Thursday, January 11, 2007
The end of the road.
While everything appeared to be going in our favor yesterday, things were a bit hectic as we prepared to depart The Netherlands.
Kate and I met Angela at AFNORTH after stopping in Brunssum so Kate could buy beer glasses. Angela informed us upon our arrival that she had meetings and wouldn't be able to take us to the airport in Eindhoven. Naturally, I started to panic.
It's a good thing that I still know people at school, that's all I have to say! After some begging, I managed to get one of Angela's colleagues to attend the meetings for her and we were all set. I'm pretty sure I owe Mr. D something for taking a hit like that for me.
Angela tossed us in the car and we headed to Eindhoven...or so we thought. Evidently, Angela didn't know how to get to the airport from where we were - but that didn't stop her from driving, so we went over an hour out of our way before she stopped and said, "Don't worry!" - that made me speechless for the remainder of the car ride.
Thankfully, we did make it to the airport in time and our flight was quick and easy. We met a nice Canadian fellow who lives in California, so he entertained us for most of the flight.
We collected our luggage from the baggage reclaim, picked up a bus to Gatwick (a 3-hour ride), and then made it to our hotel in Surrey before midnight.
We're at Gatwick now. I spent a load of money at Boots getting last minute goodies...I'm sad it's all over!
Less than two hours before we leave for Raleigh. That's all from the UK. It's been great - thanks for tagging along for the adventure!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Last day in the NL
Kate and I somehow managed to haul ourselves out of bed at 7 a.m. and we were standing outside Coffee Lovers ayt promptly 8 a.m. when it opened. We sat and had our coffee (butterscotch for me and a mocha coffee for Kate).
We walked to the Maastricht train station and took the train to Heerlen so that we could pack in just a little bit more shopping. I found a skirt, Kate bought gifts for friends, and I found an item that my mother will be VERY shocked and amazed about that I bought for her.
The train back to Maastricht left at 11:15 a.m. so we were back at Angela's by 11:30 a.m. so that we could take a large trip to the grocery at Albert Heijn. I filled my cart and threw in anything I could think of that looked good and small enough to pack.
The biggest task of the day was to pack. We put our new clothes and goodies in our backpacks and the trip clothes in a box each with some other odds and ends that wouldn't fit.
We are now going to drag everything downstairs to Angela's car and drive to Schinnen to send everything in the post. Angela wants us at AFNORTH by 3 p.m. so that I can talk with a senior about N.C. State, as she is very interested in attending. I told Angela Kate and I would sponsor her, but only if she is cool and fun like we are...
Our flight to London leaves at 7:30 p.m. and Anglea is going to drive us after school so that we can beat traffic and won't be late.
We are staying just outside Gatwick in Surrey this evening at a 3-star hotel that we got from LastMinute.com for $80 - yet again, another deal found.
We walked to the Maastricht train station and took the train to Heerlen so that we could pack in just a little bit more shopping. I found a skirt, Kate bought gifts for friends, and I found an item that my mother will be VERY shocked and amazed about that I bought for her.
The train back to Maastricht left at 11:15 a.m. so we were back at Angela's by 11:30 a.m. so that we could take a large trip to the grocery at Albert Heijn. I filled my cart and threw in anything I could think of that looked good and small enough to pack.
The biggest task of the day was to pack. We put our new clothes and goodies in our backpacks and the trip clothes in a box each with some other odds and ends that wouldn't fit.
We are now going to drag everything downstairs to Angela's car and drive to Schinnen to send everything in the post. Angela wants us at AFNORTH by 3 p.m. so that I can talk with a senior about N.C. State, as she is very interested in attending. I told Angela Kate and I would sponsor her, but only if she is cool and fun like we are...
Our flight to London leaves at 7:30 p.m. and Anglea is going to drive us after school so that we can beat traffic and won't be late.
We are staying just outside Gatwick in Surrey this evening at a 3-star hotel that we got from LastMinute.com for $80 - yet again, another deal found.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Dinner in Valkenburg
Cyriel took the Kates to dinner in Valkenburg tonight. We had a lovely meal, but it was the company that truly made the evening.
Kate and I left Angela's apartment about 15 minutes before 7 p.m. when we were to meet Cyriel at the Maastricht train station. He beat us there and was waiting for us in his cool new Audi to drive us to dinner.
We talked about a little of everything during dinner (to include this woman named Missy who happened to be a part of our discussion on many accounts). It was so delightful to just sit and enjoy the evening. Cyriel drove us back to Maastricht after dinner at we arrived at the apartment a after 10 p.m. - Angela had also returned from dinner.
The three girls talked in the kitchen for a while before Angela went up to bed and now Kate and I have to figure out how in the heck we are going to pack up everything we've bought to mail to ourselves tomorrow.
On our mini shopping trip to H&M in Maastricht this evening I did indeed find the dress I had seen in London, the matching black jacket, and a navy blue coat that looks like Madeline's from the children's books.
We are meeting my friend Britni in the morning. I went to AFNORTH with her and she is still living here with her two children. There's just a bit more to pick up (mainly grocery items to mail) and then we're back to London to spend the night in Surrey before we are back in Raleighwood once again. Does this really have to end?
Kate and I left Angela's apartment about 15 minutes before 7 p.m. when we were to meet Cyriel at the Maastricht train station. He beat us there and was waiting for us in his cool new Audi to drive us to dinner.
