We've been back for two weeks now and I still can't detach from this blog. I didn't feel closure on my last post (and I'm not really sure that I ever will).
A common question has been how we've adjusted to life back in the US and at work. Some days I think we've adjusted fairly smoothly and quickly. At other times, a certain feeling creeps inside of me...deep in my soul reminding me of life in other places.
I can smell the baker in Florence and feel the cool and damp air in my face as I stuck my head out the kitchen window as far as I could to see down the street. I can hear the cats fight in the ruins across from our Crete studio with the full moon shining behind the cathedral's tower. I feel the heat on my shoulders and can taste the honey on my fruits as we ate breakfast in our favorite corner cafe under the Greek sky. I can feel the warmth of the wool throw in our Barcelona apartment and smell the freshness of the clothes drying in our kitchen as I feared hanging it from such a high floor. I feel the snow flakes falling on my head and face as we paced around canals in Amsterdam. I live the excitement of seeing my parents exhausted from their long trip finally meet us amidst the rising waters in Venice. I can see, truly see, the Eiffel tower sparkling sometimes slower, sometimes faster but always so beautiful.
All of these things I feel so deeply and passionately. I realize that the transformation was, perhaps, greater than I had expected. That the impact of this journey is like the ripple caused by a water drop or a stone in a pool of water. That the greatest adjustment is not about going back to a more standard lifestyle, but about learning how to be the new person that has evolved from this and about recognizing the changes that only the soul can know.
The journey continues.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Just a few thoughts hours before our departure home...
When we embarked on this journey we feared the unknown and soon into our journey it was the unknown that became familiar. Not knowing the languages, customs, foods, streets, and sounds of each place simply became a part of life. We tested our ability to adapt to new circumstances with every new location. However, now that we are just hours from returning home to what is technically familiar, I find myself anxious to leave all of this behind.
More than a long (and dream) vacation, this was a journey of discovery for me. A well deserved time to reflect on my direction, to challenge myself in new and exciting ways, and to learn about life in other places. I learned that across lands people are just people. That you find good and bad everywhere and that every place has its strengths and weaknesses. I learned that home really is what you make of it and that only one has the power to change the course of one’s life by pursuing the dreams that inspire us to become more centered and better people. The reality is that it would take me pages and days to put into words what this experience has taught me and how it has transformed my way of thinking.
I thank God that our journey was a safe one and for the family and friends who joined us through these pages showing their love and support even when we were so far away.
More than a long (and dream) vacation, this was a journey of discovery for me. A well deserved time to reflect on my direction, to challenge myself in new and exciting ways, and to learn about life in other places. I learned that across lands people are just people. That you find good and bad everywhere and that every place has its strengths and weaknesses. I learned that home really is what you make of it and that only one has the power to change the course of one’s life by pursuing the dreams that inspire us to become more centered and better people. The reality is that it would take me pages and days to put into words what this experience has taught me and how it has transformed my way of thinking.
I thank God that our journey was a safe one and for the family and friends who joined us through these pages showing their love and support even when we were so far away.
Looking back
This is Ian. Well, it was inevitable that this night would come... its the final night of 222 nights in Europe.
Tonight we watched the Eiffel Tower twinkle its final show and as I look back on the journey, some other vivid memories come to mind. I couldn't capture all of them in this post but here are a few of my sentimental highlights in no special order:
-Stepping into the main hall of the Academia in Florence and seeing Michelangelo's 17 foot pure white marble David waiting at the end of the hall.
-Standing on the deck of the ship at night while it sailed through the straight of Gibraltar with the lights of Africa to my left and Europe to my right.
-Sitting on a beach on the coast of Portugal, peering out over the Atlantic in the direction of Miami where countless times I've sat on the beach and looked out toward Europe.
And my favorite of all....
Being out in the world for close to 8 months on a journey to nowhere, without a reason or a care and with Valentina smiling right beside me the whole way.
I'll cherish it always.
