When planning our trip I mentioned to Grandma B that Kate might love a baby stroller (and I knew she had one in her gift stash). When we visit the triplets their baby stroller is the number one attraction. When I knew she would be able to fit the stroller in her suitcase I decided Kate was also ready for Bitty Baby. Grandma Sloane sent us Bitty last fall, and back then Kate was just getting used to her first doll and typically was found throwing her, banging her head against something, or chewing her feet. Needless to say, that baby doesn't even have lips anymore. Since then Kate has matured greatly. On the morning that Grandma B was scheduled to arrive I gave Bitty Baby to Kate. Her reaction was gleeful! Unfortunately I didn't have the camera ready when Kate first saw the box, but enjoy this video of her reaction once I freed Bitty from her cardboard restraints. Also included in this video is the presentation of the stroller and the love connection ever since. As a matter of fact, this morning when Kate woke up she said, "Baby?" She absolutely loves Bitty and her new stroller.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
London - Day 4
Now that I'm home it is getting harder and harder to keep this up. Don't get me wrong - I have fond memories and all, but it just seems like you wouldn't want to read about it as much. This said, Day 4 was our last, short day in London. We woke at the crack of dawn, packed our bags and headed to the British Museum. Wow! What a place. Oh - and on the way UB promised we'd find some "impossibly cute" place for breakfast. We arrived at the museum before it opened and found exactly that - an impossibly cute place for breakfast. Mmmm.
The main thing to note is that we saw THE Rosetta Stone. Enjoy the photos I shot as we ran through the museum.
We rushed off to the airport and watched bad movies and TV until we arrived in Boise. Kate was in bed but we peeked in at her. Mmmm!
In the morning, the minute she stirred Brad and I rushed into her room. She looked a little confused and surprised and then slowly started a big smile. It was a most wonderful moment. Then The UB took us all out for breakfast!! YAY!
It is wonderful to be home and settling in. A HUGE thanks to Grandma Bylsma who kept things running on the homefront, and who taught Kate to take nice long naps. Maybe it is time to add on Mother-In-Law quarters...
The main thing to note is that we saw THE Rosetta Stone. Enjoy the photos I shot as we ran through the museum.
We rushed off to the airport and watched bad movies and TV until we arrived in Boise. Kate was in bed but we peeked in at her. Mmmm!
In the morning, the minute she stirred Brad and I rushed into her room. She looked a little confused and surprised and then slowly started a big smile. It was a most wonderful moment. Then The UB took us all out for breakfast!! YAY!
It is wonderful to be home and settling in. A HUGE thanks to Grandma Bylsma who kept things running on the homefront, and who taught Kate to take nice long naps. Maybe it is time to add on Mother-In-Law quarters...
London - Day 3
Up and Adam, and off to see St Paul's Cathedral. It is a fabulous place and there was a special treat (in comparison to my last trip here about 8 years ago). We were able to walk to the top of the dome, which is 365 feet high. At the very peak of the dome there is a tiny glass opening, allowing you to look all the way straight down to the middle of the floor (365 feet straight down). As you might imagine, the steps up where,... a lot. The climb was hot and uncomfortable, and the height at which we finally arrived was scary - at best. This said, it was a great spot to spend our morning.
Our next stop was the Tower of London. This place is full of crazy stories of death and dismemberment. Many people lost their heads here over the years, literally. As it turned out, kings and queens were big fans of the chopping block. They were greedy, crazy fools who weren't very nice to each other, making the stories delightfully juicy.
After our visit to the T of L, we looked around for a place to sign up for a Jack the Ripper Foot Tour. We had both read about these and knew they started near the tower. We asked around and ended up signing up for a tour starting at 7:30PM. We decided to grab a couple of beers and wait for our tour. It was well worth the wait. Our tour guide was named Leslie and she was perfectly charming and great at what she did. The tour lasted about 1.5 hrs and took us all over East London (which was the ghetto in those times). We saw many sights during this tour, to include Prostitute's Church, an actual death scene, the stairway where Jack left his only piece of evidence, and the bar where he likely hung out - with his prey. It was loads of fun! And - chilly. I special shout out to The UB who shared his long sleeved shirt with me.
And twas the end of Day 3.
Our next stop was the Tower of London. This place is full of crazy stories of death and dismemberment. Many people lost their heads here over the years, literally. As it turned out, kings and queens were big fans of the chopping block. They were greedy, crazy fools who weren't very nice to each other, making the stories delightfully juicy.
After our visit to the T of L, we looked around for a place to sign up for a Jack the Ripper Foot Tour. We had both read about these and knew they started near the tower. We asked around and ended up signing up for a tour starting at 7:30PM. We decided to grab a couple of beers and wait for our tour. It was well worth the wait. Our tour guide was named Leslie and she was perfectly charming and great at what she did. The tour lasted about 1.5 hrs and took us all over East London (which was the ghetto in those times). We saw many sights during this tour, to include Prostitute's Church, an actual death scene, the stairway where Jack left his only piece of evidence, and the bar where he likely hung out - with his prey. It was loads of fun! And - chilly. I special shout out to The UB who shared his long sleeved shirt with me.
And twas the end of Day 3.
Monday, May 26, 2008
London - Day 2
There is nothing like a big, air conditioned, luxury hotel to make a person feel better. The hotel offered (for a large price, as are all things in London) a wonderful "traditional English breakfast" which I loved (as I do all breakfasts) but which also offered some surprises: eggs (poached, scrambled and hard boiled), potatoes (wedges and formed hash browns - like McDonald's), black bacon (what is this?!?), weird sausage links, regular bacon (sort of), mushrooms and tomatoes. Mmmmm mmmm!
Off we went to Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse and see if we could see the changing of the guards. A police officer told me that the changing of the guards would take place at 11:20AM ("twenty past eleven, miss"). That wasn't too far off so we walked around, took some photos and waited. And waited and waited. If it weren't for the fact that we have 2 days in London and a lot to see, I don't think I would have lost my mind like I did, but by noon I was incredibly irritated. It was noon on day 1 of 2 and we hadn't done anything yet. As we started to walk away the changing of the guards process began and we were very happy that we stayed long enough to catch it.
