MORE IRISH TRIVIA

 Irish Trivia Continued

Country

• The Gulf Stream moderates west coast temperatures.
• Seaweed is harvested for use in the cosmetic industry.
• Oysters are found in Galway Bay.
• There are huge seabird colonies. The gannet mates for life and returns to the old nest each year. They have a long white beak, yellow on their head and black outlines on their face.
• The first settlers stayed along the coast because of impregnable forests.
• Christianity came to Ireland in the 15^th century and in the 16^th century Oliver Cromwell destroyed the churches.
• The River Shannon is the longest at 230 miles.
• The highest mountain is 3414 feet.
• They say it rains in Ireland only two times a week, Monday to Thursday and Friday to Sunday.
• The west coast gets much more rain than the east coast.
• The countryside is a vibrant emerald green.
• Dry set short stone walls are seen all over the countryside.
• In the countryside drivers are very courteous on the very narrow roads.
• Mail trucks and post offices are green.
• Slate roofs seem to be the norm, although new ones are synthetic look-alikes.
• Rocky coasts and large tides have prevented a lot of harbors from developing.

Odds and Ends

• President Kennedy’s great grandfather came from Ireland.
• Andrew Jackson is the only US president not born in the United States. He was born in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in 1767 on an emigrant ship taking his parents from Carrigfergus, County Antrim.
• Hundreds of the 1197 victims in the Lusitania sinking are buried in Cohb (pronounced cove).
• Many well known authors and poets including James Joyce, Yeats, and Jonathan Swift called Ireland home.
• The famous Waterford glass factory is the largest in the world and hosts 3000 visitors every week!
• John Holland from Liscomb invented the submarine.
• The old and new mix well. Buildings are only three stories high.

SOME IRISH TRIVIA

 Good to Know Trivia

• Burning peat in homes emitting its distinctive aroma is common.
• Celts used hanging moss as toilet paper eons ago.
• The tapping of the foot is called riding the boat.
• In an Irish wake the body remains above ground for a week.
• An Irish ceilidh (pronounced cay lee—the dh in Gaelic is silent) involves Irish music, song and dance.
• Signs are in both Gaelic and English. Gaelic is learned in school and tests are given in Gaelic.
• There is no definitive yes or no in the Irish language.
• Getting to know the Irish is like finding a friend for life.
• The Irish love any excuse for a party and the country is legendary for its craic (good fun). Festivals and fairs are a massive part of Irish cultural life.
• In the Republic of Ireland 95% of the people are Catholic.
• Divorce was not legal until 1995.
• Birth control was not allowed until the 1980s.
• Celtic designs represent eternity and leave a story telling legacy.
• The faster an Irishman talks, the heavier the bough and the harder to understand.
• Fish and chips are a common menu item.
• 99 ice cream is popular everywhere.
• The thousands of sheep are marked with the owner’s colored grease mark.
• Counties all have colors and display such flags everywhere for all kinds of events.
• No bother is a common expression.
• A well known Irish comedian says, “That’s a good one. Write it down.”
• Shay la la means another story.

Drinking

• Poteen is moonshine made from peat.
• Irish whiskey with cloves, sugar, lemon and hot water is called hot powers.
• Ireland is as famous for its castles as it is for the national drink, Guinness.
• Water of life is Irish whisky.
• Downing a pint is equivalent to ingesting the most complete vegetarian meal in the world.
• Women imbibe a half-pint, not a full pint---that is left to the men.

BELIGUIN and DUTCH CUISINE

BELGIUN CUISNE

Belgium is famous for its brewing tradition and there are 4000 brands produced within the country. Several brews are still brewed by Trappist monks.

Poffertjes are small fried balls of dough dusted with sugar.

Asparagus, fresh seafood, especially tiny shrimp (crevettes), red cabbage prepared with apple, and frites-twice fried French fries are also popular.

Beef braised in beer, mussels, and the Belgian national dish of (jambon d’ Ardenne) smoked ham from Ardennes are easily found.

