I went to Buffalo Tuesday (more on why in a minute) and I had to be somewhere before they closed at 6pm. So, I felt harried as I got onto the roads at 5:15. No traffic. Nothing. It was like my drive in Toronto at 10:30. Amazing. I kept wondering when we'd slow down. I even passed 2 major freeway interchanges - no slow down.
So, I am now officially a Canadian resident. I start a new job Tuesday (Monday is a holiday). I will be working for Mergis Group Canada, which is the executive recruiting branch of Spherion, who I used to work for. I went across the boarder Tuesday to get my work permit. I have a 3 year work permit. I am now an official resident, which means I am lucky enough to pay 40% taxes, get 3 day weekends every month, 3 weeks vacation, and access to their health system. I am excited. I also learned - the hard way - that I need to tell the boarder agents that I am now a Canadian resident. I accidentally said the old way and my car was searched, a supervisor called, and a lesson learned.
Last Friday we went to a wine festival and a cute chef from Food Network flirted with a friend of mine. I found a cool vodka bar, had a date (which will most likely not result in a second date), and finally put Stewart into storage. I wore him 2 weeks ago, but it's time.
Wrists aren't completley healed, but they are feeling better. No more braces needed.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
2 new additions
I have 2 new additions to report - new blinds in the bedroom, and braces for my wrists. The blinds are fabulous and I am so much happier with my room now. They go both up and what they call "top down", which means they open down. The picture explains it better. This way, I keep the bottom down, covering the ugly roof of the car wash next door, and have my great view.
As for my wrists, they have been hurting since my last snowboarding trip. I know, I know, but they only hurt when I put pressure on them, so it's easy to forget about. And I figured I strained them and it'd go away in 3-4 weeks. It's been 6. So, I went to the doctor. He took x-rays (no results yet) and told me to wear these wrist braces about 24x7 for the next 10 days. The problem is, I can't do anything in them. No writing, computer, playing tetris, eating, opening the bottle of pills he gave me...basically, I can sit and watch TV. And it's BOTH wrists. I am trying to be good and wear them, but I am getting antsy.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Passover
Had a lovely Passover. I had 14 people in my apartment. Everyone made something, everyone helped clean and serve. I made gefilte fish from scratch. MUCH better than the stuff in the jar. 3 people were from Israel, and they read in Hebrew. Half were jewish, half not. So it was a very nice mix. And, I forgot to take out the camera, so there are no pictures. Went to my cousin's for second night.
I went to the Kosher grocery store on Wednesday afternoon. You would think it was the day before Thanksgiving. It was absolutely mobbed. You could not move, there were so many people. Every cashier was open and lives were 8 people deep. On a Wednesday afternoon. Don't people work?
This entire grocery store is Kosher - their deli and bakery are normally kosher, now Kosher for Passover. And 80% of the products in the rest of the store are also Koshedr. And all is clearly makred.
I went to the Kosher grocery store on Wednesday afternoon. You would think it was the day before Thanksgiving. It was absolutely mobbed. You could not move, there were so many people. Every cashier was open and lives were 8 people deep. On a Wednesday afternoon. Don't people work?
This entire grocery store is Kosher - their deli and bakery are normally kosher, now Kosher for Passover. And 80% of the products in the rest of the store are also Koshedr. And all is clearly makred.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Stewart and Peni
Isn't peni the plural of penis?
So, I've been sick. I got my annual chest cold. It was a doosey. Luckily, they sell cough syrup with codeine over the counter here. I feel much better now. But it was cold and nasty all week, so I didn't miss much. Saturday, I went to a play. Yes, I was still sick, but I was getting cabin fever and had already bought the tickets, so I went. And it was cold enough that I wore Stewart. (It was cold enough to wear him Sunday too, but I didn't.)
So, back to the play. It was called "Puppetry of the Penis" and it consisted of two naked men twisting and contorting themselves into various shapes. It was hysterical. They created such shapes as a turtle, Eiffel Tower, hot dog, hamburger, boomerang, windsurfer, swollen thumb, and I can't remember the rest. It was quite an experience.
That should be the last time I bring Stewart out. I'm going to wait another week or two, and then bring him in to cold storage. It was in the 50's today. Felt like a nice fall day. Not spring, but the snow berms are gone and it's been sunny.
So, I've been sick. I got my annual chest cold. It was a doosey. Luckily, they sell cough syrup with codeine over the counter here. I feel much better now. But it was cold and nasty all week, so I didn't miss much. Saturday, I went to a play. Yes, I was still sick, but I was getting cabin fever and had already bought the tickets, so I went. And it was cold enough that I wore Stewart. (It was cold enough to wear him Sunday too, but I didn't.)
So, back to the play. It was called "Puppetry of the Penis" and it consisted of two naked men twisting and contorting themselves into various shapes. It was hysterical. They created such shapes as a turtle, Eiffel Tower, hot dog, hamburger, boomerang, windsurfer, swollen thumb, and I can't remember the rest. It was quite an experience.
That should be the last time I bring Stewart out. I'm going to wait another week or two, and then bring him in to cold storage. It was in the 50's today. Felt like a nice fall day. Not spring, but the snow berms are gone and it's been sunny.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Maple Syrup
I went to the swing dance Friday. Had a blast. Sunday I took an Argentine Tango class, which would have been much better if there were not twice as many women as men.
