Weird Christmas plans in the Netherlands

So last Friday I went to visit my friend in the Netherlands again..

It's weird as we were all full of fun in an airport with people traveling hither and thither, all full of happiness.

We started off in similar fashion having a few drinks because the working week was done, I was getting a bit of me time. Which for me personally I think is really important if you have young children. As sometimes you sort of lose yourself and just need a day or two to remind yourself there is another world out there and it not just nappies. Although can't last anymore than two days as I miss the cuddles.

So we had wine and cocktails at the airport:

Mojito

Followed by drinkies on the plane.

Some poor (Drunk) girl behind us had never flown British Airways before, and needed to tell the whole flight how happy she was that you got a free drink. She was only 20 and on her way to a rave in Amsterdam (Ah to be young and foolish).


The flight from London is really quick just under 1 Hour, that the great thing about living in the UK Europe is just on your door step. But I think in the UK as there is a body of water separating us, we feel further away. I haven't been to nearly enough of Europe as I should have been. Although that's because I'd rather head over to the States so always saving my pennies for that.

But I do plan with the little one a few more jaunts to nearby places to expand his horizon and my own. Especially as you can drive to Europe so can take all the stuff we need with us too.

We got off the plane and headed for the train. OMG coming from England where the train service at best is bad, to go on to the ATM service in the Netherlands, like night and day. So cheap for starters.


All the trains have free Wifi and when you log on it gives you information on when you will arrive at your destinations.

Absolutely bloody brilliant. To celebrate how great it was we had a bit of fizz (Although I have now discovered that you are not supposed to drink on these local trains so I apologies to the authorities and vow not to do it on my next trip).

We arrived at our destination and were reading for a great night, my Friend had just moved into a fabulous new house just on the Edge of the little town of Hilversum. It is beautiful she worked in fashion for years so has the most amazing eye for detail pair things together that I would never even think of.

I love her dog or as I call it the "Friends" dog.

As we were just settling for a big session of drinking and eating the sad, heartbreaking news of the Paris attacks was emerging. It's hard to fathom how awful it is. This misguided people driven by hate, taking innocent lives of people just trying to get on in the world.

I know a lot has already been said, and who am I with my lowly blog to add more? I'm saying something as I am a person in this world and I have a voice and even if only one person hears it could make a difference. All I am going to say is Hate breeds hate, compassion will always breed compassion. People have been hurt have lost loved ones and had their lives turned upside down in the most devastating way. I feel nothing but sorrow for everything that went on. I hope that we find some way to end this terrible loss of life.  And the most important thing is we all stay strong and keeping love and compassion in our hearts as that is the best way to beat hate and fear.

So was a bit subdued when we went to bed and got up the next morning especially as the scale of the horror unfolded. But we where there and we wanted to enjoy our time.

So we headed into Hilversum for a quiet day of drinking an eating.

As we were in the Netherlands we came across a sex shop, not my thing but I did like the theme of the window very autumnal lol

then we headed to the market, I loved it the last time and loved it again. So many stalls filled with fresh produce and it smelt divine. We picked up some yummy cheese for later on in the day.

As we skipped breakfast went back to the same place we went before "Flinders"  to get some eats. I got some traditional food of Bittenballen which are deep fried bites filled with meat (Don't know what kind of meat and thought best not to ask) but they were delicious but so fattening. We order the Fish Bittenballen and some great cheese bites. That were like spring rolls with cheese in the middle. Total Nommage

We also added some lovely dipping bread.

Washed down with a fantastic Gin and Fever Tree Tonic - Well I am on my holidays don't judge lol.

There seemed to be a commotion going on outside, our friend informed us it was the local Christmas parade. It is to mark the arrival of Santa coming by boat from Spain to the Netherlands. Now I normally happy and fascinated by other countries traditions. although I was slightly uneasy about this one.

Now I'm all for people, especially the kiddies having fun and feeling the Joy of Christmas. But I, as coming form London, didn't really get or understood Santa's helper "Black Pete". where people get dressed up put on black face make up, bright red lipstick and a curly black wig and give out treats to the children.

