I've learned some valuable lessons over the last few days. First, there is such a thing as a Coca-Cola hangover. Second, I have found a kind of sushi that I enjoy. And finally, it is never too early to start planning a vacation that you might never take.
Starting off with the first item on the agenda--caffeine hangovers. For a brief but memorable period in my life that transpired soon after college, inspired by long work hours and the appeal of an unlimited soda fridge, I consumed large quantities of caffeinated soda at work. Upwards of 5 or 6 Coke cans accumulated on my desk each day, and I lived a sugared, caffeinated existence in which I never felt well but didn't suffer too badly, either.
As it turned out, consuming that much caffeine can cause cysts to grow, in me anyway, so one surgery later, I learned my lesson and cut caffeine almost entirely from my life--except in rare circumstances when exhaustion creeps in but I have to stay up.
Last Friday night, I felt the sleepies creeping up on me but had only just arrived at dinner, so I ordered a Coke, and a 20-ounce bottle arrived--much more than I usually drink. But I was thirsty and guzzled it down in its entirety over the course of the meal. I was wired for a couple hours but was able to fall asleep afterwards.
Until 4 AM in the morning, that is, when I awoke, wide awake and unable to fall back to sleep. I drank the Coke 9 hours ago but was still feeling its effects. Lesson learned--I shouldn't mess with caffeine, especially when I drink it so rarely--unless I want it to mess with me.
And on to the second lesson--I can eat sushi! A couple years ago, I took B to the smallest restaurant I have ever been to for his birthday. The restaurant was Japanese and served only sushi. B had been confident that I would like sushi, despite my protests that I have never met any seafood that I can eat without gagging, so I figured it was a golden opportunity to try something new. Bad idea. I could barely swallow the single piece of sushi that I ate because the seaweed flavor and texture was inedible (for me). And then I sat not eating at the table for the rest of the meal as B ate both his and my sushi and as the chef, who was 6 feet away, stood and glared at me. It was an uncomfortable meal.
Finding a restaurant that served sushi without fish or seaweed seemed unlikely, so I gave up on ever being able to eat it and moved on. But then Saturday night we went to a birthday dinner for my friend J at a Japanese restaurant and I asked--jokingly--if they served sushi without seaweed--and they do! They can wrap their sushi in either seaweed or a soy wrap. B ordered a roll of my choosing--sweet potato and pineapple--with the soy wrap, and it was amazing!
The wrap had a hint of sweetness and crunch that really worked with my roll. I loved it and ate almost all of it in addition to the noodles that I ordered. I'm so excited and am eager to return to the restaurant to try more options. Since B travels infrequently these days and therefore doesn't get his thrice-weekly sushi fix anymore, I suspect that he will be open to the occasional sushi dinner.
Finally, vacation planning--everyone's favorite activity--or mine, anyway. My latest scheme involves England--London, mostly--and possibly Dublin, or maybe Paris again, or maybe Brussels or Amsterdam or Copenhagen. Who knows--I can plan a trip involving all of them because we might never take it. But the fact of the matter is that the pound is currently worth about the same as the euro, so why not consider visiting the motherland again. Last night I picked up Rick Steves' Great Britain 2008 for the bargain price of $3.99 (because the 2009 version is now available)--let the planning begin!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Il Cinghiale cubed!
Apparently, we've been stalking a wild boar statue on our last 3 European vacations. The statue is known as Il Cinghiale, which means--I think--the boar, or maybe the wild boar, in Italian.
It all started in Paris. We came across this cool statue of a wild boar in the Louvre, and B loved it so much that we took his picture in front of it. I have to point out that we took very few pictures in the Louvre that evening because I was tired and not particularly in an artsy mood (when am I ever)--that we took a photo of it meant that B really must have loved it.
And then we came across a similar statue--a fountain, actually--in Florence. We learned that Il Cinghiale was created originally in Florence, and all other statues are imitations. The boar was right in front of a covered outdoor market from which we bought several souvenirs and to which we continued returning, so we visited Il Cinghiale several times while in Florence. You're supposed to drop a coin in the grate and then rub his nose to guarantee that you'll return to Florence. B more than happily obliged.
And then--then!--we came across another Cinghiale, this time en route to the Marienplatz in Munich. We didn't even know that there was a Cinghiale in Germany! After Florence, we joked about vacationing only in places that featured a Cinghiale statue, but we didn't realize that our joke would come true. You can see B holding up 3 fingers, to indicate his third Cinghiale find.
If you know of any Cinghiale statues in Spain, please let me know. I might even organize a day trip around going to see it.
It all started in Paris. We came across this cool statue of a wild boar in the Louvre, and B loved it so much that we took his picture in front of it. I have to point out that we took very few pictures in the Louvre that evening because I was tired and not particularly in an artsy mood (when am I ever)--that we took a photo of it meant that B really must have loved it.
And then we came across a similar statue--a fountain, actually--in Florence. We learned that Il Cinghiale was created originally in Florence, and all other statues are imitations. The boar was right in front of a covered outdoor market from which we bought several souvenirs and to which we continued returning, so we visited Il Cinghiale several times while in Florence. You're supposed to drop a coin in the grate and then rub his nose to guarantee that you'll return to Florence. B more than happily obliged.
And then--then!--we came across another Cinghiale, this time en route to the Marienplatz in Munich. We didn't even know that there was a Cinghiale in Germany! After Florence, we joked about vacationing only in places that featured a Cinghiale statue, but we didn't realize that our joke would come true. You can see B holding up 3 fingers, to indicate his third Cinghiale find.
If you know of any Cinghiale statues in Spain, please let me know. I might even organize a day trip around going to see it.
Final Germany/Austria pics
I wanted to post a few more photos from our Germany trip. This trip has been much less daunting to recap since it was 1/3 the length of our last trip. The secret to being able to share more about your vacation, apparently, is to take a short trip.
Here's B standing next to the biggest stein we'd ever seen. The sign in the window proclaimed (in English) "The biggest beerstein of the world." It cost €1650, which was around $2200 when we were there. We didn't buy it, though--we saved our euros for...
Our cuckoo clock! Here it is, or here is its model. Our actual clock was to arrive 4-8 weeks after we purchased it (on December 11, in case you want to start the countdown). Only 2 weeks have passed, so we have a while go to before we hear any cuckoo-ing in our house.
On the hour, the cuckoo comes out of the little door, and then the hiker moves his stick up and down like he's walking, the waterwheel spins, and the dancers spin around as a song plays. We have to wind it--by pulling down one of the pinecones--every day. We haven't yet decided who will be in charge of winding the cuckoo clock, but I think it's safe to say that we won't have daily cuckooing.
Here's B standing next to the biggest stein we'd ever seen. The sign in the window proclaimed (in English) "The biggest beerstein of the world." It cost €1650, which was around $2200 when we were there. We didn't buy it, though--we saved our euros for...
Our cuckoo clock! Here it is, or here is its model. Our actual clock was to arrive 4-8 weeks after we purchased it (on December 11, in case you want to start the countdown). Only 2 weeks have passed, so we have a while go to before we hear any cuckoo-ing in our house.On the hour, the cuckoo comes out of the little door, and then the hiker moves his stick up and down like he's walking, the waterwheel spins, and the dancers spin around as a song plays. We have to wind it--by pulling down one of the pinecones--every day. We haven't yet decided who will be in charge of winding the cuckoo clock, but I think it's safe to say that we won't have daily cuckooing.
And who is this creepy person? We're not sure. Twice before Christmas, a group of young Germans put on the "Krampusrun," which is supposed to resurrect old German traditions. We never figured out what the traditions are, but we stalked the Krampusrunners like papparazzi following Britney, and we got a few good shots. The characters seemed most interested in scaring young children. I had to wonder if this was a tradition that needed resurrecting.
Store windows were done well, and here's one of my favorites.
And finally, a breathtaking view of the alps from Salzburg. I hopped the wall (not exactly a legal move) to get some better shots. It turned out that my subterfuge was unnecessary, as another part of the fort allowed the same view. But I still prefer my "illegal" pics--I earned them.
And finally, a breathtaking view of the alps from Salzburg. I hopped the wall (not exactly a legal move) to get some better shots. It turned out that my subterfuge was unnecessary, as another part of the fort allowed the same view. But I still prefer my "illegal" pics--I earned them.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Life list recap: How I've done in 2008
Last year for New Year's Eve, B and I created life lists. Life lists mean many things to different people, but for me, it was an opportunity to create a list of tasks and experiences that I'd like to accomplish over my lifetime. Some of the items would fit better on a list of new year's resolutions, and some are one-time-only experiences. Here is a selection of goals from my list and an update on my progress.
Health
1. Train for vacations for a month.
I know, I know--training for vacations? Silly, perhaps, but worthwhile when you don't wake up in pain after walking for miles and miles the previous day. We did great for Italy and ok for Germany (it's tough going for long walks in the cold). Spain will be a challenge, since we'll leave while it's still cold. I'll do my best.
2. Walk once/week in the summer.
Success! Having a fall vacation is excellent inspiration.
3. At least try going to the gym at work.
Sometimes the key to success is setting the bar low. I tried going to the gym and even went back a couple times. Perhaps the new year will bring increased motivation to "at least try it" a little more.
Money and wealth
1. Develop and stick to a savings plan.
Success! This year, we fully funded our emergency fund. Rather than save for our next house while savings rates are so low, we've developed a plan to pay off our second mortgage early.
2. Save for our next house (~10%).
This savings goal was more attainable before real estate lost so much of its value. I had actually hoped that we'd be able to save 20% (either in equity or in capital), but barring a windfall, we'll likely have to settle for 10%, or a smaller future house. (McMansions are overrated, anyway--and why give up our deliciously cheap heating bills? We might just stay here forever.)
3. Stop being scared of taxes and filing.
I forced myself to file our taxes last year, and I'm not scared of them anymore. I'm far from being a tax expert, but I understand our (admittedly straightforward) situation well enough.
