Aaron Lets No Time Go to Waste
Aaron's Dinner
Post-Meal Blues
Christmas Market in Munich
Evening in Venice
View from our Vaporetto in Venice
Roadside Cat in Florence
View from Michelangelo Plazza in Florence
Friday, December 30, 2011
Finally a Few Pictures
We have been slow to get pictures up so far. Here are a few from my camera. Will have to wait to get some up from Aaron's collection due to difficulties downloading. We just got back in from walking around Florence all day. We're getting ready to go out for gelato and a concert featuring music by Handel.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Christmas in Germany
So far our trip has been absolutely great. We just arrived into Florence after spending a couple of nights in Venice. It is hard to believe that we have been on the road for over a week already.
Aaron and I had a really wonderful Christmas weekend with our friend Verena and her family. Aaron met Verena years ago when he studied abroad in Finland, and they have managed to keep in contact since then. We recently visited her in Chicago and she extended an invitation to spend the holiday with her family in Rosenheim, which is about a thirty minute train ride from Munich. We met Verena at the central train station mid-morning on Christmas Eve. The ride to Rosenheim took us through quaint Bavarian towns, and we could see glimpses of the snow covered Alps through the clouds. After dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we went to meet her parents at their apartment. Gisela and Jurgen gave us a warm welcome as we gathered for coffee and biscuits before going back out for the afternoon.
Our first stop was to a local restaurant in Rosenheim to eat the traditional late morning meal of white sausages and hefeweizen. This is a very common meal in Bavaria. According to Verena, these sausages are made out of the 'extra parts' of the pig, and they are supposed to be eaten before the noon bells ring so not to spoil. They are served in a large pot of hot water, and you eat one at a time so that they stay warm.
Eating instructions per Verena:
Remove one sausage from pot
Cut lengthwise but not all the way through the meat
Peel the skin without being too messy (we were horribly unsuccessful at this and used our hands)
Slice and dip in sweet mustard sauce
Wash down with Hefeweizen
Repeat
This fine dining experience left us full and content as we boarded the train for Salzburg to enjoy some more holiday festivities. During the ride Verena and I took turns jotting down Christmas songs to be sung later in the evening around the tree. Of course we practiced our singing as we rode along, which was really nice. Aaron finally got a little embarressed during 'O Holy Night,' so he pretended not to know us for the remainder of the trip. We arrived to Salzburg around three or so and caught a bus that took us to the center of town. There were plenty of people out wandering, and a few frantic shoppers taking advantage of the final hours of the Christmas markets. The city was lit with beautiful white lights along the narrow cobblestone streets. After strolling through the main plaza we made our way up a steep hill to a quiet overlook of the city. There were no other people, just the three of us and the view below. Verena and I sang Christmas carols while we took in the lovely sight. The best part of being in this location was hearing the many church bells throughout Salzburg chime simultaneously at five thirty.
From the hilltop we quickly made our way back towards the center to an old graveyard. This is where the locals gather on Christmas Eve every year to listen to a brass band play carols on the rising hill. While the music sounds above, families place small Christmas trees and light candles on the graves of loved ones. All day had been very overcast, but while the music played the clouds parted, and we got a peak of the clear winter sky. It was a beautiful and peaceful experience, and I especially loved hearing Silent Night and humming along with the instruments and the crowd. Salzburg on Christmas Eve was a very surreal night for us, and we were so thankful that Verena shared it with us.
Following the music it started to rain heavily, so we caught a taxi to the train station and made our way back to Rosenheim. Gisela and Jurgen had prepared a lovely meal, so after singing a few more carols around the tree we sat down to a traditional dinner of homeade sausages and potato salad. The food was amazing and the conversation was lively. Aaron and I both felt right at home with Verena and her parents. Gisela and Jurgen are both passionate and intelligent people, so we covered a variety of topics well into the night while drinking fine local beer.
