Setting up (temporary) home

We have moved into a furnished 3 bedroom apartment which of course is a huge improvement on the hotel in terms of space, privacy and ease.

We have a “fully equipped modern kitchen” consisting of 1 huge knife, a wooden spoon, 3 large serving spoons, a rusty tin opener, a chopping board which is 50cm x 80 cm (not kidding), 2 small saucepans with lids, one frying pan, a canteen of large cutlery, and 6 of each mugs (with lids), water glass, wine glass, plates, bowls, a cruet set, and a sugar bowl

We also have a coffee maker, toaster and microwave along with a 50-50 cooker – 2 gas rings, and 2 electric – in case we run out of either

Almost enough to get started with, but not quite

So we spent the weekend (and quite a lot of money relatively) buying staples like salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, rice, pasta, tinned tomatoes and also some extra kitchen equipment like a smaller knife, tea towels etc

Each trip out will now include tracking down items to improve our standard of temporary living … but this forms a problem, we already have all this stuff (double) in the Netherlands waiting to come here, and the quality of kitchen ware here is poor, and the prices are high – lots of things are imported from china, so they aren’t even good as keepsakes…in the meantime improvisation is the name of the game, and water bottles will be used to great effect – we have sugar and lentils in 2 already, and have cut a large one down to act as a washing up tidy, and a container for hot bleachy water when cleaning.

There is a cleaner that comes daily as part of the rent on the flat, but they do the basics (wcs and floors) and not well. I also heard an American complaining that lots had gone missing, which means locking everything up – which is possible since most rooms have a lock, and a lockable cupboard, but even the fridge has a lock which is worrying!

Fresh meat and vegetables are cheap and good quality, there is also quite a lot available frozen, but as it is all imported – also expensive – but if we feel a desperate urge for calamari or salmon steaks then we can get them.

Oddly chicken is in short supply. Previously in Africa, chicken was ubiquitous, if elderly and stringy...here it is difficult to get hold of, and allegedly tastes of fish having been fed on fishmeal.