Well we have arrived back in Amsterdam and making good to fly home to Australia tomorrow via Dubai.
Of course as we left Copenhagen, the weather was stunning with an expected temperature of 21 degrees - this is the last of the indian summer days they can expect I imagine.
The only problem with flying is the amount of time in the lead up to, the last minute gate changes and the trudge at the arrival gates to collect luggage and clear customs. The flight was full, but with only a one hour flying time, that was ok.
We arrive at Schipol Airport and begin the very lengthy taxi to the gate - I got a giggle out of the thought of this being one hell of a big taxi cab! At one point, the air hostess made an announcement about the driving, driving, driving to our gate. She advises that it is a 7 km ride.
Finally we arrive and the plane disgorges the passengers and when we reach the baggage claim - as luck would have it, at the far end of the airport, there are not only our bags on the carousel, but 6 other flights as well. Again, as luck would have it, our bags are in the last lot. At least by the time we had collected them, most of the hordes had disappeared.
The final few souvenirs bought, we catch a cab to our hotel - another Tesla - Donna is thrilled. It amazes her that all the cabs are luxury cars. Our first Tesla taxi driver had explained that the running costs are so much less with the Tesla, that it pays the taxi company to make the initial purchase investment.
The lines for taxis and the traffic from the airport today is unbelievable. Turns out that the Congress is meeting in The Hague at the moment!
Anyway, its been a great trip, all the better because I have been able to share it with Donna.
Hope you all enjoyed coming along for the ride. Catch you all when we are back in Oz.
Over and out (again).
Showing posts with label The Netherlands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Netherlands. Show all posts
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Monday, August 12, 2019
Its a long way on a full load plane
Well so much for the first blog on Friday!
For those who haven't heard, the weather in SE Australia went to the wall on Friday and after some serious doubt about whether we might need to make a dash for Brisbane, or worst still for Sydney, our flight finally took off from Hervey Bay 2 hrs 30 mins late. A very 'chunky' flight with an almost empty plane (could spell a danger if that becomes a regular occurence), and a landing at a much higher power level than I think I have ever expected into a nasty cross wind on the ground. A challenging start to the journey, but nonetheless, it was a start!
So got in to Sydney about 4:30 pm and by the time I had collected my luggage and got a cab to Donna's it was about 5:15. She finished work at 7 so at least I had time to catch my breath! By the time we had eaten dinner and decided what cameras and chargers, adapters, power sources we could share, midnight was beckoning and so was bed.
And now I am truly on holidays. Slept in until 7 am! Pure bliss. The wind continues to rage and I was very thankful for the electric blanket on the bed last night, even though I can't normally sleep in one. Definitely no longer in Kansas Toto, and nor am I in Queensland. The day is miserable in the wind and Antony tells me that snow is falling in Canberra today.
While Donna packs, I re-pack and end up leaving few items of clothing at her place. My suitcase feels a little lighter and when we way it, I have lost the grand sum of 1 kg! Garry has a mate who drives a Silver Service Taxi and so at 11:30 we call for George. We are at the international terminal just before 12 noon, ready to queue to book in and seats allocated.
Chloe tells me that this flight is often full and sure enough it is a full load with not a single empty seat. Luckily we are seated on the right side of the plane. Donna in the centre and me on the aisle. The lady at the window is Jennifer from New Lambton in Newcastle - about a 15 minute drive from Mum's place. It's a small world I often say.
We are away about 30 minutes late, again due to the wind in Sydney and all travellers are glad to be off. It is a 13 hr 50 min flight to Dubai where we have a 4 hour stop. Service on the plane is good,and although Emirates offer seats with extra pitch and width, sardines still feel like sardines in a can. The aisles are narrow and when inconsiderate people fully recline their seats,it is still impossible to lay down the food tray. The 12,039 km trip feels every minute! Food is good, despite all the comments people make about airline food. With no where to stretch and too many people needing to get up and down to loos,there is no opportunity to walk the aisles,so a very long, cramped flight.