Christmas day started out with a traditional German breakfast-a variety of meats, cheese, bread, fruit, cereal and lots of strong coffee. We enjoyed a very low key morning lounging around the house and talking before Jurgen and Verena took us on a tour of the town. Rosenheim is a small comfortable city that is really quite scenic. We passed by churches, walked along the Inn River, and looked around the city center where there are old buildings and cobblestone streets. On our way home we stopped at a local brewery that is one of Jurgen's favorites, and we warmed up while enjoying a pint and liver dumpling soup. Delicious. We also made a quick visit to a chapel originally built in the 1400s. It was very small and dark except for the outside lights shining into the windows and a few lit candles. Once again we broke out the Christmas carols and sang into the still quietness of the church. It was beautiful.
Back at home Gisela had outdone herself once again with an amazing dinner of roasted duck, potatoes, brussel sprouts, chestnuts and beets. We had no difficulty clearing our plates. For dessert we enjoyed a delicious vanilla mousse with strawberry preserves. The remainder of the evening was spent lounging, looking at old photos from Verena's younger years, and talking. We made it back to our hotel around one or so, and slept for a few hours before getting up, enjoying a quick breakfast with the family, and making our way back to the train station for one final night in Munich. We couldn't have asked for a better Christmas. Verena and her parents really made us feel like part of the family. Wonderful memories to last for many years to come...
Aaron and I had a really wonderful Christmas weekend with our friend Verena and her family. Aaron met Verena years ago when he studied abroad in Finland, and they have managed to keep in contact since then. We recently visited her in Chicago and she extended an invitation to spend the holiday with her family in Rosenheim, which is about a thirty minute train ride from Munich. We met Verena at the central train station mid-morning on Christmas Eve. The ride to Rosenheim took us through quaint Bavarian towns, and we could see glimpses of the snow covered Alps through the clouds. After dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we went to meet her parents at their apartment. Gisela and Jurgen gave us a warm welcome as we gathered for coffee and biscuits before going back out for the afternoon.
Our first stop was to a local restaurant in Rosenheim to eat the traditional late morning meal of white sausages and hefeweizen. This is a very common meal in Bavaria. According to Verena, these sausages are made out of the 'extra parts' of the pig, and they are supposed to be eaten before the noon bells ring so not to spoil. They are served in a large pot of hot water, and you eat one at a time so that they stay warm.
Eating instructions per Verena:
Remove one sausage from pot
Cut lengthwise but not all the way through the meat
Peel the skin without being too messy (we were horribly unsuccessful at this and used our hands)
Slice and dip in sweet mustard sauce
Wash down with Hefeweizen
Repeat
This fine dining experience left us full and content as we boarded the train for Salzburg to enjoy some more holiday festivities. During the ride Verena and I took turns jotting down Christmas songs to be sung later in the evening around the tree. Of course we practiced our singing as we rode along, which was really nice. Aaron finally got a little embarressed during 'O Holy Night,' so he pretended not to know us for the remainder of the trip. We arrived to Salzburg around three or so and caught a bus that took us to the center of town. There were plenty of people out wandering, and a few frantic shoppers taking advantage of the final hours of the Christmas markets. The city was lit with beautiful white lights along the narrow cobblestone streets. After strolling through the main plaza we made our way up a steep hill to a quiet overlook of the city. There were no other people, just the three of us and the view below. Verena and I sang Christmas carols while we took in the lovely sight. The best part of being in this location was hearing the many church bells throughout Salzburg chime simultaneously at five thirty.
From the hilltop we quickly made our way back towards the center to an old graveyard. This is where the locals gather on Christmas Eve every year to listen to a brass band play carols on the rising hill. While the music sounds above, families place small Christmas trees and light candles on the graves of loved ones. All day had been very overcast, but while the music played the clouds parted, and we got a peak of the clear winter sky. It was a beautiful and peaceful experience, and I especially loved hearing Silent Night and humming along with the instruments and the crowd. Salzburg on Christmas Eve was a very surreal night for us, and we were so thankful that Verena shared it with us.
Following the music it started to rain heavily, so we caught a taxi to the train station and made our way back to Rosenheim. Gisela and Jurgen had prepared a lovely meal, so after singing a few more carols around the tree we sat down to a traditional dinner of homeade sausages and potato salad. The food was amazing and the conversation was lively. Aaron and I both felt right at home with Verena and her parents. Gisela and Jurgen are both passionate and intelligent people, so we covered a variety of topics well into the night while drinking fine local beer.
