Back to Work/Copenhagen

I started my new job last Thursday, and so far so good!  I will be teaching Year 2 (US equivalent of 1^st grade) in a brand new school.  There will only be three classes in the entire school! So very different from my last teaching position, where there were five classes in each year.  I’m happy it’s a new school, as everyone is just starting, so I don’t have to worry about being the new girl.  Everyone is incredibly friendly and helpful.  This whole week is setup and training, with the kids starting next Tuesday.  I am so excited and nervous at the same time!  It should be a very challenging year, getting to know a whole new curriculum in a new country, but I’m grateful to have the opportunity to keep doing what I love.  Now on to travels…

Copenhagen is less than a two hour flight from London.  When we arrived in the evening it was a simple train ride to the center of the city.  Our hotel was right in the center of the inner city.  It was not posh by any means as Copenhagen is a very, very expensive city!  That night we grabbed some hot dogs (a popular Danish cuisine) off a street vendor and enjoyed some Danish microbrews at a small bar (Cost = equivalent of $10 per pint!).  The next morning we walked down the Strøge, which is the largest pedestrian street in the world. Tacky souvenir shops share the space with the likes of Gucci and big chain retailers.  There are also tons of restaurants and the inevitable street performers.  It was really nice to walk around and not worry about traffic.   

Next we headed over to Christiania, which is a small separate 'free town' in the middle of Copenhagen.  Squatters originally inhabited the area, eventually turning it into a haven for anti-government supporters.  To most however, Christiania is famous for one thing: Marijuana.  Although technically still illegal, the selling and smoking of marijuana is overlooked in this part of town. The vibe is funky and relaxed, definitely a cool place to check out whether or not you’re looking for drugs!  Next we made our way to an old church where you could climb up its outside spiral tower and enjoy a view of the whole city.  There was only one staircase so it was quite slow going as we had to often wait for people heading down.  But once we made it outside, the view did not disappoint. The weather in Denmark in the middle of summer is cool and damp.  By this point it had started to rain and it was quite an experience to be over 300 feet up, rain pouring down and signs all over telling you that you were up here at your own risk!  We stayed just long enough to see the whole of Copenhagen and take a few pictures.  We then walked to Amalienborg Palace, the home of the Danish Royal Family.  The Palace consists of four identical buildings, guarded by the Royal Guards.  The amazing thing about the complex was that you could get real close to the buildings, even drive by in your car, such a difference in security than Buckingham Palace and the White House.  

That night after dinner, we decided to check out the city’s nightlife.  Copenhagen has a reputation as a lively place after dark, and again it did not disappoint.  Hundreds of young people were out and about enjoying the many bars, clubs, and live music venues.  We had a few drinks at a few different spots and called it a night.  It was quite a nice scene compared to London where most places close by midnight.  Even the many 7-11’s (where I’ve seen no place else in Europe) were open late which came in handy when we stopped at one on our way back to the hotel for a midnight snack.   The next morning we sampled some of the famous danishes and they were delicious!  We then walked over to the National Museum where we saw exhibits of the early Danes, the Vikings, followed by lunch at one of the numerous outdoor cafes.  Eating alfresco is very popular, even in the dead of winter.  Thankfully the eateries provide heat lamps and blankets!  Dan sampled another Danish dish, the smørrebrød, or open sandwich.  Consisting of bread and fish, it was right up Dan’s alley.  I had a coke.  An $8 coke.  Did I mention that Copenhagen was expensive? 

Approximately 1/3 of the residents commute by bike, so we wanted to do as the Danes do, so we tried to find some of the city’s free bikes after lunch.  But there were none to be found, so we settled for walking.   We walked to Marble Church, a church that was built to rival St. Peters Basilica.  We went to check out one of the city’s most famous attractions: The Little Mermaid.  Hans Christian Anderson was a famous Copenhagen resident so they erected a bronze statue of the sea maiden as a tribute.  The waterfront and park that contained the statue was very lovely.  I was however unimpressed with the actual statue, it was rather small and unremarkable.  We fought our way through the crowd, took a few snaps, and left.  We then headed to the King’s Garden, a lovely square in the middle of the city with beautiful gardens.  The park also holds Rosenborg Castle, a former royal residence, now a museum.  The castle, which includes a moat, is what I dreamt castles looked like as a little girl.  As the evening drew near, it was time to head home.  I had a great time in this Scandinavian city, and I definitely recommend it for younger people who like the outdoors and going out at night.

