PAG BUMUBUKAS ANG MGA MALALAKING TULAY SA NETHERLANDS!

Greece Vacation 2018: Hello, Greece!

My son has a week school vacation, in the Netherlands, it is Herfst vakantie or autumn vacation. We took the chance to go for a while, this time our family went in Greece.

From Amsterdam, it is only two and a half hour flight to the old town of Corfu. The airplane landed in Ionnis Kapodistrias International Airport, in Corfu at Kerkyra, the sixth busiest airport in Greece, on a cold Sunday morning. There is a van that waits for us, that will take us to the office of Car Union, where we will get the car that my husband rented for us to use, to keep us mobile while in Greece. From Corfu, we have the White Fiat, and we happily traveled to Kavos. In Kavos, we have our accommodation, in Mediterranean Blue.  

Just arrived, but the road and the view going to Kavos is already a welcoming treat. On a narrow old road, winding and fronting the Mediterranean blue sea, I feel happy that my husband took us there. We passed by a thick forest, a mountain of olives, going up, going down, then a look like "an abandoned old town", then Kavos. Kavos is at the municipality of Lefkimmi, a seaside village that is now booming with tourists from all over Europe. Because we arrived when summer is already gone, most restaurants, shops, hotels, and apartments are closed. Kavos after summer look like a ghost town. 

We arrived in Mediterranean Blue before lunch time. The place is exactly what it appears on the Internet. The swimming pool holds its title: Mediterranean Blue. They offer accommodation with private balconies, ours has two rooms, kitchen, and a big bed that is enough for us three in one room and another two separate beds at the other room. On our first night, we are just in time to experience the Mediterranean Blue's Greek Night with buffet barbecue dinner. As I am writing this, I think I want to share my own feelings why you have to visit Greece even just once in your lifetime:

1. The food 

2. The view 

3. The history 

4. The people

5. Because Greece is something. Greece is special. Greece is unique.

Please read more my next, next blog! More vacation and travel stories in Greece.

A Day in Bornem, Belgium

The city hall of Bornem

Bornem (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbɔrnɛm], old spelling: Bornhem) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Bornem proper, Hingene, Wintam, Mariekerke and Weert. There are also the hamlets of Branst, Buitenland, Eikevliet and Wintam. On 1 January 2006, Bornem had a total population of 20,064. The total area is 45.76 km² which gives a population density of 438 inhabitants per km². -Wikipedia

Bornem

A beautiful trip for me and for my son

train transfer in Breda, Netherlands

I visited Bornem with my son. There was an English Regional Convention that was held in Bornem and we traveled by train to get there. We have five train transfer to reach Bornem. The journey was not that comfortable with a toddler, but it was fun. When we reached Mechelen in Belgium, we need go transfer again to the last train going to Bornem. You can imagine us, me, my son, and our buggy. There is no elevator at the train station in Mechelen, and the platform is at the top of the old station building. I am glad there is someone who assisted me.

me and my son at the convention

Like a heaven-sent to us, our guide to the assembly hall

The train station in Puurs, Belgium. Next stop is Bornem

We reached Bornem safe. From the train station we walked about 15 minutes to our assembly hall. It was like someone was a heaven-sent to guide us so we will not get lost. Bornem is a small and old town. I was fascinated by corn fields. Me and my son enjoyed our trip to Bornem. Hoping to be back there for more of sight seeing.

The Educational Archeological Heritage Broekpolder

The house at my back is the house from the so-called Vlaardingen Culture (approx. 3,000 BC) a reedwood construction from the New Stone Age or "neolithic". At the far, is my son, curious with the old canoe.

An inviting view.

At the request of the Federation Broekpolder Foundation, which aims to strengthen the culture and nature of the Broekpolder, ADC Heritage established a Program of Requirements for the establishment of an Educational Archaeological Heritage. The goal is to revive the rich archaeological past of Vlaardingen and its surroundings in a low-threshold way for educational purposes. This is achieved by building a number of buildings from prehistory, Roman times, Middle Ages and early modern times in a landscape belonging to the specific building periods. The Educational Archaeological Heritage has a green and playful. In the past, it was used with natural building materials that came from the immediate area. Each period of time has its own landscape type, which will give the natural values ​​in the Broekpolder a further boost. The Educational Archaeological Heritage, part of the "Integraal Inrichtingplan Broekpolder", is being realized in cooperation with the University of Leiden and the municipality of Vlaardingen. I have made some photos when we visited this afternoon the Educational Archeological Heritage in Broekpolder. Again, I have seen how rich this old city where I live both in history in culture. It amaze me how the remnants from the past era were keep safe and preserved. Please enjoy again the photos that I have made.