Tonight we watched the Eiffel Tower twinkle its final show and as I look back on the journey, some other vivid memories come to mind. I couldn't capture all of them in this post but here are a few of my sentimental highlights in no special order:
-Stepping into the main hall of the Academia in Florence and seeing Michelangelo's 17 foot pure white marble David waiting at the end of the hall.
-Standing on the deck of the ship at night while it sailed through the straight of Gibraltar with the lights of Africa to my left and Europe to my right.
-Sitting on a beach on the coast of Portugal, peering out over the Atlantic in the direction of Miami where countless times I've sat on the beach and looked out toward Europe.
And my favorite of all....
Being out in the world for close to 8 months on a journey to nowhere, without a reason or a care and with Valentina smiling right beside me the whole way.
I'll cherish it always.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Prague Pics
We had a wonderful time when JD and Vanessa came and met up with us. We had great beer, great conversation, and a great location to enjoy. My laptop situation still stops me from posting pictures but luckily JD took these and sent them by email.
Hanging out in Prague drinking beer with JD and Vanessa.
A shot of one of the main squares. Prague was a killer destination that definitely lived up to all the great things we'd heard about it.
A shot of Charles Bridge from Prague Castles cathedral tower. I had to add this pic because JD and I put in a lot of work getting to the top. The views were worth it though.
Hanging out in Prague drinking beer with JD and Vanessa.
A shot of one of the main squares. Prague was a killer destination that definitely lived up to all the great things we'd heard about it.
A shot of Charles Bridge from Prague Castles cathedral tower. I had to add this pic because JD and I put in a lot of work getting to the top. The views were worth it though.
As JD put it 'The 4 of us drinking over priced coffee in Old Town Square'.
Prague has so many photo opportunities it's sick, I just wish I could actually get them from my camera to the old laptop in our Paris apartment.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Trip Stats
Now that we are at our last city on the trip, here are the final stats that I can think of:
Nights in Europe: 222
Countries visited: 16 (Italy, Greece, Croatia, Tunisia (North Africa), Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Holland, Belgium, The Czech Republic)
Cities visited: 55
Longest City Stays: Barcelona (31 nights), Florence (22), Sorrento (19), Paris (17)
Estimated miles travelled by planes, trains, automobiles, and ships since leaving Miami: 23,400 which i believe is pretty close to the circumference of the earth.
Most expensive McDonalds McChicken meal in USD: $14 in Switerland
Pictures taken: Around 1,600
Hair cuts: 5 for Ian, 2 for Valen
Baguettes consumed: 73.5 (this one is a joke, we stopped counting these at around 40)
Total cost of the trip: ummmm, who cares?
Blog stats to follow later.... c ya.
Nights in Europe: 222
Countries visited: 16 (Italy, Greece, Croatia, Tunisia (North Africa), Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Holland, Belgium, The Czech Republic)
Cities visited: 55
Longest City Stays: Barcelona (31 nights), Florence (22), Sorrento (19), Paris (17)
Estimated miles travelled by planes, trains, automobiles, and ships since leaving Miami: 23,400 which i believe is pretty close to the circumference of the earth.
Most expensive McDonalds McChicken meal in USD: $14 in Switerland
Pictures taken: Around 1,600
Hair cuts: 5 for Ian, 2 for Valen
Baguettes consumed: 73.5 (this one is a joke, we stopped counting these at around 40)
Total cost of the trip: ummmm, who cares?
Blog stats to follow later.... c ya.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Voila... we are in Paris!
Without a computer it is hard to post pictures of Berlin and Prague, but we'll try! Prague was a really beautiful city and having Vanessa and JD visit made it so much more special. I'll blog about our week later today when I have the patience to figure out this French keyboard!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Off to meet Vanessa and JD!