Gouda and Edam are popular cheeses. Herring is often served with raw onions 


and makes a treat    when served on rhy bread or a bolletje (soft roll)

      

Hearty pea soup (erwtensoep) simmered with pork, sausage or bacon


 is a stable diet food. A stew made   with potatoes, carrots and onions is 


called hutsepot and is also popular.

A stooperwafle is a waffle made from two thin layers of baked batter with 


a caramel-like syrup     filling   in the middle. They were first made


 in Gouda, Netherlands. Traditionally they are placed on top of a cup of 


hot coffee or tea to soften the middle and then eaten. Yummy!

Popular with tourists is the Indonesian Rijsttafel.

This Dutch Colonial feast was created to provide a festive and official type of banquet that would represent the multi-ethnic nature of the Indonesian archipelago. It was brought back to the Netherlands by former colonials and exiled Indonesians in 1945 after Indonesia gained its independence. Often containing up to 40 different dishes with rice cooked several different ways, it could be described as a huge Chinese buffet.

DUTCH CUSINE

Gaufres are waffles topped with sugar, fruit and/or whipped cream.

You’ll find pancakes with sweet fillings, mashed potatoes with carrots or sauerkraut, beef and onion stew and wonderful hearty breads.

Deep fried croquettes are served with mustard.

Broodjes are sandwiches or rolls filled with a variety of fillings.

Popular with tourists is the Indonesian Rijsttafel.

This Dutch Colonial feast was created to provide a festive and official type of banquet that would represent the multi-ethnic nature of the Indonesian archipelago. It was brought back to the Netherlands by former colonials and exiled Indonesians in 1945 after Indonesia gained its independence. Often containing up to 40 different dishes with rice cooked several different ways, it could be described as a huge Chinese buffet.

MORE FOODS---#3

                                           More GreatFoods

Cornish Pastry

Years ago tin miners took their lunch down into the mines. Their wives created a pie with a very thick crust. The miners could eat the inside of the pie while holding the thick crust with their dirty contaminated hands. When they were finished the crust was discarded. Today the crust has been replaced with a flaky pastry. My filling was a ground lamb mixture about the consistency of mush. It was different but very good, and if I had not known it was a lamb filling I never would have guessed it.

Peppakahor

Peppakahor is a thin ginger and almond Swedish cookie. The fluted round cookies are used to make the equivalent of gingerbread houses at Christmas time. These yummy cookies taste a lot like a ginger cookie.

Mongolian Hot Pot

A Mongolian hot pot dinner, hot meaning heat hot, not spicy hot, was an interesting experience. A pot of boiling water over a burner was at each place setting. The lazy susan was loaded with all kinds of veggies, and meat. A large array of condiments to make one’s own sauce was on another table. It was a different kind of meal and one could individualize her meal however she liked. A fun meal in China.

Pavlova

Pavlova, the desert named after the famous dancer, has been a rival between Australia and New Zealand for years. I tasted my first Pavlova at a museum café on my first trip down under. The baked meringue pie shell is filled with whipped cream (the real stuff) and topped with thin slices of kiwi. It is yummy.

Good but Different Pizza

The pizza we had in Vienna and throughout the Balkans was good, but different. The paper-thin crust was brushed with olive oil, then toppings added. It is common to share a pizza, so it always came with half on each of two plates. No other cuttings are made, unless requested. The very thin dough really requires one eating it with a knife and fork. We liked these pizzas and ate many of them.

Chop Sticks

The first day in China our guide gave us a lesson on how to hold and use chop sticks. I had always had a bit of a problem with them in the past. But I conquered the technique and ate every single meal with chop sticks---no silverware!

In every restaurant in China we ate at large round tables seating 8-10 people. In the center of the table was a large lazy susan. Serving dishes were placed on it and we helped ourselves to the foods we wanted. We were given saucer-size plates, but the Chinese eat directly from the main bowl. The food was always good. Dessert is nearly always fruit.