Saturday, I went to a Maple Syrup festival. And I learned a lot. I froze, but I learned a lot. I wore a turtleneck, wool sweater and my big down parka, wool hat, gloves, and was freezing. It was Stuart weather, but we were walking in the woods, so I wore the down instead. And froze. I wore Stewart yesterday to and from the dance class and boy was I glad. The wind was so strong it blew me across the street. But did not get through the coat. But I digress. Back to the maple syrup lesson....
It takes 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup. They really do tap the trees with a tap and bucket. There's only a 6-8 week window in the winter when the sap flows. The start of the thaw until the buds appear. This winter has been terrible for sap production (too cold), so buy your maple syrup now, before the price goes up next year. So, they collect the sap, which is clear, runny, and 97% water. Each tree gives off about 1 bucket of sap per day. They then boil it for 18 hours, and magically, you now have syrup, which is 66% sugar. It is brown because the sugar has caramelized.
They have machines now that can do the boiling in 6-8 hours, and some commercial productions use clear plastic tubing to connect all the trees and collect the sap. If they continue boiling it, it will become maple butter. Still more, maple sugar - water is gone, only sugar crystals are left.
Quebec is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world. And maple syrup is only made in North America. Because it's the only place with maple trees. And it's concentrated to Ontario, Quebec and the NE US.
We then tasted straight maple syrup, then ate pancakes with more maple syrup, then went home and crashed from the sugar rush. Apparently, maple syrup has more calcium than milk.
Our tour guide was Santa Claus. Not kidding. He's Santa Claus at the Eaton Center (biggest shopping mall in Toronto) every year. My friend had 2 pictures of him in her wallet (her dogs sitting on Santa's lap).
Saturday, I went to a Maple Syrup festival. And I learned a lot. I froze, but I learned a lot. I wore a turtleneck, wool sweater and my big down parka, wool hat, gloves, and was freezing. It was Stuart weather, but we were walking in the woods, so I wore the down instead. And froze. I wore Stewart yesterday to and from the dance class and boy was I glad. The wind was so strong it blew me across the street. But did not get through the coat. But I digress. Back to the maple syrup lesson....
It takes 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup. They really do tap the trees with a tap and bucket. There's only a 6-8 week window in the winter when the sap flows. The start of the thaw until the buds appear. This winter has been terrible for sap production (too cold), so buy your maple syrup now, before the price goes up next year. So, they collect the sap, which is clear, runny, and 97% water. Each tree gives off about 1 bucket of sap per day. They then boil it for 18 hours, and magically, you now have syrup, which is 66% sugar. It is brown because the sugar has caramelized.
They have machines now that can do the boiling in 6-8 hours, and some commercial productions use clear plastic tubing to connect all the trees and collect the sap. If they continue boiling it, it will become maple butter. Still more, maple sugar - water is gone, only sugar crystals are left.
Quebec is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world. And maple syrup is only made in North America. Because it's the only place with maple trees. And it's concentrated to Ontario, Quebec and the NE US.
We then tasted straight maple syrup, then ate pancakes with more maple syrup, then went home and crashed from the sugar rush. Apparently, maple syrup has more calcium than milk.
Our tour guide was Santa Claus. Not kidding. He's Santa Claus at the Eaton Center (biggest shopping mall in Toronto) every year. My friend had 2 pictures of him in her wallet (her dogs sitting on Santa's lap).
Saturday, March 29, 2008
To get you up to date
Ok, so what have I been doing since Vienna. I have actually been enjoying the winter. Toronto has gotten more snow than they have in decades, and I don't think it's bad. It's nothing like Tahoe was, and I don't have to go outside if I don't want to. :-) I think that part makes all the difference. And having the right clothes (i.e. Stewart).
I decided walking in a few inches of fresh snow is like walking on sand. Think about when you walk on the beach - thick, uneven, takes more effort, kicks up behind you....
I have not danced since I've been back, but I have gone snowboarding 3x. I found this great girl who really pushed me. She rpefers the park to the slopes, which is something I have wanted to do. I rode the half pipe and the big jump! One day, after a big snowstorm, I spent the whole day in the pipe because there was lots of fresh snow to cushion my falls. And there were many falls. I was bruised, battered and very sore, but it was worth it - I caught air and I hit the top of the pipe. Oh, and I decided I need a new board.
I went to a fundraiser to autistic children. The firemen in the firemen calendar were there. Selling and autographing their calendars, and there's The Ring of Fire. A circle of chairs you buy tickets to and the firemen give you lapdances. I was the first person to buy a seat.
My friend M teaches 3rd and 4th grade and she asked me to teach her kids dance. So, I went for 3 weeks and taught them square dance, salsa and waltz. Yes, I made the 3rd and 4th graders touch each other. It was cute.
My smoke alarm seems to have gotten extra sensitive. I cannot open my oven door for a second without it going off. Being me, I, of course, am more concerned that my neighbors think I am a bad cook, than of an actual fire. (It's hardwired in, so I can't just take the battery out.) Then, the worst happened. I was making Grandma's zucchini and I kept opening the oven door to check on it. Alarm kept going off. My neighbors knocked on my door to make sure I was ok and not burning the place down. I had asked the super about it a few weeks ago, and he said it was normal. This time, I went down to the office and spoke with the ladies in the office, who told me it's now "urgent" and I need to write that on their. They are ordering me a new smoke alarm. It'll be here in about a week. In the meantime, you know their solution, they unhooked the wires.
