“Ude godt, men hjemme bedst”

On July 2, 2018 By HanneIn History, TravelLeave a comment

There’s no place like home.

Except when two places feel equally at home.

I’ve been meaning to post about the last two weeks we spent in Denmark before flying back home, but… I just haven’t. I don’t want the trip, the excitement… I don’t want it to be over. And none of that, don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened bullshit. I don’t buy it.

Cheeseburgers for the local Danes and hotdogs for the visiting Danes.

Friends, family, silver wedding anniversary, a baptism, favorite sights and old hangouts. At times it felt like one long continuous day, meeting one person for lunch, another for dinner and little time to sit back and relax to enjoy it all. We spent two weeks eating and drinking our way around the country. Although it’s not “known” for it’s food (how many legit Danish restaurants in Seattle), food in Denmark is amazing. It’s more than just hotdogs (I guess) and there are several favorites that you just can’t get around here. One of my favorites as the weather heats up (and it was plenty warm while we were there) is koldskål med kammerjunker and strawberries.

A cold, sweet/tart buttermilk (??) dairy soup which is fantastic for a warm afternoon snack. Unless you are my dad (obvs. not a real dane) who doesn’t like it. I guess he’s more of a meat and potatoes kinda guy (ok, so maybe he really is danish). But we had open-faced sandwiches which are really a shame to eat as they tend to look more like something you’d see in a culinary art book, rather than something you’d want to cut into and eat. Shrimp and egg, liver pâté with bacon, cheese with jam, roast beef… the options are endless. Oh, and my forever-favorite, mackerel in tomato sauce with mayo. Strawberry season was in high swing with all the warm weather and countless grocery stores had them right outside the front door, the earthy-sweet smell tempting me everywhere I went.

It was great to catch up with friends while in town. When I first came to Denmark on my own, it was for a semester of Danish language at a ‘boarding school’ in Rønde, Denmark. Located in an old farm (shared with an organic farming school). I have enough memories to probably write a whole series (oh the secrets I could share…). That’s a whole different post. Moving on. But one of the friends I managed to catch up with was Frederikke, from Greenland. We said our goodbyes in December 2003 and were lucky to meet 6 months later at a little reunion at the school (she stayed an extra semester). May 2004 was the last time I saw her. Until now! I’ve kept in contact with several from that school (I saw Dorte while in town too), and have been lucky enough to catch up with those living in Denmark over the years and Trond who I get to see once a year or so. But I just haven’t been able to connect with those living in Greenland (it’s on my bucket list to visit though). We met for brunch (at one of my favorite cafes) and then wandered the city for a few hours after. It was just like old times, laughing and having a good time. I hope it’s not another 14 years before I see her again.

I also got to catch up with ‘the guys’ from university. Helgi (JFC, your name keeps autocorrecting to ‘hello’) and Anders (pictured) both went to RUC and we did a couple projects together. While we all tease each other mercilessly, they are pretty chill to hangout with and I’ve always had fun with them. Back in 2008 (I think?) we took a trip to Prague together and still laugh about how Helgi was a little bitch about holding his liquor, yet instantly puked his second shot of Absinthe (Anders and I knew that one was enough). Sure, he could drink me under the table any day, but I’ve never puked in the middle of a bar… so that’s something, right? We beer-hopped (drank a beer at a cafe, moved on to drink beer somewhere else), had an ice cream, dinner and then went our separate ways. We’ve obviously grown and matured (mostly) since our college days, but in someways it’s funny to see how things never change. Even though we’re not in contact as frequently these days, it’s nice to know that we can meet up, drink a beer and chat like it’s been three weeks, not three years. Definitely friends that I am grateful to still have in my life.

I also had to see some of my favorite sites/sights around the city. I love taking the bus around Copenhagen. It comes frequently enough (esp. during the day, downtown) that you don’t have to worry about a schedule. Hop on, hop back off, walk a few blocks and hop back on again. If I had the time, I would catch the bus from my cousin’s house and rather than take the train in (much faster) I would switch to another bus and take the longer route into the city. Old buildings, crazy bike traffic, random block parties and cafes that spill out onto the sidewalk. Taking a canal tour from Nyhavn is a great way to get the basics on some of Copenhagen’s history. With a cool breeze coming in off the water, as long as the SPF is lathered on thick, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon. I wandered past the Queen’s palace – if I circle enough she could at least invite me in for coffee, right?