My next blog will be about Portugal, our last scheduled trip!  With school starting, it may be awhile before I have it up.  Until then, enjoy our Copenhagen pics! Denmark

London Riots/Kenya Part 2

It was very interesting being here for the riots.  It all started in Tottenham, which is a poor area of London.  There was a peaceful demonstration to protest the shooting death of a man by the police.  It then turned ugly as rioters looted stores, set fires, and threw stuff at police.  The riots lasted three nights and spread all over London and England, although predominantly in poorer areas.  I'm not sure how it was portrayed across the world, but here in the UK it was clear this was not a revolution, it was opportunistic teens out for a good time.  Phrases such as "we have no economic opportunities" got thrown around as a reason for the unrest, although I'm not sure how stealing a TV is going to help solve that problem.  The sad part is that many people lost their homes and businesses, three people were killed, and I think London lost some of its luster (not good with the Olympics coming up next year).  Thankfully my neighborhood was spared, and no one I know was affected.  I think the reason it got so out of hand is that the police just weren't prepared.  This is a country that has almost no gun violence and poverty means living in a council house and receiving benefits.  The police basically just let the rioters do what they wanted because they didn't know how to respond to such violence.  Now the big talk here is looking through thousands of hours of surveillance videos (this country has major big brother watching over) and trying to identify all the riotos to bring them to justice!  A task that even offficals admit could take years.  And for what?  Most of the offenders were under age so they basically get a slap on the wrist.  I don't have an easy solution, I just hope that the lawmakers here try to learn from the mistakes that were made and propose real changes, not just political rhetoric!

Now on to a lighter subject, Kenya!

On our way to the Maasai Mara, we made a stop to Lake Naivasha.  We took a boat ride past some cool Hippos to an island in the lake where part of Out of Africa was filmed.  Here we got to get out and walk amongst the zebra, water bucks and giraffes.  This was awesome!  But alas, still no petting opportunities (Dan says we should just save or money and stop traveling and just visit petting zoos because that's all I really want to do).  


The last 50 km into the Maasai Mara park were the worst of the whole trip.  The road was so bad that our driver had to resort to driving off the road most of the time!  We finally made it and were rewarded with our best accommodations yet: a giant 'tent' that included a huge bathroom, mini fridge, deck, and king size bed!  We went on three game drives during our stay and they were all spectacular.  Compared to the other parks,the Maasai Mara was teaming with wildlife.  It got to the point I became jaded with zebras, elephants and wildebeest because they were everywhere you looked! The main attraction of the park however is the lions and were were very fortunate to see many of them.  Highlights included watching a female lion hunt after a lost baby wildebeest (which to my relief got away, but to Dan's disappointment), a whole pride of lions eating a buffalo right after a kill, and being the only car around to see two newborn cubs out with their mama.  The Maasai Mara was incredibly beautiful, with vast stretches off grasslands dotted with a few trees.  I highly recommend any animal/nature lover visit this park in their lifetime.


Back in Nairobi  things weren't as pleasant.  I didn't feel all that safe walking around the city,  kids came up to us begging for money and pretended to cry when we refused, and the people at the craft market were much too pushy.  Back at the Hilton, we got stuck in the elevator and the mediocre buffet dinner cost 80 dollars!  Needless to say, we were happy to return to the UK!


We just got back from Copenhagen and prior to that my friends Cara and Robyn were out here for a visit. I'll try to write about those soon.  But I'm trying to prepare for my upcoming school year in a new school wth a curriculum that is all brand new to me, so I appreciate your patience!  


More Kenya photos here:Part 2

Lions, and Zebras, and dik diks, oh my!

We arrived in Nairobi in the early morning after a ten hour flight from London. We were transported through the busy streets to our hotel for a day of rest in preparation for the next day’s journey (I'll talk more about Nairobi in part two).  Our driver Steven picked us up promptly at 7 am and we preceded to Samburu, which was a six hour drive.  Our vehicle was a 4X4 Jeep that was very basic (re: no air con, air bags, etc.)  We shared our journey with two other couples, one from England, the other Italy.   The trip was long and tedious.  Luckily  the weather was never too hot.   Along the way we saw small Kenyan towns, where the children always waved to us.  The roads were bumpy and slow.  The scenery was nice for a couple hours,  but by the 4th hour it was wearing thin.  We would have three other journeys like that, so if you can’t handle long, tumultuous drives, a road safari may not be for you!

We arrived in Shaba National Reserve in the afternoon.  This would be our home base for the next three days as we explored the different parks in the area.  Our accommodations, Sarova Shaba Game Lodge, were very nice.  We had our own little cabin, a sparkling pool, and a restaurant in the tree tops.  There were monkey's everywhere, which seemed a nucience to some, but I liked! The funniest part was the monkey’s loved to come try and steal food from the buffet, often times succeeding (the best being when one  got a yogurt, figured out how to open it and drank it!).  After a quick rest at the lodge, it was time for our first game drive.  Typically you go on one drive in the early morning, rest during the heat of the day back at the lodge (when the animals are also resting), then head back out around 4 for an evening drive.  We headed to Buffalo Springs National Reserve which was a short, albeit very rough, drive from our lodge.  This whole region of Kenya is very arid and warm.  It is located in the lowlands below Mount Kenya.  It is very dusty and we would come back after drives covered.  This being our first time out, Dan and I were super excited at any animal we saw.  We did see a a lot that first day.  They were spread out however and sometimes you might drive awhile before seeing anything.  Our driver was very good though.  He knew these parks inside and out and often got us to a good spot before the other safari vehicles did.  That first day we were fortunate to see jackals, zebras, warthogs, gazelles, impalas, waterbucks, dik dik’s (tiny antelopes), gerenuks (antelopes with really long necks)  an oryx, and three female lions.  But the best part was seeing a cheetah.  They are very hard to spot and we happened to see one that was on the hunt!  She gave a waterbuck a chase for about 5 seconds, but ultimately let it go.  Still, it was so cool seeing how fast she could run!  We returned to the lodge, dusty, exhausted but very satisfied. We promptly went to bed after our buffet dinner; we had to be ready at 7 the next day for or second drive.

