Happy New Year's Eve!!

We've been having a nice week and a half at home visiting with family and friends. Aaron met our new little nephew, we got to watch the Hawks games at a reasonable hour : ) and we spent most of the days just enjoying being home. Today we are headed to Elk to visit Aaron's parents and ring in the New Year on the Eastern side of the state.

2014 has been an amazing year... when I look back and think about all that we've done and seen, it's still a "pinch me" moment. We've had one heck of an adventure and I can't wait to see what 2015 brings for us, and our friends and family.

I thought Real Simple's daily quote by Brad Paisley was a good motto for the next year: "Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one."

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve and cheers to 2015!

Christmas Markets Part III: Prague

We arrived in Prague after a long bus journey across the Germany and Czech Republic border. Oddly, there are no trains that run Nuremberg to Prague, so we took a double decker bus instead.

We first headed to Old Town Square, where the main Christmas market is. We arrived just in time to see the tall astronomical clock strike on the hour, and then decided to head up into it for a view of the city.

The clock was installed in 1410 and is the oldest astronomical clock in the world that still works. Legend says that if it stops working, something bad will happen to the Czech country. There is a ramp that circles up through the clock and then a viewing platform at the very top. It was cold, but beautiful to see all the city lights and people that filled the Old Town Christmas Market.

Then we did an underground tour of Prague. The city was originally built at the river level but after multiple flooding incidents, they raised the ground level, and what was once one floor up in homes became the ground floor. To this day, many of the old buildings have cellars and some even connect to the old streets.

The next day we toured the castle on a walking tour that met in Old Town. Our guide was great- he was full of knowledge about the history of the city and castle, and some interesting, fun facts and sights that we would've missed had we toured it ourselves. He gave us a few local brewery recommendations so we went to those, and then we also visited a few places my sister, Lacey, recommended. She studied abroad in Prague, so we went to one of her favorite dinner spots, a Czech beer hall, and then an old cave bar for an after dinner drink.

Prague is a beautiful, old city with a lot of history. There is so much to see and do there, that you really need 2-3 days to experience it all.

This was the last stop on our Christmas Market Extravaganza! It was a very fun trip but also felt really good to finally be back home in London : )

Christmas Markets Part II: Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Nuremberg

After Heidelberg, we headed to a very small town called Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It is a very well-preserved medieval town and is also on the Romantic Road in Germany (a picturesque route of castles and quintessential towns).

I had read that the town was very beautiful especially during Christmas, and it definitely was. The town is small but has a ton of history. It was once a very protected town; there is a wall that goes all the way around it and it has lookout towers on all sides. Rothenburg ob der Tauber used to also be very wealthy until the 30 years war when it was conquered as a place of rest for the Catholic soldiers during winter. When they left in the spring, it was basically empty and poor which is actually what kept it preserved so well since there was no money to modernize or develop it.

Then during WWII, the Nazi's used it as an example of idealized family life because they felt it was the "most German of German towns." Towards the end of the war, German soldiers were stationed in the town to defend it from US troops overtaking it. Bombs were dropped on the town destroying a portion of the wall and some of the towers. U.S Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy knew how beautiful and historical the town was because his mother had actually been there and had talked about it when he was growing up. So he decided that instead of destroying the entire city, he send ground troops to try to negotiate with the German local military commander. The US said, if you surrender this town and leave, we will not bomb it. But if you do not, in 3 hours it will be destroyed. The German commander decided to ignore Hitler's orders, and did surrender and leave the town which saved it from total destruction. After the war, the town asked for help in raising money to rebuild the portions of the town and wall that were destroyed. Donations came from all over the world, and as a thank you, the names of those that donated were etched in the stone around the city. Now when you walk around the wall, you can read names and countries from everyone who donated to help preserve the town.

We wandered through the Christmas markets, watched as Sankt Nikolaus came to the town square and handed out chocolates to the local children, and even walked along the town walls reading names of those who donated. We also visited the first Käthe Wohlfahrt store, a German family company specializing in everything Christmas. I've never seen anything like it before: it was like stepping into a giant snowglobe of the Northpole - each room was a different Christmas theme (nutcrackers, trees, nativity scenes, etc).

In the evening, we did a tour with the "night watchman," someone who was hired to walk around the town at night up until 1920 and watch for fires or other disturbances. Dressed in costume, our guide played the role and described what a dangerous position it was as well as the history of the town. (If you are curious, here is a link that goes to a video someone else posted but this is the Night Watchman guide and it gives you a feel of the tour).

And one last thing to mention is just as we were walking around the Christmas markets, it started to snow! Our trip there was complete : )

The next day we headed to Nuremberg, which also has a lot of history. (You are getting quite the history lesson from this Christmas Market post!) You probably know or have heard about the city because of the Nuremberg Trials, where the US prosecuted Nazis after the war. But before we visited, I had no idea that it also played a huge part during the war.

