Barcelona

So after an extended stay in Paris we finally have moved on.  We took the overnight train from Paris to Barcelona, a 12 hour journey.  It wasn't too bad as we had booked a room on the train and could sort of sleep through the trip.  It was great as we arrived in Spain early in the morning so it gave us a full day to discover the city.

Maphew boarding the train 

Each city we have visited thus far certainly has it's own personality and charm and Barcelona has certainly proven to be very different from our other european destinations.  The city is so interesting with it's great architecture and interesting sites, and the people here are the most welcoming yet.  Within hours we had been helped by several locals and even met up with some people for drinks.   The people of Spain do live on a different time schedule and we are trying to get use to it.  Nothing opens until after 10, lunch never begins before 2:30, dinner is at 9:00 and you go out to the bars at midnight and the clubs at 2 to 6 AM.  We are doing our best trying to live on their time schedules and it has been great fun.

La Pedrera

We have been immersed in Gaudi for the last two days and it has been most inspiring.  He was without a doubt a a great architect and his structures look like nothing else I have ever seen.  First we hit La Pedrera his amazing modernist apartment building with it's curvey walls and delicate wrought iron work.  Then we hit Sagrada Familia the incomplete massive church that is still being worked on here and will be done in the next 35 years, if all goes well.  This is a marvel to see, like no other cathedral in all of the world.  We also hit is Park Quell and Casa Battlo, both with there undulating walls and unique design.

Sagrada Familia 

We have lots of time to stroll the La Rambla (their walking strret), the beach and get lost in the old part of the city through the narrow lanes and streets that seem to go on forever.  The city is so walkable and easy to navigate, and again Laurence is so busy taking his pics of absolutely everything.  We are both in love with this city, and the people here have been a blast thus far, everyone wants to chat and Laurence is making lots of new friends, his favorite thing to do.  And for our friends in Australia, Laurence has discovered that Magnums are every where here in Europe, he is a happy man.

Palau Guell

Barcelona is the BEST.  The B and B we are staying in is for sale........... ummm what should we do?

Paris 2

We have been extended here in Paris by a few days due to issues with getting a train booked out of the city, and with the flight problems it is all good for us.  We got our apartment extended by a few nights and got to enjoy a bit more of Pairs.  So we got the Museum Pass for four days and did marathon session of museums in the city, and truly got our money's worth.  Must be the dutchmen in me but we saw over 12 museums and cathedrals in the last four days and they were all worth it.

Maphew taking a spin on a Vespa

Highlights for sure were Napoleon's tomb, which is a huge granite tomb inside a most impressive large church built specifically for him. As well the L Orangie, a beatiful museum built around 8 of Monet's largest works of water lilies, a most impressive site for sure.  So we kept really busy walking the streets of Paris looking for all the key sites and taking in this great city.  It really is a city with its own character and style and with surprises around every corner.

Monet's Water Lilies Painting

Yesterday we hiked up to Sacre' Coeur and spent the day in the Montmartre district,with it's windy streets and artist sudios. Laurence even convinced me to spend a few hours in a old cemetary looking at the impressive and large tomb stones.  

Sacre' Coeur

The reality of this holiday is finally setting in with both of us, as we decided today to just slow down and really not do much but enjoy the city, our aparmtent and take a breather.  This being a tourist is like a full time job,  but we are both here to enjoy but most importantly relax and take in the moment.  So we did...

South Bank and Versailles

Spent one full day exploring the south bank of Paris, called the St. Germaine district.  The area is classic Paris with windy streets, great architecture and sites at every corner.  We started the morning with a tour of the stunning St. Chapelle church, a masterpiece in stained glass, it was like being inside a jewel.  Then we made our way the the Pantheon, a massive structure built for royal and state affairs. And spent several hours  in one of Paris's best museum the Musee d'Orsay, which has an amazing collection of impressionist art and sculpture.  And had a wonderful lunch from a patisserie in the chairs at the Garden of Luxembourg, felt just like we were a Parisian.  And stopped at several other chapels and ended up at St. Madelaine a most surprising church, with a roman inspired exterior to a much grander interior.

St. Chapelle church

Laurence is learning so much through out this trip but also at the bar.  By watching the actions of the patrons at the pub he noticed they ordered their beer with something first put in the glass.  So we now know all about Picon an orange flavoured liquor that goes in your beer, very tasty.  But more importantly we caught on to drinking Pastis, a licorce flavoured 45% liquor that you drink with water that is only 2 dollars a glass, the cheapest thing to drink here for sure.