We talked about a little of everything during dinner (to include this woman named Missy who happened to be a part of our discussion on many accounts). It was so delightful to just sit and enjoy the evening. Cyriel drove us back to Maastricht after dinner at we arrived at the apartment a after 10 p.m. - Angela had also returned from dinner.
The three girls talked in the kitchen for a while before Angela went up to bed and now Kate and I have to figure out how in the heck we are going to pack up everything we've bought to mail to ourselves tomorrow.
On our mini shopping trip to H&M in Maastricht this evening I did indeed find the dress I had seen in London, the matching black jacket, and a navy blue coat that looks like Madeline's from the children's books.
We are meeting my friend Britni in the morning. I went to AFNORTH with her and she is still living here with her two children. There's just a bit more to pick up (mainly grocery items to mail) and then we're back to London to spend the night in Surrey before we are back in Raleighwood once again. Does this really have to end?
Boots...what happened? Dun dun dun!
For those of you waiting on the edge of your seat to find out whether or not Kate accomplished her goal of finding the perfect pair of boots, we thought should let you know: Great success!
She found a pair of Esprit books on sale in Lust for Life at the price of 49 Euros (originally 159 Euros).
Also, overheard in the apartment living room...
Kate: "I want to be Scottish...a Scottish man, so I can sound cool cursing."
She found a pair of Esprit books on sale in Lust for Life at the price of 49 Euros (originally 159 Euros).
Also, overheard in the apartment living room...
Kate: "I want to be Scottish...a Scottish man, so I can sound cool cursing."
Maasmechelen & Aachen
It's not too shabby to have been in three countries in one day and all before 1 p.m. - don't you agree?
We returned to Maasmechelen to finish up the shopping we didn't have enough time to get to last night. Kate was in search of the perfect pair of boots and I spent the entire time shopping and trying on clothes in Le Petit Bateau. I ended up buying a pair of trousers, a sweater, and a little t-shirt. All 50% off - hooray! No luck finding any boots for Kate, but not to worry, she's a motivated shopper and it didn't get her down any.
From Belgium, we drove through the Netherlands and to Aachen, Germany. It was quite the miracle that I was able to get us into the city and to the parking garage (with street closures and everything!) without getting lost. As it was well into lunch time, we walked to the Nobis bakery to find something to eat. Kate had a cheese and tomato sandwich and I was in pure heaven eating my rasberry dessert and a cheese bread roll. Too good for words.
We next went in search of Lust for Life, Aachen's big department store, to see what might be on sale. I found luck in the kid's department with a shirt that said "AACHEN" - there were some other interesting things, but I passed because of my big shopping trip at Maasmechelen earlier in the day.
My friend Kristie wanted me to go to a jewelry store to find earrings, so I did just that and kept to my spending limit. Kristie - mission complete!
I returned to the bakery before we left for more raspberry and cheese bread goodness to eat tomorrow before we fly back to London. Kate wandered around and into a booksore and we both checked out a writing shop (pens, paper, etc.) before returning to the car.
The two biggest accomplishments of the day came next. Not only did we get out of Aachen without getting lost but we made it to Angela's apartment in Maastricht also without getting turned around.
We are leaving in a few minutes to walk around Maastricht into some shops and then going to the train station at 7 p.m. to wait for Cyriel to pick us up for dinner.
Dat ist alles.
We returned to Maasmechelen to finish up the shopping we didn't have enough time to get to last night. Kate was in search of the perfect pair of boots and I spent the entire time shopping and trying on clothes in Le Petit Bateau. I ended up buying a pair of trousers, a sweater, and a little t-shirt. All 50% off - hooray! No luck finding any boots for Kate, but not to worry, she's a motivated shopper and it didn't get her down any.
From Belgium, we drove through the Netherlands and to Aachen, Germany. It was quite the miracle that I was able to get us into the city and to the parking garage (with street closures and everything!) without getting lost. As it was well into lunch time, we walked to the Nobis bakery to find something to eat. Kate had a cheese and tomato sandwich and I was in pure heaven eating my rasberry dessert and a cheese bread roll. Too good for words.
We next went in search of Lust for Life, Aachen's big department store, to see what might be on sale. I found luck in the kid's department with a shirt that said "AACHEN" - there were some other interesting things, but I passed because of my big shopping trip at Maasmechelen earlier in the day.
My friend Kristie wanted me to go to a jewelry store to find earrings, so I did just that and kept to my spending limit. Kristie - mission complete!
I returned to the bakery before we left for more raspberry and cheese bread goodness to eat tomorrow before we fly back to London. Kate wandered around and into a booksore and we both checked out a writing shop (pens, paper, etc.) before returning to the car.
The two biggest accomplishments of the day came next. Not only did we get out of Aachen without getting lost but we made it to Angela's apartment in Maastricht also without getting turned around.
We are leaving in a few minutes to walk around Maastricht into some shops and then going to the train station at 7 p.m. to wait for Cyriel to pick us up for dinner.
Dat ist alles.
een...twee...drie...
This morning we've consumed:
1 caramel coffee
1 butterscotch coffee
1 whole grain roll
1 yogurt
2 coke lights
...all before 9:30 a.m. - isn't it glorious? It was back to Coffee Lovers and Albert Heijn for breakfast this morning. We are just about ready to jump in the car and drive back to Maasmechelen for shopping and then driving off to Aachen. Tag!
