Degas and Friends - A Great Day

Today I went to see a Degas exhibit at the Palace of Fine Arts. Edgar Degas did all the ballerina paintings, by the way. My favorite was the Blue Dancers, which I am not sure if I can post a photo of without getting sued or something, so here is a LINK if you want to see it. I went with R.C. and a absolutely lovely friend of a friend that I went to high school with named Mimi. Mimi is traveling around the world for an extended period of time. She isn't sure where she is headed next (well after her upcoming 2 weeks in Morocco) or how long she will keep traveling. I just love that!!!! Plus she lived in France for a year in college, which makes her even cooler in my eyes.

We had lunch after the exhibit and shared our travel stories, the good, bad, and ugly. Even the bad experiences have the benefit of becoming good, sometime hilarious, stories. And then there are those amazing moments of connection to a place or person (or sheer drunkeness) that make you feel alive. We must have talked for 2 hours over lunch and then TEA, of course - I felt so British.

In other news we are going to PARIS on Friday on the Chunnel. I am so excited I could burst. I freaking love Paris and using my very sad French on those poor innocent Parisians. I also booked our hotel in Madrid for our trip with K.M. and the Snowtrain for our ski trip in France in March - can I tempt you A.V. and J.V. Life does not suck, trust me I am appreciating every moment of my overseas experience.

Rivers, More Beers, and Rogue Beagles

On Saturday, Dave and I ventured out a few Tube stops to Hammersmith for a wine-filled lunch at the River Cafe. It seems that there isn't a whole lot of excitement in Hammersmith, but then what do I know (good thing I got a book, see below). We did some walking along the 184-mile-long Thames Path, the Brits are serious about their national trails - which is awesome. There are also a ton of rowers and rowing clubs in Hammersmith. The Thames in this area is really pretty, especially with all the rowers on the water.

What a bright, sunny day - enjoy it now suckers.......

Hey Dove (aka. A.C.), it's your bar.

We decided to walk home past the Fulham Football Club Stadium. Apparently you do not f-around there if you are a fan of the opposing team.

You also must be rather svelte to get into the place, that is one of the doors to the stadium! No wonder people get crushed at football riots here. Even Dave can barely fit through that opening.

We randomly stumbled upon the Fulham Palace, which was the summer retreat for the bishops of London for like 600 years or something. We walked through the palace and grounds, it was just gorgeous and there were lots of ruins and old stuff - cool.

The best part was that there was a rogue beagle running around the gardens! He was a little bigger and stockier than Witty, but pure beagle. He had clearly escaped from his owner and was running from table to table at Fulham Palace's cafe looking for food. Then he found the trash cans, jackpot - leftover sandwich crusts galore! After cleaning up there, he ran into the cafe and got chased around by the waitstaff. The whole while, Dave and I were sitting back laughing - usually we are the ones embarrassingly corralling our rogue beagle. All they needed was a piece of ham and that dog would have done anything they wanted, lesson #1 for beagle owners - always have a pocket full of ham. Finally, the owner showed up and we watched the "catch me if you can" game ensue between the owner and the dog. Pure entertainment!

That night we went to a beerfest, some sort of local brewers thing. It was, uhm - interesting. This is going to sound horrible, but I have never seen so many nerds (in the truest sense of the word) in one room. And I used to live in Silicon Valley, so that is saying a lot. Plus it was really hot in the event room, so then everyone is sweaty, nerdy, drinking overly hopped beer, having bad breath from dehydration, and spitting when they walk to you. Ew, I can't say I was unhappy to leave early.

In other news, Dave left me to go to the U.S. for work - oh and we are getting fat. I blame the cream-covered meats in Budapest, oh and the sick amounts of beer we are drinking. Thus, today's activities involved walking Dave to the Tube to say goodbye, doing a 10+ mile run, and eating a veggie and fruit filled lunch. After the run, I went over to Soho with thoughts of "what would Dave not like to do that I can enjoy to my heart's content while he is gone". So I went to a few bookstores and wandered the aisles for a while, like 2 hours. After that I decided to meander back to the Tube, but since there is so much work on the system occurring right now (partly to prep for the upcoming Olympics), I had to walk a million miles to get back home. Luckily, there was plenty of shopping on the way. Oh, and I did get two books while shopping.