The Best Strudel

I’ve mentioned this before but it is such a wonderful memory I shall repeat it. My German bicycle guide detoured us mid-afternoon one day to Eizendorf to a family B & B where we enjoyed a wonderful apple strudel. It was hot out of the oven, and served with or without schlag (real whipped cream), whatever your choice.

Apple strudel is popular in this part of the world, and over the years I’ve eaten a lot of it, but none has ever been as good as that wonderful Eizendorf strudel!

MORE FOODS

                                                    More Experiences

Lentil Soup

Every noon for fifteen days I consumed lentil soup for lunch. Why? While traveling in Scotland, we found ourselves each day in a castle, fort or museum at noontime.

Suddenly I’d look at my watch and tell my traveling buddy, “We only have fifteen minutes left.”

We’d then hurry to the ever-present café. Lentil soup was always ready, hot, and quick to serve. More than once I added an ice cube to my steaming soup to quickly cool it to eating temperature. The lentil soup and a crusty roll hit the spot.

The soup varied a bit, but was always tasty and good. We enjoyed the quick service, and always joined the others on time.

Yak Burger and Milk

In Tibet I ate a yak burger at the hotel and found it quite tasty, very similar to a beefburger. I ate a yak steak at a local restaurant, complete with entertainment. It was a fun-filled evening and I was even kissed by a yak. The yak milk was good although quite different. Sweet, it was drunk warm.

Borsch

Borsch is a traditional Russian soup. The main ingredients are beets and cabbage. Borsch can be pink to deep red depending on the amount of beets used. It can be thin or thick like a stew. Other available vegetable chunks and or sausage may be added. I had the best borsch in Kiev, Ukraine, and the worst at the Moscow hotel. I like borsch and enjoyed very good ones in between those two.

Bugs anyone?

In Oaxaca, Mexico, people eat chapulines, fried grasshoppers, like we eat candy. There often was a small bowl of them on the restaurant table. There were huge baskets full of chapulines in all the local markets.

Most natives pull off the legs before popping the crisp critters in their mouth. I was game to try them, but they are not a favorite treat.

I brought home a commercially sealed jar of them that could pass through airport agriculture. It was fun watching people’s reactions as I shared them.

Porridge

Porridge (oatmeal) is always included in a Scottish breakfast. The country is well known for its good oats. Porridge is never lumpy, is served piping hot and never with sugar, but a bit of milk is permissible.

Tortes

Tortes are a common dessert, and perhaps the most famous one is Vienna’s Sacher Torte. The multi layered chocolate cake with apricot filling between each layer is a long time specialty of the Sacher Hotel. When in Vienna one must put this treat on their agenda.

Hokey Pokey

We were told that New Zealand’s favorite i.e. national ice cream is hokey pokey. Of course this ice creamaholic had to try it. We might call it butter pecan or butter crunch. It was good.

FOOD FROM FAR AWAY PLACES

                             A Beginning---More to Follow

Pizza is not Italian and French Toast did not originate in France, both are strictly American innovations. As I traveled around the world I ate many different foods that are unique to the locale. Some I liked so well I have incorporated them into my diet, some I enjoyed, but left behind for various reasons.

     Danish pastry does come from Denmark. The light airy pastry is scrumptious. But a Danish smorrebrod is very different than an American smorgasbord, the equivalent of a buffet. A smorrebrod is an open face sandwich with any combination of thinly sliced items one desires. They are made to order, usually in a bakery or special shop. The only limitation is one’s imagination.

     Strudel is German/Austrian and I still talk about the fabulous apple strudel I had in Eizendorf, Austria. Served with or without schlag (real whipped cream), it was warm, right out of the oven and melted in my mouth. These people are proud of their apfelstrudel and on another trip I was served it many times, sometimes it was fair, other times good, but none compared to the strudel I ate in Eisendorf.

    It is said the croissant represents the Turkish half moon and was left behind in Vienna, along with coffee beans, after a failed Turkish invasion.

