Top 5 Memories from June 2009

Okay, this post is long overdue - about 7 weeks coming. But, I have kept copious notes. ;)

June was a month that was bicycling intense – meaning we logged a lot of kilometers. We started the month in North Holland, and ended the month at the southernmost point in the Netherlands (Maastricht). In between, we crisscrossed the country twice and saw a lot of cows, sheep, goats and windmills. It is hard to narrow it down to the Top 5, but here goes:

5. Reposing in Weert. After 100’s of kilometers and 5 consecutive days of riding (unplanned), we had the great pleasure of landing at a lovely B&B in Weert (a member of the Vrienden op de Fiets network). The family offered us comfortable accommodations and a lovely garden, complete with swinging bench, fishpond and walnut tree. But, more importantly, they extended a warm welcome to us (strangers), and a great dinner under the stars. It was the “recharge” we needed after several days on the bike. We felt at home and were ready to move into the garden for the remainder of the summer.

4. Days at the beach in Schenveningen and Katwijk. After weeks of cycling across the Netherlands, we made our way to the beach. Great fun! Although our accommodations were negligible, the beachfront made up for any shortcomings. We had splendid weather in Schenveningen (upper 80’s), and enjoyed a secluded section of the beach in Katwijk. Burying ourselves in the sand, building sand castles, counting a handful of topless women (a surprise to the boys), playing soccer in the sand, and jumping down dunes was a welcome reprieve from our bicycle seats. Needless to say, Janelle and I enjoyed a few cocktails beachside too.

3. Water fights in Sittard. When traveling with adolescent boys and staying in B&Bs, we could never be certain how we would be received. However, sometimes we were amazed at the hospitality of our hosts: Sittard was a highlight. After a lengthy 50km ride on a hot day (including a brief foray into Germany), we were graciously received by our hosts. After assisting us with our bikes, they immediately brought out cold beer (“good for parents of adolescents” they said), and then buckets of water with sponges. Our kids looked on with some confusion, but then our hosts immediately demonstrated the joy of simply soaking a sponge and throwing it at each other in the garden. Obviously a water fight ensued, and smiles and laughter filled the air. We later enjoyed dinner and had a wonderful evening with our hosts.

2. Gouda. Of all the cities across the Netherlands, Gouda is the embodiment of all good things Dutch. We spent 3 nights in Gouda at the B&B Aan de Gouwe and enjoyed every minute of it. Gouda offers all the attractions of a big city: canals, a fantastic cathedral, a huge market and piazza, good food and specialty shops. It also captures the benefits of a small city: clean, easy to walk, affordable and very hospitable. We had great food (Spanish tapas, Italian), visited the Great Kerk (remarkable stained glass), played soccer in the Markt, and were spoiled by a personal tour of a Stroop Wafel factory (which originated in Gouda). It was a fantastic experience: we definitely plan to return.

1. An evening with friends in Eindhoven. In the midst of our trip we had the pleasure of connecting with extended family friends (whom we had never met). To our good fortune, they had two kids around the same age who had an affinity for riding bikes, playing soccer and games. We talked, ate and drank for several hours, while the kids readily entertained themselves (even though our kids spoke only English, and theirs only Dutch). Needless to say, after several bottles of prosecco, a barbecue, dessert, and digestivos under the stars, it was a day and night to remember. (Thanks Benno, Alexandre, Fleur and Bas!)

In addition to the above Top 5 for June 2009, there were several other memories made in June that deserve honorable mention: a fantastic stay at Villa Augustus in Dordrecht – a renovated industrial warehouse turned into boutique upscale hotel with an artisan organic farm-to-table restaurant (we definitely will return); the medieval festival at Heusden – a fortified town where every citizen was immersed in middle age garb, foods and events (think of walking on to the set of Lord of the Rings); retracing the steps of Van Gogh in Neunen – living history; and, last, but not least, riding along, through and with cattle, sheep and goats across the Dutch countryside.

June 2009 will be forever etched in our memories.

Florence week 1

First week: HOT.

So this is where they have been hiding the sun. This first week in Florence has been all about orientation to the city, adjusting to the heat, and searching for a long-term apartment.

