Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
One of our main goals while living in London was to travel throughout Europe. We knew that living in London would make a perfect base for seeing the many sights scattered through Europe and that the short distances would make that more do-able with small children. Now, eighteen months on, we can say that we have plenty more to see but certainly have managed to accomplish our goal so far.
Traveling, especially with kids, brings on its own set of difficulties. Costs, booking accommodations, making sure you pack the pacifier and stuffed animals for cuddles. But believe it or not, one of the most difficult parts about traveling for us when we first arrived was deciding where to go. Moving to London, we were overwhelmed by the choices. We couldn't even decide where to go for day trips outside of London.
Since we now have visited nine places in Europe and eight places in the United Kingdom, you can say we have overcome that obstacle. I think its interesting in how we have overcome that obstacle and decided where to go.
First, we bought a book "Frommer's Best Day Trips from London." It has twenty-five different day trips it recommends, each places that you can easily visit in one day. It neatly narrows down our local UK options to twenty-five and eliminates any of those dodgy day trips that "infrastructure" would make a day trip really difficult. We have now visited almost half of the places in the book.
Second, Bryan started looking at runnersworld.co.uk and related forums. He used the sites to find races in the UK and in Europe that were recommended. We would never have been to Deal or Lausanne if not for those sites. We have an upcoming trip to Nice for him to do the Nice-Cannes marathon and our trips to York and Winchester were for races.
Third, we also bought "1000 Places to See Before You Die." It is not a travel guide. It does, however, pick from the millions of things to see and helps you focus on the best things.
Finally, we had to adopt a just do-it attitude. We picked a place we wanted to see, booked tickets and went. Traveling is really about the journey. We had to learn things are never perfect and to learn from each trip. We go places, explore them and see where it takes us. Every trip is an exploration, all places with the possibility to return.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Do you remember where you were, five years ago today?
I remember standing in the Shell station at Carrolton and Earhart on Friday August 26th. In a remarkable moment of clarity, I told Bryan we should go to my parents’ house on Saturday, just in case. The storm was predicted to go over Florida but with my being on maternity leave, I did not think it would be a big deal to go spend the weekend with my parents.
I remember being in my parents’ living room, watching a black and white battery operated television, desperate for the helicopter camera to pan over Uptown. Christian was nine weeks old and very close by. He benefited from Katrina in that living with grandparents meant there were plenty of arms to hold and love him when I was tired.
I remember the phone ringing a lot with people calling, worried, and wondering if we were safe. We were fine, without power or air conditioning, but fine nonetheless. My sister had to stop my six year old nephew from watching the news; it was making him worried for his aunt.
I remember receiving pictures of friends’ devastated houses, viewing the pictures on my parents’ computer. Those pictures made it feel very real, very close and I wondered about our house.
I remember when we found out about our house. I was in my parents’ carport, washing my car, when Dad called to say he’d made it through the barricades. He reported that the water had been to our top step. Everything in the shed, the air conditioner and water heater were ruin but nothing in the house had been damaged.
I remember hearing Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends” every time I got in the car. The song described my wish to escape the sadness and wake up when it was over.
I remember sitting in the Sears parking lot, hearing Mayor Ray Nagin say come home. He would later rescind the offer due to Hurricane Rita. Even still, for the first time in three weeks, it felt like the nightmare would be over soon.
So, if you wonder do I remember where I was on August 29th, 2005, yes I do.
I remember being in my parents’ living room, watching a black and white battery operated television, desperate for the helicopter camera to pan over Uptown. Christian was nine weeks old and very close by. He benefited from Katrina in that living with grandparents meant there were plenty of arms to hold and love him when I was tired.
I remember the phone ringing a lot with people calling, worried, and wondering if we were safe. We were fine, without power or air conditioning, but fine nonetheless. My sister had to stop my six year old nephew from watching the news; it was making him worried for his aunt.
I remember receiving pictures of friends’ devastated houses, viewing the pictures on my parents’ computer. Those pictures made it feel very real, very close and I wondered about our house.
I remember when we found out about our house. I was in my parents’ carport, washing my car, when Dad called to say he’d made it through the barricades. He reported that the water had been to our top step. Everything in the shed, the air conditioner and water heater were ruin but nothing in the house had been damaged.
I remember hearing Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends” every time I got in the car. The song described my wish to escape the sadness and wake up when it was over.
I remember sitting in the Sears parking lot, hearing Mayor Ray Nagin say come home. He would later rescind the offer due to Hurricane Rita. Even still, for the first time in three weeks, it felt like the nightmare would be over soon.
So, if you wonder do I remember where I was on August 29th, 2005, yes I do.
Lazy Summer Days
My last blog was after the end of our trip to Norway. Since our trip, we have not made any excursions outside of England. We have spent the month of August exploring different English sights.
