We had an amazing lightning show tonight right before a hail storm:
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
California Dreaming
The travels of Sara and Anthony continue...
After our trip to Europe we had one weekend of downtime (which we enjoyed doing very little) and then the travels started back up:
- We made a quick weekend trip to Davenport, IA, for a bridal shower (for Sara's cousin's fiancee) and an Engelmann family picnic-brunch...where the food was amazing and seconds or thirds are encouraged.
- We then flew out to San Diego Monday night where Sara attended a work conference and I worked from the hotel room (I worked really remotely last week). We then stayed through the weekend for a little extra vacation time.
- In July we are headed to Michigan to spend some time with my side of the family (Doudts, Brooks, and Zollars). Later in the month we've got several friends visiting Chicago
- In August we are headed to Boston with the Engelmann's for an Oktoberfest party (this will be our second time attending the great Jim and Julie Oktoberfest extravaganza!). From Boston, Sara and I then fly to Iceland for a week. But, we're getting ahead of ourselves...
Southern California - The first thing that stands out to me about San Diego (other than the great food) was the amazing weather. 70 and sunny with no humidity. It's warm in the sunshine and breezy and comfortable in the shade. The other odd weather bit was that every morning started cloudy, by noon or 1pm the skies cleared to a bright sunny day, and then the clouds rolled back in by 6pm. This meant beautiful days but no great sunsets. We were there for 6 days and the weather was the same every day.
Tuesday through Thursday was filled with typical work days for me (although since I was working on Eastern time I was up way too early), while Sara was very busy with the conference and all the prep, setup, managing, and tear-down that comes with it. Sara was thiiiiiis close to meeting Arianna Huffington (of Huffington Post fame) and getting a book signed, but Arianna had to leave for a flight (Sara should be getting a signed book in the mail though). We also had the fortunate coincidence of being in San Diego at the same time as Gina Behrman who was in town for a different conference. So after staying with Gina in Paris a couple weeks back we got to see and hang out with her again in San Diego...crazy!
On Friday we mostly just relaxed by the pool and took naps. A much needed day of nothingness. In the evening, we headed to the Hotel Del Coronado for a walk on the beach and a fantastic dinner at the Sheerwater restaurant - we had great food all week long (seafood, steaks, sushi, and Ghirardelli!).
Saturday we rented a car and drove up the coast to La Jolla (pronounced HOY-ya, although I kept jokingly saying La Holla and ended up confusing myself) and spent some time on the beach. After walking around some of the La Jolla cliffs we drove down to the Mission Bay area to check out some of its beaches. Finally, as the sun (and now clouds) was beginning to set we headed to Sunset Cliffs, CA, for some beautiful views of the Pacific.
* Special thanks to Allie Hartnett for all the San Diego/Southern California trip ideas.
More photos at my Flickr account.
After our trip to Europe we had one weekend of downtime (which we enjoyed doing very little) and then the travels started back up:
- We made a quick weekend trip to Davenport, IA, for a bridal shower (for Sara's cousin's fiancee) and an Engelmann family picnic-brunch...where the food was amazing and seconds or thirds are encouraged.
- We then flew out to San Diego Monday night where Sara attended a work conference and I worked from the hotel room (I worked really remotely last week). We then stayed through the weekend for a little extra vacation time.
- In July we are headed to Michigan to spend some time with my side of the family (Doudts, Brooks, and Zollars). Later in the month we've got several friends visiting Chicago
- In August we are headed to Boston with the Engelmann's for an Oktoberfest party (this will be our second time attending the great Jim and Julie Oktoberfest extravaganza!). From Boston, Sara and I then fly to Iceland for a week. But, we're getting ahead of ourselves...
Southern California - The first thing that stands out to me about San Diego (other than the great food) was the amazing weather. 70 and sunny with no humidity. It's warm in the sunshine and breezy and comfortable in the shade. The other odd weather bit was that every morning started cloudy, by noon or 1pm the skies cleared to a bright sunny day, and then the clouds rolled back in by 6pm. This meant beautiful days but no great sunsets. We were there for 6 days and the weather was the same every day.
Tuesday through Thursday was filled with typical work days for me (although since I was working on Eastern time I was up way too early), while Sara was very busy with the conference and all the prep, setup, managing, and tear-down that comes with it. Sara was thiiiiiis close to meeting Arianna Huffington (of Huffington Post fame) and getting a book signed, but Arianna had to leave for a flight (Sara should be getting a signed book in the mail though). We also had the fortunate coincidence of being in San Diego at the same time as Gina Behrman who was in town for a different conference. So after staying with Gina in Paris a couple weeks back we got to see and hang out with her again in San Diego...crazy!