Christmas day started out with a traditional German breakfast-a variety of meats, cheese, bread, fruit, cereal and lots of strong coffee. We enjoyed a very low key morning lounging around the house and talking before Jurgen and Verena took us on a tour of the town. Rosenheim is a small comfortable city that is really quite scenic. We passed by churches, walked along the Inn River, and looked around the city center where there are old buildings and cobblestone streets. On our way home we stopped at a local brewery that is one of Jurgen's favorites, and we warmed up while enjoying a pint and liver dumpling soup. Delicious. We also made a quick visit to a chapel originally built in the 1400s. It was very small and dark except for the outside lights shining into the windows and a few lit candles. Once again we broke out the Christmas carols and sang into the still quietness of the church. It was beautiful.
Back at home Gisela had outdone herself once again with an amazing dinner of roasted duck, potatoes, brussel sprouts, chestnuts and beets. We had no difficulty clearing our plates. For dessert we enjoyed a delicious vanilla mousse with strawberry preserves. The remainder of the evening was spent lounging, looking at old photos from Verena's younger years, and talking. We made it back to our hotel around one or so, and slept for a few hours before getting up, enjoying a quick breakfast with the family, and making our way back to the train station for one final night in Munich. We couldn't have asked for a better Christmas. Verena and her parents really made us feel like part of the family. Wonderful memories to last for many years to come...
Monday, December 19, 2011
A Happy Holiday!!
The holiday season has been very good thus far. After wrapping up our travel assignments in late November we managed to quickly pack up our apartment and make it safely to Colorado. We spent a fun week visiting Aaron's family and reconnecting with a couple of friends. Longmont was very cold, so we spent most of our time indoors trying to stay warm. We had a fine getaway up to Estes Park and got to spend time with Aaron's sister and our sweet nieces. Throughout the week I especially loved sleeping on the leather sofa in front of the fire while Aaron and his folks watched the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy (twelve hour extended version). Perfect slumber...
This past week we have enjoyed catching up with my folks in South Carolina. The temperature has been very mild so Aaron and Dad have gotten in some fishing time. We all piled in the car and had a great day trip up to Asheville for a tour of The Biltmore House. This weekend my brother's family came down for a holiday celebration. It was lovely to spend quality time together and give my nephew lots of love. We also managed to clear out the attic of our many belongings from pre-travel nurse days. After several trips to Goodwill and about twenty boxes shipped, the attic is looking very empty.
Tomorrow morning we will be leaving for our three month trip. Our first stop is Germany where we plan to enjoy Munich and the surrounding area. We're looking very forward to spending Christmas with our friend Verena and her family. From Germany our travels will take us through Italy for several weeks. I am very excited about pasta, gelato, wine and art museums! Then it will be on to Nepal...
So tonight we can relax as we're pretty much ready for our next great adventure. Aaron has had his bag packed for over a week now. He is always very methodical in how he prepares for a trip. Over the past several days he has made multiple lists, and he has tirelessly checked each and every item off. He has carefully inspected his pack nightly making sure he forgets nothing. The zippers are zipped, and the locks are locked. The bag is ready. I, on the other hand stuffed my pack full of all kinds of necessary items just this afternoon. I tried to follow the 'two pair of everything rule,' but I decided to live a little and pack a third shirt just for kicks. So my bag is almost ready, and I will try to do at least one double check tonight. This is usually how we do things, and it seems to work out okay most of the time!
Next post will be from Germany! Good times shall be had!! Merry Christmas to all!
This past week we have enjoyed catching up with my folks in South Carolina. The temperature has been very mild so Aaron and Dad have gotten in some fishing time. We all piled in the car and had a great day trip up to Asheville for a tour of The Biltmore House. This weekend my brother's family came down for a holiday celebration. It was lovely to spend quality time together and give my nephew lots of love. We also managed to clear out the attic of our many belongings from pre-travel nurse days. After several trips to Goodwill and about twenty boxes shipped, the attic is looking very empty.