Cumera, a sweet potato, paler in color and less flavorful than our yam, is a diet staple of New Zealand.

     In Costa Rica the typical Tico main meal consists of rice, black beans, shredded raw cabbage and tomato salad. Meat, egg or plantains may be added.

      In the Cook Islands local delicacies include octopus, and ika mata, which is raw fish marinated in lime juice then combined with coconut milk and other ingredients—often vegetables and/or salad greens. Motu roni, the innards of the sea cucumber, resembles spaghetti and is cooked with butter, garlic, and other spices. In that part of the world sea cucumbers are called sea slugs. The slugs grow about a foot long and are plentiful in the lagoons near the reef. After extracting the insides the slug is thrown back in the water where it regenerates its loses and in 6-8 weeks is ready again for such punishment.

      In many parts of the world children grow up on Vegemite. Much of it is made Down Under from the dregs of the sugar process. Children love it, but it does not please my palate in the slightest.

      In Holland it is common to spread Nutella, a spreadable chocolate on toast. This I do like! Now that Kraft is making this product it is common here in the states.

      Poke is a paw paw (papaya) pudding. Mixed with tapioca and coconut cream, it is orange in color, has a funny texture, and a rather bland taste, reminiscent of poi.

      The Earl of Sandwich and I would have been very good friends, as I can make a sandwich out of anything! In many parts of the world sandwiches do not exist, and where they do there is great variety. In France a sandwich meal would consist of a chunk of cheese, a hard roll or French bread and wine. In Italy, no matter what one orders for sandwich ingredients it will be served on a roll or hard bread with absolutely no condiments of any kind. In England I was served a sandwich of grated cheese over buttered bread.

     When traveling, one can almost always find one of our fast food establishments. But what a shame to visit them, as I think part of any trip is to learn about the culture and to try different and new things, including local cuisine. I might not order a food a second time, but I just might, and meanwhile I have enjoyed my trip to the fullest.

     My motto is to eat first and ask questions afterward, as so often our perception of a food colors our attitude and we just might miss out on something great.

Kiev Memories

We had many vodka drinks on this trip. We learned that vodka is often mixed with a fruit 

liqueur. Many of them were very good.

 

I happen to like borsch and I ate a lot of it on this trip, however, the very best was in a Kiev 

cafeteria. It was hearty and superb. The worst was in the Moscow hotel.

\\\

That year the Russian Orthodox Easter corresponded to May 1. Big festivities were planned 

for the breaking of the fast. Walking into the restaurant on the sunny Sunday morning we 

accepted a glass of wine and was greeted with Christos voskrese (Christ is risen). We were 

 

unable to respond in Ukrainian. We were then directed to a nearby table holding decorated 

hard-boiled eggs and paska. Paska is a special decorated bread which is always torn and 

never cut. The breakfast buffet held special Easter fare. A local gal translated much of the 

food for us. What a nice surprise!

 

Later in the morning at the Lavra Monastery there were long lines of people with their 

baskets of food waiting for it to be blessed by the priest.

 

We learned about salo—a pig fat product that is served many ways. It is white in color and 

reminded me of Crisco. Apparently it is popular in this part of the world although it did not 

appeal to me in any form.

TOMATO SALAD---Literally

                                Interpretations are Sometimes Fun

    We were sailing around on Lake Lugano when our hiking guide found us on deck. He wanted to tell us about a grotto restaurant and give us directions to it before he left the next morning.

Lugano, Switzerland’s most southern tourist city, is close to Italy, and most people in the canton (state) speak Italian. The terrain, architecture, and climate are very different from the rest of Switzerland.

      The next morning we rode the local bus to Paradiso, where we transferred to a post bus to the grotto. Little did we know that we were in for a hair-raising ride over a narrow, switch back, hairpin-turn road up, up, and up into the mountains. At the pass, the driver didn’t have more than an inch to spare on either side of the bus!

      The driver alerted us at the proper stop and pointed us toward a cobblestone alley. After walking for some distance, we began to wonder if we were in the right place, but around the next curve, in a garden setting, suddenly the grotto appeared.