The next stop was Westminster Abbey where we were blown away at every turn. If you haven't been, please read more about it. The opportunity to see the graves of Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens and insurmountable kings and queens and hundreds of others - as well as the place that held Princess Diana's funeral was incredible.
As we left Westminster we took a moment to take in the sights of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment. Then we crossed the Thames River and took a ride on the London Eye. Wow.
After the Eye we parted ways as UB had plans to attend a Public Enemy show with some friends and I had plans to relax. I decided to walk for a while to take in the sights and pretend I was big-city-Gootch, versus suburban-mom-Gootch for a little while. I quickly came upon Trafalgar Square, which is a beautiful area filled with people relaxing. It was about 6pm on a Friday night and it was packed with people just starting their weekend. I decided to keep moving and possibly walk all the way back to our hotel. I walked and walked, and kept checking the buses to make sure they were the ones headed in my direction. Soon enough I came upon St Paul's Cathedral. The bad news about this sight is that it was in the opposite direction of our neighborhood. Oops. I stopped in a Starbucks and humbly got out the map. Once I found my way home I called room service and enjoyed a quiet, relaxing night in.
Brad came home late - and extremely frustrated. We found the public transportation system in London to be lacking - mainly because they shut down large portions of it for the "Bank Holiday", deeply effecting our ability to get around how we pleased. This said, he loved the Public Enemy show. Good for him, I say.
Off we went to Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse and see if we could see the changing of the guards. A police officer told me that the changing of the guards would take place at 11:20AM ("twenty past eleven, miss"). That wasn't too far off so we walked around, took some photos and waited. And waited and waited. If it weren't for the fact that we have 2 days in London and a lot to see, I don't think I would have lost my mind like I did, but by noon I was incredibly irritated. It was noon on day 1 of 2 and we hadn't done anything yet. As we started to walk away the changing of the guards process began and we were very happy that we stayed long enough to catch it.
The next stop was Westminster Abbey where we were blown away at every turn. If you haven't been, please read more about it. The opportunity to see the graves of Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens and insurmountable kings and queens and hundreds of others - as well as the place that held Princess Diana's funeral was incredible.
As we left Westminster we took a moment to take in the sights of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment. Then we crossed the Thames River and took a ride on the London Eye. Wow.
After the Eye we parted ways as UB had plans to attend a Public Enemy show with some friends and I had plans to relax. I decided to walk for a while to take in the sights and pretend I was big-city-Gootch, versus suburban-mom-Gootch for a little while. I quickly came upon Trafalgar Square, which is a beautiful area filled with people relaxing. It was about 6pm on a Friday night and it was packed with people just starting their weekend. I decided to keep moving and possibly walk all the way back to our hotel. I walked and walked, and kept checking the buses to make sure they were the ones headed in my direction. Soon enough I came upon St Paul's Cathedral. The bad news about this sight is that it was in the opposite direction of our neighborhood. Oops. I stopped in a Starbucks and humbly got out the map. Once I found my way home I called room service and enjoyed a quiet, relaxing night in.
Brad came home late - and extremely frustrated. We found the public transportation system in London to be lacking - mainly because they shut down large portions of it for the "Bank Holiday", deeply effecting our ability to get around how we pleased. This said, he loved the Public Enemy show. Good for him, I say.
Amsterdam/London - Day 4/1
It was very difficult to leave Amsterdam after a day like today. We got up early, packed, enjoyed our last delightful breakfast at this hotel and headed out to rent some bikes. As everyone knows, riding bikes in Amsterdam is part of the culture. Everywhere we went there were bikes; piled high and locked up tightly were tons and tons of rusty, decrepit bikes. They had bike baskets and buckets attached to the front, bikes with up to 3 child seats attached to the frame, bikes carrying dogs, children and friends. It was fantastic. Anywho, we rented some bikes and headed for Vondelpark . One thing to mention here is that the weather we've been having has been exceptional - so a bike ride in an incredibly beautiful Dutch park was over the top, great. We then braved the real streets - I made Brad lead and we set out to find a impossibly cute store we had passed the day before while out on our carriage ride. It was in the middle of a lovely neighborhood on one of many streets that looks just like another. On our carriage ride we asked the driver to tell us where we were, and between the two of us we were able to find it again. Personally I think this is a miracle. There I picked out the most delightful little tea set for Katers. I can't wait to have tea with her and Annie The Dog and her stuffed animals using this little set. After our ride around town we stopped and enjoyed the sun and some some Heineken's at the same street side cafe before we had to turn our bikes in, pick up our luggage and head for the airport. Although I knew that our flight to London would be quick and effortless, I was mostly heartbroken to leave Amsterdam. I would like very much to return to this place. The people, the culture, the sights - what a wonderful place!
Our flight to London was easy peasy. It was the tube ride into town from Heathrow and the idea to get off the hot, cramped underground a little early and walk the last little bit that maybe was the beginning of the end for us. We quickly figured out where to go, but it was further than anyone schlepping luggage would have wanted. We finally arrived at our hotel - in the middle of hustling and bustling London. I have to admit - maybe I'm getting old, but it was a little much to take after the laid back environment of Amsterdam. Our hotel was great - very luxurious for a European place, and as I mentioned before, The UB knows how to pick a hotel!
We headed out on the town and I offered to lead us to Piccadilly Circus . It wasn't too far, but we took a bus which allowed us to see a little of our neighborhood along the way. I don't know for sure what day it was (Thursday?) but we couldn't figure out why there were mobs of people everywhere. The streets were packed with traffic, the sidewalks packed with people, and every pub and restaurant had tons of people spilling outside. We decided that in our state of mind it would be best to find something more quiet, so we walked (and walked, and walked) to find a pub with outdoor seating that seemed a little less insane for us. We ended up sitting with a group of young Norwegians who have been living in London for a few years to study and enjoy big city life. They found it very amusing that Brad is from a little Norwegian town in Wisconsin and we talked about lufsa and other various Norwegian things. It was entertaining and they shared with us some tips about London and good things to do and see. Oddly enough, the night with them ended in a way I never would have imagined. I don't want to get into the details, but as it turned out they made a horrible comment that mainly just confused and befuddled us.