Aaron and I visited the Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände which was the Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds. In short, Nuremberg was declared by Hitler to be the city of Reich Party Congresses, and so he had these huge buildings and grounds built to hold Nazi Party Rallies. Six rallies were held there between 1933 and 1938 and the site served as a place for Nazi propaganda events. It even had a parade route, and he had plans to build the largest stadium in the world. Today, the Congress Hall has a permanent "Fascination and Terror" exhibition which looks at how Hitler came to power and the tactics he used to stay there with particular emphasis on how Nuremberg played a part from these rallies to the trials. Nuremberg was chosen as the site for the trials instead of Berlin because it had been such a symbolic city for the Nazis and the laws stripping Jews of their rights were passed here. The exhibition was truly fascinating, heart-wrenching and terrifying at the same time.

We also walked around the Nuremberg Christmas Market which is one of German's oldest markets. It was the largest market that we visited with stalls for pretty much everything. We even met a couple from Puyallup there and they told us about a cellar-restaurant for dinner that we ended up eating at! We had a delicious seasonal Christmas beer there.

The next morning, we boarded a bus for Prague, where we would spend the weekend. It would be our last stop on the Christmas Market trip... more to come!

Christmas Markets Part I: Frankfurt and Heidelberg

Last Monday, I met Aaron in the Frankfurt airport. He had just a little shorter travel time than I did to get there... roughly 15 hours to be exact. But we ended up in the same place and thus our Christmas market extravaganza began!

When we landed on Monday morning, we took the train into the city. Aaron's coworker and his wife had kindly offered up their second bedroom for us to stay in, so we dropped off our bags at the Russell Frankfurt office and then set off to explore!

Frankfurt is a very business-driven city: there weren't many "sites" that we were interested in seeing so we wandered through the Christmas market and up and down the river, but after walking around for a few hours in the freezing cold, my jet lag began to set in... so where do you go when you are tired and want to warm up? There is one place you can always rely on to be cosy even in different cities throughout the world: Seattle-based Starbucks : ) We sipped on lattes and lounged in two comfy chairs while coming up with a plan for what to do next.

Recently, there's been a popularity boom of "real life escape games" in London. I'm not sure if these are in the US yet, but basically the concept is you are locked in an "area/room" with 2-6 people and have to try to escape using clues that are hidden around it (ex. finding hidden notes or clues with numbers that would then unlock a safe which leads to your next clue). Aaron and I found a place in Frankfurt that did this and luckily they had an opening that late afternoon.

It was just Aaron and I searching through the two rooms, racing against the clock as we only had an hour to get out. I don't want to give too much away, but believe me when I say it was awesome. The whole concept is right up our alley. And yes, we did make it out of the room with 6 minutes to spare : )

That night, we had dinner with Aaron's coworker and his wife at one of their favorite restaurants that serves Frankfurt specialties: schnitzel, Handkäs mit Musik (appetizer consisting of bread with a Germany cheese and onions), and Apfelwein (apple wine that is unique to Frankfurt).

The next morning we caught the train to Heidelberg (only one hour away). I had been to the city about 7 years ago when I studied abroad and loved it. It's a fairly small, college town with narrow walking streets and a beautiful castle that is up on the hillside overlooking the downtown area.

The first thing we did when we arrived was tour Heidelberg Schloss which is the castle. It was built in the late 1200s, but the first mention of a castle on the site was in the early 1200s. The castle has been struck by lightning... twice, subject to wars and damaged by fires, but for the most part it is still in pretty good shape.

Inside the castle is the largest wine vat (a huge barrel). It took 130 oak trees to build and has a capacity of 58,573 U.S. gallons. Basically, people in Heidelberg used to drink a lot of wine. It's not in use anymore but we were able to see it and then have a wine tasting in the cellar : )

There were two Christmas markets in the city: one near the castle and one in the downtown area. We went through both and then "sampled" the mulled wine like Heidelberg college kids : ) Then the next morning headed out to make our way to the next even smaller German town...

Quick Update: Busy Past Two Weeks!

I wanted to post a quick update since I haven't blogged in a while! I've had a very busy last two weeks - one quick trip to Seattle to meet my new nephew and see my best friend try on wedding dresses! Then I flew from Seattle to Dallas to Frankfurt to meet Aaron for a Christmas Market trip that started in Germany and ended with a weekend in Prague. We visited five cities in seven days and it was incredible : )

We are now back in London, but I will have more to come on our Christmas market extravaganza!

All Queuing and Politeness in the Loo: The British Black Friday

Black Friday has hit the UK... and the Brits are confused. What was once a small sale here or there in London the Friday after Thanksgiving in years past, has now become a full out, manic, mad dash for those trying to get a "gorgeous" deal.

Apparently, this is not how it has always been here, but on Friday during lunch, I headed out to one of Canary Wharf's shopping centers hoping to buy something for my new little nephew who I'll meet on Monday. I arrived at the Gap to a huge 50% off today sign and a line of about 12 people waiting to get into the store. Yes, they had so many people in the store there was a line to get in. So I waited in the queue like a good member of British society.

