Jameson Distillery

Today was a quiet day to adjust to the time difference - no one even budged before 8am!  All we really had time for was a tour of the Jameson Distillery - before we completed our flight route,  arriving late to Amsterdam. 

Our guide asked who has never tried Jameson - Kate and Chris were the only raised hands in the room.  Following the tasting, Kate reported, "A taste of disgustingness filled my mouth."

Taste-testing the whiskey

We all liked learning a little bit about Irish whiskey production on our Distillery tour

John Jameson had a tradition of rewarding his workers at the end of a long shift with a glass of Jameson - called the "Daily Grog"

We were rewarded with a glass of daily grog at the end of our tour.  Even though he downed his samples on the tour, Chris says the grog (Jameson with ginger ale and lime) tasted better than straight shots but still isn't good.  His comment was followed shortly by slurping noises as he emptied his glass.  Kate noticed that they only serve non-alcoholic drinks that look like whisky:  ginger ale and apple juice.

Slainte! = cheers (or Jeremy's version:  "schlalala")

A quick peek at Trinity College

Our brief layover in Ireland was well worth it and highly enjoyed by all.  The Irish are a kind and generous people, making it easy to be a tourist here.

When you go through immigration at the airport, you never know exactly what to expect.  At Netherlands' immigration, Greg went to the passport agent first, so I joked uh-oh he isn't going to know the answers. Although they let him through, it scared Kate so she made me go next. The guy asked me if I've been here before.  I joked with him to ask Kate a hard question she can't answer; he asked her how long we are visiting (she passed). He asked Jeremy if he was part of the family (he passed). He asked Chris if he was the last one and if he just bought his Guinness shirt (he passed). He was a nice guy with easy questions!

Immediately we could smell the weed. 

The train between the airport and Amsterdam Centraal, a short ride, has been kaput for the last 8 days so we had to get off after one stop and run across to another train terminal. Nothing like a little exercise at 9:30 pm!  I asked how would we do it without following people?  Chris, an excellent traveler - but also the last in our group to make it to the new train platform - replies, "I could have gotten here." So Jeremy sarcastically says, "Ok you German speaking a-hole," to which Chris responds, "They said it in English!"

With the hour time change, we arrived at 10:30 pm and tired Kate, looking around her room, already wants to know when are we leaving for the next place. (Greg said he might be asking that too.). She is sharing a huge room (by Amsterdam standards) with her brothers and the frosted glass bathroom door has (see-through) holes for knobs.  Our room, on the other hand, is so tiny there is nowhere to put our bags. I looked into many different hotels and knew the size was the norm - at least our stairs are practically normal and not a typically steep Dutch ladder!

Kate on one of the 3 beds in their "large" room

Chris and Kate's solution to the "see-through" bathroom doors

Our room, big enough for just the bed

Beautiful Amsterdam canal at night

Dublin for a Day

Our flight on Aer Lingus gave us the perfect excuse to stopover for the night in Ireland - a country high on Greg's list!  Although it was non-stop and arrived early, and we all managed to grab stints of shut-eye, the flight was still exhausting. I was both disturbed and disappointed as I walked off the plane with the realization I had no energy to traipse around Dublin for the day - a thought I banished as quickly as I had it. 

We mutually decided that tour guide mom was the best option for the day - allowing us to see the sites at our own pace, and make necessary stops for food and Guinness.  At the Saturday Food Market, with stalls offering a selection of local delights, we tried cronuts (merge of croissant and donut with filling) and Paddy Jack sandwiches. 

The Saturday Food Market is near Ha'Penny Bridge, one of Dublin's best known landmarks

Finally after being on Irish soil for over 2 hours, we randomly picked one of the 666 licensed Dublin pubs to sample perfectly poured pints of Guinness - worth the trip alone!  

The perfect pour

Afterwards, at Dublin Castle, we nearly died laughing when Chris, focused on taking pictures and obviously feeling the beer's effects, obliviously ran straight into me.  "I didn't know you were that close - from the lens it looks like you're far away."

Dublin Castle

We walked out to the Guinness factory which has a fascinating history.  Its St. James Gate was an entrance to Dublin during the Middle Ages as well as the traditional starting point for the Dublin pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago (still high on our list). Guinness leased the water rights for 9000 years for $90 a year.

