The Weird Things I Do On Vacation...

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Just came back. Haven't even had time to sort through the pictures. (Incidentally Cam... we drove a car on the wrong side of the road and saw both Stonehenge and the Avebury Circle. It's so difficult to get into a car on the wrong side... but nothing is as bad as a roundabout where you can get right or left... confusing.)
So, what's so off that I do? I was in Brugges and I stopped into several shops looking for speculoos spices. I found a biscuit shop that sold me a bag of 100g for €5 and bagged it, in front of me, from their giant baker's supply speculoos spice tin. Later that afternoon, I found a beautiful kitchen supply store (next to the chocolate shop that has people snorting chocolate! Yes, I said snorting chocolate!) and found two beautiful sugar spoons, since our sugar spoon was stolen (yes... I told you, people steal my teaspoons and I can't yet figure out why). But I saw two different spoons, so I bought both, one is short, metal and square. The other is porcelain. Not sure which will work better to keep people from using it in their coffee/tea, but when am I going to be back in Brugges to buy another one. And they have 60g bags of speculoos spices for €2, so I bought two. So I guess I will be done with worrying about speculoos spices for a while. I will vacuum seal some of it, so that it won't lose it's potency.
We also stopped at a service centre off the M4 that had an M&S store (Marks & Spencer for the uninitiated) and they had some really beautiful refrigerated foods. Bought some salad and a sandwich for the road. Now I'm upset that I forgot to take pictures of some of it and the ingredients, including one delightful quinoa salad with green beans it it called "Nutty Super Wholefood Salad" and it was so wonderful (now I need a recipe). In fact, their ready lunch food was great inspiration for ideas for my packed lunch. Healthy, made to be eaten cold and just looked spectacular! (And I see that M&S now ships here, so I may order a cookbook or two).
 
They take your spoons because you have such special ones. Just use a cheapie and they won't be stolen
wink_smile.gif
 
They take your spoons because you have such special ones. Just use a cheapie and they won't be stolen
wink_smile.gif
.
Actually, it's the cheapies that they steal. The last one was from a $10 set of cutlery. I now buy my teaspoons at that store that sells cheap Chinese good with fancy Swedish names. They take them, but I can buy 6 for $5.
With the sugar spoons, I just want to avoid them using them as their spoon. Just leave it in the sugar as a serving spoon. I figure the more it is different the better the chance they will leave it alone.
 
They take your spoons because you have such special ones. Just use a cheapie and they won't be stolen
wink_smile.gif
.
Actually, it's the cheapies that they steal. The last one was from a $10 set of cutlery. I now buy my teaspoons at that store that sells cheap Chinese good with fancy Swedish names. They take them, but I can buy 6 for $5.
With the sugar spoons, I just want to avoid them using them as their spoon. Just leave it in the sugar as a serving spoon. I figure the more it is different the better the chance they will leave it alone.
.
Not a chance! They will continue to take a spoon or two of sugar with the sugar shell and then stir with it - oftentimes returning it to the sugar bowl. They did not have Mothers like ours who taught us proper table manners and etiquette.
 
They take your spoons because you have such special ones. Just use a cheapie and they won't be stolen
wink_smile.gif
.
Actually, it's the cheapies that they steal. The last one was from a $10 set of cutlery. I now buy my teaspoons at that store that sells cheap Chinese good with fancy Swedish names. They take them, but I can buy 6 for $5.
With the sugar spoons, I just want to avoid them using them as their spoon. Just leave it in the sugar as a serving spoon. I figure the more it is different the better the chance they will leave it alone.
.
Not a chance! They will continue to take a spoon or two of sugar with the sugar shell and then stir with it - oftentimes returning it to the sugar bowl. They did not have Mothers like ours who taught us proper table manners and etiquette.
.
Maybe if I make a hole and put a string on it and attach it to the bowl? Or maybe I should just give up and get one of those horrible sugar pourers that won't match my tableware at all.
 
we love M&S plus its sister Waitrose is also excellent! don't know how they make their sandwiches and prepared stuff but its cracking (ie excellent) plus most of it freezes so you can keep it in ready for not cooking
 
we love M&S plus its sister Waitrose is also excellent! don't know how they make their sandwiches and prepared stuff but its cracking (ie excellent) plus most of it freezes so you can keep it in ready for not cooking.
I don't either. I'm hoping that the recipes are available. Even if they aren't, I can likely approximate some of it using the ingredient lists. But they all just looked so nice in the packaging that you just wanted to have a bite. I'm trying to order from their website. We'll see soon if they do deliver to this side of the pond.
 
LOVE Marks & Sparks in the UK! I just like to look around at all the great things that they have for sale.
Glad you had a great time...I am also a sucker for all the outdoor markets...
 
Did you go any other places in Belgium? We lived there for 5 years . Just loved it . That is where I learned to love chocolate. I never have been a chocolate lover since. Wasn't it lovely to go for coffee and most times be given a biscuit or a chocolate on your saucer?
Welcome back home.
 
The one time I drove in England I really found it helpful for my nephew (co-pilot) to remind me how to steer through the round abouts. Gave me a new respect for "back-seat" drivers.
 
Did you go any other places in Belgium? We lived there for 5 years . Just loved it . That is where I learned to love chocolate. I never have been a chocolate lover since. Wasn't it lovely to go for coffee and most times be given a biscuit or a chocolate on your saucer?
Welcome back home..
We were cruising, so only any place for a day. Ponta Delgada (Azores), Lisbon, Bruges, Le Havre (we went to Rouen and Honfleur) and Southampton (we went to Stonehenge).
 
Ohhhh - I LOVE Marks and Sparks / Marks and Spencer (or as I called it as a child - Mark's Expensive). A survey done years and years ago showed that almost everyone, at the time, got their knickers from M&S. The prepared foods are lovely .... I was never a coleslaw fan until I tried their sharp cheddar and coleslaw sandwich. So good.
 
Ohhhh - I LOVE Marks and Sparks / Marks and Spencer (or as I called it as a child - Mark's Expensive). A survey done years and years ago showed that almost everyone, at the time, got their knickers from M&S. The prepared foods are lovely .... I was never a coleslaw fan until I tried their sharp cheddar and coleslaw sandwich. So good..
So nice to hear your voice! You have been missed. Did you do the boat festival this year? You keep saying you will.
 
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