And of course a day in Roskilde, my old hood. Stomping grounds.

The main pedestrian street seems to be lacking in the shopping department. Several stores that I used to enjoy aren’t there any longer (apparently I really was boosting the economy), but my absolute favorite stop in all of Denmark remains (it’s also been there for 840+ years, so… doubt it’s going anywhere anytime soon) the Roskilde Domkirke (Cathedral).

This place is my jam. And I can’t even tell you why (like, I would if I knew, but even I don’t know). Even as a kid, I loved coming to this place. Maybe I was just embracing my inner history nerd, even as a little kid? Maybe I was creeped out by all the dead people or the sheer magnitude of this place? I don’t know, but I seriously love this place. It’s old and holds so many stories (and the stories of the kings and queens buried here). And for the first time, I got to go upstairs to a small museum with things that they found around it (old shoes, stuff from the royalty, etc). I felt like a kid in the candy store, touch touch touching the old door knobs, the metal railing and brick walkway built so that the bishop didn’t have to walk outside and across the street from his residence. Phew, I could go on forever.

And of course, family.

With the popularity of facebook, instagram and snapchat, it’s easier than ever to keep in contact with those that live halfway around the world.

But it just isn’t the same.

And it sucks.

Nothing beats sitting in the back yard, drinking coffee and just chatting. Sure I know my cousins bike a lot (I’ve seen the pics) but now I know routes and times and distances and it’s nice to be a part of the conversation. Not just liking a post. Double-tapping a picture.

One of the main reasons we chose May/June (certainly wasn’t due to cheap airfare), was my cousin Michael and Pia’s 25th wedding anniversary. We woke them up (“surprise”) with a few songs (and a band), after which they just happened to have breakfast for 40(?) people. And then later that night was an amazing dinner party to celebrate.

The Danes do birthdays, anniversaries… really any reason to party, right. Songs, speeches, dancing. It’s not just some sit down dinner with quiet chatter, it’s a loud, rambunctious affair that everyone takes part of. And when the restaurant shuts down and kicks you out at 1am, you better believe you are going to sleep tight when your taxi finally brings you home.

So in a nutshell, I had an amazing vacation. A vacation that I don’t want to end, despite the fact that MY suitcases are empty (can’t speak for others…), I’ve already been through a few cycles of laundry and half my Danish candies are gone. So I’ll just dream about the next adventure (or job offer in Copenhagen – put the word out, please hire me) and hold on to the sweet memories I was able to make.

Until next time, skål!

“Whoever does not visit Paris regularly will never really be elegant.” -Honoré de Balzac

On May 27, 2018 By HanneIn TravelLeave a comment

Paris is ugly.

Sure it has the charm of Eiffel Tower and the history tucked away in the Louvre. It has the churches like Notre Dame and Sainte- Chapelle. But Paris also holds a kind of chaos that you don’t see in other big cities. Everyone is in a rush, there is trash along every street and the smog from the non-stop traffic has to be scrubbed off your face at the end of the day.

Any maybe that’s why I hardly took any photos of Paris.

Did you really go to Paris if you didn’t get at least ONE solid Eiffel Tower photo?

Instead I spent my time bouncing from one stationary shop to another followed by just about every kitchen supply/bake shop that ever was.

I stayed a simple hotel in the Saint-George’s neighborhood in the 9th arrondissement. Hotel France Albion. Just out of the hustle and bustle of the touristy area, but not quite out in the suburbs either. I was located in the middle of two metro stops which meant that hopping off/on public transportation was a breeze (although I didn’t figure out/make use of the bus system until my last full day and that would’ve made it even easier). The room was very small, but comfortable and the front desk staff were friendly and helpful. They even held my macarons for me for two days in their fridge since my room didn’t have one. They said they weren’t supposed too, but the manager was out for the weekend, and they couldn’t let my macarons be wasted.

