Hey y’all!

Almost three weeks behind. Are there something strange in all clocks or why time flies here?

Even so I’m doing very well. I’ve been shopping in Kalverstraat in Amsterdam and in Alkmaar center too. I haven’t been in museums or Anne Frank’s House yet, but I think that’s about to change next week. My teacher, Sari, will come here to my workplace to check this place out.

I’ve been doing really great at work too. I’ve become more acquainted with my workmates and I’m much braver than I was at my first weeks. I’ve also got to do different tasks, like peeling big prawns, assembling dishes and helping pastry team. Talking about the pastry team I got a chance to took couple pictures.

There’s two dishes from the menu. (I was helping to do them!)

Crème Caramel Vanilla: (as far as I remember) crème brûlée, caramel sauce, hazelnuts, chocolate mousse, chocolate chips, passion fruit sorbet, passion fruit seeds and fruit purée.

 

 

 

Eastwood Bucket’s topping selection has caramel sauce, brownie, crème brûlée, tapioca, chocolate pearls, fudge, meringue and cheese cake. There’s vanilla ice cream bucket in the middle of the plate. I think that the best thing so far is working with the pastry team!

 

 

 

 

 

First two weeks I used to work 5 days in a week, but from now I’ll work 4 days in a week. Workdays are long, night shifts especially. I easily do 8-9 hours per day. I also have those 40 minutes long train trips in the morning and in the evening too (who ever said that the train journey from Alkmaar to Amsterdam would take only 20 minutes, was so wrong). But I don’t want to complain because I really like to be and work here. And there’s only limited time to do and see all.

 

There were so many beautiful clothing stores and coffee houses on my shopping tour in Kalverstraat. I took a lot of pictures from there, but of course I didn’t notice to look the name of the café. However the selection was very versatile and the presentation was good-looking.

 

Well, I think that pictures tell more than words do. Dutch people have gone crazy about Christmas. All these in October! And my workmates told me that I should go to Haarlem. They said that Haarlem is the best (or the worst) with Christmas decorations :’D

 

 

 

 

 

 

And last but not least: those 4 fun facts that hit me very hard and I’ve been ”going through”. So there you go:

1. The sorting of garbage – Seriously. People here don’t sort their litter. All organic waste, plastic… All goes to the same bin. It was quite a shock to me, because in Finland we do sorting very carefully (at least I’ve been used to do that).
2. Special dietary requirements – The second ‘seriously’ from me. I have a lactose intolerance and there’s a very little amount of lactose free products in grocery stores. I’ve luckily found lactose free milk and cream. But how about the others? You’re telling me that Dutch people and other tourists don’t have allergies? I don’t think so… It’s a same thing at my workplace, I’m pretty sure that those dishes in menu aren’t lactose free or gluten free.
3.  Finnish debit card doesn’t work in grocery stores – Yes. I have to raise cash from the cash machine every time I need to buy food because Dutch payment terminal doesn’t understand Visa. Luckily Visa works in most clothing stores.
4. Clothing stores are taking a payment from plastic bags – Another yes. 10 cents for a plastic bag when in Finland it comes along.

+5. No sauna and no rye bread – I already knew that but still. 🙁

Now I have to hurry and go to sleep. Morning shift, I’m coming for you!

Until next time,

Sirpa