First up, we went to York for an overnight stay where I registered to run the York 10K on August 1st. York is a medieval town with roots back to Romans and the Vikings. We saw York Minster, the largest Gothic structure in northern Europe, went through the Jorvik center, a Viking tourist attraction and stopped by the York Model Railway museum. The model railway museum had certainly seen better days but Christian and Jacob loved the rooms filled with model railroads and the special room dedicated to Thomas the tank engine. Christian's quote for the visit was "This is the coolest place ever." I finished the race in good time, even though it was nowhere near my personal best, but I was still happy that the course was flat.
Last weekend, we took the train to East Sussex and walked along the South Downs Way, one of the many walking trails in England. This part of the trail happened to be along the white chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters. We walked four miles along Mother Nature's version of a roller coaster, up and down rolling hills.
Finally, this weekend, we went to Richmond Park, one of the Royal parks in southwest London. Richmond is a town along the Thames and the park is the most massive park you could ever imagine with hills, forests, grassland, lakes, and so on. We even saw herds of deer. All that outdoor space only a tube and bus ride away for London. Jacob even managed to walk most of the time in the park. It was very nice to let them run on the path and only have to worry about deer.
Looking back, even though we did not venture too far in August, we still had plenty of adventures. The best part is getting to see all these great places but still make it home in time for bed!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Top 10 Reasons to Visit Norway
Given the conclusion of our trip to Norway, I thought I would enlighten everyone on the top ten reasons to visit Norway.
1. Spend your hard earned money. Okay, a dodgy reason but nonetheless, visiting Norway is expensive. Dinner at a so-so Mexican restaurant for four set us back $150, groceries for three days $120, ferry ride $20 each way. We were able to minimize our costs by only eating out once and using the kitchen at our accommodations. Norwegian currency is the krone and Norway is known for being the most expensive country in Europe to visit. Must be due to the thirteen months of mandatory maternity leave.
2. Visit Fjordside, a B&B we stayed at for our stay. It is located on Sorfjorden, about twenty minutes north of Bergen. We had an apartment with two beds, a kitchen, reception area and bath. Outside, there was a nice terraced garden, a deck overlooking the fjord, and paths to the beach and a boat dock. They also had five chickens that were kind enough to lay two eggs for one of our breakfasts.
3. Practice your manual transmission driving skills. Our rental car was a Hyundai i2 with a manual transmission. Most of the roads were narrow, winding mountain roads and in the more developed areas, we had to navigate the European favorite roundabouts. No need for cruise control—you would have to be a daredevil to maintain 80 km/h around those hairpin curves.
4. Learn the names of Norwegian crudes. Norway is the world’s third largest exporter of crude (the largest country that is not a dictatorship or monarchy) and they name all of their crudes after towns and things in Norway. Troll, Njord, Jotun, Oseberg, Ekofisk…not really the best way to relax from a person who deals with North Sea crudes everyday for my job.
5. Drive through lots of tunnels. Norway is certainly a country that has decided that the easiest way around a mountain is through it. While there are plenty of winding roads on the side of a fjord, there were plenty of tunnels including the world’s longest at 24 miles. Imagine, the Lake Pontchatrain Causeway, in the dark.
6. Long summer days. Norway is farther north than the United Kingdom and United States. Further north in Norway, they experience midnight sun, where the sun never sets for about two months in the summer. Where we stayed, the sun set 10:30 pm and sunrise before 5 am. It meant we could fill our days with as many activities as we could stand, not having to worry about making it home before sunset.
7. Visit another country and realize that they are bilingual like the rest of the world. Most Norwegians speak both Norwegian and English. They are very gracious and will speak to you in English. However, I always feel bad that I cannot reciprocate and speak in Norwegian. Interesting point, Handy Manny is dubbed over in Norwegian but when he usually interjects Spanish, in Norway, it is English.
8. See a real glacier. On our last full day, we saw the Bonnhusbreen glacier and associated glacial lake. A glacier is perhaps the most awesome and mighty thing I have ever seen. Keep in mind that the glacier we saw had carved out the majestic fjords millions of years ago.
9. See a waterfall. Big or small, your choice. On the drive home from Flam, we took the scenic route on the south side of Hordaland along the Hardangerfjorden. At Skjervefossen and Steinsdalsfossen are massive waterfalls including one you can walk behind.
10. See a fjord. They are everywhere you go, at least in western Norway. Outside of the tunnels, it was granite fjords plunging into clear green water with a few waterfalls and idyllic small towns with brightly painted houses thrown in. Everywhere. Breathtaking.
1. Spend your hard earned money. Okay, a dodgy reason but nonetheless, visiting Norway is expensive. Dinner at a so-so Mexican restaurant for four set us back $150, groceries for three days $120, ferry ride $20 each way. We were able to minimize our costs by only eating out once and using the kitchen at our accommodations. Norwegian currency is the krone and Norway is known for being the most expensive country in Europe to visit. Must be due to the thirteen months of mandatory maternity leave.
2. Visit Fjordside, a B&B we stayed at for our stay. It is located on Sorfjorden, about twenty minutes north of Bergen. We had an apartment with two beds, a kitchen, reception area and bath. Outside, there was a nice terraced garden, a deck overlooking the fjord, and paths to the beach and a boat dock. They also had five chickens that were kind enough to lay two eggs for one of our breakfasts.
