A Rainy Day in Paris

Paris is perceived and idolized as an enigma of a city. Beautiful, thin women walk the streets, a culture of sophistication prevails, knowledge and history are down literally every road you turn, and perhaps most importantly, they have world famous decadent cuisine. Outside of enjoying a week in the south of France for a wedding last year, I had never been. Many books and blogs I enjoy are written by true Francophiles, and I was greatly looking forward to finally embracing their lifestyle, if only for a long weekend.

We flew in on a Thursday afternoon and were fortunate enough to stay in a truly gorgeous apartment with family friends. As we made our way to the apartment, backpacks in tow, I was unsure of what to expect from the next few days. Upon our arrival, it was clear we were off to a great start. Our living quarters were absolutely picturesque. We entered a building, passed through a court yard, and went up to see a perfectly furnished abode and a homemade dinner being prepared for us. Secret number one to French cooking: simple and fresh ingredients are everything.

The following day we were greeted by gloomy rain storms that lasted throughout the entire morning. Both of us had backed our travel umbrellas, but my feet became soaked and it was making me chilly. We purchased a two day pass for the Metro system, and it was fairly easy to navigate our way around using the lines while avoiding the worst of the rain.

We began at the Arc de Triomphe. In a way, I was very grateful for the rain as it probably deterred many tourists from the outdoor spots. We made our way through the tunnels leading up to the arc to avoid the roundabout of cars, scooters, and motorcycles. We took cover underneath while enjoying the detailed etching on every edge of the structure. 

From there we made our way to the Louvre, we didn't have much of an intention to go inside, but felt it necessary to check out. It's a good thing we didn't have our heart sets on the museum, as the lines of umbrella carrying Louvre-goers wound its way throughout the center grounds.

We made our way from the Louvre and it's pyramids through the Jardin des Tuileries.

To get to our next destination, Notre Dame Cathedral, we took the Metro. I took numerous pictures both inside and outside of the cathedral, but they unfortunately didn't turn out due to the rain and the drops which fell on my camera lens, smearing all of my photos.

Hungry and cold, we left Notre Dame and made our way to a cafe where Tom ate lunch with his family years earlier. We both had burgers and fries, not your typical French fare, but it's pretty much all we could decipher on the menu. Besides, we weren't feeling adventurous at the moment. As we were leaving, the weather was finally beginning to clear and we captured some great pictures of the "love lock" bridge by Notre Dame.

Taking advantage of the now clear weather, we jumped on the Metro to go to the Eiffel Tower. While there were minimal lines to go to the top of the tower, my dislike of heights and I passed on the experience.

Upwards view of the Eiffel Tower

We made our way through the grounds and across the pathways to the quaint shops and cafes along Trocadero. The chill and gloominess of the day was making rather tired so we popped into Cafe Trocadero for a chocolate chaud and a break.

Under gloriously warm heat lamps, we relaxed and enjoyed the view of the Eiffel Tower from the patio seats. We covered a number of sights in our first day alone. Lounging in what I considered to be a very Parisian fashion served as the perfect ending to our sightseeing in the heart of Paris for the evening. After scraping the bottom of my mug for every last drop of hot chocolate, we returned to the apartment to take a nap before a night out at a very unique location. But that is for another post.

We're Halfway There

This week marks the half way point in our European adventures. I have been mentally preparing myself for our time in Germany for months, but nothing would leave me adequately ready except for experience itself. I don't do well with change. I get overwhelmed, freak out, get adjusted and love it, only to become overwhelmed again once things switch or go back to how they used to be. 

When we arrived, I had no idea what I was doing, and let's be honest, most of the time I still don't. However, I can now successfully navigate a grocery store, travel on the U-Bahn, and communicate in basic phrases. My number one job, or really only job, here is to plan our trips. I'm an organizer. I love color coded goods and that accomplished pen-to-paper sensation. I thought this was going to be so easy. Well, my egotistical thoughts were sadly mistaken. Our first real trip was to Neuschwanstein. Tom had booked the hotel, I confirmed the castle tickets and failed to do any research on the town where we were staying, Fussen. We got lucky on that one, it was a touristy area and we found good food and our hotel had a great bar. I vowed to do a better job the next time. 