On Friday we mostly just relaxed by the pool and took naps. A much needed day of nothingness. In the evening, we headed to the Hotel Del Coronado for a walk on the beach and a fantastic dinner at the Sheerwater restaurant - we had great food all week long (seafood, steaks, sushi, and Ghirardelli!).
Saturday we rented a car and drove up the coast to La Jolla (pronounced HOY-ya, although I kept jokingly saying La Holla and ended up confusing myself) and spent some time on the beach. After walking around some of the La Jolla cliffs we drove down to the Mission Bay area to check out some of its beaches. Finally, as the sun (and now clouds) was beginning to set we headed to Sunset Cliffs, CA, for some beautiful views of the Pacific.
* Special thanks to Allie Hartnett for all the San Diego/Southern California trip ideas.
More photos at my Flickr account.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Oh-Duh-Lay-He-Whooooooo
Switzerland - The land of chocolate, cheese, cows (and cowbells), the Alps, rules, and precision timing.
I had been to Zurich several years ago when I visited my friends Alan and Rhonda when they briefly lived there for a summer, and it was as beautiful and busy as I remembered. We walked the shopping district a bit and then went up to the top of the Grossmunster (large church). The views were amazing and since it was a clear day you could actually see the Alps way off in the distance (I'm not sure if you can quite make them out in the pictures). We then enjoyed quite the mixture of food within a couple hours - ice cream, parmesan cheese pretzel, sushi, and Mexican. We call that a "Lindsay Koriath" because one day last summer when hanging out with Lindsay we ate all sorts of food within a couple hours time...we food hopped from place to place eating a little something at each stop. It is outstanding! Once we were fully stuffed we got on a train back to Basel and made it to bed by midnight.
The final day of Switzerland and our vacation: We woke up bright and early and caught a 6:40am train to the Zurich airport. We were sad to leave but the trip was tiring and once we were home it was a nice feeling of comfort to be back in the great city of Chicago, and in our own bed. We slept well that night.
Day 1, Basel: We arrived in Basel at around 6pm and our friend, Martin Telko, was there to meet us at the train station. We drop off our bags at his apartment and take a walk through the town to the tallest building in the city. It has 32 floors. That doesn't sound too impressive until you realize none of the other buildings in Basel go beyond 4 or 5 floors, so in comparison this building seems huge. We headed to Bar Rouge on the top floor for a quick drink and a great view of Basel, France, and Germany (we were also treated to a beautiful rainbow welcoming us). The city is located in the corner of Switzerland where all three countries meet.
As a side note, Basel is near the Alsace Lorraine territory that has changed hands many times over the years (from France to Germany and back again several times) and is also where the Doudt ancestors are from.
After a wonderful dinner prepared by Martin of fresh bread, cheese, pickles, asparagus, lychee (a Chinese tropical fruit that was really good), tomatoes, and black forest ham we met up with his friend, Marcus, and headed out for a night on the town. We met up with several others and it turned into a version of the UN...two people were from Poland, one from Germany, one from Belgium, two Americans, and we were surrounded by the Swiss. We bar hopped getting a feel for different places and the Basel late-night scene and then ended the night at Paddy's, an Irish dance club that felt very American. It reminded us of a college atmosphere. It was a great night but we had to get home to get our rest as the next day we were planning to head to the middle of the country for some hiking in the Alps!
Day 2, Grindelwald (the Alps) and Bern: After a quick trip to Germany (on the other side of the Rhine river) for a car wash, Martin drove us South through the beautiful countryside and under the Jura mountain range. In about an hour and a half we arrived in Grindelwald which is close to Interlaken, the two lakes Thunersee and Brienzersee, and of course the Alps. Our great luck with the weather continued, it was a beautiful warm day with very few clouds.
From Grindelwald, with an elevation of 1050m (3444 ft), we took a ski-lift cable car to First, with an elevation of 2168m (7112 ft). The air was much cooler at this elevation. We then set out on an hour hike to Bachalpsee where there is a beautiful little lake. The hike was only moderately steep; however, Sara and I were not used to the elevation and our breathing quickly became labored and audible. It almost seemed like we were hyperventilating. We had to stop a couple times to catch our breath but then we passed a grandma coming down the mountain and thought if she can do it we certainly can. We hope. We then passed a couple going up the mountain with the woman wearing heels. Crazy! By this time our bodies had adjusted somewhat to the elevation and we were making better progress. We then arrived at Bachalpsee, with an elevation of 2265m (7431 ft). The view was spectacular. The pictures simply do not do it justice. The lake reflecting the blue sky and snow capped Schreckhorn mountain was amazing. It was breathtaking (or was that due to the elevation?).
