One of Northern Europe's most populated cities, Copenhagen was the second stop on our June Disney cruise.
Located on two islands (Zealand and Amager) and several islets, the city is known for being environmentally friendly and having a high quality of life. According to Wikepidia, 36% of its citizens cycle to work. This is definitely something that we witnessed. The number of bicycles was astounding and very different from the U.S. Most of the streets are lined with bike paths and every corner has bike racks, making it possible for bicycling as a form of transportation.
We decided to visit Tivoli, the second oldest amusement park in the world. Tivoli is actually more than just rides - it also has gardens, theatres and restaurants. In fact, the park was an inspiration for Walt Disney, who visited before creating Disneyland. The influence is apparent when you visit. Its international theme reminded me of Epcot.
Our tour took us into the park before it opened to be public, giving us the opportunity to view the gardens before the crowds came. The gardens and architecture are beautiful and create the perfect setting for relaxation and fun.
After touring the grounds, we were able to go on some of the rides, including one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world. The roller coaster only has hand breaks, so one of the staff rides with you and applies the breaks as the cars head downhill. Despite feeling a little weird about the hand break, we really enjoyed the ride. The kids begged to go on it again and again.
While some of the buildings and rides in the park as original, much of the park was destroyed during WWII. The Nazis actually entered the park and set off 5 fire bombs. Some of the buildings were rebuilt, and new buildings and rides have been added over the years.
The second part of our tour took us out of the park and onto a canal boat where we viewed the city. The architecture was breathtaking.
Boating is another popular mode of transportation and entertainment in Denmark. Many boats are docked along the canals, including small house boats, and of course many more were in the harbor. The tour guide shared that some live on the house boats in the canals during the summer. In fact, this is so popular that there is a 25-year waiting list for a space for your houseboat. Better sign up now!
I would definitely recommend visiting this amazing city full of beautiful architecture and culture. Home of Vikings, Hans Christian Anderson and a long history that dates back to the 1100s, you will find much to enjoy in Copenhagen.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Day 3 - Oslo, Norway
On our third day, the Magic landed in our first Scandinavian stop - Oslo, Norway. Home of the Vikings, fjords, a modern cosmopolitan city, and warm friendly people, Norway is also known for glass making and skiing and other winter sports.
We took a shore excursion that featured the heritage of Norway. Our first stop was the Viking Museum. We were most excited for the opportunity to see real Viking ships. The museum has 3 of the best preserved Viking ships that have been found as well as items found on the ships. The ships had been used to bury important people, which is how they ended up being preserved. The composition of the ground, temperature, and other environmental factors helped make it possible for the ships to be preserved and found.
Burial houses were built on the ships and the person's belongings and treasures were buried with them. These items are displayed in the museum as well, including wagons, horses, textiles, jewelery, weapons, and tools. www.norway.com/directories/d_company.asp?id=671
Our next stop was the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, which is an outdoor museum with over 155 houses from all major regions of Norway primarily from the 17th - 19th centuries. There are several medieval houses, including the Stave Church from around 1200 AD. www.norway.com/directories/d_company.asp?id=675
Our third stop was the Sculpture Park. The park contains 192 sculptures with more than 600 figures, all modeled in full size by Gustav Vigeland, who also designed the architectural setting and the layout of the grounds. www.members.cox.net/c.kau/Vigeland/
Finally, we visited the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. www.visitnorway.com/us/Articles/Theme/What-to-do/Attractions/holmenkollen/
We were quite fortunate on our trip. the weather was unseasonably warm. The weather in Oslo was in the mid-70s and sunny during our tour. It was a beautiful day to be in a beautiful country.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Day 2 - A Day at Sea
Since I only had limited access to the Internet while on the ship, I will be adding a few more posts about our trip. Here is one about our second day.
Our first full day on the ship was relaxed with little on the agenda. This is actually my favorite way to vacation - sitting on a deck chair reading a good book. However, I am most excited about visiting all of our upcoming stops. I am so excited to see all of these places I have never been and cultures that are in some ways so different from mine.
We spent the day in the English Channel and the North Sea. (Lucky for me, the sea has been quite calm and much like the waters of the Caribbean.) Our most exciting site was watching a cruise ship pass us. Yet, watching the sea was quite calming and beautiful.
