Christmas at our House

Our Tree

Opening Presents

John get's his Obama t-shirt - He's "Fired Up"

The Aftermath

The Happy Couple

Merry Christmas

Happy (Yankee) Thanksgiving

My family drove down from Ontario last Tuesday to celebrate American Thanksgiving with me, John and his family. It was a good time had by all, complete with a family photo :)

270

For many who know me, you'll know that I've at times talked about defining moments. Recognizing key moments in time that will make a dramatic impact on your future.

Last night was one of those defining moments. Barack Obama went above and beyond to take more than the necessary 270 electoral votes to be elected as the next President of the United States.

Change is coming. As was said, any child born after today will grow up in a dramatically different world. Any because of him, I now have hope for a better one.

I will always be proud to be a Canadian. But today I am excited to be living in the United States.

In your face you red-neck bigots!

A sunny day at the beach

Happy Halloween

The Jacaranda Tree - South Africa

Outside of my hotel, the blooming flowers covered the lawn in a purple blanket.

And then the bees came.

Flying Over The Alps

Amsterdam - Take 2

Feeling like a bit of a baby at the fact that my legs feel like someone took a baseball bat to them, I did some quick math on how much walking I’ve actually done in the past two days. It turns out, from the point the tram dropped me off yesterday with my suitcase, to this moment, I have walked at least 5 miles/8 km. Not too bad for two days time, but I’ll say I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

So this morning, not to let a little leg ache and some rain take me down, I woke up early and headed to the Anne Frank Huis (House). By far the best place I’ve been on this trip – and not only because it has been the only building I’ve been to in which I could actually go inside. No, this really was a fabulous – yet eerie – experience. When you first enter, you walk into the museum, which was the warehouse section of the building where the Franks (and 4 others) hid from the Nazi’s. At first I was a little disappointed in that it’s didn’t feel real – mostly because they’ve re-done it quite a bit to make way for the museum. But as you walk up the steep stairs and through the hidden doorway behind the book case and into the Annex, it hits you at just how real this place is. You can almost feel the ghosts as they brush by you. The place remains empty (the way the Nazi’s left it), at the request of Otto Frank, who was the only survivor of this home. But the walls are still intact, including the Hollywood pictures that Anne pasted up to “brighten up” the room; as are the kitchen fire oven and the toilet/sink. Throughout the house are encased artifacts that Miep Gies (the women who helped them hide) saved from the Nazi’s when they raided the house; and in every other room there is a TV playing footage of Miep or another talking about the Frank’s and the Nazi’s. Very powerful experience.

From there I walked over to Dam Square where I met the New Amsterdam Free Tour. For anyone travelling in one of 8 European City’s where they are located, I would highly recommend this tour. For the price of a mere tip our guide walked us around the city, in the pouring rain, and showed us every major (and minor) tourist site, while adding a bit of history and humour to the tour. She took us past the Old Church, the New Church (only slightly newer than the Old Church), the Red Light District, the Whipping Wall of the Spin Huis where Prostitutes were jailed in the 1800’s, the Mint Tower, the Weigh House and numerous Coffee Shops, to name just a few.

A few interesting Amsterdam facts:

• It turns out that in the 17/1800’s church’s were purposely built in what would become the Red Light District so that the sailors coming into port could access both sin and salvation in the same sector. Men coming in from months or longer at sea would take their wages straight to the women and then make their way to the priests who would absolve them of their sins, for a small fee of course.
• Women in the Red Light District do not work out of their homes. They actually rent their window from the government. For how much you ask? Approximately 75-150 Euros for an 8 hour shift. This may seem like a lot, however, I am told that the women get by quite well. It’s a minimum of 50 Euros for a 15 minute “interaction”, however the women, I understand, are the masters of the up sell. Gives new meaning to the term, “She’s got you by the b…” or maybe that is where it came from. Hmmm
• Marijuana is not legal, but rather decriminalized. The difference? About 5 grams :) The sale and possession of marijuana is actually illegal, however, not really monitored (given the amount of money it makes for the government, similar to prostitution). Coffee Shops sort of fly under the radar, as long as they don't advertise the selling of marijuana. Coffee Shops are supposedly the only place you can "legally" purchase marijuana, while Smart Shops are the only place you can purchase Magic Mushrooms.
• They estimate that about half the marijuana is grown locally, while the rest is imported. From where? Canada of course :)

My tour group outside the bar/coffee shop where a scene from Ocean's 12 was shot (Clooney and Pitt in the bar talking in code trying to set up a job)

After the walking tour was over I came back to my hotel to change my clothes – cold and wet does not really do justice to my state at that point. With a fresh pair of socks and dry pants I ventured out again to find a coffee house (one that serves coffee). Not being able to find one open (Sunday’s are pretty quiet here), I decided to head back to my hotel. Unfortunately I was on the wrong side of the canal – yes, without a paddle :) While walking to the next bridge to cross over I was “christened’ by a local as he splashed water onto me while driving by.

All this to say, I am now writing this entry warm and cozy in my last dry pair of pants from my hotel café where I am finally enjoying a hot cup of coffee.

Amsterdam

When I arrived in Amsterdam this morning the city was still sleeping, but it didn't take long for it to wake up. Even in the cold and rain, Amsterdamers (I may have made that name up) still take to the streets like it's a warm summer day; whether it be riding their bicycle or sipping a cup of coffee at a patio table. It certainly is a lifestyle I could get used too.