St. James Gate - the entry to Dublin in the Middle Ages

Greg loves fish and chips so we tried Leo Burdock's version. After scarfing down the whole thing he decided, "It's ok, but I still think the best place is in Folsom."

Arriving at St Patrick's cathedral, the shaded grass of its park beckoned us to sit down and join the locals relaxing there; we obliged. Greg was snoring the minute his head hit the grass, literally!

St. Patrick's Cathedral and its inviting lawn

For dinner we found a pub in Temple Bar, where we were treated to delicious Irish food and live Irish music - including an unexpected Irish stepdance performance.  Looking around the room full of people enjoying themselves, I recognized that the scene was so different than anything we have experienced back home. When they started singing Whiskey in the Jar, Jeremy announced he could play it  - "It's like my favorite Irish song!"

Temple Bar has preserved its medieval street pattern, with narrow cobbled streets.  Full of pubs, clubs restaurants and cafes, it’s the liveliest area in Dublin and a great place to spend the day or the evening.

Old Storehouse Bar - a traditional Irish bar and restaurant in Temple Bar

At that point, we were all exhausted and despite sitting on bar stools and listening to the loud music, Greg and Chris could hardly keep their eyes open. It was absolutely time to call it a day!

I discovered today Jeremy's motivator behind his willingness to partake in another long trip to Europe. No, he didn't break up with his long-time girlfriend. No, it's not his love for being the legal drinking age (though after today, you would be hard to convince otherwise).  He was in no hurry to get home to his hard, manual labor, full time summer job!!  Oh man, I wish I had the forethought to know that last time!

A rundown of sights we saw today (we didn't go in any):

• O'Connell Bridge, Daniel O'Connell monument, the Millennium Spire
• Ha'Penny Bridge
• Temple Bar (area)
• Dublin Castle
• Christ Church Cathedral
• Guinness - St. James Gate
• St. Patrick's Cathedral
• Grafton Street
• And tomorrow:  St.Stephen's Green and Trinity College

On Our Way!

Today we are headed back to Europe for 2 weeks!  I vividly remember leaving it two years ago as if it were yesterday – looking out the airplane window with tears silently streaming down my face.  I'm so excited to be returning together as a family!

Incredibly busy at work, I haven't been able to wrap my head around committing to blogging the adventure – but I'm sure once the stress of work is behind me, the descriptive words will start flowing through my head, begging to be put "on paper."  Since picky Google already recognizes this existing Europe blog, hijacking it seems like the best place to share our journey.  

Our travels will take us to four countries:  Ireland, Netherlands, Germany and Czech Republic.  The inspiration for our trip is to celebrate Chris graduating from high school this past month with the honor of receiving the Seal of Biliteracy in German … too bad we aren't seeing our Rhine apartment host who last time could only speak to Chris (in German) and left him with, "You learn more German and I'll learn more English."  Kate, completing her 1st year of German, announced she will not be speaking any German on the trip, to which I promptly replied, "Da" - a family joke that I love repeating. 

The other major contributing factor to traveling to Germany, other than that we all loved it last time, is the 500^th anniversary of Martin Luther's Reformation – which has attracted the likes of my brother Glenn's Colorado church.  He is leading his choir group there this week, including my mom who is tagging along with them.  Originally targeted as a family trip, our favorite travel companions Craig and Reene committed to joining us.  Unfortunately we don't actually get to meet up with Glenn, as his travel plans curiously developed into a route different than ours – missing each other by a mere 24 hours in Munich!

Finally managing to pull myself away from work last night, I arrived home to see our rental car in the driveway … a Jaguar (I've never been in one!)!  Good thing someone remembered to pick that up!  The pieces are coming together:  Jeremy arrived home safely from college, the obvious transition of Work Greg to Vacation Greg, and having picked up our ride to SFO and checked into the flight – just like that, our adventure is beginning!

Vietnam Visa U.S. Citizen August 2016 Stamping Fee Increase

Greg and I are setting off to our next adventure in less than 2 months - to Southeast Asia!  Should we get a full visa stamp or visa on arrival?  Read about how we resolved the dilemma here (on our Asia blog):
 http://folsom5asia.blogspot.com/2016/09/vietnam-visa-us-citizen-august-2016.html

Nice is Nice

Chris is the master of puns, so our constant jokes about how "nice" Nice is came as second nature.  Everything in Nice is nice!  Nice water, nice view, nice apartment ... yup, it is all nice!