We headed back to Buffalo Spring the next day and pretty much saw many of the same animals.  But this time we also saw giraffes, elephants and a pair of leopards!  We had brought along binoculars for the trip but honestly most of the time we didn’t need them, the animals were unaffected by our cars and we were able to get really close.  The leopards were my favorite as they were just chilling out high in a tree. Now I was glad I had the binoculars in order to get a close up on their cute little faces!  My other favorite was anything baby.  I feel sorry for our companions in the jeep, whether it be a baby elephant or a baby monkey or  even a baby cow along the highway, they must have heard me utter the phrase “A baby! How cute!” at least fifty times.   

On our way back to the lodge, we passed through Samburu Reserve.  Here we got to see something really awesome: a heard of elephants making their way to the river for an afternoon dip!  In Samburu we also had the chance to visit a Sambura/Turkana village.   It’s hard to tell how much was set up for tourist sake (the dances, costumes, etc.), but the people still do actually subside there.  They live in tiny huts (making my place seem like a mansion in comparison), have to take water from the river to drink and bath, and mostly eat a form of porridge for subsistence.  We visited the ‘kindergarten’ where we were told if you learned to write you name in English and Swahili  (they spoke their own language). you could graduate to primary school which was 30 miles away so you therefore had to board there.   Overall it was an unforgettable experience and I’m glad to have be able to have done so.  After handing out crayons and paper to the kids, we headed back to the lodge for an afternoon nap.

That evening we explored Shaba Reserve, where our lodge was located.  Our driver warned us there wouldn’t be much wildlife in this park, and he was correct.  We did get to see some animals (giraffes, waterbucks and dik dik’s)  but we also got the chance to actually get out of the jeep for awhile.  It was so amazing just to be able to stand out in the Kenyan wilderness.  After snapping a few pics we drove back to the lodge.  We had a long day ahead of us: another six hour drive followed by a game drive in the afternoon.

Our next destination was Lake Nakuru.  It’s claim to fame is it’s thousands upon thousands of flamingos that make this lake their home.  We arrived there just in time for a quick lunch and short rest before it was right back at it.  The environment could not have been more different here.  It was very green and lush, it even rained for a bit during our game drive.  Compared to the first parks,  the surroundings of Lake Nakuru had an abundance of wildlife.  We saw tons of baboons, monkeys, common zebras, buffaloes, gazelles, impalas and waterbucks.  They were right at the side of the road which made them so easy to see.  It was in Lake Nakuru where we saw our first male lions, although way off in the distance.  Through the binoculars they looked satisfied having recently eaten a poor zebra!  Lake Nakruru is also the only time we saw white rhinos.  They were so massive and at one point a herd of them passed right in front of our car!  The lake itself was awesome.  It was literally lined with thousands of flamingos and pelicans.  So much in fact that from far away all you see on the banks was pink so you thought it was pink sand or something.   It was so loud down there by the shore, with all the birds squawking and flapping their wings.  We were aloud out here and got a few pics along with plenty of bird droppings on our shoes!  We went back to our lodge, the Savora Simba Hill, for another buffet dinner and early bedtime.  

Next up would be the most grueling drive yet: the drive to the Maasai Mara.  But would it hold the biggest payoff?  Find out in Part 2: Lake Naivasha, The Maasai Mara and Nairobi!

Until then enjoy these amazing pictures and videos we were able to capture:  Kenya!

My London Life

As I'm sitting here in the warm California sunshine, I thought it was a good time for a reflection on my time in London so far.  So here are five things that I've done that are at least semi interesting.

1.  I got a job...and it’s teaching!
It was not easy, but I did it!  Starting this fall I will be teaching the UK equivalent of first grade in the East End of London.  I applied to job after job after job, even teaching assistant jobs.  The problem was that they didn't want to give me, an American, a chance.  And the one American school in the city had no openings.  And let me tell you the application process was no picnic.  I couldn't just email a cover letter and a resume and hope for an interview.  Each different school, and I think I ended up applying to 25 in all, had their own separate application form that were anywhere from 6 -12 pages long!  I was ready to take a teaching assistant position (along with a 50% pay cut) at an exclusive all girls academy when I got a call from Canary Wharf College.  As I've recently learned, for the first time in the UK they are opening up a new type of school.  There are already public schools, private schools, Catholic schools, academies, and international schools but new to 2011-2012 is Free Schools. I will be starting in a brand new school, where there will be only three grades: Reception (like our kindergarten but for age 4), Year 1 (5 year olds), and Year 2 (6 year olds).  With 20 kids in each class, so only 60 in the whole school!  I am so excited yet so overwhelmed at this opportunity.  I’ll keep you posted as I get more info, but I already know I need to start studying the metric system and British history this summer!

