Blog @ Work

Wine, cocktails and plants

SIXTH day of backpacking across Europe with "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS"  [13+]

The hotel in Montpellier, France is as common as you ever find accommodation, but it is fine with me. Breakfast is not being served though so I go outside for that famous petit pain avec marmalade et le café sans lait. My French is somewhat rusty.

Today it’s the district of Antigone. I go there by tram. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrSjs9jhljU

My first impression is that it’s HUGE!, big lanes, big architecture by Spanish architect, Ricardo Bofill. It’s impressive. I learn that this architect is famous in several countries, including my own, my own city even. He is responsible for a part of The Hague where I used to live. I am surprised. I never knew that.

After two hours strolling I go back to the historic part of Montpellier. North of place Royale du Peyrou is one of Montpellier’s hidden gems, the Jardins des Plantes – the oldest botanical garden in France. Along its shady paths you’ll find more than 2500 species, including nine varieties of palm, 250 medicinal plants and an arboretum of rare trees, as well as a glorious greenhouse dating from 1860.

I love botanical gardens. So I take a lot of photo’s: https://www.google.com/search?q=jardins+des+plantes+montpellier&client=firefox-b...

After that it’s wine sampling, which is always fun. A little tipsy I meet everybody at dinner with empanadas. An empanada (Spanish pronunciation: [empaˈnaða] is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Romance-speaking Europe, Latin America, the United States, and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the Galician, Portuguese, and Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.

Empanadas are made by folding dough or bread with stuffing consisting of a variety of meat, cheese, huitlacoche, vegetables, fruits, and others. Yummy.

I have a memory about empanadas and my late mom. In the 1980ies I was with "The World Shop"  a leftwing organization trying to save the world by doing a lot of good for third world countries and their awareness. We had organized a Chilean day with empanadas. My mother took one bite and there was a nut or a stone inside the empanada and she chewed on it. She broke her tooth.

So I am very careful eating this delicious pastry.

After that we go clubbing in Games Taverne. I have a cocktail or two called The Peach Princess. It looks fine by me, and it is gorgeous! Orange Vodka, Peach Schnapps,Banana Liqueur,Peach Juice, Splash of Sprite, Crushed Ice, Peach Rings. Mmmmm!

Day FOURTEEN "Give It 100!"