Most of the entertainment was inside today (the weather has been getting cooler). Disney does a fantastic job with family entertainment. Some of the choices today were making flowers out of paper (origami), a game show where the contestants were children and their parents (sort of fashioned after the Newlywed Game), and Bingo. There was also movies running all day in the theatre and at the Goofy Pool, three pools, and plenty to eat and drink.
In the Kids Club, the children had visits from Peter Pan, Lilo and Stitch, the Little Einsteins, a princess, and more. The kids LOVE the kids club and ask to go there constantly. This makes for some guilt-free couples time.
This evening was the formal night for dinner followed by the play "Twice Charmed" in the Walt Disney Theatre. We also saw a comedian who gave the kids a lesson in how do do comedy. Ben was quick to get on the stage and show everyone his new signature walk.
Amazing Event of the Day: Kristina sat quietly and politely through an almost 2-hour dinner. I think that the dress was transforming for her. I will have to send her in one to school everyday! lol
Ben entertained everyone with nonsensical jokes and funny jabbering He asked his cousin about lacrosse and was told that he called his stick "my spoon." Ben replied "I call my stick 'my fork." Ben added "but I don't really kno0w what you are talking about."
The kids are having the hardest time with the time change. Ten o'clock here is 5 p.m. at home. It is like we are trying to put them to bed at 5 p.m. Yet, when it is time to wake up, they don't want to get out of bed.
Funny story - I was taking some pictures of the kids since they were all dressed up for formal night. After taking a picture, Ben ran over and said that he wanted to see one of the pictures. He looked at it and then said "look mom, that is my first best smile." I must have had a puzzled look on my face, because he added, "see I'm not smiling crooked." I looked at the picture and realized that he was right This was the first picture where his smile was not crooked - his first best smile!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Preparing to Leave
The last two day of the cruise have been at sea. This is actually a great way to end the cruise with days of relaxation and rest. However, these days are bittersweet as we become keenly aware that the trip is winding down. Thoughts of home and work become more frequent. So does the urge to anxiously try to do it all.
And what will we do without the evening magic trick by the waiter, four course dinners, having the room refreshed three times each day, a show every evening, and animals made of towels and chocolates on our bed every night. Oh yes, and childcare available from 9 a.m. to midnight daily.
Actually, Ben is taking a class right now with his dad on making animals out of towels. Maybe he will do this for us at home every night!
Funny story: This morning, Kristina decided to practice her magic tricks on Ben (trying to copy the waiter). She found a couple of coins and was starting her act. Ben said "make more of them. Make a thousand and we will have lots of money."
And what will we do without the evening magic trick by the waiter, four course dinners, having the room refreshed three times each day, a show every evening, and animals made of towels and chocolates on our bed every night. Oh yes, and childcare available from 9 a.m. to midnight daily.
Actually, Ben is taking a class right now with his dad on making animals out of towels. Maybe he will do this for us at home every night!
Funny story: This morning, Kristina decided to practice her magic tricks on Ben (trying to copy the waiter). She found a couple of coins and was starting her act. Ben said "make more of them. Make a thousand and we will have lots of money."
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Flowers, Trees, and Other Plants in Scandinavia
I was asked to talk about little more about my observatios of the flowers and other plants in the area.
Again, this is something that was different from what I imagined. I had thought of it as been too cold for many flowers. On the contrary, there are many. Maybe this is another example of how they get maximum enjoyment from the warmer season here.
In fact, I saw alot of flower boxes and pots, as well as flower beds. Window boxes were also prevalent. I would imagine that these are a little easier to maintain here than at home where my potted flowers burn up quickly. Not surprisingly, pansies are popular. I saw other potted annuals, liked geraniums.
Of course the place that I saw the most flowers was in Tivoli (the amusement park in Copenhagen). This is an amusement park and a garden. I took many pictures there and will share them on Facebook later. The flower beds were amazing there.
Apparently, trees are a big industry here, especially in Sweden. In fact some of the items in the souvenir shops are made from local woods. They seem to have alot of varieties of trees as well.
Well, I will have to put more thought into this and add more later as I think of it.
Again, this is something that was different from what I imagined. I had thought of it as been too cold for many flowers. On the contrary, there are many. Maybe this is another example of how they get maximum enjoyment from the warmer season here.