2. I Went to the NHS...and it was great
Dan and I needed to get multiple vaccinations for our upcoming trip to Kenya so we headed to the National Health Service.  We went in on a Tuesday morning with a our visas and proof of address.  We got an appointment for the next week!  When we met with the nurse she was courteous and informative.  Everything was free, expect for the Yellow Fever shot.  I was very pleased with my experience.  It felt so nice to just get the care that I needed with no big hassles.  Don’t get me wrong, I know there are problems in the NHS, but at least anyone who is sick can get the Chance to get better.  America needs to get it's act together!     

3. I fell in love... with a store
But it's not just any store...it's a store of the future.  Argos is this amazing chain that literally sells everything under the sun.  It employs a unique concept however.  You walk in and there are little computer terminals everywhere with catalogs attached.  What you do is you look through the catalog for what you may need. Each item has a code.  You then punch this code into the computer and it tells you if that particular item is in stock at that store.  If it is, you then go to a pay terminal where you punch in the code again and pay for it using a credit card.  When the transaction is complete, you get a receipt with  a number on it.  You then proceed to a withing area where someone calls your number and voila there is you product!  I’m not sure why I am so obsessed with this store.  Maybe it's because I can't believe they actually have all the stuff in the catalog in the back.  Maybe it’s just because I love shopping. Maybe it’s because I secretly think it’s little elves making all the stuff in the back.   Whatever the reason, I'm addicted.  Here's a sample of stuff I've already purchased from Argos: lamp, shower curtain, cat carrier, football, cutting board, toaster, TV stand, electric kettle.  And I already have a list for when I return to London, one of which is and aerobed (hint hint) (come visit!)

4. I went to an English wedding...that lasted 12 hours
Dan’s friend from Michigan Business school happens to live in London too.   So when she got engaged we were pleased to be invited to the big event.  And boy was it big!   It took place in a small English town about two hours out of London.  Called Wroxhall Abbey Estate, the chapel  dated from 1100 and was surrounded by stunning grounds and a charming hotel.  The ceremony itself was very traditional, very similar to the Royal Wedding.  It  lasted about an hour and included readings, hymns, vows, prayers, and my favorite a sing-a-long of Wonderwall at the end.  Next up was a two hour cocktail hour on the terrace at sunset.   After that was a three course meal, with the usual reception activities.  My favorite part came next when an Irish folk bad played for an hour and taught us all traditional Irish dances.  All that dancing made some people hungry again so there was a second buffet dinner!  Finally it was time for the after party which was held in a big tent with a DJ, smoke machine and light show, tables with bottle service, and glow sticks! The DJ shutdown the party at 2 am, 12 hours after the start of the ceremony!  Dan and I were done, but some people still stayed up and karaoked until god knows when.  It was an awesome experience, but tiring!

5. I went to pub after pub...and well you know
My favorite thing about London so far is all it’s pubs.  Pub culture is so different from going out in NYC and LA.  First of all, they close at 12.  So people come early to get there drink on.  But it’s not all about the fine cask ales,  they all serve great pub food from hamburgers to fish and chips to Shepard's pie.  And on Sunday’s they have traditional roasts where you can get a nice hearty meal of either roast beef, roast pork, or roast chicken with potatoes, vegetables, and Yorkshire pudding. It’s such a nice way to spend an evening.  We go 1-2 times a week and varying it between are favorites and venturing out to new ones.  Some favs so far (which we will take you to when you come visit!)
The Prince Regent, The Apollo, Angels and Field's, The Marylbone, Coco Momo, The Beehive, Tudor Rose,  The King of Diamonds, The Goldhawk, The Larrik, The Sir Christopher Hatton and the Volunteer. We’ve barley made a dent!  Please come help us explore more culture (pubs).

Loving London so far, can’t wait for more experiences.  Just wishing I had some friends to come and visit so I can play tour guide!

Raindrops on Clothing and Schnitzel with Spaetzle

I love traveling and want to see as many places as I can. But there have been only two destinations that were 'musts' before I die. One was to go to Tahiti for my honeymoon. And the other was to visit the city from the Sound of Music. Now that I have done both, I can die a happy lady! And I am happy to say that both exceeded my expectations. And for those of you who don't know, The Sound of Music is my all-time favorite movie.

We took a one and a half hour flight to Salzburg on Friday night. We were staying in the center of town which was only three miles from the airport so we decided to take the bus to our hotel. We were congratulating ourselves the bus ride over for being such great travelers, not needing to take taxis, but doing as locals would do. Of course our bragging lead to our downfall. We got off the bus at the train station which, according to the map, was right near our hotel. The problem was it was late. And it was pouring. And there were no street signs. Twenty five minutes later, after several wrong turns, we arrived at our destination, soaking wet and a little grumpy. Our moods soon changed however when we realized that there was an authentic Austrian restaurant right in our hotel. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner (schnitzel for me, goulash for Dan) and really good Stiegl beers with a tasty apple strudel for dessert.

