Our last day in Europe!

Hey all - It's Wednesday morning, our last day in Europe.  Actually we're not absolutely certain of anything, since we don't have a confirmed flight out.  The latest is that we have a possible flight at 6:45 tomorrow morning, which means getting up at 2:00 a.m.  If that's the case we're thinking we won't bother going to bed!

As Laila said, we all love Rome.  The weather seems very much like Bay Area weather.  The people are friendly, the crowds are large but manageable.  Italian is enough like Spanish that we can understand enough to get around quite easily.  And we're located such that we can walk or take short bus or metro rides to most places we want to see.  I wish we had more time here - there is SO much we won't see/do.  But I have a feeling we'll be back some day.

I'm posting photos - we've taken hundreds already, and will certainly do more today as we go to St. Peter's Square, Trevi Fountain, and maybe the Vatican Museum.  Maya has made a connection with St. Peter - see her HIGH FIVE with him in the photos - so she says she's going to see her homeboy's crib today! Also note Love Duck's visit to the Colosseum and his anti-smoking message.  Love Duck feels strongly about this.

As an English Teacher, I was excited to see the Roman Forum, the Senate building, and the burial place of Julius Caesar.  And it was amazing to see several of the 13 oblisks taken from Egypt around the city.  Some were just taken and some were given for diplomatic purposes.  In any case, the crowns and crosses placed on top of them to signify Christianity's domination of all other religions is very telling.  One more note - we have been overwhelmed with the violence in the art.  So much suffering and bleeding and fighting.  It is glorious and disturbing.

We're all excited to be in LA for a few days, and to see Hilmi and Cynthia before Mexico.  There are shoes and clothes to buy, and restocking of various items - we're all very tired of our wardrobes by now.  And I can't wait to start on Spanish.  We've learned to say hello and goodbye and yes and no and a few other things in so many languages, and it will be good to really dig in with the expectation of becoming conversant.  So we'll post next in L.A., unless someone wants to post our photos from today later.

Two days and counting

Rome, Italy
April 28, 2008

Good: We all like Rome a lot. It is a very livable city for us-good groceries, good ice cream, easy streets to walk along, and amazing ruins everywhere. We just seem to be big city people. We all agree this is a better fit than Venice even after losing internet in our apartment.

Bad?: Once again, no internet. The apartment owners do not seem to know why nor can they fix it. But truly it is a mixed blessing. We read and talk more when we do not have you tube to watch.

Surprising: And annoying... Air India has canceled our flight home. So I am in search of their office to get a new ticket on a different airline. Unfortunately they are not at the address that our travel agent gave me. So here I am at an internet cafe, hoping to track them down. For some reason, I am not too concerned. If worse comes to worse, we show up at the airport and they stick us on something. It will all work out.

We leave in two days-back to Whittier. We are there until late on the 4th. Oaxaca on Cinco de Mayo. Then we stay put for awhile...at least that is the plan. Sorry no pictures. I do not have the lap top with me since this was an unscheduled net stop.

Roma!

April 25th, 2007

Roma, Italy

Good:  We have a fabulous apartment in a cool neighborhood just past the colloseum.   It always feels like a gamble-finding these places on the internet.  But this one is a winner.

Bad:  Kalin hates moving locations.  Too many stairs in Venice-very hard with so heavy suitcases.  Maya is still not 100%.

Surprising:  As we rode through the Grand Canal in Venice I was shot through with a bittersweet feeling.  I was suddenly afraid that I was forgetting to relish this experience.  Did I enjoy all of this enough while it was happening.   I have had a similar feeling about parenting.  Did I enjoy each stage enough while it was happening, because boy does it go fast.  As you can imagine,  I was always very moved by the a speech in the play "Our Town" when the main characters bemoans the fact that humans don't realize how wonderful life is while they are living it.  We are past the half way mark on the trip, and are way past the half way mark of places we will visit.  We go back to Whittier on Wednesday and then to Oaxaca.  We may not go anywhere else new.  Wow.

Pictures are from Venice, the train and the new apartment.

What's Up?

  hi everyone, it's maya and i just wanted to say hello!  today we went the rialto bridge, thank god it was sunny!  we also found a few book stores where i got some books and we found a guide book on rome.  after we walked around a little more.  then rinda dropped me off (i felt a little tired and sick) then she walked around a little more. laila and kalin saw the back side of the island.  i had a nice time today and can't wait for tomorrow!

We're back!!

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Pictures are from Transylvania!)

Venice, Italy

April 21st, 2008

Good:  Internet!  Canals!  Gelato!  So far we are liking this Venice thing.  I can't even complain about the prices.  I was prepared for the worst, but we have a kitchen and the stores are filled with yummy cheeses, fresh pasta, and delicious fruits and vegetables.   At Berkeley Bowl prices, we are back in food heaven.