Birthday - I didn't do much on my actual birthday, as it was a schoolnight and I really wasn't feeling well (day after the big snowboarding trip. Did I mention there were no lift-lines, so I really got 2-3 days of boarding into 1 day. I was exhausted.) So, there are 3 of us with March birthdays, so we had a birthday celebration Saturday. We met at my place for drinks and appetizers and then went to this restaurant that has a 7 course dessert menu. Yes, 7 courses of fancy French desserts. No normal chocolate cake and ice cream. We had avocado cake, parsnip ice cream, mousse, creme brulee, and all sorts of things with French names.
I decided walking in a few inches of fresh snow is like walking on sand. Think about when you walk on the beach - thick, uneven, takes more effort, kicks up behind you....
I have not danced since I've been back, but I have gone snowboarding 3x. I found this great girl who really pushed me. She rpefers the park to the slopes, which is something I have wanted to do. I rode the half pipe and the big jump! One day, after a big snowstorm, I spent the whole day in the pipe because there was lots of fresh snow to cushion my falls. And there were many falls. I was bruised, battered and very sore, but it was worth it - I caught air and I hit the top of the pipe. Oh, and I decided I need a new board.
I went to a fundraiser to autistic children. The firemen in the firemen calendar were there. Selling and autographing their calendars, and there's The Ring of Fire. A circle of chairs you buy tickets to and the firemen give you lapdances. I was the first person to buy a seat.
My friend M teaches 3rd and 4th grade and she asked me to teach her kids dance. So, I went for 3 weeks and taught them square dance, salsa and waltz. Yes, I made the 3rd and 4th graders touch each other. It was cute.
My smoke alarm seems to have gotten extra sensitive. I cannot open my oven door for a second without it going off. Being me, I, of course, am more concerned that my neighbors think I am a bad cook, than of an actual fire. (It's hardwired in, so I can't just take the battery out.) Then, the worst happened. I was making Grandma's zucchini and I kept opening the oven door to check on it. Alarm kept going off. My neighbors knocked on my door to make sure I was ok and not burning the place down. I had asked the super about it a few weeks ago, and he said it was normal. This time, I went down to the office and spoke with the ladies in the office, who told me it's now "urgent" and I need to write that on their. They are ordering me a new smoke alarm. It'll be here in about a week. In the meantime, you know their solution, they unhooked the wires.
Birthday - I didn't do much on my actual birthday, as it was a schoolnight and I really wasn't feeling well (day after the big snowboarding trip. Did I mention there were no lift-lines, so I really got 2-3 days of boarding into 1 day. I was exhausted.) So, there are 3 of us with March birthdays, so we had a birthday celebration Saturday. We met at my place for drinks and appetizers and then went to this restaurant that has a 7 course dessert menu. Yes, 7 courses of fancy French desserts. No normal chocolate cake and ice cream. We had avocado cake, parsnip ice cream, mousse, creme brulee, and all sorts of things with French names.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
a few more thoughts on Vienna
A few things I forgot to mention:
The flight from Switzerland to Paris was SO COLD that I pulled Stewart out of my garment bag and put him on. And people looked at me with great envy.
I learned a very important lesson - do not put your keys in your checked luggage. Somehow, with a 4 hour layover in Paris, my bags did not make it on my flight to the US. Which was fun at customs, but easy once I landed back in Toronto. I had to fill out the form in both the US for their customs and in Toronto to actual report the lost bag, but they had all the paperwork ready and waiting for me in Toronto, so it only took a few minutes. (Bags did arrive safely the next day.) Anyway, I was afraid that I had left my keys in my checked bag and would not be able to get back into my apartment. Alas, I was smarter than that.
Funny thing, I had Euros, Swiss Franks and Canadian Dollars on me. 3 types of currency. None of which is spendable in Newark airport. Luckily, I had plastic too.
I have decided that I will no longer complain that Toronto is expensive. It may be, but not as expensive as Europe. In Europe, you cannot get tap water to drink. You must order it in a bottle and it's at least 4 Euros. All drinks are about 4 Euros. Add tea and water to your meal, and it adds up quickly. And everywhere serves soda in cans or bottles, no tap, no free refills. So, no more complaining for me!
The flight from Switzerland to Paris was SO COLD that I pulled Stewart out of my garment bag and put him on. And people looked at me with great envy.
I learned a very important lesson - do not put your keys in your checked luggage. Somehow, with a 4 hour layover in Paris, my bags did not make it on my flight to the US. Which was fun at customs, but easy once I landed back in Toronto. I had to fill out the form in both the US for their customs and in Toronto to actual report the lost bag, but they had all the paperwork ready and waiting for me in Toronto, so it only took a few minutes. (Bags did arrive safely the next day.) Anyway, I was afraid that I had left my keys in my checked bag and would not be able to get back into my apartment. Alas, I was smarter than that.
Funny thing, I had Euros, Swiss Franks and Canadian Dollars on me. 3 types of currency. None of which is spendable in Newark airport. Luckily, I had plastic too.