Berlin was an interesting place to visit -- we squeezed in so much in two days! Tomorrow we leave to Prague where we will meet up with friends! We are excited to have company again Ö
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Goodbye Laptop
When things get too easy you need a curveball every now and then to keep you on your toes. This morning, my laptop died. No, not a software problem, or something that a lot of computer trouble-shooting can fix... the hard drive has gone kaput. Luckily I have been backing up my pictures on an additional hard drive that I bought so no worries about the pictures. Despite the initial frustration, the only thing I've lost that I can't recover is my trip finances tracking spreadsheet. I'm transferring my backed-up pictures to a new hard drive here in an internet cafe in Bruges and I'm writing this blog while it works. We can still get email and maybe even do some text-posts to the blog using my sweeeeeeet iPod Touch so hopefully we don't get too out of touch in our last 3 destinations.... Berlin, Prague, & Paris.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Belgium - Easter in Turnhout
We had a great Easter in Belgium. Our best-friend in Europe (Steven) invited us to his Mother's home in Turnhout where the rest of his family would be gathering for Easter. It was a big highlight to our trip.
We started out admiring all the art-work that his mother had amassed over the years inside her house. Where did she get it all? She made it! She's a fabulous painter and sculptor. It was like walking through an art gallery. Emotion and depth just poured straight out of her sculptures and paintings. What talent!
We were treated to some live music as Steven's daughter Elisa sang while Steven played the organ. Later, she recited some poems in French (one of her 3 languages). We will miss those two when we're back in the USA - we had some great times together on this trip in Barcelona and now in Belgium too.
When it got later, Steven took us to a bar in Turnhout where you could just tell the "beer-genius" (that's what I'll call him) what you felt like tasting and he would match a beer to your taste from over 300 different Belgian beers. I actually don't like beer... so I told the beer-genius to bring me a beer that people who don't like beer like to drink. He thought about it for a while, then nodded and scribbled something down on his pad. The result... a beer that I liked! A yummy beer that didn't taste much like beer! Valentina got something cherry-ish and enjoyed hers too.
The next day, on Easter, Elisa and her cousins ran around the garden searching for Easter eggs that had been dropped by flying clocks from Rome (or so the legend goes in Belgium). Valentina and I had been craving some good home-cooked food and Steven's mom provided a ton of it. Belgians really know how to eat... we seemed to be getting called to the dinner table every two hours. Needless to say it was pure happiness. In between meals, we all spent the day running around the yard playing games with all the kids and sweating in the cold weather.
Also, it turns out that Turnhout is the playing-card creation capital of the world. As a surprise parting gift, Steven's mom gave us 4 decks of playing cards made in Turnhout. I thought we shouldn't accept such gifts as they had been with Steven's mom for some time, but Valentina believes that one shouldn't deny a gift. Leave it to a woman to come up with a "belief" like that.
So that concluded two days full of fun, art, food, & family. What could be better?
We started out admiring all the art-work that his mother had amassed over the years inside her house. Where did she get it all? She made it! She's a fabulous painter and sculptor. It was like walking through an art gallery. Emotion and depth just poured straight out of her sculptures and paintings. What talent!
We were treated to some live music as Steven's daughter Elisa sang while Steven played the organ. Later, she recited some poems in French (one of her 3 languages). We will miss those two when we're back in the USA - we had some great times together on this trip in Barcelona and now in Belgium too.
When it got later, Steven took us to a bar in Turnhout where you could just tell the "beer-genius" (that's what I'll call him) what you felt like tasting and he would match a beer to your taste from over 300 different Belgian beers. I actually don't like beer... so I told the beer-genius to bring me a beer that people who don't like beer like to drink. He thought about it for a while, then nodded and scribbled something down on his pad. The result... a beer that I liked! A yummy beer that didn't taste much like beer! Valentina got something cherry-ish and enjoyed hers too.
The next day, on Easter, Elisa and her cousins ran around the garden searching for Easter eggs that had been dropped by flying clocks from Rome (or so the legend goes in Belgium). Valentina and I had been craving some good home-cooked food and Steven's mom provided a ton of it. Belgians really know how to eat... we seemed to be getting called to the dinner table every two hours. Needless to say it was pure happiness. In between meals, we all spent the day running around the yard playing games with all the kids and sweating in the cold weather.
Also, it turns out that Turnhout is the playing-card creation capital of the world. As a surprise parting gift, Steven's mom gave us 4 decks of playing cards made in Turnhout. I thought we shouldn't accept such gifts as they had been with Steven's mom for some time, but Valentina believes that one shouldn't deny a gift. Leave it to a woman to come up with a "belief" like that.
