Friday, October 28, 2011
Headed to Rocky Top Country
On our way to Tennessee with Josh and Savannah. We rented a Swagger Wagon so we could all ride together. Zack's not sure how cool he looks, but the boys think it rocks.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Oh, deer!
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| One of MANY deer we saw this past weekend at the lake |
Zack is wondering why we still have a blog. He doesn't see anyone commenting much anymore (thanks to Sharon for being our most faithful) and is scratching his head, wondering why I even bother.
I found God!
This past Sunday at church, Daniel was standing in the chair next to me so he could see. He was watching the screen and pointing out many of his sight words from the lyrics being displayed.
Suddenly he smiled so big and exclaimed, "I found God!"
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
A little more London
After a good night's sleep and some coffee, we hopped on the tube to do some more exploring.
We decided to ride to the King's Cross Station. We'd hoped to find Platform 9 3/4, and were using the handy Rick Steves guide to do so. We followed his directions, only to discover that the line he was leading us to was closed for construction all weekend. (I've since read that the 9 3/4 sign and half-missing push cart has actually been moved outside the station - bummer). So that didn't work out.
Still in search of lunch (there is really nothing at that stop) we headed for Trafalgar Square. We walked around, and then got some yummy sandwiches at Pret a Manger - great place! It's almost all organice, very environmentally friendly, and they make everything fresh daily. Even better - they donate the daily leftovers to local charitable groups and homeless shelters.
We decided to ride to the King's Cross Station. We'd hoped to find Platform 9 3/4, and were using the handy Rick Steves guide to do so. We followed his directions, only to discover that the line he was leading us to was closed for construction all weekend. (I've since read that the 9 3/4 sign and half-missing push cart has actually been moved outside the station - bummer). So that didn't work out. |
| Can you believe the queen's manners - not inviting us in for tea! |
We made our to a station near Buckingham Palace. We came out near a large gate, and saw the horse guard making their rounds. We took a nice stroll down a shady tree-lined street and came up on one side of the palace. With another 90 minutes before the changing of the guard was to begin, the crowds were already thick. So we took a few pictures, and moved on.
The beautiful Victoria Memorial that sits in the roundabout in front of the palace was, like much of London on this visit, covered with scaffolding. Gotta make yourself pretty for the world games, I guess!
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| My new laptop bag!! |
We decided to make a stop at Harrod's. We didn't plan to buy anything, but thought it would be fun to see it. Can you say over the top? It was fun to see, though. And on our way out, I did find one thing that I just had to have: a new laptop bag! We thought we'd grab a bite to eat, but there was nothing close by other than bakeries with lots of sweets.
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| Zack & Mr. Holmes, on Baker Street |
We hopped back on the tube, and decided to head for Abbey Road. If you haven't already figured it out, we're all about the photo op, and thought it would be fun to recreate the Beatles image. Our train stopped at Baker Street, and didn't start back. So we got off there, saw Sherlock Holmes, and attempted to eat at a restaurant (15 minutes, and no wait staff ever showed up at ANY of the tables!).
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| Abbey Road |
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| Abbey Road Studios |
So we got back on the train and went on to the St. Johns Wood stop. The famous intersection and the studio are just 5 - 10 minutes from there.
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| Trafalgar Square |
We decided to head back to the hotel for a little rest time. Then we ventured back out and enjoyed dinner at a sidewalk restaurant. Fish & chips and bangers & mash - very good! And that was our 48-hour layover, in a nutshell!
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| One of the MANY long escalators we rode while using the tube |
Monday, October 24, 2011
Bridges
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| London Eye |
London has bridges. A lot of bridges. And as you walk along the Thames River, ironically, the least impressive of all is the London Bridge. Probably because it's fallen down so many times over the years.
After checking into our hotel, we took the tube to Westminster Abbey and saw many sites in that area. Then we went for a walk down the Thames River. We started out close to the London Eye (we didn't go on it - the line was terrible!) and took the 2.5 - 3 mile walk to the Tower Bridge. We stopped along the way several times. The weather was in the low 80's and hardly a cloud in the sky. People were EVERYWHERE! It was obvious that this wasn't the norm (normal October high is 59, and October is historically the wettest month of the year there), so it seemed like everyone was taking advantage of it. It did make for some great people-watching!
After checking into our hotel, we took the tube to Westminster Abbey and saw many sites in that area. Then we went for a walk down the Thames River. We started out close to the London Eye (we didn't go on it - the line was terrible!) and took the 2.5 - 3 mile walk to the Tower Bridge. We stopped along the way several times. The weather was in the low 80's and hardly a cloud in the sky. People were EVERYWHERE! It was obvious that this wasn't the norm (normal October high is 59, and October is historically the wettest month of the year there), so it seemed like everyone was taking advantage of it. It did make for some great people-watching!