I had an inside room, meaning I really didn’t have a view other than other peoples windows. But I did spy this little gem enjoying a warm afternoon with the window open.

Since I’ve done the major tourist sites more than once, I wasn’t set on seeing them again. I wanted to explore the smaller side streets, the small shops and markets, and what else I could stumble upon.

Since I took a class at La Cuisine once before, and had a blast, I decided to take another class with them again. But three years ago, when I took my first class there, I started following them on instagram as well. Via their instagram I found several other locations to visit, including Boneshaker, a relatively new doughnut shop that regularly sells out — yes, they are that good.

One of the other delightful shops I visited was L’Ecritoire a little stationary/paper/pen shop that was down a maze of pedestrian streets and alleys. They were thrilled to find that I had found them via instagram and took down my name (wtf, where is the follow back?!). The shopkeeper was so/so with her English (but better than my non-existent French) and did her best to explain that all of their stuff was locally made in France and by small family run businesses. It was just so cute!

But the main highlight of my stay in Paris was by far my macaron class. We started by making three types of ganache: vanilla, chocolate mint and pistachio. Chef Segolene was great at explaining how we could easily make other flavors at home (I want to try lavender) as the flavor comes only from the filling, not the little cookies/meringues. With the ganache set aside, she walked us through step by step to make Italian meringue for the cookies. You can use the French version, but they are harder to work with and make a smooth cookie. So all of what you see in bakeries is done the Italian way. There were eight of us in class, working in pairs, yet we each got a chance to mix, and to pipe the cookies onto the tray. We made so many that we didn’t get a chance to get them all in/out the oven, so the chef offered to bake them for the staff. Despite not finishing them all, we each walked out with a box of a dozen or so.

“If Copenhagen were a person, that person would be generous, beautiful, elderly, but with a flair. A human being that has certain propensities for quarrelling, filled with imagination and with appetite for the new and with respect for the old – somebody who takes good care of things and of people.” — Connie Nielsen

On May 14, 2018 By HanneIn TravelLeave a comment

Oh, sweet Copenhagen… This place is always changing, yet in some ways, always the same.

Inside Royal Copenhagen, looking into their courtyard.

It was such a struggle to get here. Our flight from Paris was delayed out of Seattle and with a little over an hour to change planes, we didn’t make it. We landed 45 minutes late and then it took nearly 20 minutes to get off the plane. So an hour layover turned into an eight hour layover. I managed a little catnap on the plane, but otherwise kept busy watching movies, which meant that by the time we were in Paris, I was exhausted. Without a good place to rest, I struggled to stay awake and upright, until the final ten minutes of our 90 minute flight from Paris to Copenhagen where I was just falling asleep and my dad coughed and startled me awake. And then we landed.

Normally we land around two in the afternoon, visit with family and I force myself to stay awake until 8pm. I then allow myself to crash, despite the fact that the sun doesn’t set until shortly after 9 and then force myself to stay in bed until 8am. Two days like that and jet lag is no longer an issue. This time we didn’t arrive until shortly after 11pm and it was after 3am before I fell (quite literally) into bed. I took two benadryl and a melatonin and woke up in a foggy haze at 11. I could have slept longer, but that wouldn’t have done me any favors. My dad was also up at 11, but snuck in a little snooze later in the afternoon. My mom rolled out of bed at 3 in the afternoon and still struggled to stay awake through dinner.

A majority of the family joined us for a giant steak dinner (with hot dogs because in Denmark, you can’t turn on the grill without having hotdogs – also, I didn’t come to DK for an American steak). I shake my head at my father bringing steak frozen in his suitcase (was still frozen when we arrived, even with the delay). I don’t 100% ‘get it’ but something about the cut not being common and the price sky-high. I don’t know what my dad paid, but we popped into a butcher here, and the steaks my dad brought would have been about $40-50 PER steak. He didn’t pay anywhere near that. But it’s funny, as soon as they hit the grill, EVERYONE had their phone out to get the snap for the ‘gram. Too funny.