Back view of Versailles

The highlight for sure has been Versailles.  The most amazing palace is even bigger and grander than I remember it from 25 years ago.  We spent the whole day there and still did not see all of the grounds,  the site is so immense, the only down fall is we went early in the season and the foutains are not turned on yet.  The royal apartments and the hall of mirrors are impossible to describe, with so much detail and Louis 14 style at its prime.

The Gardens in Versailles

 But the gardens are the show stopper for sure, the site is so immense it takes hours to walk through the gardens and you still do not see it all, we did make our way to the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon as well as Marie Antoinette's village.  Laurence took over 800 pictures in one day he could not stop saying OMG.  This truly is an amazing site to see!

News Updates

Mom and Sam on a Volvcation

Mom and Sam are trapped in Holland due to the ash cloud from Iceland.   Their one week holiday has been extened beyond their control until the air over Europe opens up again.  So they are getting an extended visit with the relatives in Dieren, thanks to the great hosts of Connie and Leo who have let them stay on.

Anna-Lisa and David married today in Hawaii

Best Wishes to the Happy Couple

A big congratulations goes out to Anna-Lisa  (Laurence's siter) and David as today is their wedding day on the island of Mauai in Hawaii.  Wishing the couple the very best on this very special day and wish we were there on the beach with you to celebrate this special day.


Maphew gets a farmer haircut

As Maphew is spending his year away out in the coutry with horses and cats, at my sisters near Leduc. As his scottie hair cut was not working out very well as he was tracking in the whole farm backing into the house, my sister gave him a farmer cut.  He does not even look like the same dog anymore, but oh well its just a haircut and will all come back when we return.

I look like such farmer!!!!

Fontainebleu and Mont Saint-Michael

Having been having a great time here in Paris walking around and seeing the sites and enjoying the food and drink.  But to break it up we have done two road trips to see some wonderful sites outsite of Paris.

 

Front view of Fountainebleu

First we went to Fountainebleu the summer palace of the french royal family about an hour outside of Paris.  The palace was deceiving when you first arrive and did not seem very large from the public entrance, but once inside it proved to be huge and impressive.  A lot of the state rooms are still fully furnished in the grand style of the time including alot or changes made by Napoleon himself to accomodate his needs.  And of course the gardens were huge and beautiful designed in the very traditional french style.

Of the many paintings we saw

We spent another full day in the Louvre finishing off what we started to make sure Laurence saw the entire collection of art.  I can now can distiguish between  styles of art periods and areas, from Rubens large format grand french style to the dark shadows of the dutch masters such as Vermeer and Rembrandt.  It has been very educational for me and Laurence is in is absolute glory.

Mont Saint-Michael one of the most amazing wonders

Then yesterday went off to Mont Saint-Michael a most impressive Cathedral and village built on an island in the english channel.  This most impressive site started construction in 708 AD and took several hundred of years to complete.  It was once an abbey and a site for religious pilgrimage and an awe inspiring site to see for sure.  Both Laurence and I were amazed with the structure and the history of the church.  It has been a highlight to my world travels for sure and in the same category as the temples of Angkor Wat.  This is a site all should see if they are heading in this direction.

Paris

Well Paris has turned out to be even better then I remembered, it truly is a beautiful city. And seeing Paris through Laurence's eyes has truly been a wonderful treat, he is like a small boy in a candy store.

Our apartment is right in the middle of the Marais district, a short walk to Notre Dame Cathedral, and it is full of trendy shops and bars, a real lively place at night, but it has a real community feel and not very touristy which is great. The apartment is very small but adequate for our needs, I am sure the building is over 200 years old and it is leaning towards the road and the floor are very uneven, but it is all good.

The first day we walked all through the heart of Paris starting with a tour of Notre Dame to the Tuilleires Gardens, to Hotel de Invalidde to the tower itself. In fact I convinced Laurence to go all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower, we did stairs the first two stages and elevator the last. I am too dutch to pay for the elevator all the way. It was a very clear day and we could see for ever but very cold up top and Laurence was very uncomfortable with the height.

Eiffel Tower

Then we went on to the Arc de Triumph and down the Champs Elysees to some very good shopping. In fact the shopping here is fantastic it is taking everything we have not to start buying things and sending them home.

Yesterday we spent the day at the Louvre and only saw about a third of this enourmous museum, It takes a lot of time when Laurence seems to be taking pics of every piece of art in the place. In fact he took over 900 pictures inside the museum alone. And that does include pictures of Maphew with famous art pieces. We did see Venice de Milo and Mona but we still have so much more to see but after 7 hours of looking at art you need to stop and get some beer. But it was a real joy to see the art through Laurence's trained eye, I have a whole new appreciation for great art and sculpture.

the Louvre

My high school french is slowly coming back to me and have been able to use it when ordering food and services. The people here have been very warm and once you try a little french they help you along. And the food here is great but not nearly as fatting as back in Holland, so hopefully with all this walking we will loose the dutch pounds.