A UK guidebook so I know what the hell I need to see while I am here, and a general history book because I am tired of looking at monuments all over Europe and not knowing why they are significant.

I am a bit nervous about being here without Dave, which sounds really retarded - I know. I am in LONDON, a city with 8 million things to do, get over it Amie. I work from home so I don't get a whole lot of face-to-face contact with coworkers the way Dave does. I am worried I won't talk to anyone all week; therefore, I am planning out some activities to avoid loneliness:


- Check out some local spas and find one with a coed jacuzzi. Really we were redic about our hot tub in Palo Alto, I always felt like those Japanese snow-monkeys that hang out in hot springs. We used that thing pretty much every night. Dave wants to put one on our patio here, but there really isn't room.

- Go to the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and see about volunteering since I miss my Sammy more than I ever thought I would. I pathetically try and pet every dog I pass.

- Visit the Tate Modern, Dave hates modern art with a particular vengeance I don't understand.

- See the Degas exhibit at the Palace of Fine Arts, hopefully with the lovely Miss R.C.

- Have coffee or lunch and catch up with D.L.

- Plant the backyard, it is time. We cleared the weeds weeks ago but have been too lazy to plant.

- Do some more running club workouts.

Running Kiddos

Yesterday I volunteered with the Serpentine Running Club at a kids cross county meet at Regent Park. It was a slightly cold but very sunny day, perfect for running. The race was all ages from 7 years to 13 years, boys and girls, divided into age groups. The younger kids did 1.5K and the older ones did 4K. FYI - a 13 year old girl won the whole thing by 10 seconds. Sorry no photos, I was worried people would think I was a perv taking pictures of their kids. Perhaps I was being paranoid, I am not sure what those rules are.

I cheered my heart out, as a typical American would - as you all know the Brits are a bit reserved. The kids were just so awesome, which is a word I need to stop using because it also labels me as "American" - as if my accent doesn't do so first. I had so much fun, and it was nice to do something outside of the Dave-and-Amie-circle. Everyone was so nice and the kids and parents kept thanking us for being out there, in truth - I really enjoyed it as much as they did.

I will participate in more Serpentine events. Beginning with a group morning run on Saturday before our awesome (there's that word again) lunch at the River Cafe - thanks R.C. for the recommendation!

Awesomeness Defined - Hungary (Country #6)

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. Budapest is one of my “Top Five” cities for sure. Budapest has everything you could want, history, culture, interesting topography/geography, interesting shopping, great food (heavvvvvyyyy though, think meats with cream sauces), and superb wine. Budapest is the most livable Central/Eastern European city, as ranked by a by a bunch of economists whose job it is to say so. It is inexpensive compared to somewhere like Paris or Rome. It doesn’t hurt that we went with two lovely friends J.C. and R.C., or that J.C. lived in Budapest when he was younger. Oh yeah, we had a guide who was not me! And even better for us, a guide who loves wine! We could have stayed another few days easily.

Our friends got us in on a deal through Malev Airlines, $300 per person for airfare and lodging at the Le Meridien. However, we arrived late on Thursday night and the Le Meridien was overbooked. Dave and I fell on the sword and volunteered to move to the Intercontinental (right around the corner) for a night. Oh poor-poor us, not the hideous Intercontinental – that is a joke people, it was great. When we checked into the Le Meriden the next day, to make up for the *horrible inconvenience*, they put us in a suite with a freaking balcony and we had chilled champers waiting for us in our room. Pretty much the coolest hotel ever.

Dave was meant to live like this, what a douche.