Bad:  Maya is sick with a bad cold & cough.  She has not wanted to leave the flat for two days.  Since it is raining and we have a few more days here (until Friday) we are letting her lay low. Understandably, she does not want to be alone for more than an hour, so we are tag teaming the going out.

Surprising:  Air India has canceled our flight to LAX.  We have to arrange a new flight from far away.  With no office in Venice, and no cell phone,  it feels a bit complicated.  We are all jonesing for the computer so I will wait to post about our time in Okland, Transylvania until Kalin and Maya get their turns.  

But for now, here is a picture or two.  Suffice it to say, that it was fantabulous to be with the Hodder-Prud'hommes and to see the Kelemens (Eva, Lavente, Kinsco, Elud, and Tash).  The scenery was picturesque-green rolling hills and many cows.  Muddy roads came and went with rain.  And cool old Unitarian churches.  One picture will be hard to make out:  the circle comes from the roof of the church.  It is the copernicus system of the universe and has been on the ceiling of that church since the 1600's.  Way cool!

4 in 1

hey guys! i know i haven't posted in a while, sorry.  today we had a busy day full of desserts (4),  playgrounds (2) and picnics (2).

dessert # 1-  while eating lunch we went to have a picnic in the park which included dessert.

dessert # 2- during our walk downtown from the park we stopped to have coffee and picked up some cookies on the way.

dessert #3- we all felt the need to have ice-cream, i mean it was hot for spring!  and went the opposite way of the people with ice-cream cones.

dessert #4- there was a quick stop for some groceries and a chocolate bar for every kid on our way to the bus stop home.

here was my short blog about our fun day! i hope you liked it and please comment!

U ( not U) High School

April 10th 2008
Kolasvar (in Hungarian)/Cluj (in Romanian), Romania

Good: Seeing Julia, Nico, Gogi, and Sheri! It is so nice to be with them here. It was a ton of work for them to get here, so we are especially grateful to share this part of the trip with them.
It is amazing to be in a Unitarian Collegium that has been in continuous existence since 1557. Wow! Talk about history. The room where they worship is surrounded by medallions with Unitarian historical figures. Zsolt (our fabuous host) tells us that during the communist era (ending in 1989) they medallions were covered by pictures of Lennin and Stalin. Thank God they did not destroy them. Though they did paint over most of the beautiful ceilings. Only one is still in tact.

Bad: The prices. I know I keep harping about this, but my goodness. Wages here are very low-$250 a month is common, and prices are just about the same as the Bay Area. I do not know how these people do it.

Surprising: Actually more inspiring. They have two small science museums in this building-one for biology and one for physics. In the mid-1800's teachers from this religious school were collecting specimins from around the world and teaching their students cutting edge stuff about physics. No problems reconciling science and god in this place. This is why I love being a U (U).

We are off to see Matilda, Anna, and Little Lazlo today. On the way we will stop in Torda where the proclamation of religious freedom (at least for nobles) was proclaimed that allowed Unitarians to flourish in this area.

Do I have to look like I am listening?

Budapest, Hungary

April 6th, 2008

Good:  Going to the Unitarian Church in Budapest.  I wondered about etiquette, though.  When the minister knows that I do not understand a word he is saying, do I have to look like I am paying attention to the sermon?  I had warned my kids that the service was 'much longer' than ours.  But I was wrong.  Short and sweet.  It was nice to go to worship, sing hymns-even in Hungarian-, and connect with some of our brethren across the ocean.

Bad:  Sunday-everything is closed.  We need a few items before we head out to Transylvania tomorrow night.  We will shop like crazy tomorrow.  Plus we still miss Jim, Kyle, Fran and Emma.  We had a lovely, though too quick, visit with them.  Our families work very well together.

Surprising:  We are still having internet trouble.   For some bizarre reason the wireless in our apartment is only being picked up by one of our computers.  So we are still fighting over the one computer.

Budapest has been lovely.  It is a very easy city to be in. Beautiful architecture, delicious food, decent prices (now that I have starting comparing prices to San Francisco rather than Cairo), and a fabulous apartment.  We  fly to Kolasvar/Cluj Romania Monday night.  Zsolt, a Unitarian Minister, is kind enough to pick us up at 10:00 p.m.  We are thrilled that we will see Gogi, Sheri, Julia, and Nico.  We will travel together through out Transylvania.  I do not know what the internet situation will be.

Ikea Showroom

Budapest, Hungary

April 2nd, 2008

Bad:  Leaving Cairo and family behind.  It is especially hard since we do not know when we can get back.

Good:  Seeing Fran, Jim, Emma and Kyle (some of  our Minnesota relatives). 

Surprising:  All the graffiti on this otherwise quite clean city.  While this is not Switzerland, compared to Egypt we are now in the land of anal retentives.  Our flat is like living in an Ikea showroom-down to the silverware that is the same as we have at Hearthstone & the table and chairset that Dan and Kathy have.  The global economy at work.

We are going to see a castle across the Danube today.  It may rain.  Better than the snow last week.