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Ejo #34 – TEEC: Day 21 (Dining Out In Style – Mustafa’s Famous Döner Kebab)

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Yesterday, David and I wanted to go out to celebrate. Something fancy. Good food, great wine, candlelight. That kind of thing. But yesterday was Sunday. And it transpires that Sunday is a day of rest for all the restaurants of a certain calibre in the great city of Berlin. Some of them even stay closed on Monday too!!! So, we have postponed our celebratory dinner to Tuesday night.

So, what did we do last night instead? We caught the Underground from Mitte, where we are staying, to Kreuzberg (where we stayed on the first leg of our holiday), bought some beer, got in line and waited. For an hour and a half. Out in the cold, with several other crazies. What were we waiting for? Mustafa’s (apparently, and well-deservedly, renowned) Döner kebab. Whatever else you might be able to say about us, you cannot call us food snobs. So yes, we waited. About 45 minutes into waiting, they ran out of meat and had to put on some fresh chicken. Which, of course, meant we’d have to wait even longer, to make sure it was properly cooked. The couple behind us threw in the towel at that point, opting for the vegetarian Döner (for which there was no wait). But we dug in our heels and stuck it out. Was it worth the wait?

Waiting in line. For a long time. For what?????

Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebap! I don’t even know what that means exactly!!! Nor do I actually care, coz it just tastes so good!!

Well, they use only the freshest ingredients and roast their own veggies on site (potatoes, eggplant, capsicum, onion), seasoning it all with oregano and fresh mint.

These guys work like a well oiled machine.

They slather one side of the bun with a garlicky sauce and the other with a slightly spicy chilli sauce. And the meat. Oh my goodness, the meat! Tender, succulent, tasty!

And I think the chicken is just about ready. I want my Döner kebab and I want it NOW!!!

They add some freshly chopped tomato, carrot, parsley and lettuce, and finish it all off by crumbling some feta cheese on top of the finished product. Was it worth waiting for? Abso-freaking-lutely!!!

Wow! BEST anniversary kebab ever!!!!

Ejo #34 – TEEC: Day 20 (My Leather Jacket)

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Nearly four years ago, just after we had moved to Dubai, I was out shopping (I was, after all, still a lady of leisure back then)! Dubai only really has two seasons. Hot and hotter, but the clothing stores still stock winter woollies, scarves, hats, gloves, fuzzy tights and puffy jackets during the cooler seasons. Which is kind of silly really. But at least you can buy cold weather gear for traveling to cooler climes. So, I came upon this leather jacket. To me, a leather jacket is not just an item of clothing. It’s a statement about the wearer (which is why I’ve never really bought one before – I tend to make statements using words rather than clothes). But I was in a new land, living a new life and it suddenly seemed OK for me to buy a leather jacket for the first time. So I did. And promptly proceeded to stick it in my closet for the next four years. Never wore it once. It would seem that just because you are making a fresh start somewhere new, doesn’t change the fact that you are the same old person you were before. And that person didn’t wear leather jackets.

Packing for our trip to Germany and The Netherlands though, I looked at the jacket as a real sartorial contender for the first time. So I brought it along. And you know what? Berlin was the perfect place for it to make its debut. I don’t know if it’s like when you buy a car and suddenly you notice that model car everywhere, but it seemed like EVERYONE in Berlin was wearing a leather jacket. It was less of a statement and more of a staple. And then, I wore it nearly every day in Amsterdam. I think I’m going to miss wearing it when we get back to Dubai.

My leather jacket.

Ejo #34 – TEEC: Day 19 (What I’ll Miss About Amsterdam)

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THE BIKES
The bikes are everywhere. Amsterdam is super bicycle friendly and you need to develop an extra sense for them when walking out and about in the city. Cyclists have right of way (pretty well at all times, even when you wouldn’t think so) so they tend to be a little assertive in exercising that right. You don’t want to mess with an Amsterdammer zipping along on her bicycle. You would lose that fight. But the city wouldn’t be nearly as charming without all those bikes. Apparently, close to 60% of all trips in the inner city are made on bicycle. In fact the whole country is mad for them. Watch out if you’re taking a stroll between 8-9am. Two million bicycles are estimated to be on the roads during morning peak hour.

Look out! You have to check for bikes in both directions before crossing the street. Even a one way street!

Bike parking madness. Most people buy ordinary, dull bikes to deter the many bike thiefs out there. Nothing fancy for the Amsterdammers. Though I’ve got my eye on that pretty red bike there.

Feel like parking your bike in the middle of the pavement? Go right ahead. I guess we’ll just walk around!!!

A few of the many, many bikes available to rent. No, we haven’t ever ridden in Amsterdam (so far)! Maybe next time I’ll muster up the courage. Maybe do a bit of training first!!!

STROOPWAFELS
So, remember back on Day 14 where I talked about how everyone is addicted to crack? No? Let me remind you. We were with friends, discussing what food (or drink) we considered to be our “crack”. In other words, what food can you simply not live without? For what consumable would you be willing to take hostages?? Or, if you are a recovering crackhead, what grub can you not touch with a five foot pole in the fear that it will trigger a binge of epic proportions?? For me, I can’t go near chocolate or bread. But the crack that I do allow myself to indulge in is the stroopwafel. A stroopwafel (for the uninitiated) is composed of two thin, chewy, round waffles smeared with thick caramel and squeezed together. I don’t think I need to go into any more detail about it. I think we are all in agreement that this must be the most delicious confection known to man (thank goodness only available in Amsterdam – if you know of anywhere else, PLEASE don’t tell me).

OMG! That is all.

THE LIGHT
Amsterdam is the furthest north I’ve ever been in the world and this might explain the gorgeous luminosity of the light here. It is crisp, clean, clear, fresh and beautiful. And I just want to gulp it down as a powerful antidote to the hazy, cloudy, thick, sandy, gluggy atmosphere of Dubai. But as well as the glorious natural light which bathes the city, there is a time of day, every evening, just as twilight starts to lose the battle against darkness, when a warm, inviting, golden glow starts to emanate from the inside. Most of the houses in Amsterdam, and particularly the canal houses, have huge windows (probably to let in that gorgeous light I’m talking about). And in the evenings, when the chill and darkness settle in, there is nothing more welcoming and heartwarming than walking through the streets taking in that gorgeous glow.

The spectacularly clear morning light streaming in through our bedroom window.

Warm light #1

Warm light #2. Don’t you just wish you were in there with a roaring fire and a nice bottle of red wine laughing at all the people outside wishing they were inside… I’m sure that’s what they’re doing!

There’s lots more I’ll miss. It’s a beautiful place.