1 caramel coffee
1 butterscotch coffee
1 whole grain roll
1 yogurt
2 coke lights
...all before 9:30 a.m. - isn't it glorious? It was back to Coffee Lovers and Albert Heijn for breakfast this morning. We are just about ready to jump in the car and drive back to Maasmechelen for shopping and then driving off to Aachen. Tag!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Schinnen, Wijnandsrade & Maasmechelen
I cried. The moment I saw the house in Wijnandsrade when we drove up the hill, I cried. I was so happy to see the farm and the second house we lived in, it was just too much for me to handle. Maybe it's the heavy travel or lack of sleep that's heightening my emotions - I don't know.
Needless to say, Kate and I made it out of Maastricht alive. We might have taken a few wrong turns at first, but I would never admit that, would I?
So, once I knew where we were, we stopped at the local ABN AMRO bank in Nuth so that Kate could take out more Euros for her shopping. From Nuth, we drove to my mother's most favorite flower shop to buy flowers for Otmar and the Niessen family. I spent about 40 Euros on flowers (which was about 4 times the amount of flowers I would get in the US for that type of money) before returning to Wijnandsrade.
To my delight John and his wife were at home. They gave hugs and kisses and invited Kate and I into the farmhouse for pie (vlaa) and coffee. One of the grandchildren, Solange, returned home from school for lunch so she sat and ate with us (her two siblings were in Austria skiing on a school trip). John gave us a tour of the stables to see the new foals, one was born at the farm this year - there was a disease that took the lives of the 5 others born - and the slew of other foals that he purchased.
I took a ton of photos of the farm, our old house, and the surrounding area before we said goodbye and thank you for the visit.
The next stop was Schinnen where our first house is located. I took pictures of the village center, the road leading up to the house, the house, and just about everything else. Kate was anxious for us to move down the road - to the Alfa brewery - which we were disappointed to discover is closed until Saturday.
Otmar's restaurant, Restaurant Thull, was just across the street from the brewery, so we poked our heads inside and Otmar turned around and could not believe I was standing in front of him. He's so sweet! He was spending the morning changing out the holiday decorations and when I asked to take a picture with him and his wife he said, "It's a Monday picture!" as he was without his famous chef hat. Otmar and the Niessens send their love to my family - they loved the flowers and were very surprised with my visit!
Kate and I promised Angela we would pick her up from school in the afternoon. Considering we had taken her car for the day, it was the least we could do! We drove around the center of Brunssum before driving to school. AFNORTH hasn't changed that much in the past 5 years since I graduated! I was able to see a few of my former teachers and then it was time to head out of the compound in search of dinner.
Our threesome decided that it would be fun to have dinner in Belgium - Maasmechelen Village, to be exact. The outlets were still open for about 20 minutes and so we were able to wander around and look at the shops before finding a restaurant.
Dinner was at an Italian restaurant called Cellini. Kate had a linguini with veggies and shimp in a very light tomato sauce. Angela had a mixed green salad with cheese with a house dressing. I chose a ciabatta alla caprese with a side mixed green salad - oh, and one can't forget the smooth glass of pinot grigio to go along with my dish.
After dinner, we decided to see the 8 p.m. showing of 'The Holiday' at Maasmechelen's EUROSCOOP (http://www.euroscoop.be). I love that movie theatre! It has an intermission, as do most European theatres, and the movie will cut out in the middle of a sentence for the break. At this point everyone gets up, goes to the loo, smokes, and goes to the concession stand for alcoholic beverages and sweets. I'm not quite sure how America hasn't been able to grasp this concept.
The posse is back in Maastricht and it is just past midnight. Angela returns to work tomorrow, I think we're stealing her car again, and Kate and I will most likely repeat today's morning routine of coffee and a grocery stop for breakfast before deciding on the adventure du jour.
We don't want to leave!
Needless to say, Kate and I made it out of Maastricht alive. We might have taken a few wrong turns at first, but I would never admit that, would I?
So, once I knew where we were, we stopped at the local ABN AMRO bank in Nuth so that Kate could take out more Euros for her shopping. From Nuth, we drove to my mother's most favorite flower shop to buy flowers for Otmar and the Niessen family. I spent about 40 Euros on flowers (which was about 4 times the amount of flowers I would get in the US for that type of money) before returning to Wijnandsrade.
To my delight John and his wife were at home. They gave hugs and kisses and invited Kate and I into the farmhouse for pie (vlaa) and coffee. One of the grandchildren, Solange, returned home from school for lunch so she sat and ate with us (her two siblings were in Austria skiing on a school trip). John gave us a tour of the stables to see the new foals, one was born at the farm this year - there was a disease that took the lives of the 5 others born - and the slew of other foals that he purchased.
I took a ton of photos of the farm, our old house, and the surrounding area before we said goodbye and thank you for the visit.
The next stop was Schinnen where our first house is located. I took pictures of the village center, the road leading up to the house, the house, and just about everything else. Kate was anxious for us to move down the road - to the Alfa brewery - which we were disappointed to discover is closed until Saturday.
Otmar's restaurant, Restaurant Thull, was just across the street from the brewery, so we poked our heads inside and Otmar turned around and could not believe I was standing in front of him. He's so sweet! He was spending the morning changing out the holiday decorations and when I asked to take a picture with him and his wife he said, "It's a Monday picture!" as he was without his famous chef hat. Otmar and the Niessens send their love to my family - they loved the flowers and were very surprised with my visit!