We spent Monday in Copenhagen. We didn’t do much. First stop was at this gem for a quick lunch. You won’t ‘get it’ unless you already get it, but hotdogs in Dk are a thing. These aren’t no basic Oscar Mayer Weiners, either. These stands litter the city the way Starbucks blankets Seattle.

Satisfied, we wandered down Købmagergade, popped into a few of my favorite stores. I kept myself in check (shopping-wise) because…. oh, all the beautiful things I *need*… and then wandered to a favorite cafe for an iced coffee. One of the more unusual things about this visit so far is that it was WARM yesterday. Like, I wore my SPF 100 because it was 80+ F which is quite unusual for Denmark in May. I know it was hot back home, but it’s been like that the past few years. Anyway, after an iced coffee, we headed down Strøget, the main shopping/tourist street in the city, hopped on the train and headed back to my cousin’s house.

Its just past 7am on Tuesday. It was a bit of a later night again, and while I’m taking melatonin, my body is still struggling to adapt. I’m fully-functional during the day, but the birds and the sun start early here in the summer time, so it can be difficult to fight when your body is already saying ‘wtf?’

Today it’s time to repack, I leave for Paris tomorrow afternoon while my parents head to Frankfurt to visit some friends. I don’t have a lot planned at this point. I have a baking class scheduled and a few places on my list to visit, but after the stressful start to this trip and the whirlwind past few weeks of getting ready, I’m honestly looking forward to some solo quiet time. I’m itching to get my new camera out and about. I had considered bringing it into Copenhagen yesterday, but I find that I take better photos when I’m alone and don’t feel rushed, or like I’m slowing people down.

Until next time…

“Up in Memphis the music’s like a heatwave. White lightning, bound to drive you wild.” — Alannah Myles

On June 20, 2017 By HanneIn Food, TravelLeave a comment

After what seemed like a whirlwind of adventure to get to New Orleans it was time to head north. Nashville is about 530 miles north and a little east of New Orleans, which translates to about 8 hours. I wanted an early start to the day as I had plans to stop in Birmingham, AL to stop at the Civil Rights Institute which was open from 1-5pm. By the time I was on the road (after a detour to drive through the Garden District, and to swing by Starbucks) it was close to 9am.

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I got to within 23 miles of the Institute when I hit some stormy weather. No tornado warnings, just a total downpour. I ended up exiting the freeway to wait it out in a CVS parking lot because I couldn’t see and the amount of water on the roadway was incredible. Very thankful for those new tires because I was certain I was going to skid off the road at one point. I didn’t arrive at the Institute until nearly 3pm, but it was absolutely worth finding my way downtown for. Because it’s free on Sundays the place was packed and we had to go inside in groups so that they could space everyone a little bit. Also because the A/C was having a hard time keeping up with all the people in there and it was a little too hot in some areas. It was very ~~eye opening~~ disappointing in a way. To see how far we HAVEN’T come in the past 60 or so years is, well, sad. AMERICA, PULL YOUR SHIT TOGETHER.

I wanted to grab a late lunch in Birmingham, but my radar showed a massive front headed toward Nashville (3hrs north) that had already caused problems in Memphis and had flood watches popping up all over central Tennessee.

I skipped lunch and headed North, watching as the storm clouds rolled in… and then nothing. I had about ten minutes of a sprinkle of rain and that was it. Nothing every materialized and I watched the dark clouds just roll on by. Damnit. My dinner (some diner near my hotel) was mediocre in comparison to the few places I had sought out in Birmingham. Oh well, I was able to get a pretty long, decent nights sleep.

The following morning I started off with a visit to the Belle Meade Plantation. What caught my attention about this place is it’s influence on the American Thoroughbred. I had *THE* best guide who led the tour of the house (no pics allowed inside, boo). He wove together the family history of FIVE generations who all seemed to be named the same, state history of Tennessee, slavery and the civil war as well as all this equestrian history. And it all comes down to this one horse I’d never heard of: Bonnie Scotland. I don’t remember the exact number, but something like 120 of the 143 Kentucky Derby winners can be traced back to this horse. Man O’War, War Admiral, Seattle Slew, California Chrome, Secretariat, etc.