Now this is not my culture or my tradition so I am the first to say I don't full understand its significance. also someone tried to tell me it was because of the coal from going down the chimney (Although that would not account for the Red lip and curly wig). But in a western multicultural place it seem very outdated.

So people tried to modernize it and a caught a picture of this lovely lady with a pink face.

 But Our friend told me that only 18% of the population see a problem with it. I just think round children it send a weird message. Although it wasn't sinister in anyway and the kids loved getting the candy and all the local seemed to be having fun. I just think a bit of modernizing to bring it in to the 21st Century would make it a truly amazing festival.

Also got to see Santa and he seemed fun.

As for me I prefer the Elves version of Santa's helpers rather than these garish Petes

We stayed in the cafe most of the day gassing about this and that we even had to order some more food love array of meats and cheeses.

 at around 5pm we left to go and meet our friends son and his new girlfriend. All I can say is he was brave considering we're a nightmare at the best of times but after a drink it's a lot worse.

We met at the Soul Kitchen and after another round of deep fried snacks,

Some more drink and a chat with the Bar owner.

Sitting out in the cold

We moved onto shots to warm us up.
JAGERBOMBS

had a great chat and then made the long walk (which was all of 7 minute) back to our friends house where we all curled up on the couch again and had some glasses of fizz an tucked in the cheese we purchased.

Next morning and our last day boo. We awoke to our amazing hostess cooking us bacon.. mmmm bacon which was especially nice as she doesn't eat it.. I know mad right.

to make the most of our time before we headed back to the airport we went to the lovely town of Urtrecht.


Had drinks on the train again (Sorry still didn't know at that time it was bad).

Utrecht is fab, it like a mini Amsterdam with beautiful canals

Lovely architecture

Yummy shops and a great cafe culture.

we managed to find this great restaurant De Beurs and as it was dry we sat outside for a bit of a cocktail

it was so nice we went inside to have some lunch.

I have a big burger.

So yummy so tasty and medium just the way I like it.

So after being very well fed we had to make our way back to the train station and boarded the train back to Schiphol...


I was very excited as it was a double Decker train, we don't have these in the UK and I think they are very cool - but then again I am sad.

So plane home (after extensive Security which was heighten due to everything that been going on), cab back and just in time for a big huge mummy hug before bedtime. That what making go away great you get so excited for going back and giving the little one a big tight squeeze and just getting a beaming smile in return.


So apart from the obvious it was actually a good weekend and just want I need to re-charge my batteries before the Christmas Rush..

Amok in Amsterdam - Part One

I spent this weekend (7/8/9 Nov 14) in Amsterdam with some girly friends. It was my first trip away from the little man. I’ve had the odd night away from him but never in a different country. Actually I was okay thought I’d be a blubbering wreck. I did miss him but as I kept myself busy I only felt the pangs when I saw other family with their little ones around the town.

Left around 3pm Friday and met up with my friends  (AKA S & J) on the Gatwick expressed (actually we all became friends on our commute from London to Kent so it only was fitting we started our trip to meet another member of the “Train Gang” on a train). Treated ourselves to some Moet before departure, then we were off. Can’t believe how quick and easy the flight is we were up and down before we knew it.

The main reason for the trip was to visit a friend (aka H) who had just moved over. She picked us up and whisked us to her lovely new home in the Hilversum area of the Netherland about 30 mins outside Amsterdam.

We got there around 10pm and she’d put out a lovely spread of bread, meats and cheese. I really love this tapas-y finger food type stuff.  Goes great with good conversation and a nice bottle of fizz (or 3)

 

The next morning after waking up slightly dry mouthed. We had some lovely Danish Bacon sandwiches before starting to head out. So 2+ hours later after it took 4 women to get ready using 2 bathrooms (I know, I know, but in my defence I was the quickest and spent most of the morning watching Saturday Kitchen, my friend gets the satellite feed).  We headed out. Our first stop was Hilversum town centre I was very keen to get into Amsterdam itself but the rest of the group wanted a mooch.

