Quiet Christmas

All things considered, this Christmas was actually quite busy!

We went to a couple of Christmas parties/dinners at friends' places and also went to E's work gathering. It was all really nice.

We even hosted a tiny (but very nice) gathering at our place ~ but that was Crafts day #1 with Christmas music in the back-ground (hehe!).*

The snow that fell constantly in Frankfurt this December added to my overall Christmas mood and I am really grateful for that. Not to mention the fact that the only decent shoes that fit me right now are my mucky-weather-shlepping winter boots which would be a tad warm without the snow.

To keep things simple this year we opted not to get a big tree and decorate it with lights and ornaments. Instead, E found a lovely little one made of real pine branches and is decorated with cinnamon, bark cut into star shapes, gold bows and miniature presents. It continues to be very pretty and fragrant. Also, every year here in Germany, I choose a couple of hand-made wooden Weinachtsbaum ornaments to add to our collection. Since these hadn't made it down to storage yet, we hung them on our miniature tree. Suffice to say, it looked and smelled really pretty and the presents looked immense!

I needed just one more thing to make Christmas feel Christmassy. Shortbread cookies! So I mustered up some energy (I'm out of it these days...) and made a batch. For some reason, the texture didn't feel right and I added a bit of extra butter. Boy did I pay for it!! I ended up making an over-buttery batch of cookies and gorging on them anyway. I made myself sick and to the point where I thought I was starting labour. Oooo the cramps!

None the less we managed to enjoy our quiet evening in with snow and cold outside and love and warmth inside. We cuddled up to watch a couple of movies and enjoyed.

The shortbread saga was not over yet! The next day, E made apple crumbles with my wronged shortbread cookies. I am so glad! What a classy way to go out in style!

Just after our quiet Christmas E's parents dropped by on their vacation road trip. They came for dinner and a short but sweet visit. We had a lot of fun talking, eating and talking and eating some more.

*Note: This was Crafts day #1, the official kick-off, not the surprise baby shower disguised as Crafts day #1 (sneaky sneaky!)

Surprise Baby Shower!!

Well, I had the biggest of surprises recently! A baby shower!

It was truly fantastic and I had a wonderful time. I won't ever forget it!

Helene, Stacey and Marta organized it with stealth help from my Hubby. So many people were involved and everyone but me seemed to know about it. It was a world-wide event with representation from Brazil, Canada, France, Austria, Switzerland, Puerto Rico etc. and of course Germany!

It took some time for me to gather the vastness of the preparations, the details, logistics and of course, the thick layer of secrets!!

The day was wonderful I loved everything. We played "my water broke", a realistic multi-tasking game (at which I have a lot of room for improvement it seems), a game where I fish toblerone chunks out of pudding pooh with my face (a gross association that actually tasted REALLY good), name that baby etc. There was a plentitude of delish food, colourful decorations, and tons of generous presents!

It was truly special! (I'm still in awe and thinking about it all the time!) :)

Thanks to everyone involved, especially those who made the whole thing happen!

Early Arrival

It's not what you think!

Our stroller arrived a few weeks early! We were a bit surprised, but happy none the less. We love it, it's great! For now, it's been added to the room which is already bursting with baby stuff.

It's a Mutsy 4Rider Light. Not so light when we found out we got the beefed-up super tires vs. the light ones, adding a whopping 2.2kgs to the weight. Ummmm, but it's probably great in the Canadian or Russian snow combined with an active passenger in the seat.

Here's us figuring it out.

http://www.mutsy.com/products/4rider_light

Bump

Baby is approximately 30cm's from head to bum and weighs approx. 1.5 kilos.

32 weeks + 0 days:

My Pregnancy Observations

I am humble:

• How many times did pregnancy happen immediately around me, yet I missed out on so many things! I am not so special!
• The body is an amazing machine and works miracles with considerably minor side effects (which are plentiful, greatly ranging in scope and amplitude none the less).
• When I feel entitled, I am quickly put in my place. Weather it be a random “stink-eye” from a stranger, a snotty teenaged girl being impolite or my husband reminding me nicely in some subtle way to scale back.
• Often, it is quite difficult to believe we are going to have a baby. Sometimes it simply feels like we’ve been on some crazy shopping-spree and that we’re just crazy for doing it. I can’t imagine how it feels to be my husband at these times. At least I have all the proof happening to me. He just has my whining attitude and the changing everything to deal with. But I suppose that’s evidence enough...