So I spent a little longer touring the house, the carriage barns, the stable, etc, because it was 11am before I even hit the gift shop (and I’m not leaving without touring the gift shop). From there I headed to Downtown Nashville and circled FOREVER before spending a small fortune on parking. My plan was to tour the Ryman auditorium and then hit the Johnny Cash museum. Unfortunately, the Ryman was packed, so I just hit the Johnny Cash museum before my three hour drive West to Memphis.

Aside from the ridiculous amount of road work, it was a pretty easy drive. I detoured

slightly to drive through Loretta Lynn’s Ranch which is everything and nothing. When you first turn in there is an office for the campground/RV park, signs to a pool and arcade. You then drive past concert grounds, a motorcross… place (who knew she was into that?) before arriving at a gift shop and museum and place for horse rides, plus what looks like a private residence. In any case, the museum was closed (A/C broke). I let my GPS guide me back toward the highway and it took me on a long, narrow gravel road in the middle of nowhere for miles. At one point I almost turned around, but when I zoomed out on the GPS I saw it did know what it was doing.

And now, I’m in Memphis.

Because I’ve just got one day here, I stuck to Beale St., the Peabody ducks and a few of my favorite places to eat. But I feel like the next time I’m here, it’s time to discover a new part of town. I was a little let down by the hotel this year (the room is fine, the bed comfy) but the staff has been cold and unwelcoming which is a complete turn around from the last several times I’ve stayed here. For the past several years this has been hands down, one of my most favorite places to visit. And this time, just a standard hotel within walking distance of one of my fav. places to booze it up.

Speaking of, one of my absolute favorite places in Memphis is the Kooky Canuck. A

Flying Moose: Melon, citrus vodka, raspberry rum, sour and mist.

Canadian restaurant. But the drinks here are amazing. As are their fried green tomatoes and fried pickles – both of which are pretty much life. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Thick cut, juicy with just enough breading to keep things interesting, but not get gross.

Tomorrow I head further west to Oklahoma City. It’s about 7 hours (direct on I-40). It’ll be interesting to approach from the other direction, but I doubt I’ll need my GPS. I have a full day scheduled for the following day visiting my favorite shops, driving through a specific neighborhood in Moore that I’ve toured every year since the tornado. It’s been interesting to see how everything just slowly comes back together. And of course a martini at my favorite bar, Flint.

Ciao!

“Soccer isn’t the same as Bach or Buddhism. But it is often more deeply felt than religion, and just as much a part of the community’s fabric, a repository of traditions” – Franklin Foer

On October 21, 2015October 20, 2015 By HanneIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Sounder love.

The Sounders have been part of my life since 1994. Twenty-one years spent laughing, crying, cheering, angry, elated, frustrated, thrilled, disappointed, overjoyed and well, fucking pissed (I mean, losing to Portland in the playoffs? For the love of…).

I was a shy kid growing up. Like, painfully shy. So when I saw kids getting autographs from my favorite players, the ones I wrote about in my 3rd grade journal in Mrs. Rivas’ class, I wanted autographs too. Only I wasn’t brave enough to ask. I remember my parents sending me over, but I would hang back and as things started to feel too chaotic, I would turn back and shrug. I could get an autograph the next time. Or the next time.

In 1997, I started saving everything Sounders. Programs, ticket stubs, newspaper articles. I would search every page of the sports section until I found the tiny article, usually on the back page and cut them out. I remember going to Denmark that summer and asking the petsitter to save the sports page every day so that I didn’t miss anything. A few articles with pictures went on my wall, the way other girls has posters of JTT (Jonathan Taylor Thomas – the other JT wasn’t famous yet). My favorite was an action shot of Wade Webber and his bleach blonde hair.

In 2002 my dad and I saw Coach Schmetzer at Quest during the very first game at the new stadium. My dad suggested we say hello. I was too nervous, but my dad marched up and said hello and told him all about my scrapbook full of old Sounders stuff. The whole thing was a blur to me, but ended with an invite to the team practice at Memorial Stadium to have it signed by the guys. Thinking back on it, I can still feel the excitement radiating through my body. Coach Schmetzer waved us over and said I could go right out onto the field. I took half a step onto the turf and froze. I was terrified. I remember he eventually walked me around to the different groups of guys, starting the conversation for me and the players took it from there. They asked about me, about being a fan of the sport/team, they looked through my stuff and were really kind to me.

I hugged my scrapbook to my chest the entire ride home.

I arrived early before the next game, waiting by the entrance with a carnation foreach of the guys, thanking them for signing my stuff. When they approached, they remembered my name, would chat for a minute, take a picture with me and suddenly I didn’t feel so invisible anymore.

After the game I would wait with the rest of the fans wanting an autograph and I remember Scott Jenkins taking the time to talk instead of signing my program and moving on to the next. Viet once ran to the locker room and grabbed a game worn jersey and an autographed ball. And Craig always had the biggest smile and a hug for me (and still does today, 13 years later).

This is why I support not only this team, but these guys (playing or not) so many years later. None of this was required by the team, the coach. This was never about being a publicity stunt or trying to gain more fans. This was about being nice. They did something nice for someone just because. And it taught me that you never know how much your kindness can effect another person. Today. Tomorrow. Or 13 years from now.

Sports fans come and go, but when you’re ‘Sounders Til I Die’, there is no end. Not the end of the game. Not the end of the season. And certainly not the end of any one players career. #EBFG

“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” – Wyland

On September 28, 2015September 27, 2015 By HanneIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Two weeks ago we took an extended weekend down to Newport, Oregon. Newport and the surrounding area has long been a happy place for the family. Camping, Mo’s, salt water taffy, Beverly Beach State Park, kites, whales, Depot Bay, barking sea lions, salty sea air, Oregon Coast Aquarium, crabbing, gift shops, the beach.

Oh, and the smell of campfire.

While it’s been a long time since we’ve camped, instead moving to the dog friendly Best Western at Agate Beach. That said, it doesn’t mean we’ve given up on the campground 100%.

We had a combination of credits and gift cards for 3 free nights, so we headed down Thursday afternoon to stay through mid-day Sunday. Because the hotel is dog friendly, the Boo got to come along and be a ‘beach dog’ – she was thrilled. We played in the tide pool, chased the waves (well, she did), searched for shells and played with seaweed (and then passed out later on).

Friday we spent most the day in Downtown Newport. We ate at Mo’s, wandered the shops and watched the Sea Lions fight for space on their designated dock.

Saturday had a slow start, but we spent the afternoon on the beach and then headed to our camping site for a fire. We roasted hotdogs for dinner and made s’mores for dessert. The campground was full, and we felt slightly guilty about holding a campsite from someone who would’ve spent the night, but for $28 bucks, it was worth the campfire and cheap (but delicious) dinner.

In all, it was a great, albeit short weekend away.

Best Western Agate Beach Inn review: 3.5/5 stars.

I love this hotel. We’ve stayed here numerous times over the years and for the most part, it’s fantastic.

The beach: You walk out the back door, and down a little hill and you are on the beach. If you’re lucky enough to have a beach view, there is nothing in your way.

The rooms: Clean, but dated. For the price, I’d expect it to be a little more updated. On one hand, maybe because we’ve always stayed in a dog-friendly room (certain ones are designated for the pooches), perhaps they just aren’t updated..? Spruce it up, and this would be a top place on the coast to stay.

Restaurant: Decent for breakfast. The Banana fosters french toast was a little soggy and overly sweet when it arrived. Then I realized they made it with banana bread. Stick to regular french toast for this dish, Best Western. You’d win an award.

The cost: CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD ACTIVITY AFTERWARD. Ok, so they made things right immediately when I called, but I was frustrated to see that they double charged me for the pet fee ($40, instead of $20 per stay) despite the fact that they shouldn’t have charged it at all – we paid it in cash when checking out.

“Oh salted sea, how much of your salt are Portuguese tears?” – Fernando Pessoa

On July 26, 2015July 26, 2015 By HanneIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Getting to Portugal was a bit of a shit-show. Originally we were going to arrive in Lisbon in the morning on Sunday and then renting a car (or taking the train) down to Faro. But unfortunately my dad booked his ticket to arrive at 11pm instead of 11am. So we were forced to spend a night in Lisbon. Not horrible, except my mom and I had a 7am flight and so we were catching a cab at 4am leaving the rest of the day pretty shot with only a few hours of sleep. We arrived to a towering skyscraper of a hotel (we were on the 17th floor) and promptly crashed. Because it was Sunday and most everything is closed Sundays, we pretty much spent the day reading, napping and watching TV. Dad arrived closer to midnight and we were up bright and early to get a rental car. I had suggested multiple times to order a car ahead of time, but no one seemed overly concerned about it. That meant that getting a car was a bit more difficult, but we were on the road just before lunch time. It was a three hour drive south to Faro and eventually to Moncarapacho where my dad’s friend lives (where we were staying). It was a bit of an adventure to find her house. Actually, we didn’t find it. We found close and then she came to meet us and we followed her up the hill to her house. What an amazing place, though a bit out in the middle of nowhere and too isolated for me to live all the time. Great for a get-away though. It was warm, but not too bad when in the shade. We spent one day in Faro, downtown and then to the coast for a walk on the beach and to dip our toes in the water. Portugal is a bit sad in a way. Very poor from what I saw in the south, with many old buildings abandoned and falling apart. Graffiti covers most everything, but with a little imagination, you can imagine the town in all it’s glory. Our second full day in Faro was a Portuguese holiday which meant much of the city was closed down. So we took a little drive across a river and into Spain. It was like night and day compared to Faro. Clean, bright and pretty well maintained. It seemed to be more of a vacation town as there were many properties listed for sale, many were condos near the water and most posts were in English despite everyone we encountered speaking very limited English (unlike Portugal where most people had a pretty good command of the language). Portugal is very high on my list of places to return to. I would love to go and spend some time relaxing and maybe touring a few more historical places in Lisbon. The fresh seafood was delicious and the sangria was on par with my own sangria recipe. The orange juice was to die for (seriously, I don’t even really like orange juice but I drank so much in three days). Oranges grow all over the place and it was so sad to see oranges rotting on the ground in the orchards.

Zoo: “An excellent place to study the habits of human beings.” – Evan Esar

On August 24, 2014 By HanneIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Had a lovely afternoon at the Woodland Park Zoo with a fantastic fandom friend today. Cacky, thanks for visiting!

I have such conflicted feelings on zoos, but of all the zoos that I’ve been to, I feel like we’re pretty lucky with the WPZ. The exhibits are much larger than most other zoos I’ve visited, and they do a fantastic job of enrichment. That said, certain animals like the Orangutans, Elephants and Gorillas always look so sad.

WPZ lost one of it’s elephants yesterday. At 45, Watoto should have had another 20 years left. While the WPZ is leaps and bounds above other zoos, I think they need to re-evaluate their elephant enclosure and send our two remaining elephants (Chai and Bamboo) to a sanctuary. I don’t think there is enough land for them to expand where they are at. Such smart animals deserve more. I think we are past the point where people need to be face-to-face with an elephant to feel the urge to save them.

The Orangutans are the other ones that need something more. I only ever see them sitting around with their burlap blankets over their heads. One was sitting at the glass just staring ahead as everyone crowded close.

We were treated to an up close view of the male lion today. He strolled around, scratching, sniffing and watching zoo visitors through the glass. The size of his paws are absolutely massive and his thick mane gorgeous. I didn’t see Adia and her cubs were sent elsewhere earlier in the year, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen the male lion up close before. What a beautiful creature.

We also saw the hippo swim around (briefly). I think it’s the one animal at the zoo that I’ve never seen move until today. In fact, they could’ve been fake hippos for the past however many years, and I wouldn’t have known.

