Locally Wandering. . . In Point Defiance

So - we have finally made it back, our Euro-Vacation (life for 4 years) has ended, leaving us to adjust to a new normal. An American normal.  While I love travel, and honestly could never tire of it - I find it nice, and welcome, to be *home*.  For the last +/- 7 years, my family and I have been globe wanderers from Asia to Europe and everything in between.  Now, it's our turn to explore our home.  I am relishing in the opportunity to discover our new surroundings, and am SO happy to find so many things to do.  We have actually been *home* for almost 3 months, and this is really the first time I have had a chance to breath.  Many small trips already have been taken, with many, many more planned in the future.

Our first little outing was to the Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, WA.  A gorgeous PNW (Pacific North West) Day greeted us - not a cloud in the sky, and 80 degrees - pretty darned perfect weather for an outdoor adventure!  This is a GREAT little zoo - with something for everyone!  There are playgrounds and ziplines for the adventurous. . . 

Lots of Sea creatures for the Oceano-inclined. . . 

And lets not forget the Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!!!  Well here's a tiger cub at any rate - it was so gloriously warm, that the Lions and Bears were in hiding up in the shaded areas of their enclosures, and really not feeling so photogenic. . . 

And who doesn't love a good puffin now and again :)

I really loved this zoo.  We spent about 4 hours there, walking about and taking our time with the kiddos.  We brought picnic lunches, and sprawled out on the grass.  This was a GREAT little family outing! 

Now - if you are thinking that all Pt. Defiance is, is a zoo and aquarium, boy are you wrong.  There is so much all over the whole park - great hiking trails, beaches, rose gardens, playgrounds - I don't see how you could possibly see and explore all of it in one day.  So, we will come back.

What are your favorite local trips?  Are you in the Northwest?  Have a suggestion?  Leave a comment, and let me know!

A Tavola Non Si Invecchia

The loose translation of this is , "At the table with good friends and family you do not become old."  How true is that!  As we age, we lose parts of ourselves, but sitting around a table with loved ones, the memories abound, and what we have forgotten, our families and friends help us to remember.  

In Italy, we have been so very, very fortunate.  We have family here, and through Auntie Heather, we have friends down here, none more so that Mimi.  Mimi runs the most amazing seafood restaurant that I have ever been to, the world over! (Il Lurido in Rimini - I can NOT recommend it enough!)  We are spoiled there, and through the love in both her cooking, and her fawning over us all, we have all become true seafood lovers!  

THIS is the real Italy.  It is not a tourist destination.  It's a little restaurant in the old fisherman's section of town. 


 Mimi lovingly decorates the entire restaurant, in the spring it is beautiful, however now, decorated for Christmas, it is breathtaking.  Mimi loves her restaurant, Mimi loves her job, Mimi loves her patrons, and quite simply, it shows.  Every year when we come to visit, she remembers us, and she dotes on us, and she has formed a special bond with my daughter - this year they traded bracelets.  Mimi became a great-grandmother this year, and still she loves us like her own as well.

When we come to visit, Mimi and her staff not only serve each and every item on the menu to us for us to try, but they make special items for us that are so amazing - words fail completely.  

Thank you for reading about our adventures - as always, please, leave a comment, share your experiences, ask a question, whatever!

Venezia, Parte Duo

Basilica di San Marco

After we rode the Water Bus out to Piazza San Marco, we decided to look around for a while on foot.  The first thing we saw up close and personal was the Bridge of Sighs.  As you can imagine, this is one crowded spot!  After being polite and letting many take their pictures, I finally was able to push my tripod and myself up to the edge of the bridge.

Gondolier Under the Bridge of Sighs

I set up my tripod (yes, I am kind of a geek with it lately), and this is what I found.  Though we went in the middle of December, on a FREEZING cold day the crowds were, as always present.  After the bridge of Sighs, we kept walking towards Piazza San Marco.

Basilica di San Marco

When you walk towards the square, immediately your eyes are drawn to the impressive Basilica di San Marco.  Not only is the Cathedral HUGE, but the mosaics, and the marble pillars are astounding.  The colors of marble are almost unreal - I just kept thinking "THIS is what people are always trying to recreate when they paint faux marble," and the faux stuff is nothing compared to the real thing.  These marbles are rare, and to say they are expensive, would be an understatement.  

