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 : )