3. Practice your manual transmission driving skills. Our rental car was a Hyundai i2 with a manual transmission. Most of the roads were narrow, winding mountain roads and in the more developed areas, we had to navigate the European favorite roundabouts. No need for cruise control—you would have to be a daredevil to maintain 80 km/h around those hairpin curves.
4. Learn the names of Norwegian crudes. Norway is the world’s third largest exporter of crude (the largest country that is not a dictatorship or monarchy) and they name all of their crudes after towns and things in Norway. Troll, Njord, Jotun, Oseberg, Ekofisk…not really the best way to relax from a person who deals with North Sea crudes everyday for my job.
5. Drive through lots of tunnels. Norway is certainly a country that has decided that the easiest way around a mountain is through it. While there are plenty of winding roads on the side of a fjord, there were plenty of tunnels including the world’s longest at 24 miles. Imagine, the Lake Pontchatrain Causeway, in the dark.
6. Long summer days. Norway is farther north than the United Kingdom and United States. Further north in Norway, they experience midnight sun, where the sun never sets for about two months in the summer. Where we stayed, the sun set 10:30 pm and sunrise before 5 am. It meant we could fill our days with as many activities as we could stand, not having to worry about making it home before sunset.
7. Visit another country and realize that they are bilingual like the rest of the world. Most Norwegians speak both Norwegian and English. They are very gracious and will speak to you in English. However, I always feel bad that I cannot reciprocate and speak in Norwegian. Interesting point, Handy Manny is dubbed over in Norwegian but when he usually interjects Spanish, in Norway, it is English.
8. See a real glacier. On our last full day, we saw the Bonnhusbreen glacier and associated glacial lake. A glacier is perhaps the most awesome and mighty thing I have ever seen. Keep in mind that the glacier we saw had carved out the majestic fjords millions of years ago.
9. See a waterfall. Big or small, your choice. On the drive home from Flam, we took the scenic route on the south side of Hordaland along the Hardangerfjorden. At Skjervefossen and Steinsdalsfossen are massive waterfalls including one you can walk behind.
10. See a fjord. They are everywhere you go, at least in western Norway. Outside of the tunnels, it was granite fjords plunging into clear green water with a few waterfalls and idyllic small towns with brightly painted houses thrown in. Everywhere. Breathtaking.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Run Naked
I ran naked. Okay so just without my headphones, I still wore running clothes. But without my headphones and iPhone, it felt like something was missing from my lunchtime run.
Yesterday, when dressing for my run, I realised I left my headphones at my desk and felt too lazy to go fetch them. I had recently read a Runners' World editorial about running without music and thought I should give it a go.
Heading out, I realised how distracting my iPhone can be, holding it the whole time, fussing with the playlist. Usually I flip through music when running, especially when my running playlist is getting old.
Besides not fiddling with music, I heard all the sounds that the music normally drowns out. I reached Westminster at noon and heard Big Ben chiming out twelve. I heard all the people talking to their companions, most often in a different language then English. As I came around St James Park, I could hear the band playing at the changing of the guard and then the insulated silence of trees in Green Park. I even heard my own footsteps!
As I ran, I thought of why I like to listen to music while running. It gives me a beat to follow and something to distract me during long runs. However, during that run, I remembered why running without music can be wonderful. I just might try it again. Just not during a long run.
Yesterday, when dressing for my run, I realised I left my headphones at my desk and felt too lazy to go fetch them. I had recently read a Runners' World editorial about running without music and thought I should give it a go.
Heading out, I realised how distracting my iPhone can be, holding it the whole time, fussing with the playlist. Usually I flip through music when running, especially when my running playlist is getting old.
Besides not fiddling with music, I heard all the sounds that the music normally drowns out. I reached Westminster at noon and heard Big Ben chiming out twelve. I heard all the people talking to their companions, most often in a different language then English. As I came around St James Park, I could hear the band playing at the changing of the guard and then the insulated silence of trees in Green Park. I even heard my own footsteps!
As I ran, I thought of why I like to listen to music while running. It gives me a beat to follow and something to distract me during long runs. However, during that run, I remembered why running without music can be wonderful. I just might try it again. Just not during a long run.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Join the Moovement
Imagine my surprise this morning when I boarded the Northern line this
morning and saw a man wearing a cow costume. A few moments later, I
heard mooing further down the car and realized there were several
people wearing cow costumes. Some people smiled, some laughed, while
others could not be bothered. Some people even made eye contact with
fellow Tube riders (!!!).
When they hopped off a few stops later, they had managed to brighten
up a few people's days.
morning and saw a man wearing a cow costume. A few moments later, I
heard mooing further down the car and realized there were several
people wearing cow costumes. Some people smiled, some laughed, while
others could not be bothered. Some people even made eye contact with
fellow Tube riders (!!!).
When they hopped off a few stops later, they had managed to brighten
up a few people's days.
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoFjYLO-J3Y&feature=youtube_gdata
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