Once I was in, I rummaged through the piles of mess (that had already been picked through before me) to find what I wanted. I heard a fight between a customer and a sales associate to the left of me; a woman with her arms piled high in clothes to the left. Ahhh, it felt like America.

After finding what I wanted, I made a mad dash to the checkout where 30 people had already made the same mad dash in front of me; the line now snaked around through the store. Nothing like a little, last-minute line shopping while you wait (the "I'm still in line, but my eyes are scouring around me in case I still see anything within an arms reach that I want" move). Then I pushed my way out of the store and back into the open air breathing a sigh of relief that I'd made it out alive.

Back in the office, I retold my story and someone said, "Well isn't the Gap cheaper in the states anyway? You are going there next week; you should've just bought it there."

But there's nothing like a "good deal".

See the UK craziness here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/patricksmith/the-best-of-the-internets-reaction-to-british-black-friday-c (The article description as told from a Brit says it all: It was bad enough when America gave us Kim Kardashian.)

The History of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a great holiday. It's basically Christmas without the gifting, but with gratitude. This year Aaron and I celebrated last Sunday by cooking a traditional meal with our Seattle friends, Brooke and Steve. Then on the actual day, we went to an American BBQ joint that was having a turkey feast that would make a traditionalist proud. Some of us didn't have the day off work because it's not a holiday in the UK...

Because this was the last week of my contract at EuroFinance and it was Thanksgiving, my coworkers and I decided to have a big lunch together. I made sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top- my favorite Thanksgiving dish that I was anxious for them to try. We sat down and one of them asked, "Where does Thanksgiving come from?" I was speechless. I knew the cliff notes of the holiday: the pilgrims took the Mayflower and landed at Plymouth Rock. There they met Native Americans and they had a meal together. My coworker who grew up in the states for a few years chimed in, "Wasn't there someone named Squanto who taught them?" I was embarrassed. It was a holiday that I've been celebrating my entire life and the only thing I related it to was eating and drinking a lot, American football and family (with usually some sort of drama).

Sure, it's about that, but it's also about much more. So I immediately looked up the history and reminded myself about the harsh winter that the Pilgrims suffered through in New England and how the Native Americans (yes, Squanto) taught them to survive. When I think of Thanksgiving, I'll always associate it with turkey, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie and family, but it's also nice to know why you are there in the first place.

And yes, my coworkers loved the sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top... although they think it's more of a dessert than a side dish : )

Meet Colton McLean Miller

Over the weekend, we became Uncle Aaron and Auntie Ashley : )

 

 

Colton McLean Miller was born on Saturday at 8:25am PST (we were awake even with the time change!) 6 pounds so he's just a little guy. Isn't he the cutest? I am already in love and I haven't even met him! We've gotten to see him a few times on Facetime, even just after he was born, and he is always bundled up and soundly sleeping : )

 

I'm so proud of Chelsey, and excited for her and Jody. And in one week I get to come home to meet my beautiful nephew. It's going to be a long week of waiting though... next Monday can't come soon enough!

Brazil Part II: Is this real? No, it's Rio!

Once my conference finished, Aaron and I boarded a "puddle jumper" flight the next day to head to the city that hosts the world's best party: Rio de Janeiro.

Our trip to Rio was quite different from our one to Sao Paulo. In Sao Paulo, we were in a hotel in the financial district. In Rio, we stayed in a bed and breakfast in a small neighborhood called Santa Teresa. The area is an old district known for it's local art, flavorful restaurants and friendly nightlife.

When we arrived, it was a gorgeous afternoon, so the B&B recommended we head to Sugar Loaf first. Sugar Loaf is two huge hills that overlook all of Rio. You take a gondola up to the first smaller hill and then another across to the larger of the two. The whole ride you have sweeping view of the city, beaches and Christ the Redeemer. We had a beer at the top (they actually have shops, a few small cafés and a disco up there) and then headed back down. From Sugar Loaf, we walked to a small beach and waded in the cold Atlantic water.

The following day, the weather had turned and it was overcast with some rain. We headed to the Rio Botanical Gardens and wandered on the paths through the tropical trees, plants and flowers. I got a poncho to keep me dry since it was hot but raining! Aaron opted to not wear a white garbage sack with me, but instead walked around in flip flops, shorts and a rain jacket. There's a first for everything!

After the gardens, we walked to Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. The walk was a little sketchy, but once we got there, the atmosphere turned upscale beachy. We walked along the boardwalk and then came upon Fort Copacabana, a military base that separates the two beaches and is open to the public. It has a museum and lookout area so we walked through the fort and then headed back to our B&B to relax before dinner.

