Just a Thought

I always try to keep this blog fun and entertaining, but tonight I just have to get something off my chest.

I have learned in my meager 31 years of life that money and a knowledge of the finer things in life does not necessarily buy class nor my respect. Some who you feel should have both, have neither. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Confused with all the Economy Talk?

I.O.U.S.A is a candid look at the history of the US financials since the very beginnings of our country up to what will happen in the future if we continue down the same path. This video above is a 30 minute condensed version of the documentary. Check it out! You can get more information here as well.

The Party

Friday night was one for the books. Edgar celebrated his 35th with good friends, good food, and good times. We started the evening at Sabor restaurant, filling up on Latin inspired dishes, including empanadas and sweet plantains. After singing happy birthday around a blazing, heavenly strawberry/vanilla/cream cake, we headed to Lucky Voice. Lucky Voice is a private karaoke bar with small rooms accommodating different numbers of people. So, you can sing your heart out and only make a fool of yourself around the people you know. We sang for 2 1/2 hours and probably could have sang for 2 more. They kicked us out of our room, despite begging for "just one more", so we decided to cap the evening with mojitos at a Cuban bar down the road. The taxi pulled into Richmond around 3:30am Saturday morning, thankfully leaving us a full weekend to recover. How will I top this next year?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EDGAR!!

You are my oldie but goodie.

Venice is Flooded

This is what it looks like today in front of the Doge's Palace in St. Mark's Square.

And this is how it's supposed to look.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! This is our second year in a row to miss the big family gathering at my parents' house...that means no dressing from Mom or perfectly sliced turkey from Dad or delicious desserts from my sister. It also means I will not be able to hug my favorite family members and watch the Dallas Cowboys while everyone snores away their turkey hangover. BUT...I think this may be the last year we are all apart, so that makes me feel better.

I have decided that I don't care if it's only Edgar and I this Thanksgiving, I am still going to make a feast. I decided against the Stovetop Stuffing so graciously shipped over from Julie and Jonathan, and instead will be making homemade stuffing using the cornmeal they sent. It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without homemade stuffing. I will also be preparing turkey (0f course), sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, broccoli and cheese, deviled eggs, and pumpkin pie.

Thanks to the magic of technology, I will at least get to see everyone via Skype. If we can get things working just right, we may actually all eat together-their lunch and our dinner because of the time difference. But with our faces right there on the screen occupying a spot at the table, it will feel just like we're all together!

It's probably too late to join us, but you can still make it for leftovers if you leave right now!!!

Our First Snow!

Looking out the kitchen window into the back garden

It's hard to believe it's already that time...yep...it's winter AGAIN! I think I only wore short sleeves a couple of weeks this whole year! We woke up this morning to snow! It was a very small amount and was melted by the light rain within a few hours, but still, already? We don't get loads of snow here. It's nothing like the snowplow-salt truck-don't leave your house snowfalls we used to get in Columbus-thank goodness! But it is just enough to get excited about, maybe build a snowman, and still be able to carry on with your normal lives.

Looking out our bedroom window towards the front of the flat

Let Your Love Flow

I really like the music over here and I'm always tinkering through the UK Top 40 songs to add some spice to my iPod. As I scrolled through the list this week, I noticed The Bellamy Brothers' Let Your Love Flow was listed at #28. What? Are they starting some kind of reunion tour I didn't know about? Did they remake the song? I couldn't figure out why this classic country song was on the UK Top 40, and climbing every week nonetheless. Then it hit me last night when I heard it on TV and realized it is featured in the new Barclay's Bank commercial on TV. There is quite of bit of music that crosses the pond, but classic country is generally not on that list. I have posted it above for your viewing pleasure. Tell me what you think...I really like it!

Monsters Invade!

We had some scary looking creatures stop by our flat on Halloween. Charlie brought her three boys, Ben, Noah, and Adam, as well as two other boys who were family friends visiting from Norway. The Norwegians weren't too sure about the whole trick or treat thing, but they quickly warmed up to the free candy. (Edgar and Charlie are not included in the "scary looking creature" group)

Being Good Citizens

Edgar ponders the many choices on his absentee ballot.

I know this is a little late, but what the heck...

Edgar and I were determined to vote this year, despite living as expats half way around the world. I started our absentee ballot process a long time ago, so we had our paperwork in plenty of time. This was especially special for Edgar because it was his first time to be able to vote as a US citizen! I am hoping they received our ballots and our votes were counted. There really is no way of knowing if everything worked out properly. I basically just put our things in the mail and hoped they would make it to where they were supposed to.

The Cotswolds

I really needed to get out of the house this past weekend. I've been just kind of hanging out the past few weeks, and the walls seemed to be getting closer to each other every day. This was making me a bit...cranky. On Friday around 2pm, I heard keys in our door. I wasn't expecting anyone from management and they are the only people besides us who have keys to our flat. So I firmly placed my hand on the door to keep it from opening, knowing all I needed to do was let out a blood curdling scream and my wonderful neighbor, Roger, would rush downstairs to see what was going on. Then I heard that familiar whistle that could only say it was Edgar on the other side of the door. Surprise!!!

He said, "Let's go somewhere this weekend!" We narrowed it down to Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds. The Cotswolds is an area of England about 1 1/2 north of London and is full of quaint and cozy little villages. As you drive through them, you feel as if you are driving through a fairy tale, with rolling hills, stone cottages, tea rooms, cute shops, and, most importantly, the friendliest people I have met in all of England!

We stayed at The Royalist Hotel, which is right on the edge of town with walking access to everything. The hotel dates back to 947AD and was so cool inside. Some of the beams are original, so they are over 1000 years old! The old fireplace in the restaurant area has "witch marks" that were supposed to keep the evil spirits away. We had a great dinner at Allium...great food, great wine. We rolled out of there I think. It was the kind of place that brings a nibble to the table, then a pre-appetizer, then the appetizer, etc. It was all so good, I was a little disappointed I got full so fast!

Sunday saw rain and drizzle, so not the best weather for strolling through villages. We took some out of the way country roads and just enjoyed the scenery and the changing colors of the trees. They were still pretty, but I think they probably hit their peak a few weeks ago. We got a recommendation to stop by Daylesford Organic Farm and I am so glad we did! It was the neatest place with yummy food and all sorts of outdoor stuff. We bought an almond cake and some BBQ sauce. The cake is good, haven't tried the sauce. It will either be really good or will make me miss home.

Now, it's only 3 more weekends until I head to Texas!! Woohoo! Can't wait! I really need to keep myself busy to make these next 3 weeks go by quickly!

A Slight Correction

So maybe I've been out of the US for a bit too long as I have forgotten my holidays. Today is Veterans' Day in the US, which is the official equivalent of Remembrance Day in the UK, and is actually celebrated in many places around the world. If you see someone selling poppies today, please make a donation and wear it with pride. Most importantly, take a moment to remember all of our veterans and the sacrafices they have made.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day is the UK equivalent of the US Memorial Day. It is observed every year on November 11th, and at 11am on this day, everyone is asked to observe a two minute silence to reflect on those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in past wars. In addition, November is poppy month. And everyone around here wears poppies...young, old, hipsters, yuppies...everyone. As a little side note, the factory that makes all the poppies for the entire world is right here in Richmond, just down the road from where we live!

Why Poppies?
Poppies flourish as weeds in grain fields. Their seeds can germinate for years until the topsoil is stirred up just enough to allow light to filter through to the seeds and begin their growth. War, with its many bombs, artillery shells, and corruption of land, disturbs the soil, and allows the poppy flowers to flourish in war ravaged regions. It was a Canadian doctor serving in WWI, Colonel John McCrae, who penned the famous poppy poem "In Flander's Fields" while remembering his comrade who had been killed in battle. As he stared at his friend's grave and the destroyed, muddy land around him, he saw spots of red poppies blowing in the breeze. A kind of symbol of life in a sea of death. I'll post the poem at the end of this post.