     In spite of reassurances the day before that some people spoke English, no one did, no waiters nor clients, plus the menu was in Italian. However, we were able to figure out pizza and salada. I ordered pizza and my friend ordered a tomato salad.

     You can imagine the surprised look on our faces when a large bowl of quartered ripe tomatoes arrived! The only other thing in the bowl was a light dressing. We shared our meals. The tomatoes were delicious and the pizza was good.

     We sat at a stone table, as instructed, but now I can’t remember why that was important. The picturesque restaurant, nestled in the foothill of a mountain, was landscaped with lovely tropical flowers. I always smile when I recall the hair-raising bus ride and that memorable meal.

                     A Drink in Costa Rica

My daughter’s birthday happened to be while we were in Costa Rica. After a busy long day of sightseeing the girls headed for the pool and my daughter and I headed to the bar to meet up with a couple of new friends.

Not being much of a drinker, other than wine, I labored over the drink menu trying to decide what to order. Finally the bartender offered to help me out. Between him and my daughter they recommended the Sex on the Beach. I enjoyed the pleasant tropical fruity rum drink, but I had even more fun at home responding to,” Did you have a good vacation?” with, “Yes, I had Sex on the Beach.”

People’s reactions are so much fun to watch!

INTERESTING DRINKS

               Fun Drinks from Different Places

Iced Tea, not in Europe

      Forget about ordering iced tea in Europe. (There is some possibility you might find a vending machine that that has a bottle of Lipton.) Overseas mentality: Tea should be drunk hot!

       In Linz, Austria after a particularly hard day of biking I was dying for a big glass of iced tea. I went to the hotel bar and bought a cup of tea. Then I asked the bartender for a large container of ice.

     With a strange look, he did oblige me. I took the tea and ice to my room telling the bartender I’d return the cup and container when I came down for dinner. I made the best tasting and refreshing iced tea ever!

When staying on Turneffe Atoll in Belize, I asked the kitchen for a large jar so I could make sun tea. This was a new technique for many. The sun was hot, so it didn’t take long to brew.

Mojitos

    A mojito is a rum fruit drink popular in Cuba. We were served one with nearly every lunch and dinner. Combine the juice of a half lime with one ounce of rum, then fill the glass with lemon-lime soda. Add mint leaves.
   In Cuba a four-prong stirrer is included to release the essence of the mint. Ernest Hemmingway not only enjoyed the drink but made it popular in his literature. Sweet and fruity it goes down easily.

Now mojitos are a popular drink most anywhere.

Origin of the Daiquiri

In 1898, shortly after the Spanish-American War, a mining engineer arrived in Santiago, Cuba to find mine workers apprehensive about drinking the water because of malaria.

He added a bit of rum to boiled water and then topped it off with lime juice and sugar. The concoction was soon duplicated and refined moving to ‘society’ in Havana. The rest as they say is history, but this is where the daiquiri originated.

Vodka

   The Russians take their vodka seriously. We visited a vodka museum where there were 2600 different brands of vodka on display. Vodka is often mixed with a fruit liqueur. In Kiev we learned the five rules for drinking vodka. It should be drunk chilled, but never iced. It is drunk from a small shot glass and with food. A little vodka, a little food prevents a headache. Never mix it with anything bubbly, and avoid bubbly drinks after drinking vodka. Do not switch vodka with another liquor. Finally always drink with friends.

Wine on the Ghan Train

In Australia we bought a bottle of wine in Hahndorf for the overnight ride on the Ghan train to the Outback. The bottle opened easily, but there wasn’t a glass in our stateroom. We stared at the couple of Styrofoam cups on the sink.

Well, these two old Girl Scouts used of what was available. The wine was excellent, but I have to admit, it was the only time I’ve ever drunk wine from a Styrofoam cup!