We took many pictures, ate a snack of Gummy Bears (so good) and chocolate (also good), and then decided to head down the mountain on a different path. Martin had not taken this path before but it did point the way to Bort which is where we needed to be so we gave it try. A few minutes into the hike we become a little concerned for two reasons:
- We weren't sure how long the hike would take and we needed to get to Bort before the cable cars stopped running or we would have to hike down all the way to Grindelwald (that would be a long hike).
- We weren't sure what kind of trail this was and if we would be encountering large streams, mud, or difficult rocky terrain (we were all wearing tennis shoes and not hiking boots).
Since it was on the way back to Basel, we decided to stop off for a brief tour of Bern. What a charming and beautiful little city (or as Marcus and Martin put it, "Bern is just so, awww cute."). They even have their own family of bears as city mascots. They live along the river's edge and seem quite content. Walking around the old city was a great way to keep the legs moving after the hike and learn more about Switzerland - Martin is an amazing tour guide, he's like a walking Wikipedia page. We only stayed in Bern for a couple hours but it was well worth it.
Day 3, Basel: First on the agenda was a long walking tour of the city. Again Martin played a wonderful guide full of knowledge. After a great lunch at a Turkish restaurant we then enjoyed a traditional warm Sunday Basel afternoon by hanging out on the banks of the Rhine and floating down the river to cool off. The Basel-ites will bring a specific bag where they will place all of their belongings, wrap it up, and then use the bag as a floatation device as they use the current to drift down the river. We didn't have those bags, so Sara and I walked up stream a ways, slowly made our way into the refreshing (read: Cold) waters and then drifted down the Rhine to where Martin had saved our spot. It was a lot of fun and felt nice after laying in the hot sun. It was a much needed relaxing afternoon and we felt like true Basel-ites!
Day 4, Luzern (Lucerne) and Zurich: Martin dropped us off at the train station in the morning to catch the 9:02 train to Luzern. And when the schedule says 9:02, that is precisely when the doors close and the train heads out, even if there is a family standing just beyond the doors and about to step on. The train waits for nobody.
Luzern is a beautiful old city situated on Lake Luzern near Mount Pilatus. Again we had a beautiful sunny day - we had such great luck with weather the entire trip. We walked around the city for several hours and enjoyed a nice lunch near the lakeside. We then hopped on a short boat tour around the lake. At one stop on the boat tour about 25 seven-year-olds piled onto the boat which made for an interesting rest of the trip. Once the boat docked, Sara and I headed for the train station and as luck would have it a train was leaving for Zurich in 3 minutes. We hustled to the correct track and got on just in time.
I had been to Zurich several years ago when I visited my friends Alan and Rhonda when they briefly lived there for a summer, and it was as beautiful and busy as I remembered. We walked the shopping district a bit and then went up to the top of the Grossmunster (large church). The views were amazing and since it was a clear day you could actually see the Alps way off in the distance (I'm not sure if you can quite make them out in the pictures). We then enjoyed quite the mixture of food within a couple hours - ice cream, parmesan cheese pretzel, sushi, and Mexican. We call that a "Lindsay Koriath" because one day last summer when hanging out with Lindsay we ate all sorts of food within a couple hours time...we food hopped from place to place eating a little something at each stop. It is outstanding! Once we were fully stuffed we got on a train back to Basel and made it to bed by midnight.
The final day of Switzerland and our vacation: We woke up bright and early and caught a 6:40am train to the Zurich airport. We were sad to leave but the trip was tiring and once we were home it was a nice feeling of comfort to be back in the great city of Chicago, and in our own bed. We slept well that night.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Flickr Photos
I've added some more photos from London and Paris to my Flickr account if you are interested.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Paris - Ooh La La!
For some reason, taking the Chunnel from London to Paris has been something that I have really looked forward to. Taking a fast train from one foreign land to another and under a huge body of water with my husband. I thought this trek would be exciting and a little bit romantic. As we stepped on the train and sat down into our seats to relax, about 2 dozen 14 year-olds followed us into our car. Anthony and I both looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Instead of a relaxing train ride through the French countryside, both Anthony and I couldn’t help but be annoyed by the screaming and throwing of trash around the car. It was utterly annoying...I guess we're getting old.
We were both relieved to get off the train and meet up with Neil and his two adorable children, Isabelle and Charlie, at the train station. Neil and the kids led us through the mass of rushing people from train to train, finally arriving at Chatou/Croissy – their stop. Their home was just a block or so away and was spectacular - modern and with enough space for Anthony and I to have our own room upstairs in the “tree house.”
