Tour d'Europe: let the summer holidays begin!

Our bags are packed and the anticipation is high. The plane leaves at 3 pm today and we're off for 7 weeks of family, fun and sun (most likely mixed with Danish and Belgian showers). This will be our second summer holiday in Europe since we moved to China and it would be fair to say that we've done a "copy paste" of last year's plan! First Denmark for 3 weeks and then we're off to Brussels, Belgium. Our home for 13 years and home to the majority of our closest friends. Next stop is my husband's native island of Sardinia. Then one week to Tuscany and we'll end with 3 days in Rome where both our sons were born.

Getting ready and organised in Beijing

On Friday I sat down with our fantastic Ayi (househelp) in an attempt to explain the "timeline" of our holidays. It was complicated. Not only because it had to be done in Chinese but also because I could hardly remember the details of our plans - let alone explain them to the poor woman!
Our talk went something like this: "We leave on the 19th ["6th month, 19th day" in Mandarin] - or rather only the kids and I leave that day. My husband stays 2 weeks longer! There will be painters in the house and there'll be a lot of ...erm duì buqĭ *fumbling with the translation app* dust. Do as much as you can but don't worry if you have to skip some hours. As long as you remember to feed the cat those 3 weekends - ah no wait! not that weekend because our neighbour's son will do that...I think...let me just double check *typing message on WeChat*. And when you have time, please....erm duì buqĭ *fumbling with the translation app* vacuum clean the airconditioning.....erm duì buqĭ *fumbling with the translation app* filters."

Yes we're privileged to have someone to look after the apartment and our cat Pumba. We can leave with peace of mind.

Bring on the koldskål!

Life in China is good but there are, inevitably, things we miss in Europe. Number one of course being family and friends! But here is list of what the different members of our family miss at home. Home being 3 different countries in our case.

• Fresh air!
• Koldskål! (Danish buttermilk dessert - and summer dish number one together with strawberries and cream)
• Hindbærsnitter (Danish pastry with raspberry jam and icing)
• The summer house by the North Sea
• Mormor's beautifully smelling bedsheets and soft beds - and her pancakes!
• "Cook and book" (a bookstore/café in Brussels)
• Chèvre chaud (goats cheese) salad
• Friterie Charles (French fries stand in Brussels)
• Kinepolis cinema!
• "Science et vie Junior" and "Spirou" (magazines in French)
• Cameleon and DOD (outlet shops in Brussels) - ok only the momma misses them
• Vinyl record stores with decent prices
• Il Poetto! (the beach of Cagliari, Sardinia)
• Fresh seafood (we don't always have the courage in China)
• Summer sales!
• Summer nights and walks around the city of Cagliari
• Nonna Gianna's "brodo con le stelline" (homemade broth with pasta)
• Settimana enigmistica (Italian crossword magazine)
• Hanging out at aunt Catarina's hairdressing salon and helping her

When the seven weeks are up, I will, like last year, write a post about what we miss and look forward to coming back to Beijing for.

Off we go. Thank you readers and I'll be in touch over the summer Xx

Our sweet Ayi with her notes after our chat ?

Goodbye for the summer Beijing. One last drink at Migas, Sanlitun!

Everything at the center in order to clear the walls before painting