Kate and I promised Angela we would pick her up from school in the afternoon. Considering we had taken her car for the day, it was the least we could do! We drove around the center of Brunssum before driving to school. AFNORTH hasn't changed that much in the past 5 years since I graduated! I was able to see a few of my former teachers and then it was time to head out of the compound in search of dinner.
Our threesome decided that it would be fun to have dinner in Belgium - Maasmechelen Village, to be exact. The outlets were still open for about 20 minutes and so we were able to wander around and look at the shops before finding a restaurant.
Dinner was at an Italian restaurant called Cellini. Kate had a linguini with veggies and shimp in a very light tomato sauce. Angela had a mixed green salad with cheese with a house dressing. I chose a ciabatta alla caprese with a side mixed green salad - oh, and one can't forget the smooth glass of pinot grigio to go along with my dish.
After dinner, we decided to see the 8 p.m. showing of 'The Holiday' at Maasmechelen's EUROSCOOP (http://www.euroscoop.be). I love that movie theatre! It has an intermission, as do most European theatres, and the movie will cut out in the middle of a sentence for the break. At this point everyone gets up, goes to the loo, smokes, and goes to the concession stand for alcoholic beverages and sweets. I'm not quite sure how America hasn't been able to grasp this concept.
The posse is back in Maastricht and it is just past midnight. Angela returns to work tomorrow, I think we're stealing her car again, and Kate and I will most likely repeat today's morning routine of coffee and a grocery stop for breakfast before deciding on the adventure du jour.
We don't want to leave!
Koffie
Kate and I managed to walk out of Angela's apartment around 9 a.m. to
walk across the street for coffee at a place called Coffee Lovers. I
had a cute little vanilla latte and Kate had a mocha. When we
finished, we walked back down the street and into Albert Heijn for
some groceries. Gotta love the AH! I got big bottles of my favorite
Spa water and some Coke Light before we walked back to the apartment.
walk across the street for coffee at a place called Coffee Lovers. I
had a cute little vanilla latte and Kate had a mocha. When we
finished, we walked back down the street and into Albert Heijn for
some groceries. Gotta love the AH! I got big bottles of my favorite
Spa water and some Coke Light before we walked back to the apartment.
Everything is put away in the kitchen and we are ready to head out for
the day...Tot ziens!
Sunday, January 07, 2007
A note to readers....
It has been such a treat to read all of the comments you guys have been leaving, so I thought it would be fitting to write back...
To:
My parents: I will try to accomplish all of my travel tasks - beer for Dad and I will bring flowers to everyone at the farm and to Otmar. Let me know if I am forgetting anything.
Erica: I love the notes you're leaving! I promise to share all the pictures when I get home. How about over some Starbucks?
Tyler: You are going to be in Europe in a few months yourself - you are going to love Germany.
Bobby's Daddy: So fun messaging with you earlier tonight. I am delighted to report the international Starbucks partners are hooking us up with their discounts. Oh yeah!
G.P - The drunk guy on the tube in London with his bottles of Stella made us laugh so hard...wish you could have seen it!
Jana: You'll be here in a few months on your own Europe adventures...I expect you to blog too! Have you finalized all of your plans?
Carol: if you're reading this...can you get sushi with us Thursday night?
Blake: I said Hello to your Scottish relatives...they were all eating at this popular restaurant called McDonald's - have you heard of it?
David/Kiron/Zoe: I met a group of Aussies at breakfast this morning and they all had tubes of Vegemite...I was so jealous.
If I didn't leave you a message will you please post me a note to let me know you're reading? Google tells me the blog has had over 300 hits since I left!
To:
My parents: I will try to accomplish all of my travel tasks - beer for Dad and I will bring flowers to everyone at the farm and to Otmar. Let me know if I am forgetting anything.
Erica: I love the notes you're leaving! I promise to share all the pictures when I get home. How about over some Starbucks?
Tyler: You are going to be in Europe in a few months yourself - you are going to love Germany.
Bobby's Daddy: So fun messaging with you earlier tonight. I am delighted to report the international Starbucks partners are hooking us up with their discounts. Oh yeah!
G.P - The drunk guy on the tube in London with his bottles of Stella made us laugh so hard...wish you could have seen it!
Jana: You'll be here in a few months on your own Europe adventures...I expect you to blog too! Have you finalized all of your plans?
Carol: if you're reading this...can you get sushi with us Thursday night?
Blake: I said Hello to your Scottish relatives...they were all eating at this popular restaurant called McDonald's - have you heard of it?
David/Kiron/Zoe: I met a group of Aussies at breakfast this morning and they all had tubes of Vegemite...I was so jealous.
If I didn't leave you a message will you please post me a note to let me know you're reading? Google tells me the blog has had over 300 hits since I left!
Welkom bij Maastricht!
Our day began in Glasgow, halfway through we were in Belgium, and we end this evening in the glorious country that is the Netherlands.
Kate and I took the very first train out of Glasgow at 8:48 a.m. which took us directly to Prestwick International Airport (where, evidently, you don't have to go through customs...very weird). The flight left on time at noon and we arrived into Brussels a few minutes after 2:30 p.m. and just a few minutes later had collected our backpacks and met my friend Angela in the airport lobby. She drove us back to her house in Maastricht, we dumped our bags, and the three of us left to walk to a local restaurant for dinner.