Wine Bar

At the hotel restaurant at Mt. Cook, New Zealand, I ran into my first and only wine bar. For a nominal flat fee, you could help yourself to the well stocked wine bar as many times as you wanted. The wine bottles were sitting in iced buckets, and you had to pour your own. That was not a problem, and what a bargain!

Mate de Coca

    One day while walking in the neighborhood I ran into a fellow who asked where I was going next. When I told him Peru, he launched into a horror story about a relative who got altitude sickness yada yada yada. What would I do if that happened to me? Flippantly I said, “I’d drink coca tea, like the natives do.”

     You can imagine my surprise when I found plenty of hot coca tea always available in hotel lobbies and on all restaurant menus. Our porters brewed it for us on the trail. I drank a lot of it. I think it tastes like most any herbal tea and was no big deal. However, I did not chew any coca leaves!

Smoky Beer

The city of Bamberg, Germany is known for rauchbier, smokey beer. In 1678, a fire in a brewery sent smoke into the area where the hops and other beer ingredients were stored. Not about to lose a whole years’ harvest, the beer was brewed anyway. It had a distinctive smoky aroma and taste, and as they say the rest is history. I think one either loves it or hates it, but is is different!

Guarapo de Cana

Perhaps sugar cane juice is more easily understood. At the sugar mill in Cuba the gal added a good dose of rum to each glass of the tan colored liquid. Actually it was quite good, maybe it was the run? I expected it to be sticky and very sweet, but it was not.

Scotch

There are so many brands of Scotch in Scotland that one must name his brand when ordering his drink. Just asking for ‘Scotch’ will produce a blank look from the bartender.

Irish coffee

From 1939 to 1945 air travel from America was by flying boats that landed at Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland. After a long 18 hour flight, passengers were chilled from the boat trip from the seaplane to the terminal, often in cold, damp weather. They appreciated a hot cup of coffee or tea. The youthful manager of the Foynes catering service believed that passengers would welcome something stronger. The head Chef at Foynes rose to the occasion, developing, after some research, what is now known as Irish Coffee.

Lakka

Lakka, a cloudberry liquor schnapps, is strictly Finnish. It is a pleasant drink and I liked it.

Brits and their Tea

Although tea is the drink of Britain it is not drunk with or after a meal. Tea time is generally 11AM and 4PM. Tea is also a crisis drink; any time one has a problem it is talked about over tea. Tea drinking is pretty much the center of the family.

Delightful Drink

    When in Regensburg, Germany I kept an eagle eye out for the Café Prinzess. Dating back to 1686, it is the oldest coffeehouse in Germany.

      It was an extremely hot day so we opted to sit outside rather than in the warm room upstairs. Our iced coffee was served with chocolate chip ice cream. It was different, but good, resembling a float.

A pair of older German women seated near us were drinking blond angels, which was orange juice with ice cream floating in it. They looked refreshing. In fact they ordered a second one before continuing on their journey.

MANY SURPRISES

                                 Just a Few of Many

On one’s first visit across the pond it is inevitable that one will be in for some unexpected surprises. That by no means implies that such surprises are bad, just different and unexpected, often simply from lack of experience. The following are some of my experiences.

As I wandered out onto Amsterdam's main street I couldn’t believe all the bicycles. There were thousands of them and they really were more dangerous than any other vehicle because the bikers were quite random about which traffic rules they obeyed. Amsterdam is full of electric trolley cars, some public buses, and canal taxis in addition to all the bicycles. Of course Holland is flat and walking Amsterdam is very easy. A canal cruise gives you a very different perspective of the city. There are 400 bridges in Amsterdam and they are numbered in sequence; the higher the number, the newer the bridge. The bridges are very different in style.

In Germany the subway is called the Ubahn. What a pleasant surprise to find the stations spotless

with no trash, no drunks, and no graffiti!

Frankfort is famous for its apple wine. We gave it a try, but I found it rather bitter and quite dry. Although I did not drink much of the glass a friend and I shared I sure had a terrific headache the next morning!