In fact, I saw alot of flower boxes and pots, as well as flower beds. Window boxes were also prevalent. I would imagine that these are a little easier to maintain here than at home where my potted flowers burn up quickly. Not surprisingly, pansies are popular. I saw other potted annuals, liked geraniums.
Of course the place that I saw the most flowers was in Tivoli (the amusement park in Copenhagen). This is an amusement park and a garden. I took many pictures there and will share them on Facebook later. The flower beds were amazing there.
Apparently, trees are a big industry here, especially in Sweden. In fact some of the items in the souvenir shops are made from local woods. They seem to have alot of varieties of trees as well.
Well, I will have to put more thought into this and add more later as I think of it.
Struck by Stockholm
Stockholm is beautiful, clean, friendly, and has much history. Our tour focused on the history of the area. We visited the Old Town area, which is from the Middle Ages. They have done a great job preserving this section and you can really get a feel for what living then was like. The streets are quite narrow. One passageway was just enough room to walk through.
Stockholm is another city made up of islands and bridges (can't remember the numbers). In one section is the sea and the other section of Stockholm is on a lake. There is a lock (sp?) separating the two. The water in the lake is quite a bit higher than the water in the sea.
Our tour then took us to Sigtuna, Sweden's first capital. Again, we were able to see some very old buildings. Sigtuna is now a small fishing village on a lake. We were there on Saturday; the locals seemed to really be enjoying the weather and the sun. We walked along the shore and saw many quaint cottages right on the lake's shore.
We then stopped for lunch at a local restaurant. We tried a local beer and had chicken covered in cheese.
Food in general here - they eat alot of Salmon and other smoked fish!!! I have grown a little tired of it. Actually most of our experience of local foods has been on the ship. We only had two meals on shore.
We noticed that there is alot more beer drinking. We especially noticed this in London. We were walking back to our hotel at the end of the work day. Pubs were overflowing with men in suits drinking glasses of beer. There is also alot more smoking. Even the kids commented on it and were counting the cigarrette butts on the streets of London. I guess that is one was to practice their counting!
The tour guide talked a little about the governing system in Sweden. While it would be hard for me to imagine, I can definitely see the benefits of their higher taxes. The unemployment rate is extremely high, and their economy is extremely good. There seems to be little poverty there. Education and health care are virtually free. One nice feature is that parents with newborns get 500 days of maternity leave (both parents) and are paid 80% of their salary.
Funny for the day: (I hope I am not repeating myself) The kids have been struggling with adjusting to the time change. They have been having a hard time going to sleep at night and then a hard time getting up in the morning (that alone is amusing to me cuz they are both early risers). A couple of days ago Kristina said "I don't have any big idea why Ben and I are so tired on this trip!"
Stockholm's biggest trade is wood. They have a wide variety of trees that are quite beautiful.
Another thing that I noticed in the countries that we visited is that boating seems to be big here. This seems a little odd since their summers are so shored (just about two months in the areas that we were). I guess one reason may be that it has been handed down through generations (maybe starting with the Vikings). That is just a guess. The other reason may be that they want to get maximum enjoyment out of their summers, since they are so brief.
Well, again there is more to come. I hope you are enjoying this. Let me know what you else I could share. I will dedicate another post to the landscaping and flowers.
Stockholm is another city made up of islands and bridges (can't remember the numbers). In one section is the sea and the other section of Stockholm is on a lake. There is a lock (sp?) separating the two. The water in the lake is quite a bit higher than the water in the sea.
Our tour then took us to Sigtuna, Sweden's first capital. Again, we were able to see some very old buildings. Sigtuna is now a small fishing village on a lake. We were there on Saturday; the locals seemed to really be enjoying the weather and the sun. We walked along the shore and saw many quaint cottages right on the lake's shore.
We then stopped for lunch at a local restaurant. We tried a local beer and had chicken covered in cheese.
Food in general here - they eat alot of Salmon and other smoked fish!!! I have grown a little tired of it. Actually most of our experience of local foods has been on the ship. We only had two meals on shore.
We noticed that there is alot more beer drinking. We especially noticed this in London. We were walking back to our hotel at the end of the work day. Pubs were overflowing with men in suits drinking glasses of beer. There is also alot more smoking. Even the kids commented on it and were counting the cigarrette butts on the streets of London. I guess that is one was to practice their counting!