I’m so glad we did J as they have a market in the town on Saturday and it’s amazing. I love fresh food markets. Unfortunately in England I can’t see to find ones as good, I love Borough Market but compared to its European counterpart it’s a bit too expensive and more trendy than functional (but you can get pink Fizz on Tap so I’ll forgive it). It was so full of colour and life, just normal people doing their weekly shop getting fresh ingredients to take home and make something fantastic and healthy. I have to say that apart from being shocked at the number of people smoking, I found it really hard to spot an obese person on my trip, (whereas the sad thing in the UK is it a bit too common) and with all the healthy cheap fresh food you can see why. All the colours and the smells along with the range availble was just amazing.

 

Right there and then I could have blown off the rest of the day done some serious shopping and then some serious cooking. Gave me so many ideas of what to make, which will probably disappear when I go to the supermarket and see the tired old stuff I always see. (If anyone knows of any hidden market Gems in Kent I would love to know).

But the day was a-wasting so we moved on. After one of the group bought Salted Liquorish, which hands down is the most awful thing ever, although I didn’t know that at the time that treat came later over a nice glass of beer.

We headed back to the station, waylaid by a Kamikaze wasp that attacked J only one in the group who was allergic. So a trip to the Hilversum Pharmacist, who was so lovely and helpful, we were back on track.

Got the train from Hilversum to Amsterdam there’s usually a direct train but we picked the weekend with engineering works (fitting for an English commuting Group) so we had to change at Utrecht where we picked up an Germany “ICE” train. OMG it was immaculate I was so impress.

For the trip, as it was nearly 2pm and we’d last eaten at 9am I got some Fries with Curry Sauce from a little outlet. It was nice and definitely filled a hole.

 

So at last we got off at Amsterdam Central and started heading down the narrow street crossing the canals of this fair city. Our first stop like all good tourists was the China town then into the Red light district area. 

Having been the only one that was fortified with the fries I had we started looking for a place to eat.  The friend we were visiting recommended “In De Waag” www.indewaag.nl the cities old gate house, built in 1428, which had lovingly been converted into a nice little if somewhat squashed (which is, as I found out, the norm) restaurant.  They had hanging chandeliers of candles which they lower twice a day to change and relight.

 

We started out at the bar, found this lovely beer called “Gulpener”, the rest of the gang on white wine, before being taken to our table. We all ordered the Hotdogs and some fries to share.  It was amazing. A German sausage with tiny onions and I wasn’t 100% what was in the sauce on top was but it tasted lovely; went especially well with the beer. 

 

S &H opted for some mulled wine after the meal, after spotting the people at the next table drinking it. I, myself, am not a big fan of hot drinks and especially hot alcohol. So after another beer when they finished supping on their warms grapes our thoughts turned to dessert. 

S has spent most of the day before and the morning talking about “Poffertjes” as H who lives there didn’t seem to know what she was talking about. I thought it must have been from a fevered dream of a mad person. But low and behold they did exist and they were selling them in a shop a stone’s throw from the Gate House Restaurant. It was a very popular shop serving Waffles and Crepes along with the Poff we were planning to feast on.

We waited patiently for the hordes of people to get served all manner of gooey goodness in front of us.  Deciding on what topping, of which there was a few, we would have on top. We all opted for Ferrero Roche yum. When it was my turn I strode purposefully to the counter and ordered 4 lots. The assistant said they were no longer serving them. I must have had a look like thunder as the person doing the cooking of the tasty treats said he would prepare us some.

He hot buttered the cooking apparatus and poured in 24 little bits of pancake mix and got to work. They took about 4 mins to cook and in the meantime crushed up 4 Ferreros for the topping once they were done he put them in little serving trays, put the chocolate on and dusted them with icing sugar. As for the taste they were lovely nice and small but sweet enough to hit the spot and leaving you full (well after a meal with wine). We ate them outside looking over one of the many canals.

Once we had all finished, which took about 60seconds, we decided to head out into the desending twilight and look for a bar and that's when the fun really began!!!!  – (Part 2 coming soon)