Amsterdam time arrived. This one I was ready for, lists of bars, tours, and restaurants. While our lunch spot was not quite ideal as they didn't serve beer (super weird, especially in Europe), I was well prepared. I also was frustrated because although we had an amazing time and fit a lot into the two days we were in the Netherlands, we didn't get to accomplish every last thing I researched. This is where my obsessiveness is my worst enemy. I felt like, fine, we'll just wing it next time and be totally fine. Sometimes this worked, as in Lucerne where our concierge desk was unbelievably helpful. They made reservations for our dinners and let us purchase tickets to whatever tour we desired. Heidelberg, however, was where my frustrations and following lack of preparation really bit me in the ass. I had no clue where to park, where to eat, and where to go outside of two places. We have no data on our international phone plan so once we leave the apartment, that's pretty much it until we find wifi at a cafe or hotel where we are staying. 

So, what have I learned in my two plus months here that can really save you in the future? I came across a quote online that was meant to pertain to a manner in which to go about your life:

"Over prepare, and then relax". 

I don't do relaxation all that well to begin with, let alone while flying down the Autobahn at 200 km per hour. But it is so true. What does it matter if half the restaurants I found were never enjoyed or sites were never visited? Our trips are only two to three days, four maximum, in the first place. Knowing the fifteen places to park, or all the locations available to board a train can prove essential when you are navigating your way through a foreign country.

To plan an ideal weekend trip, let along week long vacation, takes practice. For the majority of people the initial lack of knowledge can be counteracted by a quick search of the internet, a luxury we don't have while abroad and are forced to resolve any issue through trial and error. Not to take away from the adventurous spirit of going into a situation and playing it by ear, but why not have something to fall back on in case of bad weather or an unexpected obstacle? An ideal time table and back up plan is not easily achieved, but it's well worth the effort. 

Before you embark upon your next adventure, whether your trip takes you to the next state or half way around the globe, take my advice. Do your homework. Make your spreadsheet, index cards, app based schedule, whatever suits your needs. Then, go with the flow. Enjoy your well deserved break and take it all in.

So You Want to Buy a Cuckoo Clock...

Stuttgart is near the Black Forest region of Germany. The Black Forest is known for hiking, cuckoo clocks, and the ever famous Black Forest cake. As our international gift to ourselves, we wanted to purchase a cuckoo clock as a reminder to us of our newlywed time abroad. We had looked for clocks in a number of stores, but came up empty handed. After doing some reading and research, I came across Triberg, Germany. Triberg is two hours from us, very manageable for a day trip. Triberg is also home to two large cuckoo clock shops and Germany's highest waterfalls.

We left for Triberg mid morning on a Saturday, and were making decent time on our way out of the city. Suddenly, our car started beeping, alerting us to a problem with the engine. While our car, fortunately, never stopped working the engine was not working properly and I was anxious about it giving out in the middle of nowhere. We called our car rental service as we were approaching the airport and were able to switch to another Ford Kuga after about 45 minutes of discussions and effort. This car is a bit newer, all wheel drive, and is black, making it appear much cleaner than our white one! The only down side is we now have a manual. In a country full of steep hills. I haven't driven stick in nine years but I am about to relearn in a foreign country. It will make for a unique experience.

Car trouble aside, the drive was effortless. As we approached the most heavy part of the forest, the area became noticeably darker due to the height and density of the trees. The darkness made for a cool and somewhat ominous effect.

Up first, the Haus der 1000 Uhren (House of 1000 Clocks). I went to scope out the gifts throughout the shop while Tom focused on finding the perfect clock. The shop was very well run. They would take the clock you were looking at, remove it from the shelf, and hang it on a blank wall to provide a more objective view for you to decide if you liked it or not. There were three hooks, so you had the opportunity to compare up to that number of clocks. Ultimately, we were torn between two options. The very traditional cuckoo style, with dark wood and nature carvings, and the style I most associate with cuckoo clocks, more modern with rotating pieces and people. 

We had the more modern one hanging up for a while before hanging the traditional one next to it. When we saw the two side by side, we instantly knew which one we wanted.

