Popovers for breakfast

Years ago I discovered that leftover popovers, warmed in the microwave, eaten with butter and jam makes a delightful breakfast treat. I decided I was going to have the same treat for breakfast this morning but where are the leftover popovers. I made a fresh batch, spread some leftover marscapone cheese and jam on them and I was in popover heaven. They were good.
Have a happy New Year.

The accomodations

Our hostel room in Vienna. We had no reservations and they didn't want to let us have this 4 person room because there were only the two of us. We begged for the room, said we didn't mind sharing if another 2 were to come later. We had 2 Swiss girls as room mates. At 20 euros a night per person, we could easily swing it. My colleagues wouldn't be caught dead traveling like this, they travel in style and expense, prefering luxury cruises. Americans are into luxury anything, its all over the TV and we get sold on it. Only the poor college students travel like this. Not so, this is how I've traveling the last 10 years and have at least 20 trips abroad. We do our laudry in sinks and hang them all over the room.This was our room in Catania, Sicily. It had a great view of the ocean front. This was actually an apartment owned by the hostel people, this was where they sent people when the hostel is full.

This was our room in Trapani, Sicily, a few years ago. It was actually a self contained apartment. I love this place. We've stayed in all kinds of places during our travels. We even had a berth on a train during our recent trip, we left Budapest at 6 pm, the conductor came by, handed out pillows,sheets and blankets, we went to sleep and when we woke up at 7 am, we were in Zurich. Life has been an incredible journey and it didn't matter where we laid our head, as long as it was clean and safe. Mind you I've stayed in lovely places also but they are less interesting

The history of money

At the same museum we watched a video of how the Canadian Mint made this million dollar gold coin. It was very interesting. Probably only the Canadians could pull this off, they're probably the few who would have that much gold in their vaults. I'm sure the US Treasury and Mint has sold off all their gold eons ago. All we have is the printing of fiat money, more US dollars, the pace of printing could rival that of Zimbawe.

How about some lunch?

It is the simpliest of fare, some sausage, mustard and horseradish but the most tasty. The mustard tasted so delicious and the horseradish tasted so delicate, very different from the hot Japanese wasabi. The bread rolls were so pretty and the setting was impeccable, no less than the museum restaurant. I had the sausages and Sophie had the Greek salad.

You can't have more perfect setting for lunch than this, we may as well be dinning in a palace.

The Kunsthistorisches museum

Who is she? Margarita Hapsburg, the Spanish cousin who was destined to marry her Austrian cousin, the future Emperor Leopold I. This was painted by the Spanish artist, Diego Velasquez, a kind of royal 'photographer'. Cousins kept in touch by sending portaits of each other. The royalty of Europe has for years intermarry and after years of 'inbreeding' produced people like Prince Charles. (a joke as told by Michael Savage, the radio talkshow host who is currently being banned from entering Britain.)

This was a very beautiful museum with numerous Italian Renaissance paintings but I took pictures of those which I thought were more provocative and risque.

It was a very Merry Christmas

The Christmas tree, Christmas crackers, lots of food and drink and loving family. Everyone had a great time and everyone loved their presents, the best of which was each others company. Now that the clean up is over and the year is almost to an end, we get ready to meet the challenges of the New Year. It's been a great year 2009 in spite of the turmoil in the US. The bible said, 'blessed is the land whose God is the Lord', we pray that the Lord God will continue to bless the US in spite of our foibles.