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| Millennium Bridge & St. Paul's Cathedral |
We tried some good food throughout the day: a nice sandwich for lunch, and traditional English pasties for dinner. We enjoyed a nice cup of coffee along the way, and just tried to push through our exhaustion. It was a fun and not too stressful first day of our trip.
So, why did we go to London? Well, every reasonably-priced flight to Berlin included a layover in London. We figured if we had to stop there, might as well stop for a couple of days! I hadn't been since high school, and Zack had never been outside of Heathrow.
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| Tower Bridge |
International Travel Tip #4: don't exchange money at the airport if you can avoid it. The exchange rates always seem out of whack there. We ordered currency through our local bank a couple of weeks before the trip. We also called our bank and advised that we'd be out of the country, so they didn't freeze our bank cards or credit cards. While on the phone, they advised which banks we could use to avoid extra ATM fees.
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| Chelsea Football Club |
International Travel Tip #5: As I've said before, we love Priceline! I didn't know until this trip that you can use Name Your Own Price for international hotels, too (I'm sure it's not all countries, but it's worth checking). Funny thing is, we ended up at the same chain of hotels in London as we'd gotten in New York earlier this year. We had a great room at the Millennium/Copthorne located at the Chelsea Football stadium (literally AT the stadium - within the gates!). While it was a little bit outside of the city, it was very close to a tube station, so it was easy to navigate to the city, the airport, etc.
Friday, October 21, 2011
International Travel: The Good, the Bad, and the Jet Lag
As I start thinking about writing a blog series about our trip to Europe, I figured I'd start out with some overview info on my [very much inexperienced and amateur] views on international travel, and what was great - and not so great - about this trip.
The Good: Generally speaking, the good things about international travel include: new places, new faces, often a new language, new foods, time away from the regular routine, and time to relax. Specifically speaking about this trip, the good included one-on-one time with the love of my life, leisurely cups of coffee, quiet meals in restaurants, great food, ministry opportunities, traveling by train, lots of walking, better than expected weather, staying in the home of good friends, a splurge at a really nice hotel in Berlin our last night of the trip, the chance to share my testimony several times, spending time with friends, making new friends, and some powerful lessons on ministering in different cultures... just to name a few.
The Bad: Honestly, it's hard to say much bad about the trip. We both agreed that had it not been for missing our boys, we would've happily stayed much longer. But I would say that one bad is missing our fellas. We talked about them a lot, and would frequently comment on certain things that one or the other would really like. But I also think it's so important for us to spend time alone, without the kids. I don't want to be that couple that hits the empty-nester stage and looks at each other and says "now, who are you again?" Among the other bads, I have to mention airplanes. Airplanes are so germ-y. Yuck. Seems both Zack and I always end up with a stuffy nose or cough or worse after flying. We've learned to always pack sinus medicine and drink lots of water, and that helps some. But I did fight a cold part of the time while we were there. And lucky me, I came down with a stomach bug about 24 hours after getting home - I'm pretty sure I could blame that on the nasty airplane, too! There were other things along the way that some might consider bad (got caught in a rainstorm in Berlin, walking WAY out of the way in search of the London Hard Rock), had to take the slow train to Berlin instead of the express, inability to find the one odd but very specific item that Daniel wanted us to bring him, the experience of visiting a former concentration camp site), but each of these made the trip special and created some amazing memories.
The Jet lag: That's never fun. Thankfully, our flight left Atlanta at 9:30 PM, so we took some melatonin and were able to get a good bit of sleep. But even a five-hour time difference can be tough. We got checked into our hotel in London around 2:00 and then hit the city. We set out walking, and made our way down the Thames River, to the Tate (a modern art museum). There's a huge grassy area in front of it, and people were spread all over the ground, napping, eating, playing guitars, you name it. So we found a spot and just sat and rested for a while. 30 minutes later, we were feeling much better.
International Travel Tip #1: While some may disagree, this is a lesson we've learned from experience and I swear by it. If you arrive to your destination in the middle of the day, DON'T TAKE A NAP!! Push through, stay up as long as you can, and try to get yourself onto the local time as quickly as possible. The first time we ever travelled to Ukraine, we arrived in the afternoon and took a LONG nap. It took us days to get adjusted to the time zone, and I believe it all started with this decision. Since then, we've pushed through the first day, always with the goal of staying up until 9 or 10 PM that first night (coming home, too). And we recover from jet lag so much quicker using this approach!
International Travel Tip #2: Take lots of pictures. And when you think you've taken too many, take some more. With the beauty of digital cameras, capture as many memories as possible. There are already things that I look back on from this trip and think "I should have taken a picture of that!"
International Travel Tip #3: If Rick Steves offers a book or podcast on your destination, GET IT! His London book was especially helpful, and saved us lots of time, plus led us to some sites we might have otherwise missed.
