Bavaria

When you fly into Vienna, if you are lucky, you will fly over Schloss Schonbrunn.  One of innumerable Habsburg Palaces, this one has 1441 rooms if you believe the tour books.  It sets the tone for what you are about to encounter...more palaces and Habsburgs than you can imagine

Towards the end of the 13th century the Habsburg family rose to power over the Babenburg family who had been in charge since the late 10th century...before that Charlemagne and the Romans.  The Habsburgs were pretty much in control until the end of World War I.  On the upside, there are really only 4 choices on any given history quiz but, on the downside, it's hard to really to differentiate one Habsburg from another...except Maria Theresa mostly because she is (a) Marie Antoinette's mother, and (b) the only woman.

The Innere Stadt (the part that was once protected by the city walls) is dominated by the Hofburg which is really just a big rambling palace that was created as one generation tried to one up the previous generation's living quarters.  It's hard to understand how big the place is: six museums, a chapel, the president of Austria's offices, the national library, the Lipizzaner Stallions stable and their arena, a greenhouse, and a park.  I'm sure I missed something.  After a while you are pretty much just wandering around staring blindly at building after building.  They are beautiful but after a couple of hours...they start to look a bit the same.  I did enjoy my tour through the Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) but probably not why you think...it is full of things that just reasonably can't be legitimate.  A unicorn horn (actually a narwhal tusk) and the nail that held Christ's right hand to the cross (presumable they just had it an old box before they got the 15th century case it is in now...I wonder who has the left one?) are stand outs in this category for me.

The reason I went to Vienna was to see the Gustav Klimt exhibit at Schloss Belvedere (another Habsburg Palace).  Klimt is my favourite artist and this exhibit was especially curated in celebration of the 150th anniversary of his birth...so probably my only opportunity to see so many of his paintings in one place at one time.  My favourite was a mural called The Longing for Happiness.  It is painted directly onto the wall so it doesn't photograph very well...but it is incredible in person.  On the opposite wall was Klimt's iconic The Kiss.

                     

Next up was a quick stop in Salzburg.  Growing up on the prairies the only picture in my mind of what Europe looked like was Julie Andrews running through alpine meadows and singing up a storm around fancy fountains, so, I've always had it in the back of my mind that someday I would go and see it for myself.  I actually went on a Sound of Music bicycle tour which was great fun and gave me the opportunity to see a bunch of the real places from the movie.  Some things were really great to see but sometimes it is better to just leave things in the movies.  Turns out the mountain they walked over in the movie actually leads to Germany...I guess Hollywood wasn't troubled by these little details!  Also, having stood at the door to the Abbey (see me below)...it is no wonder Maria didn't hear the bells for prayers...the mountain is several miles away.

As a cap to my whirlwind Bavarian tour, I met up with some friends in Munich for Oktoberfest.  What trip to Bavaria would be complete without a trip to Oktoberfest?  It all starts with a parade of beer wagons pulled by heavy horses through the city to the festival grounds where the mayor taps the first keg to get the party started.  The crowds, including us, just join the end of the parade and make their way to the festival to enjoy a few beverages.  Amazingly, the majority of people are dressed in traditional dirndls & lederhosen.  I understand from some first time lederhosen wearers that one must carefully plan ahead for bathroom breaks as suede trousers fastened with buttons are not that easy to get undone!  The zipper is a much under appreciated invention.

I did so many other things during my week: the opera, a Mozart concert in a castle, tours of a salt mine and the BMW museum, shopping, trains through the countryside, the Berchtesgaden region (where Hitler's Eagles Nest is), and much more...but it seems as though this entry is already long enough!

Great North Run

A year ago when I moved to England (yes, it has been a year), I saw this amazing half marathon broadcast live on the BBC. 50,000 participants running on a Sunday morning. I ask you, how is that not mesmerising television? If you aren't a runner, please don't answer. If you are a runner, I know your answer already.

There is nothing about my physical appearance that suggests I should run. Frankly, it is a challenge to find a sports bra that will contain the girls and my legs are short and stocky. Paula Radcliffe I am not.  But I am stubborn. Seven half marathons don't lie. Stubborn to the bone.

So, last Sunday I found myself in Newcastle with 50,000 other people on a Sunday morning ready to run. Some were athletes but lots were just stubborn like me. It took 30 minutes just to get from where I was lined up to the start line. The logistics are a nightmare. They have to close a dual carriage way (that's a divided highway for you North Americans) and reroute all the traffic from Newcastle to South Shields.

Talking with other runners after the race, I would say a description of the course is all in the eye of the beholder. A guy from Swansea told me he was surprised how flat it was. A girl from Brighton confirmed his thoughts. Let me tell you, if you grew up in the wide open prairies of Canada, it was not even close to flat. More like an alpine endurance test but set in the northern reaches of England. It's been two days and my quads still hurt when I have to go down stairs!

