I've been Hibernating

It's easy to do here. It's cold outside. You don't want to go anywhere. The couch is so comfy. Plus what is there to do but go to the movies in the horrible cold weather. Nothing really. It sometimes feels like the city shuts down in the winter. Or that everyone is in the pubs drinking. But this weekend was the first real hint of Spring and it's made me feel a bit invigorated. I went outside. I went to yoga. Later I wore a dress. We did some shopping at an event that was all about local designers. And it's like everyone else came out of their caves as well. The trams were packed and not only were all the people out but they brought their dogs too. It was a good weekend to be in Prague. That doesn't mean that I want to go to work tomorrow but I'm feeling a bit less lazy than normal.

I'm also getting super excited because in 11 days G Unit and I leave for Thailand. It's our first trip to Asia. Score! And we get to spend time with our good friends Jade and Toby who we haven't seen in almost two years. Double Score! And spend time on a beach. And snorkel. And ride an elephant. And maybe pet a tiger. First I have to make it through the 11 days before our flight leaves. And then participate a pesky thing called a conference in Bangkok (which is the reason this trip came up in the first place). And then I get to do all that other stuff.

So the weather is getting better, a trip is on the horizon and there are brownies in the kitchen to eat. All and all a good outlook. I hope things are as bright and shiny in your part of the world too.

Ringing in 2012

New Year's is not my holiday. Too many drunk people, too expensive and too many expectations. I like it low key. So G Unit and I spent the day watching MI5 (is it 5 now?), going to the grocery store and then watching lots of stupid movies and the West Wing while eating dinner, dessert and sipping some sparkling rose. Laid back and lazy. Just the way I like it.

Then G Unit said he wanted to take me out to the bridge to watch the fireworks, which we had been hearing off and on for an hour or so. I wasn't too keen on leaving the apartment. One I'm lazy, two it was warm inside and the TV was on and three I'm lazy and four we periodically hear fireworks at our apartment throughout the year and can even see them if we stick our head outside the window. Couldn't we just do that now? But I wanted to make him happy and start off the New Year right.  and So he grabbed a manhattan to go from the home bar and we walked out our building and towards the river.

It was more than I expected. First it was packed, second it was 360 degrees of fireworks. Czech's don't do this halfway apparently. It's not like 4th of July in the States where you wait and wait and wait for 10 minutes of fireworks. Nope they start early here and it seems like it goes on for an hour before the Kaboom and an hour after. I should have expected all the fireworks. When G Unit and I were at the store I noticed that there seemed to be a stampede at a particular kiosk which just happen to sell fireworks. I guess I just thought that these fireworks would be set off outside the city, not on a busy bridge in between trams. So the reason that we had 360 degree views of fireworks as well as ones right over us  was becaise there were fireworks being set off all over the city by random citizens. It was pretty crazy.

Either way it was a great way to ring in the New Year with my husband and I thought you'd all like to see it too. I hope you all had a safe and happy New Year's Eve with your loved ones. Happy 2012.

Did I mention?

That we also made a trip to Amsterdam in the last few months? We're just traveling fiends in the winter.

Yep, yep. Amsterdam. Although for a square like me I don't know if it is as exciting as it would be for other people. nudge, nudge.

We tried out airbnb for the first time on this trip and it was a good experience. We were in a great location and a typical Amsterdam home. Check out the stairs!

If you haven't tried airbnb you should give it a whirl. You can rent a private space and not just a room and many of the locations are much better than some hotels. So enough advertising, but here's a picture of me in the place we stayed at as well as a view from our window.

Do you know what they have a lot of in Amsterdam? Bikes! Tons. I mean you hear that people bike in Amsterdam but the sheer number of bikes all over town is INSANE.

And do you know what drunk danish people do? Throw bikes into the canals. So many bikes that the government has to organize canal clean up or boats would get caught on all the bikes.

Bike removal in progress

So that is what I learned in Amsterdam. To get drunk and throw bikes in the canals. And that Stroopwafels are yummy. And that I miss sushi. And that I could live in Amsterdam.

The red house? Apparently the skinniest in the WORLD!

Nerds on a boat tour

Ahhh! We're in Amsterdam!