I have decided that I will no longer complain that Toronto is expensive. It may be, but not as expensive as Europe. In Europe, you cannot get tap water to drink. You must order it in a bottle and it's at least 4 Euros. All drinks are about 4 Euros. Add tea and water to your meal, and it adds up quickly. And everywhere serves soda in cans or bottles, no tap, no free refills. So, no more complaining for me!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Vienna! (very long post)
So, I am finally getting to add Vienna on here. Flight out was great. Airport was easy, layover fast, convenient, all went very smoothly. I never encountered customs and the only stamp I got in my passport was in Paris – and I never left the airport.
Arrived around 9am Thursday. Went to the hotel, left my stuff and started exploring. Vienna is a fabulous old city, but TINY! I walked completed around it twice by 3:00. I did the walking tour, took tons of pictures, went into a store called Kessler’s, saw museums, palaces, Monument Against War and Fascism, Plague Monument, St Stephen’s Cathedral, St Peter’s Cathedral, Parliament, Town Hall, Holocaust Memorial (which really stood out as a completely square short building amongst the crooked cobblestone streets and old architecture). I was struck by the roman-esque statues. But then I learned that this was the seat of the Holy Roman Emperor until the 1600’s (I had no idea the Holy Roman Empire lasted that long).
Vienna is full of life. The cafes are full of people. I was surprised to see that about half the women there were wearing fur. (I fit right in.) I went to Demel for cake. Demel was opened over 100 years ago as the same bakery it is today, for the Kaiser. There are 2 main pedestrian only streets – Stephens-platz and Graben. Graben used to be to moat around the city. My hotel was over 200 years old. It was apartments, with a restaurant on the ground floor that the Kaiser was a regular at. About 100 years ago it was converted to a hotel and the restaurant removed. The doors are those thick double doors that you see in the old palaces.
There are 2 palaces in Vienna. Since I was going to the ball at the Hofburg, there was no point in doing a tour of it as well. So, I went to the Neue Berg on the palace grounds which housed the Armory Museum, Musical Instruments and Ancient Greek Statues. I really only cared about the incredible collection of arms and armor. There is a large central grassy area in the palace – Hero’s Square, which seems to serve as an ad hoc dog park. At least the locals are using their national treasures.
At this point, I was exhausted, after being up all night traveling, not to mention jetlag, so I went back to the hotel, ate dinner, wandered a bit more, then went to bed early. I did look into going to the opera, but they did not have any shows the 3 nights I was there.
Friday I woke up early and went to the other palace – Schonbrunn, which is the summer palace. Rooms were beautiful (no picture-taking allowed). The massive garden would be stunning in spring and summer. But in winter, are a bit desolate. Barren trees, dead grass, frozen ponds, and the ugliest fountain I have ever seen. There is a large greenhouse, a zoo (the oldest in Europe), and great views of Vienna and beyond. If they make the plain grassy area in the Hofburg a dog park, I would be interested to see how the natives use these gardens in the summer.
Went back into town and met M. We went to a café, met H and did dinner. Saturday, we all met in the morning and explored the town again, this time I was with a native. Back to the hotel to get ready for the ball. I wanted to take a horse and carriage to the palace, but was outvoted – we took a cab.
We walk in and there in front of us is a magnificent staircase, complete with red carpet. Yes, I walked the red carpet. Everyone was taking pictures on the stairs. At the top, we walked into the main ballroom – spectacular. We had about 20 rooms open for the ball, all were beautiful some spectacular. We made sure to get there early so we could see the official start of the ball – when the debutantes enter and perform for the dignitaries. I have no idea who any of them were, since all the announcements were in German. After they performed, they opened the floor to everyone. Of course, there was a live orchestra.
They say the Viennese Waltz was invented to entertain the king. I found out why. The crowd is supposed to move counterclockwise, while spinning – think the scrambler at the fair. In reality, it is human bumper cars. Yes, I smashed into people and was smashed into. It is very different from being alone on a dance floor with your instructor. But fun. We enjoyed watching everyone, looking for the best and worst dresses. At about 2:00am they had the quadrille, which is the folk dancing you see in movies. Except that there are about 3x as many people on this dance floor than their should be. I had no idea what to do, but made sure to be there. Luckily, the gentleman across from me not only knew all the moves, but spoke English. It was a blast.
I got back to the hotel around 4:30 am. E and I were meeting in Munich around 5pm. To get to Munich, I have to take the train and change trains in Salzburg. I wanted to see Salzburg. So, I made a deal with myself – if I could get up early, I can spend a few hours in Salzburg and then continue onto Munich. So, I got the train schedule and set my alarm clock. I woke up early, and got to the station in plenty of time to make the 8:30 am train, which would give me 3 hours in Salzburg. I was very proud of myself. Unfortunately no one at the train station knew anything about an 8:30 am train. I showed them the schedule, they just shrugged. First train in 9:40. Ugh, I could have slept an extra hour. Oh well, I buy my ticket and get on the train.
We are traveling and making a few stops along the way. All the announcements are in German, but I assume that I will a) recognize the word “Salzburg”, b) hear a longer announcement (i.e. change here for trains to…), and c) notice that we are now in a city.
Apparently, none of those 3 things happened.
We were sitting in what I thought was just another small stop, and something didn’t seem right, so I jumped up and saw we were in Salzburg. So, I grabbed my stuff and started to leave. Just then – the train started moving. So, I put down my stuff and went to find the conductor. I assumed I’d get off at the next stop 20 minutes down the road, some back and all would be well. Nope. Next stop is an hour away (not enough time for me to explore Salzburg – that’s my 2 hours). But there is a train directly from there to Munich.