Tomorrow morning we will be leaving for our three month trip. Our first stop is Germany where we plan to enjoy Munich and the surrounding area. We're looking very forward to spending Christmas with our friend Verena and her family. From Germany our travels will take us through Italy for several weeks. I am very excited about pasta, gelato, wine and art museums! Then it will be on to Nepal...
So tonight we can relax as we're pretty much ready for our next great adventure. Aaron has had his bag packed for over a week now. He is always very methodical in how he prepares for a trip. Over the past several days he has made multiple lists, and he has tirelessly checked each and every item off. He has carefully inspected his pack nightly making sure he forgets nothing. The zippers are zipped, and the locks are locked. The bag is ready. I, on the other hand stuffed my pack full of all kinds of necessary items just this afternoon. I tried to follow the 'two pair of everything rule,' but I decided to live a little and pack a third shirt just for kicks. So my bag is almost ready, and I will try to do at least one double check tonight. This is usually how we do things, and it seems to work out okay most of the time!
Next post will be from Germany! Good times shall be had!! Merry Christmas to all!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Chicago
Our weekend spent visiting Verena in Chicago was wonderful. It is always nice to get away for a few days and experience new things. The weekend was full of conversation, great food, local beer and crisp fall weather. We left last Thursday in the early afternoon and got in that evening. It was easy to hop on the train and make our way to the loop to meet up with Verena. Our first stop was to have a drink in the John Hancock Building and enjoy an amazing view of the city and lake. We then made our way back to Verena's place for a quiet dinner and early night.
Friday we had a great breakfast at a local diner and then spent time wandering the city. Verena is currently working at DePaul, so we enjoyed touring the campus with her. Afterwards we made a trip to the botanical conservatory where we were in awe of the amazing orchid room. The room was full of colorful Lady's Slippers and stunning bromeliads. The late afternoon was spent walking the windy shores of Lake Michigan and chatting about our recent travels. Verena always has good stories to tell. We started our evening out very high class on the top floor of Trump Tower sipping cocktails. It is hard to believe the owner of such a fancy establishment has such dreadful hair. Aaron felt bad about not being dressed up enough, so I kept having to remind him of the combover. An unkempt ponytail, scruffy beard, torn jeans, and old flannel shirt combined are more presentable than Donald's hair. I think this made Aaron feel much better. Anyhow, dinner was at an authentic Mexican restaurant that served excellent food. Our final stop of the evening was a lovely jazz concert at The Green Mill.
Saturday morning got to a later start as we all needed some extra rest. Verena's friend Mike picked us up around eleven and took us to Chinatown for some delicious dim sum. This dim sum experience was very similar to the one we had in Hong Kong several years ago. We left the restaurant satisfied and ready to venture towards Oak Park to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright home. Oak Park is really a beautiful little suburb with amazing old homes. It is especially a nice place to be this time of year with the colorful leaves and cool weather. Before our late afternoon tour we stopped for a frozen treat at the historic Petersen's Ice Cream Shop, which has been around since 1919. My vanilla bean ice cream was the perfect pick-me-up!
Our tour through the FLW home was really quite good. Aaron and I visited Talieson during our contract in Wisconsin, and we really enjoyed the experience. Our guide in Oak Park was mediocre because she really struggled to answer questions throughout the tour. This was not terribly impressive, but just being able to walk through the house was very exciting. In fact, I was so thrilled that I might have gotten a bit tearful when we entered the front door. And Aaron was so embarrassed that he might have acted like he didn't know me. After our tour we walked back to the train station admiring the other FLW homes along the way. They really do stand out from the more traditional Victorian style houses that make up a large part of the neighborhood.
Back in the city we had a delicious dinner and then hit up a brewery to try some local beer. It was a fine evening. Aaron and Verena enjoyed a lively political discussion while I stayed silent and looked on in amusement. Luckily there was no shouting involved and their friendship survived even though it is quite clear they have very different opinions. So we enjoyed a couple of beers, and we even managed to keep the conversation away from politics the remainder of the night. Good times were had!
It was a fine weekend spent with Verena. She is just a lovely person, and we always have so much fun together. We're looking forward to seeing her in Germany next month and celebrating Christmas with her family!
