one thing we miss ...

our own cooking:

flapjacks...

catching up ...

... on the events and things we did over the last week.

So saturday the 23rd was Birgit's birthday and below some of the day's itinerary:Jason made pancakes for breakfast on his camping stove, we waited for a replacement electric cooker to arrive (as Birgit's had given up the will to live and couldn't be fixed until after the weekend). Then dashed off to Princes Park, which is at the end of the road to see the Carnival parade of the week long Brouhaha Festival.

Then we got some veggy food in the park and saw the Hip Hop Circus (after much delay and waiting around).

This made the day great.. Then we went to Yoga class and at last had dinner, I forgot what dinner was but Jason made a wonderful tiramisu and is now ready and prepared to work in Italy as a tiramisu chef.

and Jason made coffee granita, too....

We watched a cooking program by Rick Stein, who is a well known TV chef in England and learnt about northern Spanish cooking. Jason was inspired to buy chorizo at the next best opportunity (monday). This sample video of Rick Stein cooking is actually from Morocco, so it's not what we saw, but if you want to know who Rick Stein is, this will do fine:

Sunday we cleaned the flat and as soon as we were done Birgit's friends swarmed in (in comemmoration of her birthday the day before) and we were a little surprised, it was probably obvious and to be expected that lots of people would come but somehow we were a little sleepy and had simply forgotten that people were invited..

A lentil dal saved the day. It was a lovely afternoon! And some friends also bought stuff from Birgit's 'house-shop' (we had to turn the bedroom into a EVERYTHING in HERE is FOR SALE ROOM.. ) And Alex took home one of Jason's glass works. We've been invited to visit her in Leeds where we can stay with her (in exchange for more glass - sounds like a great deal.)

Monday: we escaped from the flat before anybody could come and visit us and went to the beach. It's tough being loved and having friends.. ;)

We sat in the beech forest on our Yoga Mats and did a combined 108 rounds of OM. Jason may tell you more about that himself perhaps..

We walked along the beach and through the shallow water, collected more shells and left over homes of crabs and eventually were driven into town by hunger. So we took the train back to Liverpool Center and ordered Panini's at a Spanish tapas place. needless to say the flavour was good but our wallets got a little shock. So we do tend to stick to cooking lentils for pennies at home most days. Or at least many days. Eating out is almost always disappointing and to pay to be disappointed is just not right. But we had a nice time. Jason's chorizo panini was good and so was Birgit's (non chorizo - but veggy). We felt lazy so we just cycled to the train station and hopped on the train with our bicycles to ride the train the 3 stops home.

I bet we cooked lentils that evening.

p.s. Jason bought a chorizo, which makes him happy.

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PHOTOS COMING UP AFTER DINNER. - please return in an hour or two. or even tomorrow.x

playing with glass

and cooking (making Gulab Jamun, which is an indian dessert dish incredibly sweet):

Jason eats - regularly

some time a few weeks ago we found this pub with a world beer

selection: pictured here a beer from Cologne/Germany

potato and leek and onion bake ..

Jason checking out the nightlife and it was all a bit crazy except for

Lennon who was pretty relaxed.

...at the end of Yoga in savassana (resting pose)

There was an African Music Festival in the park right by Birgit's place

last saturday. Lots of music and many stalls, among others this German

Sausage Food Stall. The people working there weren't Germans but

imposters, Birgit did not approve. But Jason liked the sausage (hot dog).

Sunday we took the train to Freshfield/Formby a suburb of Liverpool

to the beach forest and beach, only a few stops from Birgit's place.

Here is our travel snack (post-snacking)

YOGA

Yoga: headstand

headstand variation

resting pose / child's pose

We found this large xylophone on the walk through the forest

on our way to the beach after yoga practice.

On Formby beach next to a stranded jellyfish

Jason chatting with Cressida (Birgit's friend) on Google chat

Jason made fresh apple and carrot juice

Quinoa grain, mediterranean stir fry with smoked paprika spice and

more of that lentil salad and Jason's home made olive tapenade on toast..

preparing dinner... peeling garlic

getting the stones out of the olives to make olive tapenade

post dinner nap

with a book about Bark for Jason's glass ideas

new beans fresh from the pod!

serving dinner

having Sarah come over for dinner : couscous and mediterranean

stir fry, cilantro, lentil salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil..

all over delicious.

an unusual view of the living room / kitchen

(normally all surfaces are covered in stuff)

Green Thai noodle soup, with roasted peanuts and fresh lime