When the clock chimes each hour, the man drinks his beer, the water wheel turns, and you have the option for the dancers up top to dance and spin. Each acorn acts as a lever, one is for the clock, one for the "cuckoo" noise, and one for the music and dancers. We will primarily only use the first two, you can remove the acorn of the feature you don't wish to use. The lady who helped us was awesome, plus we were able to ship it back to Chicago for a very practical price. This little beauty will be set up in Tom's man cave upon our return.

Absolutely famished from our successful shopping trip, we were recommended to try the pizza place next door. I got wine from the Baden region and a small Gorgonzola and spinach pizza and both were absolutely amazing. I've had three or four pizzas since arriving in Europe and this one was my favorite.

To work off our pizza, we walked the waterfall path. To call it a hike would be rather overzealous unless you were new to hiking. We went up the steep path directly alongside the falls and the view was spectacular. The sun was well blocked by the trees, creating a very serene and isolated environment.

Triberg is easy for tourists like us. Everyone spoke English and we were able to park our car once as the entire area was walkable. While it doesn't boast huge draws like a castle or museum, it provided us with the perfect Black Forest experience.

Take Your Husband to the Zoo Day

Germany has an insane amount of zoos, or Tiergarten. More than anywhere else in the world. This means 400+ zoos occupy this relatively small country. Tom loves the zoo. Whenever visiting one, my professional, dignified husband turns into a man child. We went to the Wilhelma Zoo in Stuttgart one Sunday, and I must say, being in a foreign country does not lead to any change in his typical zoo behavior.

The "hop like a kangaroo" display. For children. At least he stuck the landing.

Honestly, I feel like all zoos are the same. I enjoy going and it is a good way to spend a relaxing afternoon, but often it's nothing special. This trip successfully changed my mind.  

The rain forest house was beautiful. The temperature was humid and warm to mimic the appropriate climate. There were fish, birds, butterflies, and a variety of snakes throughout. The snakes were well contained in transparent, enclosed displays, but the butterflies were fluttering about. It's mind boggling they never seem to escape the building.

As we progressed through the displays, many animals were indoors and closed off for one reason or another. This was a bit of a let down and we perused the indoor portions of the animal houses when we could. Most were empty, although we did see a super sweet orangutans and other monkeys. Then, we happened upon this hippo. A huge crowd was gathering and we managed to wiggle our way into the middle to see what the fuss was about. Two hippos were being bathed in an open area and we had the opportunity to see one slipping into a pool of water. The pool was admittedly small, the poor guy could only float in one spot before turning around and climbing out, but I don't think I have ever been that close to a hippopotamus.

Ever see a mother seal nursing her pup? We have. As we were leaving the hippopotamus area, we paused to watch the seals. There were three of them, (presumably mother, father, and baby) just as we were going to leave the baby seal start flopping around and making noise like crazy. Not too sure of what was about to transpire, we stayed put. I am glad we did because we got to witness something I've never seen before. The baby seal began chasing her mother before the two settled in and feeding began. It was a really sweet moment between them, and the mother looked so peaceful while nursing.

On our way out, we meandered through some other displays and cleared out before the 4:30 pm closing time. Visiting the zoo that day was about much more than just walking by a bunch of animals and reading their information signs (or attempting to read them as they were only in German...). We had the chance to observe the animals and see so many unique interactions. I have a new found love and respect for zoos. I fully understand and support Germany's Tiergarten obsession.

Plus, we got to walk through my favorite park on the way home, making for the perfect Sunday afternoon.

Halloween and a Walk in the Park

Knowing we would be in Germany for Halloween, I assumed celebrations and the need for costumes would not arise. However, when we were invited to not only one, but two Halloween parties, I realized I was quite mistaken. Halloween is a somewhat recent occurrence here, only popping up within the last few years and only a limited number of people choose to partake. Well, we were without any costumes and, having packed only essentials for our international months, I did not bring enough to DIY us a couple of costumes. We had to get creative.

While grocery shopping Halloween morning, I headed for the holiday section of the store only to see an employee rolling out their only rack of Halloween costumes and decor. Determined to not miss out on them, I stealthily followed him through the yogurt and eggs section. He finally dropped the nearly empty display rack next to the tofu selection, and I pounced. It was slim pickings, being able to chose from either a bizarre nonsensical wig or a witch hat. I went with the hat, and after receiving a judgmental look from the checkout lady (she did not like my hat), I was on my way home to figure out the rest of our ensembles.