With very little sleep under our belt, we were glad to touch down in Dubai at 00:15 am to a hot and steamy 37 degs! Thank goodness we are staying inside and not venturing ot in that! Unlike many other airports, this truly is a 24 hour operation. You can buy just about anything here. The gold sellers aren't too expensive with 24 carat gold selling for USD$65 per gram. Interesting, but truly, nothing appealed!
Did you know that Dubai's main Terminal B where all planes arrive is shaped like the wing of a plane? And it is the longest terminal building in the world. We seemed to have to walk forever to get from or entry point to our next gate, but in reality, only walked half the length. Oh, and that was before we are bussed out to the plane, into the heat, and have to climb a mount everest of stairs in front of us!
Our departure is also delayed 15 minutes, so at 4:00 am we push pack from the deck. When I asked if the flight was full at check-in, I am told it is overbooked. Bugger. This flight we have two centre seats in the middle of the row. And the same deal with inconsiderate people in front.
HELLO AMSTERDAM. It is 17 degs heading for 21. A beautiful late summer morning. We join the never-ending congo line of passengers weaving towards passport control under the watchful eye of security. Plane after plane seems to disgorge its load on to the end of the line. Once at the front, Donna and I face no delays, no questions and walk through in seconds. The baggage claim area is frenetic (remember all those passengers). It doesn't take too long before we claim our suitcases and head through Customs. As there is no staff at the 'Something to Declare' gate, we just join the 'Nothing to Declare line with one man casually asking random people what they have in odd shaped packages. Again we just glide on through. Starbucks and a coffee are calling. Mmmm.
We try all the sim providers, but the cheap ones are only offering local calls. So over to Telecom where I manage to get UK based sim that will cover all of Europe, but not calls to Australia. If you want to send me a message, do so through Messenger or Facebook.
Finally it is time to go over to the Hotel. As we have dragged the luggage enough (and not to mention being dog-tired), I decide to shout us a cab. Donna just about wets herself when she realises we are getting into a Tesla. As a cab! And like all cabbies all over the world, he owns the road - across lanes, ignoring speed limits. 20 minutes later we pull up at Hotel Espresso which is just outside the old city area. AND, showers had its in to bed we go for a couple of hours.
Definitely refreshed and with feet and ankles that have lost some of the swelling, we head out about 6 pm to start exploring. We have bought a 24 hour tram ticker as we are a short walk to the closest tram into Dam Square, the main square in Amsterdam. We hop off and head off on foot. How I hate the 'cats' we are walking on (in french, cobblestones are referred to as 'la tete de la chat' - the head of the cat). They are at times uneven and I have to take extra care not to trip.
The Square is quite stunning, although the amount of litter is amazing. Lots of people out. The are numerous little lanes and streets fanning out in every direction.
Tram lines criss-cross the streets and run very frequently. between them, crazy cab-drivers and the millions of cyclists, pedestrians (who if I remember correctly have the right of way, take their lives in their hands.
It is after 7 pm now on a Sunday evening. Many of the retail stores are shut, but the ubiquitous Coffee Shop (not to be confused with a Cafe) are doing a roaring trade and so are all of the adjoining eateries, from pizza slices, to pommes frites, to sitdown restaurants - all catering to people with heightened appetites!
Donna manages to be dwarfed in a pair of clogs outside a Cheese Shop where we sampled the wares including some amazing flavoured gouda, only leaving after bu a sample pack to take with us.
All the way we are heading for Anne Frank's House (or are we Donna?) up alleys and down streets first north then west then east. We cross canals, climbing up and then down the cobbled bridges. We are nearly collected by a car coming at speed around a corner, with more passengers than should fit, jumping out and taking off at a run - a pub Crawl is on! Oh to be that young and have that much energy again!!
We eventually reach Anne Franks House. No photos and I wait because of all the steep narrow stairs. Looking across the canals and down the streets we see the fabulous architecture that the city is known for and manage to get photos of quite a few - small selection here.