Here are our top 10 nice things to do in Nice:

10. Eat a regional specialty like socca, a crepe made of chickpea flour.  Served hot, it is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.  We realized afterwards we should have spiced it up with salt and pepper.

We ate socca from Lou Pilha Leva 

(Old Town, look for big green awning)

9. Shop or peruse the Cours Saleya fruit and flower markets.  It is daily except Monday when it is an antique market.  (Not high on our list because we prefer the Provence markets.)

Cours Saleya Fruit and Vegetable Market

8. Buy fresh fish at La Place Saint-Francois Fish Market.  It is every morning except Monday.

Saint-Francois Fish Market in the Old Town

View from our apartment window

If you don't want Gull poop on your car, cover it with cardboard!

Greg's choice was moules (muscles).  They are cheap, easy, and tasty!

We also bought a thick slice of thon (tuna)

Our delicious dinner

7.  Walk around the Port of Nice
We like to walk and everything seemed nearby for us.  We walked to the port twice and climbed above it twice.  With its assortment of boats, Corsica ferries and cruise ships, the port has a lot to see!

Port of Nice (viewed from Castle Hill)

The port has boats of all sizes

We were fascinated watching Lady Sandals squeeze between two bigger yachts.

In case you guessed it, Lady Sandals belongs to the Sandals Resorts owner.

6.  See a luxury "super" yacht

The Serene superyacht

The large luxury yachts in the port impressed us but we were blown away when we laid eyes on the Serene with a helicopter resting on its bow.  Built for a Russian Vodka tycoon for a mere $330 million, the 440 foot yacht looks like a small cruise ship, and is ranked the 12th largest yacht in the world!  She features two helicopter landing platforms, storage for a large submarine and a huge internal sea water pool, which can be adapted to be used for tender docking.  Last summer, Bill Gates rented her (and her crew of 52) for $5 million for a week.

5.  Pass through Place Messena - with its checkerboard surface, statue of Apollo, seven Plesna statues erected high above, and the city's only tram running through it - it is the city's main square.  It is a crossroad that splinters into many directions:  the beach, the old town, the shopping area, and a long park of fountains and playgrounds.  It is a hub of activity both day and night!

Place Messena

Fontaine du Soleil in Place Messena

4. Climb up to Le Chateau, the old fort on Castle Hill.  This one took us by surprise!  There are tranquil paths and stairs leading every which way up to and around the top of the hill.  Go here to get away from the crowds and for its stunning panoramic vistas - port on one side and Nice coastline on the other.  We watched the airplanes land at Nice's airport and large boats maneuver in the port.  Don't forget to see the Cascades! We read to go at sunset but preferred the view before noon.  Since there was no line on our second visit, we took the elevator down.

View of Nice beaches from Castle Hill

3. Shop and eat in the narrow, colorful streets of Vieille Ville (Old Town Nice).  This is where our apartment was.

Old Town Nice

2. The Plage (Beach)
The beaches of Nice are almost as good as it gets!  The water's color, temperature and gentle waves are wonderful for a nice swim!  The only downside is its rocky beach... they hurt!  (You can call them pebbles but they are roughly the size of a small child's fist!)  The beach has a steep slope dropping into the water, and mixed with the waves, the rocks are moving all over the place making for some non-sturdy, painful footing!  Yes, wear shoes, but they are awkward to swim in!

At the beach in Nice

To escape all the rocks, splurge on a private beach!  There are many to choose from.  We saw one for 16 euros which gets you a comfy chaise lounge, umbrella, rug walkway, bathrooms, and waiters.

1. Stroll the Promenade des Anglais. The wide pathway that stretches over 4 miles along the Mediterranean is where Nice comes alive both day and night!  We spent most of our time walking, sitting, people watching and even biking along it.  Don't miss out on seeing Nice's famous Hotel Negresco!

Promenade des Anglais

The promenade is lined with great blue seats that invite you to relax and enjoy!

Tomorrow we leave France by train for our very last night in Milan, Italy.