We spent our days lingering over long lunches, walking along the Danube, and exploring the city. The town has a fascinating history: Celtic, Roman, Mongolian, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, German (briefly), and most recently - Soviet. (Note to self, I need to study up on my WWI and WWII history if I am going to keep traveling over here.) The castle district is unbelievable, I have never seen anything like it. The photos speak for themselves.

Buda Castle at night, redic.

Post-dinner fun with J.C. and R.C.

This is one damn scenic city, I can't wait to go back.

A view of the city from the Buda side, and perfect weather too.

We also spent some time with J.C. and R.C.’s friends in Budapest, who are awesome. They took us to some local bars and restaurants and introduced us to traditional Hungarian booze, Palinka. It is supposed to be a fruit brandy, but it is really just jet fuel. Oh god, what were we thinking doing shots after dinner – clearly we weren’t. I believe there was also chanting at one point in the night, "PA-LIN-KA, PA-LIN-KA". Not pretty the next day.

Bottom line, we will be back! Anyone want to join? Next time we will include a visit to the museums, natural hot springs and spas, the synagogue, and all that other important stuff that didn’t quite make the cut this trip. Ya know, because we saved the important activities for this trip......as shown below.

Blondes, Cheekbones, and Socialism – Denmark (Country #5)

I had zero expectations for our Denmark trip. I mean, you say Amsterdam or Paris and instantly you have a picture in your mind of what you should expect/see/do. When I think of Copenhagen, I think of chewing tobacco and very happy people. We’ve all heard the clichés about the Danes being the “Happiest People in the World”. Very little planning was done on my part, which is unusual.

Here is a summary of what I liked/disliked about Copenhagen:

Pros:

- Clean clean clean, Copenhagen definitely beats Wroclaw.

- The people are absolutely easy on the eyes.

- Not over-run with touristy junk shops.

- Peeps in restaurants and stores are so nice, probably because they are paid a living wage and are actually happy at work.

- Those Danes are mad bikers, Amsterdam has NOTHING on Copenhagen. The extent and use of the bike lanes and trails is unbelievable. Everyone from 5 year old kids to 80 year old ladies pedals around, U.S. – take note!!!!!

- The most involved fathers I have ever seen, you wouldn’t believe it.

- These people aren’t puritanical and hung up about sex and nudity. At the spa, they have to specifically TELL people to wear a swimsuit in the male/female community sauna and tub area because the Brits get offended.

- Copenhageners can party, and do so until 3am pretty consistently.

Cons:

- The Danes can’t/don’t dine all that well. While we had a really notable meal, and Copenhagen is really on the restaurant map now with a few spectacular places (like Noma), in general you can’t get a good glass of wine/beer and interesting lunch without looking really hard – unless you want crappy Italian food.

- The weather, it sucks to put it mildly – the average temperature is only above 50 for 4 months out of the year. Oh and it rains all the time.

- Holy crap expensive! You do the calculation after you pay because you don’t believe it, “did we just pay $12 for a Touborg, yes we did”. (Stupid weak U.S. dollar, oh and that pesky 25% VAT doesn't help – but I will pay that happily since I got some Sudafed for ¼ of what I pay in the U.S. or U.K., and Dave and I took FULL advantage of the Free City Bikes – see below.)

We arrived on Friday and went straight to the Bethel Hotel to check-in. It was ridiculously clean and the room was bare, save 2 beds and a desk – how very Danish. I was having a low-blood-sugar moment (or perhaps it was alcohol withdrawal), so we went straight to dinner. We wandered accidentally into Nyhaven 14, yum. The restaurant was packed but there were two seats in the corner, and apparently we were really lucky to get them. After an amazing dinner consisting of champers (of course) some interesting pastas, roast rabbit, steak for Dave, and red wine, we were off to explore.

