Adventures in London: Issue 36

For 35 weeks, I have written to you all. I never truly realized how important this has become to me. I cannot really explain it, but thank you! Knowing that I am going to "talk" to you each week motivates me to make the most of the week. And for those weeks that have not been the best, it provides me with the opportunity to look for the sliver lining. Without knowing it (or maybe you knew and I didn't get the clue), you have helped me through my happy moments, AND especially my sad ones. You all have been the first people I think about when I discover something new, see a new site in the UK, etc. But friends and family are not the ones that are around when you are happy, but those that are around when you are not. Believe you me, you have been there during those moments - you've gotten me through the long runs, spin class when I am asked to challenge it, the 14th hour at the office...

Knowledge is a powerful thing and the knowledge that you all are there has given me the strength and will power to fight through. So thank you!!!

This weekend has been rather nice. I think the only thing that could have made it better was if I actually went for a run rather than thinking of going for one.  A friend of mine gave me a website so I could catch up on American TV - - and boy did I this weekend. I have watched a full season of one of my favorite shows :-) Productive I know, but we all deserve a lazy weekend right?

Yesterday,  the boys and I went to see Gran Torino. It was...well an interesting movie. Thought Clint Eastwood did a brilliant job given the subject matter, but it was not the most uplifting movie to see on a Saturday. 

After the movie, we all went to Tower Hill for some March Madness and BBQ at Bodean's. It was not the ideal situation to watch the final four game, but we were doing the best with what we were given. We had a lovely evening of pitchers of LI Ice Tea, tons of meat, chili fries, cream corn, and nachos....oh and there was the UCONN vs Missouri game in the background. As much as I am not a college BB person, the game is even duller when there is no sound. I know, I have no problem watching the marathon, tennis, and even cricket - but BB is just not my cup of tea. That said, I am looking forward to October when we all go to the O2 to see the NBA game in London :-) I am just full of paradoxes...

Speaking of college sports - - I am rather sad that there was no method to follow along with the BU Men's Hockey team this season. Of all seasons to miss out on too. I am currently "watching" the Regional Finals between UNH and BU! There is about 6:04 left in the 3rd so I am praying that the Terriers score so I can sleep. I love watching BU hockey live, will settle for watching on the TV, but refreshing the ESPN.com window is simply frustrating. Watching the Sox and the US Open online is not that bad, but hockey..that is a whole other story. C'est la vie!!  Go Terriers!!!

And with that, I just checked the score. It is 0:15 left in the 3rd and BU just scored :-) Congrats guys on making it to the Frozen Four! 

On that note, I am off to bed!! Have a big day tomorrow. My living room leak is finally getting fixed (fingers crossed). Let's hope they finish everything before my "Festival of Nations" party on Saturday.

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 35

It is Sunday and therefore Blog day! It is nice to be able to update the blog on a Sunday and I think for the next couple of weeks, I will actually be able to. 

These last couple of weeks I have had a number of visitors come to London. With each visit I get the chance to explore new sites and corners of the city. A part of me feels like I just moved here, I am learning my way around the city, its sites, and its culture. I feel like I just moved here and yet it has been 8 months. 8 months have past like a blink of an eye and before I know it 2012 will be here and I will be saying,  "I am about to leave London and I still have not seen Westminster Abbey." It would not be unreasonable for this to happen. Heck, I spent over 4 years in NYC and still never went up to the Empire State building and it was JUST AROUND THE CORNER from my apartment! 

To prevent this from happening, I have cobbled together a of "101 Things to do before you leave London" list. If I did the count right, looks like I have done 25% of it. Which means YOU need to start planning a trip to London so I can make some progress on the list! Let me know what you are interested in :-) xx

(1) Listen to classical music by candlelight at St Martin-in-the-Fields

(2) Go to the Brown's Hotel Spa

(3) Visit the Kyoto Gardens in Holland Park

(4) Go "night fishing" in Clapham Common pond

(5) Make a call from London's first red phone booth at the courtyard in the Royal Academy 

(6) Take a moonlight walk of the city (www.walkthewalk.org)

(7) See (or even take part in) London skittles where people try not to knock down 9 pins while carrying a 10lb wedge of cheese. Come on, if it involves cheese, you know I am game

(8) Play London Five (aka East Enders Darts) at the Palm Tree. The dart board uses 12 numbers rather than 20

(9) Run (or Watch) the London Marathon - you know I have got this one covered

(10) Check out the view of the city from Parliament Hill

(11) Take a London RIB voyage along the Thames. 