Good night, London! We trust that tomorrow will be a better day for us.
Our flight to London was easy peasy. It was the tube ride into town from Heathrow and the idea to get off the hot, cramped underground a little early and walk the last little bit that maybe was the beginning of the end for us. We quickly figured out where to go, but it was further than anyone schlepping luggage would have wanted. We finally arrived at our hotel - in the middle of hustling and bustling London. I have to admit - maybe I'm getting old, but it was a little much to take after the laid back environment of Amsterdam. Our hotel was great - very luxurious for a European place, and as I mentioned before, The UB knows how to pick a hotel!
We headed out on the town and I offered to lead us to Piccadilly Circus . It wasn't too far, but we took a bus which allowed us to see a little of our neighborhood along the way. I don't know for sure what day it was (Thursday?) but we couldn't figure out why there were mobs of people everywhere. The streets were packed with traffic, the sidewalks packed with people, and every pub and restaurant had tons of people spilling outside. We decided that in our state of mind it would be best to find something more quiet, so we walked (and walked, and walked) to find a pub with outdoor seating that seemed a little less insane for us. We ended up sitting with a group of young Norwegians who have been living in London for a few years to study and enjoy big city life. They found it very amusing that Brad is from a little Norwegian town in Wisconsin and we talked about lufsa and other various Norwegian things. It was entertaining and they shared with us some tips about London and good things to do and see. Oddly enough, the night with them ended in a way I never would have imagined. I don't want to get into the details, but as it turned out they made a horrible comment that mainly just confused and befuddled us.
Good night, London! We trust that tomorrow will be a better day for us.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Amsterdam - Day 3
I think it is day three, but I tend to ask Brad a few times a day, what day is it? It is very hard to keep track with all of the excitement and fun and sights. Today we decided to take a couple of tours. Unfortunately - or fortunately - the second one didn't work out, so it ended up that we took a one hour tour around the city with a gentleman pointing out the various sights. It was interesting and helpful, as we haven't seen all of the different areas yet and this gave us a broader view of the city. At one point we stopped and I helped myself to the cheese store near our parking spot. I bought the most delightful Gouda cheese sandwich I could have imagined. Brad tried to swipe it from me. It was good.
After the failed attempt at a second organized tour we decided to start walking and see our own sights. We came across a beautiful square (where we enjoyed a slice of pizza the night before) and decided that if we are going to be tourists, we should really do it - and hired a horse drawn carriage. It might be the most delightful thing we've done yet! I enjoyed this a great deal. The carriage driver was a lovely old chap and was very informative. His horse was fun, too.
We thought we were going to rent bikes after this excursion, but our wanderings took us to more of a trendy shopping street and then the flower markets, and bikes never came into the equation. We decided to sit at an outdoor cafe and enjoy some wonderful, cold Heineken in the warm sun. THIS is vacation.
We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at an Argentine steak house and then returned "home" to retire early. We're tired kids.
I'm tired and will be out of Internet minutes very quickly. With that, note that tomorrow evening we travel to London, so I likely will not post tomorrow. Have a great day and we'll see each other soon!
After the failed attempt at a second organized tour we decided to start walking and see our own sights. We came across a beautiful square (where we enjoyed a slice of pizza the night before) and decided that if we are going to be tourists, we should really do it - and hired a horse drawn carriage. It might be the most delightful thing we've done yet! I enjoyed this a great deal. The carriage driver was a lovely old chap and was very informative. His horse was fun, too.
We thought we were going to rent bikes after this excursion, but our wanderings took us to more of a trendy shopping street and then the flower markets, and bikes never came into the equation. We decided to sit at an outdoor cafe and enjoy some wonderful, cold Heineken in the warm sun. THIS is vacation.
We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at an Argentine steak house and then returned "home" to retire early. We're tired kids.
I'm tired and will be out of Internet minutes very quickly. With that, note that tomorrow evening we travel to London, so I likely will not post tomorrow. Have a great day and we'll see each other soon!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Amsterdam - Day 2
Wow. I am TIIIIRED. We only did a few things today...
But first of all, I have to commend The UB for picking the best hotels EVER. This one is so damn cute you wouldn't even believe it. There are two beds - one just slightly bigger than the other - with white bed linens and a small stuffed brightly colored daisy on each. On the walls of our rooms are a great number of framed pictures of sunflowers. The breakfast this morning was wonderful. The first time in a new place is always just a touch confusing, so when we walked down into the basement and saw a woman in a small kitchenette and a room full of tables and chairs with a toaster at one end we weren't really sure what was going to happen; however, we were served medium-boiled eggs, multiple types of fresh bread, jam, coffee, tea, OJ,... anywho - it was fabulous! Can't wait for tomorrow to do it all over again.
We headed out and Brad put us on a tram going north. We walked and walked through the most beautiful streets I've ever seen (well,... Paris was cool, but it was a long time ago so I can't say I remember them perfectly) - the buildings are awesome (and tall and skinny as you all know) and the canals and bridges are endless. It is a sight that I don't care to get enough of. I didn't know where we were going, but eventually I saw a couple of people in front of a store front and I looked to see what it was. "Amsterdam Tulip Museum?" Brad's response was something along the lines of, "you ruined the surprise!" I loved it there. There were so many lovely things to buy and a great little room in the basement giving a history of tulips and how they came to be so important to Holland. Very cool.
We wandered on down the street and suddenly I saw a sign saying, "Anne Frank Haus" and again I was delighted and surprised. I don't know what to say about this experience. For those of you who have been there, you know that being speechless is a typical response. For those of you who have read the book you can only imagine. For those of you who haven't read the book, please do. You will become a better person. Oddly/sadly/proudly, I look forward to sharing her story with Kate someday.
At the end of the tour there is an opportunity to send a video of yourself to anyone you'd like. Of course we took this opportunity to send it to Kate to tell her we love her. I hope Grandma is able to play it for her.
Our next stop was the Rijksmuseum where Rembrandt's most famous paintings are located. It was incredible. http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/tentoonstellingen/rembrandt-400
And just a few steps away was the Van Gogh Museum. Again - some of the world's most famous paintings were here. What is there to say about that? http://www3.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?lang=nl
We quickly stopped at the hotel to unload our purchases of postcards and books and tulip pictures and then made our way to a 1 hour canal tour throughout the city. It was a great visual perspective and it was nice to hear about some of the specific history of the city.
