Vacation
December 05, 2007
For whatever reason, I have no photos of Amsterdam. Probably because the time we were there was so short and rushed. But I do have pictures of Paris.
Notre Dame, with added raindrops on the camera lens (oops). It rained the entire day we went sightseeing:
The ceiling in Sainte-Chappelle. What I didn't know is that there is a church here in Chicago made to look like it:
The Fontaine Saint Michel:
The Louvre:
The Arc de Triomphe. This was the one single day of clear sunny skies:
A French market:
And as promised, our tiny hotel room in Paris:
Notre Dame, with added raindrops on the camera lens (oops). It rained the entire day we went sightseeing:
The ceiling in Sainte-Chappelle. What I didn't know is that there is a church here in Chicago made to look like it:
The Fontaine Saint Michel:
The Louvre:
The Arc de Triomphe. This was the one single day of clear sunny skies:
A French market:
And as promised, our tiny hotel room in Paris:
amy · 05:29 PM ·
take your meds ·
We arrived yesterday from our whirlwind European vacation. Seriously, we could have used a minimum of two more days to get a little more sightseeing in. I left Thursday evening to meet my husband in Amsterdam. It was the first time I had ever flown by myself for a flight lasting longer than 3 hours. Thankfully, I had a good seat-mate, one that actually showered and believed in deodorant.
Having Steve meet me in the airport was such a relief. I'm not sure how well I would have navigated Amsterdam by myself, even with our new toy
. After spending two nights and one full day there, I'm still not sure how I feel about the city. It's very charming with it's architecture, canals and bicycles (they are everywhere and have the right of way). Yet it's a little disappointing with the emphasis on the red light district, sex shops and coffeeshops (which are the hash bars). They really have a graffiti problem too. Oh, and the food. If you ever go there, you need to be very choosy where you eat. For the most part, the food sucks. Steve took me to an Italian restaurant that was better than most out here. It had been recommended by a Dutch colleague. And before we hopped in the car for the drive to Paris we stopped at the Fromage and Brood (aka the Kaas and Brood, which is Cheese and Bread). We purchased a baguette and some cheese and were on our way. I must say, it was probably the best tasting cheese I have had, like ever.
If you ever get a wild hair when out in France and want to see Paris, may I suggest not driving (first mistake - but chose it because of recent transportation strike out there) on a Saturday night (second mistake) into the heart of the Latin Quarter (third mistake). What should have been about a 5 hour drive took about 6 1/2 hours, the last 1 1/2 hours just creeping along in the weekend traffic. Made all the more hair-raising because of the motorcycles which are allowed to ride between the lanes of traffic. Where Amsterdam was small and charming, and most people spoke English, the first thought I had once we started walking around was "Holy shit, everyone is speaking French!". I really didn't think it would intimidate me so much, but it was overwhelming, especially with the added sensory overload of the crowds on a Saturday night.
Oh, and I didn't mention our hotel room. It was small. Like so small, once our luggage was in there, we had to crawl over the bed to get to the bathroom small. And the elevator! It had a capacity of 3 people. I think it was more like 3 supermodels. When we arrived, Steve and I had to go up separately with our own luggage, because our two bags and the two of us wouldn't have fit. Oh, and the bed felt a bit like they took a concrete slab and put some sheets on it. It was hard! But it was the most charming room I have seen anywhere. It had windows that opened up to a balcony that looked down on the street below.
We saw most of the normal tourist sights except the Eiffel Tower. Well, we did actually see it. From the Metro. And I didn't take a picture, so you'll have to take my word for it. We decided that barring any future transportation strikes, next time we go to Paris (and there will be a next time) we are going without a rental car and taking the Metro everywhere. It was surprisingly easy to navigate and it saved a ton of walking. I don't think I have ever walked so much in one weekend in my life.
And while we didn't eat at any fancy restaurants (we stuck to cafes), the food was so good! It is hard to explain exactly why, but I'll try. Of course, the taste of it is phenomenal, but it was how it made you feel. You could eat surprisingly little, yet still feel satisfied. And we felt fantastic after eating. Here in the states, usually I feel like crap, even halfway through a meal. Not sure if it's eating too quickly or too much, or if it is eating stuff that is chock full of preservatives, but I almost always feel heavy and bloated after eating out, even in the nicer non-chain type places. In Paris, you are not hustled out the door to increase table turnover. Lingering over coffee is expected and encouraged. It isn't as easy to find food "to go" as it is here. And the portions are much more reasonable. And things are not dripping in oil and butter. The food just tastes....clean. Even the desserts don't push you over the edge. It's like you eat, and you are done, none of those thoughts of "I shouldn't have had that".