I am proud:

• I forget that I am not the first nor the last to be pregnant. But move over, I’m coming through: oblivious, self-confident, over-entitled and totally entitled... me.
• I was recently too proud ~ mentally deciding if the old man in the wheel chair pulls rank over a very pregnant me although I was already discussing something with a sales person. He pulled rank, rightly so. Bad me.
• I always want to tell someone when the baby is moving. He moves a lot! Come and feel for yourself!
• Strangers can be so sweet and totally make my day. I get random belly stares with smiles, I got a free piece of cake from a really sweet woman yesterday, I got an approving (“yes, you’re doing good”) nod from a man on the metro, I was allowed in front of someone in a very long, slow line and I’ve been offered metro seats, even when I already had one (more space).

I am grateful:

• I have an interested and involved network of family and friends. Everyone is very positive, encouraging and supportive of our life changes. Thank you!
• I have good health support. Boy oh boy, I love first world countries!
• Everything has been quite smooth to date. Lucky me!
• People are extremely generous. Advice, support, help and gifts. Again, thank you!

It’s been a whirlwind so far! And I’m guessing this is only the beginning!

Books, books, books... I'm behind on some of the classics!

The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up?

Instructions: Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ( )

2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien ( )

3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte ( )

4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling (x)

5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee ( )

6 The Bible - (parts) (x)

7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte ( )

8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell (x)

9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman ( )

10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens ( )

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott ( )

12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy ( )

13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller ( )

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare ( )

15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier ( )

16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien ( )

17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk ( )

18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger ( )

19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (x)

20 Middlemarch - George Eliot ( )

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell ( )

22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald ( )

23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens ( )

24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy ( )

25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (x)

26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh ( )

27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky ( )

28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck ( )

29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll ( )

30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame ( )

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy ( )

32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens ( )

33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis ( )

34 Emma - Jane Austen ( )

35 Persuasion - Jane Austen ( )

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis ( )

37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - (x)

38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres ( )

39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden (x)

40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (x)

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell (x)

42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (x)

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (x)

44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving ( )

45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins ( )

46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (x)

47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy ( )

48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood ( )

49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding (x)

50 Atonement - Ian McEwan (x)

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel (x)

52 Dune - Frank Herbert ( )

53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons ( )

54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen ( )

55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth ( )

56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon ( )

57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens ( )

58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley (x)

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon (x)

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez ( )

61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck ( )

62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov ( )

63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt ( )

64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold (x)

65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas ( )

66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac ( )

67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy ( )

68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding (x)

69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie ( )

70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville ( )

71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens ( )

72 Dracula - Bram Stoker ( )

73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett (x)

74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson ( )

75 Ulysses - James Joyce (x)

76 The Inferno - Dante ( )

77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome ( )

78 Germinal - Emile Zola ( )

79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray ( )

80 Possession - AS Byatt ( )

81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ( )

82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell ( )

83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker ( )

84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro ( )

85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert ( )

86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry ( )

87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White (x)

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom (x)

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ( )

90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton ( )

91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad ( )

92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery (x)

93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks ( )

94 Watership Down - Richard Adams ( )

95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole ( )

96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute ( )

97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas ( )

98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare ( )

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl ( )

100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo ( )

Wee-One ~ The Early Viewing

I thought it was about time I posted some of our baby ultrasound images. Some are better quality than others and I tried to choose the best ones (naturally)!

I will update as we get more scans.

The teeny blob inside the black blob. I must admit, I was all "??? okay..."

6 weeks + 4 days:

Now we're talking! Baby is on a diagonal facing front within the black space (heat towards 2 o'clock). Fists along side of body.

10 weeks + 6 days:

Baby in profile. Head on the right, spine along the bottom.

21 weeks + 2 days:

This is a 4D image. I must admit, a bit scary and he was moving during the photos - so I believe this composite is ~ not exactly precise...

24 weeks + 6 days:

Same day as above. His head in profile (spine along bottom). Cuter n'est pas??

24 weeks + 6 days:

Getting to big for the screen! Profile image of his face.

27 weeks + 2 days:

What the ?????

