April 21st (More about our trip to Europe)

Well Robb had told me all about the town where the Renewable Energy Trade Show was being held and I assumed we would be in Husum and found all about the town and even posted some photo's.  But that isn't where he made reservations for us to stay!  We stayed in a small village about 30 miles from Husum called Tonning.

This is the hotel we stayed at, it was called Gashaus Lexus and was right across the street from a canal.  I tried to get a map to show you but I couldn't "cut and paste" one, so you'll have to look up one for yourselves.  Robb booked this hotel because it has a restaurant attached to it and he felt it would be easier for evenings.  Unfortunately, he forgot to ask if the restaurant was open, it wasn't!  They opened it in the mornings for our breakfast but it hadn't open yet for the season. So much for that plan.

The trade show was an all day affair and we had to be there until six in the evening.  This didn't leave us any time for exploring as most shops were closed by the time we were finished for the day.  On the first night back we had planned on dinner at our hotel, but after discovering that it was closed started walking around and found a lovely seafood restaurant for night number one.  Dinner was wonderful, we had clams with bacon and Parmesan cheese, a really different presentation and about a pound of clams, no shells.

Night two, we were very tired but walked around the village square and found a Greek Restaurant open.  We had a lovely dinner that began with a glass of Quzo that was given to us.  The menu was in Greek- translated into German.  Could we read it? NO, and no one spoke English.  But because I love, love food, I was able to pick out Greek foods that I had read about in books and we ended up with a wonderful dinner.  So much food in fact that we took some home and had it for lunch the next day.  We had the first glass of ouzo, wine with dinner and at the end they brought us out another glass of ouzo!  It was a good thing that we only had to walk to the hotel.

Just in case you need translations our napkins had some for us.

NE= Ja                                           = Yes   My English translations
OCHI= Nein                                   = No
MALISTA=Jawohl                          = Yes
KALIMERA=Guten Morgen            = Good Morning
KALISPERA=Guten Abend             =Good evening
KALINCHTA=Gute Nacht              = Good Night
JA SOU=Hallo                                 = Hello
TI KANSIS?= Wie geht es Dir?        =How are you?
ISSE KALA?= Geht es Dir gut?        =Are you well?
PINAO= Ich habe Hunger                 =I'm hungry
DIPSCHAO= Ich habe Durst            =I'm thirsty
POLI OREO= Sehr gut                     = Very good
EFHARISTO=Danke                        =Thanks
ENA USO= Ein Ouzo                       = An Ouzo
JA MAS= Prost                                 =Cheers
TON LOGARIASMO= Die Rechnung =/The Statement (or check or bill)
PARAKALO= Bitte                             =Please
S'AGAPAO= Ich liebe Dich                 =I love you
M'ARESSIS= Du gefallst mir                =I like you
ANTIO= Auf Wiedersehen                   =Goodbye

The next night we walked the village again, this time stopping in an Italian Restaurant.  We experienced the same odd sensation of not being able to converse with the waiter, but have eaten more Italian foods and could easily pick out what to eat.

Our last night we went back to the seafood restaurant where our waiter spoke a little English and enjoyed another wonderful fish dinner.

We never were in town when any of the shops were open and never saw any of the town except to drive through to and from.  Not my idea of visit to the town of Tonning.  Our travel ways have to change a little in order for us to enjoy our "free trip abroad" while Robb works.

Love to all,
Dawn

April 18th

A Sunday afternoon walk around beautiful St. Monans and the DOORS.  Now in the United States, doors are almost always the same size.  But over here doors are purpose made to fit the opening between the stones or bricks.  It makes for a wonderful stroll through town to see all the differences.

My last blog was mostly words and few photo's.  This one is mostly photo's and few words.  Enjoy our walk with us.

I wanted to show the varitey of doors, large and tall, big and small that dot our village.                                                                                                                                                             

I had either Robb or myself stand next to the doors so you could get a better idea of how short or tall they are.

The houses have been built over the centuries and a lot of in filling between empty spaces has taken place.  I couldn't really figure out which houses are the oldest, but some have been here for a very long time.                                         

 This red door shows you a double door.  Our door is like this, there is an outside door, with mail slot and and inside door with mail slot.  The outside door is left open if you are "at home" and would like company.  If both doors are closed you are either gone, or don't want any guest.

This house above has one of the biggest doors in the village and this next picture is one of my favorites.

A house with doors for either the short or the tall.  Who could ask for more?

Our door, number 27
 Hope you enjoyed the walk.

Love to all,
Dawn

April 15th

Oh What a night...!  Robb saw an advertisement for a Champagne Dinner at a little restaurant about five miles from here.  What caught his eye was that this dinner was held on April 15th, our wedding anniversary.  Ever the romantic and knowing my love for the bubbly he made reservations months ago for us to have dinner.  Now I admit I am a foodie, and love nothing better than eating my way through life, but this was even better than I could have expected.

THE PEAT INN, FIFE

The Peat Inn is owned by award winning Chef and columnist Geoffrey Smeddle and his wife Katherine. With Geoffrey at the heart of the kitchen and Katherine’s warmth and care filling the restaurant, they have been successful in building on the very fine reputation of one of Scotland’s most cherished destinations.
The Inn has existed on this spot since the 1700s. Today, this award winning restaurant with rooms continues to welcome guests who appreciate the special and very personal experience which is the hallmark of The Peat Inn.

