Jackson Taylor: May 2007

Jackson's Culinary Guide to Portugal

OK, Its very simple!!! When in Portugal stick to the 3 S's

* Sagres *
* Seafood *
* Sangria *

(and lots of them)

A seafood stew thingy with rice. Very nice!!

Much to my horror early one morning in full caffeine addiction mode, I had my first Portuguese coffee. It was not much wider than my finger, black and tasted like liquefied camel poo!! I highly recommend staying well clear of these.

Tiny shells that urinate everywhere. Didn't actually eat these fellas but they are a great source of amusement.

SANGRIA!! A must!!

Seafood Salad. Awesome. Best eaten on a sunny arvo with a ice cold glass of beer!!

Octopus Salad. Probably the only thing better than a seafood salad on a hot day in the sun with a cold beer!!

Seafood Skewer!! Whole baby squids, prawns and other assorted goodies on a stick. Highly recommended.

Some sort of grilled fish. This is what you get when your Portuguese is about as good as your waitresses English. Its not the one you ordered but you are stoked all the same as it tastes freakin fantastic!!

Sardinahs!! Looks terrible but tastes terrific. Avoid eating the brains as they taste slightly peculiar, but the bones eyes and tails are fair game. (best not eaten around those disgusted by fish) SORRY ALICIA!!!!!!

Sagres!! The local brew!!

Good at any time of day!!

Best served in a giant cup!!

Ice cold in the sun!!

Also good served with smint gum!!! To ward off the dreaded beer breath!!

A "SLIGHTLY STOOPID" Thursday Night - 24/05/07

Went to see Slightly Stoopid with Nicola at a little place called the P60 in Amstelveen near Amsterdam.

Slightly Stoopid
(click link for those who have no idea who the hell that is)

Our pre concert feast on some wicked fresh homemade sushi!! And the customary heinies!!

Our ticket to Stoopidity!!

Act of Stoopidness No.1 - Actually taking notice of this sign!!!

Act of Stoopidness No.2 - Purchasing matching shirts and partaking in the consumption of jager!!

Showing off our newly purchased items of clothing

Act of Stoopidness No.3 - Befriending the merchandise dude and receiving free shots of what is now referred to as the "j word"

Act of Stoopidness No.4 - Indulging in a few too many beertjes in kleine plastic cups on a school night. My head was not to clever when I awoke at 5am to go to work the next day.

Miles (one of the front men of the band)

Slightly Stoopid. They were awesome. Real cruisy funky music.

Miles again!! (I ended up with allot of photos of him thanks to Nicola) Haha

Kyle, the other front man. Was an awesome show from what I remember. The night ended with a blurry old bike ride home and a midnight sushi feast!! AWESOME!!

New House Celebration!!

In celebration of the rad new flat in Amsterdam that Nicola and I will be moving into in the begining of June. (Which is close to the awesomely big vondelpark) We treated ourselves to a sushi/sashimi feast in a cool little sushi place in Amsterdam.

About to let a slippery piece of Kingfish slide down the back of my throat.

Mmmmmmm!!!

It looks like this bit has legs, but I assure you its radish!

Our Salmon Sahsimi Slug!! You have to love sushi for the fact you get to play with your food!!

Week 1 Weed Update :)

Week one into our little competition and I have learned heaps about planting and growing things. I am amazed at how quick nature actually is. Nicola has the upper hand as she has been teaching her class at school all about growing plants, and I cant remember a time when I have ever planted anything let alone keep a plant alive!!

Day 2 - Only two days after putting my little seeds in wet cotton wool and putting them in my cupboard (which i had no idea you had to do) I had movement in the camp!! My first sprouts.

Day 5 - My first wee little weed plant. I named him Bob Marley.

Day 7 - Bob's the big one and the rest are called the Wailers. I have been watering daily, they don't get much sun as it is Holland, but I have been playing them heaps of music, a bit of Peter Tosh, Sublime and Slightly Stoopid. It seems to be working!!

* Cannabis Cultivating Competition *

Nicola and I have started a little comp to see who can grow the best marijuana plant. Even though neither of us really smoke it.

WHY????

1. Its Holland and we can!!
2. It gives us something to do.
3. Fun
4. Did I mention we can. Its totally legal. Awesome!!

Me with our little "weed seeds" (Northern Lights) We just strolled into a smart shop walked past the magic mushies and then spent a few minutes perusing the assortment of seeds they had on offer and getting advice on how to grow them. After a bit of discussion we paid the good fellow his 25 euro's and headed off to our music festival. No drama!!

Will put some pics of the progress of our little green friends in the near future!!!

Bevrijdingspop!!

This weekend was Bedrijdingsdag which is a celebration of when WW2 ended and Holland became a free nation again. There was a free festival in Haarlem with live music and markets which Nicola and I checked out.

A free concert, and free hats!! Awesome!! Our kinda price!!

My mate Hondza (left) and his mate Tim (right obviously) I wasn't the only one drinking!!

See!! Enjoying a couple of beers in the sun.

Nicola sampling the Dutch culture!!

Midday Market Mischievousness!!

With a belly full of Chinese and beer Nicola was teaching me the shoulder dance!!

Some band??? Didn't really listen to much of the music

Queensday Pt.3

Queensday Fashion!!

(The funky, fugly and freaky!!)

A man in his platts

Another pair of undies to match the festival.

Nicola's tail which she found amongst the piles of crap for sale. Its purpose is as a leg for her teddy which had a unfortunate accident with a lamp!!! But I did try it on.... a few times!!