The Good: Generally speaking, the good things about international travel include: new places, new faces, often a new language, new foods, time away from the regular routine, and time to relax. Specifically speaking about this trip, the good included one-on-one time with the love of my life, leisurely cups of coffee, quiet meals in restaurants, great food, ministry opportunities, traveling by train, lots of walking, better than expected weather, staying in the home of good friends, a splurge at a really nice hotel in Berlin our last night of the trip, the chance to share my testimony several times, spending time with friends, making new friends, and some powerful lessons on ministering in different cultures... just to name a few.
The Bad: Honestly, it's hard to say much bad about the trip. We both agreed that had it not been for missing our boys, we would've happily stayed much longer. But I would say that one bad is missing our fellas. We talked about them a lot, and would frequently comment on certain things that one or the other would really like. But I also think it's so important for us to spend time alone, without the kids. I don't want to be that couple that hits the empty-nester stage and looks at each other and says "now, who are you again?" Among the other bads, I have to mention airplanes. Airplanes are so germ-y. Yuck. Seems both Zack and I always end up with a stuffy nose or cough or worse after flying. We've learned to always pack sinus medicine and drink lots of water, and that helps some. But I did fight a cold part of the time while we were there. And lucky me, I came down with a stomach bug about 24 hours after getting home - I'm pretty sure I could blame that on the nasty airplane, too! There were other things along the way that some might consider bad (got caught in a rainstorm in Berlin, walking WAY out of the way in search of the London Hard Rock), had to take the slow train to Berlin instead of the express, inability to find the one odd but very specific item that Daniel wanted us to bring him, the experience of visiting a former concentration camp site), but each of these made the trip special and created some amazing memories. 
International Travel Tip #1: While some may disagree, this is a lesson we've learned from experience and I swear by it. If you arrive to your destination in the middle of the day, DON'T TAKE A NAP!! Push through, stay up as long as you can, and try to get yourself onto the local time as quickly as possible. The first time we ever travelled to Ukraine, we arrived in the afternoon and took a LONG nap. It took us days to get adjusted to the time zone, and I believe it all started with this decision. Since then, we've pushed through the first day, always with the goal of staying up until 9 or 10 PM that first night (coming home, too). And we recover from jet lag so much quicker using this approach!
International Travel Tip #2: Take lots of pictures. And when you think you've taken too many, take some more. With the beauty of digital cameras, capture as many memories as possible. There are already things that I look back on from this trip and think "I should have taken a picture of that!"
International Travel Tip #3: If Rick Steves offers a book or podcast on your destination, GET IT! His London book was especially helpful, and saved us lots of time, plus led us to some sites we might have otherwise missed.
Hard Rock, and Luther, and Bears, Oh My!
I have a confession to make. I am a terrible blogger. Okay, that's not earth-shattering news. You knew it. Looking back over the past few months, it's painfully obvious.
But for someone who loves to write like I do, it frustrates me that I haven't taken the time to write here lately. I'm hoping that will change in the coming days and weeks, but I won't make any promises! Thankfully, my journaling hasn't been as slack as my blogging, but I hope to do both more as they are both quite therapeutic for me.
There's so much I'd like to write about right now. For starters, I really need to write out some details of our trip to Europe. If nothing else, so I'll have a record of all that happened. I'd also like to write about the boys. And I'm sure the grandparents would appreciate that (they're probably the only ones who read the blog anymore anyway!). I'd like to write about some ways that God has really been working in me lately. And I'd like to just share some little day-to-day fun as well.
That's what I hope to write. We'll see what happens. For now, I'll share a few pictures and captions for your viewing pleasure!
But for someone who loves to write like I do, it frustrates me that I haven't taken the time to write here lately. I'm hoping that will change in the coming days and weeks, but I won't make any promises! Thankfully, my journaling hasn't been as slack as my blogging, but I hope to do both more as they are both quite therapeutic for me.
There's so much I'd like to write about right now. For starters, I really need to write out some details of our trip to Europe. If nothing else, so I'll have a record of all that happened. I'd also like to write about the boys. And I'm sure the grandparents would appreciate that (they're probably the only ones who read the blog anymore anyway!). I'd like to write about some ways that God has really been working in me lately. And I'd like to just share some little day-to-day fun as well.
That's what I hope to write. We'll see what happens. For now, I'll share a few pictures and captions for your viewing pleasure!
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| Can I just tell you how much I love these two? Sometimes they are at each other's throats. And other times, they are as sweet as can be. |
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| One of the surprises - and highlights - of our European adventure was a stop in Lutherstadt Wittenberg. Here, we're pictured in front of the church doors where Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses. What a great time for us, as we walked and witnessed so much of what we've learned about in our church history and theology studies over the years! |
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| I saw many bears in Berlin. Some were scarier than others. |
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| Over the years, it's become a bit of tradition for us to visit Hard Rock Cafe when traveling, and pick up the obligatory over-priced t-shirts. We visited two on this trip: London & Berlin. Both trips involved an excessive (and in London, unnecessary) amount of walking. Always good times! |
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
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