Some of the Awards they have received are

 

• AA Restaurant of the Year 2011
• Three rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide
• Awarded one Michelin Star in the Michelin Guide 2010
• 6 out of 10 The Good Food Guide 2010
• Hotel Review Scotland - The Scottish Restaurant with Rooms of the Year 2009
• Hotel Review Scotland - Lunch Excellence Award 2009
• 5 Star Restaurant with Rooms, Visit Scotland 2010

This was one of those dinners where the wine is included in the price, most assuredly beyond our means in the normal way of things!  Since we paid one price for dinner including the champagne it wouldn't have been possible to taste these special blends otherwise.

Before the meal began we gathered, rather closely, in the lounge and learned about four different types of champagne.  We sampled two "non-vintage" (aged over a minimum of 15 months)  and two "vintage"
(aged over a minimum of 3 years).  Since my exposure to Champagne has only once included a bottle of Dom Perignon but mostly the inexpensive bubblies at the local market this was a heavenly experience.  One of the bottles we sampled of a vintage can be purchased locally for a mere £143.00 or in $'s about 230.00 per bottle.  This dinner far surpasses my Chocolate Cake and Champagne that I love for my birthday.

The Menu for the night was.                                                                            
Aperitif with canapes
Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV -   Store price  £ 33.99
Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Rose NV- Store price £ 54.39
Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut Vintage 2000 - Store price  £ 64.69
Champagne Charles Heidsieck Blance des Millenaires Brut Vintage 1995 -Store price -£143.19

Olive oil poached cod, parsley puree and salad of young parsley and clams
Champagne Po/Roger, Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) Brut Vintage 1999 -Store price £55.65

Poached langoustine, braised calamari, spiced mussels, purple sprouting broccoli
and warm cucumber
Champagne Thienot Brut Rose Reserve NV -Store price £38.99

Roast Saddle and confit flank of lamb with wild garlic, artichoke and rosemary jus
Champagne Michel Drappier Brut Vintage (jeroboam- four bottles in one) -Store price £30.00

Pineapple parfait with coconut sorbet and pineapple jellies
Champagne Louis Roederer Carte Blanche Demi-Sec NV-Store price £35.00

Coffee and Petits Fours
Served with Charles Heidsieck Brut Vintage 1989 (jeroboam) -  no price given!

One of those times when the parts come together and made the whole so much more Memorable. 
Oh what a night...

CHEERS!

Love to all,
Dawn

April 7th

Hi Everyone, I must take a break on the Europe trip to share yesterday with everyone!  I hope you enjoy the day as much as I did.

To begin with we drove all day Wednesday down to a farm co-op that Robb was meeting with on Thursday morning near Norfolk.  This is what we saw as we drove over 350 miles through Scotland and England.

All along the highways, motor ways, villages, large cities, people had planted daffodils.

I found this poem which describes how I will remember the day forever.

"Daffodils" (1804)
I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch'd in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

There were entire fields that had been planted for bulb production as we drove along. 

,

As the poem said, it something I'll remember seeing the rest of my life.  On both sides of the lane were planted daffodils.  I walked for over a mile up the road between these two beautiful trees and back again while Robb had his meeting.  I had him drive down the road afterwards so he could share in the beauty.   I asked the receptionist at this office who had planted the flowers and she said the farmer who owned the fields which were planted with hay.  Ask why, she didn't have an answer, but we both agreed just for the joy of it.

 I don't think I'll ever look at a daffodil again with out this sweet memory and joy!

Love to all and thanks for sharing my day with me,

Dawn

April 5th

Ah the joys of travel.  We'll we did make it to Newcastle with everything in the car, and here is the proof.

As you can see there was very

little space left.  Robb wouldn't let me open the passenger side because he was afraid things would fall out!

We found the dock and loaded on the ferry with no problems and went to see our room.  It was right in the middle of the bow of the ship on the fifth deck up.  We had beautiful views as we pulled out of the harbor, and we think the captain's bridge was right above us.

This was taken out of one of the two port holes in our room as we left harbor.

 

It was a beautiful evening as we started out but the clouds soon came in and as it turned dark, it also turned a little bit rough.  We had our dinner in the fancy buffet restaurant and came back and each of us took some Dramamine- I was afraid that we would get sick.  I talked to Robb about growing up and going to Catalina on the Wooden Shoe and how I would get so sea sick.  After that conversation we went to bed, but not to sleep, the rocking and the memories kept me awake most of the night. 

We get didn't get seasick but we spent a rather rough night being tossed about on our bunks, neither slept well but we were up early in the morning.   The sea calmed down just about the time we made harbor in Amsterdam, but all was well and Robb made his trade show debut in Husum Germany on time.

We emptied the car between the hotel and the trade show and hadn't forgotten anything, which considering all we had taken made me feel grateful.  We did need an electrical connection for the printer (the wireless hookup that was promised didn't work)  and had quite a time finding a store and purchasing it.  No one in the store spoke English so there was a little confusion.

More tomorrow on the food.

Love to All,

Dawn