Metal Meredith

Another busy day

Phil and I woke up at a relaxing 10am this morning. Both of us woke up between 7 and 730, only to fall back asleep for another few hours. Although we are enjoying the sites, I was enjoying getting a good 9 hours of sleep a little more.

We started our day with a 75 minute boat cruise along the canals. It was a great way to get our bearings in order to set out on foot. The boats are long and shallow, with glass windows and ceilings. You go through many of the canals into the port. Phil’s favorite thing was the houseboats, many colorful and decorated with plants and curtains; others look like a retirement home for a cantankerous sea captain, dingy and dark.

I was told that everyone here rode bicycles everywhere, but I was not prepared to see so many at Centraal Station, the train/ tram/ metro hub. It was just absolutely unreal. Phil and I think that there must be 10 bikes per person and you just take one and drop it off somewhere else to be used by someone else, much like our ‘give a penny, take a penny’ idea. When crossing the roads, you have to watch for bikes/scooters then trams, then cars. It is a never ending game of chicken.

We had pannekoken for breakfast, mine with apples, cinnamon and whip cream and Phil has raspberry. They were really filling and well worth the money. Phil hasn’t had a good cup of coffee since we left the US. He was overjoyed when his coffee arrived this morning, thick and creamy. Phil thinks there is a conspiracy in London to punish the coffee drinkers for not having tea.

Finally we got up the nerve to get on a tram, which is like their above ground metro/ streetcar. It was so confusing that even the ‘easy’ pamphlet of public transportation couldn’t make it simple to understand. It does seem that many of the people in the city are more than willing to help out those lost and confused travelers such as Phil and I. The tram conductor was nice enough to explain it to us a little better. He then told me that no one really gets it, so just wing it.

We took the tram to the central station and ate a hot dog. Then we found the other tram to take us to the flea markets. Phil bought me a super hat to keep my ears warm. We walked through the red light district, which was much less sexy in the daylight. We bought some cookies; Phil bought a beer and a few gifts.

The city is beautiful. The houses and buildings are either really old or very new. The mix makes it a fascinating walk. We took lots and lots of pictures but our lack of an internet connection is preventing me from putting them all up. I will try to get some more loaded and one last update tomorrow evening before we come home.

We had the biggest dinner of my life tonight, as we tried Indonesian food. We went to Saba Sebo, reportedly a famous local restaurant. We ordered sampler dinner for 27,50 Euros each. The plates of food were unreal. So much so that Phil decided to take a photo for those who didn’t believe us.

For anyone who is wondering, Vivienne seems to be having a blast. She certainly won’t be satisfied with our boring home life anymore. Grandma and Sissy kept her busy at Chik Fil A’s indoor playground and she didn’t sleep much. Grammy has just reported in that she went to the bathroom all by herself and informed Grammy after the fact. Follow that by her falling asleep at 530 Saturday night and not waking up until 7am Sunday morning. She is one tired baby. I am really enjoying my time away, but would be lying if I didn’t add that there is a pang or two of missing her these past few days.

Tomorrow will be more walking, more exploring and more eating and more tram riding. We are going to do our best to wake up at a respectable hour and enjoy our last final day of vacation.

Travel Day

We woke up at 630am, Phil jumping out of bed and me trying my best to keep my eyes open. We made our way to the Underground in a very chilly 30 degrees and waited for trains for a good 15-20 minutes. The airport was confusing and a real pain in the ass. By the time we boarded the train, we had been on elevators, escalators, stairs, subways and a bus. When we arrived in Amsterdam, we rode a train and a tram to our hotel. We are the reigning King and Queen of Transport.

Amsterdam is COLD (see photo above, right). We must have looked like lost puppies at the GVB station, their version of the metro. We are trying our best to be apologetic when asking directions in English or saying “excuse me” first to see if they are open to speaking English. I know that most people do, but it just seems nicer. Our hotel is gigantic with a pleasant mix of comfortable and cheezy. It is my early opinion of the city. Phil thinks it is super.

I must admit that the canals make even the dingiest places appear very nice. We studied our guides in the room and ventured out for lunch. Unfortunately, we started down the street with all the premium shops that we can’t (and don’t have the need to) afford. I kept thinking about how my sister would have loved it and we couldn’t get out of that area soon enough. So we took a sharp turn and ended up in Volden Park. There are bicycles everywhere, trams whizzing by and lots of people just walking around. From our window, we can see boats and one canal, a big sign that says “CITY” and immediately in front of our window is a Hard Rock Cafe.