That night, after Gina made it home from work, Anthony and I decided to venture out into the city to try and get some good nighttime shots and enjoy our first Parisian dinner. Before we could get out of the subway station we had to swipe our metro tickets but Sara's wasn't working for some reason. A woman tried to hold the turn-style but a kid said, "In Paris we jump!" So, Sara jumped over the turn-style to the applause of the people around us. She was a true Parisian! As we walked up the stairs from the subway and got our first glimpse of Paris near the Arch de Triomphe - I don’t know how else to describe it - but I was taken aback by its bustle and charm. From all the movies you see growing up, it is everything stereotypical French: gorgeous detailed homes, tree-lined streets with cafes, men in suits buzzing by on vespas, and gorgeous women walking in killer heels. We were in PARIS!!
Since it was 9pm (the sun doesn’t set until 10pm) we decided to grab dinner at a restaurant with a direct view of the Arch de Triomphe. Our dinner was delicious (Anthony had lasagna and I had the salmon) and so was the bottle of wine. Funny story: they set my side of the table with what I thought was a butter knife. I thought “oh, he didn’t realize he gave me a butter knife instead of a real one.” I ask our waiter for something other than a butter knife, and he tells me that is a fish knife for my salmon. Woops – yes, I am not that cultured.
After dinner we decided to go up in the Arch de Triomphe - climbing the 150 or so stairs to the top - and it was so worth it. The view from the top shows you Paris in every direction. There are 12 avenues that jut out from the Arch’s circle, one being the Champs-Elysees. The sky was turning dark and was perfect for pictures. The Eiffel Tower was lit up and had the rotating spotlight that made for some really cool shots. Romance was in the air as you can tell from all of our pictures of us making out. We cap off the night by grabbing dessert at a café along the Champs-Elysees.
The next morning we woke up around 8am, grabbed some coffee and chocolate croissants with Neil and hopped on the train to check out some sites before the French Open. First stop: Tower de Eiffel. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Eiffel Tower, but for some reason, I didn’t expect to be awed by it. We live in Chicago. We see big buildings every day. What does this stack of metal have on the Willis Tower or Hancock Building? But as we came around the bend and crossed the Seine River, there it was in all of its glory. Gorgeous. Impressive. We walked around the Champ de Mars and made our way over to Les Invalides, Napoleon’s burial site and now the home of the French military museum.
Next stop: Roland Garros, the park of the French Open. It was a very busy park – lots of people wearing La Coste cable knit sweaters and white pants. Very preppy – what else would I expect? We grabbed a quick lunch and then headed into the main court to check out the action. We first saw the women play – Sherapova vs. Lucic – with Sherapova winning. Then came the match between Nadal and Isner (an American). For me, I knew who both were, but of course not nearly as much as Neil or Anthony. It was really interesting to see something that you see on TV all the time in person. It IS as quiet as it is on TV, but the stadium is much smaller than it seems on TV. We all had fun watching the ball boys pass the balls around the court by running until they are about 4 feet apart, and then whipping the balls as hard as they can to the next person. It was pretty entertaining. Isner lost the first set, then won the next two sets, before Nadal won the final two sets and the match. It would be the only time in the 2011 French Open that Nadal, who would go on to win the tournament, was taken to five sets.
After the French Open, Anthony and I decided to head to Montmartre, which is a hill on the north side of Paris with a beautiful white basilica on top called Sacré Cœur. It had amazing views of the city and of course the Basilica was nothing to sneeze at. We shared a baguette (butter, cheese, and prosciutto - one of our favorites) on the hill and just watched the city as the sun went down. Later on, we decided to head to the artist district on the hill and get a nutella crepe and a few beers. However, since we wanted to get some night shots of the Basilica and forgot the sun didn’t go down for another few hours we decided to get some more food (why not?) and grabbed some cheese, bread and wine and then some more wine to kill some time. After getting a little toasty, we ended up getting some great shots of it at night.
We weren’t as tired as we thought we would be, so we decided to hit up the Louvre that night. Of course, after a bottle of wine, I realize a little too late that I have to use the restroom. Right as we got to the Louvre, I shot to the nearest restaurant to try and find a bathroom as Anthony headed to the plaza to get some shots of the glass pyramids. After three restaurants I finally found one that would allow me to use the restroom. I met back up with Anthony near the pyramids and we just relaxed by the fountains and snuggled.