My Thoughts
I really feel that people over here remember more. In the US, we see Memorial Day as a day off work and a good excuse to BBQ and have a party. Perhaps it's because people here can see the effects of war. Unless one has had the opportunity to explore abroad, I doubt anyone has seen a real bomb crater. In Richmond Park, just up the road from us, I jog past bomb craters from WWII. At the Richmond Golf Club, there are framed rules from that time period explaining proper etiquette when encountering a ball hit into a crater or next to shrapnel, or how to resume the game after an air raid siren has blown. Unexploded bombs are still being recovered from the Thames River and are sometimes unearthed during building excavations. I had the chance to tour the Normandy D-Day beaches with my parents in June. What a poignant and humbling experience to stand on the shores of Omaha beach. I looked toward land with my back to the sea. I looked at concrete German bunkers still hidden in the hillside. I tried to imagine what it must have felt like for the thousands of soldiers landing there being met with gunfire and the ravages of a world at war. It felt almost wrong to stand on sand that was once stained with blood. But then, on top of the hill, sits the American Cemetery, containing the bodies of 9,387 US soldiers, most of whom were killed during the Normandy landing. The cemetery is a reminder that those people died so we could stand on that sand and enjoy the beauty of the peaceful surf and the feeling of the gentle breeze.

I have been guilty of not remembering properly in the past. I feel fortunate that I have never encountered a 20 foot bomb crater on American soil or driven past small plots of cemeteries with the bodies of foreign soldiers. It did take me seeing things first-hand to realize just how horrible and recent WWII was. Please remember. Not just on Memorial Day, but everyday.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders field the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.
~~By Major John McCrae, May 1915.~~

Still Here!

Hi Everyone!

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I've been pretty busy lately. Things should slow down soon and I will give updates. Check back in the next few days for updates on Portugal, friends' visits, and more!

Happy Birthday, BroBro!!!

Today is the 4th birthday of the sweetest boy in the world! I wish we could be there to eat cookie cake with you, but hopefully we can be there next year. It's hard to believe that 4 years ago today, I was seeing firsthand just how brave your mommy is. It was one of the best days of my life and one I will always remember. Have fun riding your stickhorse at the rodeo! Aunt Vonda and Uncle Edgar love you very much and can't wait to play with you at Christmas!

Portugal!!!

Edgar and I are headed to Portugal this weekend! We will be meeting Lilly and Aron in Faro, which is in the Algarve region. On Sunday, we head to Lisbon to pick up two more friends, Mac and Clarice, to join the fun. While Lilly, Aron, Mac and Clarice will continue their trip on to Spain and Africa, Edgar and I will head home on Sunday. Unfortunately, Edgar's vacation days seem to have just disappeared this year! I guess somewhere between Colombia, France, Ireland and Spain, we have managed to just about run the bank dry.

Since we will be staying on the coast, I'm sure I will have some beautiful photos to share. Have a great weekend and I'll check in again next week!

A Little Shopping Trip

Before Edgar and I moved, my sister and I went on shopping sprees in Houston. I stocked up on clothes and everyday personal items. When we pulled up to the check out in WalMart, the guy asked if we had a tax-exempt card, because the only explanation for the massive quantities of toilet paper, paper towels and other things is that we must have been a non profit providing goods for those less fortunate. Does a crappy exchange rate make us less fortunate? Just kidding...I just laughed and explained to him I was moving to another country and stocking up on things from home. He asked, "They don't have toilet paper in London?" HA! I loved that one.

Everything lasted for a good amount of time. The toilet paper alone lasted for about 8 months! I was really happy that Sainsbury's (my grocery store) had Charmin when I ran out. But I had a small panic attack when I went back for a second round and they no longer sold it....WHY??? So, now I am using some other brand that you've never heard of. It's not too bad, but it's not Charmin.

I am on my last bit of deodorant (yes, I bought a year and half supply of deodorant), so I stopped in the aisle today. Apparently they are really into spray deodorants around here. They were about 75% of the selection. The remainder was the roll on kind. I can't stand that because it feels so sticky. They had a measely 3 kinds of solid sticks. Of course, that's what I prefer. They had 2 choices from Sure, and one from Dove. So I grabbed one of the Sure's and will hope for the best. Maybe it will last me until Christmas and I can stock up again in Texas.

Scuba Lesson #2

I tried it again. I read all of my chapters and scored 100% on the little quiz we took. Then came time to get in the water. I really need to just calm down and have fun with it, but I just get so nervous! Andrew, our instructor, is so patient with me and will literally hold my hand until I get used to everything. Last night, we were supposed to practice 2 techniques. The first is the right arm sweep to recover your regulator if it comes out of your mouth. This of course means you have to take your regulator out of your mouth in order to practice the technique. Take my regulator out of my mouth? I wasn't just like NO, but HELL NO! When it came time for me to do it, I just shook my head at him and passed. Then, we had to practice taking our mask completely off and putting it back on again. I can't even jump into a pool without physically pinching my nose closed with my fingers. And now I am supposed to take my mask off, which keeps the water out of my nose, and somehow coordinate my breathing so that I only use my mouth and not my nose. It is harder than it sounds. Once again, not just NO, but HELL NO! By this point, we have been under for about 20 minutes and I am freezing. I seem to be the only one in class who gets cold under there. But then again, I do not handle cold water very well. I don't consider it a good shower unless my skin is pink when I finish. The pool we use is indoors and heated, but not heated quite enough for me.

Andrew says he knows a pool that is 34C...that about 93F. That would take care of my freezing problem for sure. But I'm still not certain it would be enough to alleviate this fear I have when I am down there. I don't know if skill and drill will make me more comfortable or if I am just more of a snorkel girl. I like being one head tilt from the surface. I am going to really think about it the next few days and decide if it's really for me. Edgar is doing great...but then again, his childhood hero was Aquaman (when he was little, he would come home from school and beg his mom to let him change into his Aquaman costume...isn't that so cute?). I hate that my motivation to succeed is not enough to get me past this anxiety that I have. There are places in the world where you can see beautiful underwater life with just a snorkel, right?

Is it Just Me?

Or is Wolf Blitzer on CNN one of the most annoying newscasters on TV? We get a different CNN over here, but it does contain some of the same shows as the US CNN, like Anderson Cooper, Larry King Live, and my good friend Wolf. He just always sounds like he is yelling at someone or being sarcastic or something. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just don't like the tone of his voice. Oh my gosh...I just sounded like my mother! The most unfortunate thing is that he is the lead news anchor for this year's political coverage, so I am forced to watch him alot of the time. The only other US channel we have is MSNBC (thank god they don't subject us to Fox News...sorry Dad). It's not so bad watching the crazy political coverage on the BBC, either. It's good to see it from a broader perspective and they tend to filter out some of the garbage that gets thrown around during a campaign and focus more on the actual candidates.

And speaking of the election, I am a little worried about my voting status. I mailed our absentee voting forms a month ago and still haven't received our ballots. The forms are sent to Houston, since that was our last residence in the US, and we all know the state that Houston is in right now. I don't even know if the office that processes these forms even has power right now. I may try to give them a call today, but I doubt we will be high on their priority list. Hopefully I can get it sorted soon because time is ticking!

A Note to Le Couvent...

Hello Lizzie and Ali,

In response to my own post below regarding Lance Armstrong rejoining the Tour de France, if le Tour passes anywhere near Roujan, consider Edgar and I booked! Lance AND le Couvent...this could be the best trip we take! (do you think they will ban us from Roujan forever if we wave a Texas and US flag?) ~Vonda

Scuba

Edgar and I decided to take scuba diving lessons. We have no current plans of visiting any place tropical any time soon, but we wanted to do it...just in case we get one of those great last minute deals. After doing all the course work with the book and in the pool, we have one year to complete the certification with an open water dive. So hopefully, we can jet off someplace cool and exotic in the next year.

The classes are held at my local gym, so we don't have far to go to get there. The only students are Edgar and I and another couple, Emma and Matt, who are going to Malaysia in 3 weeks! So, this means lots of personal attention...which came in handy for me, since I had a bit of trouble adjusting to life underwater. I am motivated to scuba dive. It's something I've always wanted to do. On the other hand, I have this innate fear of drowning (as I'm sure most people do), and I can't keep the "what ifs" out of my head. I know some successful scuba divers who had the same problems when they started out, so I am hopeful I can one day conquer the sea.

I'll keep you updated on our progress. Feel free to leave me any encouraging words!

Our New Rides

Edgar and I treated ourselves to some sweet new bikes for our anniversary. We each have road bikes, but those are more for speed, and not for everyday use on streets, curbs, and in the parks. We've been looking around for some sturdy bikes for a while, and when we meandered into our local bike shop the weekend of our anniversary, we found these beauties with great price tags attached. We are having so much fun with them. We can take them around the dirt/gravel paths in Richmond Park, and all along the Thames River towpath-all the way into London if we wanted! I have halved my commute time to the gym (I usually just walk there), and I can get to Charlie's house in no time. I want to put a basket on the front of mine, but I'm having a hard time decided which one to get. I'm going back and forth between the classic wicker basket, and this really cool multicolor one in the shop's catalog. Guess I'll have to decide soon...gotta have some place to put the baguette and flowers!