We ate at a place called Napoli, I'd been there a few times before when we lived in the NL, and so it was quite comforting to sit in the restaurant and just take in my surroundings. Kate and Angela had pasta and I had a mini cheese (kaas) pizza. Gotta love that Dutch cheese! After dinner, we walked around the city some, the Christmas fair was still set up so we went for a ride on the huge ferris wheel and got to see Maastricht all lit up with Christmas lights. Perfection.
We're back at Angela's house for the night. I think Kate and I are going to sit and watch a movie and try to get up at a reasonable hour to start exploring and making a few visits. Angela is leaving her car with us so we have the day to drive around. We are going to meet her at school later in the afternoon so I can say hello to my old teachers and friends. Not sure what kind of trouble we'll get into for the rest of the day...but I'm sure we'll come up with something. I suppose the biggest adventure will be trying to remember how to get everywhere by car - wish me luck!
Kate and I took the very first train out of Glasgow at 8:48 a.m. which took us directly to Prestwick International Airport (where, evidently, you don't have to go through customs...very weird). The flight left on time at noon and we arrived into Brussels a few minutes after 2:30 p.m. and just a few minutes later had collected our backpacks and met my friend Angela in the airport lobby. She drove us back to her house in Maastricht, we dumped our bags, and the three of us left to walk to a local restaurant for dinner.
We ate at a place called Napoli, I'd been there a few times before when we lived in the NL, and so it was quite comforting to sit in the restaurant and just take in my surroundings. Kate and Angela had pasta and I had a mini cheese (kaas) pizza. Gotta love that Dutch cheese! After dinner, we walked around the city some, the Christmas fair was still set up so we went for a ride on the huge ferris wheel and got to see Maastricht all lit up with Christmas lights. Perfection.
We're back at Angela's house for the night. I think Kate and I are going to sit and watch a movie and try to get up at a reasonable hour to start exploring and making a few visits. Angela is leaving her car with us so we have the day to drive around. We are going to meet her at school later in the afternoon so I can say hello to my old teachers and friends. Not sure what kind of trouble we'll get into for the rest of the day...but I'm sure we'll come up with something. I suppose the biggest adventure will be trying to remember how to get everywhere by car - wish me luck!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Glasgow
I believe Kate hit the snooze button more than 3 separate times when the alarm rang this morning. We didn't get to sleep until after midnight and we actually got out of bed around 9 a.m. (our longest sleep yet!). Breakfast was downstairs and I had toast with raspberry jam (Kate chose honey) and coffee. We started of out tour by walking through the city center where all of the streets are walking paths and closed to traffic. There was a Marks & Spencer along the way - I bought more of my new favorite orange and raspberry juice and Kate bought a mocha from the cafe. Our stroll continued to the far east portion of the city where we went to tour Glasgow Cathedral and the church grounds. It had been sprinkling earlier in the morning, but by the time we had finished, the sun was out and the whole city was lit up, it was beautiful. On our way back to the city center we found ourselves a Pret A Manger to grab lunch at...we took our food outside and sat on a bench in the middle of the walking street to people watch while we ate. Not too long after lunch we popped into a huge Boots where I bought enought LemSip to cure a small country of a cold. Kate found a Guinness gift set for 50% off to add to growing collection of all things beer. We are now back at the hostel giving our feet a break for an hour or so before we go out again to wander and find a place for dinner.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Scotland!
Our flight from Dublin left on time and we made it to Glasgow a few minutes earlier than scheduled. Our hostel is HUGE and just a few minutes walk from the central train station where we rode into town from the airport. Dinner was at an Indian restaurant down the street from our hostel called Spice Garden. We had a ton of food and while it was a bit pricey (what isn't with the exchange rate?) it was very good. We are in for the evening enjoying Scottish/BBC telly and dessert. Not bad, not bad at all.
One night in London...
Kate and I had a great evening running around town tonight. I have my
tickets to Salisbury for tomorrow with the Deverells (I get to see
Dizzy the dog too!). George took us to Pasta Brown - the place
continues to impress me. We wandered around Oxford Circus some before
George drove us back to the hostel for the night. Kate and I are
absolute zombies tonight. I suppose two nights without sleep will do
that! Time for bed...another long day tomorrow!
tickets to Salisbury for tomorrow with the Deverells (I get to see
Dizzy the dog too!). George took us to Pasta Brown - the place
continues to impress me. We wandered around Oxford Circus some before
George drove us back to the hostel for the night. Kate and I are
absolute zombies tonight. I suppose two nights without sleep will do
that! Time for bed...another long day tomorrow!
The Book of Kells, Trinity College, and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
It was very difficult to roll out of bed this morning, but we managed to get downstairs and out of the room a little after 8 a.m. to start another day of touring.
It was a bit damp out and thankfully not raining as we walked from the hostel to St. Patrick's Cathedral. The cathedral is beautiful and one portion of the site is being repaired. There is a lovely grassy area with benches and swings adjacent to the cathedral and people were walking through the park as we took photos.
We continued walking until we reached Grafton Street where there were shops absolutely everywhere. We found a card shop with funny cards and a new artist we find amusing (www.edwardmonkton.com), had coffee and scones from Marks & Spencer, and were delighted to find a jewelry store at the end of the street that was closing and thus everything was on sale! I found a pair of white gold star earrings to replace the ones I bought in the Netherlands about 4 years ago, a claddagh ring, and a trinity knot necklace and ring.
Trinity College was just across the street from the jewelry store, so we walked across and into the gated campus. Kate found it amusing to take a picture of me taking pictures because that's all I've been doing - I have about 300 photos so far (from 3 days of travels). I hope to make it to the 1000 mark by the time we head back to the states.