So that concluded two days full of fun, art, food, & family. What could be better?
Amsterdam baby.... Amsterdam
It's really tough to do justice to Amsterdam in pictures but here are some anyway.
And bye the way, taking pictures is strictly forbidden in the red-light district so unfortunately there won't be any pictures of the girls here. My last comment on this is that we were pretty shocked at how good-looking these girls were! These weren't no "8th-street-in-Miami-hangin-by-the -Jamaica-Motel" prostitutes. No offense to any 8th street prostitutes who read this blog but 80% of the Amsterdam girls we saw could be Playboy models. Now that I have your attention, here are some pictures of buildings and canals... enjoy!
Un traduccion rapido y crudo: Amsterdam es mas bonito que estes fotos puede mostrar. Un punto interesante es que no puedes tomar fotos en el distrito con luces rojas (el uno que tiene las "mujeres della noche"). Y una otra cosa interesante es estes chicas no son feo como las prostitutas de calle ocho en Miami... la verdad es que la mayoridad son muy muy bonita! Ahora que yo tengo tu attencion, aqui son los fotos de los edificios y canales.... disfruta!
A typical canal on a typical street in the not so typical city of Amsterdam.
My favorite girl in Amsterdam!
Bikes are everywhere - they say there are about a million in the city.
Skinny houses are common here because they used to be a tax based on the width of your house.
House-boats are all over the place too. They have running water and electricity and pay a fee to the city.
And bye the way, taking pictures is strictly forbidden in the red-light district so unfortunately there won't be any pictures of the girls here. My last comment on this is that we were pretty shocked at how good-looking these girls were! These weren't no "8th-street-in-Miami-hangin-by-the -Jamaica-Motel" prostitutes. No offense to any 8th street prostitutes who read this blog but 80% of the Amsterdam girls we saw could be Playboy models. Now that I have your attention, here are some pictures of buildings and canals... enjoy!
Un traduccion rapido y crudo: Amsterdam es mas bonito que estes fotos puede mostrar. Un punto interesante es que no puedes tomar fotos en el distrito con luces rojas (el uno que tiene las "mujeres della noche"). Y una otra cosa interesante es estes chicas no son feo como las prostitutas de calle ocho en Miami... la verdad es que la mayoridad son muy muy bonita! Ahora que yo tengo tu attencion, aqui son los fotos de los edificios y canales.... disfruta!
A typical canal on a typical street in the not so typical city of Amsterdam.
My favorite girl in Amsterdam!
Bikes are everywhere - they say there are about a million in the city.
Skinny houses are common here because they used to be a tax based on the width of your house.
House-boats are all over the place too. They have running water and electricity and pay a fee to the city.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Reflections from Brugge...
While the idea that this adventure will come to an end in just three weeks pops into my head every now and then, it hasn't stopped me from enjoying every single moment in the fairy tale streets of Brugge. I don't know how I had never heard of this place before -- it is by far one of the loveliest and dreamlike towns we've visited. Everywhere I turn I see something of outstanding beauty calling for my camera to capture it. The history of the city dates back to 851...can you imagine that? Somehow, it has managed to maintain a medieval charm that seems almost too picturesque to be real and not simply the movie set of Hollywood's latest romance story.
The videos and pictures just don't do it justice because the beauty of this place can't just be seen in images. It has to be felt...in the mist rising up from the water and covering the fronts of stone facades; on the bottom of your feet as you step on the uneven cobblestones that form narrow and romantic streets; under your skin as the town transports you back to a time long ago. This is one I would encourage everyone to experience for themselves.
The videos and pictures just don't do it justice because the beauty of this place can't just be seen in images. It has to be felt...in the mist rising up from the water and covering the fronts of stone facades; on the bottom of your feet as you step on the uneven cobblestones that form narrow and romantic streets; under your skin as the town transports you back to a time long ago. This is one I would encourage everyone to experience for themselves.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Let's catch up - Rewind and fast forward.