Friday we had a great breakfast at a local diner and then spent time wandering the city. Verena is currently working at DePaul, so we enjoyed touring the campus with her. Afterwards we made a trip to the botanical conservatory where we were in awe of the amazing orchid room. The room was full of colorful Lady's Slippers and stunning bromeliads. The late afternoon was spent walking the windy shores of Lake Michigan and chatting about our recent travels. Verena always has good stories to tell. We started our evening out very high class on the top floor of Trump Tower sipping cocktails. It is hard to believe the owner of such a fancy establishment has such dreadful hair. Aaron felt bad about not being dressed up enough, so I kept having to remind him of the combover. An unkempt ponytail, scruffy beard, torn jeans, and old flannel shirt combined are more presentable than Donald's hair. I think this made Aaron feel much better. Anyhow, dinner was at an authentic Mexican restaurant that served excellent food. Our final stop of the evening was a lovely jazz concert at The Green Mill.
Saturday morning got to a later start as we all needed some extra rest. Verena's friend Mike picked us up around eleven and took us to Chinatown for some delicious dim sum. This dim sum experience was very similar to the one we had in Hong Kong several years ago. We left the restaurant satisfied and ready to venture towards Oak Park to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright home. Oak Park is really a beautiful little suburb with amazing old homes. It is especially a nice place to be this time of year with the colorful leaves and cool weather. Before our late afternoon tour we stopped for a frozen treat at the historic Petersen's Ice Cream Shop, which has been around since 1919. My vanilla bean ice cream was the perfect pick-me-up!
Our tour through the FLW home was really quite good. Aaron and I visited Talieson during our contract in Wisconsin, and we really enjoyed the experience. Our guide in Oak Park was mediocre because she really struggled to answer questions throughout the tour. This was not terribly impressive, but just being able to walk through the house was very exciting. In fact, I was so thrilled that I might have gotten a bit tearful when we entered the front door. And Aaron was so embarrassed that he might have acted like he didn't know me. After our tour we walked back to the train station admiring the other FLW homes along the way. They really do stand out from the more traditional Victorian style houses that make up a large part of the neighborhood.
Back in the city we had a delicious dinner and then hit up a brewery to try some local beer. It was a fine evening. Aaron and Verena enjoyed a lively political discussion while I stayed silent and looked on in amusement. Luckily there was no shouting involved and their friendship survived even though it is quite clear they have very different opinions. So we enjoyed a couple of beers, and we even managed to keep the conversation away from politics the remainder of the night. Good times were had!
It was a fine weekend spent with Verena. She is just a lovely person, and we always have so much fun together. We're looking forward to seeing her in Germany next month and celebrating Christmas with her family!
Beautiful Oak Park
Frank Lloyd Wright House
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Weekend Getaway
Aaron and I are getting ready for a quick three day trip to Chicago. We will be spending the weekend with our friend Verena. It has been well over a year since our last visit, so it will be very nice to spend time together and catch up. I am also looking forward to fall weather, eating good food, and sampling a variety of local beer. When we return home I only have nine shifts left before we head out of town for three months. Where has the time gone?? It is a little bittersweet to be leaving so soon even though we will be returning in the spring. We're both very excited about seeing our families in early December and heading to Germany for Christmas! Until then we have lots of packing to do!!
Zuri suspects we're leaving her this morning, so this is her very sad and pitiful pout. As always, she will have a wonderful time with the dog sitter Katy and her sweet pug Otto.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Past Week
It is amazing that October has come and gone, and November is here. We have only a month left before we leave for three months. I am really looking forward to some time off from work and our upcoming travels. We have figured out our housing situation for March, which is a relief. It seems most sensible to stay in the lovely motor lodge, but I think we will be changing apartments within the complex to have a balcony. Our apartment really isn't much to look at from the exterior, but the inside is nice and spacious. Most importantly though, I feel safe in this location.
We have had an enjoyable week with plenty of activity. Aaron's friend Scott came to visit from Arizona. It was great to have him around and enjoy his company. He helped the husband brew yet another batch of beer, which just thrilled me. No, I really do like that Aaron enjoys this pastime so much, I just don't know what we are going to do with all of this beer! We also managed to go out and enjoy the Halloween festivities in SF.