And last - but CERTAINLY not least, was a quick walk through the Red Light District. Wow. Need I say more? It was slightly different than I expected, but if you are aware that prostitutes stand in windows and you can take your pick of them, then you pretty much get it. And by the way, the only prostitutes I've ever seen have been quite unattractive. These ladies were NOT the prostitutes I've seen before. It is legal, available and they're hot! Who would've thought?
We then had a slice of pizza in some sort of outdoor plaza and took the tram back to our hood. I quickly faded off and insisted that my day 2 in Amsterdam come to an end. So good night good people! I hope to have something fabulous for you tomorrow!
But first of all, I have to commend The UB for picking the best hotels EVER. This one is so damn cute you wouldn't even believe it. There are two beds - one just slightly bigger than the other - with white bed linens and a small stuffed brightly colored daisy on each. On the walls of our rooms are a great number of framed pictures of sunflowers. The breakfast this morning was wonderful. The first time in a new place is always just a touch confusing, so when we walked down into the basement and saw a woman in a small kitchenette and a room full of tables and chairs with a toaster at one end we weren't really sure what was going to happen; however, we were served medium-boiled eggs, multiple types of fresh bread, jam, coffee, tea, OJ,... anywho - it was fabulous! Can't wait for tomorrow to do it all over again.
We headed out and Brad put us on a tram going north. We walked and walked through the most beautiful streets I've ever seen (well,... Paris was cool, but it was a long time ago so I can't say I remember them perfectly) - the buildings are awesome (and tall and skinny as you all know) and the canals and bridges are endless. It is a sight that I don't care to get enough of. I didn't know where we were going, but eventually I saw a couple of people in front of a store front and I looked to see what it was. "Amsterdam Tulip Museum?" Brad's response was something along the lines of, "you ruined the surprise!" I loved it there. There were so many lovely things to buy and a great little room in the basement giving a history of tulips and how they came to be so important to Holland. Very cool.
We wandered on down the street and suddenly I saw a sign saying, "Anne Frank Haus" and again I was delighted and surprised. I don't know what to say about this experience. For those of you who have been there, you know that being speechless is a typical response. For those of you who have read the book you can only imagine. For those of you who haven't read the book, please do. You will become a better person. Oddly/sadly/proudly, I look forward to sharing her story with Kate someday.
At the end of the tour there is an opportunity to send a video of yourself to anyone you'd like. Of course we took this opportunity to send it to Kate to tell her we love her. I hope Grandma is able to play it for her.
Our next stop was the Rijksmuseum where Rembrandt's most famous paintings are located. It was incredible. http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/tentoonstellingen/rembrandt-400
And just a few steps away was the Van Gogh Museum. Again - some of the world's most famous paintings were here. What is there to say about that? http://www3.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?lang=nl
We quickly stopped at the hotel to unload our purchases of postcards and books and tulip pictures and then made our way to a 1 hour canal tour throughout the city. It was a great visual perspective and it was nice to hear about some of the specific history of the city.
And last - but CERTAINLY not least, was a quick walk through the Red Light District. Wow. Need I say more? It was slightly different than I expected, but if you are aware that prostitutes stand in windows and you can take your pick of them, then you pretty much get it. And by the way, the only prostitutes I've ever seen have been quite unattractive. These ladies were NOT the prostitutes I've seen before. It is legal, available and they're hot! Who would've thought?
We then had a slice of pizza in some sort of outdoor plaza and took the tram back to our hood. I quickly faded off and insisted that my day 2 in Amsterdam come to an end. So good night good people! I hope to have something fabulous for you tomorrow!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Amsterdam - Day 1
I don't know if it is appropriate to call it day one, when we didn't get here until late in the evening. Nonetheless, we manged to fit in a couple of beers and dinner. We've settled in to our fabulously cute European hotel (gay friendly, by the way!) and are watching American television shows on TV. So far I love it here. I knew it would be great when I was going through customs and the man said something I didn't understand and then, "that is a Dutch name, yes?" The best part being that he said "Bylsma" and I didn't even understand him.
Our departure from Istanbul was successful - we did a little shopping at the Grand Bazaar before we left and tried to spend up all of our Turkish Lira. Mid-afternoon we flew from Istanbul to London and then connected to Amsterdam. Is was cold here tonight - but I'm hoping that the days are a bit warmer.
So, I'm off to bed. I' am certain that I'll have a great deal to share tomorrow.
Our departure from Istanbul was successful - we did a little shopping at the Grand Bazaar before we left and tried to spend up all of our Turkish Lira. Mid-afternoon we flew from Istanbul to London and then connected to Amsterdam. Is was cold here tonight - but I'm hoping that the days are a bit warmer.
So, I'm off to bed. I' am certain that I'll have a great deal to share tomorrow.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Istanbul - Day 3
Our time here has passed very quickly - and we've absolutely loved it. Our flight leaves tomorrow at 1pm and we'll be in Amsterdam in the evening. Thank you to everyone who has been reading the updates and sending emails! We love hearing from you so far away from home. We especially love hearing from Kate and Grandma - thank you so much for letting us know what you're up to. We miss Kate so much we cannot stand it, so knowing that she ate a good lunch and had a long nap is very comforting and sweet.
Today we overslept (too much fun at the Bath's last night?) - not that we had somewhere to be, but Brad wanted to take a ferry to an island off the coast of Istanbul and their departures are limited. Once he got online he found us a trip and we arrived on Büyükada of the Princes' Islands in the Marmara Sea by mid-afternoon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%BCy%C3%BCkada).
This place was packed with people - and it being Sunday it seemed like a lot of local folks were out enjoying a beautiful Sunday just like us. There are no cars here, so the only means of transportation are foot, bike or horse-drawn carriage. The instant we got off the ferry we encountered MANY Turkey ice cream stands. The next thing we encountered was a HUGE line - for what we did not know. We set out to find a place to get a horse-drawn carriage, but before we could find that we decided to rent some bikes. We ordered a lunch to go and packed up our things for a bike trip around the island. We had a map, but didn't really know where we were, or where we were going. We did know that there was a beach somewhere and we wanted to find it. The streets here were very narrow and filled with carriages, bikes and walkers. The houses were built into the hills and were incredible.
