Mystery Blogger Award

Hello my lovely people,

How is your Saturday going? I am off to the former Roman town of Cirencester in Gloucestershire. It is a middling day and sauntering in a town sounds like a better idea than walk upon moorlands which we had been looking forward to, but then the blasted weather always keeps changing and the plans do too.

I have been tagged by Cheila on the Mystery Blogger Award. Cheila is a Portuguese girl who lives with her partner and 2-year-old Rosa on the outskirts of Lisbon. Her blog is called Pink For Days. Don’t let the title mislead you. She is candid, humorous and she will get you thinking. Oh wait, I forgot to mention who Rosa is. But why don’t I let you figure it out for yourself, eh?

The mystery blogger award has been created by a blogger called Okoto Enigma.

Rules:

• Put the award logo/image on your blog post
• List the rules
• Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog
• Mention the creator of the award and provide a link
• Tell readers 3 things about yourself
• Answer the questions the blogger gave to you
• Nominate 10-20 people
• Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
• Ask nominees 5 questions of your choice (one weird/funny question)
• Share a link to your best post(s)

Three Things About Myself:

• I am a rambler by nature. I like to ramble in the countryside and then I also ramble on a fair bit when someone encourages me to let my tongue loose.
• I have the personality of a dog. My nose leads me places. Into eateries, into bakeries, coffeeshops (the Dutch kind too) and chocolateries, and into second-hand book shops where I sniff up pages of old books like my life depends on it.
• I am a popcorn maniac. I have it for dinner on certain days. It is like a vicious cycle of not being able to stop. If I do not let my will step in on Day 2, it could very well be a Popcorn Week. A tub of popcorn and a crime thriller on my lap is my idea of bliss.

Cheila’s Questions and My Answers:

• Do you know where Portugal is? Do you know anything else about my country?

Oh yes, Portugal is one of my favourite destinations in Europe. It lives in a pocket of my mind so it would be difficult not to know where it is. What else I do know about your country? It is that it is a place for the soul, where the strains of Fado just make their way into the heart and leave it aching with melancholia couched in those powerful notes. And the food – the bacalhau, grilled seafood, cherry liqueur shots – is succulent and delightful. Then there are the streets of Lisbon and Sintra which have left me besotted with Portugal as much as writers Fernando Pessoa and Cesario Verde. I would live in Portugal in a heartbeat.

• What’s your favourite snack?

Phuchka. It is a rustic street food in Calcutta, India. A crisp hollow ball stuffed with a filling of boiled potato, red chilli powder, fried spices, chopped green chillies and tamarind water. You pop it whole into the mouth and when it breaks it releases a spicy and sour goodness. Then giggle a bit because you know you look a tad bit silly as juices often dribble down the sides of the mouth. But then once you have it you know there is no turning back from more.

• Are you saving to buy something?

The next travel destination.

• What was the last movie you watched?

Four Lions

• What is the name of your first love?

Garfield

Thank you Cheila, I did enjoy it.

My Questions to You:

• What is the most adventurous thing you have done in life so far?
• Your way of unwinding after a long day of work/being outside/travelling?
• The most valuable lesson you have learnt so far in life?
• What kind of music do you have on your playlist?
• What would the title to your autobiography be?

My Nominees:

As before, I shall leave the choosing to do the tag bit to you. If you like the sound of it, do it…if not, carry on with the business of life. Cheers.