We only made it outside for about an hour before both of us were dead tired from the lack of sleep and travel. I uploaded my photos and Phil took a tiny nap. We found some internet access in the hotel bar/lounge area where I am currently enjoying a cheese plate and a not-so-what-I-would-call a club sandwich. The cheeses were somewhat identifiable (for Dad - Edam, Roquefort, old cheese, young cheese, fig compote and some crusty bread). Phil thought all of the cheeses were stinky and smelled like diapers. He reluctantly tried the Roquefort due to its mold content. All of it just made me laugh out loud. The club had eggs, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and red pepper, some kind of pickled spread, cheese, and maybe bacon. It was great just not like any club sandwich I have ever known.

Phil is drinking a Heineken and has announced officially that it ‘doesn’t suck here’. Smoking is everywhere. In the airport, right under signs clearly making “NO SMOKING”, people were puffing away. It was comical but very annoying. It seems everyone here smokes all the time. Speaking of, Phil and I will not be partaking in any of the “smoking festivities” or eating “space brownies”. Sorry to anyone who wanted me to give it a go since it is legal.

Tomorrow we will be doing a boat cruise and then checking out the Scheepvaartmuseum. It is Phil’s “One Thing”. Mine is shopping for silly things that I can’t get at home. I don’t know what those are, but I will know them when I see them. We are paying for our internet connection, so I am unable to put many photos up. I will add a few of our journey and the city that we saw today.

Hopefully I will be able to update tomorrow as well!

Fish and Chips

It was our last day in London, since tomorrow is a travel day. Although our shins were tight and our feet were aching, we decided to take off again and visit a museum, get an authentic British lunch and do a little shopping.

Phil wanted to go to the British Museum, which was free. All the other attractions cost quite a bit. The London eye was 14 pounds per person, which is about $28. The Tower of London, which we opted not to go in, was 15 pounds or $30, Westminster Abbey was 10 pounds per person. Phil started talking about how expensive these tourist sites are considering how the Smithsonian is free. We could only come to the conclusion that since they were so old, they had monetary seniority for asking price. Just as we were done talking about it, three Americans passed us complaining “Tell me, what in New York costs $30 to visit?” Phil wouldn’t let me go share the ‘old’ theory.

The museum was exactly what you would expect. Well, kind of. It was all old stuff that Phil liked and I thought was pretty boring. I do understand how important these things are in the history of the world, but it seems like they exist solely for my father and husband’s pleasure of explaining them to me. (Dad, I know what the Rosetta Stone is now). There were some nice things about the building that kept me interested.

It originally had a large courtyard which was enclosed with a glass top and a large round building in the center. Then, one of the rooms looked more like a large personal library than a museum, with bookshelves filled with old volumes of books interspersed with collections of ancient statues, art, fossils, and stuffed animals (real ones, not like teddy bears).

There were more exhibits that I took some photos of. Big scary costumes with masks, and Easter Island statue and a very large Buddha-thingy. After, we went to Munchkins and both had a traditional British lunch of Fish and Chips, Mushy Peas and Bangers and Mash. We also had pints of Diet Coke with no ice. The mushy peas were good, even though it doesn’t sound like they would be. I am not sure what kind of sausage “Bangers” are, but they were very tasty. Fish and Chips were exactly what you would expect.

We took a walk to Russell Square and looked for some shopping centers, only to find that it wasn’t opening until summer 2006. We jumped on another tube and went to Oxford Circus Station. This was by far the busiest area we have been to yet and I can only imagine what the shopping districts of New York must be like. It was wall to wall people, buses, shops, restaurants and horns, sirens and cars. At every block we were hoping to find the store we were looking for, but ended up walking another 10-15 blocks until we found yet another station. By now, we are tube experts.

With my arches about to fall and Phil staggering along behind, we made it back to our hotel. We ate some noodles for dinner, had more of that horrid chocolate crazy thing and packed for tomorrow. Flight is at 1030am. By 1pm, we will be in Amsterdam with a whole new city to learn, another language to a giant new hotel. It is supposed to be 35 degrees the entire time we are there. I am sure my next post will be about how cold it is and how I can’t pronounce one single thing.