He's Back!!!!

Lance Armstrong has announced that he is returning to the Tour de France in 2009!!! WOOO HOOO!!!! Edgar and I always said we got over here a few years too late to see Lance in France (I just now realized that rhymes), but looks like now we will get our wish of seeing him cycle in person!!! We are booking tickets as soon as we find out the schedule!! Looks like the Texas flag will be hanging in Paris once again.

You Want a What...???

I don't have kiddos of my own yet, but that doesn't mean I can't laugh at the antics of other people's kids. They really do say the funniest things and it is true that their minds are like little sponges. My 3 year old nephew likes to tell stories, true or usually not true, you just never know what's going to come out of his mouth. I had to call my sister immediately today when I heard this at the grocery store:

I was walking down the aisle with all the pasta and pasta sauce and a mom with her 2 kids were next to me. The youngest was a boy probably around 4 years old. He very innocently and nonchalantly says, " Mummy, can we get some gin and tonic?" I busted out laughing and the mom almost fell over. She said, "Honey, you're giving away all my secrets!" Now, you have to imagine all of this with a little boy British accent. It sounds very proper as it is, and then you throw in the request for a gin and tonic and it is just too funny. He said it as if he were just asking for some ice cream or chocolate. I laughed the entire rest of the shopping trip.

Anyways, that's my comic relief for the day. Hope it made you smile a little bit, too!

Memory Tag and all of YOU are IT...

My friend Sharon had this on her blog and I thought it would be fun to do. Here is how you play:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. :)

Spain!!!

I like to categorize going places into two different areas. This is purely my opinion and you may disagree. 1) Travelling-this is where you see amazing sites, take in the culture, and broaden your human perspective. 2) Vacation-relaxation. A trip may be distinctly one or the other or a combination of both. Our trip to Spain was a perfect combination of travel and vacation. It was a travelation. After a busy year with Edgar studying for 6 months straight and, more recently, having the wonderful opportunity to host our amazing friends and family, we were looking forward to doing a little relaxing with a little culture thrown in. Edgar was excited to visit his homeland. I was excited about the sangria. We were both happy to be visiting a place where we could finally speak the language! We visited four cities-Toledo, Sevilla, Ronda, and Granada.



Upon our arrival in Madrid, we quickly made our way from Barajas airport to the Atocha train station where we boarded a fast train for a quick 30 minute hop to Toledo. Toledo was once the capital of Spain and has been awarded the distinction of being an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The whole town! Like many old cities, it is enclosed in a very tall brick wall, with various gates for entrance and exit. Back in the day, Muslims, Christians, and Jews all lived peacefully together. I'll spare you the world history lesson and let you google it if you are interested. It is very interesting to see the architecture of so many different cultures melding together into one beautiful place.

The Madrid-Toledo train trek was our only rail ride, since train tickets in Spain are SO EXPENSIVE! I'm all for saving the environment, but come on, when you can rent a car for half the price, including fuel costs, I tend to become a little selfish. So we gave Hertz some business and set off for Sevilla. The landscape between Toledo and Sevilla is pretty flat and arid. Some of it reminded us of West Texas without the red dirt. The further south we went, the hillier and greener it got. After 4 hours of changing landscape, we arrived in Sevilla and returned the rental car to the Hertz desk at the train station. We knew we would not need the car while in Sevilla, so we saved ourselves a few bucks and just returned it for the 2 1/2 days we were there.

Sevilla is also very beautiful. The city itself is pretty big, but the tourist area containing the cathedral and important sites is pretty small. All of the buildings are built very close to one another, creating lots of little passageways and alleys. In fact, most of the cool stuff can be seen only on foot. They call these closely constructed abodes "kissing streets" because you could lean out your window and kiss the person leaning out their window in the building opposite you. This type of design also creates quite a bit of shade and leaves the air feeling significantly cooler in this part of town. Very important when it's 110 outside! Sevilla's cathedral is the largest Roman Catholic cathedral in the world (St. Peter's in the Vatican is a basilica, not a cathedral). They even have the Guinness Book of World Records certificate on display to prove it. After so many jaunts through many beautiful churches all around Europe, we have become quite picky about which ones will win out and take a small piece of our time. We decided "largest in Europe" was worthy of a peek, and also the fact that it contains the tomb of Christopher Columbus! I have a very bad photo of it in the Spain photo album. The LCD screen on our camera is busted, so we have no way of knowing if our flash is on or off. Since we weren't really supposed to take a picture with the flash on, we just snapped it on the fly and hoped no one saw us and that it turned out half way decent. You can see a little of it anyways. Sevilla is also known for it's flamenco dancing! We watched a show in a cultural center connected to our hotel. I really had no idea what to expect of flamenco dancing. Knowing it is a Spanish dance, I had envisioned something close to the typical Latin dances I know such as salsa/meregue. And...it's really nothing like that. I think the only thing the same is the passion with which it is danced. Sevilla has very strong Moorish roots, having been the Moorish capital of Iberia for centuries. This is reflected in the music of flamenco. The songs are reminiscent of a Muslim call to prayer. The guitar players have very quick fingers and makes it sound as if there are 2 guitars being played instead of one. The dancing involves alot of quick feet movements and upper body motions that are fluid and graceful and, at times, angry. The men tend to focus more on the quick feet movements, while the women add in the upper body. While watching this show, I tried to come up with some kind explanation for the blog. A descriptive phrase that would make it all clear. This is what I decided on. Take tap dancing, throw away the top hats, canes and cheesy smiles. Add a handsome, passionate man, and a confident, "don't mess with me" woman, and you'll almost have flamenco. Edgar laughed at this, but it's the best I can come up with.

After a few days in Sevilla, we were off for some R&R in Ronda, one of the many white hill towns in Andalucia. These hill towns almost look like Greek Island towns with their white stucco buildings hanging precariously on the sides of mountains. We stayed at the best B&B here. Alavera de los Banos is owned by a young couple and you almost feel as if you are just hanging out at your cool friends' house, complete with pool and bar! We were lucky enough to have a ground floor room with our own patio overlooking the hillside. We spent many hours next to the pool sipping tinto verano and listening to the horses gallop up the hillside next to us. Ronda is a beautiful town with a very large deep gorge cutting through the middle of it. This makes for some great scenery and very steep hill climbs! We didn't do any major site seeing here, except for a tour of the first bullring in the history of the world (or so they say...). We saw the stockyards, got to walk around the arena, and read about the history of bullfighting in their small museum. Other than this, we worked on our tans and enjoyed the sunshine!

Granada was our last major stop on the tour. I have been wanting to visit Granada since I became interested in Tudor history. Katherine of Aragon was King Henry VIII's first wife. Her parents were King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel of Spain, who finally conquered the Moorish stronghold at the Alhambra Palace after years of intense fighting. Once again, I won't give you the history lesson, or my opinion of their conquer...I'll let you learn and decide for yourselves. Needless to say, I've been very curious to visit the Alhambra Palace for quite some time and see the grand architecture and beauty that is so often spoken of. Built mostly in the 14th century, the Moorish architecture is simply gorgeous. It isn't gaudy like Gothic, or boring and square like others. It is intricate, but not overly ornate. The fascination comes mainly in the fine details that define the style and the knowledge that they were created completely by hand. The colors are vivid and water flows from every direction. Water is a precious commodity in hot and dry Spain, and the fact that they engineered it to flow freely and plentifully throughout the complex is quite amazing. While the English and other Europeans were taking baths once a month (or once a year), the Muslims saw water as the purest symbol of life and bathed everyday. In the end, the Alhambra Palace was everything I thought it would be and I'm so glad I got to see it with my own two eyes.

Another very interesting section of Granada is the Albaicin area. It's opposite the Alhambra and thus provides great views of the palace complex. Lots of hippies and Roma (p.c. term for gypsies) hang out around here to sell crafts and entertain. Just up from this area on the same hillside is the Sacromonte area consisting of the cave dwellings of the Roma. Yes, they live in caves on the side of the hill. But don't raise an eyebrow, they are cool in the summer and warm in the winter! There is fascinating culture and great restaurants in the Albaicin. On our last night here, we sat on a brick wall at the St. Nicolas overlook listening to the Romas sing the song of flamenco behind us and watching a glowing Alhambra Palace in front of us.