Exploring Rotterdam

at Rotterdam Central

It was Monday. It was a great time with my son. Just walking around the city with all its diverse culture and nationalities. Just walking, not thinking of anything, not busy in making photos, yet I am glad that I have made this one for my blog. Me and my son just walk and I feel too the enjoyment just letting my son mesmerize with everything he see. We always go in Rotterdam with my husband in our car. It was my first time to took my son alone to this big city. We went by the bus, we went back home by the tram, and my son was so happy for the experience. We were already sitting at Poh Vietnamese Restaurant to eat but then I changed my mind. I do not like to eat there just like that... Without my beloved husband. We took the tram just infront of the restaurant, and we headed home. My son was questioning me why we left the restaurant without eating, I just told him: mama loves the coffee at home. 

Lijnbaan And Touwbaan In Vlaardingen, Survived The Test Of Time

The photos I am sharing today are photos I made in Lijnbaan and Touwbaan. These old structures rouse interest to those who are visiting our old city. These structures were dated back in 1611. The building of Touwbaan started  April 23, 1611. Yes, that old! These buildings were used as an ancient factory. From 1611 onwards, the ownership was passed from one to another. These buildings survived wars, survived the test of time. Nowadays, it became one of the attractions in our city. There is a sports school nearby, there is a quaint cafe-restaurant in between the other old buildings. During summer, there are tables and chairs scattered outside of the cafe, a cosy and relaxing place to sit, have a drink, and soak in the sun. As I am writing this, I realized that there are beautiful spots just within our reach. All we need is to unravel it. 

Winter Is Here!

After a month holiday in the Philippines and enjoyed the tropical climate, it is just on time to be back in the Netherlands to experience once again the winter. The temperature dropped to -3 and last night, snow started to fall. The ground looks like covered in a white blanket, the leaves catching the snow flakes, and people are either to go outside to enjoy this once a year season or just tuck theirselves warm at their home. I made some photos this morning of the scenic winter in our town. Please feel free to view them. My blog readers scattered around the world, and I am also thinking if the country where you live has also winter. I know some people who are dreaming to experience winter and to touch or catch a snow. For me, it is like a scene in a book. It always a fascination to me watching the snow falls like a soft cotton.

It is super delicious! The Hungarian Beef Goulash

You represent yourself in what you present in your plate. -Maggy

I have read about Goulash at Awake magazine many years ago. I was in the supermarket here now in the Netherlands when I saw a box of goulash mix. I read the ingredients and the procedure and since then I already cooked goulash for my family a number of times.
Goulash can be a soup or a stew of meat and vegetables, seasoned with paprika and spices. Thanks to this goulash mix that I found in the supermarket, it makes my goulash cooking easy. The origin of goulash is Hungary, a medieval land. Goulash is also popular in mostly all parts of Europe and Scandinavian region.
Since it is already weekend, it is nice to cook something healthy and homey for our family. I would like to share with you my goulash recipe. You will find it very easy and healthy.

prei

red and yellow paprika 

beef stew with onion in the making

a sight of a healthy and colorful appetite :)

Ingredients:
500 grams beef
2 stalks prei
1 pc paprika
1 pc medium onion
Oil
250 ml water and a 500 ml (you will use them separately
Goulash mix ( they are available in many leading supermarket)


How:
Heat the pot or a pan with oil.
Sauteed the onion, then add the beef. Cooked until the beef meat turned brown. Add the prei, paprika, and the 250 ml water. Cover the pot and let it boil. Once boiling, turn the stove to low heat and simmer for one hour.
After one hour, add the goulash mix and 500 ml water. Mix well and let it cook for another 15 minutes. Goulash is good with rice.


I hope you will like goulash as much as I do! Have a nice weekend!