I peep in through the grilled of a closed museum door but still lit within for another perspective.
Finally we are really flagging and our feet still somewhat swollen and sore. We have dinner at 9:45 pm just as the light is falling in to the dark of night. A cosy little pancake restaurant where we celebrate our arrival with a Prosecco, have a savoury pancake apiece (Donna = spinach and goat cheese, me = cheese and ham) and share a plate of Poffertjes, mini Dutch pancakes.
Then its off to the tram for the journey back to the Hotel.
More walking and a canal trip tomorrow.
Night all, I've had it and its time to crawl into bed at 1:40 am here! See you on the morrow.
For those who haven't heard, the weather in SE Australia went to the wall on Friday and after some serious doubt about whether we might need to make a dash for Brisbane, or worst still for Sydney, our flight finally took off from Hervey Bay 2 hrs 30 mins late. A very 'chunky' flight with an almost empty plane (could spell a danger if that becomes a regular occurence), and a landing at a much higher power level than I think I have ever expected into a nasty cross wind on the ground. A challenging start to the journey, but nonetheless, it was a start!
So got in to Sydney about 4:30 pm and by the time I had collected my luggage and got a cab to Donna's it was about 5:15. She finished work at 7 so at least I had time to catch my breath! By the time we had eaten dinner and decided what cameras and chargers, adapters, power sources we could share, midnight was beckoning and so was bed.
And now I am truly on holidays. Slept in until 7 am! Pure bliss. The wind continues to rage and I was very thankful for the electric blanket on the bed last night, even though I can't normally sleep in one. Definitely no longer in Kansas Toto, and nor am I in Queensland. The day is miserable in the wind and Antony tells me that snow is falling in Canberra today.
While Donna packs, I re-pack and end up leaving few items of clothing at her place. My suitcase feels a little lighter and when we way it, I have lost the grand sum of 1 kg! Garry has a mate who drives a Silver Service Taxi and so at 11:30 we call for George. We are at the international terminal just before 12 noon, ready to queue to book in and seats allocated.
Chloe tells me that this flight is often full and sure enough it is a full load with not a single empty seat. Luckily we are seated on the right side of the plane. Donna in the centre and me on the aisle. The lady at the window is Jennifer from New Lambton in Newcastle - about a 15 minute drive from Mum's place. It's a small world I often say.
We are away about 30 minutes late, again due to the wind in Sydney and all travellers are glad to be off. It is a 13 hr 50 min flight to Dubai where we have a 4 hour stop. Service on the plane is good,and although Emirates offer seats with extra pitch and width, sardines still feel like sardines in a can. The aisles are narrow and when inconsiderate people fully recline their seats,it is still impossible to lay down the food tray. The 12,039 km trip feels every minute! Food is good, despite all the comments people make about airline food. With no where to stretch and too many people needing to get up and down to loos,there is no opportunity to walk the aisles,so a very long, cramped flight. With very little sleep under our belt, we were glad to touch down in Dubai at 00:15 am to a hot and steamy 37 degs! Thank goodness we are staying inside and not venturing ot in that! Unlike many other airports, this truly is a 24 hour operation. You can buy just about anything here. The gold sellers aren't too expensive with 24 carat gold selling for USD$65 per gram. Interesting, but truly, nothing appealed!
Did you know that Dubai's main Terminal B where all planes arrive is shaped like the wing of a plane? And it is the longest terminal building in the world. We seemed to have to walk forever to get from or entry point to our next gate, but in reality, only walked half the length. Oh, and that was before we are bussed out to the plane, into the heat, and have to climb a mount everest of stairs in front of us!
Our departure is also delayed 15 minutes, so at 4:00 am we push pack from the deck. When I asked if the flight was full at check-in, I am told it is overbooked. Bugger. This flight we have two centre seats in the middle of the row. And the same deal with inconsiderate people in front.