The tour guide talked a little about the governing system in Sweden. While it would be hard for me to imagine, I can definitely see the benefits of their higher taxes. The unemployment rate is extremely high, and their economy is extremely good. There seems to be little poverty there. Education and health care are virtually free. One nice feature is that parents with newborns get 500 days of maternity leave (both parents) and are paid 80% of their salary.
Funny for the day: (I hope I am not repeating myself) The kids have been struggling with adjusting to the time change. They have been having a hard time going to sleep at night and then a hard time getting up in the morning (that alone is amusing to me cuz they are both early risers). A couple of days ago Kristina said "I don't have any big idea why Ben and I are so tired on this trip!"
Stockholm's biggest trade is wood. They have a wide variety of trees that are quite beautiful.
Another thing that I noticed in the countries that we visited is that boating seems to be big here. This seems a little odd since their summers are so shored (just about two months in the areas that we were). I guess one reason may be that it has been handed down through generations (maybe starting with the Vikings). That is just a guess. The other reason may be that they want to get maximum enjoyment out of their summers, since they are so brief.
Well, again there is more to come. I hope you are enjoying this. Let me know what you else I could share. I will dedicate another post to the landscaping and flowers.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Tallin and St. Petersburg
We spent the last two days in St. Petersburg. That city is much more than I ever imagined. It is full of palaces and amazing architecture. We took a canal boat cruise on the first day - an excellent was to see the city.
I had not idea that St. Petersburg is actually a group of islands divided by a river and canals. This means that you can see much of the city by boat.
Yesterday, we went to Catherine's Palace. This is actually in Pushkin which is like a suburb of St. Petersburg. The palace was absolutely amazing. Sadly the Nazi's resided in the palace when they occupied the city in WWII. They destroyed much of it. Much of what we saw was its recent reconstruction.
Yesterday evening, we went to the Russian Ballet, which was amazing. First, we ate dinner in a local restaurant which is located in a palace. Then we were taken to the ballet, which was in (yes, you guessed it) a palace. It was an intimate theatre. The audience seemed to be completely made up of people from the visiting cruise ships. Yet, their ability and performance was amazing. We saw (the happy version) of Swan Lake. During one of the intermissions, we got to meet the principle ballerina and got pictures taken with her.
Well, today we are in Tallinn, Estonia and are looking forward to learning more about this country that I had never heard of before.
I had not idea that St. Petersburg is actually a group of islands divided by a river and canals. This means that you can see much of the city by boat.
Yesterday, we went to Catherine's Palace. This is actually in Pushkin which is like a suburb of St. Petersburg. The palace was absolutely amazing. Sadly the Nazi's resided in the palace when they occupied the city in WWII. They destroyed much of it. Much of what we saw was its recent reconstruction.
Yesterday evening, we went to the Russian Ballet, which was amazing. First, we ate dinner in a local restaurant which is located in a palace. Then we were taken to the ballet, which was in (yes, you guessed it) a palace. It was an intimate theatre. The audience seemed to be completely made up of people from the visiting cruise ships. Yet, their ability and performance was amazing. We saw (the happy version) of Swan Lake. During one of the intermissions, we got to meet the principle ballerina and got pictures taken with her.
Well, today we are in Tallinn, Estonia and are looking forward to learning more about this country that I had never heard of before.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
St. Petersburg - here we come!
We arrived in St. Petersburg at about noon today. Our plans are to take a canal boat cruise this evening, a tour of Catherine's Palace tomorrow, and dinner and the Russian Ballet tomorrow night. The kids are very excited to have the chance to see Russia and are curious about what it is like.
I have still only been able to use the ship's computers to access the Blog, so this will be brief. I have been typing longer blog entries on my computer and will post those when I can.
We have been incredibly fortunate with the weather. Once again it is sunny today AND in the 80s. I should have packed more shorts! The down side of that is that there is no air conditioning in buildings here, so we will all be hot in our shore excusions.
We have entered yet another time zone - we are now 8 hours ahead of EST. We are also getting closer to white nights - very disorienting when you can't get a clue about the time by looking in the sky.
The sea has also been as calm as can be. You would think that we were in the Caribbean. My worries over the water in the North Sea and Baltic were for nothing.
To get into Russia, you must have a visa. We can go on tours without one, but cannot go out and just walk around. Since we did not get one, we are spending the afternoon relaxing on the ship and will be VERY sure to stay with our tour group. Most Russians do not speak English, so we are best staying where we are supposed to be.