Ok, the blog posts have been slow lately as Valentina and I have been on the move. Here's a run-down to catch us up to today:
Munich - One more thing to say here: I had an Italian hair dresser in Munich who spoke Italian and German so our conversation was all in Italian. I said to him: "Ho bisogna un taglio di cappelli." (I need a hair cut). It appears that he heard: "Please chop my hair off with reckless abandon because I want my head to look like a tennis ball."
London - After a lot of time travelling, we got to relax with my Uncle Morais, Aunt Jane, and my cousin Tara-Jane Nicole Armstrong Kerpens-Lee. She has a great name, so I figured I'd use the whole thing. :) I don't call her that of course, I usually just shorten it to "Tara-Jane Nicole Armstrong KL." All kidding aside, we had a great time. My Aunt and Uncle cooked some absolutely mouth-watering meals. It was great fun to hang out with my young cuz too. She'll soon be off to University so I hope for her sake that she can duplicate some of that cooking!
Belfast, Northern Ireland - It's a great, up and coming city with an absolutely intriguing political history (and present!). An interesting fact about Belfast: There are 27 walls sprinkled around the city dividing protestant and catholic communities in order to minimize violence. It's eerie to see them but apparently they work as violence between the groups is at a minimum.
Ok, one last one... the beautiful... AMSTERDAM!
I have to say that I believe Amsterdam is very UNDER-rated. There's so much more to this city than legalized prostitution and marijuana. While those things were definitely interesting to see (especially the red-light district), the city itself has a LOT of beautiful sights to see. The canals, bridges, and the architecture of the homes are straight out of a fairytale. It's a little like Venice but it's actually better (and I love Venice)! I can't wait to post some pictures. I will definitely dedicate more time later to talking about Amsterdam because although we just had a few days there, we both fell in love with this city and are sure to return one day. On our last day it snowed heavily which had a strange effect. Although it was very cold outside, the snow fall in front of the bridges and homes added a feeling of nostalgia - It was like we were on the inside of a snow globe and nothing else mattered. :)
That's it... we're all up to date! We're in Brussels.
Munich - One more thing to say here: I had an Italian hair dresser in Munich who spoke Italian and German so our conversation was all in Italian. I said to him: "Ho bisogna un taglio di cappelli." (I need a hair cut). It appears that he heard: "Please chop my hair off with reckless abandon because I want my head to look like a tennis ball."
London - After a lot of time travelling, we got to relax with my Uncle Morais, Aunt Jane, and my cousin Tara-Jane Nicole Armstrong Kerpens-Lee. She has a great name, so I figured I'd use the whole thing. :) I don't call her that of course, I usually just shorten it to "Tara-Jane Nicole Armstrong KL." All kidding aside, we had a great time. My Aunt and Uncle cooked some absolutely mouth-watering meals. It was great fun to hang out with my young cuz too. She'll soon be off to University so I hope for her sake that she can duplicate some of that cooking!
Belfast, Northern Ireland - It's a great, up and coming city with an absolutely intriguing political history (and present!). An interesting fact about Belfast: There are 27 walls sprinkled around the city dividing protestant and catholic communities in order to minimize violence. It's eerie to see them but apparently they work as violence between the groups is at a minimum.
Ok, one last one... the beautiful... AMSTERDAM!
I have to say that I believe Amsterdam is very UNDER-rated. There's so much more to this city than legalized prostitution and marijuana. While those things were definitely interesting to see (especially the red-light district), the city itself has a LOT of beautiful sights to see. The canals, bridges, and the architecture of the homes are straight out of a fairytale. It's a little like Venice but it's actually better (and I love Venice)! I can't wait to post some pictures. I will definitely dedicate more time later to talking about Amsterdam because although we just had a few days there, we both fell in love with this city and are sure to return one day. On our last day it snowed heavily which had a strange effect. Although it was very cold outside, the snow fall in front of the bridges and homes added a feeling of nostalgia - It was like we were on the inside of a snow globe and nothing else mattered. :)
That's it... we're all up to date! We're in Brussels.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Pics: Dublin, Coast of Northern Ireland
One of the most famous bars in Dublin.