HELLO AMSTERDAM. It is 17 degs heading for 21. A beautiful late summer morning. We join the never-ending congo line of passengers weaving towards passport control under the watchful eye of security. Plane after plane seems to disgorge its load on to the end of the line. Once at the front, Donna and I face no delays, no questions and walk through in seconds. The baggage claim area is frenetic (remember all those passengers). It doesn't take too long before we claim our suitcases and head through Customs. As there is no staff at the 'Something to Declare' gate, we just join the 'Nothing to Declare line with one man casually asking random people what they have in odd shaped packages. Again we just glide on through. Starbucks and a coffee are calling. Mmmm.
We try all the sim providers, but the cheap ones are only offering local calls. So over to Telecom where I manage to get UK based sim that will cover all of Europe, but not calls to Australia. If you want to send me a message, do so through Messenger or Facebook.
Finally it is time to go over to the Hotel. As we have dragged the luggage enough (and not to mention being dog-tired), I decide to shout us a cab. Donna just about wets herself when she realises we are getting into a Tesla. As a cab! And like all cabbies all over the world, he owns the road - across lanes, ignoring speed limits. 20 minutes later we pull up at Hotel Espresso which is just outside the old city area. AND, showers had its in to bed we go for a couple of hours.
Definitely refreshed and with feet and ankles that have lost some of the swelling, we head out about 6 pm to start exploring. We have bought a 24 hour tram ticker as we are a short walk to the closest tram into Dam Square, the main square in Amsterdam. We hop off and head off on foot. How I hate the 'cats' we are walking on (in french, cobblestones are referred to as 'la tete de la chat' - the head of the cat). They are at times uneven and I have to take extra care not to trip.The Square is quite stunning, although the amount of litter is amazing. Lots of people out. The are numerous little lanes and streets fanning out in every direction.
Tram lines criss-cross the streets and run very frequently. between them, crazy cab-drivers and the millions of cyclists, pedestrians (who if I remember correctly have the right of way, take their lives in their hands.It is after 7 pm now on a Sunday evening. Many of the retail stores are shut, but the ubiquitous Coffee Shop (not to be confused with a Cafe) are doing a roaring trade and so are all of the adjoining eateries, from pizza slices, to pommes frites, to sitdown restaurants - all catering to people with heightened appetites!
Donna manages to be dwarfed in a pair of clogs outside a Cheese Shop where we sampled the wares including some amazing flavoured gouda, only leaving after bu a sample pack to take with us.All the way we are heading for Anne Frank's House (or are we Donna?) up alleys and down streets first north then west then east. We cross canals, climbing up and then down the cobbled bridges. We are nearly collected by a car coming at speed around a corner, with more passengers than should fit, jumping out and taking off at a run - a pub Crawl is on! Oh to be that young and have that much energy again!!
We eventually reach Anne Franks House. No photos and I wait because of all the steep narrow stairs. Looking across the canals and down the streets we see the fabulous architecture that the city is known for and manage to get photos of quite a few - small selection here.I peep in through the grilled of a closed museum door but still lit within for another perspective.
Finally we are really flagging and our feet still somewhat swollen and sore. We have dinner at 9:45 pm just as the light is falling in to the dark of night. A cosy little pancake restaurant where we celebrate our arrival with a Prosecco, have a savoury pancake apiece (Donna = spinach and goat cheese, me = cheese and ham) and share a plate of Poffertjes, mini Dutch pancakes.
Then its off to the tram for the journey back to the Hotel.
More walking and a canal trip tomorrow.
Night all, I've had it and its time to crawl into bed at 1:40 am here! See you on the morrow.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Heading west and north to the cold.
The Art Fabrik (factory) & Hotel serves a buffet breakfast that is the mos
t expensive we have encountered for ages. At €12 per person we contemplate whether we should go out for brekky but in the end give in and go down to the cafe area where it is served - down in the funky lift. We need not have worried - the spread is amazing with hot and cold foods - meatballs, a couple of different types of sausages, scrambled, fried and boiled eggs, salad ingredients, cereals, yoghurts and additives such as fruit and nuts, cold meats and cheeses, a variety of rolls and breads and pastries and some of the best fruit juices and coffee that we have had for yonks. We eat our fill knowing that we won't have to worry about lunch today!