At Trinity College we bought tickets to see The Book of Kells. It was amazing to see such craftsmanship and the attention to detail on each page of the book(s) in the collection.
We are now back in the Temple Bar area. We had crepes and lattes for lunch and have another two hours or so before we need to pick up our luggage from the hostel and take the bus to the airport for our flight to Glasgow.
The weather here is impeccable! It's windy, but nothing we can't handle. More later from Scotland - I hope to add more pictures late tonight.
It was a bit damp out and thankfully not raining as we walked from the hostel to St. Patrick's Cathedral. The cathedral is beautiful and one portion of the site is being repaired. There is a lovely grassy area with benches and swings adjacent to the cathedral and people were walking through the park as we took photos.
We continued walking until we reached Grafton Street where there were shops absolutely everywhere. We found a card shop with funny cards and a new artist we find amusing (www.edwardmonkton.com), had coffee and scones from Marks & Spencer, and were delighted to find a jewelry store at the end of the street that was closing and thus everything was on sale! I found a pair of white gold star earrings to replace the ones I bought in the Netherlands about 4 years ago, a claddagh ring, and a trinity knot necklace and ring.
Trinity College was just across the street from the jewelry store, so we walked across and into the gated campus. Kate found it amusing to take a picture of me taking pictures because that's all I've been doing - I have about 300 photos so far (from 3 days of travels). I hope to make it to the 1000 mark by the time we head back to the states.
At Trinity College we bought tickets to see The Book of Kells. It was amazing to see such craftsmanship and the attention to detail on each page of the book(s) in the collection.
We are now back in the Temple Bar area. We had crepes and lattes for lunch and have another two hours or so before we need to pick up our luggage from the hostel and take the bus to the airport for our flight to Glasgow.
The weather here is impeccable! It's windy, but nothing we can't handle. More later from Scotland - I hope to add more pictures late tonight.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
It starts with a pint of Guinness
This morning we left London just as early as we started the past two days. We hauled our giant backpacks down the six flights of stairs to the lobby of the hostel, checked out, and off we went. From the Queensway tube station we rode to Victoria station where we took the Gatwick Express back to the airport.
*Note, I snagged another orange and raspberry juice from Marks & Spencer (which Kate lovingly calls Marcus Spencer). I want there to be a drink like that at home, sadly, I don't think one exists.
Checking in for the flight was painless, but the line for passport control to get to the gate was insane. Two huge lines snaked around the airport, but then moved quickly, so that's really all that matters.
Our flight boarded a bit later than the designated time and it was a full load. Getting a seat wasn't difficult and after that it's all a bit blurry for me. I remember taking off and waking up just a few minutes before we landed. Going through customs was a long process and by the time we made it through the line our bags were waiting for us in luggage reclaim.
We hopped a city bus to Dublic city center and were at the hotel a little over 30 minutes later. We dropped our things and walked the 200 meters or so down the street to the Guinness factory. The self-guided tour took an hour or so to include having a pint of fresh Guinness in on the 7th floor in the Gravity Bar.
Kate took her loot back to the room, we grabbed gloves and scarves (it's quite windy here!), and took another bus to the area of Temple Bar. We walked through the streets some before stopping for dinner at The Old Mill to eat. I had a bowl of cauliflower soup and Kate had a fixed-price meal consisting of a small salad, chicken, and chocolate mousse for dessert (I plan on getting some ice cream in just a bit).
So now, here we are, hanging out in an internet spot and just about ready to find a coffee bar we saw earlier in the evening to sit and relax before going back to the room for the night. We're beat! St. Patrick's Cathedral and Trinity College are in the plans for tomorrow - I hope we don't get lost, Dublin isn't the easiest city to navigate.
*Note, I snagged another orange and raspberry juice from Marks & Spencer (which Kate lovingly calls Marcus Spencer). I want there to be a drink like that at home, sadly, I don't think one exists.
Checking in for the flight was painless, but the line for passport control to get to the gate was insane. Two huge lines snaked around the airport, but then moved quickly, so that's really all that matters.
Our flight boarded a bit later than the designated time and it was a full load. Getting a seat wasn't difficult and after that it's all a bit blurry for me. I remember taking off and waking up just a few minutes before we landed. Going through customs was a long process and by the time we made it through the line our bags were waiting for us in luggage reclaim.
We hopped a city bus to Dublic city center and were at the hotel a little over 30 minutes later. We dropped our things and walked the 200 meters or so down the street to the Guinness factory. The self-guided tour took an hour or so to include having a pint of fresh Guinness in on the 7th floor in the Gravity Bar.
Kate took her loot back to the room, we grabbed gloves and scarves (it's quite windy here!), and took another bus to the area of Temple Bar. We walked through the streets some before stopping for dinner at The Old Mill to eat. I had a bowl of cauliflower soup and Kate had a fixed-price meal consisting of a small salad, chicken, and chocolate mousse for dessert (I plan on getting some ice cream in just a bit).
