Baking Frenzy

So over the last year as a Au Pair it almost looks like I have been baking myself into a new dress size. (Sadly one bigger than I already was). However the girl of the 2 children I take care of loves to bake so we have been baking a lot over the year including last summer when we made over 50 cookies for the kids to take to family in Finland. I have enjoyed it to as I used to bake a lot when i was around 12 to about 15 and then just never had the time again. Mainly we bake variations on English Fairy cakes and American cookies here are some photos from the past year.

Our first attempt at piping and making carrot cakes. The kids liked the cake but weren't so found of the cream cheese topping. Also we tried piping using a plastic food bag lol.

 

So these we have made a few times when the strawberries are is season and they are my Host Mums fav. Basically its just a fairy cake with strawberry jam inside and butter cream topped with a strawberry. We found the proper piping bag and this was our first time piping them correctly. We made them for our host mums Birthday and I think we made a really good job. Jeanine (The girl I am the Au Pair for) Has gotten the hang of piping a lot quicker than I have.









Ok so you will have to forgive the poor quality of this photo I took it late at night with my cam. These cakes were a little experimental and we made them last week with a chocolate fairy cake sponge filled with specspeculoos spread and topped with butter cream. I really love the piping on these ones and the one in the photo is actually one that Jeanine did. (However I think they were a bit sickly)

Well that's all the pics I could find a memory card of my camera broke a couple months back and that's perhaps were all the cookies photos were not to worrie we will be making cookies this Friday. 

Gentse Feesten

Okies So this post is the dedicated to the Gentse Feesten.

What is the Gentse Feesten you may ask. Well Basically to explain it in the simplest way possible it runs in July around the 14th and is a 10 day long street party and festival.  Literally there is something for everyone. Day time they are a host of children's actives from bouncy castles face painting street performers themed boat rides and Craft Activities. Also running from day well into the night and early hours is a host of other actives that include parades street performers theatre and comedy acts as well as stages out side and around Gent housing many consorts from the famous Poli Poli  there is also tents were you can try out Salsa and shopping markets.

Not everything at the Gentse Feesten is free however there is a lot of free activities as well as prices to suit all pockets. I however this year didn't have much money or time so I spend one evening out this year it was Friday 20th of July. I must the the atmosphere was amazing. The weather wasn't the hottest but at lest it was dry. Everyone was really friendly and relaxed. It was indeed a welcome and pleasant change from the sites I am used to in UK were usually alcohol  usually leads to fighting not this laid back attitude that I witnessed. It made me feel safe and therefor I was able to enjoy myself more.

I started off my Gentse Feesten  experience in one of the Irish bars and from there first had a walk around taking in all the sites and seeing what was down all the different streets as well as grabbing one of my fave waffles and ice cream. From the Australian Waffle stand Yum

We also ran into the odd street performer.

Given that we started to wonder around between 8 and 9 pm all the children's activies were well finished however there was still a largish fair or Kermis around the Vrijdagmarkt. Over my year here I have come to earn the the fair / carnival is a big part of Flemish culture and they have at lest 2 large ones a year. Usually one in summer and one around the fall.

After walking around and getting the tour from my friend we ended up at the reminded of hour night at Poli Poli. The history of Pole Pole is it used to be a music stage for the younger adults and teens that was on the water. However due to safety issues now the stage is at one side of the water. More info is on there website http://www.polepole.be/festivals/pole-pole-gent/. Given one of our fave Irish bars were also we waited at the gates for a hour until we realised everyone was just walking around the side and thus we eventually did so to and then we partied out. Was one of the best night club nights I had had since being a fresher at university.



Now hats off to the police and security at Pole Pole. There was sadly some pushing at the fence at the closed the entrance for a hour or 2 due to it being to full and the police acted very quickly avoiding any real trouble.

Problems with Pole Pole the drinks were expensive but apparently its how they pay for such an amazing event I paid about 8 euro for a cocktail but it was strong. Also I did get caught out with getting a train home to. We stayed out until 6 were the trams started back up however there wasn't a train back to were I live until 8 am. Apparently they do put on more trains for the Gentse Feesten but Saturday morning also was apparently a national holiday so this was perhaps the reason for later trains. But i decided it would be a good idea to walk home from De Pinte Station lol. Yeah the walk is wayyyyyy longer than i thought. But i didn't find someone with a mini sculpture of the Brussels Atom on in there garden.