The next morning, much to my dismay, it was still raining (the weather report said it was supposed to be a sunny 70 degree day). This couldn't be happening! We were to go on the official Sound of Music tour that morning, and it would be ruined in the rain, especially since I only packed open shoes and no umbrella (I found out later from our tour guide that Salzburg is the 8^th rainiest city in the world. I should have done more research). In the end though it was fine as the tour mostly involved driving to different places.

Honestly the tour was only OK. We did see a lot of cool places; the Palace they used for the back of the Von Trapp house, the gazebo where Lisel and Ralph danced, and the abbey where Maria was almost a nun. But you couldn't go in some of the places so that was a bit disappointing. I do still recommend the tour however, as it took you to the lakes and mountains region of Salzburg which was gorgeous. It was there where we stopped in this charming town called Mondsee. This is where the scene of Maria and the captain getting married was filmed. The tour ended at the entrance to Mirabell gardens. This was when the day got better. The sun came out and the gardens, one of the most recognizable sets from the movie, were spectacular. There numerous wedding photography sessions happening and I understand why. The gardens were beautifully manicured with stunning fountains and statues. It was the highlight of my trip to Salzburg.

After wandering around and taking a ton of pictures, we headed to the town center. We grabbed a sausage and a hot dog from a street vendor and walked all over admiring the beautiful architecture. We saw a few more places from the movie and hiked to the top of the fortress and were rewarded with a awesome view of the city and the Austrian Alps. Even if you've never seen the movie, I highly recommend going to Salzburg, it is such a gorgeous town.

It was time now to do something for Dan. I had done some research prior to leaving and found out about a beer hall a little off the beaten path. Augustiner Beer Hall did not disappoint. It had all these different food stalls, where you could get anything from sausages to roast chicken to creamed herring. The only beer they had however, was of course Augustiner, which luckily was pretty good. The place was huge, with three different rooms that had a capacity of over a hundred and a massive outdoor garden. We choose a specific room however because they were going to be showing the Champions League Final between Barcelona and Manchester United. Now I really don't care for football, but it is fun to go out to a pub to watch it as people get so into it. Even though they weren't Austrian teams, everyone had a team they were rooting for and it got really loud. We stayed for the entire match eating, drinking, and cheering. In the end Barcelona won, as did I, as I had made a bet with Dan. I'll be collecting on my mani-pedi shortly (Full disclosure, I only like Barcelona because they don't have a paid sponsor on their jerseys. Instead they promote the charity UNICEF).

The next morning it was time to head to Vienna. We took a train and got there in about three hours. I wish I could say I enjoyed the beautiful Austrian countryside along the way. But the truth is I had one too many Augustiner's the night before and mostly slept. Oops. When we got there, it was a gorgeous day, 75 and sunny. Vienna was absolutely amazing. I had no expectations as I was mostly looking forward to Salzburg. But Vienna was equally stunning. It reminded me a lot of Paris, with gorgeous buildings everywhere you turned. Quickly I was sad we only had about 24 hours in the city. We wandered around and happened upon a festival where there was lots of food, activities for kids, and music. We enjoyed some more street food, spaetzle for me, and no surprise, more sausages for Dan, and delicious Viennese coffee. I'm not much of a coffer drinker, but I would be addicted if I moved to Vienna. The way they make cappuccinos is amazing, they are so rich and creamy, probably because they use whipped cream! We made our way to the Art History Museum which was really impressive, not only for the art work (from paintings by Rubens to Egyptian mummies to Roman jewelry) but for the building itself. It is a must see. We ended our day with another fine meal in a charming Austrian restaurant where I had spaetzle again, with cheese and fried onions, and Dan had the Viennese specialty of boiled beef.

The next morning we headed to the Hofburg Complex where we had only time to visit the Palace where the Hapsburgs once lived. This was a real treat as I love looking at fancy houses. I was not disappointed, but left wondering what did they really use all of those rooms for? We then headed to a cafe to sample some of the cakes that Vienna is famous for. I wanted to ordered everything on the menu. Instead I settled for a cappuccino, a sacher torte (chocolate cake with apricot filling), this strawberry mouse concoction in a cone I don't remember the name of, and a side of their famous Viennese beef soup. A weird combination I realize, but honestly one of the best meals I have had in my life. didn't come to Austria thinking I'd love the food, but everything I ate there was amazing. I'm already eager to find an Austrian restaurant here in London. We had only time to take a quick look at the Danube River before heading to the airport. I left Vienna eager to come back again soon. It was another amazing trip, I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to get to have all these wonderful experiences. And it's not over anytime soon, as we are going to Kenya in July and Copenhagen and Portugal in August. Stay tuned! 

Pics here:  Austria

Guest Blog by Dan - The Angel's Share

SCOTLAND

Great scenery. Great accent. Great booze.

Great trip.

This was my third time in Scotland – which is three times as many times as I've been to most places in Europe. I keep coming back for a few reasons – some sentimentality (it was the first place I went besides London on my first trip abroad); some practical (beautiful nature, charming cities, really nice people); and some scotch-related (I love scotch).