(12) Row on the Serpentine

(13) Go to Regents Park to see a Shakespeare play in the open air theatre

(14) See a performance at the Globe

(X) Share a bottle (or many) at Gordon's

(16) Watch the great river race with over 260 traditional boats in September along the Thames. 

(17) Go to Mass in Westminster Cathedral to hear the choir

(18) Head to Aldgate and eat from one of the stalls there (Tubby Issacs was recommended)

(19) Go for a performance at the BarFly in Camden

(20) Go to the Cartoon Museum near Tottenham Court Road

(21) See the Royal Fun salute

(22) At the Tate Modern, go to the 5th floor and look down. If you do it right, it is supposed to give you an "adrenalin rush"

(23) Buy a bagel from Golders Green deli (curious if they measure up to Daniel's) 

(24) Take a London duck tour

(25) Shop at G Smith & Sons. May not be able to buy anything as it is a tobacco shop, but it would be cool to see a shop that has remain unchanged since 1869

(26) Have afternoon tea at The Wolseley in Piccadilly

(27) Read a book (or just visit) the British Library 

(28) Ride the DLR from the front

(29) Take a tour of the House of Parliament & Westminster Hall

(30) Witness a trial at the Old Bailey 

(X) Celebrate Chinese New Year in Chinatown

(32) Buy fish from the Billingsgate Fish Market

(X) Travel to Ealing Rd for Indian food

(34) Try the 2 pies, a mountain of mash, and a lake of liquor for 3.45 GBP at M Manze's 

(X) Stand on the bridge in St Jame's Park 

(X) Participate in a pub crawl (I am sure I will do this again)

(37) Watch the penguins at the London Zoo

(38) Walk under the Thames at Greenwich using the foot tunnel

(39) Take a candlelight tour of Dennis Server's house on Folgate Street which recreates life in Spitalfields from 1724 to 1914

(40) See the deer in Richmond Park (running by it does not count)

(41) Watch a puppet show at the Little Angel theatre

(X) Visit the Japanese Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park (would definitely go back here)

(43) Browse the National Archives

(X) Browse the 3 east markets: Spitalfields, Brick Lane and Colombia (I have done 2 of the 3)

(45) Listen to the bells of St Clement's Church

(46) Visit the "Magnificent Seven" cemeteries

(47) Have fish n chips at Fryer's Delight in Holborn

(X) Hear a speech at the Speaker's Corner

(49) Indulge in Champagne & Oysters at Bibendum 

(50) Take a horse riding lesson in Hyde Park

(51) See a bollywood film at Bolelyn Cinema 

(52) Do a monopoly pub crawl

(X) Skate on the rink at the Somerset House (I did not skate, but I did have Tiffany's mulled wine there) 

(54) "Race a banger" around the Wimbledon Stadium

(55) Dine at Dans Le Noir 

(56) Visit one of London's 17 farms

(57) Get a table at the Ivy

(58) Go to the Shree Swaminarayan temple 

(59) Learn swordplay at Islington Art Factory

(60) Watch the Peter Pan club take a dip in Hyde Park for a swim on Christmas morning

(61) learn to scuba dive at the London school of diving

(62) Drink in an old Gin Palace 

(63) Learn to be a blacksmith at the Surrey Docks Farm

(64) Cross the zebra crossing at Abbey Road

(X) Walk the Thames path from Thames Barrier to Tower Bridge

(66) Do a Critical Mass bike ride on the last Friday of the month by Waterloo bridge

(X) Visit little Ben

(68) Dine at Wapping Food (a converted power station)  

(69) Stand through an opera at the Royal Opera House for 4-9GBP

(X) Take a seat in Trafalgar Square 

(71) Hike up the staircase at St Paul's Cathedral

(72) Take a full circle on the Circle Line

(X) Tour the Tower of London and see the Crown Jewels

(74) Visit 10 Downing Street

(75) Take a photo of the Stonehenge

(X) Take a tour of Windsor Castle

(77) Catch a movie premier at Leicester Square

(X) Take a train to Dover and witness the famous White Cliffs

(X) Take a walk through the streets and lifestyle in Canterbury

(80) Step into history at Hampton Court

(X) Stroll through rooms of the National Gallery

(82) See the city on the upper deck of a Original London Sightseeing Tour

(X) Ride in a traditional London Black Cab

(84) Go to Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross station

(85) Explore Temple church

(X) Visit the Notting Hill district

(87) Cross the River Thames on the Millennium Bridge  

(88) Go to Bath and see the Roman bathing complexes

(89) Take a trip to Oxford

(X) Buy some Cadbury chocolates

(X) Eat at Carluccio's in Covent Gardents

(92) Go shopping at Burlington Arcade 

(93) Go to the Tower Bridge exhibition

(X) Go to the Imperial War Museum (I've been there for the Ian Fleming's 007 exhibit, but would like to go back) 