The next morning we got up around 10am and headed to Notre Dame which is situated in the center of Paris right along the Seine. When we first got to the front entrance, we weren’t that impressed. But as you got closer, you found the beauty in the details. Everything had intricate cuts and multiple materials on each surface. Walking around inside, seeing the height of the columns, the stained glass and so many elaborate details you become more and more impressed. Really amazing architecture. We then went across the river and relaxed along the Seine for a while.
We decided to head back to Neil and Gina’s for a quick nap and then headed back to the Eiffel Tower area to share a romantic dinner just a few blocks away with a view of the tower from our seats. After a delicious dinner of duck, lamb, wine, and of course, french onion soup, we went to see the Eiffel Tower in all of its glory. But this time it was all lit up and looked even better than our first time. We took the tram/elevator to the top of the tower and looked out all around the city in amazement. It really was a stunning view from every point.
We were at the top for quite a while and weren’t watching the time. The last train back to Neil and Gina’s ended around 12:15am and we had about 20 minutes to get there. No problem, except everyone else was leaving at the same time. We had to wait in line for what seemed like forever, finally got on the tram down, raced to the train station, up, down, up, down stairs (with me taking a wrong turn down an escalator and having to run back up it – not easy) and we finally made it to the train on time….however, the train wasn’t going all the way to our stop - one stop short of where we needed to go. UGH!
So we decided to take the train as far as we could and have Neil pick us up –THANKS SOOO MUCH NEIL!!
The next morning, we were a little slow getting up, but luckily Neil offered to drive us to Versailles – much easier and faster than taking the train. Again, THANKS NEIL! From what we have heard from others, Versailles was a must see and we would be amazed by its massive beauty. As we stood in front of the palace (I hate to say this) it wasn’t all that impressive. Yes, it had the gold gates, but other than that…it is what I would expect out of a palace. We waited in line for a good 40 minutes, and as we entered the first hall of the palace… our opinions quickly changed. I don’t know how else to describe it, but pure opulence. Every surface was covered in gold or marble or some detailed tapestry. It was a little frustrating touring the interior because most of the areas were small and it seemed every tourist in the world was at Versailles that day. So we grabbed a quick lunch and decided to check out the gardens where there would be more space.
You step out into the "gardens" and it just goes on fooooreeeeeevvvvvvveeeerr. Fountains, gardens, walkways, flowers, more fountains and a lake and then more gardens… it was a sight. Everything was perfectly manicured and it was easy to imagine the royalty back in the day deciding they wanted to take a walk in their garden for the afternoon. It was easy to get lost in the gardens with the high trees and bushes and had a hard time figuring out where we were on the map.
We found our way down to Marie Antoinette’s palace (much, much smaller than the main palace, but still impressive). It seems her gardens were less manicured and more natural. We took a stroll back behind her palace and found the cutest little lagoon with just a few other people there. We sat down in the grass and it was sooo comfortable just lying in the grass that I fell asleep. It was so lovely.
Oooh, I forgot to mention the best, and most romantic part. In between our stroll through the gardens and taking a nap in the meadow, Anthony took me rowing out in the lake. This was definitely a time when I enjoyed being a woman. It was so nice getting rowed around the lake, complete with swans and ducklings.
We were pretty tired from the all-day tour at Versailles, but we kept pushing. We quickly ran back to Neil and Gina’s to get a few items and do our initial packing (we were leaving for Switzerland the next day) and then again, took the train down to the Eiffel Tower to take a night time cruise along the Seine. Again, what a romantic night.
Thanks again Neil, Gina, Charlie and Isabelle for being such wonderful hosts!
Next stop… Switzerland!
We were both relieved to get off the train and meet up with Neil and his two adorable children, Isabelle and Charlie, at the train station. Neil and the kids led us through the mass of rushing people from train to train, finally arriving at Chatou/Croissy – their stop. Their home was just a block or so away and was spectacular - modern and with enough space for Anthony and I to have our own room upstairs in the “tree house.”
That night, after Gina made it home from work, Anthony and I decided to venture out into the city to try and get some good nighttime shots and enjoy our first Parisian dinner. Before we could get out of the subway station we had to swipe our metro tickets but Sara's wasn't working for some reason. A woman tried to hold the turn-style but a kid said, "In Paris we jump!" So, Sara jumped over the turn-style to the applause of the people around us. She was a true Parisian! As we walked up the stairs from the subway and got our first glimpse of Paris near the Arch de Triomphe - I don’t know how else to describe it - but I was taken aback by its bustle and charm. From all the movies you see growing up, it is everything stereotypical French: gorgeous detailed homes, tree-lined streets with cafes, men in suits buzzing by on vespas, and gorgeous women walking in killer heels. We were in PARIS!!