School and education
1. Learn conversation skills for countries to which I travel.
Check! I know little bits of French, Spanish, Italian, and Spanish--not enough to carry on a conversation, of course, but enough to not be totally offensive to shopkeepers and waiters. And we have language CDs and mini dictionaries in case we ever go back and need to refresh.
2. Take art classes - paint a painting.
I have made no progress on this goal. Perhaps I will investigate nearby art classes for 2009.
Family and home
1. Hang more art on our walls.
We're doing great in this area! We've framed prints that we bought in Italy and France, and we've also bought frames for photos that we took in Europe. Plus there's the cuckoo clock coming in the mail...
Travel
1. Life in another country for at least a month.
Technically, I have already accomplished this goal (in college, England for a summer), but I would love to do it again. Traveling for such a long time is difficult with limited vacation time, but I'm keeping the item on the list anyway.
2. Experience 24-hour daylight.
There aren't too many places where I can achieve this goal--you have to be awfully close to the Arctic Circle right around June 21. Perhaps if the Icelandic economy is still having difficulties in June, we can consider a trip.
Creativity and self expression
1. Write a novel or memoir.
I'm not sure if I have the writing skills to craft a compelling novel (or an interesting-enough life to craft a compelling memoir), but perhaps my expectations are too high--even writing a bad novel or memoir would still satisfy this goal. Every November I contemplate participating in NaNoWriMo, and every November, I decide, maybe next year. Maybe 2009 (and the landmark birthday that it will bring in November) will be the magical year.
2. Buy only clothing that I love.
Yes! I love this goal, and I love what it has done to my wardrobe. Since March or April, B and I have given ourselves allowances to spend on whatever we want, and mine almost always goes toward clothing. The allowances aren't high, but even buying one or two new pieces each month can significantly improve your wardrobe and allow you to finally donate those pieces that you really don't like. Looking into your closet and seeing only pieces that you love is an amazing feeling. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting close, and it's fantastic.
Health
1. Train for vacations for a month.
I know, I know--training for vacations? Silly, perhaps, but worthwhile when you don't wake up in pain after walking for miles and miles the previous day. We did great for Italy and ok for Germany (it's tough going for long walks in the cold). Spain will be a challenge, since we'll leave while it's still cold. I'll do my best.
2. Walk once/week in the summer.
Success! Having a fall vacation is excellent inspiration.
3. At least try going to the gym at work.
Sometimes the key to success is setting the bar low. I tried going to the gym and even went back a couple times. Perhaps the new year will bring increased motivation to "at least try it" a little more.
Money and wealth
1. Develop and stick to a savings plan.
Success! This year, we fully funded our emergency fund. Rather than save for our next house while savings rates are so low, we've developed a plan to pay off our second mortgage early.
2. Save for our next house (~10%).
This savings goal was more attainable before real estate lost so much of its value. I had actually hoped that we'd be able to save 20% (either in equity or in capital), but barring a windfall, we'll likely have to settle for 10%, or a smaller future house. (McMansions are overrated, anyway--and why give up our deliciously cheap heating bills? We might just stay here forever.)
3. Stop being scared of taxes and filing.
I forced myself to file our taxes last year, and I'm not scared of them anymore. I'm far from being a tax expert, but I understand our (admittedly straightforward) situation well enough.
School and education
1. Learn conversation skills for countries to which I travel.
Check! I know little bits of French, Spanish, Italian, and Spanish--not enough to carry on a conversation, of course, but enough to not be totally offensive to shopkeepers and waiters. And we have language CDs and mini dictionaries in case we ever go back and need to refresh.
2. Take art classes - paint a painting.
I have made no progress on this goal. Perhaps I will investigate nearby art classes for 2009.
Family and home
1. Hang more art on our walls.
We're doing great in this area! We've framed prints that we bought in Italy and France, and we've also bought frames for photos that we took in Europe. Plus there's the cuckoo clock coming in the mail...
Travel
1. Life in another country for at least a month.
Technically, I have already accomplished this goal (in college, England for a summer), but I would love to do it again. Traveling for such a long time is difficult with limited vacation time, but I'm keeping the item on the list anyway.
2. Experience 24-hour daylight.
There aren't too many places where I can achieve this goal--you have to be awfully close to the Arctic Circle right around June 21. Perhaps if the Icelandic economy is still having difficulties in June, we can consider a trip.
Creativity and self expression
1. Write a novel or memoir.
I'm not sure if I have the writing skills to craft a compelling novel (or an interesting-enough life to craft a compelling memoir), but perhaps my expectations are too high--even writing a bad novel or memoir would still satisfy this goal. Every November I contemplate participating in NaNoWriMo, and every November, I decide, maybe next year. Maybe 2009 (and the landmark birthday that it will bring in November) will be the magical year.
2. Buy only clothing that I love.
Yes! I love this goal, and I love what it has done to my wardrobe. Since March or April, B and I have given ourselves allowances to spend on whatever we want, and mine almost always goes toward clothing. The allowances aren't high, but even buying one or two new pieces each month can significantly improve your wardrobe and allow you to finally donate those pieces that you really don't like. Looking into your closet and seeing only pieces that you love is an amazing feeling. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting close, and it's fantastic.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Pictures from Sound of Music tour
Our Sound of Music tour was a multicultural affair. We were two Americans, two Brits, two Japanese, and one Australian living in Dubai, and none of us had a deep love for the movie, but none of us complained when our tourguide played the movie soundtrack, either. There was even some foot tapping and head bobbing.
We visited the cathedral where the wedding scene was filmed (second pic). The first pic is of the town with the cathedral--very picturesque. In the background of the third pic is the house that was used (on the outside anyway) for the von Trapps' house. And the fourth pic--that one is obvious--the famous gazebo! Only the outside of this gazebo was used--the inside shots were filmed on a soundstage. The gazebo is now locked because an 80-year-old woman broke her hip while jumping from bench to bench a few years ago. All it takes is one person to ruin it for the rest of us...
The movie, while popular around the world, is not widely known in Austria, as it played in the country for only three weeks. A German movie had come out several years prior and portrayed the von Trapp family's story more realistically. Incidentally, they did not escape by walking over a mountain--a mountain that leads to Germany--they left on a train. Nevertheless, if you can suspend disbelief--or something--the movie is great fun, as is the tour.
We visited the cathedral where the wedding scene was filmed (second pic). The first pic is of the town with the cathedral--very picturesque. In the background of the third pic is the house that was used (on the outside anyway) for the von Trapps' house. And the fourth pic--that one is obvious--the famous gazebo! Only the outside of this gazebo was used--the inside shots were filmed on a soundstage. The gazebo is now locked because an 80-year-old woman broke her hip while jumping from bench to bench a few years ago. All it takes is one person to ruin it for the rest of us...
The movie, while popular around the world, is not widely known in Austria, as it played in the country for only three weeks. A German movie had come out several years prior and portrayed the von Trapp family's story more realistically. Incidentally, they did not escape by walking over a mountain--a mountain that leads to Germany--they left on a train. Nevertheless, if you can suspend disbelief--or something--the movie is great fun, as is the tour.
Christmas market pictures
Christmas markets--the main reason I wanted to go to Germany so badly! They exceeded my expectations. They were overwhelming, but in a I'm-surrounded-by-too-much-awesomeness kind of way--not in a bad way.
In general, I preferred the Munich markets over the Salzburg markets for the goods that were sold, though the food options in Salzburg--different varieties of pretzels and baked potatoes hot out of the oven with lots of topping options--were better (keep in mind that I only like sausage when it's freezing cold outside, so perhaps I am not the best judge of the Bavarian cuisine).
Providing text between photos is a guaranteed way to mess up the formatting in your post, so I'll refrain from individual comments--most of the stalls are self explanatory anyway.
In general, I preferred the Munich markets over the Salzburg markets for the goods that were sold, though the food options in Salzburg--different varieties of pretzels and baked potatoes hot out of the oven with lots of topping options--were better (keep in mind that I only like sausage when it's freezing cold outside, so perhaps I am not the best judge of the Bavarian cuisine).
Providing text between photos is a guaranteed way to mess up the formatting in your post, so I'll refrain from individual comments--most of the stalls are self explanatory anyway.
Castle pics from Germany
We visited 2 castles whilst (why isn't that word used more frequently in the US?) in Germany, and here are a few of my fav pics.
The first three are of Neuschwanstein (Noysh-van-stine - apply a heavy Arnold Schwarzenegger accent to sound like a local) and the last is of Linderhof (is it just me, or is my skin the same color as the castle?). Both castles belonged to King Ludwig, who, after racking up serious debt to build his fairy-tale Neuschwanstein, was committed to an institution by his family and found dead in a shallow lake several days later, accompanied by the (also deceased) physician who signed the papers. Both were known as excellent swimmers. Mysterious? I'll say. No one knows what happened, and his actual madness is debatable. B and I, always willing to play armchair psychiatrists, have some hypotheses, but no one will ever know for sure.
Walt Disney used Neuschwanstein as the basis for Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disneyland (that's the one in California, for the non-Disneyphiles among us), and he couldn't have chosen a better model. It's fitting for any royalty, even though--sadly--the majority of its rooms were never completed, as it was opened for tourism almost immediately after Ludwig passed. Cutting-edge for its day, the castle features central heating (of sorts), plumbing, and even a telephone.
We visited on a cloudy day, so my pictures look nothing like any of the postcard-perfect images that you'll find online, but I thought that the fog was fitting for the story that accompanies the castle.
The first three are of Neuschwanstein (Noysh-van-stine - apply a heavy Arnold Schwarzenegger accent to sound like a local) and the last is of Linderhof (is it just me, or is my skin the same color as the castle?). Both castles belonged to King Ludwig, who, after racking up serious debt to build his fairy-tale Neuschwanstein, was committed to an institution by his family and found dead in a shallow lake several days later, accompanied by the (also deceased) physician who signed the papers. Both were known as excellent swimmers. Mysterious? I'll say. No one knows what happened, and his actual madness is debatable. B and I, always willing to play armchair psychiatrists, have some hypotheses, but no one will ever know for sure.