So as stated, Copenhagen is home to some pretty good looking people. Everyone looks like the lovely Danish S.W. and her daughters, my uber-Danish sister-in-law, or Hot Monica (aka. M.R. but I have to say Hot Monica so Dave knows “which” Monica I am talking about) who happens to be Icelandic – but Iceland was colonized by the Danes so I am including her in my very general, and possibly patronizing, discussion here. I have never seen so many tall, natural blondes. Everyone was so lovely, and obviously in shape from all the freaking biking!

Saturday we climbed to the top of a very scary and wet church tower to enjoy the views. Yes I fell down the stairs and freaked everyone out, but only once. Then, we do what we do best and wandered the city. Late in the drizzly, windy, cold, afternoon, I had a "moment" and announced to Dave that I was so cold and we were going to a spa with a sauna and Jacuzzi or else I might die. So we did, and all was warm and right with the world. Being that the Danes are practical, you could have bottles of champagne in the spa area, in the Jacuzzi if you want. Hells yeah, that is how you spa. Who cares if the bottle gets broken, Denmark has national healthcare so they will just stitch you up for free and send you back into the world for more champagne. (Which makes me realize that national healthcare might eliminate quite a few lawsuits in the U.S. Plus diving boards would reopen at recreational pools across the U.S. – the closure of which makes me mourn for today’s children who have to jump off the side of the pool for fun, a pity and a disgrace. As if you needed another reason to support Socialism…….or tort reform - but I digress.)

Post-spa we went to a microbrewery and met a loud Ozzie, some Danes, and our Estonian bartender who kept giving us free drinks. Dinner was unremarkable so we won’t even discuss it here.

Sunday was the best day, upper 50’s and SUNNY. We found two of the Free City Bikes on the street. These bikes are provided by the city and are scattered everywhere. We rode up the coast for a while and took in the scenery for a few hours. After that, we went to the history and art museums, both were of a manageable size and pretty entertaining. The history museum had an interesting gift shop…….see the really hot photos that follow, which I will regret posting.

Two words: NICE.

Dave is a lucky, lucky man.

Top of the church, those wet stairs were where I almost died.

Dave and the famous mermaid.

One of many castles.

Yet another lovely church.

On the canal.

Now we are back in London, but this too is short lived. We are going to Budapest with an amazing couple we met here. She reminds me of J.G. (the OC J.G., that is) so I love her, and he is a fascinating dude who grew up in the Bahamas and then moved to Budapest as a teen - random I know. It will be really nice to have a tour guide who can speak the language and lead us around. Plus, we got a deal at the Le Meridien so there will be lots of spoilage occurring.

Guess What, Drinking in London - Again

It is so nice to be home in London again. We got right back into the saddle with a GORGEOUS Saturday morning trip to Borough Market for lunch and some cheese/bread/meat/veggie shopping. It was mind-numbingly crowded, as expected for one of the hottest days of the year in London. It was in the mid 80's and heat records were broken all over the UK. Mind you - that means a whole lot of very white people in shorts and summer tank dresses, I think my retinas are scarred.

Once Borough became too annoyingly crowded for words, Dave led us on a holy pilgrimage down the street to Bermondsey to look for the brewery for a beer he discovered, called Kernel. We were greatly rewarded in our quest; we discovered the Druid and Maltby Street markets. The markets are housed in what I assume are old warehouses underneath elevated railroad tracks. It is everything urban and industrial juxtaposed with small and agricultural - and an example of urban renewal at it's finest - I loved it. It is sad that I don't even think you could do something like that in the US. We have horribly draconian zoning regulations, fanatical food safety rules, and a large conglomerate-dominated agricultural system. But then you've all seen Food Inc. (and if you haven't, shame on you) so who am I to lecture.

In addition to the brewery, there are loads and loads of small producers selling veggies and cheeses. There were also butchers and bakers, everything one needs! I should have taken more photos, it was food porn for sure. Here is one of the smaller cheese shops with some GIANT wheels of cheese. I almost cried of sheer cheese happiness. Whoever said the Brits don't have good food hasn't been there lately!

Yum and yum.