I would like to think that I have learned my lesson and I will stop with this ridiculous running obsession but I'm stubborn.

But I do wish they had a few more Pot-A-Loos (aka Port-A-Potties) on the course...some things remain the same no matter which side of the world you are on.

Olympics

Better late than never, right?  I LOVE the Olympics.  This isn't surprising to anyone who lived through my previous Olympic experience in Vancouver.  Let me tell you, the recurrence of Olympic Fever is more intense than the first go around. 

 

I started off the games at a wonderful party at at friend's flat (Thanks MA!) that overlooked the Olympic Stadium.  I was a great night all around running between the balcony and the TV.  It seemed that every flat in her building and the surrounding ones was doing just the same thing and it made the evening feel like a big community event as we talked from balcony to balcony.  The only other night like it that I remember was NYE 1999 as we celebrated the arrival of the new century.  The best moment?  Since Stratford Station was exit only, they performers had to walk down to the next station, Homerton, to get home.  Since they were all still in costume it was pretty easy to figure out where they were coming from.  As they waited for their train we, being all the people on the surrounding balconies, gave them a round of applause.  They reciprocated with an impromptu reprise of their dance number from the opening ceremony right on the train platform for us!  It was amazing and totally blows my Dad's theory out of the water that song and dance numbers don't just pop up in the middle of everyday life (he's a bit of a musical hater).  I have to say pop-up musical moments have happened many times in my life.  Maybe you have to be a believer to experience these things.

The next day I was fortunate enough to meet up with E&J (an aside - this acronym makes me laugh because of the obvious reference to Ernest & Julio Wine...which is not so good...if only you knew how much vino E&J and I have drank over the years!!) for some quality time at Hyde Park watching the Men's Road Race on the big screen with a few thousand other city dwellers.  It was a lot of fun.  We followed up with a rambling walk through Mayfair through to Covent Garden by way of a couple of pubs.  The best way to spend an afternoon in London!

Sunday saw me and N get up early to catch a train out to Box Hill (south of London) where we trudged up a hill and sat for 4 hours waiting to see our hero Clara Hughes in action. Many new day-friends (you know the sort...you've never seen them before and you'll never see them again but on that day it is hard to understand how you never ran into each other before) where made on the way up the hill and while hanging out for a few hours.  We could hear the race over the loud speakers and it reminded me of listening to Rider games on the radio as a kid.  When Clara finally appeared she was leading the pelaton up the hill!! Exciting does not begin to describe it.

It is always surprising to me how much the Canadian presence in the wars is valued in Europe.  We were clothed in our best Team Canada attire for the occasion so our allegiance was pretty obvious.  On the way up the hill a local man told us all about the Canadian military history in the area.  I realized that he was actually telling me the British perspective of the stories that my next door neighbour, Roy, in Winnipeg used to tell me about his time stationed in England.  He would have been stationed there.  Small world.

Tuesday saw me with N again to watch the Women's Weightlifting competition where Canada won a bronze!  If it weren't for the "Weightlifting for Dummies" video a few minutes before the event we wouldn't have had a clue.  All in all it was a really good event to watch.  There was far more strategy than I realized.  The woman who won gold had two chances to break the world record with her final lifts.  She didn't make it but the whole crowd was totally behind her.  For me, there is no better Olympic moment than when the whole crowd is cheering, not for a specific country, but just because the display of athleticism and achievement in front of them is so amazing.  I wish she would have made her lift.  The crowd would have roared!

Wednesday was my final day of Olympic activities...Beach Volleyball with my friend S!  I don't dispute the athleticism of the players...anyone in my grade 9 Phys Ed class could tell you that I was a disaster on a volleyball court... but I am still not sure it is an Olympic event.  However, it is definitely a good time!  The location, right in behind Horse Guards Parade, is fantastic.  They even have a dance team (in bathing suits) that do little numbers in the breaks.  Good fun for sure.  Plus, I did see a guy who was 6'11" playing for Russia.  If you don't have to jump to get your hands over the net it is a pretty good advantage!

S & I spent the rest of day wandering about the parks winding up back at Hyde Park to watch on the big screens again.  It was a really nice day to be in the heart of the tourist zone.  Hardly any traffic and almost no tourists.  You could even be in front of Buckingham Palace without guards yelling at you to keep moving as there weren't enough people about to even bother yelling!  Generally, that was the weird thing about London during the Olympics, there was nobody around.  The trains were less busy than normal, there was very little traffic on the roads, and even foot traffic was lighter than normal.  People did what they were told and stayed off the trains when they were going to be busy, worked from home, or just took holidays, and it worked.  They increased usage on the system by 30% which is incredible.  As hard as British Journalists tried to find disgruntled Olympic fans to interview, all they got was a bunch of happy people who where nothing but impressed with the TFL (Transport for London...the dark under-lords who hold us hostage on their trains daily).