Spain has surpassed France and Greece as our favorite country. We like the mid-day siestas...a perfectly acceptable excuse to take a nap and drink sangria. Speaking of sangria...there is nothing better on a hot day. Speaking of hot...it was HOT! 110 degrees! One of our favorite things about Spain, and something we will carry back with us to incorporate into our everyday lives, is the paseo. A paseo is an evening stroll. Every evening around 7 or 8pm, everyone comes out to see and be seen. The old ladies wear their best floral polyester dress and plastic necklace, while their husbands wear their best trousers and starched button up shirts. They literally just stroll around certain courtyards or boulevards catching up with friends and, most importantly, enjoying life. We loved these older couples because they were so cute together. You would very rarely see a man and woman not touching each other. If they weren't holding hands, then the man would have his hand on his lady's shoulder. So sweet. The younger crowds would begin to emerge around 9 or 10pm, which is when things really get going here...dinner, nightlife, etc. We could never quite get the hang of their eating schedule, though. Breakfast is typical of southern Europe-croissant and coffee. While us Americans tend to eat small lunches and larger dinners, they do the opposite in Spain. Lunch is usually the main meal and dinner is usually just tapas or something small. I really liked the tapas, but after a while, I just wanted one big dish as a meal instead of 4 little plates. The good thing is that most places give you a free tapas when you order a drink!

As you can tell, we loved Spain and were sad to see the trip end. It was a great way for Edgar and I to reconnect after a busy first half of the year. We are now settled back into our normal routine and enjoying the remaining days of this great British summer. Fall will be here all too soon and then we will hibernate for the winter and reflect on the 110 degrees of Sevilla, wishing we could feel the heat of the sun and taste the sweetness of sangria once again.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

It's hard to believe it's already been 6 years. I remember feeling so serenely calm waiting to walk down the aisle and then such excitement when they opened the doors and I saw you there at the front. The whole day was so perfect as we celebrated with our family and friends. We've done and seen so many things in our years together. I certainly never thought we would be doing THIS! I am so happy you decided Canada would be too cold for you and decided on San Marcos instead. The painthouse will always hold a special memory for me, no matter how ramshackle it was. And who knew when I gave you my phone number that you would actually call me?!? But don't think you fooled me. I knew you didn't just "forget" your coat that you lent to me that cold December night. I knew it was just insurance to see me later ;) I am so proud of you for all of your accomplishments and for your ambition and perseverance that brought us to this magical place in our lives. I look forward to our next years together and anticipate the adventures to come. You make life so much fun and I couldn't imagine spending it with anyone else. I love you so much. Happy Anniversary, Babe.

Saying our Goodbyes...

We are wrapping up our Spain tour...sad to leave this wonderful, sunny place. We spent our last full night in Granada at the San Nicolas mirador overlooking a reddened Alhambra listening to the hippies and gypsies sing the tantilizing songs of flamenco. Can´t wait to share our stories of our new favorite country...Adios!

It's Been a While...

...and it will still be a little longer before I post a long note. It has been very busy at the Castro B&B these past few months as several friends and family have graced us with their smiles and love here in Richmond. Edgar and I are leaving for Spain in about 8 hours to spend 10 glorious days in the sunshine, drink some sangria, and eat some tapas. I promise when we get back I will update our last few trips, chronicle our adventures with the guests, and begin a more normal routine of keeping in touch.

Many of you sent me best wishes for my birthday last week and I want to send a big THANK YOU and hug to everyone who thought about me on my special day. It was a very good birthday...in France with our best friends sipping the best wine in the world (in my humble opinion).

We'll be back on Tuesday the 29th...so until then, enjoy your summer and have a great weekend!

Freedom in Colombia!

I am so happy right now I can hardly type. In an unprecedented intelligence operation better than a James Bond movie, the Colombian military has RESCUED 15 FARC held hostages, including 3 American contractors held for 5 years, and Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian who was kidnapped 6 years ago while campaigning for the Colombian presidency. The FARC were duped, plain and simple. No shots were fired, no one was killed. Please go to cnn.com and read all you can about it.

Colombia is such a beautiful country and it is very unfortunate that a small corner of this paradise is home to such an evil enterprise. This really hits home with me. My husband is Colombian and I have visited Colombia twice. On my most recent visit to Bogota, the capital, I witnessed the public outrage in what is happening. Signs hung all over the city expressing the desire to "Stop the Kidnappings". I have visited France numerous times and saw the vigils for Mrs. Betancourt everywhere from Paris to the small villages. In London, I have seen public peace rallies in Trafalgar Square demonstrating the desire for a peaceful Colombia. I am so grateful to everyone involved in this operation. I remember reading about the American contractors in Time magazine 2 years ago and vowing to follow their story. I remember thinking what a great day it would be for them and their families upon their release. I truly cannot believe this day has come.

We're Still Here and the Trip Was Great!

Just wanted to put up a short post to let everyone know we made it back from our trip safe and sound. We had a really great time, saw some amazing things, and put many miles on the car. It's hard to believe, but Mom and Dad are already leaving on Sunday!!! :( I haven't had time to do the trip report or photo album because I've just been enjoying these last few days with them. We were gone all day today to Stonehenge and Salisbury, where we saw the cathedral and the Magna Carta. Tomorrow and Saturday will be spent winding down and enjoying the last days in Richmond with them. So, the blog may be quiet for the next few days, but check back on Sunday or Monday when I hope to have some more interesting things posted.

The Potatoes and Camembert Tour

We are off on the vacation-within-a-vacation in about an hour. Edgar is on his way home and we will let him change clothes and grab a bit to eat before we begin our journey to Wales, and ultimately Ireland and then Normandy, France. We will return on Monday, June 23rd with lots of good stories, I'm sure.

Right now, we are marvelling at just how much stuff our little hatchback can hold, and reminding ourselves that souvenirs will have to be far and few between. I love road trips and I think this will be the ultimate! I don't know if I will be able to blog from the road, but check back just in case. In any case, I'll post as soon as I can upon our return. Have a great week!

Tuesday, June 10

Tuesday was a recovery day from the big day on Monday. Our feet ached and our bodies were tired. So, we slept in, had a late coffee, and enjoyed Richmond. Mom and I made a grocery store run and did laundry all day. We also took a nice walk through town and along the river. Once Edgar arrived home, we grabbed the bottle of wine I had chilled and we all headed back to the Hill to watch the sun go down. We had dinner very late and called it a night around 11pm.

Monday, June 9-Big Day in the City

We saw so many major sites today. We landed at Waterloo station and exited along the river where Mom and Dad got their first glimpse of the London Eye..."the biggest ferris wheel I've ever seen" as quoted by Mom. We then rounded the corner and gawked at the beautiful skyline of Parliament, the Clock Tower (Big Ben), and Westminster Abbey. We wandered through the Abbey for about 2 hours marvelling at the architecture and tombs of Kings and Queens from way, way back. I still get excited when I see the tomb of Queens Mary and Elizabeth. Then it was pass Sting's house (yes, you read that correctly), through St. James Park where we had lunch, and up the Pall Mall to Buckingham Palace. We missed the big changing of the guard, but we saw a minor one while peeking through the iron fence. Mom was in absolute heaven, as this has always been a dream of hers. Dad...well, I'm not too sure he's that impressed with the royal family. But he was a trooper nonetheless and plowed on through with us. Monday was officially the hottest day of the year so far, so we took a taxi back to Waterloo and collapsed on the couches from exhaustion.

Sunday, June 8-Freedom and the Open Road

Freedom because for the first day in 6 months, Edgar did not have to study. He was free to do whatever he wanted. Open Road because that's where we headed...to the Cotswolds! Lilly and Aron told us about a sweet little town called Bourton-on-Water, where tiny pedestrian bridges arch over a clear, shallow stream, while kids and big kids splash around to cool off. The journey provided beautiful vistas that only the Cotswolds can, and even though we managed to arrive on a Sunday when most things were closed, we managed to have lunch right next to a babbling brook.

Saturday, June 7-Celebrate Good Times

I dropped Edgar off at his testing center...well, we walked out the hotel front door and across the parking lot...and then I hopped on the train to head home and prepare for our BBQ. My first job was to put the grill together. Yes, I know, a little late in the game, but I'm a pro at putting things together, and with all three of our heads and hands, we had it up and ready in record time.