What the ?????

It happened again! Last year I noticed in September (I think). But this year, it came faster even though I noticed it later (October)... It's dark out. At 18:53...

I'm home alone and started grumbling internally about the "sudden" temperature drop in the apartment ~ as one might expect when the sun hides. Well, hide it did! My latest internal grumbling (3 minutes ago) was (no, not hunger) but: who closed the shutters this early??? Well, nobody did... it's just that time of year.

Time flies and here we are, already facing another winter in Frankfurt.

The other day I was walking past (and through) some shops. Many are preparing for Christmas already! Forget Halloween, that's not too popular here. Fortunately though, there are some harvest season decorations but they share space with the Christmas stuff. Actually, more like the Christmas stuff reserves a small corner for brown, orange and yellow decorations.

So considering time is flying, I guess it's okay to skip October, it's almost over already and I seem to have missed it just as the shops did.

Bump

Bump-addy-bump-bump! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a kicker!

28 weeks + 5 days:

Zoom Zoom!!

After several months of dealership visits, test drives and research it’s official: we’ve found our new (previously loved) car! A couple of weeks ago we found a great car and scheduled a test drive for 3.5 business days after we saw it. The day before our test drive we were told that it had been sold. Apparently, you can only reserve a car for 24 hours. We of course didn’t know this, lost our first choice and were told to “choose another car”. Admittedly, we underestimated the demand for used cars... Our second choice was too far behind the first to really be valid so we restarted our search and found something in a town 2 hours away.

In the meantime, we learned that car salesmen in Germany are on salary so there is little incentive for them to sell a car. So if the purchaser is not proactive, not to worry, another one will come along. And they do. There seems to be a great resale market for cars here. So really, nothing to loose from the salesman’s perspective.

We also discovered that this salary based system means the price listed for a used car is pretty fair. It is intended to attract the most buyers from the onset (to be fair to all interested). If there is demand ~ and of course with these prices there is... then the salesmen have an easy time of it and allow very little negotiation from the listed price.

Bottom line, we got a great 2 year old Audi A4 with 7,000kms on it, owned by an Audi employee. “Mr.Audi” we were told... We essentially got 30% off a brand new car and it includes all our necessities and even several items from our “wish list”. It is a much better deal than our previous “first choice” and we were even able to negotiate the price down a bit and to include a brand new infant car seat in the deal. Score!! So everyone is happy.

One small tip: if you have to rent a car, drive 2 hours and are a waddling pregnant couple, chances are the salesman knows you’re interested in the car. None the less, we have no regrets.

Over the next week we are working on the financials, insurance, the license plate logistics, possible deal for winter tires and the delivery (rather, pick-up) of the vehicle. Yippee!!!

Baby Logistics - Wowza!

Does everybody go through all this stuff??? Although we feel special, I don't think we're all that different from anyone else.

We have been BUSY!!! The 1st and part of the 2nd trimester were filled with questions, research and analysis... Now that I'm entering the 3rd trimester although I feel much more confident and relaxed about things, I'm guessing the "busy" will continue like this forever!

Although there are still a number of items on our "to do" list, most recently, we've made some significant progress and have committed to a number of items:

- We've placed the order for our furniture and paid the deposit. Now we wait until mid-December for the delivery and installation. In the meantime, the hunt is on for linens...

- We've resolved the "Layette" for the first 3 months and are partially into the next 3. Beyond that, we're waiting.

We're still hemming and hawwing about the vehicles:

- The stroller: we are considering completing our research in Belgium where they carry the iCandy, one of the finalists in a short list of contenders...

- We haven't committed to a car yet, but we have a test drive for a "previously loved" Audi this week.

We're in the process of sorting international requirements, insurance coverage, Hospital research and Midwife interviews. It looks like we'll choose between 2 hospitals. One of which has 1 Midwife and another that has about 20. You can guess which way I'm leaning. Unfortunately, about 10 are immediately ruled out due to one reason or another and I've called about another 6. So far, one telephone number failed, 1 speaks no English, 1 is unwilling, another is booked up (already). Another speaks English but is difficult to pin down to even see if she's up for it and the last, is sooo totally willing and we've set-up an interview. She barely speaks English but is so friendly, I thought I'd try. But ultimately, she's probably not the first choice if I can find an English speaker. We'll see though.