Entrance to the Basilica di San Marco

The mosaics along the Basilica draw you in, you could spend hours just looking at those alone.  So - in an effort to see the "big picture" I focused on the sheer magnitude of this beautiful Basilica - the home of the Venezian Archdiocese.
That said - the main entrance to the Basilica has a bit of everything - the Byzantine architecture, the awe-inspiring mosaics, and the multiple hues of marble.  This is where you wait in line to enter the Basilica - they ask you not to take pictures, though most tourists ignore the big signs.  I did not.  I figure of all places to disregard the rules, this was NOT the place to push my boundaries.

Inside the Basilica is HUGE.  The domes are gorgeous - however the recent flooding in Venice took its toll, and you can see the high water marks on the pillars throughout the church.  Overall, I was kind of sad in there - here was this major church, arguably one of the most famous and beautiful Catholic Churches, and it was flat out dirty.  It looked to me like it had not been dusted in years.  Like most of Venice, I imagine it was absolutely stunning at one time, and has just fallen into a state of benign neglect.

Torre dell'Orologio

Adjacent to the Basilica di San Marco, is a beautiful Glockenspiel of sorts - it is a clock that not only tells time, but the phases of the moon, and has moving characters - some on the hour, some only on religious holidays.  You can take tours up to the top here, but we did not - the kids were losing their steam fast, and getting hungry, so we sojourned to lunch.  We ate at the Rosso Pomodoro - which is an Italian chain - somewhat similar to Olive Garden - but infinitely better!

After walking around for a bit and eating lunch, we decided that it was time to explore more of Venice, again by foot. . .

Once you leave the main square, things get a bit . . . more tightknit.  The streets are narrow - the shops awnings nearly reach across and touch each other.    Also here, the back channels are smaller.  They are more personal, they are narrow, and they are much more what I consider the "real" Venice.  They are not facades to impress, they are every day life.  They are good times, they are bad times, and they are what history is made of.  It was through wandering through these smaller paths that we came across a Gondolier, packing up to go home for the evening, and willing to make a good deal.


  Normally, from anywhere near Piazza di San Marco you will pay 100 euro and up for just a 20 minute ride - this is NOT the place to catch a Gondola.  Go down the small streets, find someone dropping off another person - more likely than not, they have to go back to wherever their base is anyways, and are more willing to haggle down their prices.  Note that the Gondolas are paid by time, not by distance. . .

That said - price considered - I am so happy that we found our Gondolier, and that we went on the unexpected Gondola ride from just behind Piazza di San Marco all the way out past the Rialto Market.  Our guide was great, he pointed out the famous buildings, he showed us where movies were filmed, "The Tourist" and "007" in particular.  He showed us the birthplace of Marco Polo, and showed us a side of Venice that you just can't see with the Water Bus.  















The other side of Venice is definitely different.  It is dirtier, it is less maintained, it is where you can easily see the havoc that millenia of tidal waters have played on this wonderful city.  You can see what must have been, and what could be again, if one had infinite resources.  But like so much else, the Sea is greedy.  The Sea will claim what she can, and lay waste to the remains.  I feel so lucky that I was able to take my children to venice, to see both sides of the coin, and to appreciate her for what she is.

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Italia, Where to Begin?

Yesterday was day 2 of our last minute "Invade Italy, 2012" trip.  We drove down in 8 hours, and are staying in our amazing hotel on the beach here in Rimini!  Rimini is a funny town - it tried to be the Italian version of Ibiza, but with the clubs came lots of drugs and darker elements, so now, 20 years later the town is struggling to clean itself up.  They have done an amazing job - this is the town we come to unwind in.  The beach is gorgeous, and quite literally goes on for miles - the Adriatic Sea is breathtaking, and the food - well - the food is beyond anything most people can imagine.  I am getting SO ahead of myself though.  I am going to try and take this trip day by day - and maybe even more than that - as some towns deserve multiple entries on their own.  For the life of me, I have never figured out how some guidebooks ignore this area completely, and others give it a mere page or two. . . I guess if you stick to just the tourist spots you could do that.  We avoid those places :)

In the afternoon, we drove just a bit up the coast, and went to Ravenna.  Ravenna is known by and large for two main things : BEAUTIFUL mosaics, and the tomb of Dante Allegheri  I don't want to overload this blog with photos - so, choosing just my very favorites is my mission - one picture for each place - I will probably expand upon each place in a later post though, I was so amazed here!

