london: day 2

sunday: 29th june, 2008
in which we take a trip to see a castle...

we wake at 9am: showers, breakfast, emails, but again, we are rushing. literally running, all the way to king's cross station, to catch the tube to paddington, to catch the train to windsor (changing at slough.) we just missed our train and had to wait a half hour for the next one, but i didn't really mind. we got to wander paddington station, show francis paddington's statue: "please look after this bear", and i tried to get cash out (failure, and on-going snafu and frustration) and also, i desperately needed the toilet (another failure: cost 20p and i had no coins!) i decided to wait for the train, but once on, discover to my dismay: OH NO! NO TOILETS! (sigh) bursting and miserable, i just have to hold it 45mins and wait...

on the train, francis is tired and slouchy. he keeps bumping knees with the man in front of him (seats facing together.) the more i correct him, the more exasperated and slouchy he becomes. (sigh) i miss greg...

we finally get to windsor, and i finally get to pee! ruth and i get lattes, and head for the castle. francis is gobsmacked as soon as we walk out of the station, because there it is, windsor castle, sitting right in front of you. something that i always marvel at in england, and europe: ancient sites may have the age-old respect of not being torn down, however, modernity didn't keep its distance, and crowds up right next to it, utilizing every inch of space. old...shoulder to shoulder with the new...





there's a queue, and a security check, and the guards now hold guns. we finally get inside, but somehow, it is already almost 2pm. and the castle closes at 5. oh well for our "early start"...

francis can't walk 10 feet without taking a picture. he is truly excited to the core seeing a real live castle! i decided this is HIS day, and let him stop and take all the pictures he wants. i've already been here. i am determined to not rush him.

windsor castle was built in 1165, and is one of the great surviving medieval castles, and not only that, has housed the british royal family for over 900 years, and still does, to this day. we asked a guard if the queen was in. he replied: " i can not answer you that. the queen is in residence when her flag is flying." we looked up: the flag was flying.

only too soon, i must confess, i am bursting for the toilet again. (damn that latte!) i inquire to discover there is ONE set of public toilets, and they are on the far other side, so there we trek. it's a blustery gray british day, and there's not too many tourists. guards march by, with stern faces, and real guns, and francis is overjoyed and takes about 300 pictures in one fell swoop. (we haven't gotten around to editing his yet, but mine i've started to narrow down to a few dozen a day: you can find the rest on my flickr.)



we succumb to the touristy must-see, and join the queue to see "queen mary's dollhouse", which is frankly, quite impressive, but what francis really wants to see is: the armour, the weapons, the coat of arms...it's so huge inside, it takes us 2 hours to tour the state rooms, and that's even without francis taking pictures (he was very sad they were not allowed. i, however, did not mind it.)

when we finally emerge to the light of day, we are famished, and crash on a bench to eat our packed lunch. i'm already guessing that we'll miss out on tea-time again, today. and i am right.



we find st. george's chapel closed, because it is a sunday, but discover you may attend an actual service, at 5:15pm, after the castle grounds close. i think that would be fantastic, and ruth agrees, so we stay: for church, in the castle chapel!quite an experience! beautiful ornate chapel, intricate stained glass. the service was sung by a boy's choir. francis reprimands me for sneaking a few pictures with my cell-phone...probably not a good example for my boy who obeyed the rules back in the state rooms.



with the castle now closed, and the rest of the shops in town following suit, (it is a sunday in england: shops close) we decide to head back to ruth's for supper, and to pack up; francis and i are heading to our free hotel for two nights, courtesy of a british airways special offer.

but by the time we get back, between packing up, emailing greg, etc...we don't get out until well past 10pm, and this is still without supper! we say good-bye to ruth, who is off to the pub with friends, and we head to the tube, for russell square. no mapquest. just an address and a london city map.

the station is clamouring with football(soccer) fans whooping and cheering, and i find out spain just won the euro cup. they're running, yelling, waving flags, and a whole group of them cram on the train, pushed up against us. we were standing just inside the doors with our luggage, as we only had 2 stops to go, and just before the doors closed, about 20 people rushed in and crowded around us, still singing their victory, and jumping up and down. the conductor came back and opened the doors and yelled to be heard: "oi! you can yell all you like, but no jumping up and down. you're rocking the whole train!" they apologize and stop jumping, but continue singing at the top of their lungs. francis, small, surrounded by all these yelling grown-ups: but they were smiling at him, and i was smiling too. maybe he will remember this in years to come?