Walt Disney used Neuschwanstein as the basis for Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disneyland (that's the one in California, for the non-Disneyphiles among us), and he couldn't have chosen a better model. It's fitting for any royalty, even though--sadly--the majority of its rooms were never completed, as it was opened for tourism almost immediately after Ludwig passed. Cutting-edge for its day, the castle features central heating (of sorts), plumbing, and even a telephone.
We visited on a cloudy day, so my pictures look nothing like any of the postcard-perfect images that you'll find online, but I thought that the fog was fitting for the story that accompanies the castle.
Snowbound
New England packs a doozy of a winter, featuring six months of potential snowfall and unpredictable weather. It's unpleasant, but you get used to snow ruining your plans. You learn not to take blizzards personally, and you reschedule when you can.
But our plans for Friday night--seeing a holiday concert--couldn't be rescheduled. We already bought the tickets, and the show is an annual tradition. I've been going for 4 or 5 years now, and snowstorms haven't kept us away in the past. Of course, in the past, our proximity to the city meant we could take public transportation when it snowed. Living in the boonies leaves us in a trickier situation when a foot of snow is coming to town.
The timing of the snow made driving potentially more complicated, very much like the Dec 13 storm of last year (aka the worst day ever, in which I traveled a half mile in 9 hours and then had to turn around and go back to work when my car battery was about to die)--the snow was due to start around lunchtime and get bad in a hurry. I was concerned that roads would be congested with drivers who left immediately after lunch, just like last year, and that we wouldn't be able to get to the show if we waited until after work got out.
The safest solution was to get downtown in the morning before the snow started and stay there all day, until after the snow ended. My initial plan was to take my laptop in and work all day in a Starbuck's. Unpleasant, perhaps, but doable, and I could just put my laptop in the car after work and head over to the show.
Then I remembered seeing a Travelzoo deal recently for a discounted hotel room in the city. I double-checked, and the rate was amazing. Even better, the hotel was in the Starwood family. It would be one final opportunity to enjoy B's hotel status before the new year steals it away. I double-checked with B, and he was agreeable, so I booked it the day before the storm without a problem.
And am I glad that we did. The room (technically a suite, but more like an oversized room, though we did have two windows) was ready when we arrived at 8 AM, so I didn't have to spend any time working in a Starbuck's (though we did stop into one, for B's noun-string coffee and my noun-string hot chocolate), and its proximity to restaurants meant that I didn't have to go outside again until we left that evening for the show. And not having to face a long drive at midnight through the snow was justification and then some for the expense (so much that getting a hotel room might have to become a new annual tradition).
After we got back home from the hotel the next morning, we spent the rest of the weekend hibernating due to the snowstorm that arrived on Sunday. I've learned that the best way to pass a snowbound day is to plan your next vacation. The Madrid leg of our trip is all planned, and I've made significant progress on Barcelona. I still don't speak Catalan, but perhaps my deep admiration for Gaudi will shine through during my attempts at Spanish.
But our plans for Friday night--seeing a holiday concert--couldn't be rescheduled. We already bought the tickets, and the show is an annual tradition. I've been going for 4 or 5 years now, and snowstorms haven't kept us away in the past. Of course, in the past, our proximity to the city meant we could take public transportation when it snowed. Living in the boonies leaves us in a trickier situation when a foot of snow is coming to town.
The timing of the snow made driving potentially more complicated, very much like the Dec 13 storm of last year (aka the worst day ever, in which I traveled a half mile in 9 hours and then had to turn around and go back to work when my car battery was about to die)--the snow was due to start around lunchtime and get bad in a hurry. I was concerned that roads would be congested with drivers who left immediately after lunch, just like last year, and that we wouldn't be able to get to the show if we waited until after work got out.
The safest solution was to get downtown in the morning before the snow started and stay there all day, until after the snow ended. My initial plan was to take my laptop in and work all day in a Starbuck's. Unpleasant, perhaps, but doable, and I could just put my laptop in the car after work and head over to the show.
Then I remembered seeing a Travelzoo deal recently for a discounted hotel room in the city. I double-checked, and the rate was amazing. Even better, the hotel was in the Starwood family. It would be one final opportunity to enjoy B's hotel status before the new year steals it away. I double-checked with B, and he was agreeable, so I booked it the day before the storm without a problem.
And am I glad that we did. The room (technically a suite, but more like an oversized room, though we did have two windows) was ready when we arrived at 8 AM, so I didn't have to spend any time working in a Starbuck's (though we did stop into one, for B's noun-string coffee and my noun-string hot chocolate), and its proximity to restaurants meant that I didn't have to go outside again until we left that evening for the show. And not having to face a long drive at midnight through the snow was justification and then some for the expense (so much that getting a hotel room might have to become a new annual tradition).
After we got back home from the hotel the next morning, we spent the rest of the weekend hibernating due to the snowstorm that arrived on Sunday. I've learned that the best way to pass a snowbound day is to plan your next vacation. The Madrid leg of our trip is all planned, and I've made significant progress on Barcelona. I still don't speak Catalan, but perhaps my deep admiration for Gaudi will shine through during my attempts at Spanish.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Favorite photos from our trip
Here are a few of my favorite photos from our recent trip.
Inside a church in Munich.
Riding the funicular up to the fortress in Salzburg.
Up at the fortress in Salzburg.
Salzburg at night.
Salzburg skyline.
A scenic Austrian overlook.
An Austrian lake.
Sipping kinderpunch at the Munich Christkindlmarkt.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Froehliche Weihnachten!
And we're back (from Germany). I'm jet lagged (I awoke at 3 AM today) and tired (I went to bed at 10 PM last night) but we had a fantastic time.
The weather was good. We had only one rainy day, the day that we landed, and we had two beautiful, blue, sunny days. We had a couple of days of light flurries--sipping hot punch in the Munich Christmas markets during an evening snowfall was a highlight of the trip. All stalls serve their beverages in mugs and food on ceramic plates. You pay a deposit (usually a couple euros), which you get back when you return the mug or plate. The system is ingenious and it cuts down on litter dramatically. We kept one of the mugs as a souvenir of our visits to the Christmas markets.
The markets are magical--white lights everywhere, and little stalls that (in Munich, anyway) specialize in different goods. Some sell only straw and wood ornaments, others sell wood-carved items, others sell pewter ornaments, and others sell gluhwein (these stalls were the most popular). Germans, while exceedingly polite, especially in conversation, seemed less concerned with personal space at the markets and would wedge their bodies between you and the stand if they wanted to see something in front of you. People didn't push; they simply walked where they wanted to, regardless of whether you were standing there. Eventually I started defending my personal space a little more aggressively and felt less uncomfortable.
But let me again emphasize their politeness, lest you think that I left the country with a negative impression of the German people. I rarely had a conversation with a German who didn't use "danke" and "bitte" with frequency, and they spoke English without attitude or annoyance. We met only two Germans who didn't speak English, and we met a lot of Germans. I felt a little more warmth from the Austrians with whom we interacted in Salzburg, but I felt no negative energy from anyone, even though being an American who doesn't speak the country's language is not necessarily the best recommendation when you're traveling in Europe.
And overall, the public bathrooms were the best that I've seen in Europe. Clean restrooms are important. Even the bathroom at the Linderhof castle, while it had no heat, was still sparkling clean.
And our hotel rooms--it's going to be difficult to give up B's hotel status next year. He hasn't traveled enough this year to keep his Platinum Starwood status, but we got some great perks for this trip. We were upgraded to suites at all of our hotels, including the best room in the hotel in Salzburg--it even had 2 bathrooms, his and hers, just like home (mine was bigger--just like home). The separate sitting rooms were useful when one of us was battling jetlag and a sleepless night and wanted to get up and read. I resisted the urge to steal the Hermes products in the bathrooms, though I was tempted.
We took two tours, one to Linderhof castle, Neuschwanstein castle, and Oberamergau, the town that puts on the Passion play every ten years (next one is in 2010, in case you're interested); we also took the Sound of Music tour. The castles were amazing and decadent and inspired fun conversation about the types of houses that we'd build if we were looking to drop a couple mil' on a dwelling. I decided that mine would be schizophrenic because I'd be unable to decide on one theme and would try to create individual themes for each room, and it would feel like a humpty-dumpty house that wasn't put back together correctly. The Sound of Music tour took us into the lakes region near Salzburg--now that would be a great location for a vacation home. I think if we went back in the summertime, I'd be interested in taking both tours again because the scenery would be so different.
I would like to go back, but I had mixed feelings about the food. I've tried on numerous occasions to like sausage, but I haven't had a lot of luck. But I wanted to try the traditional Bavarian cuisine, so I ate more sausage in one week than I have eaten in the last year, maybe two years (maybe 10 years). The meat options on menus were generally sausage, pork, and boiled beef, with nary a chicken in sight. The potato salad, frequently served warm, was pretty good, and the streudel was also good. But it's going to be a long time before I'm ready to face even a hot dog again.
One more thing (I've given up on paragraph transitions--I was never good at them anyway)--I'm going back and forth about writing this, but if you go to Germany, it's something you should be aware of so that you'll be prepared for it--I was not. Hearing people speak the German language took me by surprise; or rather, my reaction took me by surprise. The only time I have ever heard German spoken is in movies. And unfortunately, usually when you hear German in American movies, the movies are set during WWII, and the Germans are the "bad guys," who are usually pursuing the "good guys." It was difficult to hear German and not associate it with the "bad guys" from the movies. I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to hear German outside of movies and create new associations with the language.