It's Christmas! Or it was....

in Munich.

G Unit and went on a trip to Munich a couple of weeks ago. We spent 3 days in the city of München drinking glühwein, sampling stollen, eating candied nuts (G Unit's favorite) and buying christmas decorations.

It was a great few days. We relaxed, ate lots of great food, drank at Hofbrauhaus. Took a mid afternoon nap after Hofbrauhaus. And generally got into the Christmas spirit.

While we miss home, and boy do we, it's these trips that we're able to take together and share that are unthinkable back in the States and allow us to get a little peak into another culture that make me glad that we took this leap of faith and moved abroad. I don't want to be here forever and it's not the perfect fit I hoped for, but it's these memories that I will remember and make me glad we're here. Man that was long winded. On to the pictures!

ZiGarren

Where are we?

The place with beer as big as my head!

All this food is making my face look fat.

View from the top of our hotel towards the Alps

Kisses from Munich!

And now a little video. Merry Christmas!

About Belfast

Just a few comments on my quick trip to Belfast:

I have never in all my life be so full of liquid. Between the beer and tea I could barely eat. Or move.

Chinese food was ordered for dinner. It actually came with a bowl full of chips

The accent is so soothing to me. Even when I can't make all the words out. Or when the only words I can make out are f***. It's strangely comforting.

Thanks for the quick trip Belfast. Going to try to come back again soon.

The Hills are Alive

Did I mention that our vacation in Italy was hot? Swealtering. Don't get me wrong. I wanted the heat but we should have stayed on the coast. Or we should have gone with our original plan. Coastal Resort, lounge chairs and drinks with tiny umbrellas. I swear next spring/early summer I'm heading to the agean sea if it kills me. Blue water, sandy beaches and not much movement.

It was SO hot that on the drive from Umbria to Austria on our way out of dodge I literally passed out from the heat. I couldn't take it. The heat was just ridiculous. I'm just glad G Unit managed to power through and get us the hell out of that sauna. I actually woke up as we got out of Milan. I swear the tempature dropped at least 10 degrees as we got into the foothills.

And then we crossed over into Austria. And G Unit's blood pressure went down due to the more courteous drivers and as we got closer to Salzburg the mists rolled in. Super Awesome. Our second thunderstorm of the trip was in Salzburg. We finished our vacation with weather more like autumn than the height of summer.

We spent our 2nd anniversary in Salzburg. And G Unit made up for the fact that we missed spending our 1st Anniversary together. He took me on the Sound of Music tour. While he is a fan he knows that my sister and I spent our childhood watching the movie if not daily, weekly and acting it out, and listening to the soundtrack, a lot. So he grinned and beared the corniness that is the Sound of Music tour and took lots of photos of me trying to act nonchalant while secretly jumping up and down on the inside about where we were.

1st stop - the lake behind the von trapp house - so excited



I have confidence!!

Gazebo which has been moved from the location
near the lake and is now in a park that has special
trick water fountains - Must go back!

 

THE BUS! I'm in Marta's spot, cause that's where I belong.
Where's Gretel?

Lake Country. I shoudl be spinning with my arms wide
singing how the hills are alive, but there were too many
people around. I was scared.

The church where Maria and the Capatain
got married (in the movie) Hey it's our
anniversary. Got to kiss sometime



In the gardens. They all hit this dwarf on the
head during the do-re-mi song



G Unit - posing

FA!

End of the day - I still have confidence

And now that you have confirmed proof of what a nerd I am.....

I'm hoping we get a chance to head back to Salzburg. I would love to camp around the lakes outside the city and explore the city itself more. It's beautiful and has lots more for us to see. Did you know that Red Bull headquarters are outside the city? In the lake country. One of the lakes is called Lake Wolfgangsee. See, so much to explore. (no I don't know what red bull had to do with it, just wanted to menton.) So here's hoping. I'm sure there is still at least one landmark from the film I need to take a picture with still. Oh yes! The Abbey. I think I see a camping trip this spring.

Because, Because

We're off on another adventure. To Moravia to do some wine tasting. To Mikulov and the surrounding area to be exact. Wine and castles people, wine and castles. Hope to be good and drunk and sick of wine by Sunday.

See you soon.