After walking around we got thirsty (it was really hot after all), so we had to get two Kernel Pale Ales. They were perfect, not too hoppy or fizzy - just nice on a hot day. You drank your beers in this really cool, uhm - courtyard....... Well is was really an alley with all sorts of dangerous implements and rusty nails lying around. This would have never flown in the US, someone would have sued and shut the place down long ago. The antique store next door to the brewery put out stools and chairs so you could sit and drink your beer, great marketing move on the part of the antique store. We will be going back!

Dave enjoying his beer in the "courtyard".


Looking fancy Dave.


To make everything perfect, you could get a charcuterie plate to go with your beer. I think I am getting emotional, you know how I love charcuterie.

Well, off for a run before the rain starts again.....day after tomorrow - boo!

Poland (Country #4)

Upon leaving Midwest and the family, I flew into London, met Dave, and we flew back out in one day. Not my best idea ever - but there was a free hotel involved at our destination, so I will suffer a bit. Time for a little Wroclaw, Poland.

"So do they tell Polish jokes all the time?" asked a friend. No actually, but what the hell would I know. Polish is one of the more difficult languages I have encountered. I couldn't pick much up. I learned hello, please, thank you, good bye, and toilet - the essentials really. Other than that, it was all pointing and holding out handfuls of change to the waitress so I could buy my cappuccino in the morning.

And there is said cappuccino.

And so starts the week in Wroclaw (formerly, and sometimes still, known as Bresslau). This area of the world seems to have been occupied, owned, ruled, and bombed by everyone from the Mongols to Stalin. Yet the town and the people there are still pretty awesome. There is a lot of energy, which I wasn't expecting from a formerly Soviet Block town that I had never even heard of before. Wroclaw has been described as "The Next Prague". I am not sure I would go that far, but it wasn't a bad place to spend a few days - especially given our stay at the fancy Art Hotel.

I had the mornings to myself and then worked in the afternoons until Dave got off work. You pretty much can see EVERYTHING the town has to offer in 3 days, trust me. I could be a Wroclaw tour guide after this trip. Honestly, while the town really cute - it is probably not worth going too far out of your way to see. This is going to sound pansy, but they lack a real tourist infrastructure. The museums and churches are really cool, but there is no (I am cringing to say this) English signs or audio tour-type things. You can be looking at a priceless work of art and not really appreciate it because you know nothing of the artist, subject, time period, or significance of the work. But on the plus side of of lacking hoards of tourists, the town is CHEAP. Food and beers are quite tasty and you can get a meal for 3 people with loads of beers for $20.

Here are a few pictures from the trip for your viewing pleasure.

View from the bike path on the river.

My favorite church

Favorite church before and after being bombed during WWII by Stalin's Red Army.

Here is a bridge with 8 million locks attached to it. A lot of them had two names and hearts and such - so I am assuming this is some sort of romantic "locking our love" thing. Cute and barfy at the same time!

A lovely spot to rent a boat.

The kick-ass town hall from the 13th century.

The view from one of many church towers I ascended.

The town square, it is so nice and clean because fast food it its obligatory containers have yet to discover sweet, innocent Wroclaw.

Of course, there are some interesting things about Wroclaw:
- Beers sipped through straws out of a pint glass, that is just not right.
- Weird bacon fat and walnut sandwiches you get when you order your beer and straw.
- A language that resembles nothing I have ever heard before.
- Everyone is thin, except for the older babushka-ish ladies, it is really remarkable. This is probably because of the lack of fast food and to-go containers, man I hate to-go containers.
- Vodka for dessert, why not!
- The folks here all look like Midwesterners, there are loads of Poles in central Illinois.
- Wroclaw really likes God, we are talking some serious Catholics here - and not just the little old ladies. Mass at midday on a Tuesday was full of people of all ages, even dudes.

A mellow weekend awaits us in London. I am looking forward to finally being "home", plus the weather is the best it has been since we arrived here! I'll give another update soon.

Next stop - COPENHAGEN!