We got a little news from the states, including that some Russian spies have been arrested - awkward timing for us. I hope they are not too upset with Americans today.
Well, that is enough for this post. I promise to share more about each day when I can access the Internet on my laptop.
I have still only been able to use the ship's computers to access the Blog, so this will be brief. I have been typing longer blog entries on my computer and will post those when I can.
We have been incredibly fortunate with the weather. Once again it is sunny today AND in the 80s. I should have packed more shorts! The down side of that is that there is no air conditioning in buildings here, so we will all be hot in our shore excusions.
We have entered yet another time zone - we are now 8 hours ahead of EST. We are also getting closer to white nights - very disorienting when you can't get a clue about the time by looking in the sky.
The sea has also been as calm as can be. You would think that we were in the Caribbean. My worries over the water in the North Sea and Baltic were for nothing.
To get into Russia, you must have a visa. We can go on tours without one, but cannot go out and just walk around. Since we did not get one, we are spending the afternoon relaxing on the ship and will be VERY sure to stay with our tour group. Most Russians do not speak English, so we are best staying where we are supposed to be.
We got a little news from the states, including that some Russian spies have been arrested - awkward timing for us. I hope they are not too upset with Americans today.
Well, that is enough for this post. I promise to share more about each day when I can access the Internet on my laptop.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Internet Challenges
We are having a wonderful trip so far. I have been a little disappointed to not be able to share more of it as it happens. Getting on the Internet while sailing across the sea has been very challenging. This is only the second time that I have been able to get on the Internet. I will keep trying, but may have to post some about the trip after I have gotten home.
So far, we have been to Oslo, Norway, Copenhagen Denmark, and Berlin Germany. They were all fabulous and more than I had imagined. In Oslo, we saw authentic Viking ships (amazing) from the years 800 a.d. - 1,100 a.d. They used to bury weathy people, so this is how they were preserved. Yet, it is still amazing that wooden ships would last this long in the ground.
We also saw an enormous ski jump ramp. It was hard to imagine skiing down that!
In Denmark, we went to one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. The park was beautiful. It had flower gardens everywhere. There were also restaurants, theatre, and rides. We went on a wooden roller coaster that was one of the original rides - so fun!!!
We also took a canal boat tour in Denmark - Copenhagen is a beautiful city!
Berlin was a long, fun day. We took a 2 1/2 hour train ride just to get there from the port where we docked. The ride took us through the countryside. Berlin was amazing to see. The one and only other time I was there was in 1981 when the wall was very much still there. We got the checkpoint charlie experience and everything in 1981. Now, East Berlin is a VERY different place. All of the ruins of war have disappeared, and many new buildings have been put up. They have replicated the design of the original buildings.
Well, more on all of this in later posts. I will try to make more posts during this trip, but may have to add some after I return.
So far, we have been to Oslo, Norway, Copenhagen Denmark, and Berlin Germany. They were all fabulous and more than I had imagined. In Oslo, we saw authentic Viking ships (amazing) from the years 800 a.d. - 1,100 a.d. They used to bury weathy people, so this is how they were preserved. Yet, it is still amazing that wooden ships would last this long in the ground.
We also saw an enormous ski jump ramp. It was hard to imagine skiing down that!
In Denmark, we went to one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. The park was beautiful. It had flower gardens everywhere. There were also restaurants, theatre, and rides. We went on a wooden roller coaster that was one of the original rides - so fun!!!
We also took a canal boat tour in Denmark - Copenhagen is a beautiful city!
Berlin was a long, fun day. We took a 2 1/2 hour train ride just to get there from the port where we docked. The ride took us through the countryside. Berlin was amazing to see. The one and only other time I was there was in 1981 when the wall was very much still there. We got the checkpoint charlie experience and everything in 1981. Now, East Berlin is a VERY different place. All of the ruins of war have disappeared, and many new buildings have been put up. They have replicated the design of the original buildings.
Well, more on all of this in later posts. I will try to make more posts during this trip, but may have to add some after I return.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Sightseeing in London
Despite being concerned about my lost wallet and frustrated by having to deal with the consequences of losing something so important, I am so very grateful to be able to be in London. I feel very fortunate to be able to take such a nice vacation and appreciative of the Strategic team who are "holding down the fort" while we are gone.