Dieren (the relatives)

We just spent three great days with family in the small town of Dieren about an hour east of Amsterdam.  And picking us up at the train station was Sam, as he had flown into Holland that morning with mother.  So it was a great time to catch up with them as well as reconnecting with tantes, ooms and cousins from the land of the wooden shoe.  It was a packed full three days of meeting the cousins again and Laurence was thrown into the family at its best and he took it all in stride, even when he could not understand most things.  He can now match faces to all of mom's stories.

Hendrika's Childhood Home

Connie, Leo and Lex were the perfect hosts, not only giving us a great place to crash, but also playing tour guide and feeding us everything in their house.  I believe I have gained three kilos just because of these relatives feeding us ever dutch treat, and now Laurence and I are hooked on fla.  The food just kept coming but it was all wonderful and reminds me so much of mom's cooking.

A Three Windmill Moment

And it was so much fun reliving old family stories as well as making our own memories.  Carrots will never be the same nor old men in parking lots waving goodbye.  We had so many wonderful moments of laughing and enjoying the country side as well as the beautiful Openlucht Museum (their version of Heritage Park).  And Laurence even got to play a pipe organ all he needs now is a monkey and a cup and he could have a new career.

Sam and I In Front of Our Father's Childhood Home

Mom was in her glory not only were her three boys with her, but she got to relive old memories as well as connect with her brother and sisters.  She did the flight over very well and was full of energy during the day but did peak early and needed her rest.

It was a wonderful visit and I was reminded again how important family really is, and that even though we are worlds apart we are drawn together by a common thread that makes it all so wonderful.  Holland really is an amazing place but family are where the heart is.

After saying goodbye at the train station (and again to Sam and Mom) we were off to Amsterdam for the night and have now just arrived in Paris.  Found the apartment very easily however we now have to stay a few days longer here as the trains out of Paris were all booked for the days I wanted, oh well it will all work out.  An extra day in Paris is no hardship for sure.

Amsterdam 2

Having a real great time in Amsterdam exploring the city, the culture and the food, it is truly is a great city to visit.  The one major difference here is the "coffee shop" it certainly is not a Starbucks it is a whole different kind of place to take a break and the smells from these shops are every where (if you know what I mean).

 Notice the leaning buildings

And for the first few days I thought I was loosing my perspective on architecture as everything here is leaning.  I have never seen a city before where all the buildings are leaning one way or another.  It is because this city is built on reclaimed land and the soil is very unstable.  It certainly makes for some very interesting building sites.  But it is very pretty and the perfect city for the pedestrian, owning a car here would be a nightmare.  In fact you have to be on  a list for 5 years before you can get one, but not to sure why you would here.

Inside view of Rembrandt's House

Yesterday we went to the Rijksmuseum to see the Dutch masters of Rembrandt and Vermeer.  Their art is amazing to say the least, a bit somber, but amazing.  Then we went to the Anne Frank House, a very somber and sad place.  In fact Laurence got a bit teary eyed during some of the audio portions as her story is a very sad one.  Today we did more museums and a canal boat ride, which was the only disappointment here.  It was like taking a bad city bus on the water, it was crowded, loud and not enjoyable at all.  If you are planning on coming here it is the one thing I would give a miss.

Rembrandt Painting

Last night we enjoyed a very classy dutch meal of snert (pea soup) endive stompott and flaflip.  My father would have been in his glory with this meal, and so were we.

Got great news this week.  Barb Meads a great friend from Canada is now joining us in Australia in September with Susan.  Can't wait to play tour guide and catch up it will be so much fun.

And my mother and brother are joining us this weekend in Holland visiting the cousins in Dieren.  It is just like my brother to decide with about one day notice to bring mom to Holland to catch up with her family.  This is great news as mom really does need to connect with her family back here as they are all getting older and not so well to travel.  So we will be having a bit of a family reunion tomorrow at Connie and Leo's.

Amsterdam 1

Canal View

This is such a great city to explore, around ever corner and canal there is something great to see or do. The city is much larger than I ever imagined and jam packed full of people on bikes running you down, It takes a whole new skill trying to figure out how to cross the streets here as there a pedestrians, bikes, cars and trams all n the same street. But we are getting the hang of it and have been able to navigate our way through the streets like a pro now.