Since it was 9pm (the sun doesn’t set until 10pm) we decided to grab dinner at a restaurant with a direct view of the Arch de Triomphe. Our dinner was delicious (Anthony had lasagna and I had the salmon) and so was the bottle of wine. Funny story: they set my side of the table with what I thought was a butter knife. I thought “oh, he didn’t realize he gave me a butter knife instead of a real one.” I ask our waiter for something other than a butter knife, and he tells me that is a fish knife for my salmon. Woops – yes, I am not that cultured.
After dinner we decided to go up in the Arch de Triomphe - climbing the 150 or so stairs to the top - and it was so worth it. The view from the top shows you Paris in every direction. There are 12 avenues that jut out from the Arch’s circle, one being the Champs-Elysees. The sky was turning dark and was perfect for pictures. The Eiffel Tower was lit up and had the rotating spotlight that made for some really cool shots. Romance was in the air as you can tell from all of our pictures of us making out. We cap off the night by grabbing dessert at a café along the Champs-Elysees.
The next morning we woke up around 8am, grabbed some coffee and chocolate croissants with Neil and hopped on the train to check out some sites before the French Open. First stop: Tower de Eiffel. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Eiffel Tower, but for some reason, I didn’t expect to be awed by it. We live in Chicago. We see big buildings every day. What does this stack of metal have on the Willis Tower or Hancock Building? But as we came around the bend and crossed the Seine River, there it was in all of its glory. Gorgeous. Impressive. We walked around the Champ de Mars and made our way over to Les Invalides, Napoleon’s burial site and now the home of the French military museum.
Next stop: Roland Garros, the park of the French Open. It was a very busy park – lots of people wearing La Coste cable knit sweaters and white pants. Very preppy – what else would I expect? We grabbed a quick lunch and then headed into the main court to check out the action. We first saw the women play – Sherapova vs. Lucic – with Sherapova winning. Then came the match between Nadal and Isner (an American). For me, I knew who both were, but of course not nearly as much as Neil or Anthony. It was really interesting to see something that you see on TV all the time in person. It IS as quiet as it is on TV, but the stadium is much smaller than it seems on TV. We all had fun watching the ball boys pass the balls around the court by running until they are about 4 feet apart, and then whipping the balls as hard as they can to the next person. It was pretty entertaining. Isner lost the first set, then won the next two sets, before Nadal won the final two sets and the match. It would be the only time in the 2011 French Open that Nadal, who would go on to win the tournament, was taken to five sets.
After the French Open, Anthony and I decided to head to Montmartre, which is a hill on the north side of Paris with a beautiful white basilica on top called Sacré Cœur. It had amazing views of the city and of course the Basilica was nothing to sneeze at. We shared a baguette (butter, cheese, and prosciutto - one of our favorites) on the hill and just watched the city as the sun went down. Later on, we decided to head to the artist district on the hill and get a nutella crepe and a few beers. However, since we wanted to get some night shots of the Basilica and forgot the sun didn’t go down for another few hours we decided to get some more food (why not?) and grabbed some cheese, bread and wine and then some more wine to kill some time. After getting a little toasty, we ended up getting some great shots of it at night.
We weren’t as tired as we thought we would be, so we decided to hit up the Louvre that night. Of course, after a bottle of wine, I realize a little too late that I have to use the restroom. Right as we got to the Louvre, I shot to the nearest restaurant to try and find a bathroom as Anthony headed to the plaza to get some shots of the glass pyramids. After three restaurants I finally found one that would allow me to use the restroom. I met back up with Anthony near the pyramids and we just relaxed by the fountains and snuggled.
The next morning we got up around 10am and headed to Notre Dame which is situated in the center of Paris right along the Seine. When we first got to the front entrance, we weren’t that impressed. But as you got closer, you found the beauty in the details. Everything had intricate cuts and multiple materials on each surface. Walking around inside, seeing the height of the columns, the stained glass and so many elaborate details you become more and more impressed. Really amazing architecture. We then went across the river and relaxed along the Seine for a while.
We decided to head back to Neil and Gina’s for a quick nap and then headed back to the Eiffel Tower area to share a romantic dinner just a few blocks away with a view of the tower from our seats. After a delicious dinner of duck, lamb, wine, and of course, french onion soup, we went to see the Eiffel Tower in all of its glory. But this time it was all lit up and looked even better than our first time. We took the tram/elevator to the top of the tower and looked out all around the city in amazement. It really was a stunning view from every point.
