ADVENTURES IN DUTCH GROCERY SHOPPING.

It takes moving to a new place to really get you thinking about how much you take your local grocery store for granted.  Like, first off, you know where it’s located, that’s huge.  

After a number of failed Google Mapping attempts to find our nearest grocery store in Oss, Vicki asked the nice man who works in the round little booth right outside our apartment where the grocery store was located.  (Yes, there’s this round booth thing right outside our door equipped with a pay toliet and a man, sometimes men, who sit there all day.  We assume their job is to give out information.  However, I’ve noticed them giving out tickets to folks who park their bikes in the adjacent racks.  Maybe I’ll dedicate a post just to these guys in the booth.)

Turns out the Albert Heijn, grocery store, was just a few blocks away.  Which was great because we don’t have a car here so we’re hoofing it places (until we get bikes!)  I would absolutely LOVE to get access to the security footage of me bumbling my way around the store on that Friday afternoon.  Here I am picking up familiar and unfamilar items off the shelves and using Google to translate the labels.  That was until I lost signal right around  the milk aisle, which just like home is located in the way back of the store. So there I was staring at the dairy case trying to decipher the Dutch translation for skim milk.  

But some things need no translation.  Like store brand BOX WINES!  I couldn’t believe it.  Now, for readers outside the state of Pennsylvania, USA you have to understand where I’m coming from with this one.  Our State’s Liquor Control Board mandates that we can only buy wine & spirits in State run stores.  We also have to buy beer (buy the case) from separate beer distributors or in bars/pubs/cafes (these purchases have limitations).  So anytime I’m able to buy a bottle (or a box!) of wine from a grocery store I get a little giddy.

One thing I’m still a little unnerving is the fact that a grocery store has hamsters as their mascot.  They’re everywhere!  But, the little fur balls advertise great prices so I’m not complaining.