The gondolas of Venice are strictly for the tourists and it is obvious. Water taxis get one around in Venice, and water boats transport all goods and supplies. There are no cars nor bikes.

St. Mark’s Square (San Marco) is big and a must see. There is much to see; be sure to see the old and unique clock and bell.

Trevi Fountain in Rome is behind the Trevi Palace and where Roman Holiday was filmed and the song Three Coins In A Fountain sung. If you want to make a wish, toss a coin over your shoulder into the fountain. It is certainly worth a visit and there is an excellent restaurant on the square.

There is so much to see in Rome but here’s a bit of trivia: palaces of Dukes have candle holders on the outside of the building at the top of the first floor. Rome has 1040 churches and numerous Roman ruins. St Peter’s with its 27 altars is absolutely a must see!

The Vatican, the smallest country in the world, is just one square mile. The church has the largest and richest art collection in the world. On the Right Bank of the Tiber River, the Vatican has two miles of railroad track and just under 1000 residents. Remember to buy one of their special stamps or pick up a Vatican coin.

The Sistine Chapel was started in 1475, the same year Michelangelo was born. Michelangelo started painting the chapel at age 72 and continued until his death at 89.I so wanted to lie down on the floor to really absorb that gorgeous ceiling---unfortunately it was not allowed.

Do climb the 135 steps of the Spanish Steps, a Rome landmark. Plan on some time to really take in this lovely area and build in some people watching time as you rest on the steps.

The main road around many European cities sit on top of where the ancient city walls once stood.

In Florence, Italy make it a must to visit the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David. Michelangelo was 26 years old when he started David and it took him two years to complete. He never made a pre-sculpture as he could ‘feel’ his statue in the marble, and he always did all his own work. In his day it was common for an artist to create a work and then anonymous craftsmen would do the actual carving.

     The Duomo (St. Mary’s of the Flowers) church was started in 1296, taking 148 years to complete. It is the third largest church in the world, and should be on your list to visit.

    The Baptistery, famous for its bronze doors done in the 1400s by Andrea Pisano and Ghiberti is also a must-see. Plus there is much more to see and visit.

No matter how many times one visits Europe, if one gets out and about he’ll find pleasant surprises.

It is good to remember that one cannot do it all in one trip, no matter where you go, if the area is of any size or has much history. Personally I’d rather do it more in depth than to run around a city on a bus and say I’ve seen it all----but to each his own & for some the latter may be important.

BELGUIM TRIVIA

• Cannot tip on credit card, must leave tip in cash.

• Do not beckon anyone with index finger, use whole hand.
• Seat self in restaurant, there is no one to seat you.
• A polder is reclaimed land.
• Flat towers are almost exclusively seen on polders.
• All cities/villages have a Grote Markt (big square) and bell towers.
• Bell towers have a clock on all four sides.
• French fries come with all meals.
• French fries are a popular vendor item and are served with mayonnaise.
• Cities are clean. Some graffiti only in large cities: Rotterdam, Amsterdam
• Few smokers on streets
• Chocolatiers and their shops are on every street corner.
• Belgium white asparagus is available 2 months of year.
• Scarves are very popular with both men and women.
• Few cell phone users on street.
• In Bruges there are 7 horse families who own the 13 carriages; there are 5 canal boat families.
• Lots of river traffic.
• Gorgeous handmade lace available.
• Think cobblestones, little paving.
• Cyclists have right of way and do not hesitate to run you down.
• Traffic is fast.
• Good roads are narrow and smooth and cars are small.
• Flemish architecture.
• No billboards!
• 4000 local beers.
• Wild flowers were in bloom.
• Windmill blades turn counterclockwise.
• Only the top of a windmill moves, not the whole tower.
• Outside of really large cities, no fast food.
• Waffles are sold by street vendors and are often sugared. Fruit toppings are popular.
• Dutch auctions start high and go down, opposite of most auctions.
• Small villages have hand-operated draw bridges.
• Dutch people are friendly
• Cities are centuries OLD.
• Tulip season is spectacular!