After not too long I noticed something was amiss with my front tire. Sure enough - there was a screw stuck in it. I told Brad and decided we should turn around so as to not be stuck with a flat tire on the opposite end of the island. About a 4 minute ride from the rental location the tire went completely flat, and so, we walked. We figured out that the huge line was for the horse-drawn carriages and debated if we should do that, or head back to Istanbul to see the whirling dervishes. I told Brad that we can go to Mackinaw Island some day and do the carriage thing. This is our last night in Istanbul and we had to see the dervishes.
The whirling dervishes are incredible. They are part of the Mevlevii Sufi order, founded by Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, a mystical brotherhood of Islam. The dervishes represent a spiritual journey and the whirling includes both prayer and turning, along with Sufi music. It was really incredible. These young men spin around like nothing I have ever seen. Meaning no disrespect, I don't know how it is possible to twirl like that without falling down, throwing up, or hurting yourself and/or others. I took some great pictures and video and look forward to sharing them.
One thing to note, the performance took place in a beautiful train station. After the show I realized that this train station was the original destination of the Orient Express. How cool is that?!?
After the show we had dinner and then took a tram back to our neighborhood. The tram was PACKED with people out on the town - mostly young men. There is apparently something interesting about a blond, fair-skinned woman here and it was very uncomfortable tonight cramming myself onto a train filled with young men. Brad and I laughed the whole way home.
And thus - another day in Istanbul. As this was our last full day Brad had big ideas about packing it all in tonight. I had big ideas about packing it IN, so he's out down the street smoking a huka, which is a traditional tabacco water pipe available in all of the coffee and tea houses here. Alas, I missed out on this experience.
Good night everyone! It is late here and we have too much to do before we depart tomorrow to waste anytime sleeping in. The next time you hear from me it'll be with the title, "Amsterdam - Day 1." Fun!
Today we overslept (too much fun at the Bath's last night?) - not that we had somewhere to be, but Brad wanted to take a ferry to an island off the coast of Istanbul and their departures are limited. Once he got online he found us a trip and we arrived on Büyükada of the Princes' Islands in the Marmara Sea by mid-afternoon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%BCy%C3%BCkada).
This place was packed with people - and it being Sunday it seemed like a lot of local folks were out enjoying a beautiful Sunday just like us. There are no cars here, so the only means of transportation are foot, bike or horse-drawn carriage. The instant we got off the ferry we encountered MANY Turkey ice cream stands. The next thing we encountered was a HUGE line - for what we did not know. We set out to find a place to get a horse-drawn carriage, but before we could find that we decided to rent some bikes. We ordered a lunch to go and packed up our things for a bike trip around the island. We had a map, but didn't really know where we were, or where we were going. We did know that there was a beach somewhere and we wanted to find it. The streets here were very narrow and filled with carriages, bikes and walkers. The houses were built into the hills and were incredible.
After not too long I noticed something was amiss with my front tire. Sure enough - there was a screw stuck in it. I told Brad and decided we should turn around so as to not be stuck with a flat tire on the opposite end of the island. About a 4 minute ride from the rental location the tire went completely flat, and so, we walked. We figured out that the huge line was for the horse-drawn carriages and debated if we should do that, or head back to Istanbul to see the whirling dervishes. I told Brad that we can go to Mackinaw Island some day and do the carriage thing. This is our last night in Istanbul and we had to see the dervishes.
The whirling dervishes are incredible. They are part of the Mevlevii Sufi order, founded by Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, a mystical brotherhood of Islam. The dervishes represent a spiritual journey and the whirling includes both prayer and turning, along with Sufi music. It was really incredible. These young men spin around like nothing I have ever seen. Meaning no disrespect, I don't know how it is possible to twirl like that without falling down, throwing up, or hurting yourself and/or others. I took some great pictures and video and look forward to sharing them.
One thing to note, the performance took place in a beautiful train station. After the show I realized that this train station was the original destination of the Orient Express. How cool is that?!?
After the show we had dinner and then took a tram back to our neighborhood. The tram was PACKED with people out on the town - mostly young men. There is apparently something interesting about a blond, fair-skinned woman here and it was very uncomfortable tonight cramming myself onto a train filled with young men. Brad and I laughed the whole way home.
And thus - another day in Istanbul. As this was our last full day Brad had big ideas about packing it all in tonight. I had big ideas about packing it IN, so he's out down the street smoking a huka, which is a traditional tabacco water pipe available in all of the coffee and tea houses here. Alas, I missed out on this experience.
Good night everyone! It is late here and we have too much to do before we depart tomorrow to waste anytime sleeping in. The next time you hear from me it'll be with the title, "Amsterdam - Day 1." Fun!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Istanbul - Day 2
Another day in Istanbul and we're starting to feel like we get it. It is a different world, but we now know how to get around using public transportation (thanks to The UB) and we know what to expect when ordering food. What else do you need to know?
This morning we took it easy. We were a bit run down after the traveling and the non-stop walking action yesterday. Our first stop (after another wonderful breakfast) was the Underground Cistern (aka, Basilica Cistern, www.guideistanbul.net/yerebatan.htm) which is an underground holding cell for water built in 532, providing water to the grounds of castles/churches/mosques in the main square. It was dank, moist, dreary and magical. It has 336 columns in it - all very huge and tall, two of which have the head of Medusa at the base - about the size of a Mini Cooper. I told Brad this place should host a haunted house, assuming, of course, that they celebrate Halloween - or something like it. Oh, and there are huge carp swimming around in the water the size of Kate.
