Germany on a coach

Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.

The furthest I’ve traveled was to Germany on a coach. I went on a wine tasting trip with my mom. It was a four day trip and it was a bit disappointing because I had a cold.

We drove a long way from the Midlands through London to Dover. We waited for ages to get on the ferry, then across to Calais. I remember staying on deck on a cold wet afternoon because my mom had seasickness. Then on through France and Belgium to Germany. I noticed the countryside was similar to Britain but the electricity pylons looked completely different. Much sturdier and solid instead of our criscross filigree style. By then the cold was getting to me and I slept until we stopped at a petrol station and I tried to ask for aspirin, but used the wrong phrase ‘haben du’ informal, instead of ‘haben sie’, I didn’t know I was being over familiar.

One of our coach passengers thought we had gone into East Germany? Why, I don’t know, he was a bit odd.

After two days tasting (and snuffling) various wines and realising I liked ‘qualitatsvein mit pradikat’ the best. We had a trip on the Rhine, and to a cuckoo clock shop, and to a bridge over the Rhine to see statues of the Rhine maidens I think? Mom and I came home on the coach again. Just starting to feel better, the best bit was watching ‘the hunt for red october’ on TVs on the coach!

Lobster thermidore

What’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten?

I once went for a meal and decided to try Lobster thermidore. It was cooked with a mild cheese and wine sauce.

I don’t know how it was cooked, it was a special treat, but I’m glad I tried it.

I think its 15 to 20 years since I tried it but I still remember it. It was tasty and rich. But I wouldn’t be able to afford it now.

I guess, anything could be delicious if you have not had it before. If you don’t have money or resources you may never get to eat anything than the basic food, that you eat everyday if you are lucky. I’m not sure if I would eat it again now I think about their situation.

Germany

Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.

I went on a wine tasting weekend once. I was on a coach trip and we visited some wineries in the Rhine region. I bought a few bottles of the lovely ‘qualitats wine mit pradicat’ I think that’s how it’s written.

We visited during a holiday weekend so some shops were shut, but everyone we met was friendly. I tried to ask for aspirin for my cold (which made wine tasting difficult). But I said ‘haben du asperin bitte’ and was told I should have said ‘ haben sie’ because ‘du’ is too familiar and only used with close family and friends?

We saw the Rhine and I think a statue of the Rhine maidens from a bridge over the river gorge. We visited a cuckoo clock shop. It was early autumn and the mornings were frosty. Tiny villages clung to the sides of steep hills above the river. It was lovely.

Bang!

I was cooking an evening meal and decided to open a bottle of rosé brut wine to go with it. It was very warm in the kitchen, but I didn’t think much about it as I took the wine out of the fridge. I peeled off the foil round the neck and loosened the wire around the cork. Then I had to check the food, stir it, add herbs. Suddenly…

BANG!

The cork had come flying out of the bottle, wine started to bubble out of the bottle all over the kitchen counter. I had to mop it up. I think about a quarter of the bottle was gone! It just shows how hot it was. Next time the wine is staying in the fridge till the food is ready!

Busy birthday

The candles blew out OK but then continued to smoulder. So I pinched the wicks  between my fingers as I thought it would set off the smoke alarm. Also the cat was making a move to jump down from the cupboard top.

What am I doing, watching TV, eating a small slice of cake and drinking prosecco. We had Thai green curry with seabass for our evening meal. Now my hubby is sitting with a glass of wine in one hand and a bottle of lager in the other!

It’s been a funny day, went to bed late (4.30am) and got up late. I have been posting things about it on the book of face… Isn’t it funny, I would never have considered doing that in the past. What a thing social media is…

Well I might post few other things today…

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Wine

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I don’t drink much, but I used to make wine. My favourite was a sparkling plum wine. I didn’t know what I was doing so I used a yeast that makes lots of gas and fizz. The wine was brewed in demi-johns, then I put it into old beer bottles with ceramic and rubber stoppers. When we opened the bottles it was a deep orange red and had a real sparkle.

Sadly I couldn’t remember what yeast I had used and I never got the same result. I also found that I was allergic to the sulphur dioxide that is used to sterilise the equipment, so I would start sneezing uncontrollably.

I then went on to brewing beer for a few years. That was fun and less difficult but in the end I sold all my demi-johns.

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Happy valentines day

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Another marketing ploy or a chance to show your love for someone?

I don’t know how many other countries celebrate St Valentines day (no not the massacre). But we celebrate it in Britain. Suddenly the shops are full of red and pink. Specially packaged wine, chocolates and flowers. Lots of glitter and gleaming red ribbons.

There ar cards to all sorts of partners, or anonymous ones for people you might not know as well. I once had a yellow rose, from a garden across the road, left on my front doorstep. I don’t know to this day who it was from.

I guess it’s here to stay like Christmas or Easter. If you are celebrating it have a lovely and romantic time. I guess sometimes people hope for a card but don’t get one. I hope you get your wishes on 14th February