And finally, on to the Lessons Learned section of the post, where I share the wisdom (ha, ha) that I have acquired over the last week. First, if you're going to pack only 2 outfits for a week of travel, be sure that you love them because you will get sick of them quickly. Second, it is possible to fit 45 pounds of stuff into a small rollaboard. Cram that sucker full and check him in the hold. Finally, spending time outdoors in the cold, while unpleasant, is not fatal, and is actually sort of energizing. However, hand warmers and long underwear are critical.
The cuckoo clock will arrive within 2 months, and we leave for Spain in 3 months. Giddyup.
The weather was good. We had only one rainy day, the day that we landed, and we had two beautiful, blue, sunny days. We had a couple of days of light flurries--sipping hot punch in the Munich Christmas markets during an evening snowfall was a highlight of the trip. All stalls serve their beverages in mugs and food on ceramic plates. You pay a deposit (usually a couple euros), which you get back when you return the mug or plate. The system is ingenious and it cuts down on litter dramatically. We kept one of the mugs as a souvenir of our visits to the Christmas markets.
The markets are magical--white lights everywhere, and little stalls that (in Munich, anyway) specialize in different goods. Some sell only straw and wood ornaments, others sell wood-carved items, others sell pewter ornaments, and others sell gluhwein (these stalls were the most popular). Germans, while exceedingly polite, especially in conversation, seemed less concerned with personal space at the markets and would wedge their bodies between you and the stand if they wanted to see something in front of you. People didn't push; they simply walked where they wanted to, regardless of whether you were standing there. Eventually I started defending my personal space a little more aggressively and felt less uncomfortable.
But let me again emphasize their politeness, lest you think that I left the country with a negative impression of the German people. I rarely had a conversation with a German who didn't use "danke" and "bitte" with frequency, and they spoke English without attitude or annoyance. We met only two Germans who didn't speak English, and we met a lot of Germans. I felt a little more warmth from the Austrians with whom we interacted in Salzburg, but I felt no negative energy from anyone, even though being an American who doesn't speak the country's language is not necessarily the best recommendation when you're traveling in Europe.
And overall, the public bathrooms were the best that I've seen in Europe. Clean restrooms are important. Even the bathroom at the Linderhof castle, while it had no heat, was still sparkling clean.
And our hotel rooms--it's going to be difficult to give up B's hotel status next year. He hasn't traveled enough this year to keep his Platinum Starwood status, but we got some great perks for this trip. We were upgraded to suites at all of our hotels, including the best room in the hotel in Salzburg--it even had 2 bathrooms, his and hers, just like home (mine was bigger--just like home). The separate sitting rooms were useful when one of us was battling jetlag and a sleepless night and wanted to get up and read. I resisted the urge to steal the Hermes products in the bathrooms, though I was tempted.
We took two tours, one to Linderhof castle, Neuschwanstein castle, and Oberamergau, the town that puts on the Passion play every ten years (next one is in 2010, in case you're interested); we also took the Sound of Music tour. The castles were amazing and decadent and inspired fun conversation about the types of houses that we'd build if we were looking to drop a couple mil' on a dwelling. I decided that mine would be schizophrenic because I'd be unable to decide on one theme and would try to create individual themes for each room, and it would feel like a humpty-dumpty house that wasn't put back together correctly. The Sound of Music tour took us into the lakes region near Salzburg--now that would be a great location for a vacation home. I think if we went back in the summertime, I'd be interested in taking both tours again because the scenery would be so different.
I would like to go back, but I had mixed feelings about the food. I've tried on numerous occasions to like sausage, but I haven't had a lot of luck. But I wanted to try the traditional Bavarian cuisine, so I ate more sausage in one week than I have eaten in the last year, maybe two years (maybe 10 years). The meat options on menus were generally sausage, pork, and boiled beef, with nary a chicken in sight. The potato salad, frequently served warm, was pretty good, and the streudel was also good. But it's going to be a long time before I'm ready to face even a hot dog again.
One more thing (I've given up on paragraph transitions--I was never good at them anyway)--I'm going back and forth about writing this, but if you go to Germany, it's something you should be aware of so that you'll be prepared for it--I was not. Hearing people speak the German language took me by surprise; or rather, my reaction took me by surprise. The only time I have ever heard German spoken is in movies. And unfortunately, usually when you hear German in American movies, the movies are set during WWII, and the Germans are the "bad guys," who are usually pursuing the "good guys." It was difficult to hear German and not associate it with the "bad guys" from the movies. I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to hear German outside of movies and create new associations with the language.
And finally, on to the Lessons Learned section of the post, where I share the wisdom (ha, ha) that I have acquired over the last week. First, if you're going to pack only 2 outfits for a week of travel, be sure that you love them because you will get sick of them quickly. Second, it is possible to fit 45 pounds of stuff into a small rollaboard. Cram that sucker full and check him in the hold. Finally, spending time outdoors in the cold, while unpleasant, is not fatal, and is actually sort of energizing. However, hand warmers and long underwear are critical.
The cuckoo clock will arrive within 2 months, and we leave for Spain in 3 months. Giddyup.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Lots to be grateful for
I'm sitting in my cozy living room next to a roaring fire--next to as in, as physically close as I can get without burning myself--listening to sentimental Christmas music, having enjoyed a liberating day off (photos of the grand hair chop coming soon), thinking of all that I am grateful for.
I'm grateful that I can end sentences with prepositions without feeling guilty. Breaking some rules is fun.
I'm thankful for the life that B and I have built. I can honestly say that I have the life I always wanted and worked toward--and it's better than I ever imagined. B is the yin to my yang, the woof to my meow, my perfect match. I love our home, and every day I count my luck that he willingly goes along with my crazy ideas, from redecorating our bathroom around a sink (a sink!) to satisfying nearly every travel whim to shopping as often as I want (trust me--it's often).
I'm grateful that we're both employed heading into difficult economic times and that we would be ok financially for a reasonable amount of time if we weren't. I'm thankful that I don't know how much value I've lost in my 401k and IRA accounts and that I have enough working years to make up for the loss. I'm proud that B and I created a budget that works for us and that we generally stick to it...most of the time.
I'm grateful for our excellent health. I'm thankful that we can buy fresh food and that starting next summer, all of our veggies and meat will be locally grown. I'm so glad that I now eat tomatoes--they are amazing. How did I live so long without them...
I'm grateful that we can travel as much as we do. We're creating memories and also sharing a little of ourselves with the people we meet. In spite of my lacking linguistic skills, I hope we're representing our country well. I'm thankful that memories of our trips are sprinkled throughout our home, from a Venetian mask to French prints on the wall to our Provencal bedspread. I hope we have many more trips in our future.
I'm grateful for the people closest to us--family, friends, and coworkers--people to celebrate with, laugh with, and enjoy life with. Life is better when you spend it with people that you love.
Sorry, but sentimentality got the better of me. Happy holidays, and I hope that you have lots to be grateful for.
I'm grateful that I can end sentences with prepositions without feeling guilty. Breaking some rules is fun.
I'm thankful for the life that B and I have built. I can honestly say that I have the life I always wanted and worked toward--and it's better than I ever imagined. B is the yin to my yang, the woof to my meow, my perfect match. I love our home, and every day I count my luck that he willingly goes along with my crazy ideas, from redecorating our bathroom around a sink (a sink!) to satisfying nearly every travel whim to shopping as often as I want (trust me--it's often).
I'm grateful that we're both employed heading into difficult economic times and that we would be ok financially for a reasonable amount of time if we weren't. I'm thankful that I don't know how much value I've lost in my 401k and IRA accounts and that I have enough working years to make up for the loss. I'm proud that B and I created a budget that works for us and that we generally stick to it...most of the time.
I'm grateful for our excellent health. I'm thankful that we can buy fresh food and that starting next summer, all of our veggies and meat will be locally grown. I'm so glad that I now eat tomatoes--they are amazing. How did I live so long without them...
I'm grateful that we can travel as much as we do. We're creating memories and also sharing a little of ourselves with the people we meet. In spite of my lacking linguistic skills, I hope we're representing our country well. I'm thankful that memories of our trips are sprinkled throughout our home, from a Venetian mask to French prints on the wall to our Provencal bedspread. I hope we have many more trips in our future.
I'm grateful for the people closest to us--family, friends, and coworkers--people to celebrate with, laugh with, and enjoy life with. Life is better when you spend it with people that you love.
Sorry, but sentimentality got the better of me. Happy holidays, and I hope that you have lots to be grateful for.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Acupuncture, or, How much would you pay to be poked with needles?
This weekend, I turned 25 (again), and I believe that a birthday is an excellent time to try something new because then you have a lasting memory of both the experience and the way that you spent your birthday. For this birthday, B and I got acupuncture.
A couple of my coworkers had tried it, enjoyed it, and promised it didn't hurt, and I had a few dollars remaining in my medical flex spending account (use it or lose it!), so I decided to give it a try. I didn't have any particular ailment that needed addressing but figured it would be useful for general stress relief and my occasional back pain. B is always up for new experiences and kindly agreed to come along.
Our health insurance company referred us to 3 acupuncturists in the area, and I called to find out pricing and opening hours. If you can get a discount with your health insurance, acupuncture is comparable to or even cheaper than most spa treatments. If you have a flex spending account, it's even more of a bargain. The first visit is a little pricier than subsequent visits, but it's also longer because they're getting to know you and your medical history.
I chose the acupuncturist who had Saturday hours and was able to book our appointments just a few days out--hooray! We arrived at the appointments stressed out because we were late and Ben had had a fight in the car with our Garmin (long story)--I knew that we'd be putting the acupuncturist to the test.
We filled out multi-page forms with our medical history and current ailments, and then the acupuncturist asked which of us had more complicated medical issues--we said that we were both straightforward, so she asked who talked more. B won, so he went first. I waited for about 20 minutes in the waiting room and then she came and got me and brought me into a room.