After this we took a tram thing to the Bosphorus Strait (http://www.about-turkey.com/tourism/bosphorus.htm) for a boat ride. This strait divides the Istanbul between Europe and Asia (we're staying on the Asia side) and connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. The boat took us up the Europe side of Istanbul and down the Asia side. It was a beautiful trip - and gave us an interesting perspective of this place. We saw castles and incredible homes, as well as cement apartment buildings piled one on top of another. After the boat ride we ate some corn on the steps of a mosque and then took another tram over a bridge to Europe. Brad went over there last night for the rock show and told me that it was super cool, but I didn't really believe it until I saw it. It was fantastic! Old and ornate and masses of people walking, shopping, eating. We had a great dinner on a little side street and chatted with a young, friendly Turk. We shopped a little and had Turkish ice cream (called Dondurma). A magic ice cream man served us, doing tricks with the ice cream. We were delighted. Turkish ice cream is a cold gooey solid that you have to bite to eat. It was great (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dondurma). Check out the link - it provides a picture of a man holding a large clump of it.
We just now came in from a visit to a traditional Turkish Bath. Whoa. While laying naked on a hot marble round table I thought, "THIS is an experience!" For those of you who have never done this before, a play-by-play is below. I'm certain you don't want to hear this, but after I get home I plan to look back on this to remember the crazy, shocking details. PLEASE NOTE: there are some gruesome details here. Beware.
1. Brad and I arrived at about 9:30pm (they are open from 6am to midnight daily) and signed up for a bath. He signed up for the "Traditional" and I signed up for the "Luxury" - which was the same as his with the addition of a 30 minute oil massage. We departed, both of us not having a clue as to what we were about to experience.
2. I walked into somewhat of a long, narrow, women's locker room. A woman handed me a sarong-type piece of fabric and directed me to an unused locker. I think she told me to undress, wrap the fabric around me, put on some rubber sandals and pointed me toward the baths. The room was PACKED with woman of all ages and of all levels of nudity. I was in a bit of confused shock, but did what she told me to do.
a) one thing I haven't mentioned about this culture is that there is no such thing as personal space, managed lines or what we would consider civility when it comes to moving through a crowd. Please keep this in mind as I tell you that I had to literally push my way through this locker room to the baths.
3. I pushed open a huge wooden door to a BEAUTIFUL marble, round, domed room with a huge, round marble table in the middle. All types of naked women were everywhere (some were wearing thongs or bikini bottoms - I soon realized that these were the women employed at the Bath). I had to observe for a moment, but figured out that the process was to lay in the middle of the hot marble table and relax until it was your turn. I was sweating instantly (from the heat, I assumed, but maybe also from my state of confusion and bewilderment).
4. It was very busy, so I sat next to a fountain on the outskirts of the room and waited until a large, bikini-bottomed clan woman whom I will call Olga for the purposes of this recollection told me to "sit!" And trust me - I did what Olga told me to do (please note that there is no way on earth this woman's name was Olga, but I felt that name gave you the most appropriate visual).
5. She pulled my sarong off of me and laid it on the table like a beach blanket. Olga said, "Lay!" I laid. All of us being bathed laid around the circumference of the table, head-to-foot. I laid there sweating it out until she came back - probably about 10-15 minutes.
5. All of a sudden Olga showed up again and started scrubbing me with a loofa-type wash cloth. When she wanted me to turn she hit me on the back. When I didn't respond (not knowing why I got the slap) she said, "turn!" I turned. When she wanted me to sit, I sat. You get the gist. She scrubbed me with the loofa, then rinsed me by pouring a bucket of water over my head. "Lay" again, and next came the suds! I don't know where they came from, but I was covered from head to toe, front and back, and then more rinsing. Next she ordered me over to the bath (where the spigot is located) and I sat on the ground while she sat and washed my hair. When she was finished she said, "Done!" and sent me on my way.
6. Because I signed up for the Luxury bath I headed into the massage room, where there were 5 massage tables in a row. I received a great rub down; however, the culture here does not call for quiet, mediation-like circumstances when receiving a massage, so there was chatting and cell phones, etc. - but all of it intriguing since I couldn't understand a word.
7. When it was finished I headed back to the locker room and threw my clothes on as fast as I could. There is only so much open nudity The Gooch can handle.
When I met UB in the lobby I think we both didn't really want to discuss it (I'm scared of offending someone due to my lack of understanding of this culture). We took a walk and stopped for a cup of coffee/beer to discuss our experiences. As it turns out, the men don't get naked. They get a private dressing room and keep their sarong on throughout the bath. And afterwards they even get a private shower. Huh.
So, that's that. It is likely too much information. Maybe you've read this far - maybe not. Regardless, I'm headed to bed a pool of my own cleanliness and massage oil. What a day.
Istanbul - it is a very cool place.
PS - UB just found Major League Baseball on TV. And I thought we'd escaped it for a few days... maybe in Amsterdam.
This morning we took it easy. We were a bit run down after the traveling and the non-stop walking action yesterday. Our first stop (after another wonderful breakfast) was the Underground Cistern (aka, Basilica Cistern, www.guideistanbul.net/yerebatan.htm) which is an underground holding cell for water built in 532, providing water to the grounds of castles/churches/mosques in the main square. It was dank, moist, dreary and magical. It has 336 columns in it - all very huge and tall, two of which have the head of Medusa at the base - about the size of a Mini Cooper. I told Brad this place should host a haunted house, assuming, of course, that they celebrate Halloween - or something like it. Oh, and there are huge carp swimming around in the water the size of Kate.
After this we took a tram thing to the Bosphorus Strait (http://www.about-turkey.com/tourism/bosphorus.htm) for a boat ride. This strait divides the Istanbul between Europe and Asia (we're staying on the Asia side) and connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. The boat took us up the Europe side of Istanbul and down the Asia side. It was a beautiful trip - and gave us an interesting perspective of this place. We saw castles and incredible homes, as well as cement apartment buildings piled one on top of another. After the boat ride we ate some corn on the steps of a mosque and then took another tram over a bridge to Europe. Brad went over there last night for the rock show and told me that it was super cool, but I didn't really believe it until I saw it. It was fantastic! Old and ornate and masses of people walking, shopping, eating. We had a great dinner on a little side street and chatted with a young, friendly Turk. We shopped a little and had Turkish ice cream (called Dondurma). A magic ice cream man served us, doing tricks with the ice cream. We were delighted. Turkish ice cream is a cold gooey solid that you have to bite to eat. It was great (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dondurma). Check out the link - it provides a picture of a man holding a large clump of it.