Having fun on St. Patrick's Day.
Same day, different location in Dublin. St. Stephens Greens is a gorgeous park. Also, we decided to lose the hats for the picture.
Salmon fishermen have been building this rope-bridge on the coast of Northern Ireland for over 350 years.
Walking over a rickety bridge a hundred feet over the water isn't for the faint of heart!
SHEEEEP!! They litter the Northern Irish countryside like little white clouds against the green hills.
Pics from Vienna, Munich, London
In order to catch up, we're going to just post a few pics from each city.... so here's a fast look back at Vienna, Munich, and London
The Opera house in Vienna.
The cool/dirty looking Munich town-hall (Rathaus).
This picture isn't about me... it's about the dude behind me in full traditional attire-check him out!
Hanging out with Family in London... my Uncle Morais & Aunt Jane. My cousin Tara-Jane was there too but someone had to take the picture!
One of London's main squares with Big Ben far in the background.
The beautiful London Tower bridge.
The Opera house in Vienna.
The cool/dirty looking Munich town-hall (Rathaus).
This picture isn't about me... it's about the dude behind me in full traditional attire-check him out!
Hanging out with Family in London... my Uncle Morais & Aunt Jane. My cousin Tara-Jane was there too but someone had to take the picture!
One of London's main squares with Big Ben far in the background.
The beautiful London Tower bridge.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Dublin: una ciudad con algo especial
Yo creo que este "post" va a tener un espanol muy basico... y cuando yo no se una palabra, voy a escrivirla en ingles. Ademas, esta noche ya Valentina ha ido a dormir entonces no me puede ayudar.
Cuando tu llegas a Dublin encuentras la ciudad que es un poco sucia y vieja pero la verdad es que no importa mucho porque la ciudad es lleno de vida y lleno de encanto ("charm"). Esta noche sentamos en una taverna llena y escuchamos a tres hombres tocando la musica tradicional de Irlanda. Unos jovenes Irlandes bailaron en un circulo y nosotros (con mil otras personas) tomamos 'guiness' mientras miramos ellos. Hay algo encantando y significado ("charming & meaningful") sobre Dublin. No estoy seguro qual es. A lo mejor es la gente, o la musica, o la historia de los escritores de Irlanda pero cuando caminamos las calles y sentamos en las tavernas tengo un sentido que estoy en un sitio con un identidad muy rico y profundo. Hay algo especial en el sentido ("feeling") que este ciudad tiene. Pienso que estoy traduciendo mal. Verdaderamente, no se si lo puedo explicar en qualquier idioma! Dejame a decirlo asi- Con algunas ciudades tu sabes exactamente porque son bella. Y con otras la belleza existe en el ambiente. No es algo tu ves y no es con quien tu hablas... es simplemente como te sientes cuando estas alli. Esto es que Dublin tiene... un sentido "intangible".
Cuando tu llegas a Dublin encuentras la ciudad que es un poco sucia y vieja pero la verdad es que no importa mucho porque la ciudad es lleno de vida y lleno de encanto ("charm"). Esta noche sentamos en una taverna llena y escuchamos a tres hombres tocando la musica tradicional de Irlanda. Unos jovenes Irlandes bailaron en un circulo y nosotros (con mil otras personas) tomamos 'guiness' mientras miramos ellos. Hay algo encantando y significado ("charming & meaningful") sobre Dublin. No estoy seguro qual es. A lo mejor es la gente, o la musica, o la historia de los escritores de Irlanda pero cuando caminamos las calles y sentamos en las tavernas tengo un sentido que estoy en un sitio con un identidad muy rico y profundo. Hay algo especial en el sentido ("feeling") que este ciudad tiene. Pienso que estoy traduciendo mal. Verdaderamente, no se si lo puedo explicar en qualquier idioma! Dejame a decirlo asi- Con algunas ciudades tu sabes exactamente porque son bella. Y con otras la belleza existe en el ambiente. No es algo tu ves y no es con quien tu hablas... es simplemente como te sientes cuando estas alli. Esto es que Dublin tiene... un sentido "intangible".
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