We talked about the form I had filled out, and then she gave me a johnnie to change into (I was hoping that the visit wouldn't involve changing clothes, though now that I've been through it, I can see how it's necessary) and left.
A few minutes later, she returned, and I confirmed that she disposes of needles after using them, and then she got started. I had a small moment of panic as I was lying face down on the table--one of those why-am-I-paying-for-this-experience moments. But I calmed myself, reminded myself that trying new experiences is good and worthwhile, and then I was ok.
She explained that I might feel a little pain when the needle went in, and if so, that was usually a sign that there was an issue with that particular area. However, the pain should go away, and if it doesn't, then she needs to adjust the placement. I didn't have any persistent pain, though.
I couldn't feel some of the needles as they went in, but others were more painful than I expected--not overwhelming pain, just momentary, I'm-being-pricked-with-a-pin pain. It went away almost as soon as it came, so it was bearable.
She put probably 20-25 (I should have counted...) needles in my neck, back, hands, and ankles, and then said that I should relax and try not to move, and she'd be back in 20 minutes.
I couldn't really feel the needles--it was a strange experience, knowing that my back looked like a pincushion but I had no physical awareness of the needles being in me. I did feel a little like I was floating for a few minutes early on--that was cool. The coolness faded as more and more time went by--she didn't come back for 40 minutes, probably. Twenty minutes would have been preferable--I was getting fidgety, and fidgeting is not conducive to relaxing. Maybe during regular appointments, it's closer to 20 minutes.
When she came back, she removed the needles (no pain at all) and then gave me a 10-15-minute massage (not typically part of acupuncture--it was a great bonus). Then I turned over and she put needles on my feet, ankles, hands, arms, ears, and forehead, and then she left (again promising a 20-minute return). I think she was gone closer to 30 minutes this time, but I didn't mind the extra time since I was more comfortable lying on my back.
This time, I didn't have the floating sensation, but when I closed my eyes, instead of seeing black, I saw black and purple, almost like a black light. The room was dark because she had turned out the lights, and the purple went away as time went by. I have no explanation for this phenomenon but perhaps it was because I was lying on my stomach for so long.
She came back, took out the needles, and I was finished and free to get dressed.
I'm sure it was a combination of the acupuncture and massage, but I felt incredibly relaxed and pretty sleepy afterwards, and my neck muscles that had been clenched for days were finally relaxed. I took a long nap that afternoon and was still tired at my usual bedtime, so if you go, plan some free time afterwards to catch up on sleep.
Overall, I was pleased with my acupuncture session, though if I go again, I will be sure to ask for clear expectations about how long I will be waiting for her return. If you don't have any needle phobias and can find a place with reasonable prices, I recommend giving it a try, if only to have a new experience, and maybe to help with an ailment that has been bothering you.
A couple of my coworkers had tried it, enjoyed it, and promised it didn't hurt, and I had a few dollars remaining in my medical flex spending account (use it or lose it!), so I decided to give it a try. I didn't have any particular ailment that needed addressing but figured it would be useful for general stress relief and my occasional back pain. B is always up for new experiences and kindly agreed to come along.
Our health insurance company referred us to 3 acupuncturists in the area, and I called to find out pricing and opening hours. If you can get a discount with your health insurance, acupuncture is comparable to or even cheaper than most spa treatments. If you have a flex spending account, it's even more of a bargain. The first visit is a little pricier than subsequent visits, but it's also longer because they're getting to know you and your medical history.
I chose the acupuncturist who had Saturday hours and was able to book our appointments just a few days out--hooray! We arrived at the appointments stressed out because we were late and Ben had had a fight in the car with our Garmin (long story)--I knew that we'd be putting the acupuncturist to the test.
We filled out multi-page forms with our medical history and current ailments, and then the acupuncturist asked which of us had more complicated medical issues--we said that we were both straightforward, so she asked who talked more. B won, so he went first. I waited for about 20 minutes in the waiting room and then she came and got me and brought me into a room.
We talked about the form I had filled out, and then she gave me a johnnie to change into (I was hoping that the visit wouldn't involve changing clothes, though now that I've been through it, I can see how it's necessary) and left.
A few minutes later, she returned, and I confirmed that she disposes of needles after using them, and then she got started. I had a small moment of panic as I was lying face down on the table--one of those why-am-I-paying-for-this-experience moments. But I calmed myself, reminded myself that trying new experiences is good and worthwhile, and then I was ok.
She explained that I might feel a little pain when the needle went in, and if so, that was usually a sign that there was an issue with that particular area. However, the pain should go away, and if it doesn't, then she needs to adjust the placement. I didn't have any persistent pain, though.
I couldn't feel some of the needles as they went in, but others were more painful than I expected--not overwhelming pain, just momentary, I'm-being-pricked-with-a-pin pain. It went away almost as soon as it came, so it was bearable.
She put probably 20-25 (I should have counted...) needles in my neck, back, hands, and ankles, and then said that I should relax and try not to move, and she'd be back in 20 minutes.
I couldn't really feel the needles--it was a strange experience, knowing that my back looked like a pincushion but I had no physical awareness of the needles being in me. I did feel a little like I was floating for a few minutes early on--that was cool. The coolness faded as more and more time went by--she didn't come back for 40 minutes, probably. Twenty minutes would have been preferable--I was getting fidgety, and fidgeting is not conducive to relaxing. Maybe during regular appointments, it's closer to 20 minutes.
When she came back, she removed the needles (no pain at all) and then gave me a 10-15-minute massage (not typically part of acupuncture--it was a great bonus). Then I turned over and she put needles on my feet, ankles, hands, arms, ears, and forehead, and then she left (again promising a 20-minute return). I think she was gone closer to 30 minutes this time, but I didn't mind the extra time since I was more comfortable lying on my back.
This time, I didn't have the floating sensation, but when I closed my eyes, instead of seeing black, I saw black and purple, almost like a black light. The room was dark because she had turned out the lights, and the purple went away as time went by. I have no explanation for this phenomenon but perhaps it was because I was lying on my stomach for so long.
She came back, took out the needles, and I was finished and free to get dressed.
I'm sure it was a combination of the acupuncture and massage, but I felt incredibly relaxed and pretty sleepy afterwards, and my neck muscles that had been clenched for days were finally relaxed. I took a long nap that afternoon and was still tired at my usual bedtime, so if you go, plan some free time afterwards to catch up on sleep.
Overall, I was pleased with my acupuncture session, though if I go again, I will be sure to ask for clear expectations about how long I will be waiting for her return. If you don't have any needle phobias and can find a place with reasonable prices, I recommend giving it a try, if only to have a new experience, and maybe to help with an ailment that has been bothering you.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
No hablo Catalon. :(
To prepare for our international trips, B and I try to acquire some of the basics of the languages for the countries that we'll visit. I was somewhat prepared for France because I took a year of French in high school, and I practiced my French every night in the shower using a French CD.
Before we went to Italy, we got an Italian-language CD to which we occasionally listened in the car (it put us to sleep--a dangerous side effect of a car activity--so our Italian was limited to greetings and useless pronouncements, such as "che una maquina!"). We have followed a similar path to prepare for Germany, though I'm hoping that B's German training during college will carry us through at least some of our interactions.
For our Spain trip, I thought--finally! A country where I can practice my Spanish skills and maybe even hold an entire conversation in Spanish. Perhaps that hope is too great, as I can speak but not understand Spanish (it throws everyone off because my accent is just good enough to make people think that I can keep up--they're always disappointed by my deer-in-the-headlights look whenever they respond with anything more than a few words). Nevertheless, I am better prepared for Spain than any other country that we've visited in Europe.
Or so I thought. As I was reading my Spain guide book, I learned that Barcelona, where we'll spend more than half our time, is actually part of Catalonia (the part that wants to secede from Spain), and its official language is Catalon. Catalon, while it has similarities to Spanish, is actually much closer to Italian. And Catalonians get angry--angry!--when people speak Spanish to them.
I'm having a "so much for all of those Spanish classes" moment (why did I never learn any Catalonian???), but I'm just going to have to do my best to communicate without offending anyone. If my woeful attempts at Spanish are met with sneers, I can always fall back upon my Ignorant American routine--I can ask if someone speaks English in many languages.
Before we went to Italy, we got an Italian-language CD to which we occasionally listened in the car (it put us to sleep--a dangerous side effect of a car activity--so our Italian was limited to greetings and useless pronouncements, such as "che una maquina!"). We have followed a similar path to prepare for Germany, though I'm hoping that B's German training during college will carry us through at least some of our interactions.
For our Spain trip, I thought--finally! A country where I can practice my Spanish skills and maybe even hold an entire conversation in Spanish. Perhaps that hope is too great, as I can speak but not understand Spanish (it throws everyone off because my accent is just good enough to make people think that I can keep up--they're always disappointed by my deer-in-the-headlights look whenever they respond with anything more than a few words). Nevertheless, I am better prepared for Spain than any other country that we've visited in Europe.
Or so I thought. As I was reading my Spain guide book, I learned that Barcelona, where we'll spend more than half our time, is actually part of Catalonia (the part that wants to secede from Spain), and its official language is Catalon. Catalon, while it has similarities to Spanish, is actually much closer to Italian. And Catalonians get angry--angry!--when people speak Spanish to them.
I'm having a "so much for all of those Spanish classes" moment (why did I never learn any Catalonian???), but I'm just going to have to do my best to communicate without offending anyone. If my woeful attempts at Spanish are met with sneers, I can always fall back upon my Ignorant American routine--I can ask if someone speaks English in many languages.