We went back to Amsterdam to spend the last night there and leave from the Schiphol Airport. We got in kind of late and nothing much was open. We decided on sandwiches and donuts. BIG mistake. The sandwiches tasted like they may have been sitting there for a day or two, and the donuts tasted so bad we spit them out. We have a feeling that the places that were open at the time were catering to the coffeehouse crowd and their munchies.
I had such a good time, and having that child-free time to reconnect with my husband was worth it. It's so easy to let our day-to-day shit get in the way of communication, or our itinerary to replace it, and being able to sit in a cafe with cups of coffee and just talk for hours uninterrupted was a gift we needed to give ourselves. I really think this trip may have changed us for the better. Not only did it improve our relationship, but it showed us what eating good food and sharing ourselves can do for us.
I still need to download and edit photos, but they will be coming shortly.
Having Steve meet me in the airport was such a relief. I'm not sure how well I would have navigated Amsterdam by myself, even with our new toy
. After spending two nights and one full day there, I'm still not sure how I feel about the city. It's very charming with it's architecture, canals and bicycles (they are everywhere and have the right of way). Yet it's a little disappointing with the emphasis on the red light district, sex shops and coffeeshops (which are the hash bars). They really have a graffiti problem too. Oh, and the food. If you ever go there, you need to be very choosy where you eat. For the most part, the food sucks. Steve took me to an Italian restaurant that was better than most out here. It had been recommended by a Dutch colleague. And before we hopped in the car for the drive to Paris we stopped at the Fromage and Brood (aka the Kaas and Brood, which is Cheese and Bread). We purchased a baguette and some cheese and were on our way. I must say, it was probably the best tasting cheese I have had, like ever.If you ever get a wild hair when out in France and want to see Paris, may I suggest not driving (first mistake - but chose it because of recent transportation strike out there) on a Saturday night (second mistake) into the heart of the Latin Quarter (third mistake). What should have been about a 5 hour drive took about 6 1/2 hours, the last 1 1/2 hours just creeping along in the weekend traffic. Made all the more hair-raising because of the motorcycles which are allowed to ride between the lanes of traffic. Where Amsterdam was small and charming, and most people spoke English, the first thought I had once we started walking around was "Holy shit, everyone is speaking French!". I really didn't think it would intimidate me so much, but it was overwhelming, especially with the added sensory overload of the crowds on a Saturday night.
Oh, and I didn't mention our hotel room. It was small. Like so small, once our luggage was in there, we had to crawl over the bed to get to the bathroom small. And the elevator! It had a capacity of 3 people. I think it was more like 3 supermodels. When we arrived, Steve and I had to go up separately with our own luggage, because our two bags and the two of us wouldn't have fit. Oh, and the bed felt a bit like they took a concrete slab and put some sheets on it. It was hard! But it was the most charming room I have seen anywhere. It had windows that opened up to a balcony that looked down on the street below.
We saw most of the normal tourist sights except the Eiffel Tower. Well, we did actually see it. From the Metro. And I didn't take a picture, so you'll have to take my word for it. We decided that barring any future transportation strikes, next time we go to Paris (and there will be a next time) we are going without a rental car and taking the Metro everywhere. It was surprisingly easy to navigate and it saved a ton of walking. I don't think I have ever walked so much in one weekend in my life.
And while we didn't eat at any fancy restaurants (we stuck to cafes), the food was so good! It is hard to explain exactly why, but I'll try. Of course, the taste of it is phenomenal, but it was how it made you feel. You could eat surprisingly little, yet still feel satisfied. And we felt fantastic after eating. Here in the states, usually I feel like crap, even halfway through a meal. Not sure if it's eating too quickly or too much, or if it is eating stuff that is chock full of preservatives, but I almost always feel heavy and bloated after eating out, even in the nicer non-chain type places. In Paris, you are not hustled out the door to increase table turnover. Lingering over coffee is expected and encouraged. It isn't as easy to find food "to go" as it is here. And the portions are much more reasonable. And things are not dripping in oil and butter. The food just tastes....clean. Even the desserts don't push you over the edge. It's like you eat, and you are done, none of those thoughts of "I shouldn't have had that".
We went back to Amsterdam to spend the last night there and leave from the Schiphol Airport. We got in kind of late and nothing much was open. We decided on sandwiches and donuts. BIG mistake. The sandwiches tasted like they may have been sitting there for a day or two, and the donuts tasted so bad we spit them out. We have a feeling that the places that were open at the time were catering to the coffeehouse crowd and their munchies.