Although it has been wet through the night,
there is just a spattering of rain as we prepare to leave. We marvel at the growing mounds of leaves that autumn brings and while we will miss it back in the hot Australian summer, I can't help but think how much work it must create for the local councils. At least they would have plenty of mulch materials!
And so we hit the road again. There is a cable car like no other here in Wuppertal - it hangs beneath the track. The hotel reception staff tell us that it is a great way to see the city. When asked the duration of a round trip they reply that it is about an hour. Too long for us today - especially in this weather. We have another
longish drive and if it continues to rain, I don't want to hurry. Once we are clear of the city and back on the motorway, my fears are realised when the rain continues on and off.
The weather is cold and quite bleak. The trees look naked without their leaf cover, and yet, grown as they are in long lines or clumps, they appear to be
huddled together against the ravages of wind and rain. Today we pass through the Netherlands again - just passing through, clearing the outskirts of Venlo and then Eindhoven and noticing again the gothic architecture that is so abundant throughout this part of Europe.
And still the rain comes, although along with the wet, it is a little warmer thankfully - gee we actually get to 8°C! Yes, I know
that its not hot, but believe me the difference between 4°C and 8°C is heaps when it is wet and windy! I was hoping that I could leave all the really warm clothes packed for now, but I should have known better! And as we continue to head north before we head home, odds are that it will get colder yet - bring on the Australian summer - I think. (Probably won't be Saying that once we are back in it in the coming weeks!!)
We only travel across the very south of The Netherlands for a total of about 80 kms before we are in to Belgium. Just before we cross that border, we pull in for fuel. At the bowser alongside us, there is a fellow in a van with Lithuanian registration pl
ates on it. Like many other Eastern European drivers, he is towing an unregistered car. I think that they come to the west, buy the older, cheaper second hand cars and then sell them at a nice little profit back home - lord knows, we have seen enough of them! The state of his bullet-holed van leaves us wondering whether he has pushed his luck just once too often. He had better be careful with this one then!
We push on, needing to travel across most of Belgium. When deciding our route back to London for flights home, I had asked Michael whether he had any preferences. He said that he would like to return to Ypres to hear the The Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ieper, so I have arranged our route to give him this little joy on his birthday!
Other than that, he had no preference and I did. I really want to see Bruges. It has a fascinating history and is often known as th
e Venice of the North given its canal system. There are very heavy planning requirements for all buildings new and old in the historic old city centre that means it retains to today much of the same architecture and certainly a uniformity of look, as it first did in its glory days that date from the 12th century. So we travel towards Bruges, calling in briefly at the small town of Damme on the way through. This pretty town sits on the bank of the River Reie that has now been canalled. It is 
known for its well preserved windmill and has a very handsome City Hall as well as numerous bookshops and coffee houses.
Now, as we all know, one of the best things produced in Belgium is CHOCOLATE. And when we first arrive in Bruges, before we go around to our hotel for the night, we drive in to the old city and take a walk around. Every
second shop is a chocolate shop! And while prices are competitive, the chain shops are the dearest! We stop. We look. We smell. We sample. And of course, we buy! No wonder there are so many cows in Belgium (but what is it with all the beef cattle?) And another thing that Belgium is famous for is lace and lace products. Those who know me know that I love fine lacework. We walk past a few very commercialised shops that seem to specialise in mass-produced items and its only when I find one of the smaller shops that we venture in. I get a beautiful tray cloth that is hand-worked. The owner spends quite a bit of time chatting to us and explaining the differences in the various lace pieces she has for sale. Gosh, I could go bananas in this shop for sure! (Got to remember, this is just stuff!)