Our first morning we went off to the Hermitage Museum, and saw an incredible art show called Matisse to Malcovich. Laurence was in his glory looking at the art of all the masters from Matisse to Picasso. Then we cut through the red light district, and saw the girls on the way to catch a bus to Kuekenhof (the tulip garden) It was beautiful to see the hundreds of varities of tulips and flowers, the garden is huge and we spent 3 hours aimlessly walking through the beautiful park. And today we went to the van Gogh museum, Rembrandt's House and the Royal Palace, I have now received so much culture in one day, I think my head will explode soon.

Spring Blooms

We have managed to get into some of the dutch treats as well, we had pofferjes, stroop cookies (still warm), brootjes with gehak and pannekoeka (please excuse my dutch spelling). It has all been good and I am sure along with the good beer I will be putting on weight. We even tried absinthe last night (the green fairy) which gave us both a bit of a buzz on an empty stomach. One of those things you do once but proably not again.

The people here have been very friendly to say the least and Laurence has been able to chat with someone other than just me. In fact the we have both joked about moving here, we really do like it, it's like I have returned home to the mother country.

 

Welcom. In Holland Maphew say: hoe meer mensen, hoe meer vreugde.

Tonight going to hit the happy hour time and then roam the streets at night to see the sites as well as some more of the good food here.

Tot ziens

London 2

Wow London was awesome and went by so very fast. We were up early every morning catching the sites and not home until late. London is definitely the land of the queue, you queue for everything there and the sites were very crowded for sure. But we loved every minute of it, and enjoyed watching the crowds and getting into the pace of London. We have now mastered the art of taking the tube every where, however easter weekend in London was not the best idea ever, as they shut down half the routes for repair and all the trains are packed.

We toured the major museums The Tate Modern, The British Museum, the Portrait Gallery and the V and A. All of which were magnificent and HUGE. You need at least two days to do each and then you still get sensory overload. But it was amazing and Laurence was in his glory...

Tower London

We walked too much in London we both have sore feet now, but we saw the London Eye, Parliament Buildings, Tower London, Tower Bridge and of course the two churches St Paul's and Westminister. Again mere words can not descibe the impact of seeing these fanatasitc places.

And every evenng it was a different pub with beer and meat pies and then off to a great west end show we caught Billy Elliot and Wicked the last two nights. Both were absolutely amazing.......

Model of the ferry that we took

Then last night we boarded a ship to Amsterdam and woke up in my homeland were everyone sounds like my mother. We are staying in a great hotel right in the city center close to everything and what a great city, but so different from London. Now I just have to get Laurence to eat palling and herring before we leave. And Laurence is going to attempt to share some pictures he has taken over 1500 in London alone.

London 1

Maphew making a call

The trip has finally begun. After over seven years of planning and talking about it has finally come to be a reality. The days leading up our departure are now a blur as there were so many things to do to get the house ready and to get all the tasks done to ensure all the travel plans were in order. But most difficult of all over the last few weeks and all so most surprising was the process of saying goodbye to friends and family. From the all the farewells and well wishes from all my co-workers and friends at work, to the heartfelt support from our friends to the love and encouragement we got from our family, this process of goodbye, all though only for a temporary period definitely brought on unexpected emotions. But most of all we both left our home feeling loved, supported and with a strong sense of love for our home life in Calgary. And without a doubt what will be missed is all the people and what they all mean to us. And we both look forward to returning to our life in Calgary, for we are both very fortunate to have all of you in our lives.

So after a very difficult goodbye at the airport to family and of course Maphew, Laurence and I were finally enroute to Europe. Everything about the flight went as per schedule and we arrived in London on time with no incident at all and we easily found our way to the hotel in Kensington. Out hotel is only a few blocks from Princess Diana's Kensington Palace, a very posh neighbourhood to say the least.

These first two days we played typical London tourist and visited Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, The National Museum, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey and the Tate Modern Museum. We have completely now figured out the tube and can get around the city just fine, until they shut down our line for repairs over the weekend. And we have already seen one west end show Avenue Q and have tickets for Billy Elliot tonight and Wicked on Saturday night. And we have tried lots of English ale and good pub food with peas with everything here. Besides the incredibly cold weather it has been a wonderful visit, London is great and a fun city.

And as for Maphew, Laurence talks of him daily, but to fill that void he brought along a stuffy of Maphew and this toy is now seeing London first class. He getting his picture taken on the tube, at the palace and every tourist site Laurence can find. I see the making of a book called Maphew’s Big Adventure.

And our quote of the day is "Besides taxes and debt everything else in life is for the NOW" from the characters of Avenue Q.

Hope the Queen can see me for a cup of tea