We got our first real glimpses of the city today. Although we drove through it yesterday, I spent more of my time sleeping than observing. We hopped on a Hop-on Hop-Off tour bus today. Unfortunately we got such a late start that we did not take much advantage of the hop off feature.
This is actually a great way to at least get a quick look at the sights - enough to convince us that we must return someday. There is such a long and rich history here that the US seems like a mere baby.
Some of the "must see more of" places that we passed are The Tower of London, Parliament, Buckingham Palace and various Museums. This is not to mention the shopping, theatre, and restaurants that called our names.
We did hop off once to take a ride on the Eye, th
Some of the things that I learned today.
- Green park was originally a cemetary for leapors (sp). There are no ponds or flower beds in the park. Eeww.
- The first miniskirts were work in London.
- The first Hard Rock Cafe opened in London. The owners got the idea because they could not find a good burger here.
- One of the favorite foods of people here is Indian. I guess that is what the result of colonization. The first Indian restaurant opened here in the early 1800s.
- They have such high regard for Winston Churchhill that his statue has an electrick current that scares birds away. They do not want pigeons pooping on his head.
Funny conversation of the day: We passed a statue of a nude man. Kristina pointed it out to Ben and they laughed about seeing the man's butt. Ben said something about his butt cheeks. I thought to myself . . . it is a good thing we did not drive past the other side. I can just imagine what that conversation would be like.
Tomorrow we are headed to the ship.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Jet Lagged in London
Les and I shuffled down the street in search of a restaurant as our overactive, sleep deprived children ran circles around us. I know alot of kids get super busy when they are tired and that it is not unique to ours, but managing them can be very challenging.
The staff at the hotel directed us to Covent Garden, an area with lots of shops and restaurants, saying that we could find all kinds of food there (Indian, Thai, Chinese). As I listened to their suggestions, I tried to wrap my mind around the idea of coming all the way to London and then eating Chinese food. It seems absurd.
After walking a few blocks and passing several of the restaurants mentioned at the hotel, we decided on an English pub and enjoyed a traditional English meal, fish and chips. It seemed like lunch to us (noon EST), but was really about 5pm local time. Although fried foods are not my favorite, I feel satisfied that I have had a true British experience. (I think I actually like those other foods better though.)
As we lingered over our meal, the food settled in and I once again grew tired. My thoughts of taking a walk vanished, and we returned to the hotel for rest and wallet searching. It is now almost 7 p.m. here, and I am looking forward to going to bed tonight.
By the way, Wikepedia says that jet lag can take about 1.5 days per time zone to adjust. If that is true, we will be "jet lagging" for almost half of our visit!
The staff at the hotel directed us to Covent Garden, an area with lots of shops and restaurants, saying that we could find all kinds of food there (Indian, Thai, Chinese). As I listened to their suggestions, I tried to wrap my mind around the idea of coming all the way to London and then eating Chinese food. It seems absurd.
After walking a few blocks and passing several of the restaurants mentioned at the hotel, we decided on an English pub and enjoyed a traditional English meal, fish and chips. It seemed like lunch to us (noon EST), but was really about 5pm local time. Although fried foods are not my favorite, I feel satisfied that I have had a true British experience. (I think I actually like those other foods better though.)
As we lingered over our meal, the food settled in and I once again grew tired. My thoughts of taking a walk vanished, and we returned to the hotel for rest and wallet searching. It is now almost 7 p.m. here, and I am looking forward to going to bed tonight.
By the way, Wikepedia says that jet lag can take about 1.5 days per time zone to adjust. If that is true, we will be "jet lagging" for almost half of our visit!
Arrived in London but the Wallet Didn't
I seem to be really get myself worked up about leaving town. Did I remember to do everything? Are we taking enough money? What kind of clothes will we need? Did I pack enough? I spent most of the day yesterday feeling anxious about these things as we prepared to leave.
At times it seemed that things took twice as long as they should. After spending hours trying to do a load of laundry, I finally discovered that the water valve was turned off. Then I lost the cat, and finally discovered that she was locked out on the porch. Then I lost the keys to the storage unit where the suitcases are kept . . . and my day went on like that.
Well, I thought it was all over once we left the house. My anxiety is overcome by the sweet relief that all tasks are completed and we are on our way. All seemed to be fine until I got to the hotel this morning and discovered that I lost my wallet . . . good grief . . . so now the calls and searching are on.