We are not overdoing the tourist sites; they are currently swarmed. But we have been cycling circles around and through the city, as sort of a meet and greet. I can tell you the location of major piazzas, gardens, food markets and iconic museums, churches and statues. I cannot tell you much about the restaurants, since we have only been to one. We have not seen the inside of museums or leather shops, but we have toured one possible school for the boys (an endearing, 4' 2" bilingual nun included).

Besides getting a general grip, we have been learning to go out and about all morning, cycle home around lunch, stay inside the air conditioned space until late late afternoon then consider our options. Usually we eat dinner in, then go out for another spin about the city.

Our favorite repose so far---and the one that has felt most like vacation---was a full afternoon at the largest, public pool in Florence. We were lucky to have found it while cycling routes to varying calcio (soccer in USA, football in EU) clubs. It was brilliant: huge doses of Vitamin D, an enormous pool, nowhere to go, nothing to do, nobody to see. Just chill. Even on our cycling trip we were busy packing, moving, mapping, eating, and entertaining ourselves.

Besides the pool and cycling around the city, we have been reading through 'learn to speak Italian' books, visited Boboli Gardens (see pic), Piazza San Marco, the largest outdoor market (mercado) near Piazza Lorenzo, have crossed the infamous Ponte Vecchio multiple times, and are quickly adapting to our gelato-eating habit.

Not that you find it interesting, but our preferred flavors:

James: Limone
Janelle: Hazelnut (nocciola)
Anthony: ranges from chocolate to walnut, caramel, tiramisu... and strawberry.
Caleb: Mint (menta) and Vanilla (vaniglia), with some chocolate thrown in.

And rule of the day is: whatever Anthony orders is usually so good we all envy him. So if we eat at a restaurant and he orders carbonara or we slide into seats in a gelateria and he orders some unknown but yummy looking gelato... it will be the best plate/cup/flavor on the table.

We did it!

We made it!

We made it from Amsterdam to Paris, to London and Manchester and have landed---safely---in Florence, Italy.

The boys had a splendid time at Manchester United Football Camp; we were all pretty excited to see Old Trattford (stadium where Manchester United practices and plays home games). While the boys were at camp all week, James and I caught up with each other, bought a computer (ours had broken a few weeks ago), enjoyed restaurants in Manchester (especially Piccolini) and set up our Fantasy Premier Leagues. (The leagues are online fantasy soccer leagues, where you play against others in the league, by picking your own team, managing trades and watching certain players all year. We set up a family league for both English Premier and Serie A).

We packed up the bikes and left Manchester; 1 rental van, 2 airplanes, 1 train and 2 small bike rides later---we were at our place in Florence. We decided to rent an apartment for the last 2 weeks of August. That way we can adjust to our new home city, get a sense of neighborhoods by day and night, and finalize proximity of the boys' school and calcio (aka soccer).

Caleb has a wee injury on his heel, so these first few days of Florence have been via biciclette (bikes). Not a bad way to get oriented, and to get a sense of how long rides would take from A to B to D and K. Besides, we will be getting around via foot and bike, so we better get used to it.

So far it has been around 100 degrees Fahrenheit and we are learning to love 1. shade, 2. very cold water and lots of it and 3. air conditioning. There are hordes of tourists here, despite the raging heat and mass exodus of Italians. I knew the country took the month of August off, but I am genuinely amazed (and really quite impressed) at all the little paper signs on windows stating temporary closure for all of August. 'We' will all return in September. And life will go on.

But we are here, already looking forward to what life as usual will feel like, when the tourists start to dissipate and the stores and restaurants reopen. Students will come from all over, we will have a permanent address, cram our brain with Italian verbs and prepositions---and sink right into this new life.

And you know I couldn't leave an Italian post without including something about food, so... Food highlights so far: gelato, granita, watermelon chunks on a stick, the abundance of chianti, shots of limoncello with a nearby restaurant owner, good espresso, homemade ravioli, a butcher. I say the latter with braced enthusiasm: I don't yet know where we will land, and therefore which outdoor market we will frequent (I look forward to loving my more permanent butcher). But we did find one, and promptly bought some pork loin beautifully wrapped in bacon... dinner in. We loved it. Salute!