You can get here from there
Some of you intend to read this blog. Others happen upon it because they are lucky enough (hehe) to type keywords that appear in a posting. Here are some recent searches that have led to this blog.
what to do if your muffler falls off
dangers of an unattached muffler
Variations on this theme appear with frequency (almost as much as arts and crafts headboard searches--I always feel bad for people who type that search and end up here--my headboard post is woefully inadequate to use as a template for any project). However, my post is actually relevant here. Remember, everyone, and repeat after me: "If it falls off, you can keep going..."
sound of music tour salzburg
This one falls into the headboard category--my posting on this tour is not helpful because I have not yet taken the tour. Check back in a few weeks, and if I get around to describing my trip in more detail than the last trip, perhaps you will find out.
how is a coat supposed to fit
Don't worry if the sleeves aren't long enough--they are less likely to get dirty (that's what the sales people always tell me, anyway).
where can i play a game that involves gang violence
Prison is a dependable place to start.
can you avoid being served
Again, a search that appears with great frequency. What have you people done that you need all of this advice about avoiding being served with court papers? And how disappointing is it when you find out that the posting is actually about being served inedible foods in foreign countries?
teeth whitening glowing in dark teeth
I was using hyperbole, but perhaps someone wants to glow in the dark. Just think of how much you could reduce your annual glow stick budget.
duck tape heel shoe
Yes! I love hearing about creative shoe repair ideas, even when people call it "duck" tape. Quack-tastic.
what to do if your muffler falls off
dangers of an unattached muffler
Variations on this theme appear with frequency (almost as much as arts and crafts headboard searches--I always feel bad for people who type that search and end up here--my headboard post is woefully inadequate to use as a template for any project). However, my post is actually relevant here. Remember, everyone, and repeat after me: "If it falls off, you can keep going..."
sound of music tour salzburg
This one falls into the headboard category--my posting on this tour is not helpful because I have not yet taken the tour. Check back in a few weeks, and if I get around to describing my trip in more detail than the last trip, perhaps you will find out.
how is a coat supposed to fit
Don't worry if the sleeves aren't long enough--they are less likely to get dirty (that's what the sales people always tell me, anyway).
where can i play a game that involves gang violence
Prison is a dependable place to start.
can you avoid being served
Again, a search that appears with great frequency. What have you people done that you need all of this advice about avoiding being served with court papers? And how disappointing is it when you find out that the posting is actually about being served inedible foods in foreign countries?
teeth whitening glowing in dark teeth
I was using hyperbole, but perhaps someone wants to glow in the dark. Just think of how much you could reduce your annual glow stick budget.
duck tape heel shoe
Yes! I love hearing about creative shoe repair ideas, even when people call it "duck" tape. Quack-tastic.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
What's the most spontaneous thing you've ever done?
I drew the titular question from a bag during my women's studies class in college. Few questions could have provided as much insight into my personality as this one.
Everyone had to read her question aloud and offer an answer. As my classmates each took their turns with easy questions ("Where do you see yourself in five years?" "What's your favorite place on earth?"), I desperately searched the archives of my brain for any memory that hinted of spontaneity.
There were none. I'm not a spontaneous person.
"I'm not a spontaneous person," I announced after reading my question. "I don't do spontaneous things."
"That's something that you can work on, then!" the professor chirped.
I nodded agreeably while thinking to myself, why on earth would I want to be spontaneous? What value does a spur-of-the-moment decision bring that a carefully planned decision can't?
Ten years later, I don't think my professor would be impressed with my progress. Among my spontaneous activities I include shopping (afterwards, I am sometimes regretful, sometimes defiantly proud) and eating/buying dessert (late at night, I have been known to declare that I simply must have a piece of cake, and then off we go to try to find some). I just don't think my nature is to be spontaneous.
But now, if anyone asks again about the most spontaneous thing I've ever done, I have an answer. Tonight, within the last hour, I purchased plane tickets--spontaneously. Sort of spontaneously.
Last weekend, we saw a Rick Steves show on Spain, and B and I were of the same mind--we simply must go. The architecture in Barcelona was unlike anything I had ever seen, and my 6 years of Spanish classes included the occasional bit of of art and history, which meant that the numerous museum visits might not be as yawnish as usual for me.
We purchased Rick's Spain book earlier in the week, and I started scoping out dates. Mid-to-late April seemed like a good time to go--shoulder season, so the crowds would be thinner and prices would be softer, but the weather would be more temperate than our weather in New England.
Flights were as I expected, most ranging from $600 to $900. But when I checked today, there wasn't a single flight for less than $850. Perhaps I'm spoiled, but I don't like spending more then $550 to fly to Europe, and even that pricetag is high--it cuts into my souvenir budget.
And more complications ensued. B's travel has been cut significantly this year--yay!--but that means that we have fewer Starwood points to use for free hotels abroad. However, some offer a cash + points offer, where you pay a nominal fee in US dollars plus a sizeable number of points. However, cash + points weren't available at one of our hotels for the month of April. It was time to step back and figure out a new plan.
On a whim, I entered new dates into Kayak.com to scope out flights, and imagine my surprise when I found what I consider to be bargain flights to Europe--and one of them was even direct! The dates were earlier--March into April--but the flights were the right price, and the cash + points offer was available for most of the nights.
I ran excitedly to B and asked if he was ready to be spontaneous. I should note that B is not a spontaneous person, either, especially when it comes to travel, but he is excited about going to Spain and agreed to my crazy plan.
And so we're going to Spain next year, and I am officially spontaneous.
Everyone had to read her question aloud and offer an answer. As my classmates each took their turns with easy questions ("Where do you see yourself in five years?" "What's your favorite place on earth?"), I desperately searched the archives of my brain for any memory that hinted of spontaneity.
There were none. I'm not a spontaneous person.
"I'm not a spontaneous person," I announced after reading my question. "I don't do spontaneous things."
"That's something that you can work on, then!" the professor chirped.
I nodded agreeably while thinking to myself, why on earth would I want to be spontaneous? What value does a spur-of-the-moment decision bring that a carefully planned decision can't?
Ten years later, I don't think my professor would be impressed with my progress. Among my spontaneous activities I include shopping (afterwards, I am sometimes regretful, sometimes defiantly proud) and eating/buying dessert (late at night, I have been known to declare that I simply must have a piece of cake, and then off we go to try to find some). I just don't think my nature is to be spontaneous.
But now, if anyone asks again about the most spontaneous thing I've ever done, I have an answer. Tonight, within the last hour, I purchased plane tickets--spontaneously. Sort of spontaneously.
Last weekend, we saw a Rick Steves show on Spain, and B and I were of the same mind--we simply must go. The architecture in Barcelona was unlike anything I had ever seen, and my 6 years of Spanish classes included the occasional bit of of art and history, which meant that the numerous museum visits might not be as yawnish as usual for me.
We purchased Rick's Spain book earlier in the week, and I started scoping out dates. Mid-to-late April seemed like a good time to go--shoulder season, so the crowds would be thinner and prices would be softer, but the weather would be more temperate than our weather in New England.
Flights were as I expected, most ranging from $600 to $900. But when I checked today, there wasn't a single flight for less than $850. Perhaps I'm spoiled, but I don't like spending more then $550 to fly to Europe, and even that pricetag is high--it cuts into my souvenir budget.
And more complications ensued. B's travel has been cut significantly this year--yay!--but that means that we have fewer Starwood points to use for free hotels abroad. However, some offer a cash + points offer, where you pay a nominal fee in US dollars plus a sizeable number of points. However, cash + points weren't available at one of our hotels for the month of April. It was time to step back and figure out a new plan.
On a whim, I entered new dates into Kayak.com to scope out flights, and imagine my surprise when I found what I consider to be bargain flights to Europe--and one of them was even direct! The dates were earlier--March into April--but the flights were the right price, and the cash + points offer was available for most of the nights.
I ran excitedly to B and asked if he was ready to be spontaneous. I should note that B is not a spontaneous person, either, especially when it comes to travel, but he is excited about going to Spain and agreed to my crazy plan.
And so we're going to Spain next year, and I am officially spontaneous.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
All in the name of research
While planning our upcoming German vacation with the assistance of Rick Steves (natch), I learned of a possible tour in Salzburg, Austria. The tour takes you to the nearby mountains and shows you some of the Austrian countryside. There was only one problem--the tour was named and themed after a particularly famous movie that was set in Salzburg. Yes, I'm talking about The Sound of Music.
I had never seen the movie and had avoided it during its annual television airing, but I was ready to bite the bullet and commit to a three-hour movie for the sake of research. Rick recommended the tour even if you weren't a fan of the movie, but I didn't know if I could handle three hours of a "Doe, a Deer" sing-along if I couldn't stand the flick. It didn't occur to me that B and I would have different opinions of the movie.
But that's how it turned out. We decided to watch the movie over 2 nights, and after the first half, I realized that SOM was a movie that I could get down with. Unfortunately, B thought differently and was lacking enthusiasm for finishing the movie.
His complaints were valid. Very little plot development occurred during the first hour and a half, the behavior of the characters was unrealistic, and he didn't see anyone in the movie that he could relate to. I'm ok with unrealistic plots and characters, as long as guns and cigarettes aren't involved, and I liked the characters, even the freakishly orderly children.
I promised that the second half of the movie would feature more plot, history, and realistic behavior (the last bit didn't seem likely, but watching movies alone isn't as much fun) and was able to convince B to stay the course, and we finished the movie the next evening.
I loved the movie. B tolerated it, at best, but he agreed to take the tour in Salzburg anyway, even though he might be forced into singing "Sixteen, Going on Seventeen" on a rolling tour bus.
And so here it is, our itinerary.
Day 1: Fly to Munch.
Day 2: Land in Munich early in the morning. We'll have all day to sightsee, assuming jet lag doesn't get the best of us.
Day 3: Travel to Salzburg. Tour the sites, and visit the Christmas market.
Day 4: Take the Sound of Music tour and return to Munich.
Day 5: Take a day trip to Neuschwanstein.
Day 6: Take a day trip to Nurnberg, home of the largest Christmas market in Germany.
Day 7: Fly home.