So now, here we are, hanging out in an internet spot and just about ready to find a coffee bar we saw earlier in the evening to sit and relax before going back to the room for the night. We're beat! St. Patrick's Cathedral and Trinity College are in the plans for tomorrow - I hope we don't get lost, Dublin isn't the easiest city to navigate.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Yo! Sushi in London
We went just around the corner from the hostel to have dinner with George at a little place in Whiteley's called Yo! Sushi. The sushi went around on a belt and you were free to choose what you wanted from the belt. The plates were different colors and each color corresponded the the price of the sushi. We need something like this in Raleigh! George treated the girls and we parted ways shortly after eating (and after George and I had a water drinking battle - he drank still and I drank fizzy....oh, how I love fizzy water)
We have pictures! Check them out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/broadwayk
Kate and I are off to wander in the neighborhood before getting to bed!
We have pictures! Check them out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/broadwayk
Kate and I are off to wander in the neighborhood before getting to bed!
Salisbury (not just a steak!)
The morning started early at 6 a.m. today. The shared bathroom experience here in London isn't half as bad as I had expected. The shower had amazing water pressure and that alone helped me to get out of the room on time to start my day. Kate and I left at 7 a.m., I left her at Starbucks to have an adventure in London on her own, and then headed to the tube station so that I could be at Waterloo station plenty early for my 8:20 a.m. train to Salisbury.
As I was a bit early, I popped into Marks & Spencer to find something for breakfast. Nothing really grabbed my attention other than what has turned out to be my new favorite drink - freshly squeezed orange juice with crushed raspberries. It makes my mouth watering just thinking about it...and at another stand I picked up a mini baguette with cheddar cheese and tomatoes.
My train to Salisbury was just over an hour and a half. Sir Jack and Lady Jane met me on the ramp moments after I stepped on the train - they are such a delight. They brought little Dizzy in the car, so the two of us shared the back seat and we drove through Salisbury and parked to walk to Salisbury Cathedral. Before stopped at the cathedral, we went into a little corner cafe for coffee and to do a little people watching. The cathedral has the tallest spire in Europe and the inside is a work of art. The last time I visited with the Deverells we went to Bath Abby and I thought that was nice, but Salisbury easily trumps Bath.
After the cathedral tour, we jumped back into the car and drove to see Stonehenge. I expected it to be at the top of a big hill or on a cliff, but in all actuality it's smack in the middle of two large roads and just a few meters away from all of the traffic. The site is roped off, so we chose to drive by as it was nearly just as close.
The Deverells took me back to their home. Jane chose to stay in the house for a bit and Jack, Dizzy, and I took a walk around the countryside. I put on wellingtons in place of my sneakers so my shoes wouldn't get muddy and wet and we were off. It was so serene walking through the fields, past a little church, and then stopping in at the local pub for lunch (Jane drove and met us there). Jane and I drank cider while Jack chose a local beer. We had smoked salmon, prawns, and crab for lunch with a bit of bread and salad. Nice! We shared desserts and drove home an hour or so later.
Jack was having computer troubles, so I was there to teach him how to send multiple photo attachments. Jane made us tea while we were in the office and took a picture of the two of us (Dizzy too!) to send to my parents. Once the computer lesson was over it was time for me to go back to London on the train. I took the 4:20 p.m. train and sat with the Deverells until it was about time for my train to depart. They are incredibly lovely people - they really made me not want to leave!
I met a family from Nevada in my train car. We talked and played cards the entire way back to Waterloo station. The daughter is in a one year master's program here in London and her family was just in town to visit. We swapped e-mails and travel blogs, so I do hope that we'll keep in touch.
I am back at the hostel for the evening. On my walk back from the tube I stopped in a Boots for chap stick (I don't think one person can have enough) and a few extra bags of my Walkers French Fries.
I believe we're having sushi from Yo! Sushi tonight. However, plans can easily change, so I guess I'll just wait to see what happens!
As I was a bit early, I popped into Marks & Spencer to find something for breakfast. Nothing really grabbed my attention other than what has turned out to be my new favorite drink - freshly squeezed orange juice with crushed raspberries. It makes my mouth watering just thinking about it...and at another stand I picked up a mini baguette with cheddar cheese and tomatoes.
My train to Salisbury was just over an hour and a half. Sir Jack and Lady Jane met me on the ramp moments after I stepped on the train - they are such a delight. They brought little Dizzy in the car, so the two of us shared the back seat and we drove through Salisbury and parked to walk to Salisbury Cathedral. Before stopped at the cathedral, we went into a little corner cafe for coffee and to do a little people watching. The cathedral has the tallest spire in Europe and the inside is a work of art. The last time I visited with the Deverells we went to Bath Abby and I thought that was nice, but Salisbury easily trumps Bath.
After the cathedral tour, we jumped back into the car and drove to see Stonehenge. I expected it to be at the top of a big hill or on a cliff, but in all actuality it's smack in the middle of two large roads and just a few meters away from all of the traffic. The site is roped off, so we chose to drive by as it was nearly just as close.
The Deverells took me back to their home. Jane chose to stay in the house for a bit and Jack, Dizzy, and I took a walk around the countryside. I put on wellingtons in place of my sneakers so my shoes wouldn't get muddy and wet and we were off. It was so serene walking through the fields, past a little church, and then stopping in at the local pub for lunch (Jane drove and met us there). Jane and I drank cider while Jack chose a local beer. We had smoked salmon, prawns, and crab for lunch with a bit of bread and salad. Nice! We shared desserts and drove home an hour or so later.
Jack was having computer troubles, so I was there to teach him how to send multiple photo attachments. Jane made us tea while we were in the office and took a picture of the two of us (Dizzy too!) to send to my parents. Once the computer lesson was over it was time for me to go back to London on the train. I took the 4:20 p.m. train and sat with the Deverells until it was about time for my train to depart. They are incredibly lovely people - they really made me not want to leave!