That's the update for now!

Making progress

What’s wrong with me??? Either I’ve become a slob or I’ve never noticed before. Everything seems to land on my chest or belly. Maybe it’s this voracious appetite that comes and goes ~ demanding food fast fast faster!! What ever it is, I suppose I’d better get used to having splotches of unknown stuff all over me...

Other than the petri dish that is my wardrobe, I’ve been having more interesting things than this going on lately. After returning from vacation E and I had a couple of days to unpack and settle back home before Val and my Mother-in-law arrived for a short but sweet visit. It was really nice to have them both here. We talked and ate a lot and browsed tons and tons including baby browsing (baby stuff to be more precise). It was good to go out, but since I’m easily exhausted these days, after the shopping followed some intense napping.

The good news is that we’re actually crossing stuff off our long shopping list (yay!). At first, I thought decisions would be easy, then it got really complicated. But fortunately, it’s getting easier again. The most important items have been found: breathable waterproof bed liners and receiving blankets! For bed liners for both mom and baby ~ did I mention I’m so totally paranoid about ruining our wonderful and brand new mattress with some accident like my water breaking in bed... (euooooooo!!!!) I digress ~ We are soon finalizing the big stuff like furniture and the stroller. I must admit, the learning curve takes some time...

Lately I’ve had the fortune to see some good friends again (lunches, dinner, herbal tea...). It’s difficult to coordinate all of our busy schedules sometimes, but is aways a wonderful pleasure!

Lastly, I’ve also been able to finish a second wool blanket that I will post on my other site soon. www.handmadeforsale.blogspot.com Fun, fun, fun!!

Bump

26 weeks + 2 days:

Baby Moon

We just returned from our “Baby Moon”. No, I had no idea what that was either, until I got preggo. It’s the honeymoon before the baby comes. AKA: the calm before the storm. It was really nice. I wouldn’t say entirely relaxing as we did a lot of stuff and I am low energy these days, but very very nice to be away with only my husband and to enjoy our sweet time together. He was long overdue for a vacation and it was nice to enjoy ourselves together.

We had 10 days away and spent 5 of them them on a strategically planned and very scenic road-trip looping to and from Monaco (where we spent 5 days).

Being so close to so many countries we took the opportunity to visit new places and revisit some favourite places. We explored a bit of Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy. We compiled a list of the cities / locations we visited en route. It was the only way to keep track.

- Freiburg

- Luzern

- Suestenpass
- 
Aareschlucht

- Grimselpass
- 
Gletcherpass
- 
Lugano
- 
Milan
- 
Portovenere

- Vernaza

- Manarola

- Riomaggiore

- Monaco

- Nice

- St Jean Cap Ferrat

- Ventimiglia

- Sanremo

- Menton
- 
Imperia

- Aosta

- Grand St. Bernard pass

- Martigny

- Zermatt

- Montreux

My favourites:
Germany: Freiburg
Switzerland: Luzern, Suestenpass, Aareschlucht (a gorge) and Grand St.Bernard pass (we saw doggies!!!)
Italy: Cinque Terre, Sanremo and Ventimiglia
France: Menton

We saw so much that I'll be sorting photos for a while (yes, ever-ongoing). But I will post something soon including some bump updates. We also ate sooo much good food that I gained 2 kilos. But that might be some baby weight too as my belly has expanded quite a bit lately... *ahem...

Bump

22 weeks + 4 days:

MIA ~ An overdue entry

Here I am, I’m back at last. I hope you weren’t worried!
It’s been an eventful several months and I’ve fallen dreadfully behind on my blogs and well, EVERYTHING!!

So here’s a brief update on the goings-on (including stuff I missed between those few entries I did provide...):

February (Volcano part I):
- Trip to Guadeloupe: 1 week of sailing is guaranteed to be fun but gets messed-up due to the erupting volcano in Montserrat. We get stranded in Paris for 3 days. Which no, doesn’t sound so bad until you remember that Paris is avant guard in fashion and stores are selling only the newest summer fashions while all we have in our suitcases are vintage summer fashion in a February cold snap. We layer-up in all our summer wear, purchase THE UGLIEST hat/scarf things from the local Decathlon (thank goodness for Decathlon) and manage to keep frostbite at bay. We crash at our friends’ place (M&M ~ nicest way to be stranded...) and then arrive in Guadeloupe to filter the ashes through our lungs. Sailing is a mere skeleton of fun, and is somehow, just not good enough after the volcano ordeal. Shame;

- Our apartment gets vengeful: a pipe in our wall starts leaking something ugly into our guest room;

March:
- The persistent pipe demands attention and ends up getting over 2 weeks of discussion, review, analysis, temporary repairs, grows it’s own fuzz, drilling, more repairs, conversations, kodak moments and eventually is fixed. Just in time for our guests!