That night, we decided to go to a Samba bar recommended by our B&B. We took a cab to the area but the taxi driver did not know the place and like 95% of the drivers there did not speak English. He dropped us off in the general vicinity and we asked a door woman where the place was. She pointed down a street that looked like it didn't have much on it. Aaron and I walked for a bit, and then decided she probably had no idea where it was and that we should turn back to try to ask someone else. We asked another bouncer who was at a different bar and he said he thought it was down the same street we'd previously walked down. Keep in mind that all of these conversations are happening in very broken English. So we decided to walk back down the street, when all of a sudden a torrential down pour hit: giant drops of hot rain showering down on us. We ran under a small overhang of a closed up newspaper stand to take cover. Another young girl also ducked under with us. Aaron and I stood in disbelief in our soaking wet jeans and t shirts as it continued to pour. We smiled at the girl standing there with us and then laughed at the fact that we had no idea where this place was and wasn't it great timing when the girl looked over at us and said "Where are you from?" in perfect English. Turns out, she was an English teacher in Rio and she was meeting up with her mom at the Samba place that we were headed to. It couldn't have been better timing. She helped us find the Samba bar and we made a new, local friend!

The next day we went shopping in the morning (both bought Havanas... typical Brazil purchase) and then went to catch the tram that goes to Corcovado, the mountain with Christ the Redeemer. The tram goes all the way up to the top of the hill and you have to buy tickets for it days in advance because it is so popular. When we arrived, the staff kept saying there was no visibility at the top so we should try to reschedule for a different day, but as our trip was coming to an end, we didn't have another option. We headed up to the top and what do you know, the skies opened up and we could see all of Rio.

I never thought seeing Christ the Redeemer would be on my "bucket list" but it really was incredible to see in person. The statue is massive. You feel so tiny standing next to it, while also feeling on top of the world because you are so high up. These conflicting, powerful emotions made the experience surreal. There is a lookout area just in front of the statue that has the best view of the beaches, waters and hills of the gorgeous city.


To sum it all up... we absolutely loved Rio (even in the rain!) and are already thinking about a trip back!

A few final questions for the curious...

Did you feel safe in Brazil? Yes, for the most part. We never ran into a situation where we felt unsafe but we were very cautious with our valuables. We didn't wear any flashy or nice jewelry and we usually only took one credit card with us each. At night, we left our phones at the B&B so we didn't have to worry about them at all.

Did people speak English? Eh, not really. In Sao Paulo it wasn't usually a problem, but particularly in Rio it was hard to communicate. It's not a requirement to learn English in school so a lot of people have to seek out somewhere to learn it if they want to. Most people knew a few words, but I actually had some difficulties communicating with hotel staff during my conference! Everyone was really friendly though.

How was the food? AMAZING. No, seriously. Tons of meat, lots of fruit, unique combinations and everything is so fresh. We had Amazonian food one night which was incredibly (I am getting hungry just thinking about it) and a delicious pizza (of all things). The food was one of our favorite parts.

What was pricing like? Things were reasonable. Beer and taxis were cheap. We took cabs everywhere because we'd heard that the metro wasn't "tourist-friendly" meaning it was unsafe for visitors and a bit confusing, and you could get pretty much anywhere in the city for under 15 dollars.

Should I go? Yes! Plan your trip now! We will meet you there : )

Brazil Part I: Eating and Drinking our Way Through São Paulo

While São Paulo was a beautiful city, there wasn't much to do to be honest ...except eat and drink your way through : )

Here are the attractions that we did see:

Mercado Municipal: This was a beautiful stain-glass-covered market that had a ton of fresh produce, meat, fish and cheese stands. It also had small "pop-up" style restaurants on a floor above that looked down to the hustle and bustle of the market below.

Skye Bar: An outdoor bar that's located at the top floor of a building shaped like a ship or watermelon, depending on how you see it. Yes, really. It's mid-level height but is the tallest thing around so you can get a great view of the skyscrapers that completely surround you. São Paulo is a massive city and this will give you a first hand exposure. Aaron and I took in the view just as the sun set while sipping Caipirinha's, Brazil's national cocktail.

Free walking tour: I found this on Trip Advisor. Although there wasn't much to "see" on the tour, walking around helped us get our bearings and the guide provided a few interesting facts. They call the city a concrete jungle and on this tour we saw why. There is beautiful greenery crawling up the sky scrapers and parks in the middle of the concrete. The city felt like a cross between Hawaii and New York.

Churrascaria: Every man's dream- an entire restaurant devoted to all-you-can-eat meat. The waiters walk around with these huge meat skewers and slice off a cut onto your plate. I had to go to this type of restaurant three times on my Brazil trip. (Side note: it's because the men on my work trip outnumbered the women).

Morumbi Soccer Stadium tour, MASP (Museum of Art), São Paulo Zoo, Ibirapuera Park: Since I was working, I didn't get a chance to visit these but Aaron did. Here's what Aaron has to say about them: "They're there."

