European adventure

[Plumerias]

For the past eight years it has been our privilege and pleasure to tour the US and Canada in our RV. We've seen all fifty states and seven provinces. It is now time to move on to part two of this mobile retirement, international travel. So the RV in which we live goes into storage on Saturday and off we go.

Once there was a little boy who thought sailing across the Atlantic on a cruise ship would just be the coolest thing, that little boy's dream will now be realized. We sail from Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday on a transatlantic cruise. Keukenhof Gardens, here I come!!!!!

Now I must admit that it is a bit unsettling to think of two weeks without a kitchen! Okay, on one hand neither of us has to cook. On the other hand, we have to turn over control of our diet to strangers. Gulp. Once we reach Europe we will have kitchens in each of our rentals, so we'll be able to cook. But this will also be a challenge, as I'm accustomed to traveling with a fully stocked pantry, one I'm frantically trying to empty at present. Now I'll be buying groceries who knows where and in multiple languages. Another gulp. But this will be an interesting challenge to both of us, and no doubt a good learning experience.

We'll be gone until late autumn. If there is anyone over there who'd like to visit, please do let me know. If I don't answer right away, it's because we have to turn off our Verizon service soon, and I'm not sure what our options will be thereafter. We did request internet on the cruise, but supposedly it's akin to dial-up, geez, remember how slow that was? We will have something in each rental.

Okay, gotta work on cleaning out the fridge and packing my backpack.

[f1jim]

Donna, I have the solution. I'll just go in your place to Europe and you stay here where it's safe.
I'll PM you my address to forward the tickets to.
f1jim

[Plumerias]

Mmmmmm, nope!

[Timaca]

Jim~

Donna~ I am SO excited for you!!! Please do post your travel experiences and food experiences from time to time! I would love to hear how it is going for you!!!!

Wishing you an exciting and fun journey!!!

Best,

[MINNIE]

Relax ! This will be easier than you think. I have travelled to Europe many times and I think you won't have a problem.

Unless you are going to a remote rural area, or a city under siege, you will be able to shop pretty much the way you do here.

The perception that shopping will be difficult comes from what I call "Rick Steves Syndrome" .

If you watch travel programs on TV or read the wrong kind of guide books, the focus is on what is' different and exotic. But that is not usually what you find, at least not if you are in one of the developed or developing countries. Middle class people in those places want the same conveniences we do, and have the same or better.

There are supermarkets just like ours in most towns, and you don't need to know the language to shop there. There are market halls in many cities and towns, that are similar to farmers' markets in the US and Canada. Just point to what you want and pay.

It's fun to go to locally owned shops too, and again just point, smile and pay. It's as easy as that . If you are unsure about currency conversion and aren't sure how the local money compares to yours, use a calculator or phone app. Or just let the people tell you -often there is someone who speaks English, especially in big touristed areas.

As long as you have kitchen facilities, you are in control. Before you go, or on the way there , use the internet to see where the shops and markets are at your destination. It's really fun to ramble around and randomly find places to shop, but maybe you will feel less anxious if you have a plan.

And remember: if all else fails, potatoes are everywhere!

Have fun, and eat well .

[Timaca]

I do agree with Minnie that shopping for food in foreign countries is a fun experience! I loved the open air markets in China! Recently in Spain, in a grocery store, there was a Produce Lady, who bagged your produce for you! She was surrounded by the produce, like a queen. You said what you wanted (or pointed if you didn't know the word in Spanish) and she would bag and tag it for you. I loved her!!! (And she got a laugh out of me whenever I tried to speak Spanish to her).

While the produce may be fun, just be aware that how meat is displayed (often as whole or parts of animals) is way different than in America. So be prepared for that.

Happy, happy travels!

[greentea]

Recently in Spain, in a grocery store, there was a Produce Lady, who bagged your produce for you! She was surrounded by the produce, like a queen. You said what you wanted (or pointed if you didn't know the word in Spanish) and she would bag and tag it for you.

Markets in France are like that too. The produce person will choose the best items for you and bag them up. You might get scolded if you touch their produce. LOL!

Plumerias, Bon Voyage! Have an awesome time!!!

[f1jim]

That is one of the highlights of foreign travel. Snooping around markets can be very insightful. What is similar as well as different is the beauty of going somewhere distant. Heck, that can be fun in different parts of the US.
I especially find the produce to be interesting. I always find things that are new and novel to me.
f1jim

[Plumerias]

Well, we've arrived in Haarlem, Netherlands! Good to be on solid ground again, as I never did get my "sea legs" and although I didn't get sick, I had to take the medicine and wear my acupressure wrist bands the whole time.

We have to find somewhere to get a SIM card for the phone, as the two shops we tried today could not help us. But that will wait until Tuesday, as tomorrow is Easter Sunday and Monday is also a holiday here.

So thanks gang for the reassurance! Minnie, oh crack me up, the Rick Steves Syndrome!!!!! The man is great for some things, like how to use the trains and stations and stuff, but for food, the man is like that little boy in the old Life cereal commercial. Remember, "give it to Mikey, he eats everything"?! Well, that's Rick! Ever look up any of his restaurant suggestions? Clueless!!

So we did find a grocery store, within walking distance, which is good as we have no car and don't want one. DH emptied his backpack, we took all the shopping bags in the rental as well. We did well enough for me to make a pot of vegetable soup for the evening meal, which I'd been craving for about a week and a half or so. And we probably got enough to do something tomorrow, although I'm not sure what. We poked into this shop and that shop while exploring. So busy, the day before the holiday. There were a couple of produce shops to return to on a less insane day. I can buy groceries in kilos, but Dutch, oh boy, confusing to say the least. The bicycle traffic!!!!!!