I could not have put this party together without Mom and Dad. Mom was a workhorse as usual, and had things ready to go before I even had to ask her. Dad was a huge help in getting the back garden set up...hauling things from our flat down to the picnic tables. When it was showtime, he started up the fire and grilled delicious hamburgers and hotdogs. The party was a huge success. The night was beautiful and the garden was lovely with glowing candles and our good friends. They included Shawn and Charlie, Lilly and Aron, Catalina and Sebastian, and our upstairs neighbor Roger.

I am so happy this test is over...but I'm sure not more so than Edgar. He put in more effort for this test than any of the other two. I am happy to have my husband back and be able to finally plan and do things after 6 months of "I have to study". Most importantly, beyond the 6 months of studying and delayed travel, I am so proud of my husband. He has a dedication and drive that is rarely seen in people. This certification is entirely self-study...there's no homework and no one prodding you to read the next chapter. There were so many times he could have said "I'll do it tomorrow", but he never did. His results will arrive in mid-July to early-August, but I am confident he did great. I know in my heart that he passed and will finally be able to add those three little letters behind his name. Only someone who has gone through this can truly appreciate the meaning of those three little letters-CFA.

Friday, June 6-Almost BBQ Time!

Edgar took his last CFA test on Saturday, so we had a celebration BBQ in the back garden Saturday evening. Mom and I were both running around all day Friday getting things ready. We were busy shopping, chopping, cleaning and making things perfect for Edgar. Since Edgar's test was being conducted all the way across London, we decided it would be best to get a hotel room near the testing center instead of fighting traffic or train delays the next morning. So, I headed off to East London around 7pm and mom and dad finally got some peace and quiet!

Thursday, June 5-Rest and Relaxation

Since I sufficiently wore them out at Kew Gardens the day before, we took a much needed day of rest and relaxation. I'm sure it also had something to do with jet lag and the fact that their schedule was so messed up. We also caught up on some laundry and did a grocery store run...

Wednesday, June 4-Kew Gardens

Wednesday saw us head to Kew Gardens with Charlie and Adam. I've been to Kew a couple of times before, but everytime I go, I seem to find something different. In a place this big, I'm sure it would take you many, many visits to cover it all. Highlights were some of the largest trees in the UK, a black ebony tree-the one they make black piano keys out of, black pepper vine, and all sorts of other tropical plants in the Temperate House. This place is truly amazing and beautiful. We could not have asked for a more beautiful sunny day.

Trains and Really Old Things

Mom and Dad took their first train ride today. Here they are proudly displaying their Travelcards. We journeyed into London Waterloo via train and then hopped onto the Northern Tube line to Tottenham Court Road, where we disembarked and walked to the British Museum. I think they enjoyed the train ride and I was very proud of their enthusiasm and go-get-em attitude.

The British Museum has some really, really, old stuff in it. When I go to places like the British Museum, I play a little game where I try to find the oldest thing I have ever seen. Up until today, my personal best was some Ancient Egyptian artifacts in Paris's Louvre Museum dating to 32ooBC. Well, today I saw neo-lithic statues and a human skull from...are you ready for this??? 7200BC!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know if I can top this one. Those things were 9200 years old! I guess the quest will continue....

Tomorrow will hopefully bring a sunny day to enjoy our walk through Kew Gardens.

Strolling in the Park

I absolutely love Richmond Park. It isn't any wonder that it was the first major place I took Mom and Dad. We kind of got a late start this morning as we lingered over breakfast, bags got unpacked, and people got settled. We finally left the house and headed for the park in the afternoon. It began lightly raining just as we pulled in the parking lot, so we headed into Pembroke Lodge (above) for afternoon tea, coffee, and scones. When the mist subsided, we headed outside to admire the beautiful gardens, trees, and magnificent views in this part of the park. We then drove the entire loop of the park taking pictures of the deer along the way. I think they liked their first day here. Flowers, bunnies, birds and deer are always a crowdpleaser.

Tomorrow we are headed into the city for the first time. This will be a biggie...their first time ever on mass public transportation. I can't wait to show them everything!!!

The Eagles Have Landed

Safe and sound. It took them quite a while to get through customs and we were starting to get worried. But just before I was about to call in the troops, there they appeared through the swinging doors of Arrivals. After a welcome cocktail, Mom headed straight for bed (not related to the cocktail), I cooked lunch, and Edgar, I and Dad ate and had great conversation. Dad said he was going to stay awake to help him through the time change. He is now snoozing on the couch. I know how they feel and will let them sleep as long as they need to. This is going to be a great month!!! I still can't believe they are here!

They're On Their Way!

My mom and dad will be here tomorrow!!! Their flight takes off today at 3:30pm Austin time and they will be here tomorrow morning 9:35am London time. I am so excited!!! They will be here for a month and I have so many great things planned. The biggest of which is a trip through Ireland and France.

I am busy cleaning and getting everything ready for them. Pretty soon I will make the grocery store trek. How I hate going there on the weekends...maybe I'll wait until the evening when things have calmed down a bit.

I'll have lots of fun posts in the next month. I can't wait to revisit all the wonder that goes into seeing something for the first time, being in a brand new place, and seeing things that you have only previously seen in books or on TV. It's always fun to have people over who have never visited this side of the world. The little quirky differences become commonplace for Edgar and I and it's fun to watch someone else discover them again.

I hope to post quite often over the next month, but if I don't, you'll know why. Have a wonderful week!

Eurovision Song Contest 2008

Have any of you ever heard of the Eurovision Song Contest? I had never heard about it until last year when we moved over here. This thing is huge, garnering as many viewers or more as the Superbowl-between 100-600 million! Basically, each country who is a member of the European Broadcasting Union submits a song and the top 25 are chosen to compete against one another on live television. The countries take turns hosting the event with this year's contest held in Belgrade, Serbia. The first show was in 1956 and the ESC is one of the longest running shows in the world. It has introduced talent such as the Swedish Abba, with their winning single "Waterloo". Even Celine Dion was a contest winner in 1988, but she did not gain international fame until some years later.

I watched the show at the Wharton's house. It is a true tradition for Charlie as, growing up in Sweden, she's been watching it her whole life. Some of the songs were good, some were OK, and some were, well, just questionable. Most of the entries were sung in English, but there were still plenty sung in the country's native language.
My favorite song was Denmark's "All Night Long". It's a fun, uplifting song with a catchy tune. Enjoy it here.

The funniest had to be Latvia's pirate song "Wolves of the Sea". See it below.

This is the winning entry from Russia. Apparently the singer is pretty famous in his part of the world, but I thought the song was only average and the ice-skater did nothing for me. What do you think?

Steel-Toed Boots

We have a running joke in our family about wearing steel-toed boots. Not because we want to work in construction, but because we can sometimes tend to bang our toes around on household objects...some of which may have not moved position in years. I've done pretty well with this unfortunate genetic imposition throughout the years, only harboring the occasional stub here and there. That is until Wednesday evening.

We live in tight quarters here. Our furniture is not placed in a sprawling living or dining room. In fact, our living and dining room are one in the same. To pass into our kitchen, you must walk between our table and a small couch. I had our computer perched on the end of table closest to the kitchen entrance because I was cooking a recipe that was in metric units and I had to google all the conversions. In addition, I made the fatal mistake of pulling out the chair to get a better view of the screen. You may recall that Wednesday was the BIGGEST GAME IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, and I was in a flurry to prepare dinner and get my Manchester United war paint and red shirt on. I didn't push the chair back in, and in one flash of a moment, upon leaving the kitchen, I whacked my right pinky toe on the chair leg. It hurt like a son of a.... But I kept going, adrenalin pumping, nothing was going to take my excitement away. I was hoping the pain would subside, but it didn't. The bottom of the toe went numb and I couldn't walk on it.

When I awoke the next morning to a swollen and bruised toe, I decided evasive action was needed. I was in no position to drive (you kind of need a fully functioning right foot to do that) so Edgar "worked from home" and took me to a minor injury walk in clinic. This was our biggest experience yet with the NHS (National Healthcare System), apart from small visits to gain antibiotics for bronchitis. I was kind of nervous because I've heard horror stories when you allow the government to govern and manage your healthcare. But I have to say, it was a very clean, sterile, streamlined experience. We waited about an hour to see the nurse practitioner, who decided an xray was needed due to the fact that my toe was awkwardly pointing out and to the side. We waited about 10 minutes for the xray, which showed a clean break in the top joint of the toe. Only a tiny thread of bone was still attached. The good news was that it wasn't dislocated. The prospect of the NP having to not only touch the toe, but pop it back into place brought tears to my eyes. No, it really did. I started crying right there in the exam room when he told me he might have to do it. Luckily, Edgar was there to sing me songs and keep me distracted until we found out it wasn't dislocated.