And now do you see why I am the one writing this blog? ; )

Brazil Update

Well, my conference has finished so now the vacation can officially begin! It was one of the best conferences that I've ever worked on so that's a great way to start a vacation : )

Today we leave São Paulo and head to Rio... More updates to come!

Off to Brazil!

Tonight Aaron and I are off to Brazil... land of festivals (Carnival), the most recent world cup, the future host of the 2016 Olympics, samba and Caipirinhas! 

I have a work conference there at the beginning of next week, so we will be exploring São Paulo this weekend and then traveling to Rio de Janeiro for the latter part of the week.

Our 6th continent "checked-off"... and only one more to go!

Remembrance Poppies at the Tower of London

Remembrance Sunday is this week in the UK. The day commemorates the British and Common Wealth lives that have been lost in the two world wars and further conflicts.

Every year around this time, the Royal British Legion sells Remembrance Poppies made out of paper, buttons, plastic, sometimes even fabric for a donation that will go towards current and former British military. You can find them for purchase basically everywhere in the weeks leading up to this Sunday: shops, tube stations, markets, etc. And it's hard to not walk past a group of people without at least a handful wearing a poppy pinned to their shirts.

This year is even more special as it marks 100 years since the British entered WWI. The Tower of London has set up a powerful reminder and memorial: one ceramic poppy planted in the moat for every military personnel who passed away during the first world war. That's 888,246 lost lives and poppies to be exact.

My coworkers and I headed out on our lunch break this week for one last chance to see the poppies before they are removed next Monday. The crowds of people waiting to see it were massive, so unfortunately I wasn't able to get a picture of the full exhibit but you can see a small portion of it in the picture above. The poppies wrap all around the tower and even spill out from one of the wall windows.

But seeing the exhibition first hand was powerful. It is a beautiful, moving reminder of those that gave their lives, and I really enjoyed the sunny day out with my coworkers. Our attempt at a selfie in the middle of the massive crowds with the poppies in the background is below : )

Happy Halloween.. to (the) US!

Ah, Halloween... a spooky but fun holiday where for one night the world is transformed into costumes, candy and everything scary.

Or so I thought. Turns out, "the world" doesn't quite stretch over to the UK. Halloween is today, but unfortunately for Aaron and I, London is not big on celebrating it or that's what everyone who has been in London during Halloween tells me. This is really too bad because you know we love the spirit of a good, creative costume. Plus when we moved to Fulham, we both had thought 'this will be a great neighborhood for trick-or-treaters since it is all young families!'

Our only hope lies in a secret code: my coworkers tell me that you have to put a pumpkin at your door step and then if there are any children who happen to be trick-or-treating, they will know to come there. You can bet there will be a pumpkin (or a patch) on our doorstep tonight.

But alas, Aaron and I will probably just be sitting at home alone with our carved pumpkins and "Kids, free candy here!" sign, eating the Halloween candy that I had optimistically bought for the non-existent dressed up children at our door. That doesn't sound depressing or sketchy at all... trick or treat to US!

Friends, Wine, Sunshine and Croissants in Bordeaux

When we first moved to London, we were introduced to a couple through a mutual Seattle friend. They couple was from Seattle, had just gotten married and had also recently moved to London on an assignment through work. We went on a "friend date" and immediately hit it off: bonding over all the wonderful things we missed about Seattle, our exciting travels and difficulties with moving to a new country.


That was almost a year ago, and it's hard to believe but their time here is almost up. In April they head back to Seattle. We decided that before they left, we needed to go on a trip together, and thus our weekend in Bordeaux was born.

So last Friday, we headed boarded a plane to France with Brooke and Steve. On the itinerary:

• Friday evening sunset river cruise. We sipped "Carpe Diem" wine and snacked on interesting looking appetizers while listening to a guided tour in French... none of us speak French.


• Saturday wine tasting at two Chateaus. The Chateaus were gorgeous. The first one we went to was a small family-run, 8th generation owned winery. The second was a larger winery owned by the maker of Bic's pens with a huge tasting room and storing facility.


• Followed by a walking tour of a small town called Saint-Émilion. Aaron and I both loved this town and if we ever come back, this is where we'll stay. It's a picturesque, French wine country town with narrow cobblestone streets and ivy growing up the chalky white walls. 

We also taste-tested countless croissants, played card games into the early morning, took a lot of pictures and just walked around and explored. The weather was great, company was fun, and the food and wine were delicious... what more do you need for a weekend getaway? : )

Budapest, I'll Be Back

Recently, I spent six days in Budapest for my work's International conference. While most of it was spent from inside the concrete walls of a convention center or the hotel next to it, I did get to venture out occasionally and see a little of the city.

Here are three things that I loved about my time there and the reasons that I will be dragging Aaron back for another trip : )

1) Castle District. 
Budapest is divided into two sides by the river Danube that runs through it. The "Pest" side is home to the parliament building (the third largest in the world) and much of the city center. The "Buda" side houses a huge hill called the castle district, which is a World Heritage site. The district has some stunning architecture from the castle, royal palace and Matthais church. And the panoramic view of the city is amazing.

