Cooking at AirBnbs

Who cooks on their holidays?

The question may have an obvious answer for most people. Who, in their right mind, would fly for hours, drag heavy luggage, spend at least an hour trying to find their Airbnb, and also make dinner? And even when you are not tired, why bother to cook? Isn't exploring local food a part of the reason why you are where you are?

Of course, I eat out every day when I travel. But I do try to cook once a day. Sometimes it is not even proper cooking; it's just a simple meal thrown together with local ingredients. It all started with the goal of saving money. Just one home-cooked meal every day for, say, a 15-day vacation, and you end up saving a decent amount of money. But money is just part of the reason. Allow me to explain.

So whenever I go to a new place, I have this urge to head to the local grocery chains. I feel almost a childlike excitement as I explore aisles of wafers, ice cream, cakes, noodles and whatnot in completely new flavours. And then there is the fresh produce, in all its glory. In this picture, I have blueberries, plant-based milk, and cereals (not the usual kinds). A no-brainer breakfast that allows you to sit down and plan your day. 

Sometimes, cooking at my Airbnb also allows me to enjoy a quiet day. No rush to go anywhere or book a table. I can explore the nearby area on foot, come back, read for hours, get up, fix a simple lunch like this rocket-and-tomato salad, and enjoy the view outside. 

And then there are evenings when the nearby restaurants are closed. The thought of taking a train to have dinner in the more crowded part of the city crosses my mind, but it feels like too much effort, given my health. So I put together a quick pasta with spaghetti, tomatoes and olives, all bought earlier from a local store. And I pour my water into a wine glass (I forgot to take the picture), because I am fancy like that. And then I sit down, with Lana Del Rey in the background, have a quiet meal, pretending that I live there.

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