After a relaxing breakfast of bagel and coffee, I started my day by walking to the Waterlooplein flea market. Waterlooplein is a market not unlike any other at home - full of trinkets and second hand wears - right up my alley :)

Eating a crepe outside of Lindengracht Market

From there I walked to the Bloomenmarkt (flower market), then up to the Royal Palace and St. Nicolaaskerk, the city's main Catholic church dedicated to St Nicholas, the patron saint of seafarers. Sadly neither the palace nor the church were open for visitors, but the view itself was quite spectacular.

From the church I walked through the Red Light District. I know :) Unfortunatly it did not quite live up to the stories I have heard; although I hear it is an entirely different place after dark.

I topped the day off with a boat tour around the canal, and a hot meal and a cold beer at the Irish Pub near my hotel.

Tomorrow I am off to the Anne Frank museum and perhaps the Heineken Experience. Then it is off to Johannesburg on Monday.

To be continued.

I Heart John Heher

For those of you who know John, you'll know immediately why I HEART him. He is my best friend, my partner in this crazy journey called life. He is my Everything.


And so, as I sit here in this drab airport, I want to dedicate this song to him. John I am going to miss you madly over the next 10 days. I'll miss the way you call me blueberry; the way you tackle me when I walk in the door from work to welcome me home; the cranberry juice you watered down for me, but still make me chug every day because you care about my health; your smile and your laughter. I'll see you in my dreams and look forward to coming home. All my love.

You're a falling star, You're the get away car.

You're the line in the sand when I go too far.

You're the swimming pool, on an August day.

And you're the perfect thing to say.

And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.

Ah, When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.

Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.

Cause you can see it when I look at you.

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, You make me sing.

You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,

And you light me up, when you ring my bell.

You're a mystery, you're from outer space,

You're every minute of my everyday.

And I can't believe, uh that I'm your [wo]man,

And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.

Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,

And you know that's what our love can do.

~ Michael Buble, Everything

The world is a little less sweet today

Last Friday we lost a true life hero as Paul Newman died of lung cancer at age 83.

I could say that I am a better person for having known him (even as little as I did). Or, that I am fortunate for being a small part of his vision of bringing joy to children with serious illnesses. Or, that if I could only be half the person he was, I would be a lucky gal. But while those things would be true, there is nothing that I can say to pay justice to the person Paul was and the impact he made not only on those he knew, but also on those he didn't.

Paul knew no boundaries, he had no fear. He used his powers for good, not evil, and as a result, hundreds of thousands of people, Americans and otherwise, benefited from his unwavering and unbiased generosity.

To learn more about his contribution to humanity visit the following links.

Hole in the Wall Camps
Newman Leaves Large Philanthropic Legacy
David Letterman on Paul Newman
Paul Newman: He used his fame to give away his fortune

I'm Baaaack

Well if Sylvester Stallone can come back as Rocky, New Kids on the Block can have a new hit record and Brett Favre can come out of retirement, then I can certainly return to my blog after a healthy 9 month break.

I took a break from the blog writing mostly because I settled into life in New Haven, CT and didn't really have the time or, to be frank, the interest, in writing anymore. But lately I have been "writing" (some might say ranting) in my head during my 30-minute commute to and from work and finally decided to get my thoughts back in print.

So here I am.

So what's happen in the past nine months? Well first let me say, not what usually happens in nine months :)

Nope, I've really just been enjoying my life. I returned to Vietnam twice since my last post; the second time to help organize a camp for children with HIV. I was gone for most of the month of January, and was lucky enough to wrap up the end of that month with a short vacation in which I got to crawl through tunnels used during the Vietnam War, gaze upon the last resting place of Ho Chi Minh, and take a trip to see one of the nominees for the New7Wonders of the World (and a UNESCO World Heritage Centre), Halong Bay. Taking an overnight cruise through the waters of Halong Bay was by far one of the coolest experiences I have ever had.

December I went to Ireland for a conference and then spent a couple days in Dublin. Thanks to our friend Mark, we had a great place to stay and the best tour guide going!

In March I attended another work conference, this time in Hungary. Budapest is probably the most beautiful city I have ever been too, architecturally speaking. I will say though that I have never seen more graffiti in my life. I'm not talking about graffiti just on subway walls and highways, but on castles and parliament buildings that are hundreds of years old. It was to say the least, unfortunate.

After leaving Hungary, I made a quick stop in London to see my good friend Laura. Laura and her husband moved there last December on a 2-year work transfer. In less than 24 hours I saw the sites, caught up with Laura and experienced a real English curry and pub.

Finally, and probably the biggest event in the past nine months, I turned 30. To celebrate the occasion, John threw me a surprise birthday party. He had been planning it for 3 1/2 months, with not so much as a tiny slip to me about it. He managed to corral all of my friends and even my parents into one location to help me celebrate this momentous occasion. His sister Jody baked 30 cupcakes in my honour (three different types with three different icings!) Unlike many who lament over such an event, I relished in it. I believed that a birthday is just a reflection on the past year(s) of your life. When I turned 25 I was distraught, but I was also very unsatisfied with where I was in life. Turning 30 I've reflected that I have never been happier or more fortunate.

So there you have it. A quick trip down the"road less travelled".

I'll be back now and again with stories, opinions, pictures and happenings. I hope you'll be there to keep me company.