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25/6/ Zumba and Pauls

So last Thursday I finally took my first Zumba lesson in Belgium. Taken over a year but I finally did it yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
I did enjoy it. However it was hard after not really doing it in so long and a figured that these people were more advanced than when i started or it sure felt like it. I thought the teacher was nice and she showed the moves before each dance and then put them together as the music went on. However I am not sure I will be attending another Zumba lesson. The problem is that they only seem to have Zumba lessons in Gyms and therefore you have to pay for a gym membership and they are sooo pricey. I wish they did them in community centres etc and you just payed a few euro's each session.

Well this weekend I went to visit Alice and after a hour of driving around in circles I finally arrived with some tasty treats from Pauls bakery.

So the white things with the red balls on top that now look like boobies to me lol. These were white chocate moose's with a jam filling. So good but maybe a little sickly. The other things are a koffekoeken. Basically a coffee pastry called a mirror. (Apparently). I got these because we have a soft stop for the puddingy stuff in the middle. Basically its cold custard lol. Although I have to say I think the choco moose was my fave lol. I must say I love this bakers and will likely try and work my way through the menu in the coming months.

Another thing I did this weekend is try a second Sushi place in Gent called Tyoko Sushi. I didn't take no pictures sadly. So really I have very little to say about it it was a pretty good price cost us 20 euros each and we will def be back there. (Then I can remember to take pictures lol hopefully )

Over A Year In Belgium

Yep that right I have officially made it over a year here. Other fab news is that me and Kevin are Getting our own apartment. So a figured as we are more than a year in should up date with a long post and hopefully now that I am out and about more around Gent I can post more often.

Needless to say this year I have not done as much exploring as I might of hoped. Indeed overall I could be considered boring.

Restaurants.

I have tried out a few Restaurants and will talk about them all in turn.

1. Fondue husje in Gent (I think that spelling is correct. Also not to be confuse with fondue huis near vrijdag market). This was a pretty good place and for 2 of us with soft drinks and desert cost us around 70 euro s. We got plenty of salad and fries and a plate of meat to dip in the fondue. Meat was really yummy and came with different sauces. However desert I found was a let down. They was fruit and as chocolate fondue however it was dark chocolate and very bitter.

2. Pampas. In Gent. This is by far my favourite place to stuff my face currently. Basically the idea is you pay around 30euros excluding drinks and dessert and you start with some garlic bread and tapas and then its all you can eat salad fries (or jacket potatoe) and then fresh BBQed meat and fish. So far I have been here twice once for my birthday and once with Kevin and some friends. Needless to say I have been so stuffed I have never got to try to a desert.
Anyway to the right is a pic from pampas. The man is cutting off peices of pineapple. The severs are coming around all the time to slice you off pieces of the different foods on the menu  from pork lamb beef sausage pineapple prawns white fish and so on. All this yummy marinades on.  I must admit its some of the best lamb I have ever had. If my little sister comes to visit I will def be taking her here.

3. Ocean Sushi in Gent  Ok so I have always wanted to try good sushi. I am not a huge fan of seafood but sushi is one of those things sometimes I've eaten it and kinda liked it but everyone said it was because it was cheap and low quality. So in feb me and Kevin tried this place in celebration of 2 years together. I must admit I am now a fan of Sushi, On the Right is my meal. As I was unsure I would like the saw seafood I took a veggie option and the rolls were filled with cue cumber and avocado and the other pieces had egg omletts on and avocado. It doesn't look like much but was very filling.
Anyway the photo below is Kevin with his sushi choices and yes I also stole a taste of some of his rolls with the tuna and salmon in which were pretty tasty.

Kevin said that he enjoyed the cones the best but he liked all of it. The fish was really fresh and good quality to.  Sadly I don't remember how much it cost but they do have full menus on-line as well as having a place in Antwerp.

4. Peking Garden  in Halle. I have tried a few takeaways for Chinese food in Belgium however I like this the best. I have found that Chinese food on a whole here doesn't have much of sticky sauces like we do in UK and that I miss. However this place do the best Lumpias or spring rolls. The place is reasonably prices costing around 50 euros for 2 starts mains with rice and a bottle of water. Also the surroundings are lovely and the staff very pleasant and friendly.