Well on a brighter note, the flight was on time and very smooth. We left Dulles at 10 p.m - just in time for sleeping - and arrived at about 5 a.m. EST. That means it was 10 a.m. here. Although we were tired, we did get some sleep on the plane and are functioning. (Although not well enough to keep from losing my wallet.)
Tip: The extra legroom coach seats are worth the price for a long flight. 5 extra inches of leg room make a big difference when trying to sleep. I don't think I would do it for a shorter flight though.
So far, my impressions of London are that it is steeped in tradition and is a very old city. Whenever I come to Europe, I am always struck by how much older the building are than in the US. Of course, I understand this on an intellectual level - I learned about it in history class. However, it is different to see it in person.
We drove through various parts of London on the way from the airport to the hotel. Each area of the city seems to have its own character and charm. To really appreciate this city, one would need more than just two days.
Funniest conversation of the trip: Ben expressed disappointment about leaving his balloon at the restaurant (went to Red Robin on the way to the airport). Kristina tried to console him by saying that it was no big deal, balloons are not that important, and she does not even really like them.
Then he said, "so can I have yours."
"Well, I didn't really mean . . . sometimes its actually the reverse . . . actually . . ." She sputtered.
"So, that means no?"
At times it seemed that things took twice as long as they should. After spending hours trying to do a load of laundry, I finally discovered that the water valve was turned off. Then I lost the cat, and finally discovered that she was locked out on the porch. Then I lost the keys to the storage unit where the suitcases are kept . . . and my day went on like that.
Well, I thought it was all over once we left the house. My anxiety is overcome by the sweet relief that all tasks are completed and we are on our way. All seemed to be fine until I got to the hotel this morning and discovered that I lost my wallet . . . good grief . . . so now the calls and searching are on.
Well on a brighter note, the flight was on time and very smooth. We left Dulles at 10 p.m - just in time for sleeping - and arrived at about 5 a.m. EST. That means it was 10 a.m. here. Although we were tired, we did get some sleep on the plane and are functioning. (Although not well enough to keep from losing my wallet.)
Tip: The extra legroom coach seats are worth the price for a long flight. 5 extra inches of leg room make a big difference when trying to sleep. I don't think I would do it for a shorter flight though.
So far, my impressions of London are that it is steeped in tradition and is a very old city. Whenever I come to Europe, I am always struck by how much older the building are than in the US. Of course, I understand this on an intellectual level - I learned about it in history class. However, it is different to see it in person.
We drove through various parts of London on the way from the airport to the hotel. Each area of the city seems to have its own character and charm. To really appreciate this city, one would need more than just two days.
Funniest conversation of the trip: Ben expressed disappointment about leaving his balloon at the restaurant (went to Red Robin on the way to the airport). Kristina tried to console him by saying that it was no big deal, balloons are not that important, and she does not even really like them.
Then he said, "so can I have yours."
"Well, I didn't really mean . . . sometimes its actually the reverse . . . actually . . ." She sputtered.
"So, that means no?"
Monday, June 21, 2010
My First Blog
Up before anyone else, I am quickly setting up my blog -- my first -- so that I can get back to the laundry, dishes, packing, errands, and other tasks to prepare for the trip. For some reason, my stress level seems to build the closer we get to time to leave. The washing machine acting up and a last minute decision to try "the patch" are not helping.
I just learned that "the patch" requires a prescription, adding even more tasks to my day. But after learning that the waters of the North Sea can be quite rough, this has moved to the top of my list.
Well, so far so good with the blog set up. I hope this works out because I am looking forward to share with you my travel experiences.
At 7:40 tonight, we will be boarding a plane headed for London. After a couple of days there, we embark on a 12 day Disney Cruise to Norway, Germany, Sweden, Russia . . .
See you there!
I just learned that "the patch" requires a prescription, adding even more tasks to my day. But after learning that the waters of the North Sea can be quite rough, this has moved to the top of my list.
Well, so far so good with the blog set up. I hope this works out because I am looking forward to share with you my travel experiences.
At 7:40 tonight, we will be boarding a plane headed for London. After a couple of days there, we embark on a 12 day Disney Cruise to Norway, Germany, Sweden, Russia . . .
See you there!
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