Basilica di Santa Maria en Porto

We started out in Ravenna, walking the Via Roma.  There are street signs here, but they aren't always easily understood, so we figured the best way to find anything was to go on foot, and stay close.  Thankfully, most of the major sights are well within easy walking distance (even with a 3 year old in tow).  We parked by the Museum of Art, and off we went!  We walked past the Basilica di Santa Maria en Porto - there were worshippers there, and I really do not want to bother someone in prayer.  Pretty sure it's frowned upon.

We continued on our walk, down to the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo.  You know that saying good things in small packages?  Well, the package was not small, but it was most definitely unassuming.  It looked like a plain brick church from the front, not much special.  Then, after you pay your 9.50 to enter (you buy a ticket that gives you access to 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sights, and is valid for 7 days)  This is what we found INSIDE. . . The Basilica is STUNNING!  The mosaics inside defy words - such artistry, so much love and time spent.  My photos do not give any of it the justice it deserves!

 Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

Next, we went to the Tomb of Dante Allegheri.  After being pushed out of Firenze, Dante spent his days in hiding in Ravenna.  Even after his death, the monks still hid his remains for a few hundred years before entombing him next to their monastery.  At the end of this little alley, is the Tomb.


Inside of the tomb, if you look directly above your head, you will see a lit oil lamp.  To this day, Firenze is still paying a pennance of sorts for their persecution of the author of "Inferno".  The oil for the lamp in the tomb is provided by the city of Firenze every year.





When the Germans occupied Ravenna during WWII, Dante's remains were again put into hiding, as the monks chose to bury his body under a pile of soil and plants in the courtyard adjacent to the tomb, so that his remains could not be desecrated, or taken by the German soldiers.


Ravenna, as I said before is known for it's Mosaics.  Not all Mosaics are on Cathedral ceilings.  There are many artisans that do all kinds of amazing work there, from wall hangings, to dishes, to lord knows what else.  As we were walking towards Dante's tomb, I found my favorite Mosaic piece.  Apparently it is other peoples favorite as well, because they had to lock it down with the blue bicycle lock that you see attached to it!

From there we wandered around beautiful, if poorly marked streets, and found our way to what appeared to be a HUGE amazing church - surely, it was so big that it had to be part of what we needed to see!  It wasn't!  IT was huge, it was beautiful, but it was just the duomo (HA!  Never thought I would say something was JUST a duomo) - the small, octagonal building next to it was what we were really trying to find.  It was the Battistero Neoniano.

The Duomo - this is still very much an active church!

Did I mention that the sun was out?  The entire day was NOT warm, but we did have the sun!  I miss the sun.  In Germany, we are so far north that even if you were outside all day long, the sun is simply not strong enough for your body to begin to synthesize vitamin D at all!  I LOVE VITAMIN D.  This California Girl is seriously solar powered.


No wonder I love it down here in Italy.  The climate here in Northern Italy is SO similar to what it is like where i grew up in Northern California - I always feel like a part of me is coming home when we travel down here!

The Duomo again, as seen from the Battistero Neoniano

Originally built on a roman bath site, the battistero is actually over 4 stories, however 3 of those stories are now underground, and inaccessible to the average bear .  Ah well, the one floor of it that we did get to see what amazing.  The mosaics are otherworldly!  And they even have a bronze cross on display from around 688 or so AD!

The ceiling of the Battistero Neoniano.  The scene is depicting Christ being baptised by John the Baptist - I think my favorite part of it, though is if you look off to the side of the centerpiece, you will see a man holding a cloth for Christ to wear - that man is actually the spirit of the river.  Roman mythology meet Christianity!

One of the alcoves inside the Battistero Neonian

We thought we were leaving at this point.  We really did.  And then we saw it.  We saw the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe.

my dad was kind enough to know that I REALLY wanted to see this church, so he offered for my mom and him to take the kids to the park, while I went inside, and shot pictures of the Basilica all by myself!  It was stunning!  This will have it's own blog post, because there is just too much to share on this page by itself.

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe.

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe.

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare en Classe.

Weihnachts Markt Season is Here!!!