I am disappointed, but all I wanted to do in Salzburg was take the funicular to the top of the mountain and see the fortress and the views. Oh well, not the end of the world. So, I sit back and enjoy the countryside. After all, we are headed to the Alps. People are staring at me as I am taking pictures from the moving train.
So, an hour later I get to this small town. With no expectations, I put my luggage in the locker and walk around, as I have an hour and a half to kill. And then, at the top of the mountain, is a fortress. A fabulous, nowhere near as touristy fortress, with incredible views! I ran to it! (Ok, as much as someone in a fur coat can run up a hill.) Apparently this was a fortress of the Holy Roman Empire. Thick stone walls, turrets, windows that are angled so the outside opening is smaller than the inside opening, secret passages, prison cells, towers. We were in a room that was breached, but the sign was in German so I don’t know if it was when the Romans won the castle, or if they had it and then had to expel the bad guys. I took a picture of the plaque and will try to get it translated.
I took so many pictures. I was so elated. This was the highlight of the trip. It’s a place I never would have gone to, it’s not in any guidebook, and it was just what I wanted. Better than Salzburg.
I made sure to take the non-stop direct train to Munich, so I got there with no problems. When the conductor asked to see my ticket he looked at it, so I gave him the explanation. I saw him politely suppress a smile. “It’s ok,” I said, “It’s funny. You can laugh.” At which point not only did he laugh, but the person sitting across from me laughed too. So, I had someone to talk to this trip.
When I arrived in Munich, I met E at the hotel, which was very easy to find. We wandered Munich and went to dinner. We went to bed early as I did not have much sleep the night before and we had a full day planned for Monday.
Our goal was to see mountains and palaces. I think you will agree that we succeeded. Monday we first went to Schloss Nymphenberg, the summer palace. Ironically, we missed the stop on the train. Had to wait at the end of the line and go back. Again, no pictures allowed inside the palace. And this also would be much more spectacular in the summer. The ponds were 90% frozen, but there were still swans, who obviously hated the ice. We were quite amused watching them slip and try to gracefully slide along the ice. The best part was the carriage museum. Mad King Ludwig’s coaches and sleighs were there, as were an interesting assortment of others, up to the 20th century. Think of the tackiest, most gaudy, ostentatious thing you can imagine. Now triple it and that will begin to describe King Ludwig’s coaches.
Then we went back into Munich to the Residenz, which was the city palace. Interestingly, the former royal family still owns the palace and lives in part of it. There were over 100 rooms open to see in this palace, including an indoor grotto, several grand ballrooms, an amazing chapel, and a gold room. Yes, the walls are paneled in gold. For some reason, most of the door handles were over my head. I guess it was to keep the short people out. By the end of it, we were palaced out. But the crown jewels are also there, so we had to see those – stunning.
Tuesday we had planned to go to some museums, but it was Fat Tuesday, and they were all closed. So we headed out to Dachau. What an experience. We spent hours there, listening to the audioguide, reading every single plaque. It was…I can’t even describe it. I took pictures of a lot of places, but I could not take pictures in the crematorium or gas chamber, or Jewish memorial.
From Dachau, we headed to the mountains. We were staying in a mountain town – Reutte and then going to see the palaces. The Alps were beautiful, but nowhere near as much snow as I expected. I’m glad we did not plan on going skiing.
There are 3 of Mad King Ludwig’s palaces in those mountains, but we only had time to go to 2 – Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. Hohenschwangau was his father’s and my favorite. It was used only for family and not for entertaining, so it was modest with excellent views. Neuschwanstein is the one Cinderella’s Castle is based off of. It’s larger, grander, and unfinished. Mad King Ludwig was kidnapped and murdered before it was finished. Because he had spent so much money on these palaces, they were handed over to the country of Germany as payment, and opened to tourists within months of his death. It was also much more touristy. I felt like cattle being pushed through. Mary’s Bridge was closed due to ice.
The we had to head back to Switzerland. Nice drive. Wednesday, I got to explore Basel. E showed me around her adopted city. It’s much bigger than I thought and there’s small river going through it – the Rhine. We wandered around, got Swiss chocolate, went to a museum. Her apartment is fabulous and it’s very easy to get around.
I left at 5:30 am Friday to get to the airport. Hated going through Paris this time. Saw the Eiffel Tower from the plane. And, 20 hours later, arrived home. This time, the only stamp I got in my passport was in Newark.
Arrived around 9am Thursday. Went to the hotel, left my stuff and started exploring. Vienna is a fabulous old city, but TINY! I walked completed around it twice by 3:00. I did the walking tour, took tons of pictures, went into a store called Kessler’s, saw museums, palaces, Monument Against War and Fascism, Plague Monument, St Stephen’s Cathedral, St Peter’s Cathedral, Parliament, Town Hall, Holocaust Memorial (which really stood out as a completely square short building amongst the crooked cobblestone streets and old architecture). I was struck by the roman-esque statues. But then I learned that this was the seat of the Holy Roman Emperor until the 1600’s (I had no idea the Holy Roman Empire lasted that long).