We just now came in from a visit to a traditional Turkish Bath. Whoa. While laying naked on a hot marble round table I thought, "THIS is an experience!" For those of you who have never done this before, a play-by-play is below. I'm certain you don't want to hear this, but after I get home I plan to look back on this to remember the crazy, shocking details. PLEASE NOTE: there are some gruesome details here. Beware.
1. Brad and I arrived at about 9:30pm (they are open from 6am to midnight daily) and signed up for a bath. He signed up for the "Traditional" and I signed up for the "Luxury" - which was the same as his with the addition of a 30 minute oil massage. We departed, both of us not having a clue as to what we were about to experience.
2. I walked into somewhat of a long, narrow, women's locker room. A woman handed me a sarong-type piece of fabric and directed me to an unused locker. I think she told me to undress, wrap the fabric around me, put on some rubber sandals and pointed me toward the baths. The room was PACKED with woman of all ages and of all levels of nudity. I was in a bit of confused shock, but did what she told me to do.
a) one thing I haven't mentioned about this culture is that there is no such thing as personal space, managed lines or what we would consider civility when it comes to moving through a crowd. Please keep this in mind as I tell you that I had to literally push my way through this locker room to the baths.
3. I pushed open a huge wooden door to a BEAUTIFUL marble, round, domed room with a huge, round marble table in the middle. All types of naked women were everywhere (some were wearing thongs or bikini bottoms - I soon realized that these were the women employed at the Bath). I had to observe for a moment, but figured out that the process was to lay in the middle of the hot marble table and relax until it was your turn. I was sweating instantly (from the heat, I assumed, but maybe also from my state of confusion and bewilderment).
4. It was very busy, so I sat next to a fountain on the outskirts of the room and waited until a large, bikini-bottomed clan woman whom I will call Olga for the purposes of this recollection told me to "sit!" And trust me - I did what Olga told me to do (please note that there is no way on earth this woman's name was Olga, but I felt that name gave you the most appropriate visual).
5. She pulled my sarong off of me and laid it on the table like a beach blanket. Olga said, "Lay!" I laid. All of us being bathed laid around the circumference of the table, head-to-foot. I laid there sweating it out until she came back - probably about 10-15 minutes.
5. All of a sudden Olga showed up again and started scrubbing me with a loofa-type wash cloth. When she wanted me to turn she hit me on the back. When I didn't respond (not knowing why I got the slap) she said, "turn!" I turned. When she wanted me to sit, I sat. You get the gist. She scrubbed me with the loofa, then rinsed me by pouring a bucket of water over my head. "Lay" again, and next came the suds! I don't know where they came from, but I was covered from head to toe, front and back, and then more rinsing. Next she ordered me over to the bath (where the spigot is located) and I sat on the ground while she sat and washed my hair. When she was finished she said, "Done!" and sent me on my way.
6. Because I signed up for the Luxury bath I headed into the massage room, where there were 5 massage tables in a row. I received a great rub down; however, the culture here does not call for quiet, mediation-like circumstances when receiving a massage, so there was chatting and cell phones, etc. - but all of it intriguing since I couldn't understand a word.
7. When it was finished I headed back to the locker room and threw my clothes on as fast as I could. There is only so much open nudity The Gooch can handle.
When I met UB in the lobby I think we both didn't really want to discuss it (I'm scared of offending someone due to my lack of understanding of this culture). We took a walk and stopped for a cup of coffee/beer to discuss our experiences. As it turns out, the men don't get naked. They get a private dressing room and keep their sarong on throughout the bath. And afterwards they even get a private shower. Huh.
So, that's that. It is likely too much information. Maybe you've read this far - maybe not. Regardless, I'm headed to bed a pool of my own cleanliness and massage oil. What a day.
Istanbul - it is a very cool place.
PS - UB just found Major League Baseball on TV. And I thought we'd escaped it for a few days... maybe in Amsterdam.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Istanbul, Day 1
Although I am sitting in a hotel room in Istanbul, Turkey, it is hard for me to believe and understand where I am right now. Prior to this trip, not only did I not know where Istanbul was, I didn't know a thing about it, and certainly never imagined visiting here. Getting here was a blur and I hardly remember the 3 flights and 4 airports we visited to get here - and we haven't yet been here 24 hours.
We arrived late last night and came directly to our hotel. Although we didn't get much sleep (and that's 2 nights in a row now) I wanted to get an early start on our day. Our hotel offers a free Continental breakfast - which I assumed was of the bread, jam and juice/coffee variety. Brad and I were both shocked to see a huge spread of food, obviously catering to people visiting from all over the world. You could have chosen from scrambled eggs, toast and OJ or olives, honeycomb and strong tea. It was a delight.
After breakfast we hit the streets, which are narrow, cobblestone and FILLED with men trying to sell you leather bags, shoes, pastries, lanterns, tea and coffee. It is such a delight to the (shoppers) eye that I was unable to walk without holding on to Brad. Our first stop was The Grand Bazaar. We wandered and wandered through the streets/halls of the Bazaar. It went on and on with no end in sight. I can't imagine how long it would take to see it all, and we assessed that we probably only saw about 10%. Next we walked to Hagia Sophia which was absolutely incredible. It was first built in 537 and reminded me of the cathedrals I've seen on a previous trip to Europe; however, the Islamic twist adds a whole new spin on the wonder of it all. It was incredible. We then walked just a few minutes to The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) where thousands pray every day. We were outside for the noon call to prayer, which was incredibly beautiful and mezmorizing - nothing like I've ever witnessed before. We visited The Blue Mosque in the afternoon and had some mixed emotions. All visitors must remove their shoes and their knees must be covered. Additionally, all women must cover their heads (scarves are provided) for those women who pray here are not allowed to pray in the same section as the men. All in all it is a beautiful place to visit, and a place that really made me remember how far away from home I am.
