations.

When

Borrelnootjes can be eaten whenever you want, to be honest, but they seem to taste best at a party or event, especially if the party involves alcohol.

Varieties

There are many, many, many varieties of borrelnootjes. The variety usually relates to the flavour but can also be in relation to what else comes in the package. You can find bags of just borrelnootjes and bags that include other snacks, similar to Japanese rice snacks.

How Much [Should I Eat]

I would say this depends on how much alcohol you have drunk and how hungry you are. Borrelnootjes tend to be quite addictive once you get going. Also make sure you find a flavour that works for you. If the plain flavour is a bit boring, go for the paprika flavoured ones or spicy ones.

Pas Op! (Watch Out!)

You will find borrelnootjes under different names. This can be anything from knabbelnoten to tijgernoten.

Dutch Food Delights: Borrelnootjes

“Due to windy conditions at 150 meters, Air Service Berlin will be closed for the whole day.”

Dang! I had just walked the last part of our walking tour in reverse, to ensure that I would locate the tethered helium balloon that provides “a stunning view across Berlin” only to find out that it was closed because of strong winds. Funny, it didn’t seem that windy.

Retracing my steps is one of my favourite strategies for not getting lost in a city that I don’t know too well. Since I am terrible at reading maps but pretty good at remembering landmarks, this strategy gives me the focused freedom I need to explore a location without worrying that I am about to round a corner straight into the inevitable seedy part of town.

I’d just left the rest of the group, who had scattered their own individual ways, with the intention of visiting the Topography of Terror museum, grabbing another bubble tea and checking out the Ampelmann store, which sells the green and red East Berlin traffic symbols that I am a bit obsessed with.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What I didn’t expect when I rounded the corner on my way to Checkpoint Charlie was a small sign that grabbed my attention advertising the Stasi exhibition. We had heard earlier that morning a bit about the Stasi, or Ministry for State Security (MfS), who played the role of investigative authority and foreign intelligence agency in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1950 until 1990.

As the free guidebook explained,

“111km of written documents which include 39 million file cards, 1.4 million photographs, 34,000 film and sound documents: the records of the GDR’s Ministry for State Security (MfS) provide us with an extraordinary wealth of historical source material.”

Luckily, I didn’t have to read all 111 kilometres of written documents but I did learn about the method, staff and apparatus that made it possible for the Stasi to function in the way that they did. I read about how the state security affected every area of everyday life, from sport to travel and listened to the biographies of a number of people personally persecuted.

The part that stuck with me most from the exhibition was the fact that this was all going on not that long ago. For the first ten years of my life, the Stasi were busy spying on their population and going after anyone who’s thoughts, words or actions weren’t to their liking.

A very haunting yet interesting visit.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stasi Exhibition – Berlin, Germany

Today is Queen’s Day in the Netherlands. If you aren’t up to speed on Queen’s Day, you might like to read this post I wrote back in 2010.

One of the highlights of Queen’s Day is the free market. Normally we aren’t allowed to sit in the road and sell all our junk to any random passersby. That requires a permit. But on Queen’s Day, hawking your useless possessions on the street is fair game.

Like many people, we headed out this morning to look for something good, specifically a globe. I didn’t find a globe but I did find a Polaroid Land Camera 1000 that is super cute. However, that is beside the point.

Cute camera or no camera, we were clearly at the wrong market because I later read that over in Blerick, a man was selling pepper spray and tear gas until the police confiscated the cans and gave him a 500 Euro fine.

See why we need permits here?

Monday Madness: Pick Up Your Tear Gas Here