- We visit Moscow (see other entries);

April (Volcano parts II & III) :
- We visit E's parents in Oxford and I'm introduced to the Bister shopping outlet.... gagaga drool!! Got an awesome designer belt for my birthday! Explored the Oxford campus with B & KEWK ~ most definitely stopping at a pub or two... and explored cool neighbourhoods in London;

- Spring Fling II cancelled. Dora & Sandra cancel their trip to meet up with Leah and I in Frankfurt due to yes, the erupting Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland;

- Leah visits E and I in Frankfurt with Patrik (9 mos). Poor them, get stuck here for 1 week vs. 3 days due to that blasted volcano (yes, still reaping havoc in the skys). We have a great time but flight issues and lack of supplies nag constantly in the back ground. Leah and Patrik fly straight to Canada for Part II of their trip;

- Our apartment is still vengeful: light fixtures break, bulbs trip fuses; switches blow-up;

- And ugggg tax season (in Canada & Germany)...

May (a month of changes):
- E and I visit Canada. Ahh, home sweet home! It was too fast but wonderful and a was a hearty dose of much needed soup for the soul. I reunited with friends and family in Toronto, Montreal and USA. Here are some updates:

- 1 GF with an amazing PhD in progress;
- 1 happily preggo GF;
- 1 GF visiting with her 9 month old;
- 2 GF’s considering exciting new career opportunities;
- 1 GF balancing work life / kids / husbands career changes with incredible grace (as usual);
- Family is a bit nutty with an assortment of things: home searching; home buying; moving; coping with renovations; coping with life changes; new car; new job...
- E&I discover WE’RE EXPECTING!!! Whoa boy!! Talk about life changes (bump photos to follow);
- Pop south of the border to attend the wedding of 1BF &1GF in Scranton, USA (yay!! Congratulations!!);

- Meanwhile in Frankfurt: mysteriously, quietly and innocently our hard drive crashes while we are traveling, taking significant casualties with it;

- We return Frankfurt to our dead computer (casualties: most of my photography work and writing ~ must resort to raw photos and retrace 8 months of work ~ the source of much of my daily life these past months);

- Keller wine tasting (for some);

- Discover long list of other friends who drank the pregnancy serum (aka: water);

- we get a toaster (sounds mundane, but it’s fantastic!!);

- we visit Barcelona (see other entry);

June:
- Tag along with E to Belgium and have a great long weekend visiting Brussels, Brugge, Gent, Aachen, Koly and Trier;

July:

- Naomi (my 11 year old niece) visits us in Frankfurt for 2 weeks. We take a 1 week road-trip to Munich and Neuschwanstein (in Germany) and Salzburg and Linz (in Austria). We explore and enjoy castles, museums, mountain views, swimming in a crisp Austrian lake (Attersea), the impressive Alps, storms, and the life of an 11 year old. We return to Frankfurt and to things a little more quiet (thank goodness! After 1 week away while being preggers I am simply EXHAUSTED all the time!);

- Discover I am suffering from Anemia. Joy. ZZZZZzzzzzz;

August:
- We find out we’re having A GIRL!!;

- My Mom visits (yayayayay!!) for a long weekend on her return to Nigeria. She is knitting up a storm for her new granddaughter*;

- Our apartment is still pissed at us (still not sure why...): the automatic blinds break. We have a temporary fix but it sounds like we’re breaking it every time we use it. Hummmm...

- E’s Mom & Dad visit for a long weekend. More baby excitement (conversations, names, research etc.);

- We celebrate E’s big three-oh!!;

- We visit M&M in their wonderful new French castle (abode). After much of their dedicated elbow grease, the house is warm and wonderful and we are their honourable first guests. We had a very nice time relaxing, catching-up, eating and shopping;

- *THIS JUST IN: We learned we’re having A BOY!! (no, not twins, just more accurate information this time around, with even more convincing evidence);

- I start preggo-Yoga.