I met a family from Nevada in my train car. We talked and played cards the entire way back to Waterloo station. The daughter is in a one year master's program here in London and her family was just in town to visit. We swapped e-mails and travel blogs, so I do hope that we'll keep in touch.
I am back at the hostel for the evening. On my walk back from the tube I stopped in a Boots for chap stick (I don't think one person can have enough) and a few extra bags of my Walkers French Fries.
I believe we're having sushi from Yo! Sushi tonight. However, plans can easily change, so I guess I'll just wait to see what happens!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Whatever Simon says, these girls will do...
The line for customs was quick and painless. Even more surprising was the speed at which our backpacks came out on the baggage claim belt. We didn't spend more than 15 minutes total waiting around at Gatwick.
The Gatwick Express left the airport at 9:20 a.m. and delivered us to Victoria station in promptly 30 minutes. I managed to find a Vodafone store within minutes of emerging from the train, so I had my mobile phone activated a few minutes later. Kate and I then took the tube to our hostel, dropped our bags, and rang Simon Deverell to meet him at Hyde Park Barracks.
As our plane was nearly two hours late, we were too late to make it for the changing of the the Queen's Life Guard as originally planned. Simon greeted us in all of his breathtaking handsomeness at the gate to the barracks around 11 a.m.. Even Kate was silenced by the striking aura that surrounded Simon - we were smitten.
Simon showed us around the barracks, the stables, and we watched the troops return from the guard changing. It's a highly choreographed dismount the group must do in order to not stab one another (or the horses) with their giant swords. Simon pointed out the good horses and also the stupid ones - we found his calling out the dumb ones to be particularly amusing.
Our tour ended and we parted ways 30 minutes or so later - cheek kisses from Simon for both of these girls. He's all we could talk about for a good long while as we walked back to Knightsbridge to shop around Harrods.
I found little Anna a friend at Harrods for Hattie the dog, who I purchased a little over 3 years ago for Anna before she was born. I'm carrying the new stuffed dog back with me, as Anna said he might get lost or scared if I sent him in the mail.
Kate and I left Knightsbridge and went to Waitrose to buy lunch and bring back to our hostel room. I had my traditional sunblished tomato salad along with hummus and organic bread. Kate was craving sushi, so she picked out a nice selection for herself.
I'm typing this from the computer corner of the main lobby of the hostel. Kate and I are about to head out to Paddington Station to buy my train ticket for tomorrow and then we will take the tube to Covent Garden and shop until we meet our friend George at Pasta Brown for dinner around 7:30 p.m.
The Gatwick Express left the airport at 9:20 a.m. and delivered us to Victoria station in promptly 30 minutes. I managed to find a Vodafone store within minutes of emerging from the train, so I had my mobile phone activated a few minutes later. Kate and I then took the tube to our hostel, dropped our bags, and rang Simon Deverell to meet him at Hyde Park Barracks.
As our plane was nearly two hours late, we were too late to make it for the changing of the the Queen's Life Guard as originally planned. Simon greeted us in all of his breathtaking handsomeness at the gate to the barracks around 11 a.m.. Even Kate was silenced by the striking aura that surrounded Simon - we were smitten.
Simon showed us around the barracks, the stables, and we watched the troops return from the guard changing. It's a highly choreographed dismount the group must do in order to not stab one another (or the horses) with their giant swords. Simon pointed out the good horses and also the stupid ones - we found his calling out the dumb ones to be particularly amusing.
Our tour ended and we parted ways 30 minutes or so later - cheek kisses from Simon for both of these girls. He's all we could talk about for a good long while as we walked back to Knightsbridge to shop around Harrods.
I found little Anna a friend at Harrods for Hattie the dog, who I purchased a little over 3 years ago for Anna before she was born. I'm carrying the new stuffed dog back with me, as Anna said he might get lost or scared if I sent him in the mail.
Kate and I left Knightsbridge and went to Waitrose to buy lunch and bring back to our hostel room. I had my traditional sunblished tomato salad along with hummus and organic bread. Kate was craving sushi, so she picked out a nice selection for herself.
I'm typing this from the computer corner of the main lobby of the hostel. Kate and I are about to head out to Paddington Station to buy my train ticket for tomorrow and then we will take the tube to Covent Garden and shop until we meet our friend George at Pasta Brown for dinner around 7:30 p.m.
Looks like we made it....
Good news everyone - Kate made it through security at RDU!
While we didn't have any problems, the flight ended up being delayed in Raleigh for a good hour and a half (maybe a bit more, we lost track) because the crew was "cleaning the plane". Half of the flight was filled with small children, but they all behaved quite well, give or take two or three crying spells (we honestly expected it to be much worse!). Kate read magazines for most of the flight and somehow I was the one that did most of the sleeping. Overall a very uneventful trans-Atlantic flight, which really isn't a bad thing to report
While we didn't have any problems, the flight ended up being delayed in Raleigh for a good hour and a half (maybe a bit more, we lost track) because the crew was "cleaning the plane". Half of the flight was filled with small children, but they all behaved quite well, give or take two or three crying spells (we honestly expected it to be much worse!). Kate read magazines for most of the flight and somehow I was the one that did most of the sleeping. Overall a very uneventful trans-Atlantic flight, which really isn't a bad thing to report
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