That’d be a good zoo scam.

One of my all time favorite spots at WPZ is the willawong station where you can feed parakeets, cockatiels and various other brightly colored birds. I had a delightful little cockatiel sit on my finger while he nibbled on some millet. He then fluffed up a bit and just sat on my finger.

All in all, a fantastic afternoon at the zoo!

Even bigger foosh.

On March 14, 2014March 14, 2014 By HanneIn Thursday Thrills1 Comment

Poor kiddo – Mind. Blown.

I don’t think he knew what to expect when I announced an extra-special adventure to the aquarium, but from the moment we got out of the car (two blocks away), he was humming with excitement. The old water front trolly tracks are still in place, despite the fact that the trolly no longer runs, nor is the track complete. But for Evan, it’s a chance to see some real train tracks up close. We walked along the tracks, stood on them, jumped off them, touched them, etc. I kept trying to encourage him to move along, but the tracks themselves were worthy of an adventure.

It was pretty cute to see his Thomas the train boots on the tracks, and he kept talking about choo-choos and tracks and more choo-choos and choo-choo boots, etc. Having a short section of tracks would be an amazing addition to parks. Kids like Evan would love to climb on them, or bring some toy trains to play with.

From there we crossed the street, and he attached himself to the fence to look out over the water, looking for fish. I kept telling him that we were going to go seefish, but he was very concerned about trying to find them in the (super nasty) water right off the pier. We watched a ferry come inand some seagulls fly above and eventually I convinced him that there was more to the adventure beside the trolly tracks and the water down below. It was sad to see the garbage floating just off the pier. It was a good chance to talk about how we throw trash in the garbage and not on the ground. #teachablemoment.

Finally convinced that there was more to see we headed to the aquarium. He was happy to stand in line with me until he caught sight of the massive wall tank that you first encounter after the ticket counter. He was ready to run overand I had to remind him a few times as he edged away, that he needed to wait for me. Once we were in, he ran to the tank and sat down with the rest of the kids. Aquarium staff was giving a presentation about the tank, though he wasn’t paying attention. When they were done, he slowly walked up and down along the tank, looking at all the fish and watching the diver feed them (“Foosh eat! Eat all!”) He was focused on a fish toward the bottom of the tank when the diver swam down to wave at him. He turned back with wide eyes and then returned focus to the diver, jumping up and down and waving until he turned suddenly shy and ran back to sit with me and wave from afar. Moving on, Evan ran to each and every tank with the same sense of excitement, yet with a determination. Looking at these fish was his job for the dayand he took it very seriously.

A couple tanks had simulated wavesand that seemed to bother him. We went to the touch tank where he seemed more interested in just putting his fingers in the water rather than actually touching the sea creatures.

My favorite part is the Octopus tank.

My last visit to the aquarium I learned that they catch and release each Octopus that is on display, keeping them only a few months before returning them to the ocean and finding a new one. While being captured and brought to a small tank must be terrifying, it’s nice to know that they can return to a normal life. Today’s guest was on his first day in the display and was rather active as he explored his new (temporary home). Evan was unsure about this large creature and preferred to watch from afar. I did let him pick a postcard in the gift shopand he chose the octopus and requested to bring it to his crib for naptime later in the afternoon – so clearly it wasn’t that scary.

Surprisingly enough, the harbor seals, sea lions and sea otters were of little interest. While they’ve recently updated the harbor seal enclosure, the rest of them are seriously lacking.

By the end of the trip, it was clear that his poor brain was working over-time. Lunch was quiet and then we played for awhile, but when it came time fornap, he was rather emotional about cleaning up. It took a little gentle convincing (and being allowed to take his postcard to nap)but he was soon tucked in his crib, his eyes closed before I left the room.

It’s so fun to experience these places again from a child’s perspective. A place like the zoo or aquarium, while they never grow old, your perspective changes and that bright-eyed innocence fades (but never quite goes away – I did spend 6 hours in the Chicago Aquarium during my 2010 visit and was probably just as mentally exhausted afterward).

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