I had never seen the movie and had avoided it during its annual television airing, but I was ready to bite the bullet and commit to a three-hour movie for the sake of research. Rick recommended the tour even if you weren't a fan of the movie, but I didn't know if I could handle three hours of a "Doe, a Deer" sing-along if I couldn't stand the flick. It didn't occur to me that B and I would have different opinions of the movie.
But that's how it turned out. We decided to watch the movie over 2 nights, and after the first half, I realized that SOM was a movie that I could get down with. Unfortunately, B thought differently and was lacking enthusiasm for finishing the movie.
His complaints were valid. Very little plot development occurred during the first hour and a half, the behavior of the characters was unrealistic, and he didn't see anyone in the movie that he could relate to. I'm ok with unrealistic plots and characters, as long as guns and cigarettes aren't involved, and I liked the characters, even the freakishly orderly children.
I promised that the second half of the movie would feature more plot, history, and realistic behavior (the last bit didn't seem likely, but watching movies alone isn't as much fun) and was able to convince B to stay the course, and we finished the movie the next evening.
I loved the movie. B tolerated it, at best, but he agreed to take the tour in Salzburg anyway, even though he might be forced into singing "Sixteen, Going on Seventeen" on a rolling tour bus.
And so here it is, our itinerary.
Day 1: Fly to Munch.
Day 2: Land in Munich early in the morning. We'll have all day to sightsee, assuming jet lag doesn't get the best of us.
Day 3: Travel to Salzburg. Tour the sites, and visit the Christmas market.
Day 4: Take the Sound of Music tour and return to Munich.
Day 5: Take a day trip to Neuschwanstein.
Day 6: Take a day trip to Nurnberg, home of the largest Christmas market in Germany.
Day 7: Fly home.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
A spartan TV schedule
While we were in Italy, B and I didn't watch much television, but our TV time increased after we returned home, much to our dismay. Well, maybe only to my dismay.
After a weekend that featured what seemed like 12 hours of football watching (college, pro, and I think even some local high school games on the public access station), I realized that we had started using the television as a way to pass the time. We were being less and less choosy about the shows that we watched, and as a result, we were filling up our time together with a log of garbage (yes, I Love Money, and just about every other show on VH1--I'm talking about you).
We agreed to trying an experiment with the TV. We each chose several hours' worth of programming that we couldn't live without and agreed not to watch anything else. B chose the weekly Patriot's game, and I chose The Office and Gossip Girl.
For the first week, we were very good about sticking to our plan, though some college football did manage to sneak into the schedule. We're now in week 3 and have had some flagrant violations (House two nights ago, and Bones last night), but after spending 11-12 hours at work, it's tough to find motivation for anything besides dinner, TV, and sleep. I'm hoping we bouce back to our spartan TV schedule next week.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
But they're amazing!
How do you justify $400 blue boots?
If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
A mature woman's wardrobe
I always thought that Talbot's was a store at which more mature women shopped. Then I realized that I now fit into that category.
A couple months ago, Stacy London (of What Not To Wear fame) paid a visit to the morning show on Cosmo Radio, and she shared some interesting insight. A woman who was about my age called for fashion advice, and Stacy said that finding age-appropriate clothing is difficult when you're in your late 20s. The stores that you used to shop at are no longer appropriate, but you might not be ready to start browsing in the stores that you will shop at in your 30s.
I count Talbot's in this category and never even used to go in, but I found a coupon code online last week and decided to check out what they offer--and I realized that they're a great place to buy staples. Stacy said that as you approach your 30s, you need to make sure that the core of your wardrobe consists of staples with a few trendy pieces mixed in. Talbot's is one of those stores that offers good staples.
Yesterday my online search produced a navy Talbot's dress that would be pefect for dressy fall and winter occasions. I used my detective skills to track down the only remaining dress in my size in the state and then dragged B off in the rain to go buy it. It's during those emergency shopping situations (the store was due to close in an hour) that you really appreciate your Garmin.
A couple months ago, Stacy London (of What Not To Wear fame) paid a visit to the morning show on Cosmo Radio, and she shared some interesting insight. A woman who was about my age called for fashion advice, and Stacy said that finding age-appropriate clothing is difficult when you're in your late 20s. The stores that you used to shop at are no longer appropriate, but you might not be ready to start browsing in the stores that you will shop at in your 30s.
I count Talbot's in this category and never even used to go in, but I found a coupon code online last week and decided to check out what they offer--and I realized that they're a great place to buy staples. Stacy said that as you approach your 30s, you need to make sure that the core of your wardrobe consists of staples with a few trendy pieces mixed in. Talbot's is one of those stores that offers good staples.
Yesterday my online search produced a navy Talbot's dress that would be pefect for dressy fall and winter occasions. I used my detective skills to track down the only remaining dress in my size in the state and then dragged B off in the rain to go buy it. It's during those emergency shopping situations (the store was due to close in an hour) that you really appreciate your Garmin.
Where can I find the non-Amazon tall size...
In general, I don't know what it's like to be short. Yes, once upon a time, I was younger and smaller than I am now, but even when I was short compared to adults, I was always tall compared to my peers, and I always felt tall in my clothes, which were generally too short in the leg and arm throughout childhood.
After I took responsibility for buying my own clothes, I discovered stores that catered to tall women--halleluja! Tall pants are usually just long enough for me to wear flats, though sometimes they require heels (or hemming, but heels are cheaper). However, I have recently met my match in a pair of long pants from Ann Taylor.
I've joked with people that I'd need a 37"+ inseam on my pants to be able to wear the 4" stillettos that I see some girls rocking, and where can you get women's pants with a 37" inseam. It's a hypothetical question because I have never encountered such a thing--until now.
The long pants that I recently received from an online order are so long that I can't wear them with my highest (3") heels--the pants drag on the ground. I'm not sure if I could wear them with 4" heels. Stilts might be required to keep these pants from dragging...
So now, for the first time in my life, I have to have my pants hemmed, and I'm not particularly happy about it, especially since the tailor I called quoted me a $20 price tag (since the pants are wide and cuffed). $20!! I have newfound sympathy for anyone who has to have every pair of pants that she buys hemmed.
I'm not going to pay someone to hem my pants, not if it's going to cost $20. The bargain for which I got the pants would be obliterated by this extra expense. It's time to break out the needle and thread and conquer my sewing fears.
After I took responsibility for buying my own clothes, I discovered stores that catered to tall women--halleluja! Tall pants are usually just long enough for me to wear flats, though sometimes they require heels (or hemming, but heels are cheaper). However, I have recently met my match in a pair of long pants from Ann Taylor.
I've joked with people that I'd need a 37"+ inseam on my pants to be able to wear the 4" stillettos that I see some girls rocking, and where can you get women's pants with a 37" inseam. It's a hypothetical question because I have never encountered such a thing--until now.
The long pants that I recently received from an online order are so long that I can't wear them with my highest (3") heels--the pants drag on the ground. I'm not sure if I could wear them with 4" heels. Stilts might be required to keep these pants from dragging...
So now, for the first time in my life, I have to have my pants hemmed, and I'm not particularly happy about it, especially since the tailor I called quoted me a $20 price tag (since the pants are wide and cuffed). $20!! I have newfound sympathy for anyone who has to have every pair of pants that she buys hemmed.
I'm not going to pay someone to hem my pants, not if it's going to cost $20. The bargain for which I got the pants would be obliterated by this extra expense. It's time to break out the needle and thread and conquer my sewing fears.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
All we need is a tree
In previous years, my goal has been to finish all of our Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving. It's an aggressive goal, but we've come pretty close the last couple of years, and our vacation and shopping in France helped significantly last year.
This year, we planned 2 European vacations during the latter part of the year. We finished about 2/3 of our Christmas shopping in Italy et al, but our upcoming trip to Germany is over a month away, so there's no way that we'll be able to finish all of our Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving.
But that's ok. We'll be in Germany and Austria for nearly a week, and a week that is entirely dedicated to shopping should give us plenty of time to finish.
Let me rephrase, in the likely event that B reads this posting. The week will, of course, not be devoted entirely to shopping. There will be historical walking tours and museum visits and all of that. But Munich itself has something like 12 different Christmas markets (with one devoted entirely to nativity scenes--amazing), and we're visiting several other cities to tour their markets as well (and, of course, their historical sites...).
So we won't be finished with all of our shopping until mid-December at the earliest, but today while waiting for the chimney inspector to arrive, we finished wrapping all of the gifts that we have bought. And now all we need is a tree...
Early November is probably too early to buy a Christmas tree, especially since we'll be out of the country for a week in early December. I suppose I'll have to make due with Christmas CDs in the stereo for now.
This year, we planned 2 European vacations during the latter part of the year. We finished about 2/3 of our Christmas shopping in Italy et al, but our upcoming trip to Germany is over a month away, so there's no way that we'll be able to finish all of our Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving.
But that's ok. We'll be in Germany and Austria for nearly a week, and a week that is entirely dedicated to shopping should give us plenty of time to finish.
Let me rephrase, in the likely event that B reads this posting. The week will, of course, not be devoted entirely to shopping. There will be historical walking tours and museum visits and all of that. But Munich itself has something like 12 different Christmas markets (with one devoted entirely to nativity scenes--amazing), and we're visiting several other cities to tour their markets as well (and, of course, their historical sites...).
So we won't be finished with all of our shopping until mid-December at the earliest, but today while waiting for the chimney inspector to arrive, we finished wrapping all of the gifts that we have bought. And now all we need is a tree...
Early November is probably too early to buy a Christmas tree, especially since we'll be out of the country for a week in early December. I suppose I'll have to make due with Christmas CDs in the stereo for now.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Riding the downward spiral all the way to zero
I leave for work around 6:45 AM, or earlier if I'm feeling particularly chipper or if I have just returned from a European vacation (jet lag). I start up my car, scrape my windows, and head off into the cold, dark world (is it time to change the clocks or what??). The first thing I do in the car is turn on the defrost/heat. My next step is to change the station to Bloomberg radio.