I wore all black and wrapped an orange scarf around me as a skirt to really amplify the Halloween colors. Tom brought his construction hat abroad, so that was an easy one. He donned my most attractive jorts, put a hammer through the loop, and was a construction worker. Thankfully, he also wore sweat pants to walk to and from the parties!

The evening worked out perfectly, each party was twenty minutes from us, albeit in opposite directions. Although with some swift walking and a train between the two, we succeeding in making our rounds. Everyone we met was very friendly and, bonus points, they spoke English as well. The only down side of celebrating Halloween in another country is there were people dressed up as pop culture figures or characters from German television shows, which was rather lost on us.

Saturday afternoon, we recovered by walking through the nearby Berg Park. We had yet to do much exploring in our own area, and although we've seen the park benches and trees many times from the train stop, we had yet to venture over.

 

I hear the weather back home has been cold and unpleasant, even snowing on Halloween. We have been very fortunate as of yet and outside of passing cool rain, the temperatures have made for ideal fall days.

There were numerous well paved paths going in each direction, one of which lead to the local zoo, which was on our agenda for the next day. Koi fish swam in one of the creeks and ducks lined the grassy waterfronts. Families were out for a walk, many pushing their children in strollers and others were biking through the grounds. We found a spot off the beaten path where there appeared to be a cafe at one time. If I find myself in need of a retirement plan, I am coming back here and opening a new cafe in that spot, because the park was breathtaking.

Satisfied with scouting out our path for the zoo the following afternoon, we walked the ten minutes home. I love where we live. It's quiet, I feel safe, and it's a very family friendly area. But, I never realized such a tranquil, expansive park was just across the road from us. It really does pay to know and explore your neighborhood.

Brussels for the Morning

On our way home from Ghent, we stopped over in Brussels with our friends to do some sight seeing. How did we feel about Brussels? I give you our reaction in picture form:

Was ist das?

Our first mission was to see the Mannekin Pis, or the more eloquently put "peeing boy" statue. As we walked through streets lined with gift shops, we saw numerous recreations of this display. Large duplicates outside of shops, small pictures on magnets, and souvenirs of all kinds to take home. As it turns out, the gift shop recreations would have been better. We rounded a corner, excited to see this famous sight, and were immediately confused. The four of us intensely examined the map, thinking we surely went in the wrong direction or it must be just around another corner somewhere. No, this was it! If you're ever in that area of Brussels, visit the statue, take a sarcastic picture, and move on.

Indeed, we did move on and walked through the overwhelmingly scenic landscape of the city to get to the European Parliament location in Brussels. We walked through a square completely surrounding by historical buildings with grand architecture and a long, tree lined park where the leaves were just beginning to turn to their fall colors.

The Parliament building was just about to open, so we fought our way though a huge crowd of students and got to security just before they did. Audio guides were provided, I initially had a great deal of difficulty scanning each exhibit to hear the narrator, but I eventually succeeded in figuring it out! The stories of the evolution of Europe, the surrounding countries, and their policies was interesting. However, I felt the pictures in each display area were the most powerful. By far the best part of the tour was an interactive area set up in a large open space. A map of Europe was painted on the floor, each country was represented, and at least one city in each country was linked to a story about an influential policy, act, or piece of research performed there. To hear the stories, you didn't point and click/scan your audio guide over it, you selected a large podium looking device that was placed on wheels with a tv screen for you to watch the section over the top of the city of your choice. The real reason I enjoyed this display so much was because of my overwhelming desire to grab onto a podium and just go sprinting across the room with it, taking out whomever and whatever was in my way. I imagine this must be similar to the feeling all great politicians get as they stand behind any podium. Probably not, though. 

Overall, I am so incredibly glad we stayed in Ghent for that weekend as it was so much more historically magical. Brussels was fun, we had a great lunch before we left, but if I ever return it would simply be to fulfill my dream of organizing a great race of podiums on wheels.