Its now after 5 pm, dark and getting colder by the minute, so its time to head over to our accommodation for the night - the Golden Tree Hotel. Plenty of time tomorrow to explore Bruges in more detail. We are the last car in to the car park and there is only one spot left that will park in another car. No fear, it belongs to the family running the hotel and they say to park here. When we walk into the room, it is very warm thankfully and it takes most of the evening for us to realise that there is under-floor heating, so I turn the radiators down.
When asked for a recommendation for dinner, Francine at the Golden Tree Hotel warns us against eating near the Markt Square - over-priced and poor quality food she says. She can recommend a local restaurant called Carte Blanche. Michael takes a walk and gets the last table reservation! It's not a large restaurant, but is quite obviously popular with locals as well as visitors and from the greetings between some of the patrons and the owner, it has many regulars.
Owner Kieran and his staff run a tight little ship here and as we are sitting in front of the open kitchen, we get a first hand look at just how productive a very small space can be. The menu is large enough to offer a good range of foods, but small enough for them to ma
nage well. The theme is 'Authentic Flemish specialities with a contemporary twist'. We agonised over having to make choices yet again and finally decided on:
Entrees:
Bloedworst met compote Granny Smith (Blood sausage with Granny Smith compote) Michael
Kaaskroketten (Cheese Croquettes) Maria
Mains:
Rundvlees stoofpot in bruin bier met chips handgesneden en een salade (Beef stew in brown ale with hand cut chips and a salad)
Michael
Varkensvlees Stew in Cherry Bier met chips handgesneden en een salade (Pork Stew in Cherry Beer with hand cut chips and a salad) Maria
Desserts:
Rijstebrij met bruine suiker (Rice pudding with brown sugar) Michael
Crème brûlée - Maria
The food was fabulous and had us making comparisons with the French food we haved eaten. At the end of our meal we chat some with Kieran and he shows us a photo of his 'very cool dude' new son Maddox at 4 months old with dad's sunglasses on! Very cute!
t expensive we have encountered for ages. At €12 per person we contemplate whether we should go out for brekky but in the end give in and go down to the cafe area where it is served - down in the funky lift. We need not have worried - the spread is amazing with hot and cold foods - meatballs, a couple of different types of sausages, scrambled, fried and boiled eggs, salad ingredients, cereals, yoghurts and additives such as fruit and nuts, cold meats and cheeses, a variety of rolls and breads and pastries and some of the best fruit juices and coffee that we have had for yonks. We eat our fill knowing that we won't have to worry about lunch today!Although it has been wet through the night,
there is just a spattering of rain as we prepare to leave. We marvel at the growing mounds of leaves that autumn brings and while we will miss it back in the hot Australian summer, I can't help but think how much work it must create for the local councils. At least they would have plenty of mulch materials!And so we hit the road again. There is a cable car like no other here in Wuppertal - it hangs beneath the track. The hotel reception staff tell us that it is a great way to see the city. When asked the duration of a round trip they reply that it is about an hour. Too long for us today - especially in this weather. We have another
longish drive and if it continues to rain, I don't want to hurry. Once we are clear of the city and back on the motorway, my fears are realised when the rain continues on and off.The weather is cold and quite bleak. The trees look naked without their leaf cover, and yet, grown as they are in long lines or clumps, they appear to be
huddled together against the ravages of wind and rain. Today we pass through the Netherlands again - just passing through, clearing the outskirts of Venlo and then Eindhoven and noticing again the gothic architecture that is so abundant throughout this part of Europe.And still the rain comes, although along with the wet, it is a little warmer thankfully - gee we actually get to 8°C! Yes, I know
that its not hot, but believe me the difference between 4°C and 8°C is heaps when it is wet and windy! I was hoping that I could leave all the really warm clothes packed for now, but I should have known better! And as we continue to head north before we head home, odds are that it will get colder yet - bring on the Australian summer - I think. (Probably won't be Saying that once we are back in it in the coming weeks!!)We only travel across the very south of The Netherlands for a total of about 80 kms before we are in to Belgium. Just before we cross that border, we pull in for fuel. At the bowser alongside us, there is a fellow in a van with Lithuanian registration pl
ates on it. Like many other Eastern European drivers, he is towing an unregistered car. I think that they come to the west, buy the older, cheaper second hand cars and then sell them at a nice little profit back home - lord knows, we have seen enough of them! The state of his bullet-holed van leaves us wondering whether he has pushed his luck just once too often. He had better be careful with this one then!We push on, needing to travel across most of Belgium. When deciding our route back to London for flights home, I had asked Michael whether he had any preferences. He said that he would like to return to Ypres to hear the The Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ieper, so I have arranged our route to give him this little joy on his birthday!