Bump

17 weeks + 5 days:

Bump

Official bump:
15 weeks + 1 day






















Sympathy bump:
15weeks + 1 day

Thunderstorm in Frankfurt

For the last 40 minutes I've been watching a summer lightning show out my window. It did not disappoint.

I heard the thunder, re-opened the shutters, opened the window, moved all the cacti and lay on the window seat in my PJ's.

It was pouring! Sheets of rain blew along the road and over parked cars. Everyone's shutters were buttoned tight. There were skyfulls of flashing bright light every 1-2 seconds. Constant! Every few minutes I would see a crack of lightning across the sky which was followed by an impressive, throaty grumble.

Anhhhh, and the gusts blowing the rain smells in, what a delicious treat! Just as I left, there was a massive tree-like lightning rooting somewhere downtown. Likely a lightning rod somewhere.

Now I'm going to bed feeling very zen.

OoooOOooohhh! Not just yet! Round two!

Barcelona in 5 days ~ May 2010

I must say that although I’ve been dreaming about going to Barcelona since about 1994, it has become a bit of a running personal joke at how impossible it has been to organize. There have been so many times that I’ve almost gone, most recently as a destination for Spring Fling 2010 with “The Gurlz” ~ abolished by the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull. So when E announced his accumulated air-miles surprise was Barcelona, I was floored. Pretty much in disbelief. In fact, it only felt real once I entered Gaudí’s Casa Batlló and started drooling all over everything.

We had a wonderful time. We ate, slept, toured, ate, walked, explored, ate, met with some friends, ate…. It was really nice, easy and relaxing. We did a lot of stuff at a reasonable pace, and filled our time so richly and easily!

I did some exploring on my own while E worked, but had no problem navigating the metro system. Once I figured out that the entrance I go into matters, it was sorted out. The buses were pretty good too. I liked the system more than the Paris Metro, easily. But mostly, E and I toured together.

Gaudí*. There are not enough words to describe this man’s work. I was listening to a headset tour guide in Casa Milà (La Pedrera) that said Gaudí’s university professor “was not sure if he was giving an Architectural degree to a Genius** or to a Madman”. And as E described it, “Dalí was the mad man, Gaudí was the genius”. I totally agree. I took in as many of the subtle and not so subtle details of Gaudí’s work at Casa Milà, La Pedrera, Sagrada Família and Güell Park. No matter where I was, I felt so totally comfortable as an integral part of my surroundings and that I could always trust where I was, in such a way I have never felt before. It was natural. Oops, with one exception: atop the tower at Sagrada Familia (my virtigo = wobbly legs (a tragedy on stairs) and a desire for repeated mini-barfs as my guts dropped as if on a rollercoaster…). Ultimately, Gaudí’s work comforts and inspires me immensely; I couldn’t have imagined how happy I’d be while in his spaces. I am a fan through and through and I totally respect him and his work.

We toured so much! Around various city neighbourhoods (Barris Gràcia, Gòtic, La Ribera (walked along La Rambla), Montjuïc, Barceloneta, Port Olímpic and Port Vell). We gawked up the Monument to Christobal Colon, gazed at Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings, visited the Barcelona Cathedral, saw a couple get married at Església de Santa Maria del Mar, toured around the Roman ruins, Hospital de la Santa Creu I de Sant Pau, inside the chambers of old City Hall, listened to the organ at Palau de la Música Catalana while taking in the beautiful ornate decor, explored Park de Montjuïc, peeked into various courtyards, the Olympic stadium, saw the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya and of course, the modern Architecture and sculptures including Gehry’s*** fish sculpture at the beach.

We peeked into funky shops and restaurants, designer and rustic alike, and ate all over the place. We ate breakfast at Mercat de La Boqueria, had drinks near a decommissioned old market, had awesome Tapas in a couple of local Tapas bars; one of which was set in an old garage – minus the cars, motor oil and tools. We ate piles of desserts (fig and chocolate pie etc.) at a posh little boutique place (where I chatted with a woman in Portuguese) and gorged ourselves with the most delicious seafood paella ever in Barceloneta.

In summary, we had a wonderful time in a wonderful city. This trip was long overdue and I loved it immensely. I plan to continue this great adventure and explore beyond Barcelona next time!