We were at the top for quite a while and weren’t watching the time. The last train back to Neil and Gina’s ended around 12:15am and we had about 20 minutes to get there. No problem, except everyone else was leaving at the same time. We had to wait in line for what seemed like forever, finally got on the tram down, raced to the train station, up, down, up, down stairs (with me taking a wrong turn down an escalator and having to run back up it – not easy) and we finally made it to the train on time….however, the train wasn’t going all the way to our stop - one stop short of where we needed to go. UGH!
So we decided to take the train as far as we could and have Neil pick us up –THANKS SOOO MUCH NEIL!!
The next morning, we were a little slow getting up, but luckily Neil offered to drive us to Versailles – much easier and faster than taking the train. Again, THANKS NEIL! From what we have heard from others, Versailles was a must see and we would be amazed by its massive beauty. As we stood in front of the palace (I hate to say this) it wasn’t all that impressive. Yes, it had the gold gates, but other than that…it is what I would expect out of a palace. We waited in line for a good 40 minutes, and as we entered the first hall of the palace… our opinions quickly changed. I don’t know how else to describe it, but pure opulence. Every surface was covered in gold or marble or some detailed tapestry. It was a little frustrating touring the interior because most of the areas were small and it seemed every tourist in the world was at Versailles that day. So we grabbed a quick lunch and decided to check out the gardens where there would be more space.
You step out into the "gardens" and it just goes on fooooreeeeeevvvvvvveeeerr. Fountains, gardens, walkways, flowers, more fountains and a lake and then more gardens… it was a sight. Everything was perfectly manicured and it was easy to imagine the royalty back in the day deciding they wanted to take a walk in their garden for the afternoon. It was easy to get lost in the gardens with the high trees and bushes and had a hard time figuring out where we were on the map.
We found our way down to Marie Antoinette’s palace (much, much smaller than the main palace, but still impressive). It seems her gardens were less manicured and more natural. We took a stroll back behind her palace and found the cutest little lagoon with just a few other people there. We sat down in the grass and it was sooo comfortable just lying in the grass that I fell asleep. It was so lovely.
Oooh, I forgot to mention the best, and most romantic part. In between our stroll through the gardens and taking a nap in the meadow, Anthony took me rowing out in the lake. This was definitely a time when I enjoyed being a woman. It was so nice getting rowed around the lake, complete with swans and ducklings.
We were pretty tired from the all-day tour at Versailles, but we kept pushing. We quickly ran back to Neil and Gina’s to get a few items and do our initial packing (we were leaving for Switzerland the next day) and then again, took the train down to the Eiffel Tower to take a night time cruise along the Seine. Again, what a romantic night.
Thanks again Neil, Gina, Charlie and Isabelle for being such wonderful hosts!
Next stop… Switzerland!
Friday, June 3, 2011
London Calling
There are few things better than a non-stop direct flight especially when traveling overseas. So even though we were sitting in cramped economy seats for 7 hours the red-eye flight from Chicago to London seemed to go pretty quickly. And when we arrived we were blessed with something that just doesn't happen in England...good weather. And not just one day but all three days in London were beautiful and sunny. Amazing. Even though we were very tired from not sleeping much on the flight we tried to stay up and active to get on London time. So we walked around the Palace, Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye (a huge Ferris wheel) and along the Thames enjoying all the street performers and people watching. We then enjoyed a nice dinner (Sara had salmon while I enjoyed the traditional fish n' chips) and a pint of ale in a quintessential London pub, complete with cracked walls and ceiling and very little seating. It was perfect.
When we walked around London (and Paris and Switzerland for that matter) we liked to play the "Tourist or Native" game where just by looking at what the person is wearing we try and figure out where they're from. Americans are easy to spot (including me with my white sneakers). Sara found it amazing how many women wear high heels, especially on the cobblestone walkways and streets. High heels were also on display late one night when we shared a subway car with what appeared to be four prostitutes - we weren't sure but you know what they say, if it dresses like a duck and quacks like a duck it's probably a prostitute.
On Sunday the 22nd, my birthday, we started the day with a fantastic hearty traditional English breakfast - grilled tomato, beans, bangers (sausage), eggs, toast, and coffee. We then headed over to Hyde Park near the Palace and ran right into a massive crowd. We had no idea what was going on and Sara's first thought was, "Are William and Kate returning from their honeymoon?" It turns out it was just the changing of the guard...we had no idea it was such a spectacle. After a nice picnic in the park we made our way to a Tube station (the nickname for London's subway system) and headed to Tottenham, a northern borough of London, for my birthday present - attending an English Premiere League (EPL) Football match! Tottennham vs. Birmingham. The tickets were very difficult to get, but thanks to our friend Francis, and his friend Ogango in London, we scored amazing seats - 3rd row right behind one of the goals! These are season ticket holder seats (we were given credit card-like passes) which allowed us to get into a private pub near the stadium before the match. The door man asked for ID but he didn't care about our age, he was just asking to see our season ticket passes.