Other than that, he had no preference and I did. I really want to see Bruges. It has a fascinating history and is often known as th
e Venice of the North given its canal system. There are very heavy planning requirements for all buildings new and old in the historic old city centre that means it retains to today much of the same architecture and certainly a uniformity of look, as it first did in its glory days that date from the 12th century. So we travel towards Bruges, calling in briefly at the small town of Damme on the way through. This pretty town sits on the bank of the River Reie that has now been canalled. It is 
known for its well preserved windmill and has a very handsome City Hall as well as numerous bookshops and coffee houses.Now, as we all know, one of the best things produced in Belgium is CHOCOLATE. And when we first arrive in Bruges, before we go around to our hotel for the night, we drive in to the old city and take a walk around. Every
second shop is a chocolate shop! And while prices are competitive, the chain shops are the dearest! We stop. We look. We smell. We sample. And of course, we buy! No wonder there are so many cows in Belgium (but what is it with all the beef cattle?) And another thing that Belgium is famous for is lace and lace products. Those who know me know that I love fine lacework. We walk past a few very commercialised shops that seem to specialise in mass-produced items and its only when I find one of the smaller shops that we venture in. I get a beautiful tray cloth that is hand-worked. The owner spends quite a bit of time chatting to us and explaining the differences in the various lace pieces she has for sale. Gosh, I could go bananas in this shop for sure! (Got to remember, this is just stuff!)
Its now after 5 pm, dark and getting colder by the minute, so its time to head over to our accommodation for the night - the Golden Tree Hotel. Plenty of time tomorrow to explore Bruges in more detail. We are the last car in to the car park and there is only one spot left that will park in another car. No fear, it belongs to the family running the hotel and they say to park here. When we walk into the room, it is very warm thankfully and it takes most of the evening for us to realise that there is under-floor heating, so I turn the radiators down.
When asked for a recommendation for dinner, Francine at the Golden Tree Hotel warns us against eating near the Markt Square - over-priced and poor quality food she says. She can recommend a local restaurant called Carte Blanche. Michael takes a walk and gets the last table reservation! It's not a large restaurant, but is quite obviously popular with locals as well as visitors and from the greetings between some of the patrons and the owner, it has many regulars.
Owner Kieran and his staff run a tight little ship here and as we are sitting in front of the open kitchen, we get a first hand look at just how productive a very small space can be. The menu is large enough to offer a good range of foods, but small enough for them to ma
nage well. The theme is 'Authentic Flemish specialities with a contemporary twist'. We agonised over having to make choices yet again and finally decided on:Entrees:
Bloedworst met compote Granny Smith (Blood sausage with Granny Smith compote) Michael
Kaaskroketten (Cheese Croquettes) Maria
Mains:
Rundvlees stoofpot in bruin bier met chips handgesneden en een salade (Beef stew in brown ale with hand cut chips and a salad)
MichaelVarkensvlees Stew in Cherry Bier met chips handgesneden en een salade (Pork Stew in Cherry Beer with hand cut chips and a salad) Maria
Desserts:
Crème brûlée - Maria
The food was fabulous and had us making comparisons with the French food we haved eaten. At the end of our meal we chat some with Kieran and he shows us a photo of his 'very cool dude' new son Maddox at 4 months old with dad's sunglasses on! Very cute!
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