*Gaudí: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Gaud%C3%AD

**A definition of “Genius” that I agree with: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

***Gehry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry

Spring is here!

The sun is beaming; the air is crisp while the breeze is warm.

The bees are buzzing, the trees are in blossom and the allergies have kicked-in.

I hear a lawn mower in the distance and see the red leaves of the rose bush growing.

Spring is here!

Our last day in Moscow

There has been a lot to see and do, but I am a bit home sick. I have ideas for my next visit, but for now, I feel like I’ve seen and done enough for one visit.

After a sprint to a nice restaurant (Evgueni’s Dad walks reallllly fast) we enjoyed dining one more time with E’s Dad and colleague. We talked, laughed and relaxed while listening to some good classic tunes.

Next stop Oxford: for Easter with the extended family & friends.

Yesterday was a long day in Moscow.

We had a very nice weekend in St.Petersburg with Evgueni's Grandfather & his wife. Lots of conversation (yes, Russian) and lots and lots of eating. Some drinking too, but it doesn't count if it's vodka right? - jokes, it was wine :)

(more about St.Pete's soon).

Coming back to Moscow from St. Petersburg was too memorable for comfort.

We took the overnight train there and back (very nice!!!). These trains between Moscow and St.Petersburg arrive at their destination in time for the morning rush hour in their respective cities. So yesterday we arrived in Moscow at 7:55am after our wonderful weekend and were in the metro (on the redline) at about 8:15. Without knowing it, we were in the metro about 20 minutes after the first bombing. Although we missed the bombing, (thank god) the chaos of a failing public transit line was ever present (the communications over the loudspeakers warned of "delays due to technical difficulties"). The Moscow metro is quite full most of the time as public transit is the only way to reliably get around the city ~ but it was even more so now. Moving up and down stairs or through the tunnels we were in a sea of people rippling along. Every now and then a stronger, bigger wave when people pushed quite violently against each other to move into and out of trains. One train came and went then the next. Authorities came around forcing commuters off trains and redirecting us to the other, more peripheral lines.

Russians will run when they have the opportunity to get somewhere first. So following the advice of the authorities, the platform, to my amazement cleared out quickly. Us not being as quick on the response, stood in one spot for another minute to consider our options. During which time another train arrived ~ empty. We looked at it as if in a stare-down, it opened its doors and we dropped our jaws. We got in with some other stragglers. All of us got seats. We were waiting for the announcer to kick us out but eventually, the doors closed and we started moving. Weird. The next stop, however, was different. Seeing the mob waiting for our train, I stood-up knowing I'd need to be close to the door because the next stop was ours. People rushed and packed into the train like crazy only to have the train stand there for a long time. People kept jamming in, then impatiently pushing out. Evgueni and I were carrying our luggage so we were really annoying people (bags bulging everywhere etc.). People simply kept shuffling around until the dents of other peoples bodies settled in.

We waited.

Eventually we departed the station but not before the last minute people jumped back into the already bursting train. We were slowly pulling into the next stop when I suddenly realized that we were actually passing through. I was still heavily leaning against people to indicate my need to exit when we were back in the tunnel headed away from our stop. Although I was nearly at the door, I didn't see anything in our station because the crowd of people in the train was so thick. But I was rather indifferent to it other than missing our stop. Evgueni on the other hand, was against the door and saw commotion on the platform; stretchers, medical personal, blood and debris. He didn't tell me until we were making our way out of the Metro at the next stop. He told me he thought there must have been a gun fight or something far more serious and not the "technical difficulties" the Metro had warned us about.

Only when we got to the hotel did we find out what was happening. We turned the news on and realized that we'd just missed the first bombing and the second one happened while we were stuck in the train. Too close. The first one had happened in the opposite direction that we were going and that's why we were still able to pass through the station. The second one had happened 2 stops after the station we got off. Freaky. Victims had been airlifted out and the response was fast. Fortunately there were no fires to worsen the situation.

What a stupid stupid thing. What in the world they can actually do to prevent something like this from happening again is limited.

Evgueni's Dad is also in Moscow on business (at our hotel!!), but we couldn't reach him right away as the cellular network lines were down and the remaining lines were at capacity. We started getting worried. Fortunately, he was safe and sound asleep in his cozy hotel bed. We saw him for breakfast and a dose of comfort.