I listen to Bloomberg radio on Sirius, which might be best invention ever for committed commuters like myself ("committed" because I spend 2+ hours/day in my car, or perhaps because I should be committed for spending 1/12+ of my life that way; it's a toss-up).
While we were in Italy and watching the downward financial spiral begin, I couldn't help but wonder what Tom Keane--perhaps my new fav finance guy since Alan Greenspan, whom I now know is not infallible, but hey, nobody's perfect--was saying about the current financial markets. I needn't have worried because the drama has only intensified since we returned, and I've had ample opportunity to hear his carefully paced but energetic commentary as well as the opinions of his guests.
His guests have wide-ranging specialties, and some are more scintillating than others, but all offer analysis and predictions that help me understand financial markets a little bit more. After the Dow fell below 8500 (a move predicted by a guest, back when falling to 8500 seemed inconceivable), I vowed not to check my 401k accounts because I knew that I would be met only with bad news.
Sticking to that decision would have been good, but I broke down last week and decided to log on and see how I was doing. Big Mistake. If you haven't checked your accounts yet--Don't Do It! Wait for your next quarterly statement, or better yet, wait for another year, and understand that you're not alone in your 30% loss.
After adding up all of the money that, on paper anyway, I had lost, I considered my options. Curling up in a corner and crying, while tempting, wasn't going to get me anywhere. Taking my money out when the market is at its lowest point is about the worst idea ever. Continuing my current contributions was really my only choice.
But then every day on the radio came doom and gloom, and I could start to feel my heartbeat increase every time I pushed Bloomberg's preset station number on my radio. What bad news would come today, I would wonder. How far will the Dow fall tomorrow, I would ponder. It got to be too much.
And then I had an epiphany. I am a bystander in this crisis. I'm not a trader or a portfolio manager or a hedge fund manager, and the money that I have invested in the stock market is peanuts compared to most. I don't actively interact with any markets. In short, I have zero control over this situation--and that's a comforting place to be. If I can't control what's going to happen in the market, then what's the point of worrying about it?
My new attitude has helped me enormously. Earlier this week when the Dow was flirting with falling below 8,000 and the impending, likely rate cut seemed eons away, I reminded myself of my lack of power and immediately relaxed. Listening to Bloomberg is not nearly as stressful as it was becoming.
But when it gets to be too much, Cosmo radio is always there for a lighter form of entertainment. After all, all finance and no fun makes M a dull girl.
I listen to Bloomberg radio on Sirius, which might be best invention ever for committed commuters like myself ("committed" because I spend 2+ hours/day in my car, or perhaps because I should be committed for spending 1/12+ of my life that way; it's a toss-up).
While we were in Italy and watching the downward financial spiral begin, I couldn't help but wonder what Tom Keane--perhaps my new fav finance guy since Alan Greenspan, whom I now know is not infallible, but hey, nobody's perfect--was saying about the current financial markets. I needn't have worried because the drama has only intensified since we returned, and I've had ample opportunity to hear his carefully paced but energetic commentary as well as the opinions of his guests.
His guests have wide-ranging specialties, and some are more scintillating than others, but all offer analysis and predictions that help me understand financial markets a little bit more. After the Dow fell below 8500 (a move predicted by a guest, back when falling to 8500 seemed inconceivable), I vowed not to check my 401k accounts because I knew that I would be met only with bad news.
Sticking to that decision would have been good, but I broke down last week and decided to log on and see how I was doing. Big Mistake. If you haven't checked your accounts yet--Don't Do It! Wait for your next quarterly statement, or better yet, wait for another year, and understand that you're not alone in your 30% loss.
After adding up all of the money that, on paper anyway, I had lost, I considered my options. Curling up in a corner and crying, while tempting, wasn't going to get me anywhere. Taking my money out when the market is at its lowest point is about the worst idea ever. Continuing my current contributions was really my only choice.
But then every day on the radio came doom and gloom, and I could start to feel my heartbeat increase every time I pushed Bloomberg's preset station number on my radio. What bad news would come today, I would wonder. How far will the Dow fall tomorrow, I would ponder. It got to be too much.
And then I had an epiphany. I am a bystander in this crisis. I'm not a trader or a portfolio manager or a hedge fund manager, and the money that I have invested in the stock market is peanuts compared to most. I don't actively interact with any markets. In short, I have zero control over this situation--and that's a comforting place to be. If I can't control what's going to happen in the market, then what's the point of worrying about it?
My new attitude has helped me enormously. Earlier this week when the Dow was flirting with falling below 8,000 and the impending, likely rate cut seemed eons away, I reminded myself of my lack of power and immediately relaxed. Listening to Bloomberg is not nearly as stressful as it was becoming.
But when it gets to be too much, Cosmo radio is always there for a lighter form of entertainment. After all, all finance and no fun makes M a dull girl.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Photos from an architectural exhibit in Venice
On one of our Venice days, we were riding the slow vaporetto down the Grand Canal while listening to Rick Steves's guided tour when the woman sitting next to us asked us what Ben's iPhone was. We explained, and then we explained that we were listening to podcast tours of the canal and its surrounding buildings. She said that she knew we were Americans because of my "bracelet"--a black hair elastic that never leaves my wrist. She had its twin--they were even frayed and stretched in the same part.
The woman, from LA, was in Venice with her husband to celebrate her fiftieth birthday. Several months prior, he had offered her a party or a trip, and she wisely chose the vacation (who would choose the party??). We swapped stories--Yoko Ono and Julian Lennon had walked into their lunch eatery that day; and we had taken a gondola ride the evening before for our anniversary. She wanted to take a ride but her husband was unconvinced, so Ben offered his manly impressions of the experience in an effort to help her convince him.
We were on the boat for a pleasure cruise, but she was heading in the direction of an architecture exhibit that was in town. She said that it originally came from the United States and was supposed to be interesting.
Several days later, for our last full day in Venice, I asked Ben to pick the activity for the day, and he chose the architecture exhibit, so off we went to an abandoned building far from the crowds of St. Mark's Square for some modern art exhibits that were among the coolest we saw our entire trip.
The guidemap said that the exhibit was about more than just structures--it was about art and life and materials and who knows what else (art exhibits are always about something more than they seem to be). It was a cool walk-through experience with lots of photo-taking opportunities--here are a few of my favorites.
The woman, from LA, was in Venice with her husband to celebrate her fiftieth birthday. Several months prior, he had offered her a party or a trip, and she wisely chose the vacation (who would choose the party??). We swapped stories--Yoko Ono and Julian Lennon had walked into their lunch eatery that day; and we had taken a gondola ride the evening before for our anniversary. She wanted to take a ride but her husband was unconvinced, so Ben offered his manly impressions of the experience in an effort to help her convince him.
We were on the boat for a pleasure cruise, but she was heading in the direction of an architecture exhibit that was in town. She said that it originally came from the United States and was supposed to be interesting.
Several days later, for our last full day in Venice, I asked Ben to pick the activity for the day, and he chose the architecture exhibit, so off we went to an abandoned building far from the crowds of St. Mark's Square for some modern art exhibits that were among the coolest we saw our entire trip.
The guidemap said that the exhibit was about more than just structures--it was about art and life and materials and who knows what else (art exhibits are always about something more than they seem to be). It was a cool walk-through experience with lots of photo-taking opportunities--here are a few of my favorites.
Our day trip to Siena
According to Rick Steves, whenever anyone in his office mentions the Tuscan hill town of Siena, someone always says, "Siena? I looooove Siena!" Needless to say, expectations were high.
The chaos started early when we were unable to find the bus station. I managed to find the only person in Italy who didn't speak English, but we were able to communicate enough that I found out where to catch the bus. Unfortunately, our delay in finding the station meant that we missed the direct bus and had to take the pokey bus instead, a two-hour semi-scenic tour of a Tuscan highway.
We arrived in town and made our way to the main square, which, twice per year, features a no-holds-barred horse race around the edges. Each of the villages of the city enters a horse (with a rider) in the race, and the winning village gets bragging rights. Mattresses are placed around the most difficult corners, though they don't prevent ferocious wipe-outs.
We were't in town for the horse race, so we were allowed to walk freely in an around the square. We grabbed lunch at one of the many surrounding cafes and enjoyed the people watching before making our way to the town's duomo (church). Our first stop was the museum, which offered fabulous views of the town.
The chaos started early when we were unable to find the bus station. I managed to find the only person in Italy who didn't speak English, but we were able to communicate enough that I found out where to catch the bus. Unfortunately, our delay in finding the station meant that we missed the direct bus and had to take the pokey bus instead, a two-hour semi-scenic tour of a Tuscan highway.
We arrived in town and made our way to the main square, which, twice per year, features a no-holds-barred horse race around the edges. Each of the villages of the city enters a horse (with a rider) in the race, and the winning village gets bragging rights. Mattresses are placed around the most difficult corners, though they don't prevent ferocious wipe-outs.
We were't in town for the horse race, so we were allowed to walk freely in an around the square. We grabbed lunch at one of the many surrounding cafes and enjoyed the people watching before making our way to the town's duomo (church). Our first stop was the museum, which offered fabulous views of the town.
As we left the museum, the skies opened up. Our hotel's only occasionally helpful weather forecast had promised no rain, so we had no umbrella. We ran for the church and spent over an hour inside as we waited for the rain to calm down.
The church featured many floor carvings, including the following skull. Skull jewelry was also very popular and was featured prominently in the windows of many jewelry stores.
After the rain, we did some shopping in town, picking up some panforte, a specialty dessert of the region, and (natch) some some gelato. I snapped this pic, one of my favs from the trip, as we were wandering around town. (Ok, we were lost and looking for the main square.)
After some more meandering and shopping, we decided that we had had our fill of Siena. Did we love it? No, I don't think so, but we enjoyed it, and I'd go back, especially if we can buy more of their sexy pasta:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)