Logistics:
- We felt adventurous by renting a Velo Bleu bicycle.  There are stations all over the city.  They are designed to get you quickly from point A to B... the first 30 minutes are free!  Our 45 minute bike ride up and down the promenade cost us 1 euro each (plus 1.50 daily use fee).  You set up an account online or on your cell phone.  Or we found the easiest way was to use one of the very few credit card machines (no account setup necessary).  See velobleu website http://www.velobleu.org/ map for stations that accept credit card (most do not).  The credit card machine along the promenade was broken so we found one at Place Messena.  The directions are printed on the machine in English, but the machine didn't follow what they said.  Stick in your credit card, phone number, and birthdate.  The screen will flash your code for a minute (it did not print it out).  Write it down and take it to a locked bike.  Power up the screen and type in the code for the bike to unlock.

Velo Bleu bike station

-Pizza Pili (Old Town) sells every type of yummy pizza for only 7 euros each.

Goodbye Aix-en-Provence

This is not an easy post, and one that I have been struggling with how to write.  It would be easier to leave it out than battle with how to summarize 28 days in Aix-en-Provence.

I suppose we can leave now that we can finally pronounce it correctly ... simply, it is "X", not "Aches".  We know that.  We can say that.  The kids are great at it.  But Greg and I keep wanting to say it wrong.  Ok, we've got it now.

After 27 days of heat and clear blue skies, the rain has come.  We enjoyed every breakfast and every dinner on the terrace, except for the last rainy one.  It must be time to go.

We will have fond, mixed memories of our stay.  The intention of staying in one place for so long was to assimilate, and live it.  We can pretend all we want, but that was never going to happen.  We don't speak French, and we are on vacation.  We did our best with what we had.  We shopped in the daily fruit and vegetable market.  We had fresh bread from the boulangerie every day.  We groceried at the local market.  We hung our clothes out to dry.  We walked.  We used public transportation, a lot.  We explored as much as we could.  We opened our eyes to everything.  We appreciated our time here.  We have been incredibly fortunate.

The worst thing about leaving was packing.  Ummm, we might have acquired a few extra things in the past month.  We bought another suitcase but it still wasn't enough to get us to our next destination.  Before we leave Europe, I will come to terms with leaving a few  - unnecessary - things behind.

Thankfully we only had to leave Aix to drive 90 minutes to Nice, where we are spending the next 3 nights.  I would like to pretend I had the foresight to know how difficult it would be to pack up an apartment after 28 days and drive directly to the airport to stress about catching a flight, but this was only partially true.  We were waiting out the cheaper mid-week airfare, and I chose the beaches of Nice to do so.

And now I owe you the utmost honestly.  What was it like to be gone for so long?  Greg and I don't regret it, not for a minute.  Do we miss the comforts of home, family and friends, our pets, our bed? Sure.  Chris and Kate are making the best out of it even though it was not their decision.  They never signed up to share a room for over two months!  Right now they wish they were home but they know they have had the best experience that they will treasure forever.

In addition to saying goodbye to Aix, after 48 days, we returned our car today.  Apparently we put a bit of kilometers on it - because that was their only comment.  We drove it 9039 km without a single scratch... no small feat for Europe!  Although he turned for one last look before we left, Greg was instantly relieved to be done with it.  He was awesome at conquering all the roads we navigated, but he never "enjoyed" that ball and chain.  After what he has been through, I honestly think (and hope he agrees) it has helped him heal.  Albeit crazy at times, European drivers know what they are doing and put the U.S. to shame.  Greg has always been, and has proven to be, the best of the best on the road - even and especially in foreign lands.

With that, here are some of our favorite memories of Aix:

Aix is known best for all of its fountains

Cours Mirabeau, the main street

Cours Mirabeau at night

Entrance to our apartment

The view up our street

The view down our street

Being together

The views from our terrace

Daily fruit and vegetable market in Place Richelme

Sights and smells of the daily market

One of our favorite boulangeries

Around the pedestrian streets in Aix

Portail Cezanne is the only remnant of the former estate of the painter Paul Cezanne

Laundry time

Putting out the nightly garbage

One last crepe at our favorite, almost daily, crepe stand

Goodbye Aix