YES!  You are seeing that right!  This past weekend was the start of the Advent, which here in Germany means WIEHNACHTS MARKT (aka. Christmas Market) time!  The time of year when you meet your friends in the town squares, you have cups of hot Glühwein, and maybe eat a Bratwurst or two, and for our region, you can not forget the Lebküchen (a ginger bread like treat)

 You can't forget the Pyramides!  Most houses have small ones that are candle powered, so that you can watch the heat turn the blades, and see the many characters turn throughout the night.  However, most markets have life sized ones, that are just magical!!!

I mentioned the food before, right?  I mean, look at these stands!  Not only are they beautiful, but the scent of fresh Bratwürst, and other warm, meaty treats is amazing.  Should be noted that this is NOT the place for Vegans or Vegetarians to hang out!  This is meat country, baby!

 Despite all the revelry, this is Germany after all.  Shops still close early, nothing is open on a Saturday, and even the Markt, with all its festivities,  STILL is shut down by 9pm on Friday night!

I hope you are enjoying this all!   Please, leave a comment, subscribe, whatever!  I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this all!

Have You Ever Been to the REAL Oktoberfest?

Have You Ever Been to the 

REAL Oktoberfest?

The one that is held in September?  The one that started it all?  The one that welcomes in MILLIONS of tourists each year?  NO?  Take my advice, if you ever get the chance, GO FOR IT!

Let me tell you first thing, I am NOT a fan of crowds.  I don't like the chaos, I get edgy, I get CRANKY!  That said - Oktoberfest is still worth it, at least once!  (This was our third year in a row!)  I was hesitant this year, with my husband gone, and the two kids in tow - and yet at the end of the day, it was not a big deal at all!  We go really really early (like when it opens at 9am) and leave really early, before everyone is completely hammered.  We take the train up, so we don't have to worry about the car, and then just walk from the HaupBahnhof into the festplatz.  This year, we even did it sans stroller, and managed to meet up with some friends at one of the tents!

As you can see, we were not the only ones with kids present - and have always taken ours with us.  Yes, my little dude had his first sip of Bier at Oktoberfest.  Pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!  

YES, there are crowds.  YES it is loud.  YES there is LOTS of drinking.  Amazingly enough to this crazy American, though, it never gets too out of control.  There is always a very visible security / Polizei presence, and people really for the most part are out to simply have a good time with their friends and family!

There are all kinds of tents.  Chicken Tents, Ox Tents, Fish Tents, you name it, and they have something to go with it.  

It is hard to explain Oktoberfest - we really do not have anything similar in America.  Take the biggest State Fair you can think of - remove the Agriculture, make it all rides and food, squish it into about a 10 block area, and then add bier. LOTS of BIER!

They even have giant metal chickens on the side of the buildings!

And let us not forget the traditional Bier Garten.  Can't ask for much more than that!

I am very serious when I say that it is worth it!  I had always heard vague references to Oktoberfest, and quite honestly never had that much of a crazy desire to go.  I wouldn't look back though.  Bought my dirndl, braided my hair, grabbed the kids, and had definitely one of the most memorable experiences of my life!  Thank you to everyone who went out with us, and partook in the craziness, especially my amazing good sport of a cousin, Lynda.

..... I don't think my sweet cousin from Scotland will ever be the same again!

**I know it's now December, and I bet you are wondering why I am posting pictures and stories from October - the simple reason is, that I had not done it before, and it is a trip SO worth taking - for the whole family, or part of the family, or even just for the grown ups! **

Never Letting the Grass Grow

So - my husband is gone a lot.  It sucks.  Sadly, I am also used to it.  That is ok, though - we work with what we are given, and thankful for what we have.  In the meantime, we don't let the grass grow, we don't sit and complain that he's gone (well, ok, maybe a little bit), we don't hide out in the basement, avoiding the world.  We get out and see the world!  I am good with distraction, whether it's intentional or not, and for me these days, traveling is a great distraction to 1/4 of my little family, and 1/2 my heart being missing.

So, for the end of June, our trip we took was to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We only went for a couple of days, and I bored my kids to death with hikes and nature, but, well that is me, I reluctantly admit to being a little bit Granola.

 

Don't they look tortured. . .

 

Wait - you mean not everyone elses kids try to make themselves look like Master Yoda in almost EVERY family picture?  SERIOUSLY?  

Yes. Don't we all look miserable? (NOT)  While we may be missing an integral piece, we are still moving forward, and still making the most of what we have.  To waste the opportunities we have to travel and see the world while we are living abroad would be a sin.

As always- PLEASE, leave a comment, share a thought, or just follow along with us on our journey!