(X) Ride the London Eye

(X) Visit the National Portrait Gallery

(97) Dine at Gordon Ramsay at 68 Royal Hospital 

(98) See a broadway show in the London's West End

(99) Bike to Brighton

(X) Arrive on a train into Paddington (built 1854) or Victoria station (built 1851)

Adventures in London: Issue 34

Il n'y a aucun mot à décrire la semaine dernière, ainsi je ne vais pas à. J'espère que vous appréciez les photos....

Chez Leeds Castle dans Kent

Les falaises blanches de Dover

Cantebury Cathedral

Voila - Tour de Londres

Adventures in London: Issues 32 & 33

How can I possibly summarize the past 2 weeks? I suppose I can try in one word...unbelievable! For the first time in nearly 10 years, I took a proper 10 day holiday. It is sad, but true. Aside from attaching days to the Christmas break, I have not taken a full 5 consecutive business day break from work.  The week leading up to the trip was spent tidying the flat (although I do not know why since there is always plenty of dust to welcome me regardless of how much dusting and vacuuming I do before), last minute shopping for more base layers and unpacking from my previous holiday for my next holiday. I could get used to going away every month. Actually, come to think of it, I pretty much am (April: destnation TBD, May: NYC & St Thomas, June: Family in town for visit :-), July: Budapest, August: Rome, Sept: No travels as I have my half marathon, Oct: ??, Nov: NYC, Dec: Albany & NYC) CLEARLY I did not get the credit crunch memo!! 

ANYWAY!!! Back to this past week!

On Friday (27 Feb), a bunch of us left for our Austria Ski Trip. Now I know you are probably thinking, "Does Tini actually Ski?" Well the honest answer is, not really. I learned when I was a kid, but I don't know if you can actually call Maple Ski Ridge a proper mountain. So if you don't count my MSR years, this would mark my 

4th time skiing....NYS, VT, W VA and Austria...not too bad if you ask me. 

We flew into Innsbruck, Austria and spent the night there. It was a nice relaxing day of walking around the old town and getting our bodies and minds ready for the 9 day trip ahead of us. On Saturday, after going to the market, we drove to Soelden! 

Soelden is the largest municipality located in Tryol, Austria. The town is outnumber 3:1 tourists to locals. Now that is a destination ski resort if I have ever seen one. Reckon Gore mountain could ever achieve such status?! Sadly, just when we were moments away from the resort, we got stuck in traffic. We soon learned that the ONE road to Soelden was closed because of a threat of an avalanche. You heard me correct - avalanche threat! Never thought I would say this, but I actually got to see an avalanche, in fact we saw about 5 of them. I wish I had a video camera on me to capture the site of the snowing storming down the mountain and the sound of the trees being crushed in it's path. You will just have to settle for the picture instead. 

When we reached town, we saw the destruction path that tore through the tree line to the road and across into the river. Thankfully, no one was hurt and there was no damage to any of the houses, hotels, pensions in the area. They definitely must know where to build and not build with the avalanche paths. 

By the time we made it to Soelden, we were too late to collect our skis so we went directly to where we were staying for the week. Pension Bergsee was the cutest place I have ever seen. It was quaint ski house with 3 stories owned by a lovely Austrian couple, her mom and her 2 kids. A 4-course dinner with soup, salad, entree and dessert was served at 7:00p and breakfast with coffee, OJ, rolls, cheese, meat, yogurt and granola was served at 7:30a (OYE VEH). For 6 nights we had a different soup, entree and dessert. The soup was definitely my favorite part of the meal. Followed by the salad and the dessert. Unfortunately I was not keen on the entree as they generally involved pork (I am not against pork, just never grew up eating it aside from bacon so don't have a taste for it). 