I have had the past two days off and have immensely enjoyed my free time. Yesterday I took the train over to Oakland to meet up with a friend for a day of hiking, eating and beer tasting. Melissa is one of my favorite people, and I look forward to continuing our fun times when we return in the spring. I met her at work last summer, and we have quite a lot in common. She loves to eat and travel, so there is always something to talk about over a good meal. Anyways, we enjoyed a beautiful and strenuous hike up a very steep hill that provided great views of the bay. On our way back to town we stopped at a great little gourmet sandwich shop and split the ahi tuna and pulled pork sandwiches. Both were fantastic... The day ended downtown at a joint called Beer Revolution, which has approximately fifty beers on tap at any given time. The smoked pumpkin beer was amazing! Poor Aaron, he had to work.
Today has been uneventful. I took a friend to the airport, exercised, and then read more of my book on China. My friend was leaving SF today for Shanghai, so I was very jealous when dropping her off. Tonight for dinner I made a veggie and cheese quinoa dish. It turned out really well and was much more healthy than the sausage apple pie I made last week. Oh well, I suppose it is okay to have comfort food sometimes... I pretty much work the next week and then we leave for Chicago to visit our friend Verena. Good times shall be had!
We have had an enjoyable week with plenty of activity. Aaron's friend Scott came to visit from Arizona. It was great to have him around and enjoy his company. He helped the husband brew yet another batch of beer, which just thrilled me. No, I really do like that Aaron enjoys this pastime so much, I just don't know what we are going to do with all of this beer! We also managed to go out and enjoy the Halloween festivities in SF.
I have had the past two days off and have immensely enjoyed my free time. Yesterday I took the train over to Oakland to meet up with a friend for a day of hiking, eating and beer tasting. Melissa is one of my favorite people, and I look forward to continuing our fun times when we return in the spring. I met her at work last summer, and we have quite a lot in common. She loves to eat and travel, so there is always something to talk about over a good meal. Anyways, we enjoyed a beautiful and strenuous hike up a very steep hill that provided great views of the bay. On our way back to town we stopped at a great little gourmet sandwich shop and split the ahi tuna and pulled pork sandwiches. Both were fantastic... The day ended downtown at a joint called Beer Revolution, which has approximately fifty beers on tap at any given time. The smoked pumpkin beer was amazing! Poor Aaron, he had to work.
Today has been uneventful. I took a friend to the airport, exercised, and then read more of my book on China. My friend was leaving SF today for Shanghai, so I was very jealous when dropping her off. Tonight for dinner I made a veggie and cheese quinoa dish. It turned out really well and was much more healthy than the sausage apple pie I made last week. Oh well, I suppose it is okay to have comfort food sometimes... I pretty much work the next week and then we leave for Chicago to visit our friend Verena. Good times shall be had!
Monday, October 24, 2011
A Night Out and Back in the Kitchen
Aaron and I met our friend out for Singapore cuisine a couple of nights ago. It's probably a good thing we exercised hard that day because it was a night of full of calories! Here are a few pictures... The fish and oysters were really great.
Poor Fish
Ready to Eat!
Me and Gig
I met Gig last January when I started nursing orientation. She is from NYC and has a fantastic accent. My southern drawl probably drives her absolutely crazy! She has become one of our good friends here in the city. We have such good times trying new restaurants and talking about life. I am so glad she will be staying in the area for a while!
I am trying to get back in the kitchen and cook more these days. After a summer full of company and then various trips back east it has been hard to make myself prepare new recipes. I whipped up a pumpkin casserole a couple days ago, and it tasted very similar to pumpkin pie filling. Aaron gave it two thumbs up and managed to finish it in approximately 24 hours. To rid of the leftover pumpkin, I prepared homemade pumpkin pancakes. Aaron ate silently and asked for seconds, which I take as a good sign. We are both off today, so I think I will try to make some type of ethnic cuisine this evening. Hopefully it will be a delicious dining experience! We'll see...
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