2) City Lights at Night. 
The buildings were magnificent during the day but after the sun went down, they really stood out. I'll let the pictures below speak for themselves:

3) Ruin Bars.
Yes, I managed to sneak in one night visiting these cool, quirky bars in abandon buildings. The ruin bars, as they're known, are pubs in abandon buildings and houses that are filled with random "rejected" furniture and mismatched decor: graffiti, Christmas lights, you name it. But this is part of their unique charm and the reason that both locals and tourists go back for a visit each night.

 

Budapest, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Happy One Year in London to Us!

It's hard to believe but yesterday was our "one year in London" anniversary. The year has been incredibly eventful: it's gone by surprisingly quickly and has been both memorable and challenging at times. We've basically had one big adventure filled with amazing experiences, hard realizations, visitors galore and lots and lots of traveling.

Luckily, I have the best person with me along for the ride. I can't imagine navigating through it all alone, and this crazy and fun experience has taught me a lot about myself but also a lot about him.

Here's to many more years ahead of adventures together!

Dover Soul

Two weekends ago, we headed out to Dover, a town on the British coast, for an overnight getaway. You may know of Dover because of it's famous "white cliffs": gorgeous, chalky coastline that stretches on for miles. It also has shortest distance of water between the UK and continental Europe (France).

After quickly checking into our bed and breakfast, we headed up towards the Dover castle. It's set high above the town on a hill, so the trek up was a bit steep. The castle grounds are actually quite spread out and there's lots to see.

Our first stop was at the Secret WWII tunnels for a guided tour. The tunnels were built underneath the castle grounds and then used during WWI, but it was in WWII that they really came into the forefront. Operation Dynamo: as the Nazis invaded France, they pushed the Allied forces nearer and nearer to the French coastline as they overtook more land. Finally, the troops were pushed to a town on the French coast directly opposite of Dover. At that time, it became a rescue mission. Send as many boats as possible to save as many troops as they could before France became entirely under Nazi control. At the time, the British estimated they could save about 30,000 people. They ended up saving about 300,000 because of their quick response and keep going mentality, and because the Dover citizens used their personal boats to ferry people across. The tunnels were used as a base for the mission and also an old hospital barracks which we also toured.

Next we headed inside the Great Tower of the castle. We climbed to the top and then made our way down through the hidden passageways, Royal chambers and rooms. 

After touring the castle we headed towards the white cliffs. As we were walking we realized we had made a terrible mistake: the footpath ended and we found ourselves on a small, curvy road. Cars whizzed past as we dodged out of the way fearing for our lives. After half running / standing in bushes, we finally made it to the chalky, white cliffs of Dover just as the sun was setting. The path stretches for miles and lines the cliff side (sometimes a little too close to the edge). We headed back before it got too dark and found a nice pub/wine bar where we had a pint to calm our nerves.

After an overnight getaway, we made the journey back into London the next day: turns out, a little Dover is good for the soul.

...and yes, I also had Dover sole while we were there : ) delicious!

Wanted: Nerdy Board Game Players

Right after we moved, we decided we needed to meet people. I found a website called "Meet Up" and started looking at groups in London. I found two that seemed like Aaron's and my "cup of tea":

• An expat American group that turns out is a scam. The guy who runs it charges people for events and then doesn't actually organize them. Luckily for us, a friend told us about this before we actually went or paid anything... unlucky for him.
• A board game group.

I joined the later group, who meets once a month, and since then I've been getting notifications for the event dates and times. Since we've been traveling or have had visitors, it has never worked out, but two weeks ago we finally went to a board game meet up at a pub.

When you hear board game, you probably think Monopoly, Candy Land, Life... but these aren't your typical board games. While those are great games, we are even nerdier: Puerto Rico, Agricola, Dominion, Tzolk'in. We love the situational, strategy, make-you-think games.

The meet up was awkward when we initially arrived. There were about 20 of us there and we played the "I'm going to introduce myself but the chances of actually remembering your name are slim" game : ) Then things got serious and people started breaking into groups and selecting their games. We ended up playing three games with two other couples. We had gone thinking, okay, if this is weird we will leave after a game, but five hours later, we finally decided it was probably time to go home.

We actually had a great time and even made some new friends: last weekend we met one of the couples for more games and drinks. Our new board game friends are Hungarian and French, and we introduce each other to new nerdy board games. And we drink. The set up works out spectacularly : )

Now all we need to do is find a card game meet up!

Rainy Day Exploring Colchester, Britain's Oldest Town

 

Me telling my coworkers what Aaron and I did this weekend: We went to Colchester!
My coworkers: Why?