All this before 9 am... Yesterday was a long day.

Evgueni and I were a bit stunned and lay on the bed for about 2 hours watching news coverage and holding each other tightly. I'm glad I'm here if for no other reason but for those few hours. What a day.

Later, I had to go out as I forgot my brush in St.Petersburg. I didn't want to. I went to the underground mall in front of the Kremlin and the streets were empty. The Red Square was empty. The mall was empty. I've been to this area enough times over the last week to know that this was not normal. Everything was sombre and quiet. My touristy mood has disappeared.

At these times, I really realize what is actually important. I don't ever like forgetting the important things, but inevitably, routine sets in and the concerns of daily life consume me.

I suppose like everything, there are two sides to this though: sometimes too much knowing of what is important can be overwhelming too.

Moscow ~ Day 4

It seems that the great melt down has come to Moscow. The weather is mild and overcast, everything is drippy and melting and there is drizzly rain. Locals are hard at work chipping away at dense ice to speed the melt down. My long johns have been put away until further notice.

We had a busy Sunday. We toured the Kremlin, it’s many small and beautiful cathedrals the Armory, it’s gorgeous Faberge eggs, Cathrine the Great’s golden embroidered gowns etc., the giant Tsar Cannon and 220 ton Bell (minus the 12 ton piece that broke off) and the rest of the fortified and heavily guarded property. We will have to visit the Diamond Fund next time as it was sold out. Truth be told, it was a full day even missing it.

I was surprised by how tiny the golden onion domed cathedrals were! I suppose they were meant to be very exclusive venue. One of them was so small that when exiting down the stairs, it almost tossed us out its tiny little door. No comments on our sins please… The frescos were bright and plastered all over the wall (pun intended). The gold work and iconostasis* was all very impressive.

After lunch at the entrance to the Kremlin near the Red Square, we analyzed the statue of Marshal Zhukov astride his horse raising his hand as a symbol of his defending the Kremlin. We looked, pondered, laughed, yes laughed, and debated. We decided Evgueni’s diagnosis was right: the horses’ legs are unnaturally straight and left it at that.



Following the great analysis, we passed under the Resurrection Gate to stroll through the Red Square. Having already been in the Red Square already a number of times didn’t bother me as I really enjoy the vibrant architecture, the atmosphere and the people. We took some photos of St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Historical Museum, the wall graves and Lenin’s Mausoleum, the GUM façade etc. It’s pretty amazing how many locals are regularly spending time visiting cultural landmarks, museums and historical monuments. It made me very happy. The first time I noticed this interest in history and culture was a couple of years ago in St. Petersburg, however, having grown-up in North America, I’m not really used to seeing this “spectacle” and I was surprised again. I know this sounds terrible, but sadly, the “classic” upbringing is not nearly as popular in NA as it is in Europe or Russia – or Asia for that matter. Could it be simply a lack of cultural riches or the "melting pot"? I digress.

On the subject of analysis, I’ve got some other personal observations/discovery. Or perhaps this next section is simply a bit of a “moan”…

I experience challenges with constant travel. I am a creature of routine with sporadic bouts of spontaneity. A fall back routine always comforts and recharges me. Also, being alone isn’t a problem for designated periods of time, as long as I am doing something that can stimulate my brain and is pertinent to me. Having said all that, tourism isn’t always fun (especially alone) and in a country where I have no language skills it can be quite exhausting and difficult. I don’t expect sympathy as people often express “jealousy” for my life style. And knowing that at some point, I may look back longingly for this time in my life, although not always easy, I try to enjoy even the difficult times.

On a more positive note: I was happy to notice that my culture shock is not as pronounced as before. I believe I owe thanks to Germany where I’ve lived this past year. I’ll make a generalization here: Some places I’ve visited and locals I’ve encountered in Eastern Europe (Germany, Czech Republic and Russia) are quite abrupt and direct (in crowds (non-conversational interaction) and in casual communications). But this time, I quickly overlooked this stereotype and got straight to enjoying the local way of life embracing it much more than before.

Now exhausted and back at the hotel, we ended the evening by some seriously trashy TV. We watched a movie we borrowed from the hotel: “Meet the Fockers II”. It had me laughing hysterically and probably waking-up the neighbours. Suffice to day, I felt like I digested dinner properly before falling asleep.

* www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconostasis