Oslo to Copenhagen

We were dismayed to find Oslo very difficult to obtain accommodation on short notice and ended up driving a good hour and a half southwest of the city before finding a hotel not fully booked. It ended up working to our benefit as it was a REALLY nice hotel at a reasonable rate with a beautiful sea view. The drive wasn't too bad to the city so we were still able to spend the entire day downtown walking and shopping...and while it did rain...again...it didn't rain all day or all that hard. :) We also went to the art museum where Mike got to see one of his favorite works, The Scream.This vacation has been very cultural!

It was a long pleasant drive through Sweden to Copenhagen. Mike and I argued along the route as to whether it should count that he's been to Sweden since he drove through it. I say no, since the only stop we made was at a fast food restaurant and a gas station... :) That's just as bad as stopping at the airport!

We were greeted in Copenhagen with..more rain but didn't let it spoil our last day on R&R! We spent the day exploring the city, visiting the underground remains of the previous palaces and shopping. :) (had to come home with some new clothes!) I tried to get Mike to go to Legoland but he wasn't game. How could you turn down Legoland!?

In our flights back we had a good five hours to waste at the Amsterdam airport and since transport to the city is so convenient by train, we took the opportunity to have one more delicious pancake at a restaurant we discovered during our previous visit. We also spent some more time exploring the city and picking up some more souvenirs. :)

The flight back to Baghdad was, of course, uneventful. We stayed at the Queen Alia Hotel since we arrived in Amman so late...and found the experience MUCH better than the last. It was actually pretty slick. There was a representative available to guide you from the transit desk all the way to your room! The room was also much better cared for than the last making Mike much more comfortable. If you recall last January, Mike was barely willing to lie down in the bed fully clothed.

I am a bit peeved with Samsonite..ok...a bit more than just a bit... I purchased a nice new suitcase while in Australia, from a reputable store, and for the first time, actually put some significant money into it...and in the one and a half trips I've made with it (I say half because it only came back from Australia), it has fallen apart to the point that it requires luggage straps to stay together. Zippers have fallen off, canvas is fraying, leather is torn, and the hardened frame is bent. I have emailed Samsonite and hope to get a response that will please me. There isn't a local repair store and sending an empty luggage case home will not be a convenient task AND will leave me without proper luggage for my next trip. Grr!

Paris

The drive to Paris was horrid. The TomTom did its job and guided us seamlessly to the destination but the traffic was horrendous! The Hertz drop off location was not advertised so we ended up circling around in one-way streets for a while trying to figure out why we weren’t finding it, and once we did figure out where we needed to be, finding appropriate parking was a whole other story. Needless to say, when the attendant tried to charge me extra for being a little late on delivery, I let her have a piece of my mind…I did not get charged. (I should probably also mention that the map they provided even indicated an inaccurate location for their business and we TRIED to be early but construction on the route prevented us from doing so)…

Knowing we only had a day and a half in the city, we hurried back to the hotel, dropped off our belongings, and headed back down to the center for some serious sightseeing. We managed to visit the Notre Dome Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower…neither of which had long lines (which we were pleased to see)… Views of/from both were awesome..and well worth the sore legs that resulted from all the walking.

With the Louvre reserved for the last day, we rose early to beat the expected crowds. Per the guidebook, we used the alternative entrances and were pleased to find…no line. ;) YAY! We spent HOURS at the museum and took a ton of pictures. The artwork was amazing… We hit the Mona Lisa first hoping to sneak a peak of it before the crowds got too busy, but alas, there was already a line..and none of us cared to see it up close enough to wait in line…so the only picture we have of it is from a distance and therefore a little blurry and glared (sorry!) we actually ended up leaving having not seen the entire place because we were so tired from walking and taking pictures.

For our last evening in Paris, Mike and I plan to enjoy a romantic dinner in Paris…and then it’s off to Norway!

Normandy Area

The Chateau Mike booked for us was pretty nice. We had a family room so Nick was put in the kid’s room. J There wasn’t a shower, only a bath, which was awesome for me. J Since I LOVE baths…but Mike and Nick weren’t as enthused. The Chateau was equipped with spiraling stone stairwells (great for carrying luggage up and falling down – which I did twice) and a nice gym, sauna, and spa. All and all, a thumbs up selection on Mike’s part.

We spent our first full day wandering the country side from one D-Day beach to the next. We stopped at a 101^st Airborne museum, Pointe du Hoc, and the American Cemetery. Of the three, I think I found Pointe du Hoc the most interesting. It was littered with craters and the remains of bunkers from the attack. Seeing the results over sixty years later, really made you think. I can’t imagine what it was like on that day.

We also traveled to Bayeux to see the tapestry they are famed to house. It was rather impressive. The tapestry, which was actually embroidery, was nearly 60 meters long and was displayed in horseshoe format around a room. We were provided with an audio guide that led us through the story told through the embroidery. It was actually quite interesting. A bonus on the trip was the beautiful cathedral (which used to house the tapestry) located just down the road from the tapestry's display.

We split up for our last day in the area. Mike and Nick really wanted to get a day in golfing at the Omaha Beach Golf Course…I wanted to see the Mont St. Michel…so the boys went golfing and I drove down to the monument. Both agreed that the golfing was the best they’ve ever experienced. The difficult terrain, spectacular view, and bunkers scattered as obstacles made the golf course -unique and a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience. It sounded like they really had fun….

My trip was equally as rewarding. I wasn’t really sure what to expect as I drove down to the monastery. The single road that led up to the elevated mini-village revealed an astonishing view. The cluster of buildings was surrounded by quicksand and water at low tide..the sea of buildings surrounding the monastery were shops and restaurants appealing to the tourists. It was steep spirally walk up (including hundreds of steps) which definitely let you know whether you were in shape or not. The monastery was a massive building with numerous rooms...each room as breathtaking as the next. (I took loads of picture so ensure you check them out!) The advantage of visiting alone was that I could easily slip past all the mass of tourists and I managed to walk through the place rather quickly. ;)

Amsterdam

Saturday
Our flight departed Amman a mere hour late which fortunately did not affect anything upon arrival in Amsterdam. We opted for the inexpensive, yet mildly frustrating, public transportation to get us to our confirmed accommodation and succeeded in doing so almost as pros. Our hosts provided us with ample information to guide us to our destination. That, combined with Amsterdam’s excellent public transportation infrastructure made the adventure pleasant. It wasn’t long before we were meeting our hosts, receiving keys to the apartment, and settling in for a relaxing evening.

After unpacking, we decided to explore the immediate area for a light dinner and possibly goods to stock the refrigerator. The popularity of the De Pijp area was evident with the over flowing restaurants just around the corner. After attempting to dine at several, we chose to take away from a stand, as we didn’t want to wait to be seated….. our first meal away from a Middle Eastern country? A falafel, Middle Eastern cuisine….

Sunday
We woke slightly later than planned. We had to rise early to meet Nick, Mike’s good friend, at the train station. Since we had no available mean of communication with Nick, we wanted to ensure we were present at the platform when he arrived. Our prior day’s educational experience with the public transportation proved essential in making it down to the Centraal Station in minimal time. With seemingly plenty of time to spare, we claimed stake to a small corner in the station and began patiently playing the waiting game. We had a general idea of when Nick would arrive at the airport and began completing calculations based on how long it would take him to figure out the train system and arrive at the station. Somehow, in the midst of all the thinking, Nick slipped past us and began playing the waiting game outside. So as we were inside, and he outside, we waited for each other…fortunately, it wasn’t TOO long before Mike thought to peek outside. 

Our first full day was much like our first evening. We guided Nick back to the apartment, waiting as he settled in, and then wandered the immediate area, stopped at the grocery store for more rations. Our role as tourists would begin tomorrow.

Monday
We rose early to beat the crowds at the art museums. We had two that we desired to hit: the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. The map deceived us by making the walk look longer than it was for only short while later we were at the first museum. After a quick bite, we toured the museum as art enthusiasts and even spent our intended intermission at the café discussing our favorites. I say intended because by the end of our stop at the café, Nick wasn’t feeling well and we ended up saving the Van Gogh for another day. After escorting Nick back to the apartment, Mike and I left him to recover as we wandered the De Pijp area.

Tuesday was set aside for the Heineken brewery which was located just down the street. Despite the poor reviews it received in our guide books, it was an enjoyable trip. Signs walked you through interactive lessons about the beer, taking breaks at bars, and ultimately ending in the gift shop. We even got to pretend like we were a bottle being filled with beer on a little ride. Haha. We walked off the drinks through a self guided tour of another area of Amsterdam….

Wednesday
Ensuring we checked off another ‘must see’, we traveled by tram downtown to view the Dam square, shop the Jordaan area, and see the Ann Franke House. Long lines at the Ann Franke house rain checked that for a different day, but several miles of walking later we had managed to explore another couple canal sections. We were getting plenty of walking in but were over half way through our Amsterdam stay and yet to see Amsterdam’s best known stops….

Thursday
Determined to remedy our poor touristry, we rose extra early the next morning, skipped the coffee, and hopped on the tram in hopes of being first in line at the Anne Frank House. With any luck, we’d get through that in time to scoot over to the Van Gogh Museum early…and THEN we could check out the Ledersplein, and the Red Light District! Bam! Bam! Bam!

Believe it or not, the plan worked out…well mostly. We visited the Anne Franke House which was a little pricey but worth the see. The exhibits in the house were very informative and the house itself was moving. I was forced to read the diary in school and was very close to purchasing the book again to reread.

We par-oozed through Ledersplein(sp?) on the way to the museums. It was obviously a popular hangout and home to the Holland Casino and Hard Rock Café. Mike had been drooling about gambling ever since we arrived so I knew a trip to the Casino would be forthcoming….for now, Van Gogh….To Mike’s disappointment, Starry Night wasn’t at the Van Gogh Museum. We did manage to get there when the crowds were light and therefore didn’t have to wait in line to see Sunflowers or the Bedroom. Continuing on our walking tour of the city, we followed the art museum with a stroll through Vodel park. It was huge! And quite lovely. There were park benches with people relaxing/running and birds swimming in the huge pools..if you didn’t know better, you would have no idea you were in the middle of the city. Amsterdam did a fantastic job of designing the parks so that once inside, you couldn’t see the city out. After what seemed like a hundred miles of walking, we wandered back to the apartment. I changed into bum attire and spent the rest of the evening relaxing.

Friday
I don’t think I got out of bum attire until dark. Feeling quite lazy after the prior day’s activities, I conceded to sitting on the couch, reading Harry Potter (I’m on book 4 now!) while Mike and Nick did whatever boys do when the women aren’t around. They spent some quality boy time together, periodically checking in on me to ensure I hadn’t changed my mind on joining them. They eventually persuaded me to join them on a walk through the Red Light District and then a trip to the Holland Casino. There was a cover charge (who ever heard of that at a casino!? Don’t they take enough money without it? ). Mike managed to strike it rich within the next five minutes….and then lost his earnings to break even by time we left. Guess that’s the way the dice rolls.

Saturday/Sunday
After final touristy activities, it was time to start thinking about driving to France. We had purchased a TomTom so I ensured that was programmed and functioning properly and then early Sunday morning, we departed for the car rental place. We took public transportation from the apartment we rented to our destination…which wasn’t that bad...but I think I put on about 3 miles on the wheels of my luggage.. The car we rented turned out to be a really nice cross between a station wagon and an SUV. Slightly larger than I would have preferred navigating through the cities but perfect for three people and plenty of luggage. The TomTom proved it’s worth with accurate directions through some interesting interchanges. I feel confident that without it, we would have been backtracking numerous times. I think I’ve fallen in love with it.  It has a lot of really nice features. It has it’s obvious use, navigating the user to their destination, but additionally, it provides various points of interest (tourist destinations, gas stations, golf courses, restaurants, etc) along the way or near where you are at, dictates the directions in a language, voice, and volume of your selection, gives you various calculations/statistics while driving (time left, miles till next direction, etc), displays a view of the map to a zoom level of your choice, and connects to the vehicle (or you can load your iPod), automatically pausing when a new direction is dictated. ;) You can also adjust it to give you walking directions so you can use it while you’re traveling on foot. Nice.

We're out...

The trip out of Baghdad was as every other we’ve been on, packed with problems. Despite manifesting for a helo, we took the Rhino because there was a sandstorm rolling in. The helo was scheduled for a time that didn’t leave the Rhino as backup if it ended up not going out, so we took the safe route and just planned on the Rhino. Travelers are usually greeted on the other end with transportation to the temporarily billeting. Unfortunately, the usual didn’t happen and we were left making arrangements in the middle of the night. As the Rhino runs at various times each evening, the drop off time is known last minute. I guess that time was mis-communicated because our transport wasn’t expecting us till later. To top it off, only three of the four in our group were granted rooms and the one unfortunate girl ended up left behind to find a bed for herself. There was nothing we could do. She didn’t belong in our company and the driver refused her a ride insisting it would cost him his job. Hopefully she ended up making it out alright.

When we arrived at the airport the next morning, three hours prior to our flight, we were surprised to find a LONG line outside waiting for the security check. The line was a mixture of Iraqis and expats eagerly waiting to get inside. This line only brought you into the airport. There were still more lines for additional security and checking in once inside. Our fingers were crossed that three hours would be enough. It took nearly an hour of waiting in the blistering heat before we made it to the front of the line and by then many were losing their patience and growing worried about their flights. There was a sporadic stream of people with special privileges that were able to skip the line and noticing this seemed to make the agitated people more irritated. Just before we accessed the checkpoint, a heated argument broke out between the guards and the Iraqi men in the line. Although we couldn’t understand a word that was said, it was obvious that the people in the line were sick of watching people walk through while we were trying to wait patiently in line. We were literally in the middle and it made me rather nervous to have men with AK-47s gripping their guns tighter on one side as they screamed across us to the angry men. It seems as if they were trying to see who could yell louder. Ultimately, the men with the guns won and the wives managed to calm their husbands down and the line moved forward. We finally made it inside.

To our dismay, the inside was more crowded than the outside. Not that this really surprised us, but deep down I hoped they had managed to keep the line moving. Instead, they herded the passengers in to the room and weren’t allowing them through the additional security check lines. To top things off, the afternoon flights the day before had canceled so there were people who were bumped onto our flights. While Mike got in line, I walked the floor in hopes of a shortcut or at least some answers as to why the lines weren’t moving. I struck gold through a private company that offered us inclusion in their side door access and we were on the check in side before the security lines budged. Despite miraculously managing to make it to the counter over an hour and a half prior to our flight, we were told we were too late. The flight was booked solid due to bumped passengers taking priority on our flight. Enough people had slept over in the airport to fill up our plane and the airline apparently books first come first serve…..what was the point of the ticket in my hand again?

After waiting in line for a couple more hours, we did end up booked for a flight the same day…probably bumping off someone who had originally booked for that afternoon flight…and managed to make it to Amman. We walked through the arrival process as usual, looking forward to the nice hotel room that was waiting for us. The airport had reorganized some things which included making an escalator operational. It usually isn’t running when we come in…and it was interesting, because for the first time that I can recall, I watched a mother and child go up the escalator, both obviously VERY uncomfortable with the technology. The child rode up it as a pro until it was time to disembark. She ended up crawling off of it…and the mother required assistance to step on and off the escalator....

Due to the severe delay in our arrival, we ended up having to take a taxi to the city. (Usually we have the hotel pick us up). The ride along the highway was pleasant. It was the first time we had traveled that road on a Friday evening and therefore got to see something new, groups of people setting up camp along the highway. The driver explained that it was tourists and young people enjoying their weekend evening by cooking out along the road or camping out for the night. The campers literally lined the highways…

Once we got to the city, the chaotic movement of cars that they call driving was again prevalent. It’s been a long time since I saw the streets so busy. The taxi driver wound through the side streets, unsuccessfully attempting to avoid the heavy traffic. My imaginary break proved inefficient to slow him down as he darted around the road, barely slowing for the numerous pedestrians or cross traffic. It was scary.

And that leaves us here, where we now sit, in the hotel room. Phew! More happy traveling tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Cindy!

It's Mike's mom's birthday today! Yay! Happy Birthday!

After we put out the fires this morning it was a relatively quiet work day! I had a few things I could work on, none of which had a deadline or were of anyone other than my own interest, so I found myself to have little to no motivation. I didn't even have motivation to research accommodations in Amsterdam. The few places I did contact, came back with apologetic emails informing me of their 'no vacancy' status for the dates inquired. I guess there is a conference/exhibition (IBC) for those dates which will make staying near the center much more difficult. Time to broaden our search!

X is back so I may have lost my spot as kick boxing instructor. :( Just when I was getting comfortable! It will be good because he is in much better shape than I and therefore will be able to challenge those in the class more...BUT I push myself a lot harder while instructing...better workout for me! Selfish I guess.

July 18, 2007

Few of us got much sleep last night. A rocket interrupted our slumber sometime between midnight and 1:00am. It jolted me awake and the continued lock down announcements prevented me from falling back asleep. The rocket landed in a parking lot immediately destroying a vehicle. Subsequent fire destroyed four more. That's it! All that work for five SUVs.

We've finally figured out when we are going to go out on R&R and to where. Let the countdown begin! We've pushed it up a little because we want to go home for Christmas and the two upcoming trips would have been too close to each other otherwise. On this next one, we'll be heading to Amsterdam, a little of the surrounding area, and then Norway. It was a toss up between Italy and Norway and my dad has apparently convinced Mike that Norway is the better bet so to Norway we shall go. :) I'm looking forward to it!

The bump on my arm has grown so large that it looks like I have a massive muscle! haha. You can only tell it's a separate bump when you actually touch it..and I don't like when it's touched because it's sensitive! At least moving my arm doesn't bother it anymore. :)