Vienna is full of life. The cafes are full of people. I was surprised to see that about half the women there were wearing fur. (I fit right in.) I went to Demel for cake. Demel was opened over 100 years ago as the same bakery it is today, for the Kaiser. There are 2 main pedestrian only streets – Stephens-platz and Graben. Graben used to be to moat around the city. My hotel was over 200 years old. It was apartments, with a restaurant on the ground floor that the Kaiser was a regular at. About 100 years ago it was converted to a hotel and the restaurant removed. The doors are those thick double doors that you see in the old palaces.
There are 2 palaces in Vienna. Since I was going to the ball at the Hofburg, there was no point in doing a tour of it as well. So, I went to the Neue Berg on the palace grounds which housed the Armory Museum, Musical Instruments and Ancient Greek Statues. I really only cared about the incredible collection of arms and armor. There is a large central grassy area in the palace – Hero’s Square, which seems to serve as an ad hoc dog park. At least the locals are using their national treasures.
At this point, I was exhausted, after being up all night traveling, not to mention jetlag, so I went back to the hotel, ate dinner, wandered a bit more, then went to bed early. I did look into going to the opera, but they did not have any shows the 3 nights I was there.
Friday I woke up early and went to the other palace – Schonbrunn, which is the summer palace. Rooms were beautiful (no picture-taking allowed). The massive garden would be stunning in spring and summer. But in winter, are a bit desolate. Barren trees, dead grass, frozen ponds, and the ugliest fountain I have ever seen. There is a large greenhouse, a zoo (the oldest in Europe), and great views of Vienna and beyond. If they make the plain grassy area in the Hofburg a dog park, I would be interested to see how the natives use these gardens in the summer.
Went back into town and met M. We went to a café, met H and did dinner. Saturday, we all met in the morning and explored the town again, this time I was with a native. Back to the hotel to get ready for the ball. I wanted to take a horse and carriage to the palace, but was outvoted – we took a cab.
We walk in and there in front of us is a magnificent staircase, complete with red carpet. Yes, I walked the red carpet. Everyone was taking pictures on the stairs. At the top, we walked into the main ballroom – spectacular. We had about 20 rooms open for the ball, all were beautiful some spectacular. We made sure to get there early so we could see the official start of the ball – when the debutantes enter and perform for the dignitaries. I have no idea who any of them were, since all the announcements were in German. After they performed, they opened the floor to everyone. Of course, there was a live orchestra.
They say the Viennese Waltz was invented to entertain the king. I found out why. The crowd is supposed to move counterclockwise, while spinning – think the scrambler at the fair. In reality, it is human bumper cars. Yes, I smashed into people and was smashed into. It is very different from being alone on a dance floor with your instructor. But fun. We enjoyed watching everyone, looking for the best and worst dresses. At about 2:00am they had the quadrille, which is the folk dancing you see in movies. Except that there are about 3x as many people on this dance floor than their should be. I had no idea what to do, but made sure to be there. Luckily, the gentleman across from me not only knew all the moves, but spoke English. It was a blast.
I got back to the hotel around 4:30 am. E and I were meeting in Munich around 5pm. To get to Munich, I have to take the train and change trains in Salzburg. I wanted to see Salzburg. So, I made a deal with myself – if I could get up early, I can spend a few hours in Salzburg and then continue onto Munich. So, I got the train schedule and set my alarm clock. I woke up early, and got to the station in plenty of time to make the 8:30 am train, which would give me 3 hours in Salzburg. I was very proud of myself. Unfortunately no one at the train station knew anything about an 8:30 am train. I showed them the schedule, they just shrugged. First train in 9:40. Ugh, I could have slept an extra hour. Oh well, I buy my ticket and get on the train.
We are traveling and making a few stops along the way. All the announcements are in German, but I assume that I will a) recognize the word “Salzburg”, b) hear a longer announcement (i.e. change here for trains to…), and c) notice that we are now in a city.
Apparently, none of those 3 things happened.
We were sitting in what I thought was just another small stop, and something didn’t seem right, so I jumped up and saw we were in Salzburg. So, I grabbed my stuff and started to leave. Just then – the train started moving. So, I put down my stuff and went to find the conductor. I assumed I’d get off at the next stop 20 minutes down the road, some back and all would be well. Nope. Next stop is an hour away (not enough time for me to explore Salzburg – that’s my 2 hours). But there is a train directly from there to Munich.
I am disappointed, but all I wanted to do in Salzburg was take the funicular to the top of the mountain and see the fortress and the views. Oh well, not the end of the world. So, I sit back and enjoy the countryside. After all, we are headed to the Alps. People are staring at me as I am taking pictures from the moving train.
So, an hour later I get to this small town. With no expectations, I put my luggage in the locker and walk around, as I have an hour and a half to kill. And then, at the top of the mountain, is a fortress. A fabulous, nowhere near as touristy fortress, with incredible views! I ran to it! (Ok, as much as someone in a fur coat can run up a hill.) Apparently this was a fortress of the Holy Roman Empire. Thick stone walls, turrets, windows that are angled so the outside opening is smaller than the inside opening, secret passages, prison cells, towers. We were in a room that was breached, but the sign was in German so I don’t know if it was when the Romans won the castle, or if they had it and then had to expel the bad guys. I took a picture of the plaque and will try to get it translated.
I took so many pictures. I was so elated. This was the highlight of the trip. It’s a place I never would have gone to, it’s not in any guidebook, and it was just what I wanted. Better than Salzburg.