So now I am icing 3 times a day for 20 minutes. My pinky toe and the one next to it are taped together so that there will be limited mobility. I'm keeping it elevated and walking around as little as possible, so hopefully it will begin to heal very soon. I hate not being fully mobile, especially when my entire lifestyle revolves around walking for everything. I guess one good thing about it all is that it has forced me to sit still long enough to plan our upcoming trips. And maybe I'll finally finish that book I started a week ago.

I would like to thank my wonderful husband for taking off work all day long to take care of me. He brought me some really great surprises when he returned from the pharmacy run with ibuprofen and tape: 3 beautiful stems of lillies and my favorite gelato! Thanks, Babe! You're the best!!!

The Biggest Game in the History of the World!!!!

UPDATE: WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN-FULL 90 minute game, tied 1-1. 30 minute overtime, still tied 1-1. 5 Penalty kicks, tied 4-4. FINALLY, in the 3rd extra penalty kick, WE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the BEST GAME EVER!!!!! I thought I was going to absolutely pass out from excitement, anxiousness, nerves, all these emotions. Now I'm going to watch Ronaldo get his medal...because you know that's why we really watch ;)

Today is historic. It ranks right up there with the discovery of the New World and Al Gore's invention called the Internets. For the first time in the history of the world, two English teams will be competing in the UEFA Champions League Final, being held in Moscow, Russia. The teams are Chelsea, and Ronal.....WOOPS, I mean Manchester United.

For those of you who don't know about football, here's a breakdown. Basically, players can compete with two different teams: Club teams and National teams. It would be kind of like a player from Texas playing for the Dallas Cowboys, but also playing for the State of Texas, if individual States had teams. For example, David Beckham now plays with the LA Galaxy, but he could also play for the English National Team. With these different teams come different championships. Club teams compete within their country for their country's title and also against other club teams around Europe for the UEFA title. National teams also play against each other and you may have heard about the World Cup, which is the ultimate National Team Championship.

Tonight is the UEFA Championship. It could just have easily involved a team from Spain, Italy or any other European country. But tonight is historic because of the two English teams. I am a huge Manchester United Fan, mostly because they have a player named Cristiano Ronaldo, unarguably the BEST player in the WORLD. I have said, and will say again, it is only because of his mad skills that I am a fan. One look at his skills in the linked photo will show you what I mean. Can I get a "hell's yeah" from the ladies?

Well, I'm off to put on my red shirt and put war paint on my face. I'm so excited!!!!!!

Tourist Day-Hyde Park

Thursday was tourist day for the expat ladies. We have done so many London Walks that there weren't any left for us to do on Wednesdays! The weather was so beautiful we couldn't imagine being inside a museum or any building. So, we decided to do a walk and picnic through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. The two are pretty much connected with just a small road separating them. Our initial plan was to get off the District Line at High Street Kensington, stroll through Whole Foods Market, which is next door, walk the park loop, and then meet Cata for lunch. To our delighted surprise, H&M, one of our favorite stores, was also right outside the tube stop, so we took a slight detour from the original plan for a little summer clothes shopping. Doesn't everyone need a fun summer top every now and then? We met Cata, our working woman, at Speaker's Corner (a corner of Hyde Park) and had a fabulous Great British Picnic. Adam had fun chasing pigeons and perfecting his bear crawl through the grass.

Today, we are back to more early Spring weather-rain and a sweater! It feels kind of strange to have a peeling sunburn one day and a sweater on the next-especially when it doesn't involve some sort of winter break beach vacation.

Happy Mother's Day!

I would like to wish my dear Mom a very Happy Mother's Day today. Your unending enthusiasm and energy has propelled me through many moments in life. You are there at the drop of a hat before the need is even spoken. Your care and concern for others mean you are oftentimes the last on your own list. And at the end of the day, when the whirlwind has blown through, you can still spare the energy for a warm, gentle hug. Thank you for all you do-for me, for everyone, everyday. Can't wait to see you in 3 weeks! Love, Vonda

Serious Trauma at the Gas Station

I couldn't just say "Pain at the Pump"...the typical headline when fuel prices are so high. Today was sheer trauma. Since I can now drive again, my first stop was the gas (petrol in UK) station. Our car was on fumes. Here is the breakdown of my transaction (I'll spare you all the conversions)...

Amount of petrol:
13.95 gallons

Price of petrol:
$8.15/gallon

Total Price: $113.69

Making my friends and family feel better about paying $3.70 per gallon: Priceless

Yes, you read correctly...it really costs $8.15 per gallon over here. Thank goodness for public transportaion!

Driving Test Result

I know that so many of you are bleery-eyed, tired...waking up at the crack of dawn, refreshing my blog every 5 seconds, eagerly awaiting the outcome of my driving test this morning. Well, your wait is finally over. As of 9:57am I am officially a legal UK driver!!!! I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And with flying colors I might add. They grade you here on a series of faults. You are allowed 15 minor faults for things like not holding the steering wheel correctly, not signaling properly, etc. and absolutely zero major faults for things like running a red light or being in the wrong lane at the round-a-bout. I only received 4 minor faults and of course no major faults or else I would have failed. I was so pleased with myself as only 42% of people even pass the test on the first try and I did it with room to spare.

My examiner was actually very nice and was even giving me pub recommendations for when my parents come over in June! Now, my instructor, that's another story. When I so excitedly told him that I had passed with only 4 faults, he said, "Oh yes, you remember the chap from last week that I told you about? The one who passed with no faults?" What a Debbie Downer!!! He never once congratulated me or said "Well done!" I told him about one area that gave me a little trouble and he said, "Well you really should have taken some more lessons." WTF????? I just passed the thing on the first try and you are telling me I should have taken more lessons???? Oh well. If he's out there somewhere and reading this blog, here's a little constructive critisism...Tell your students something encouraging or positve every now and then. It isn't good practice to only speak to your students when they do something wrong. And most importantly, at least give them a pat on the back when they pass.

I am most excited because this means I can drive my parents around freely and can finally start planning that trip to Ireland and France with them! Charlie invited me to lunch with a couple of her very sweet friends and we had a Prosecco and Cherry to celebrate. We sat outside and it is so beautiful and sunny here today that I even got a little bit sunburned! So now I'm off to pick up some things for dinner..I think we may even crack open a bottle of the good wine tonight. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me...I just kept your good thoughts on my mind throughout and I couldn't have done it without you! ~V

Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands...

Edgar and I are really craving TexMex. After 3 failed attempts, we've resigned to the fact that we will not find any Latin related food here in London that is worth eating. So...I decided to just cook it myself. I ordered a TexMex cookbook from Amazon and got to work. Anybody can make fajitas and guacamole. It's those darn enchiladas that are an enigma to me. I just couldn't imagine how to make that luscious brown gravy sauce that comes on top of them. This cookbook scored a buy from me because the very first recipe was "Enchilada Gravy Sauce"...SOLD! It's a pretty basic recipe and I don't know why I didn't think of it myself. You just make a roux out of oil and flour, add Mexican spices like cumin and then water to thin it out. I'm still experimenting with the combo of spices because I have a certain taste in my mouth and I won't stop until I've mastered it! But I have to say, my enchiladas turned out so well!!! We both had little tears in our eyes upon the first bite!

I am always amazed at the emotional connections with food. The flavors, the smells, even the textures can take you back to familiar and happy times. As we sat at our table last night, enchiladas, charro beans and margaritas laid out before us, we were instantly transported to Texas, to Romero's, our favorite place in Houston. We could feel the vinyl of the booths, the coolness of the tile table tops, and the smoky smell of fajitas sizzling by. As I closed my eyes, I could see Mama Romero plating up all the deliciousness for the waitstaff to deliver to hungry and eager tables. Nothing will taste as good as Romero's "Pick 3" platter with a cheese enchilada, chicken flauta and guacamole, but at least we can give ourselves small drinks of goodness until we can taste it again for ourselves.

Spring is Here!!!