Why not?! Aaron and I were looking for a day trip near London and Colchester seemed like the perfect town. It's only an hour and a half by train from London and has tons of history because it's Britain's oldest recorded town (AD 79). The town was actually occupied by Romans and has the remains to prove it: there's evidence of two Roman theaters, a temple, walls and a Roman circus (chariot race track).

We started off by exploring the Colchester castle which was constructed over the vaults of the ruined temple of Claudius. The Norman castle just recently went through a huge refurbishment inside, and it was definitely worth the visit. Each area of the castle goes through a different piece of the town's history since it changed hands so many time. There are also tons of stories and artifacts like old Roman burial items, games, skulls and daily life items (jewelry, pottery, coins, etc).

Next we walked to the remains of the Roman wall and Balkerne Gate, a first century Roman gateway that is still in tact! There's a pub next to it that was built into the wall. It was originally called one name but then changed ownership and while the owners were trying to decide what to rename it to, the locals called it "Hole in the Wall." That name has stuck and it's now renamed that : ) Aaron and I ducked in there for a pint while we waited out the rain storm that passed through.

St John's (left), Hole in the Wall Pub (right)

Next we walked to St John's Abbey which has visible damage from WWI bombing. We stopped into another local pub nearby for a pint and some dinner before heading back on the train to the city. The locals in the pub were awesome. We ended up watching a football match with them, and everyone was really friendly.

A great day outing visiting "Roman Britain", even if there was a little rain!

Newlybroad: Money Tips for Traveling

My husband deals with currencies all day long, so to say that the exchange rates offered sometimes hit him personally isn't even scratching the surface. Every time we walk by an exchange counter, he stops and goes, "Ughh, that's a terrible spread!"

My first thought: "Wait, there's no butter or jam over there." ...Just kidding : ) I do realize that was a very bad joke!

But now that we are traveling so much, we are constantly exposed to different currencies. Aaron's taught me a few little tips and tricks to make sure I'm getting the best possible rate, so I thought I'd let you all in on my secrets.

Plus these are just good general things to know before traveling!

• As you've probably been told before, call banks and credit card companies to tell them you will be abroad but also find out if they charge an international fee: this add on charge can sometimes rack up the costs on your trip abroad if you aren't aware there is one.
  
• Get a credit card with a chip (and if possible a PIN number): nobody wants your autograph over here anymore. Signatures and swipes are a thing of the past. Too time consuming, unsafe and hard to keep track of. Enter the 4 digit PIN number you type in similar to withdrawing cash at an ATM. It is hard to find a merchant that will accept a swipe card in Europe (possible but definitely makes things difficult).
  
• Never exchange money. Period. No matter where you go, the rate will always be stomach-sickening terrible. Airports are the worst.
  
• Instead, take out cash at an ATM. Always accept your bank's rate and not the ATM's. Your bank will give you the exchange rate, which although won't be true to the daily rate, will be a much better deal since you are their customer.
  
• Or exchange money with a friend. Visiting someone abroad? Ask if they have any reason for your local currency. Bank transfers, deposits and apps like Venmo make moving cash easy.
  
• If a merchant asks if you'd like to be charged in your country's currency or the local currency, always choose the local currency. Again, this way your bank decides the rate which will be better than anything the merchant or their machine provider will give you.
  
• Look ahead of time to find out tipping customs. Often times, a good tip in another country is much lower than in the US and tipping is customary for different services.

Now look at you, you currency pro!

Germany Part II - Hofbräuhaus, Neuschwanstein and Dachau

Although the main reason we went to Munich was for Oktoberfest, we didn't want it to be the only thing we saw or did there. So we ventured out into the German countryside to see a glimpse into the Bavarian lifestyle and see first hand some powerful reminders of history.

Hofbräuhaus am Platzl München

The Hofbräuhaus is a traditional German beer hall originally built in 1589. In 1944, the majority of the hall was destroyed by air raids in WWII. The structure was rebuilt so that one of Germany's oldest breweries could continue to produce beer. This is now a place where you can experience a small piece of what Oktoberfest is outside of the 16 days in late September and early October through the traditional Bavarian music, food and beer. Another unique feature is that the hall has lockers for it's regular guests so that they can store their own beer steins - it's seen as a high status symbol in Munich that I'm sure has a very long waiting list : )

We had drinks and dinner here one night with Melissa, Adam, Jake and Katie since we heard it was a "must-see"! The apple strudel was my personal favorite...

Neuschwanstein Castle

Set near the Austrian border is a castle that was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella castles. In 1868, the Bavarian King Ludwig II built it as a personal, lavish retreat decorating it in romanesque revival and romanticism styles. To say he spent his fortune on it is an understatement: he continually borrowed money to pay for it and died with 14 million marks debt (aka A LOT).

There is a lot of mystery surrounding Ludwig II's life. A devote Catholic, he had an interesting relationship with Richard Wagner, a German opera composer, whom he idolized (this was very apparent by his many painted depictions of Wagner's opera scenes throughout the castle). Ludwig also was deemed insane by the Bavarian government (after going into so much debt and asking for more loans) and mysteriously "drowned" in a shallow lake with his doctor just days after the government forced him to be watched and evaluated. It was ruled a suicide but there are a lot of conspiracy's around his death.