I made sure to take the non-stop direct train to Munich, so I got there with no problems. When the conductor asked to see my ticket he looked at it, so I gave him the explanation. I saw him politely suppress a smile. “It’s ok,” I said, “It’s funny. You can laugh.” At which point not only did he laugh, but the person sitting across from me laughed too. So, I had someone to talk to this trip.
When I arrived in Munich, I met E at the hotel, which was very easy to find. We wandered Munich and went to dinner. We went to bed early as I did not have much sleep the night before and we had a full day planned for Monday.
Our goal was to see mountains and palaces. I think you will agree that we succeeded. Monday we first went to Schloss Nymphenberg, the summer palace. Ironically, we missed the stop on the train. Had to wait at the end of the line and go back. Again, no pictures allowed inside the palace. And this also would be much more spectacular in the summer. The ponds were 90% frozen, but there were still swans, who obviously hated the ice. We were quite amused watching them slip and try to gracefully slide along the ice. The best part was the carriage museum. Mad King Ludwig’s coaches and sleighs were there, as were an interesting assortment of others, up to the 20th century. Think of the tackiest, most gaudy, ostentatious thing you can imagine. Now triple it and that will begin to describe King Ludwig’s coaches.
Then we went back into Munich to the Residenz, which was the city palace. Interestingly, the former royal family still owns the palace and lives in part of it. There were over 100 rooms open to see in this palace, including an indoor grotto, several grand ballrooms, an amazing chapel, and a gold room. Yes, the walls are paneled in gold. For some reason, most of the door handles were over my head. I guess it was to keep the short people out. By the end of it, we were palaced out. But the crown jewels are also there, so we had to see those – stunning.
Tuesday we had planned to go to some museums, but it was Fat Tuesday, and they were all closed. So we headed out to Dachau. What an experience. We spent hours there, listening to the audioguide, reading every single plaque. It was…I can’t even describe it. I took pictures of a lot of places, but I could not take pictures in the crematorium or gas chamber, or Jewish memorial.
From Dachau, we headed to the mountains. We were staying in a mountain town – Reutte and then going to see the palaces. The Alps were beautiful, but nowhere near as much snow as I expected. I’m glad we did not plan on going skiing.
There are 3 of Mad King Ludwig’s palaces in those mountains, but we only had time to go to 2 – Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. Hohenschwangau was his father’s and my favorite. It was used only for family and not for entertaining, so it was modest with excellent views. Neuschwanstein is the one Cinderella’s Castle is based off of. It’s larger, grander, and unfinished. Mad King Ludwig was kidnapped and murdered before it was finished. Because he had spent so much money on these palaces, they were handed over to the country of Germany as payment, and opened to tourists within months of his death. It was also much more touristy. I felt like cattle being pushed through. Mary’s Bridge was closed due to ice.
The we had to head back to Switzerland. Nice drive. Wednesday, I got to explore Basel. E showed me around her adopted city. It’s much bigger than I thought and there’s small river going through it – the Rhine. We wandered around, got Swiss chocolate, went to a museum. Her apartment is fabulous and it’s very easy to get around.
I left at 5:30 am Friday to get to the airport. Hated going through Paris this time. Saw the Eiffel Tower from the plane. And, 20 hours later, arrived home. This time, the only stamp I got in my passport was in Newark.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
January
January was crazy. I spent the first 2 weeks here, recovering, trying to get as much dance practice in as I could and get my social life here back in gear. I went to the Nights Of Fire which was a cool thing they had at the Square in front of City Hall. There were over 1500 buring clay pots. You could even sit in flaming chairs. It was nice to do something big-city and wintery.
I had my annual fondue party. 12 people and we fit quite comfortably. Another friend of mine asked me to teach her 3rd and 4th graders dance. She's an elementary school teacher. So, I have been teaching them differnt dances. They are fun, but 20 kids is a handful.
Jan 19 I flew to SC for R's wedding, which was nice. It is great to see her so happy. I stayed in SC through the weekend, went to the office in NC, then flew to our annual meeting in Detroit. Flew back home and less than a week later, flew off to Europe.
Funny thing happend in SC. I was sitting in Panera Bread working. The table next to me was a young couple and the guy was preaching to her about loving Jesus....he even said he brought her a Christain music CD instead of flowers becasue it would have a greater impact on her life... At the table next to them was another couple. Man was normal, woman was in full burqa. I mean just the slits in her eyes were showing. It would be an interesting juxtaposition anywhere, but quite shocking in Columbia, SC.
I had my annual fondue party. 12 people and we fit quite comfortably. Another friend of mine asked me to teach her 3rd and 4th graders dance. She's an elementary school teacher. So, I have been teaching them differnt dances. They are fun, but 20 kids is a handful.
Jan 19 I flew to SC for R's wedding, which was nice. It is great to see her so happy. I stayed in SC through the weekend, went to the office in NC, then flew to our annual meeting in Detroit. Flew back home and less than a week later, flew off to Europe.