As for skiing! That experience was definitely one in a lifetime. I don't know if I would officially say that I have caught the skiing bug, but I will admit that I did enjoy the experience (well some of it). On Sunday, we started off easy by skiing on the right side of the mountain. It is a rather scary idea when you take a gondola to another lift that takes you to 2662m peak. If you ignore for a moment that the only way to get down is by skiing, you cannot help but be blown away by the blue skies and mountain tops. It made me wish that I was not terrified out of mind to ski down the 400m to the base.  I managed (thanks to my dear friends for guiding/coaching me) to make it through a full day of skiing and must say for the sites it was definitely well worth it! It looks cold, but the weather that day was actually amazingly beautiful. We were skiing with our jackets open. After skiing we relished in another Austrian tradition - Apres Skiing (aka drinking). I celebrated my first day of skiing with a 1litre glass of Radler, followed by some warm Gluhwien. 

Due to an Apres Skiing injury (and no I am not telling you the dumb move that I made), I took the following day off to rest my back. I spent that day walking around Soelden and did a bit of hiking. That evening we all went to the clubs since the girls wanted to dance. Dancing to German pop was rather interesting especially since I decided to only drink fizzy water. But a beat is a beat, so we dance and sang (aka we made up our own words and screamed them).  I think the most unusual experience was waltzing to Rihanna's Disturbia....that song is not meant for the waltz, yet it strangely went. The next was back to the slopes. This time we went to 2 of the Big 3 peaks. The first peak, Innere Schwarze Schneid, was at 3340m and the second, Tiefenbachkogl, was at 3309m. Skiing that first peak was truly phenomenal. The second time we skied that peak we skied through  a tunnel to get to the other side of the mountain. For a lack of better words, that was the coolest thing.  I will admit, in the words of my friend - I bit is hard. I hit a section of snow and was unable to turn; resulting in me going head first into a snow bank. I snapped out of both my skis and flipped over landing on my back in the nice powdery snow :-) :-)

The ski down after lunch was no walk in the park. During lunch a snow storm came and the clouds were such that you could not see 10 feet in front of you. Pat and Silas were absolute gentlemen and helped me ski down the mountain. Si would ski in front of me so I could see where to go and Pat would ski behind me so other skiers would not cut me off. For the first time seeing a Yankees cap calmed me down. It took a good 45 minutes to make it down, but we all did. Thank the stars for pizza and french fries!!! I was shaking like a leaf in the storm after the run, but that did not deter me from skiing the next day. 

At one of the peaks, I noticed a few people hiking to the top. Naturally that got me curious, so on Wednesday I joined the gang to the top of the peak again, but ONLY so I could do the 90m hike to the summit. It was a difficult endeavor, especially with the snow shooting at you like bullets from all directions, but once we reached the top it was all worth the pain. With my heads in the cloud I found a sense of clarity. I learned a lot this trip. My mom once told me, people can loose your job, money will come and go, but your experience - those no one can take. Before this trip I did not fully understand that. I do now....

During our descend back to our skis the storm started getting worse, so I called it a day. While the others did a few more runs, I entertained myself in the lounge. The weather was worsening and to my luck they swiftly closed our side of the mountain forcing me to take a red (intermediate) trail down to the village. There was no other choice to get down so I said a little prayer and went for it...I am happy to say that I did it and even managed to look up to soak in the views along the trail. That said, I was rather pleased to return my skis after that run. We still had a couple of days of skiing, but I figured I would end on a high note.

The next day I went for a nice 6.5 mile run around town. In case you were wondering, Soelden is NOT a running town. Everyone looked at me strangely wondering what I was doing. Why didn't I have long plastic things attached to my feet? Why was I only wearing base layers and no snow pants? Well despite the looks, the run was truly one I will remember. The clean crisp air, the views, and even with the altitude I felt like I could continue. The hills however were a good reality check that I couldn't.  On our last day, before heading to the Soelden snow party at the top of the gondola, I went for a 3 hour hike in the snow. Walking through the fresh snow on untouched trails was extremely soothing. The hike started out on a typical note, I read the map wrong and found myself hiking in snow up to my knees. I then found another trail and continued on that. I hiked over 500m before I decided to turn around to join the rest of group. 

Saturday we drove back to Innsbruck. We were all rather bummed that being back in Innsbruck meant that the holiday was almost over and we would be leaving for London soon. I cannot find the words summarize this trip. It was just what I needed. We had a good balance of people, we skied, we danced, we played cards and uno, we ate meat sticks, I ran and hiked and we laughed!!

It has not even been a week since we came back and I am already counting down to my next holiday. Sevak ladies, where are we off to in April?!?!?!

Well I am off to get some sleeps. I have two very dear friends coming in town for a visit. The thought of seeing them tomorrow literally makes me smile. I cannot believe I am going to see my best friend in a couple of hours :-) :-) :-)

Hope you are all well. Speak to you in a couple of days. 

xx

T