We flew to Edinburgh on a Friday, still tipsy from our “Will & Kate Commemorative Champagne” toast(s) at Hyde Park earlier that day. Saturday morning we traipsed around town some, then hiked up to “Arthur's Seat”, a big volcanic rock formation just outside the city center, with commanding views of the city and water. The water is known as the Firth of Forth (it's just a bay), but Firth of Forth is a much better name than “Edinburgh Bay” so I'm glad they went in that direction.

Dinner was at a pub – haggis, neeps, and tatties for me (translation: sheep guts and two other more normal things); and a burger for Selena (typical American). Washed down with a few pints of Belhaven's Best, which would probably be the best in many places outside of Belhaven too (wherever that is). It's good beer, is what I'm saying.

For Sunday, we had a bus tour booked. It took us up to the highlands, to Stirling Castle (where all the “Braveheart” stuff went down), then to Loch Lomond where we ate lunch beside the loch (lake). Rumbling up and down through bumpy roads took quite a toll on poor Selena's weak stomach, which she partially emptied just before lunch. She came off better than a Swedish lady on our tour, who forced the driver to pull over in the middle of nowhere so she could wretch on the side of the road. You can't trust Swedes on a bus tour, is what I've always said.

The last stop on the tour was at Glengoyne Distillery, a small scotch whisky distillery not far from Glasgow. We got a couple free drams and a great tour from a Scotsman named Arthur, whose verbal charm was only exceeded by his plaid pants. It actually was a really interesting tour, less slick and corporate than you'd get at a larger place. Sadly, Glengoyne is made without peat smoke, which is what gives scotch is distinctive smokey (and delicious) flavor. So kind of like eating pizza without any cheese – what's the point?

On Monday, we toured Edinburgh Castle (loads to see there – a really impressive site). Then we hiked up to Calton Hill, which is another volcanic hill just outside of town with commanding views of everything. It also has a collection of monuments – some to Scottish philosophers and poets (David Hume, Robert Burns) and one odd one which looks like the front of the Parthenon in Greece, minus any actual building behind it (just columns). Great spot for pictures at least.

And that was that – except for the bargain on scotch I got at the duty free in Edinburgh Airport. That was truly a sweet (and smokey) way to end a great trip.

For pictures click here

Wills + Kate = One Big Party

The big day was finally upon us! Dan and I decided to go watch the festivities in Hyde Park where they would be broadcasting the wedding on huge screens. We had no desire to camp out to catch a 3 second glimpse of a carriage, but still wanted to be part of the atmosphere, and Hyde park is within walking distance of our place. I read an article that quoted the mayor of London stating that he encouraged Londoners to dress up for the occasion, as if we were really guests at the wedding. Even though I've know about this wedding since before I even moved here, I still ran out to time to buy a proper fascinator for the big event. A fascinator, I recently learned is what they call those crazy hats that seem to be fastened to your head. So I had to settle for wearing my straw beach hat. I pared that with this navy blue dress I had purchased on Steinway in Queens from Strawberry Jam, which just so happened to bare a resemblance to Kate engagement photo dress. Dan dressed up as well in a sweater and suit in, accompanied by his new favorite hat. I know people have been saying that it's silly all this for a a wedding. But if I've learned anything in my two months here its that Londoners love to party! Most people don't care about the monarchy, but simply were glad for a day off work and a reason to drink in the middle of the day. In trying to completing immerse ourselves in the surrounding culture, Dan and I happily partook in this revelry. We brought a bottle of champagne and plastic cups and toasted to the happy couple surrounded by 100,000 other party goers. It was a fantastic time. The screens were gigantic so you could sit down and see from a long distance off, there were stalls selling drinks and food, and importantly (at least for me) there were hundreds of porta potties! People ranged in dress to causal jeans and t-shirts, to full on wedding dresses and tiaras. The crowd cheered and waved flags as the procession went by and the couple share their kiss on the balcony. And in a moment of divine intervention, the clouds parted exactly as Kate made it up to the alter. I feel really lucky to be have been in London to witness such a unique event.

 Photos here: Royal Wedding
 

Under the Tuscan Clouds

We started our journey at 3:45 am with a walk to the Easybus stop. This bus took us to Stansted airport which is about an hour outside London. It's a major hub for cheap airlines for journeys all over Europe. It was not easy getting up that early, but the upside was that it gave us 4 full days in Italy.

When we arrived in Pisa after our 2 hour flight, we headed to the rental car agency. We had to pony up extra money to get an automatic (someone doesn't know how to dive a manual, Dan. And someone is just too scared to drive in general, me.) but we were excited anyway for our Italian road trip.