We managed to just make it onto Jake and Katie's tour to go see the castle on the day we were flying out (literally showed up 15 minutes early in the morning and thankfully two people had not shown up for the tour, so we took the last two seats on the bus!)

After a two hour ride down near the border, we stopped for lunch at a lodge, did a quick hike where we got a little too close to some cows (play video... more cow bell, anyone?) and raced down an alpine slide! This was awesome and was basically a sled-looking seat that you sat in while going down a curvy, metal slide. (I think Elk needs one.) Then we toured the finished rooms of the castle (only part of it was completed when Ludwig died) and made our way back to the bus. The castle rooms were incredible - everything was so detailed and no inch was left untouched - but the walk across Mary's Bridge was my favorite because of the spectacular view of the breathtaking castle (see picture on the upper left).

Dachau Concentration Camp

The first concentration camp ever started in Germany was opened in 1933 in a small town outside Munich called Dachau. The site was chosen because it was nearby to Munich, and there was an abandoned munition factory that had been forced to close after WWI. The set up and large, empty buildings made it appealing because there wasn't a lot of work that needed to go in before it was running. The concentration camp's original intent was to hold political prisoners (anyone against Nazi reign) but it soon was enlarged to include forced labor and the imprisonment of Jewish people. During the 12 years it was used, the camp became known for it's brutal treatment and detentions. The Dachau administration recorded the admission of 206,206 prisoners and deaths of 31,951 (but likely there are thousands more that were undocumented). The site has now been opened up as a memorial so on Sunday Aaron, Melissa, Adam, Katie, Jake and I headed to the grounds for one of the free, guided tours.

At the entrance, there is an iron gate that has inscribed "Work will make you free" in German. This Nazi propaganda was false hope: no one in the camp was free no matter how hard any of them worked.

Our tour guide lived in Dachau and said that whenever she says that she's from there, the first question people ask is why would you ever live there? The entire identity of this beautiful, Bavarian town will always be associated with a painful history.

It's really hard for me to write about Dachau because it was just so powerful. I can't describe it any other way. It was difficult to walk through and imagine all the lives that had walked the same steps but in such terrible, inhumane circumstances. Seeing some of the original buildings made you cringe at the cruelty and harsh conditions people lived and died in for 12 years. The stories of guards and prisoners stayed with me long after we left.

It is a difficult but very important thing for future generations to see.

Germany Part I - Opening Day at Oktoberfest in Munich

A few years back, Aaron and I went to the Great American Beer Festival in Denver with friends. It was the ultimate beer-tasting festival. This past weekend, we went to the opening weekend of Oktoberfest in Munich with seven friends. I can now say that Oktoberfest it is the ultimate beer-drinking festival.

It was everything you would expect: everywhere you look there are huge crowded tents, neon carnival rides, Bavarian food stands, boisterous live bands, massive beer steins, and decorative dirndls (women's Bavarian dresses) and lederhosen (men's Bavarian leather breeches).

For those of you that are thinking of going at some point in your life, all I can say is go. Add it to your bucketlist. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity where people from all different countries have been having one giant, happy Bavarian party together since 1810.  What's not to love?

A few notes about the festival:

• The majority of us dressed up and I'm glad we did. Almost everyone was in Bavarian clothing.
• You really have to drink beer if you go. They didn't have many other options for alcohol easily accessible and even water wasn't free.
• Each tent saves roughly 35% of the tables inside for people who don't have a reservation. But if you want to get a seat at one of these tables, you have to go early, and if you want to drink beer, you have to have a seat. We didn't have a table so on opening day, we got in line beginning at 8am with the other no-reservation people. They opened the doors to the tent at 9am and luckily we ended up squeezing in at a table with some nice people from California, but it was a mad dash and very disorganized.
• If you stand on your bench (which you likely will do), don't bring your beer with you otherwise the entire crowd will think you are about to chug it and cheer you on (see photo in the upper right hand corner).  Unless, of course, you want to chug but beware: if you don't finish the whole stein, they boo you!
• The tents also have beer gardens outside. I'm being nice when I say the weather this past weekend was iffy... at times pouring rain, thunder and lightning. On the second day, we went back to the festival around 6pm and all the tents were packed. We ended up just grabbing steins from an outside beer garden- it was much cooler and less packed. A little on and off sprinkling rain never hurt anyone : )
• The waitresses really do carry 12+ huge steins at a time. I could barely lift four at once! Also, we learned this "tip" a little too late: tip your waitress when she comes by your table and you will be one of the first group to get served.

And one more fun fact: in 2013, 6.4 million people went to the 16-day festival, and 6.7 million liters of beer were served at Oktoberfest. Wonder what the 2014 count will be at?

Prost!