Spring is a time of change. One day it's freezing cold and the next day it isn't. One minute the sun is shining and the next minute there is a torrential downpour with tiny pellets of hail. It can get frustrating because you never really know what the day's weather will hold. The forecasters can't really predict anything except that it will be completely unpredictable. You just learn to never leave home without a light jacket, sunglasses, and an umbrella. But all of these climatic differences can only mean one thing....Summer is on its way! And I LOVE British Summers!! I've only lived through one of them, but boy was it a good one. We didn't even travel last summer because we were having so much fun just hanging out in Richmond.

I think we have turned a corner this weekend. We've had several days in a row of nice, warm weather, and we're even keeping our windows open all day and night to let the fresh air in. I've taken the down comforter off the bed and my mind is swirling with visions of salads and cool drinks. The absolute best part about this time of year is that it's finally time to head outdoors! Yesterday, we joined the Whartons for a picnic and rousing game of football (soccer) in Richmond Park. Today, I did an entire 7 mile loop around the park with Charlie and Adam. Tomorrow is a Bank Holiday over here, which means Edgar has a day off work! I'm sure most of the day will be spent studying, but I'm hoping to pull him out of the flat for at least an hour and a nice walk down the river. With all this activity, I'm hoping to shed this little extra layer of insulation that kept me warm and toasty over the winter!

The above photo was taken from our kitchen window last weekend. You can't really see it in this picture, but there were actually 2 rainbows stacked on top of one another.

A Great Weekend!

Edgar and I had a very fun and active weekend! Although he is studying profusely for his CFA test, he usually manages to find a few spare hours for fun on the weekends. Saturday was our big date night and our trial run at Floridita, the Cuban restaurant. It was a great place in SoHo, very hip and posh with rounded, high-back white leather booths, and red glowing pillars and ceilings. We arrived early to take in the atmosphere and have a few mojitos before our dinner. A Cuban band was on hand (one is there every night) providing awesome music for dancing and singing along to. Long story short, and just as we had suspected, the food was amazing...too bad it wasn't Cuban! Edgar's roasted suckling pig came with risotto (risotto?? since when was that Cuban?), and my Brazilian steak (yeah, Brazilian) came with something "like couscous". Nonetheless, it did taste good, which I guess is the most important thing, it just didn't quite satisfy the Cuban craving. The above photo is in Floridita, but it's kind of dark, so you can't see much.

On Sunday we woke up early to participate in a charity walk for Children of the Andes (COTA). Ironically enough, it's a nonprofit organization that funds programs for children in Colombia. We started in Richmond Park, wound our way a few miles down the Thames River, and came back up through Ham to re-enter Richmond Park. We ended with a group picnic near the Isabella Plantation, located in almost the middle of the park. All of the flowers were blooming in the Plantation and it was so beautiful. We also saw Tufted Ducks for the first time (above) and I have to say they are the most unusual things I've ever seen. They almost don't look real. When it was all said and done, I think we probably walked about 10 miles. But it was 10 miles for a good cause and worth every step. We met some great people and got some good Colombian connections here in London.

Tacos

This is Edgar with his margarita and the taco platter we got at Mestizo, the Mexican food place in the post below.

Food Frenzy

I get frustrated with some of the ethnic restaurant food here in London. So, I decided to step out of my box and examine if these frustrations are valid or if I am just being a picky American. I've decided they are valid. Here's why.


I am really beginning to miss TexMex (see post below) and Latin food. Despite London being a very international city, they just don't do this type of food very well. For example, last weekend, I researched and found THE Mexican food restaurant in London. Their website purported them to be the place where people who are homesick go and also the London hangout for Mexicans. We had high expectations, so we booked a table, got all fancy and made our way into the city for a night on the town. We ordered the taco platter, which came with four different taco fillings and lots of different toppings. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it was missing something. Now, I've been to Mexico, and I've lived in Texas (which used to be Mexico) my whole life (sort of). I know what Mexican tastes like, and I know what an authentic dish is. Lots of stuff on the menu wasn't even really Mexican. They tried to make it Mexican by adding cilantro or peppers, but it wasn't Mexican.


This weekend, we are trying out a Cuban place in Soho. Edgar heard about it at work and was assured it was good. They also have live music and salsa dancing, so it should be fun if nothing else. I was perusing the menu yesterday and frustration set in. They don't even have Ropas Viejas, which is one of THE MOST TYPICAL CUBAN DISHES!!! Oh, they had a something they called Ropas Viejas, but it was baked duck eggs! I'm sorry, but baked duck eggs are a far cry from the deliciousness that is Ropas Viejas-shredded beef in a yummy tomato based sauce. The menu didn't even include fried sweet plantains. But, we're going anyways, just to give it a shot.


So this is where my frustrations lie. If a restaurant says it is Mexican, Cuban, French, whatever, then BE Mexican, Cuban, or French. I don't think I'm being picky and I don't think that my palette preferences are based on an American bias. I know how these things are supposed to taste because I have been to their countries of origin! Except for Cuba, but Houston has alot of Cubans and I've eaten at their places. They say that London has come a long way in this area. I don't want to think about how it used to be.


But I do have to give props to this great city. They do Indian and Thai food very, very well. Whereas we used to get a taco fix after a good, long night of fun (Taco Cabana anyone?), they go out for a "curry". Our comfort foods include chips and salsa, their's include poppadoms and mango chutney. Half the pubs around here have dropped the traditional pub grub of fish and chips and the likes for a healthy selection of Thai. To each his own I guess. But I can guarantee that should they move to Houston and get homesick for tikka masala, they could find a place they makes it just as good as home.

Taste of Texas

Edgar and I speak often of how much we will miss Richmond and London when we move back to Texas. But, at the same time, we get excited at the prospect of seeing all of our friends and family any time we want and also visiting all the old haunts that made life there so special and fulfilling. We find ourselves dreaming of what our first few days fresh off the airplane will be like. Apart from the obvious vision of descending the airport escalator and seeing all of our loved ones waiting with flowers, banners, and full marching band, we're also dreaming of the food. Yes, we've got it all planned out. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It goes like this:

Day one
Breakfast-breakfast from a taco cart parked in a gas station parking lot, where the chorizo is authentic and the coffee comes from a thermos.
Lunch-Tortilla soup from Romero's, our old, local favorite Mexican food joint in Cypress.
Dinner-Beef fajitas from Lupe Tortillas near Edgar's office.

Day two
Breakfast-We head back to Romero's for huevos rancheros or migas with a bowl of their warm salsa dumped on top.
Lunch-We'll probably still be full from breakfast and bloated from yesterday's food fiesta. Maybe we'll just drink some water.
Dinner-With TexMex out of our system, we head to Texas Roadhouse for real beef and those glorious rolls...can't forget the sweet tea. I think I've forgotten what it tastes like.

Day three
Brunch-Yeah, still bloated. We'll sleep in and head to some cool downtown location for brunch with the young folks.
Dinner-Get some Gulf of Mexico shrimp from HEB and invite Johnny Allen (my cousin) over to make his garlic shrimp that we love.

This will probably be all we can handle for awhile. It's a good start for our Taste of Texas tour. Think I'll start burning calories right now so I can be fully ready and enjoy every bite.

The Best Ride I've Had All Day

My driving instructor is not very good with small talk. He takes his job very seriously and I've relinquished all attempts at cracking jokes because he just doesn't get it. And I don't think it's a cultural barrier, he's just not a jokester. With that being said, I don't think he realizes when HE is being funny.

During one of my first driving lessons, we passed his former student's house. She was a former student because she was lucky enough to pass the test and no longer has to endure 2 hours of nit-picky driving instruction (that fortunate girl). As we passed the house, this is the conversation that ensued:

Driving Instructor: "One of my former students lives there, an American lady in fact, and was really good. She just took her test a few weeks ago and passed with very little faults. Her examiner told me "it was the best ride I've had all day. I just got to sit back and enjoy it".

Vonda: " "

Yes, my quotes are empty because I was afraid to open my mouth for fear of spewing spit in his face in a fit of laughter. The best part is that he never even realized how that whole little thing sounded. He said it with a perfectly straight face and with complete seriousness. When I told Edgar about it that night we laughed so hard. The rolling around kind of laughter where you can't catch your breath and your stomach hurts the next day.

I can only hope that I will be some examiner's best ride in a few weeks. I really hope he is able to sit back and enjoy it.