In our cute little Fiat we drove down the Autostrade to our first destination: Montepulciano. This is a little hilltop village in southern Tuscany. Why Montepulciano you might ask? Well back in NYC whenever I used to eat at my favorite restaurant, Little Frankie's, I would order a glass of Montepulicano wine by the glass (full disclosure, it was the cheapest!) So when I found out that it was a town in Italy, and when I read all the charming reviews of it in Tuscan travel guides, I knew I must visit. But as Dan's mom enlightened us, it turns out the wine I drank back in NYC is actually not the wine that this Montepulciano town produces. Whoops. Dan says we are not traipsing all over Italy to find the 'real' Montepulciano. Anyways back to the trip. I'm glad I got it wrong because this Montepulciano was wonderful. It's a town way up on a hill, with little winding streets, old churches, cute cafes, and delicious restaurants. Its a town that is popular for Italians on holiday from big cities, rather than international travelers. The town is not that big, so we stayed 2 nights and mostly just ate and drank! Every meal we ate was spectacular and the wine was fabulous. The only catch was all the hotels in the actual town were too expensive by the time I booked so I got us a hotel right at the bottom of the hill. The reviews warned me that it would bring my calves “to the failure point” and they would have been right if I hadn't already climbed the Inca trail ( my calves were beyond failed then, they were dead). Nonetheless, it was a steep hike up to the town, and really dark and a bit scary on the way back from bottles of wine dinners. Our hotel made up for this however, with super nice owners, and a indoor heated pool and spa. I recommend anyone visiting Tuscany to stop in this town, it's probably the most charming town I've ever been to.

Sunday morning came, however, and it was time to bid arrivederci to Montepulciano and drive to our next destination, Radda in Chianti. But first we stopped off at Lago Trasimeno, a big lake nearby, and the town of Castiglione del Lago that sits on it. We spent just enough time there to drink a cappuccino, browse some street markets (many booths were selling Native American goods – quite unexpected), and a few pictures in front of the water. Then we drove to Radda. This drive took almost 3 hours and was harrowing to say the least. We had to drive up this really winding, narrow road in our little car that didn't have much power. The scariest part however was that it didn't seem to bother the Italian drivers as they constantly drove around corners at high speeds and passed us as soon as they could. I alternated between gasping at beautiful hillsides and shrieking at oncoming cars. As picturesque as the ride was I was grateful when we made it to Radda. Chianti is a region in northern Tuscany, close to Florence. Most Americans, as myself, know this region also for the wine. These two facts make a popular destination for American and English travelers and it felt a bit more touristy. This time we stayed right in town in a really old building converted into a hotel. I kid you not when I say our hotel room was bigger than my whole apartment. Sigh. But I guess that's why I live in a closet, so I can pay for experiences like this. Again I digress. Radda in Chianti was a much smaller town, with really only one major street. The views of the Tuscan country side was its strong point. The undulating hills dotted with vineyards were stunning. Consequently we have way too many pictures of them! This hotel also had an indoor pool that was underground and looked like a grotto. After swimming, we ate a spectacular dinner at a restaurant right across from our hotel and finished the night with a bottle of Chianti Classico in our classy room.

Monday morning it was back to the road again. Our flight wasn't until 10 pm that evening so we had a full day to further explore Tuscany. We drove up to Lucca, another ancient town just north of Pisa. The cool part about this city was that it is completely walled in. Today the walls surrounding the city act as a park. This was our best day yet in terms of weather with the sun finally making an appearance. This combined with the fact that it was a holiday in Italy (Liberation Day) made Lucca swarming with people. Again it seemed to be mostly Italians. This town seemed a lot bigger, with mainstream shops like Sephora in abundance rather than cute little food shops. After a few hours of wandering the streets we decided to make one last stop before heading to the airport. I figured we came all this way, might as well see the most famous spot in Tuscany. So we headed to Pisa to see it's famous leaning tower. Pisa really wasn't that interesting as it's a much bigger city than the ones we had just visited. We parked the car and walked towards the building and were hit with massive crowds. Tourists from all over the globe were here and all trying to get the classic “pushing up the tower” picture. First Dan and I laughed at all the rubes doing the same thing. Then we did it too. You know what they say, when in Rome, take cheesy pictures like the rest of them! I'm glad we decided to make this last minute stop because in all honestly it was cool to see, it really looks like it could fall at any moment. It was time to leave Italy so we headed back to the airport. It was an awesome trip and now have to add to it my list of places I can't wait to go back to again. Next up: Scotland!

Enjoy some photos here: Tuscany

A day in the life of an American girl in London

My day starts with Dan's alarm going off around 7:30 am. If feels so good for once to be the one who gets to go back to sleep! After an hour (or 2, or 3) more of sleep, I let the cat in and play with her on the bed for awhile (like 30 more minutes). I rationalize this extra time in bed as a way to bond with my new kitten. When I finally make it out of bed, its time for my wifely duties (not that, Dan's at work remember, geez) I make the bed, wash dishes, laundry, straighten up the place. Being as my place is so small, this work takes 20 minutes tops.

Next on my busy schedule is job searching. I realize I still really want to be teaching. The problem is, all the international schools did their recruitment for the next school year back in January! I'm not too sure yet whether my US qualifications will allow me to teach in a public school here, and I get different answers from various people. So we will have to see. I can always take a job as a Asda greeter (Asda is the UK equivalent of Walmart).

After job searching (and yes, facebooking, celebrity gossip reading, and vacation researching) I try and do something 'fun'. I have to remind myself sometimes that I am lucky that I have this freedom. Fortunately I don't have a mortgage or kids yet so its not imperative that I find work right away. Fun consists of exploring new neighborhoods, shopping, reading in the park, or just grabbing a mocha at a local cafe. Lastly, before Dan returns home from a long day at work, I either prepare us a nice meal or select a new restaurant for us to try.