When we walked around London (and Paris and Switzerland for that matter) we liked to play the "Tourist or Native" game where just by looking at what the person is wearing we try and figure out where they're from. Americans are easy to spot (including me with my white sneakers). Sara found it amazing how many women wear high heels, especially on the cobblestone walkways and streets. High heels were also on display late one night when we shared a subway car with what appeared to be four prostitutes - we weren't sure but you know what they say, if it dresses like a duck and quacks like a duck it's probably a prostitute.
On Sunday the 22nd, my birthday, we started the day with a fantastic hearty traditional English breakfast - grilled tomato, beans, bangers (sausage), eggs, toast, and coffee. We then headed over to Hyde Park near the Palace and ran right into a massive crowd. We had no idea what was going on and Sara's first thought was, "Are William and Kate returning from their honeymoon?" It turns out it was just the changing of the guard...we had no idea it was such a spectacle. After a nice picnic in the park we made our way to a Tube station (the nickname for London's subway system) and headed to Tottenham, a northern borough of London, for my birthday present - attending an English Premiere League (EPL) Football match! Tottennham vs. Birmingham. The tickets were very difficult to get, but thanks to our friend Francis, and his friend Ogango in London, we scored amazing seats - 3rd row right behind one of the goals! These are season ticket holder seats (we were given credit card-like passes) which allowed us to get into a private pub near the stadium before the match. The door man asked for ID but he didn't care about our age, he was just asking to see our season ticket passes.
Here are some important things to know about attending an EPL match:
- The stadium does not serve any food or drinks. And nobody leaves their seats until halftime.
- The stadium does not play music or manufacture any noise. The only noise is fan created and organized.
- There is only a small "away" section in the stadium...if you're sitting anywhere else you need to root for the home team.
- Not all the cheers have anything to do with the game. Some of the cheering is for other hated teams in the league losing in their game (when the other game scores are shown on the scoreboard). There was one bloke who even brought his old-timey transistor radio with him to listen to the other matches (I think we have a picture of it).
- Know your team songs and chants:
- "When the Spurs Go Marching in" (you start the song very slowly and then speed up as you go)
- "Come on you Spurs" (to the tune of Goonies' "Heeeey yoouuu guuuuuyssss")
- "We are Tottenham"
- And another song that ends with something about a Camel's behind.
- You can listen to these Tottenham songs (and others) here.
Tottenham pulled out a 2-1 win with a very late goal (the game ended pretty much right after the goal). Due to this loss (and how other matches ended) Birmingham got "relegated" which means they finished in the bottom three of the league standings and are no longer in the EPL. You could tell the Birmingham fans and players were crushed. The Tottenham fans then thanked and applauded the Birmingham fans and I think even sang one of their team's songs to show their respect. Kind of amazing since most of the game we were worried a fight would breakout near the visitor seats (and riot police surrounded the area).
We had so much fun at the match. What a great experience. You could feel the fan intensity. I don't believe there is anything like it in American sports.
We finished up my awesome birthday by walking around the London and Tower Bridges and then ate at a spot that allowed for a great view of the Tower Bridge. Just a great day
On Monday we checked out of our hotel, hopped on the Chunnel, and headed to our next destination...Paris!
Here are just a few of the many pictures Sara and I took in London (I'll be uploading more of mine on my Flickr account soon)...
We had so much fun at the match. What a great experience. You could feel the fan intensity. I don't believe there is anything like it in American sports.
We finished up my awesome birthday by walking around the London and Tower Bridges and then ate at a spot that allowed for a great view of the Tower Bridge. Just a great day
On Monday we checked out of our hotel, hopped on the Chunnel, and headed to our next destination...Paris!
Here are just a few of the many pictures Sara and I took in London (I'll be uploading more of mine on my Flickr account soon)...
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Back in Chicago
After 10 amazing, romantic, lucky (great weather everywhere), sorta scary (hiking down a mountain in the Alps), and tiring days in Europe (London - Paris - Basel) Sara and I have returned to Chicago safe and sound. Today is our re-entry into "normal" life as we try and get back on Central time and caught up at work. We have many pictures to go through and post along with a summary of what the trip was all about. Hopefully we'll be able to post more about our trip soon...stay tuned!
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