Blisters and History

We started today off at 9am. I can’t believe we slept in that long. I probably could have done more, but I felt bad sleeping in too long when there was a whole city we had to explore. We had a nice breakfast in the hotel of toast and yogurt. We would have loved to have some OJ and Apple Juice, but it seemed to be watered down beyond belief. Not sure if that is a cheap thing or a British thing. We are hoping it is the former. We walked to the Underground Station and bought a day pass for 4.80 pounds each. It allowed us full access to the city with one ticket.

Our first stop was Westminster. It was the first place that felt like the London we have seen on TV. We walked out of a dingy tube station to see Big Ben in full view. Surrounding the station entry was a pancake stand (that smelled delicious), a hot dog stand, and a souvenir stand. We took a few photos and looked behind us to see a group of American teenagers. The only thing I heard was “Kids, it is Big Ben” and one of the girls squeal, “I am so cold!” I might not have been that impressed with Big Ben, but I know when to acknowledge a landmark. Kids...geesh. We walked across the Westminster Bridge over the Thames and came to the London Eye, the Dali Museum and the Aquarium. I took some photos; we bundled up and bought tickets to the London Eye. The London Eye really looks, like Phil said, a giant bicycle wheel.

After, feeling very adventurous, Phil and I lunch.

MacDonald’s isn’t any different in the UK, by the way. Well, almost not. It seems that every place here has someone who cleans your table and tosses your trash for you. At Starbucks, someone comes around and cleans off tables after you leave. It is the same with MacDonald’s. But if you go to the grocery store, the cashiers sit behind the register and you must bag your own purchases. It seems oddly backwards.

We walked toward Westminster Abbey and passed the Parliament entrance along the way. It is an odd feeling to read banners and displays about President Bush while visiting another country. I almost wanted to go over and apologize. However, they seem to have the same thoughts about him that we do. Those who know me don’t need me to go into detail. There were 4 guards, two with machine guns. It was a far cry from the stories I have heard about English Police not having guns.

Right across the street was Westminster Abbey. First we were able to go into Margaret’s Church. I sat down for a moment just to say that I did. Then we toured the Abbey, which didn’t allow photos. I saw the tombs of Henry V, Elizabeth and Mary, lots of Edwards, Henrys, and many many people with noble names that I have never heard of. I stood in a room that was built around 1000 AD, lit a candle and said a little prayer (because it couldn’t hurt) and encouraged (read: gave the evil eye to) Phil to do the same. We stopped for the afternoon prayer with everyone else. I stood and took in the place where they had Princess Diana’s funeral for my mother. She loves all things royal.

After, we walked about 400 miles around the rest of London. Through the financial district where we exchanged some travelers cheques in a bank where they played Terrance Trent D’Arby’s ‘Sign You Name’ and ooo’d and awe’d at the fact that its wasn’t Kenny G or Celine Dion or Classical...in a bank! We caught the Underground again to Tower of London and walked another 393 miles to see the Tower Bridge. Inside the gift shop, there was a tiny, toy guillotine. It really worked.

Back on the Underground to Piccadilly Circus, where we decided out feet hurt too much to continue on. We went into the Virgin Megastore briefly to warm up where they were playing some vintage Michael Jackson. It was pretty cool. Phil wanted so badly to eat dinner in a pub. We walked into the Rat and Parrot and it was smokier than any bar at home. He had one beer and we opted to find another place to eat. It was like being trapped in a car with a cigarette. I couldn’t breathe!!

We ate Mexican food to see if that was different. Again, nope. Just like you would think. We popped down to the local market where Phil got this:

It is chocolate cake, topped with chocolate sauce, chocolate and white chocolate mousse, brownies, white chocolate chunks, chocolate candies and more sauce. It is appropriately named “Crazy Chocolate Overload” and it was a little disgusting.

Now we are exhausted, I have a bunch of blisters on my feet (Phil: Why didn’t you tell me? Me: I told you my feet hurt. Phil: Feet hurt doesn’t mean blisters, it means your feet are tired. Me: Great, next time I will be more specific.) And both of our legs are achy. I have a feeling our last day will involve taxis instead of walking. Go look...MORE PHOTOS!