I had such a good time, and having that child-free time to reconnect with my husband was worth it. It's so easy to let our day-to-day shit get in the way of communication, or our itinerary to replace it, and being able to sit in a cafe with cups of coffee and just talk for hours uninterrupted was a gift we needed to give ourselves. I really think this trip may have changed us for the better. Not only did it improve our relationship, but it showed us what eating good food and sharing ourselves can do for us.
I still need to download and edit photos, but they will be coming shortly.
amy · 02:23 PM ·
take your meds ·
March 22, 2006
So here I find myself on the last evening of our vacation at Disney World. The weather has been awesome (today was a high of 77, low of 63, and sunny), the house we are renting is so comfortable and wonderful that we are entirely spoiled now. I think we will be renting a house on every vacation.
Tonight, Steve and I went on a real date with no children (at least not ours). We went to Kobe Steakhouse and dined on sushi, filet, lobster, and shrimp. Just after being seated next to a lovely couple who were on their first childless date in three years, my eyes bugged out in horror at a patron being seated at a nearby grill. This man was probably in his 50's or 60's, weighed probably around 300 lbs. or so and had his shirt totally unbuttoned, exposing the entire restaurant to his fairly prominant man-boobs (moobs). I said a quick thank-you to whatever deity was responsible for not seating him with our group. Unfortunately he was in my line of sight so whenever I looked up from my delicious meal, I was assaulted with the sight of his sunburned belly and moobs. Thankfully, he buttoned up later, because I'm not sure I could peel my eyes away. It's like gawking at a car accident, as much as you want to turn away, you just can't, that morbid curiosity gets the best of you.
The kids have thoroughly enjoyed the Disney experience and they now have memories that will last them a lifetime.
I enjoyed myself despite my wonky internal plumbing. Remember last week when I mentioned that I wasn't feeling all that great? Well, yeah, that didn't really get any better. I mean, I'm not suffering from stomach cramps or anything (except for one night here when I though I was going to hurl - but thankfully that didn't happen), but, uh, how do I put this delicately. I, um, my intestines seem to be in a rush to evacuate the building. This has been going on for a week and a half people! Immodium didn't touch it yesterday, and keep your fingers crossed, I think it finally worked today. I have barely been eating while out here (tonight was the first night that I had an appetite for dinner), so on the plus side, I think I've lost a few pounds. However, the method of weight loss leaves a bit to be desired. Like hydration and balanced electrolytes. I'm hoping it corrects itself by the time I'm home a few days, because I really, REALLY, don't want to have to see the doctor about it. Needless to say, I've been off my meds all week, because they actually make the problem worse, but it's impossible to be unhappy in Disney, even when I'm getting very well acquainted with their restrooms (note to whomever: the restroom near Morocco in Epcot seems to be striving for realism. The state of affairs in there were a bit less than ideal).
All in all, it's been great. I read a few books, enjoyed the hot tub, slept in late (every day!), and got to visit the Happiest Place On Earth!
I'll be back late tomorrow (Thursday), and then I'll be spending the weekend catching up on everyone else's blogs. See you soon!
Tonight, Steve and I went on a real date with no children (at least not ours). We went to Kobe Steakhouse and dined on sushi, filet, lobster, and shrimp. Just after being seated next to a lovely couple who were on their first childless date in three years, my eyes bugged out in horror at a patron being seated at a nearby grill. This man was probably in his 50's or 60's, weighed probably around 300 lbs. or so and had his shirt totally unbuttoned, exposing the entire restaurant to his fairly prominant man-boobs (moobs). I said a quick thank-you to whatever deity was responsible for not seating him with our group. Unfortunately he was in my line of sight so whenever I looked up from my delicious meal, I was assaulted with the sight of his sunburned belly and moobs. Thankfully, he buttoned up later, because I'm not sure I could peel my eyes away. It's like gawking at a car accident, as much as you want to turn away, you just can't, that morbid curiosity gets the best of you.
The kids have thoroughly enjoyed the Disney experience and they now have memories that will last them a lifetime.
I enjoyed myself despite my wonky internal plumbing. Remember last week when I mentioned that I wasn't feeling all that great? Well, yeah, that didn't really get any better. I mean, I'm not suffering from stomach cramps or anything (except for one night here when I though I was going to hurl - but thankfully that didn't happen), but, uh, how do I put this delicately. I, um, my intestines seem to be in a rush to evacuate the building. This has been going on for a week and a half people! Immodium didn't touch it yesterday, and keep your fingers crossed, I think it finally worked today. I have barely been eating while out here (tonight was the first night that I had an appetite for dinner), so on the plus side, I think I've lost a few pounds. However, the method of weight loss leaves a bit to be desired. Like hydration and balanced electrolytes. I'm hoping it corrects itself by the time I'm home a few days, because I really, REALLY, don't want to have to see the doctor about it. Needless to say, I've been off my meds all week, because they actually make the problem worse, but it's impossible to be unhappy in Disney, even when I'm getting very well acquainted with their restrooms (note to whomever: the restroom near Morocco in Epcot seems to be striving for realism. The state of affairs in there were a bit less than ideal).