The next place we visited was Topkapi Palace . I've been to a fair number of palaces in Europe, but this topped them all. I'm not sure, but it could be because of the Harem. Wow. Those sultan's had a lot of nerve (one of them had 300 ladies!). Also held at Topkapi is the skull and arm of John the Baptist (or John the Prophet, as he's called here), a foot print of The Prophet, and (The Prophet) Moses' staff. Brad and I weren't sure if these things were real, but we decided that either they are real, or those folks have convinced hundred's of thousands of people they're real; either option impressive. I would add that the baths in this palace were pretty cool. Apparently they were very concerned with hygene in the 1400's. Good for them.
At this point I was getting very hungry and tired, so we had dinner and then found a barber for Brad - who was intent on getting his hair cut here. I sat quitely while he enjoyed a haircut and a shave. Well done! Then we enjoyed a coffee - yes, Brad, too! I have settled in for the night and Brad is heading to Europe (the Europe side of Istanbul) to see our friends (Steve Albini and his band) play at a rock club over there. I am exhausted and am looking foward to a good night's sleep.
Maybe this is too much detail, but for a number of reasons I wanted to share our time here. For one, I don't want to forget. We will see and do a lot over the course of our days here and I want to make sure it doesn't leave my head. I also don't know if I'll regularly get a chance to sit and write this way, so when I get my chance I plan to use it. This said, I'm struggling to stay awake. It is nearly 10pm here (which means it is noon in Boise). I do hope that Grandma and Kate are enjoying a lovely lunch just prior to a long nap. We do miss our Kater Tot!
We arrived late last night and came directly to our hotel. Although we didn't get much sleep (and that's 2 nights in a row now) I wanted to get an early start on our day. Our hotel offers a free Continental breakfast - which I assumed was of the bread, jam and juice/coffee variety. Brad and I were both shocked to see a huge spread of food, obviously catering to people visiting from all over the world. You could have chosen from scrambled eggs, toast and OJ or olives, honeycomb and strong tea. It was a delight.
After breakfast we hit the streets, which are narrow, cobblestone and FILLED with men trying to sell you leather bags, shoes, pastries, lanterns, tea and coffee. It is such a delight to the (shoppers) eye that I was unable to walk without holding on to Brad. Our first stop was The Grand Bazaar. We wandered and wandered through the streets/halls of the Bazaar. It went on and on with no end in sight. I can't imagine how long it would take to see it all, and we assessed that we probably only saw about 10%. Next we walked to Hagia Sophia which was absolutely incredible. It was first built in 537 and reminded me of the cathedrals I've seen on a previous trip to Europe; however, the Islamic twist adds a whole new spin on the wonder of it all. It was incredible. We then walked just a few minutes to The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) where thousands pray every day. We were outside for the noon call to prayer, which was incredibly beautiful and mezmorizing - nothing like I've ever witnessed before. We visited The Blue Mosque in the afternoon and had some mixed emotions. All visitors must remove their shoes and their knees must be covered. Additionally, all women must cover their heads (scarves are provided) for those women who pray here are not allowed to pray in the same section as the men. All in all it is a beautiful place to visit, and a place that really made me remember how far away from home I am.
The next place we visited was Topkapi Palace . I've been to a fair number of palaces in Europe, but this topped them all. I'm not sure, but it could be because of the Harem. Wow. Those sultan's had a lot of nerve (one of them had 300 ladies!). Also held at Topkapi is the skull and arm of John the Baptist (or John the Prophet, as he's called here), a foot print of The Prophet, and (The Prophet) Moses' staff. Brad and I weren't sure if these things were real, but we decided that either they are real, or those folks have convinced hundred's of thousands of people they're real; either option impressive. I would add that the baths in this palace were pretty cool. Apparently they were very concerned with hygene in the 1400's. Good for them.
At this point I was getting very hungry and tired, so we had dinner and then found a barber for Brad - who was intent on getting his hair cut here. I sat quitely while he enjoyed a haircut and a shave. Well done! Then we enjoyed a coffee - yes, Brad, too! I have settled in for the night and Brad is heading to Europe (the Europe side of Istanbul) to see our friends (Steve Albini and his band) play at a rock club over there. I am exhausted and am looking foward to a good night's sleep.
Maybe this is too much detail, but for a number of reasons I wanted to share our time here. For one, I don't want to forget. We will see and do a lot over the course of our days here and I want to make sure it doesn't leave my head. I also don't know if I'll regularly get a chance to sit and write this way, so when I get my chance I plan to use it. This said, I'm struggling to stay awake. It is nearly 10pm here (which means it is noon in Boise). I do hope that Grandma and Kate are enjoying a lovely lunch just prior to a long nap. We do miss our Kater Tot!
Monday, May 12, 2008
A Happy Mother's Day
Mother's Day was wonderfully relaxing here at Team Gootch. McPhee watched Kate while Brad and I went to a great brunch. Later in the afternoon I took a nap when Kate did and in the evening we went out for dinner with McPhee. It is only right, since she's a mom, too. At one point in the day #2 said, "It is Mother's Day - why are you folding laundry?" I still folded it (I'm the best one at it in the family, to date), but it felt somehow nicer having been questioned. It is funny to think that because I have Kate I was honored yesterday. Isn't the honor mine? Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed the sweet treatment, and I'll look foward to it again next year. Oh - and later this week when we head for Istanbul, Turkey. YAY! Grandma arrives in less than 24 hours. If you don't hear from Team Gootch until the end of the month you now know why. Maybe an update here or there along the route, but likely not until we return. So enjoy the rest of the beautiful month of May! I know I will.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Tubby Time
Kate recently received some new spongy letters and numbers to add to the fun in the tub. Last night we figured out they stick not only to the side of the tub, but to her, too.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
It is May, and clearly that means that it is time to put on the shades and trot around the neighborhood. Kate has grown to LOOOOOOOOOVE being outside - to the point that she will throw tantrums when I don't agree that it's time to go out or when we have to come inside. She will often head for the coat closet, yank it open, locate her coat on a hook and pull on it while screaming. She also likes to pull every shoe off of the shoe rack and when she finally gets a hold of one or two of her own she brings them to me. Yesterday she decided on her own free will (when, by the way, did she get one of those?) that she needed to wear her sun glasses out and about. She usually fights wearing these (I can't see why) so I was shocked. And here we are - me enjoying the tulips that I planted last fall and her enjoying the sound of rubber (soles) on pavement (sidewalks).
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