I know this will sound chessy, but weekends are still really the best times because Dan is home! It is so much more fun exploring this city with a partner. We try to frequent as many pubs as we can, visit tourist attractions, or just relax in the park. We also have many weekend trips coming up all over Europe as we take advantage of three bank holidays in the next 2 months.

Sometimes I feel lonely, for all my friends back in New York, my career I left behind, and my family in LA. When moments like this strike I have to remind myself how lucky I am to get this opportunity to live abroad. And thankfully, there's always skype!

Enjoy some pics of how we spend our weekends:  Around London

Ahh Paris...the city of light, romance, and veal kidney's

Dan and I left Friday afternoon for a weekend in Paris! Even I hate myself for saying that so please feel free to want to punch me in the face the next time you see me.  I'm pretty lucky. We took the Eurostar, which is a train that goes under the English Channel. It only takes 2 ½ hours and the best part is that both train stations are in the center of the city, so no bullshit airtrain ride or $45 cab ride.

We stayed in the area called St. Germian des Pres, which is on the left bank in the 6^th arrondissement. It is a very cute neighborhood with tons of outdoor cafes and boutiques. Friday night we just explored the neighborhood and had a causal meal. I had the obligatory beef bourguignon which was really great. Then we shared a bottle of champagne to celebrate Dan's 31^st birthday.

The next morning we set off to explore the famous sites. We walked first to the Hotel Les Invalides, which is a massive complex housing a hospital for wounded soldiers, an armory museum, and Napoleon's tomb. The former ruler's mausoleum was remarkable. Dan now says he is leaving all his money when he dies to erect a similar tomb for himself. The grounds and buildings were spectacular, I highly recommended visiting it.

Next we walked over to the Eiffel Tower. We were lucky to have a warm sunny day and were able to enjoy the view by siting on the lawn in front. We then climbed up to the second observation point, which was about 40 stories. To get to the top, you have to wait in a huge line and it just wasn't worth it. We still got a great view from our vantage point. After posing for too many pictures, we walked on to our next destination, the Arc de Triomphe. Unfortunately by the time we got there, the weather had turned for the worse and was raining pretty heavily. We therefore only quickly looked around and headed back to our hotel to dry off and rest up for dinner.

For Dan's Birthday, his parents generously gifted him to a nice dinner in Paris. We had a wonderful dinner at Chez Ferdinand, which was recommended by a friend of Dan's who had lived in Paris for awhile. It was so good. Being that I am not at all adventurous, and the fact that the menu was all in french, I opted for the steak au poivre. Dan doesn't speak french either, but to him that made it more fun. He just picked something at random which turned out to be veal kidney! Disgusting! But Dan liked it so I guess that's all that matters!

Sunday morning we decided to try our hand at being Parisian. We took a seat at an outdoor cafe, ordered breakfast and coffee and people watched. It was very enjoyable I must say, except for the smoke. Geeze Parisians love to smoke! After breakfast we headed over to the Musee d'Orsay. It's a bit more manageable than the Louvre, but still very impressive. The building itself, inside and out was worth the visit alone, it was so beautiful. The paintings were equally impressive, with Monets, Gauguins, Van Goghs (including his Starry Night) and much more. Next we walked through the Jardin des Tuileries, past the Louvre, and on to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The cathedral was breathtakingly beautiful, especially it's stained glassed windows. Finally it was time to pick up our bags and head back to the train station. It was a fantastic trip, and I can't wait to go back again sometime soon! Who's coming with me?

Check out our photos here: Paris Photos

Finding Shadowfax, or how to trick your husband into getting you a kitten

S: Dan, let's have a baby! It will be so cute and have an accent!

D: (Trying to suppress a look of shock and horror) But sweetie, what about all the traveling we want to do? How can you have Champagne in Champagne France if you're pregnant? Plus it will never be old enough to to get an accent.

S: Yeah that's true...what about a puppy? Oh it will be so cute! I can take it on walks all around London, he'll be my little buddy!

D: (This time with a mock look of sympathy) But honey, remember how small our place is? And who will take care of him when we travel?

S: I guess you are right...but I came all the way here and I have no job, I'm just a little bit lonely sometimes...(with a super pathetic look)... maybe just a little kitten then?

D: (Knowing he can't possibly say no now, a look of resignation) Oh ok, that sounds good. I guess a kitten can't do too much harm, right?

And that's how I schemed my way into getting a kitten!

Shadowfax is named after Gandalf's horse in the Lord of the Rings ( I had to give Dan something)

She was only 7 weeks old when I took two tube trains and one rail train to Tottenham to pick her up. I love her, and as you can see, Dan's learning to love her!

Greetings from London!

 I have been here almost two weeks now and so far so good!  My 'flat' may be tiny, but I love my neighborhood, Marylebone.  The name comes from a church called St. Mary's that was located on a bourne (stream).  It is really cute and honestly, upscale.  I would compare it to the West Village in New York and Brentwood in Los Angeles.  Places I could never afford, consequently  my flat is only 400 square feet! 

Here are some pictures:  My New Home

 More to follow soon!