Bet you were wondering.......

If I'd ever talk about ood!  Well,  in it's your lucky day.   When we first got here and were getting over jet lag in Britanny, a grocery store roast chicken took care of us for a couple of days.  didn't eat out, as it just wasn't right getting over the time difference............would have been a waste.  In Brugge, our host reccomended some incredible restaraunts, we ate at one for Betty's 89th, and had an incredible meal, based on seafood.  Lobster, shrimp, mussels, etc.  A bit pricy but worth the splurge---the waiter made a big deal out of it and the sparkler on her desert could have caught the restaraunt on fire if not aimed well.

We did takeout the next night....coquille st. jauque from the golden carp restaraunt.  One side is the most expensive seafood place in the world...........the other side sells the same things for takeout at bargain prices.  Great dinner in a large scallop shell.  Went to the ocean and had mussels, which is what you must do in Belgium.  Donna had Flemish stew---which was remarkable.  It must be the beer that they cook the meat in, which adds a layer of flavor that I've never had before.  Amazing.

Amsterdam is known for pot and not one to cook in.......the food there isn't anything to write home about.  the only thing that either I or Donna can remember is "bitterball"  or as Donna calls it deep fried gravy".   It was amazing and something I will try to replicate when we get back.  if I can come close to what we had i will be very happy. 

Now were in the Alsace...................................FOOD MOVES UP A COUPLE OF NOTCHES!  Cooked some chicken for dinner one night.   The chicken is so different than anything we get in the states.  Fresh and hormone free range is the norm here.  With a mushroom onion cream sauce, on top of some spatzle, it was a home run.  Today we ate at a restaraunt called Au Trotthus in Riquewhir.  It was the top reccomended restaraunt in the town.  Met by the owner at the door, we had the most amazing Alsatian lunch.................Mushroom soup,  Quiche Lorraine, (of course), two types of typical sausages and ham, with sauerkraut----which I didn't know you can make that well, salad, desert (" big warm chocolate") and a cheese plate with fruit and nuts.  Donna will post the picture on her facebook-------------it is amazing!

Betty is keeping up.  yesterday she stayed at the Gite were in with Julia for the day.  She was going to wash her hair, but forgot about it......................The good thing is that where we're staying is like a compound...... a couple of acres, with a pool and fields in the back of it.  We felt OK leaving her here as there was no way she could get out.  JUlia knows "how to go home" so it worked out OK.  It was the first day in two weeks that Donna and I were together alone, and we needed it.  Hoping we get some help when we get back, but not planning on it.

Julia ahs made great friends with the seven sheep next to the property.  They're friendly as anything to us and Julia thinks they're her "sheep buddies".   I was upstairs in the house when Donna, down on the covered patio called up and asked me for her leash (Julia's-----not Donna's)  threw it down to her and she hooked up the dog.  Apparently Julia is related to sheepdogs.........................she climbed through the fence into the sheeps compound when they were at pasture in the field, and herded them into the pen.  (To be honest------I'd have been a proud dad to witness that)  but she got in trouble with Donna, who reprimanded her and put her on a leash.  Donna has pics of that also.

Tomorrow we take off for the south, planning on staying in the Swiss alps, between the Eiger and the Matterhorn for the night.  Weather looks to be a bit rainy there----but to date, while Seattle set a record for September rainfall-------------------AFTER WE LEFT------------we've had perfect weather here.  Been in the high sixties to low seventies the whole time, and today was the first day of sprinkles we had for about a half hour.

See you in Italy!  CIAO!