Funny thing happend in SC. I was sitting in Panera Bread working. The table next to me was a young couple and the guy was preaching to her about loving Jesus....he even said he brought her a Christain music CD instead of flowers becasue it would have a greater impact on her life... At the table next to them was another couple. Man was normal, woman was in full burqa. I mean just the slits in her eyes were showing. It would be an interesting juxtaposition anywhere, but quite shocking in Columbia, SC.
catching up
So, I have been gone about 75% of the time since my last post. I was with a lot of you during that time, so I've been lazy. But I've just had an exciting trip. So, before I post info about that, I better update ya'll on December and January.
December:
I flew down to my office in NC and got stopped by customs becasue I declared that I had made cookies for them. Cookies! I had to open up everything, have them inspect it. Me - a Nexus holder. All becuase I was honest. The guy put Purel on his hands 4x. What'd he think I had? Anyway, I learned my lesson - no more cookies ofr the office. (Sorry office.)
Then I flew down to Florida for the Family Cruise. There were 14 of us and we had a blast. Did not play as much Mah Jongg this year as last, but much more charades and it was good to have the others in my generation there. Can't wait for next year's cruise!
The following week Mom says to me, "You know Jen, I'm really good at coloring other people's hair." I say, "No Mom. It's ok. I'll wait until I get back to Charlotte." A few days later, I'm at Grandma's. Grandma says, "You know Jen, I'm really good at coloring other people's hair." I say, "No Grandma. It's ok. I'll wait until I get back to Charlotte." The next day Mom calls and says, "You know Jen, Grandma is THE BEST at coloring other people's hair." So I say, "Ok! I can take a hint."
So, Grandma and I go to the store, buy the stuff and Grandma colors my hair. We play Spite & Malice while processing. (BTW - no smell at all). The game was intense, so it stayed on a little longer than planned. Grandma rinsed my hair. Most of it was a lovely color. However, there was a 1 1/2 inch ring around my head that was bright (I mean BRIGHT) orange, kind of like a bright orange halo. I love you Grandma and yes, my hair is better now.
On a positive note, I got 2 fabulous things while I was in Florida. 1) Stewart arrived. Stewart is my fur coat. He arrived safe and sound and has been keeping me warm in the -20C weather up here (more on that in January). 2) Car. Grumps gave me his car. I have since added 50% more mileage to the car and driven it in the snow. Runs great and I like the 4 doors. And I can actually put 4 people in it becasue the back seat is not full of Guy hair. Thanks Grandpa!
Drove the new car to SC. Spent Xmas in SC visiting all my friends and family there. The kind of family that I've chosen. It was great to see everyone. Made a mad rush home for New Year's. I brought food, so I only stopped for gas and made it from Charlotte to Toronto is 12 hours. Without a lead foot - it was pouring rain up thrugh West Virginia. It was the not stopping that made all the difference. And the books on tape from Grandma. I would not have made it without those. And the speedpass. I fianlly got to use our private bridge to cross the border. Wait times have been 2-4 hours lately. I got a map and found the bridge. There was only 1 other car. Just drove right through. That pass is the best $50 I've ever spent
December:
I flew down to my office in NC and got stopped by customs becasue I declared that I had made cookies for them. Cookies! I had to open up everything, have them inspect it. Me - a Nexus holder. All becuase I was honest. The guy put Purel on his hands 4x. What'd he think I had? Anyway, I learned my lesson - no more cookies ofr the office. (Sorry office.)
Then I flew down to Florida for the Family Cruise. There were 14 of us and we had a blast. Did not play as much Mah Jongg this year as last, but much more charades and it was good to have the others in my generation there. Can't wait for next year's cruise!
The following week Mom says to me, "You know Jen, I'm really good at coloring other people's hair." I say, "No Mom. It's ok. I'll wait until I get back to Charlotte." A few days later, I'm at Grandma's. Grandma says, "You know Jen, I'm really good at coloring other people's hair." I say, "No Grandma. It's ok. I'll wait until I get back to Charlotte." The next day Mom calls and says, "You know Jen, Grandma is THE BEST at coloring other people's hair." So I say, "Ok! I can take a hint."
So, Grandma and I go to the store, buy the stuff and Grandma colors my hair. We play Spite & Malice while processing. (BTW - no smell at all). The game was intense, so it stayed on a little longer than planned. Grandma rinsed my hair. Most of it was a lovely color. However, there was a 1 1/2 inch ring around my head that was bright (I mean BRIGHT) orange, kind of like a bright orange halo. I love you Grandma and yes, my hair is better now.
On a positive note, I got 2 fabulous things while I was in Florida. 1) Stewart arrived. Stewart is my fur coat. He arrived safe and sound and has been keeping me warm in the -20C weather up here (more on that in January). 2) Car. Grumps gave me his car. I have since added 50% more mileage to the car and driven it in the snow. Runs great and I like the 4 doors. And I can actually put 4 people in it becasue the back seat is not full of Guy hair. Thanks Grandpa!
Drove the new car to SC. Spent Xmas in SC visiting all my friends and family there. The kind of family that I've chosen. It was great to see everyone. Made a mad rush home for New Year's. I brought food, so I only stopped for gas and made it from Charlotte to Toronto is 12 hours. Without a lead foot - it was pouring rain up thrugh West Virginia. It was the not stopping that made all the difference. And the books on tape from Grandma. I would not have made it without those. And the speedpass. I fianlly got to use our private bridge to cross the border. Wait times have been 2-4 hours lately. I got a map and found the bridge. There was only 1 other car. Just drove right through. That pass is the best $50 I've ever spent
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