Waffles and Chocolate in Ghent

Belgium is undoubtedly credited with being the ultimate authority when it comes to breakfast (Belgian waffles, anyone?) and their chocolate seems to exceed most others as well. Never one to settle for what I am told, we ventured to Belgium to taste test each treat.

Initially, we were thinking Brussels. It's the capital and in a central location so it seemed to be the logical choice. Thankfully, a coworker of Tom's let him on to the magnificence that is Ghent. Admittedly, I had never really studied the geography of Belgium and didn't explore further options, but as soon as I began some research on Ghent, it looked like a great choice. Ghent is a very historic town located in the west of Belgium, the language there is Flemish and is kind of like a dialect of Dutch. The east part of Belgium, however, speaks French, and I was at a total disadvantage, because I know none of these languages.

Our six hour drive to Ghent ended up being nearly nine hours. Construction was everywhere and our GPS lost service and started freaking out on a newly reconstructed highway. We arrived in the evening, unsure of precisely where to park as our hotel's website stated the garage was full but public parking was "nearby". This resulted in us driving through pedestrian pathways, the pedestrians were less than enthused to clear the way, and on train tracks, with us narrowly missing meeting our demise via a Belgian street train. Eventually, we did manage to locate what seemed to be the only garage downtown and lugged all of our things through the uneven brick lined streets. On the positive side, the city was really quiet and we were walking through the heart of their shopping district.

We were fortunate enough to be spending the weekend with friends and we had dinner at a local burger place shortly after they arrived. Ghent is located on the water with numerous bridges and canals, similar to Amsterdam. But the city is much less touristy and a has a lower population, making you feel like you are on an evening stroll instead of caught up in the hustle and bustle.

The following morning we had to keep our strength up and went to Brasserie Agrea for breakfast. I was dying to get a true Belgian waffle, I opted for a healthier variety with fresh fruit instead of ice cream and chocolate. I also ordered an omelette for some protein and ate half. Tom carbo loaded with a waffle and the gigantic piece of bread that accompanied my eggs. Belgian waffles are amazing by the way. The outside was perfectly crisp and the inside was soft and warm, one day I will master making Belgian waffles.

The smallest bar in Ghent

After breakfast, we navigated our way to the river front for a canal tour. The sun was beginning to rise over the buildings and the city, making the lighting absolutely beautiful as it reflected off the water.

Gravensteen Castle

After the tour, we made our way to Gravensteen Castle, the landmark also serves as a torture museum and we were really pumped to check it out. We received a headset with what we assumed would provide an audio tour to the history behind the castle. Not so much. What played was a bizarre video of actors recreating the peak time period of the castle tied in with a modern day love story with the leading actors in the film. It was odd, I gave up on in two rooms in, Tom listened the whole way through and confirmed it did nothing to enhance knowledge or experience. The castle itself was interesting and the displays were well labeled to tell you the order in which to view them.

We ate lunch along the canal before making our way to the shopping district. Zara Home seriously caught my eye. I love decor, plush towels, and luxurious soaps and resisting the urge to purchase half the store required a serious amount of will power. I gave in though while looking at the Leonidas chocolate shop. I selected 15 truffles for six euros! It's like they were giving it away! That logic isn't quite true, but I stand by my delicious decision.

St. Nicholas Church

The street in front of our hotel had all of the historical churches. The above one, St. Nicholas, was also the church we drove in front of as we were lost Friday night. St. Nicholas was constructed in the 13th century, they were working to preserve and restore the front when we were there, a nearly constant process. We were there in the evening and the soft daylight filtered through the stained glass perfectly.

Afterward, we picked up a chocolate smothered waffle from a street vendor and visited the smallest bar in Ghent for a drink. The bar was along the canal and did indeed have a very small outdoor seating area, but it was a great place to relax for awhile before moving on with our night. Dinner was at a barbecue restaurant just north of us, the guys opted for all you can eat ribs and beer while us girls stuck to our water and single slab. Admittedly, we did have a few ribs from the boys' second order. The honey ribs were delicious. 

If I ever return to Belgium, I will definitely be staying in Ghent. Sadly, we left early the following morning, grabbing a pastry from a nearby bakery on our way out. We all had a long drive ahead of us, but we also wanted to briefly hit up the capital, Brussels before going home.