Silent Sunday

Naughty Netto

An advert I passed yesterday for an expanding supermarket...  I had to do a double take as at  first I wasn't sure I had seen it correctly.  It  basically reads  "New bigger Netto on the way!  Open 16 November etc.  We are working on it"!   I am not sure they would have got away with this in the UK, but it did make me laugh...  If only we were here in November.  I would be so tempted to go and stick few a few cut out puppies over the new sign!

Granola

A week of getting organised for the move.  A week of sorting, shifting, donating, co-ordinating,  and punishing the inner hoarder in me (I have told her she's not allowed to come to Munich with us, I hope she listens!).  I have found myself daydreaming about a recent trip to Granola on many occasions, surely all this industrious activity deserves an afternoon treat?

Denmark loves icecream, and churns out some some pretty decent stuff with fairly unusual flavours. I have yet to try liquorice, but believe me it won't be a problem! I can however confirm that marzipan is good, as is Ferrero Rocher, and you can't beat elderflower, grapefruit or lime on a (rare) scorcher! They also excel at bizarre ice cream toppings here, with all sorts of powders and sprinkles and garnishes, but my favourite has to be of course Guf... Not only does the name bring back memories (I remember getting into trouble with my best friend for laughing about "how someone had done a "guf"" in class in my younger school years - I am sure I don't need to spell out what we Brits (of a certain age)  once used the term for!), but this teeth-achingly sweet concoction works surprisingly well (I hope my dentist isn't reading this)!

Granola's salted caramel icecream was suitably delicious, and I love its retro surroundings!  Even my other half said my iced latte was good (and coming from a hardened tea drinker that's a big compliment)...! If you are a "local" you should pay a visit to Værnedamsvej (where you will find Granola)  as it has a really nice atmosphere, plus it's a foodie heaven with plenty of decent shops, a good butcher, an excellent wine shop and a couple of good-looking restaurants to explore...

The Viking Warrior

I haven't had a chance to write about the Viking Centre we visited when we were in Ribe recently, but as it was probably one of the most entertaining days out we have had in the past couple of months, I couldn't miss it out, so here you go - sorry it's a bit late!  I have to confess this place was much more my cup of tea over nearby Legoland (who wouldn't prefer a place swarming with pretend Vikings being all tough and warrior like over a bunch of plastic bricks?)...

As is typical of these kinds of places in Denmark, it is very very hands on, so the kids had a whale of a time! They loved the playground (in the middle of a pond), and being able to have a go at traditional Viking crafts such as wood carving (with real knives and planes!!), archery, and cooking bread  (on long handled pans over an open fire!!)... All these normally off limit activities make it a dream place for kids, and Small boy especially was in heaven!

The Vikings here are a very friendly bunch, most of them come from Germany and are here on a working holiday for the summer to live the Viking dream, which they take very very seriously! They not only tend to the traditionally grown crops, and look after the old breeds of livestock, they also cook and eat here and sleep here, which gives it all the more of an authentic feel.

The highlight of our visit was when the Warrior training took place.  All boys (edited to add and girls who weren't interested in taking part!), were called upon to prove their strength and learn how to combat ferocious Viking opponents.    Small boy desperate not to be left out (and by far the smallest Viking of the lot by a number of years) gave as good as he got with a wooden sword against his (rather dashing) Viking opponent.  I love this last photograph, it makes me laugh so much each time I look at it - my very own tiny Viking warrior!

Definitely worth a visit should you happen to be in the area...

Silent Sunday!

All Change Please

So... confirming that nothing in life ever runs according to plan (which is usually the norm for us believe me!), the sunny shores of California are going to have to wait a little while longer, as at the relative last minute, we are no longer off to San Jose! Instead, the dark forests (and the Bier Kellers!!) of Bavaria await us, and will be our home for the next couple of years! At least it is closer to home and I don't have to get rid of any snow gear I suppose! Having never been to Munich, if anyone has any pointers (other than instructing me to learn yet another interesting language), I would be truly grateful!

I look forward to mostly eating these on an everyday basis: -

Photograph courtesy of Write Click Cook Listen - this really original blog features some pretty good recipes, and is definitely worth a look, peanut butter stuffed chocolate coated chilli peppers anyone? 

PS.   If you are moving to San Jose, (or know someone that is) and are looking for a fantastic relocation expert who really knows her stuff, (and is one of those people you feel like you have known forever when you speak to them), I can really recommend Jo Robertson.  She is really lovely and knowledgeable, and I am just so sorry we won't get to meet her this time around. 

Preparing for Winter...

These photographs were less than half an hour old at the time of posting...

Originally I didn't have anything to enter The Gallery this week (the subject is Animals), but having just been for a quick walk in the woods, I came across this little guy who quite happily posed for me for a couple of minutes.  He then lost his temper and actually screeched at me very loudly to leave him alone and let him get on with his preparations for winter!  No doubt he will over-prepare, and next year the owners of the house will spend a lot of time in the garden removing small shoots from nuts he had squirrelled away in forgotten hiding places -  just like I had to in ours...  I have felt for a while that the change in seasons is well underway, and he has just confirmed it to me!