For the record, Vancouver was better.

Windsor

An exciting weekend!  My Aunt C and her daughter (my cousin) R have come to visit me and see a bit of Europe.  It's nice to have company from home...my Aunt and I have the same sense of humour and it is great to share a laugh about some of the English oddities in daily life.  This can sometimes lead to major embarrassment for R while C and I pose for pictures with ridiculous signs around the city ("Caution Plant Movements" was my particular favourite).

Friday night we went to Les Miserables which is still as good as the first time I saw it.  Perhaps better because last time I saw it from the very last row of the top balcony of the Centre of the Arts in Regina.  When you can actually see the people on stage it makes a difference.  Go figure.  I was able to refrain from singing along but I did mouth the words to a few of my favourites.

Saturday we made our way out to Windsor to have a look around Liz & Phil's family home.  It must be so weird to have thousands of people trolling all around your home on any given weekend.  I have been to Windsor years ago with my brother J  but I was keen to have a second look.  The second time around was really enjoyable as I didn't feel like I needed to have the audio guide plastered up to my ear.  Instead, I actually looked around!

The most impressive parts of the castle, at least to me, are the bits that have been revealed by and restored after the big fire in 1992.  The restored St. George's Hall is a masterpiece.  Centuries old construction techniques in timber framing with green oak had to be re-created (and relearned!) and the results are beyond impressive.  The Queen's Private Chapel is one of the most beautiful spaces I have ever stood in.

By far the stand out of the tour was our trip into the actual kitchen space used to prepare for Royal banquets.  It is a beautiful space (what a ceiling!) and would be a nice space to cook in if you didn't have to cook for 160 people at once.  Not to mention dishes...which are done by hand.  I've been on the wash brigade at many a Bacon family meal...but we are only about 30 at most!

R and I ducked out Saturday night to a friend's birthday party over in Homerton.  Turns out beer drinking runs in the family...I think I would definitely struggle to keep up with little Miss R!  Hopefully as we get older (I'm already older so I guess as R gets older) we have more opportunities to hang out together over a few wobbly pops and think up ways to torment our brothers.  Look out J and G!

Sunday saw our trio check out a restaurant along Regent's Canal in Shoreditch that I have been running past for months and then a walk around Hyde Park.  We managed to snag an ice cream along the way which always makes me happy.  The girls are off to Paris for a few days and I am going to bed early!

Cornwall

Less than 12 hours after I arrived home from Turkey, my Mom was at my flat from Winnipeg!  How's that for timing!  I`m so proud of my Mom.  She grew up in little Ogema, Saskatchewan, and now she can get herself from Heathrow to my flat in Angel all on her own!  Pretty impressive in my mind. 

Me in an old copper mine building.

We took off for the English seaside and the beautiful scenery of Cornwall.  It is about 5 hours by train from London which means that most of my co-workers have never been there because it is "so far away".  Fortunately, being two prairie girls, we thought it was really close, and, travelling by train means you can snack, nap, go for a walk, read the paper, and never have to take a turn driving! Plus, no plastic baggy of liquids or security check...just show up and board.

We stayed a nice little B&B (http://www.chyanmor.co.uk/) a 10 minute walk from the station in Penzance (note: my mother requested all singing of Gilbert & Sullivan operas to be done only in my own head).  Penzance was a great base for exploration!  I think the highlight for me was definitely the tour we booked with Russ (http://www.westcornwallwalks.co.uk/about.html). He's a local guy who really knows his stuff so if you are ever in Cornwall definitely look him up.  I`m not even getting commission for this shameless plug.  If you want to go camping he`ll even set up your campsite for you (I`m not kidding...the back of his van includes "hassle-free camping" as an available service).

These flowers were growing out of a rock wall!

Cornwall is beautiful.  That probably is not shocking to anyone.  What surprised me is that there are really three different Cornwall's: eerie barren moor lands, lush green valleys, and golden sand beaches.  Plus, everywhere you go are the most amazing wildflowers.  The whole island is only 80 miles long and 20 miles wide but they sure do pack a lot in.  I had it in my mind that since I had been through the county of Caithness, the most northern point of mainland Scotland, years ago while backpacking that I should make a point of heading down to the southern extreme too.  It was definitely a good idea!  No offense to Caithness but I rather prefer Cornwall.

St. Ives

We spent a beautiful sunny day in St.Ives which really is as pretty as a postcard.  Not too many train stations are right at the beach.  I was really surprised at how clean & clear the water is...I always thought the ocean would look dark and foreboding but it was crystal clear and a pretty blue/green colour.  Swimming in algae infested fresh water lakes is losing it`s appeal pretty fast these days.