As part of the grocery shopping, we'll be buying flowers. O! M! G! They're everywhere, as soooooooooo beautiful! Yellow tulips were on the kitchen table when we got here. Gotta check out all the vases in the cupboards.

So...... I think it was someone here some time ago that said they'd packed PB&J sandwiches from the breakfast bar for lunch. We don't normally keep either in the house, as we'd pig out on them, but in this case it was a lifesaver. To whom ever that was, thank you.

Those sandwiches went with us the day we stopped in Zeebrugge and day tripped into Bruges. On Good Friday. During local spring/Easter break. Sins were committed. I love fries, but since changing our diet I rarely eat them. But I gotta say, Belgian frites are the best damn fries I ever ate, ever! And Belgian chocolate, even the less expensive stuff, is practically orgasmic, wait no, not practically, definitely! A whole stretch of street that smelled of chocolate. The window displays were works of art. We've never seen such amazingly beautiful Easter candy displays.

So it's late here and I'm beat. I just wanted to say thanks for the kind words before we left. With the help of Google Translate, goede nacht!

[Timaca]

So glad you are in the Netherlands and posting about your trip! Keep the updates coming!

We are on the last day of our cruise and it has been wonderful. The waiter (for dinner) got a bit of a shock the first night when I said I didn't eat any animal products. "Not even butter?" he asked. So he has gotten me plates of rice, baked potatoes and vegetables. Then I go to the buffet afterwards to get some kind of bean dish..... The chef made me some kind of soy milk dessert last night which was super kind of him, but I told the waiter to tell him I'm very happy with a small piece of fruit. Tonight i will try to ask for some type of legume to be on top of my rice, potatoes and vegetables.....

They really do try to accommodate dietary needs on Royal Caribbean. I try not to be a bother so I just eat what I can find from the buffet. I don't worry about a bit of oil or butter here or there. What has concerned me more was the lack of cooked brown rice or even just cooked rice at breakfast (which was on the last cruise we too---bigger boat, maybe that's why). Rice is the only grain I can eat so to not have it available at all meals is a bummer.

Looking forward to hearing about the food you find in the Netherlands Plumerias!!! Happy Easter to you and to all!!

Best,

[Plumerias]

Found a few more grocery options, including a small but killer Turkish grocery. They have small boxes of dried herbs and spices, 50 grams for a Euro. We have to shop most every day, as the fridge is modestly sized and we can only carry so much at a time. LOL, that'll keep me from over buying and control my bad habits of buying one of everything.

The produce is all labeled with country of origin. It's unique to be buying Spanish strawberries, Moroccan blueberries, and Dutch a lot of stuff. It would be interesting to learn how much production in the Netherlands is under glass, as no way is it warm enough to grow much besides early spring blooming stuff without it. I know they export plenty, as I've purchased many a red bell pepper with a grown in Holland tag on it.

And I got a bouquet of purple hyacinths, and one of fussy pink tulips. Gotta love a culture that loves its flowers.

[healthyvegan]

there is a Le Pain Quotidien in most euro countries with great healthy vegan options. wagamama is in many places, too! use happycow to find all the biomarkets, too! we never had a problem and spent a year over there.

[Plumerias]

there is a Le Pain Quotidien in most euro countries with great healthy vegan options. wagamama is in many places, too! use happycow to find all the biomarkets, too! we never had a problem and spent a year over there.

Thanks, our budget means we will not dine out very much while here.
May I ask where you spent your year and how you dealt with the Schengen Agreement regulations?

[Timaca]

It is fun to hear of your adventures buying food and flowers! Thanks for sharing!

[Plumerias]

Bonsoir from Paris where new adventures await! The local grocery store is small, with an even smaller produce department, and it's always insanely busy. Its bakery area is separate from the rest of the store, so it's easy to slip in and get a baguette. Warm one sitting on the stove for dinner, which is not far off.

We stopped one day at one of the local old time markets, Paris' oldest covered one. It's quite small, with just two produce vendors, meh. The rest of it is food court type stuff. One of the stands, easy to find because of its beautiful tile work, is Moroccan and sells a variety of tagines. We'd like to go back when hungry and try the vegetarian offering(s).

We also found (okay, DH found) an outdoor market, to which we paid a visit on Friday. Sweet! Now this is the place to shop for our produce needs! Oh, the strawberries, from the south of France, are delicious! Do the happy dance, plenty of fresh herbs too. It's funny, the only radish variety I've seen sold anywhere here is one I used to grow, French breakfast. Can't help but wonder how it got its name, as breakfast here seems to be croissants, heavy on the butter. Blech. Anyways, the market list is already made for tomorrow, need more of those strawberries for breakfast, yum. And I have it on the list to see if that Lebanese vendor we saw sells hummus, good for picnic lunches on museum days.

I'm having an interesting experience. In our house, the stove was gas. In the RV, it's propane, and very small. I've always preferred gas over electric, as electric offers so little control. But I might have to revise that opinion. This stove is one of those (electric) induction stoves, and it's very cool. Add something else to that pot of stew/soup you're working on and want it to return to a boil? No problem, just hit the boost key and boil it does, all but instantly! Wow, amazing! It also has a safety feature to lock it off in households with little ones. So does anybody know if you have to use pots and pans specific to this type of stove? What's here seems to be really nice, although I've yet to get really good rice, edible yes, perfect, nope.