Well that's it basically on the food front apart from that I have done little else expect from trips to Starbucks, bars and the pictures. Lately however I have met a few people at ex pat meets and a new friend named Alice. We get on really well and have spent a lot of time around het spiker and the Irsh bars in Gent. These seem to my new watering holes. Anyway love to all and until next time and hopefully that wont be to long. 

Ok so yet again I have manged to Neglect this a bit however I have been pretty busy so I am sure I can be forgiven.

Firstly I have no moved from Saint Geneious Rode to Gent. I have been here since 1st of June and I must say I like it a lot more then Saint Geneious Rode. Currently were I am is a place called Nazareth. Mostly it is a very quiet area however there is plently of things near by around no more than a 20 minuate drive and I can also get to most areas by bike to. The house I am in its also very cool. I have my own room and bathroom. I also get on with the family really well . Also the children can understand me a lot better with them being older despite there limited English and my limited Dutch skills. However hopefully I will be taking a course and I have 3 weeks to brush up my skills whilest they are on holiday. A few days ago me and Kevin took a trip to Denze park. We looked at the animals and had a nice picknick

The picture in the top corner is Kevin and a owl and the one above is me and a horse

Me feeding a goat

Pretty Peacock

Cutie baby goat

Also I graduated from University. It was so werid I walked up on the stage for my paper and I couldnt hear any cheering it was like I was in my own little bubble. Also one of my best friends got me a limo there to make my day all that bit more amazing. Some photos below.

In the Limo

The get up lol

Cocktails afterwards

After a week in England traveled back to Belguim the boat ride on the way back was way nicer then the one the way there. The room was much more ventalted and the sea nice and cailm. Crazy boat photos some from before and after

This is indeed the biggest tube of malteezers ever

Once I got back I spent a fez days with the family before visting a friend in the Netherlands. We hung out and then went to eat and went to a nice park. Also took pictures.

Hanging out in the park tis all pretty

Playing game of life I totaly won lol game masterrrrrr

In the rest yummie bread with garlic butter and some Belguim Mayo that is indeed very thick

The fallowing Monday I went to catch the last day of the Gentse Feesten. Sadly not a lot was happening just a few stalls and I had some really lush fries and I had a nice walk around some of the streets here in Gent.

Fries I am starting to get obessed witht this lol

Kevin at the bridge lush view with yes fries lol

Couple of pictures taken from another small bridge. It had some really obsure at work on the walls but those pictures didnt turn out so maybe next time

Well thats all for now tomorrow is a big day of frists for me so looking forwood to it.

Super Cool Thunder Storm

So its now 23.20 and I have just experinced one of the coolest thunder storms I have in a long time and despite my camra being kinda shitty I got a few cool shots and figured I would share them

The rain comming down from the window

Shot of the bolts

The whole sky lit up it looks like day time

Final Few Days Untill I Move On.

So I am down to my final few days of being in Sint-Genesius-Rode and then I move on to Gent. Well just outside of Gent.

I am very excited to be moving but overall it has been a interesting month. Lots of things to get used to. Also I cant wait to start learning dutch properly. I think its harder to even pick it up here due to the mixture of both French and Dutch (Flemmish) and I get often confused.

I took a picture from outside of my window so you guys can see the lush weather. Around mid day my car said it was 38 dagrees eeek.

Thats the house from one of my windows and then you can see my tiny spot of a car to lol. On that note Car insurance in Belgium is one big fat joke. Almost 900 euros for 3rd party. That is if I crash thats there car covered. Not even fire and theft. Its crazy. I don't get how everything is so expensive in this country (well apart from alcohol) That seems to a be a bit cheaper lol. (The phrase being raped with my cloths on come to mind sometimes).

Also I have quite gotten into the spirit of bike riding over here. However I keep getting a sore bum lol. I think i need to get used to being on a bike more. I am also very excited about the possibility of getting a visit from my friend in September I shall have to start scouting for things for us to do here. I know she already wants to go for waffles and ice cream. So frist thing on the list is finding a good waffle house lol.