Menu from 2035?

In twenty years time a lot will change and one of these changes will be the food we eat. Meat will become a luxury product that only the richt will be able to afford. The rest of the population will be forced to find alternatives. Fake meat, meat like or maybe even insects. We are already adapting to the future and made some nice meals with insects.

Tortilla with worms!
Tortilla with worms.
Ingredients: Buffalo-worms, egg, potato, chorizo
Result: Good!


Grasshoppers and shrimp!
Grasshoppers with garlic and shrimp.
Ingredients: Grasshoppers, shrimp, algae, mushrooms
Result: Well…. maybe it was a bit to salty and the grasshoppers take some getting used to. They have a strange crunchy structure. We need a bit more time to get used to this dish, but it has potential.

Dolphin

Dolphin!Last weekend we went on a dolphin spotting trip. With a nice boat we went out on the ocean in search of dolphins, and after a little more than an hour we finally encountered some dolphins. Alex had wanted to see more, but still he was satisfied. Ana was seasick right from the start, so for her the two-and-a-half hour trip was not so nice.

Alex also claimed he was seasick, but this was probably just him repeating his mother. He had a great time and loved exploring the boat. He went from the front to the back and climbed up and down to investigate all parts of the boat. The waves and motion of the ocean did not bother him, even when it was difficult to stay on foot.

Sinterklaas, Santa Claus and the three kings

Alex is lucky, because he is part Dutch he has three gift getting events. First the Sinterklaas visits him, then Santa Claus and finally the three kings. All bearing gifts. Alex clearly remembered Sinterklaas the best, and I was wondering why.

Sinterklaas 2014!I think the answer lies in Alex experience with the three events. All events involved some great arrival. Sinterklaas arrived in Cadillac, with a drum band. Santa Claus arrived in a mini helicopter and the three kings arrived in three boats. Alex had his picture taken at all three events, and every saint was dressed up and looked impressive. Soon after each arrival Alex received a few gifts (at night) that were delivered in some magic way.

The only difference that made the Sint stand out was that when the Sint arrived he shake the hand of Alex (the picture moment, just like Santa and the Kings) but this moment was accompanied with a little present and some candy. Enough to make it a memorable event.

2014

Happy 2015!Another year has passed, and even if the years are all quite similar every year still comes with surprises. This year I returned to Spain for most of the time. Working three weeks from home and one in Holland works out much better.

This year Alex turned three. He is getting to be a big boy, and we can already talk about lots of topics. I speak Dutch with him and he replies in Spanish and sometimes with a little Dutch. He does like to be the center of attention, but we presume this is normal for all little kids. At school he is doing very well.

Ana had a quiet year. Still working at the hospital and being a great mother.

We wish everyone a very good 2015!

Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas will even visit the Canary Islands! Tonight we are all going to the south to see the sint. All the Dutch children have been invited to hotel Barbacan where the Sint will make his appearance. Alex behaved very well the last year, so there is a good change he’ll get a nice gift.

Update: Alex received his present together with a lot of candy. He liked the party a lot and it was nice seing the Sint arrive with a percussion bend, fireworks en the sint in a nice cabrio instead of his usual white horse.

Photos

Pasfoto!In Spain even the schools are very commercial. If you want a photo of your kid and his entire class you are required to buy a photo package with a lot of extras. The photo package contains lots of small portrait photos, a calendar with photo, a couple of Christmas cards with photo, a key chain with photo and a few bit portrait photos.

We are lucky that Alex is quite photogenic.