I would be terrified to be out in the ocean in one of these!

After a great long weekend, we headed back to London so I could go to work (boo!) and Mom could pack in a few more castles and palaces.  She managed to schedule me in for high tea at Claridge`s (aka little cucumber sandwiches with no crusts and dainties served with tea...and champagne), an afternoon of theatre, and a trip out to Kew Gardens to see the Royal Botanical Gardens.  Now I`m looking forward to a nice quiet weekend in...

Turkey

Waking up to the call to prayer from the local mosque is definitely a bit of a change from my Blackberry alarm...with the snooze feature in Marmaris fulfilled by the local roosters.  Sometimes it takes determination to sleep in...especially when the Resort's pool opens at 8am.  Good morning, Turkey!

I'm not really sure where to start with describing Turkey.  We stayed in a resort in the town of Marmaris which is right on the Aegean Sea. Turkey is the bridge between Asia and Europe and that actually seems to explain a lot when you think about it.  The west and south coasts of Turkey lay on the Aegean sea with Greece to the north and Syria to the south.  They seem to be stuck somewhere between in many ways.  We travelled many nice new highways but when you look out into the fields it is like a history lesson.  I never thought I would actually see fields of sheaves or that goat herding was still a occupation.  But then again, I had never seen free-range cattle either.  Some areas are incredibly behind the times but then you get into the next valley (southern Turkey is mountainous) and people are driving around in shiny new tractors.

We took a day trip to see Ephesus which is, if you believe the tourist literature, among the best preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean. I believe it.  Definitely the first (and maybe the last) street paved in white marble I will likely walk on!  At it's peak, it had a population of about 250,000 and was the Roman capital of Asia Minor.  John supposedly wrote his version of the gospel in the city around 60 AD...Mary, as in the mother of Jesus, was also in the neighbourhood.  Even if, like me, you struggle with organized religion, it does make you sit up and take notice.  Probably owing to the number of plumbing projects I have undertaken at my house over the last few years, I am totally impressed with the Romans water and sewer systems!  And, the architecture is okay too.

One thing I will always remember are the abundant and spectacular wild flowers.  The funny thing is that they are all flowers that we grow in our gardens at home except the Turkish climate makes the results amazing (and of course they are wild and not bought from the local greenhouse)!  Hollyhocks growing 10 and 12 feet high with flowers the size of my fist, every colour of ganzia you can imagine, bright red poppies, azaleas the size of a golden elder bush with the brightest pink flowers I have ever seen.

Just to top off the trip, we also experienced a small earthquake!  I'm not sure "experience an earthquake" was on my bucket list?  Very strange to feel the earth shake under your feet.  We were standing on a dock at the time and weren't really sure what had happened.  Luckily our new local friend Joe (played defence for the Hamilton Bulldogs at one point...so of course we three Canadian girls would meet potentially the only Turkish Hockey player in Marmaris), told us what was going on.

Lips

Last night was my first choir concert in about 15 (?) years.  I had forgotten how much I truly LOVE to perform.  One of my friends was in the audience and commented on how happy I look when I am singing.  My secret?  I am happy.  Really truly perfectly absolutely happy.

I think have written briefly before about joining a choir here in London but just in case you are new to my blog...Lips is a women's choir (http://www.lipschoir.co.uk/) that performs pop songs.  We have two magnificent women (Jess & Kat) who arrange absolutely brilliant pieces for us to sing.  Make no mistake, the songs might be pop but the arrangements are at times incredibly complex.  We sing two acapella songs that are mind blowing.

The best part of Lips is that it is the most positive supportive group of people I have ever been around.  No divas, no rock star wannabees, no music snobbery just good people.  You know those boring moments in rehearsal where the Director is working with another section?  Well, it is not unusual when the section finally gets their part nailed that the whole choir breaks into spontaneous applause.  No rolling of eyes, no cranky attitude that you are slowing things down.  Applause.

The after party was also a blast.  I don't think we are invited back to the club we went to.  Ever dealt with a drunk and disorderly women's choir?  The bouncers hadn't either.  In most clubs you just stop the music, turn up the lights and move people to the front door.  Except, if Lips is on the dance floor.  No music? No problem! We have a couple dance medley's in the repertoire so we'll just sing our own music thank you very much.  And who doesn't want to hear Fleetwood Mac's The Chain once they've had a few drinks?  Better add that in too.  Chaos.  Beautiful.

I heard a rumour that there might be a recording of the show...I'll make sure to post it.  If you can't wait, check us out on YouTube (http://youtu.be/K9vwMbc0dJY).  Yes, those are kazoos, we are serious musicians.