Driving Test Date

Well I've returned from another fascinating driving lesson. What a pain. I just decided to quit defending my actions, listen to what he says with a nod and smile on my face, and know that I AM a good driver, and also that just because I didn't turn left at exactly the angle he would have preferred doesn't mean I am a bad driver. This could turn into a real self esteem issue. One thing that is really starting to bug me is the lack of STOP signs. They just put these white lines in the road, which are very easy to miss, especially when it has been raining or they haven't been painted in ages. But I'm certain that should STOP signs begin to appear, someone from a neighborhood association would begin a petition in protest of the "loss of visual amenity" of the area and demand they be taken down at once. Safety or Beauty...oh the dilemma.

On the same note, I have a date for the official "practical test", which is the one I am so nervous about. It will be Tuesday, May 6 at 9:17am. So I have one more full lesson next week, and then an hour and half lesson right before the test. He suggested that I might try to squeeze in one more lesson, but considering he told me I would need 4-5 lessons, and that will be my 5th lesson, I may take my chances and not schedule another one. I may change my mind, but I think I am doing well. I'm just not going to think about it or it will drive me crazy.

I PASSED!

I passed my test! Now I just have to pass the driving portion and I'll be legal again. I'm not sure when that will take place, but should be within the next few weeks.

Driving Test Tomorrow!!!

Tomorrow I take the computer-based portion of my driving test. The one where they ask you what the street signs mean and what you should do if you approach a horse in the road (ANSWER: Stay well back as animals can be unpredictable). There are 50 questions and I have to get 44 right...I feel pretty good about it, but will still study a little more tonight. The other portion of the test is "Hazard Perception Awareness". They flash different scenarios on the screen as if I am driving down the road and I have to push the button as soon as I see a potential hazard. Hopefully after driving since the age of 16, I will have some sort of automatic response. Luckily for me, the driving instruction company who has been giving me my driving lessons publishes a book with every possible test question and a CD-rom with a practice hazard perception awareness test. I'll post my results as soon as I can.

Question. Do you think it purely coincidental that BP will reimburse us for 5 driving lessons and my driving instructor says I will need at least 5 lessons "to have a reasonable chance of passing"? Hmmm....

Carmen was Amazing!

From the moment I stepped out of the train at Waterloo, the evening was perfect. The walk to the theater, the Royal Opera House, Carmen, the beautifully sparkling cityscape on the walk back to the station...couldn't have asked for a better date night.

Edgar discovered, and I can't believe he knew something about this city that I didn't know, that Covent Garden (where the Royal Opera House is located) is just over the Waterloo Bridge. So, instead of groundhogging it all the way to the Covent Garden tube stop, we both met up at Waterloo Station and walked over the bridge to our destination. It's a beautiful walk...the London Eye and Big Ben's Clock Tower on the left and St. Paul's Cathedral on the right, all spanning a lively River Thames at the end of a work day.

The ROH is a beautiful building, gleaming white with stunning Greek architecture. After retrieving our pre-paid tickets from the very efficient box office, we checked our coats and made our way to the Orchestra Stalls right. As we rounded the corner to enter the staircase, we both stopped and took a little gasp of air upon first glimpsing the truly extraordinary interior. Golden guild covered intricate carvings and details around the stage, the seating levels and the beautiful pale blue ceiling. I always wondered how the conductor can get an entire orchestra AND singing cast coordinated, and then I noticed very discreet TV monitors in various locations around the theater broadcasting the conductor...so that's how they do it! We were seated about 15 rows from the stage, so in addition to hearing the great music and voices, we were to able to really see the facial expressions of the cast and witness the emotion they put into the performance.

The orchestra began playing the prelude (the video above), which includes two of the three more famous pieces, and the fun began. Carmen has probably some of the most recognizable numbers out of all the operas. The very first song in the prelude may be familiar to some of you...it's the very fast classical piece featured in the "Beef-It's What's for Dinner" ad campaigns. You know the one...it sounds like the music is swirling around and you can't imagine that anyone can move their fingers fast enough to keep up with it. The two other pieces are Toreador , the bullfighter's song (also included in the prelude), and Habanera, which Carmen sings.

The setting of Carmen is Spain and it's sung in French, which is quite a contrast! Good thing they have English subtitles on a monitor over the stage so you can keep up. This is a brief summary, in my own words, of the major elements of Carmen. Don Jose, while studying to become a priest, has fled the country and joined the Army after killing someone, leaving his dying mother and fiance behind. Carmen is a flirtatious gypsy who wins the affections of Don Jose and promises her unabiding love to him. He leaves the Army to join Carmen and her gypsy gang, making him somewhat of an outlaw. After a little fight, Carmen decides she does not love him anymore and falls for the Toreador (bullfighter). Don Jose becomes a little obsessive, does not take the rejection very well, and kills Carmen. Amongst the love and anguish are wonderful costumes, flamenco dancing, great voices, and all the drama you can imagine.

Seeing an opera in person is much different than just listening to it on CD or the radio. The talent of everyone involved is truly amazing and admirable and something I think you should do at least once in your life. Trust me, you will want to sing all of your conversations in the most dramatic way possible for at least the next week! Thanks for checking in...I'm off to decide on something for dinner. For some reason, I'm inspired to eat beef. Ciao!

Our first Opera!!!

Edgar is a big fan of opera. I can appreciate the amazing talent that is opera singing and I love the theater of it all. I guess it wouldn't be fair for me to judge my like or dislike as I've never even been to an opera. That will all change tonight. We are going to attend our first opera this evening at 7pm. The place: London's famed Royal Opera House. The title: Carmen. We splurged on good seats, not the nosebleeds. I can't wait! I think I may even drink a $20 glass of champagne during intermission. Hey, if your going to do it, you may as well do it right, right?

Some background info:The Spanish heat and gypsy passion of Carmen take to the stage as The Royal Opera presents the first revival of Francesca Zambello’s vibrant production with Tanya McCallin’s richly coloured designs. It’s a great stage recreation of the sun-drenched and sultry world of 19th-century Spain, with its ranks of soldiers and crowds of peasants, its gypsies and bullfighters, its spectacle and its deadly, white-hot emotions. Spanish-born Nancy Fabiola Herrera has been greatly acclaimed as the fickle temptress of the title, while star tenor Marcelo Álvarez is Don José, the soldier she forces to murderous jealousy over her new affair with the bullfighter Escamillo, played by Kyle Ketelsen. It’s a perfect cast to bring alive the sexy solos, rousing choruses, impassioned arias and Spanish dances of one of the most famously tuneful of all operas and one of the most enduringly popular works in the entire repertory.

I'm pretty sure you will recognize one of its most famous musical pieces. Click here to watch a trailer.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

In response to my previous Spring Tease post, the answer is "Yes, it was just a tease." This was the wonderful scene we woke up to today, a beautiful view of our back garden, which we share with the 3 other flats in our building. The snow hung around for about an hour before it started to melt and what I like to call "the second snowfall" began. This is the process by which all the accumulated snow begins to fall off of the trees and high places, making it look like a snowfall all over again.

This is the view from our bedroom window, which overlooks the street out front. We're supposed to get more snow on Tuesday...I can't believe it's April and I'm still drinking hot chocolate!

My First Driving Lesson!

Well, there's nothing like having someone nitpick every single little look and turn for 2 whole hours! I swear, it was like having the worst possible backseat driver, only they're sitting right next to you with their own brake...dude...don't brake for me!!! In all fairness, he was just doing his job and helping to prepare me for my test. The test is very, very strict, and literally one wrong turn or glance, and you can FAIL! He said I did very well and will only need 4 more lessons before I'm ready. I thought this was quite alot, but considering the pickiness of the testing, I need all the preparation I can get so I can pass it on the FIRST try. There are little things that do not come second nature to American drivers, but that are very important in British driving...like putting on the emergency brake if you think you will be stationery for longer than 10 seconds. If you don't do it, you FAIL! Round-a-bouts are very serious business as well. One slight hesitation (which I call being a cautious driver) and you FAIL! And who knew that being able to back around a corner or turn around in the middle of a street could be so complicated! Apparently you have to look out the appropriate window at the just the right time, or you FAIL! So these are the types of things I'm working on making habits. I've been driving around this country and several others for the past year with no problems, so I can't imagine I'm THAT BAD. I felt really proud that I only needed 4 more lessons...considering he told me that the average person needs 30-40 before they are ready! Hopefully in another month, I'll be ready to PASS!! ~Vonda