Sunday, June 26, 2016

My European Adventures









I brought my family to Netherlands and Germany for a vacation.  My family are now so internet dependent that the hotels chosen had to have free wifi.  Not a bad thing actually as there are now apps that allow a user to key in places of interest and we could use these apps offline to locate hotels, bus routes, places and eateries and finding them with relative ease.  No more holding up a large map and figuring out the general directions.  There was  even an app where train routes could be accessed offline, when and where to switch trains and alternative routes and times in the event of missing a train connection.  

I did my tourist role dutifully eating lots of German wieners, German beer, pork knuckles and buying souvenirs.  No keychains this time (got 30+ lying in my drawer) but I bought loads of dutch cheese, westerwald pottery teacups and blocks of wood.  I discovered that eating cheese paired with ripe pu erh is pleasantly interesting.   My family gave me the look when I loaded my luggage with a few blocks of wood. These are cutting boards but I think they make suitable tea accessories for tea brewing. The top 2 pix is an alder wood board with pretty concentric age rings on the board.   I also bought a couple of olive wood boards as well.  The boards have a nice woody scent and I enjoy looking at the patterns on the olive boards. 

UK voted to 'leave' the EU while I was in Europe.  It was  an unexpected result.  A historical decision.  Economic and political repercussions?  Time will tell.  Cup of tea anyone? 

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