All in all, it's been great. I read a few books, enjoyed the hot tub, slept in late (every day!), and got to visit the Happiest Place On Earth!
I'll be back late tomorrow (Thursday), and then I'll be spending the weekend catching up on everyone else's blogs. See you soon!
March 16, 2006
This post will be using small words, as my ability to think clearly has left me.
Steve has been gone since Tuesday. In Amsterdam. At least over the weekend he got me chocolate in Belgium. He didn't say where he was, but wouldn't it be nice if he went to Antwerp to get something for me to replace my wedding ring with? (Oy, the bad grammar in that sentence, sorry).
So, I've been missing him desperately, and keeping this house spotless since it's on the market. Not an easy task with two kids, let me tell you. I spent the weekend with my parents, dealt with Emily getting the stomach flu....on the way home from my parent's house. She was feeling a little icky before we left, so we grabbed a wastebasket for the car. Good move on our part, however, we weren't even halfway home when her stomach finally betrayed her. Driving for 45 minutes with the smell of vomit hanging in the car is not exactly pleasant. Now, I've been feeling a little off the past few days which is causing me to panic because.....
Tomorrow we leave for Orlando and Disney World! I need this vacation SO bad. And my in-laws are going too, so we have built in babysitters. However, preparations need to be made today, and Steve doesn't get in until 6:30 or so. I need to finish laundry, take a break so someone can view the house, take the bird to the vet for boarding, clean his cage, print out boarding information (Southwest Airlines), pack - while trying to put outfits together for the girls, they don't have much in the way of warm weather clothes, try not to freak out every time my stomach grumbles, get the kids to and from school and I'm certain there are about 20 other things I'm currently forgetting.
I will be away from here for the next week, so it will look a lot like this past week has. Little to no posts. When I come back, I'll post pics of Mickey and also some of the new house, since the foyer has been opened up and a balcony has been roughed out.
Brain fog coming back....yawning....tired.....so tired.
Steve has been gone since Tuesday. In Amsterdam. At least over the weekend he got me chocolate in Belgium. He didn't say where he was, but wouldn't it be nice if he went to Antwerp to get something for me to replace my wedding ring with? (Oy, the bad grammar in that sentence, sorry).
So, I've been missing him desperately, and keeping this house spotless since it's on the market. Not an easy task with two kids, let me tell you. I spent the weekend with my parents, dealt with Emily getting the stomach flu....on the way home from my parent's house. She was feeling a little icky before we left, so we grabbed a wastebasket for the car. Good move on our part, however, we weren't even halfway home when her stomach finally betrayed her. Driving for 45 minutes with the smell of vomit hanging in the car is not exactly pleasant. Now, I've been feeling a little off the past few days which is causing me to panic because.....
Tomorrow we leave for Orlando and Disney World! I need this vacation SO bad. And my in-laws are going too, so we have built in babysitters. However, preparations need to be made today, and Steve doesn't get in until 6:30 or so. I need to finish laundry, take a break so someone can view the house, take the bird to the vet for boarding, clean his cage, print out boarding information (Southwest Airlines), pack - while trying to put outfits together for the girls, they don't have much in the way of warm weather clothes, try not to freak out every time my stomach grumbles, get the kids to and from school and I'm certain there are about 20 other things I'm currently forgetting.
I will be away from here for the next week, so it will look a lot like this past week has. Little to no posts. When I come back, I'll post pics of Mickey and also some of the new house, since the foyer has been opened up and a balcony has been roughed out.
Brain fog coming back....yawning....tired.....so tired.
September 22, 2004
September 16, 2004
Hey all you West Coast people out there! I am leaving tomorrow afternoon with my honey (that would be my husband - Hi Steve!), to visit San Francisco for the weekend. I have never been there, so I am all excited.
Any suggestions as to what to do, where to go, what to see?
We're going to try to go to Ghirardelli (of course, especially since it's that TOM). Golden Gate bridge, Fisherman's Wharf. The whole tourist thing.
We have Friday evening, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning (don't expect to be able to do a lot that day).
I'm bringing comfortable shoes, because I expect we'll be walking a lot. Also, I will NOT forget the digital camera. Any other suggestions (practical or not)?