the station we needed was closed for repairs! (just like in the board game: "miss one turn!") and so we hopped off in confusion at holborn. hmmm...now to walk back to russell square, with our luggage, in the dark deserted sunday night of london city streets. i ask directions and off we head.



this whole time i had been excited for our hotel experience. i saw the pictures and read the blurbs, and assumed it was a nice hotel. originally, it had been intended to be with greg; the plan was for us to meet up with him earlier, but things changed, and we kept the booking, besides, it was free. however, when we found it, i realized why they were giving rooms away for free, and it couldn't be to attract business: after staying there, i probably wouldn't have paid to stay there again.



it was like being in a motel, except on the 7th floor, and thru such a labyrinth of hallways, that i actually got lost and had to go down to reception and ask again. i was frustrated and tired and hungry. it was past 11pm. when we finally got to our room, there were two single beds. (where would we have all fit if greg was with us?)it was tiny. BUT: francis didn't seem to notice. he was so excited. he immediately claimed a bed and said: "isn't this nice?" could i really complain? we had a place to sleep in the heart of london. we even had a bathtub. he checked out our view from the window, of the courtyard below, and when we opened the window, we could still hear football fans chanting and whooping from victory: apparently many of them were staying here. he turned on the tv and immediately found "coming to america" with eddie murphy. he asked if he could watch it. as he has seen that movie on quite a few rainy sunday afternoons with greg, i said ok. besides, i still had to go hunt us down a supper.

my search for food ended with the hotel caferteria restaurant, apparently still open for a little while longer, take-out only. i paid &6.50 for an old dry fish and chips and roll. (sigh) passing the hotel bar, i decided it would go down much better with a gin and tonic, and happily paid the &3.50. took the tray back up to our room, and we gorged ourselves, supplementing it with an apple from my bag, and ribena (blackcurrant cordial you add to water) i had brought with us.

it seemed a shame to go to bed just yet, even tho it is so late, it is vacation after all, so i opted instead on: a bath, organizing our stuff, trying to figure out what to do the next few days, and then i sent francis to bed, to catch up in my journal after he fell asleep (which was promptly), by the light of the bathroom.

somehow, in the end, day 2 was still so rushed we didn't even get tea or supper. ??
this will not do!

this is our vacation and i want us to be relaxed and enjoying ourselves.

francis wants to go to a bookstore, to spend the british bookstore coupon that ruth's mum sent him. he wants to see the british museum. buckingham palace. he asked to see a toy shop. ride a cab. to go to elephant and castle to see the imperial war museum. (which he learned about, by the way, from an old british boardgame from my childhood called "the london underground". i first had to make sure it was still there! it is.)

we have two full days until we meet up with greg on wednesday. can't wait for that!
i need to go to bed now.
i called the operator to ask what time it was (2:10am!) and to ask for a wake-up call tomorrow morning...at least there's free breakfast...

london: day 1

saturday: 28th june, 2008

it was very hard getting up this morning. i woke at 6am to the sound of the city waking, and the brightness. i used my british airways complimentary eye-mask and fell back asleep, til ruth came and got me at 10am. francis could not be wakened. so ruth and i had some lovely girl-time, catching up over coffee and pancakes, with me periodically trying to rouse francis. he could not be moved. finally, by noon, we forced him up; he was delirious. we packed a sack lunch and took off to catch the bus, for the zoo.

we got to ride a double-decker( still around in london, it was the old-fashioned "route-master" with the hop on/off the back, that was taken off the streets, --only to be replaced by what the brits call "bendy-busses" and not with fondness) and francis was so excited. we sat at the top, front row, and it looked like every time we turned, we were going to take a chunk out of a building, or knock over signposts, and every time we stopped, that we'd rear-end whoever was in front of us. it was quite a ride!



we walked thru regents park, to get to the zoo. francis, with his camera, already catching fountains, park benches, british squirrels...you get the picture. at the zoo, it got quite hot, and we were in jeans. after a while i noticed that francis kept sitting down every chance he got, and maybe the zoo wasn't the best first day choice; he was still too jet-lagged to really appreciate it. he did enjoy seeing animals he hasn't seen in our zoo, tho, like the pelicans.



by the end of the afternoon, he was a bit miserable, saying his legs hurt, he was too hot, and he wanted to sit down. poor guy! but we had a whole evening of sitting ahead of us: ruth had got us tickets to regent park's outdoor theatre, to see shakespeare's "twelfth night." we rushed home, packed a picnic supper, and rushed back to regents park, quickly thru the beautiful rose garden, found a patch of sun and green grass, and crashed outside the theatre, where brits were all about, picnicing in the grass too. we had: bread, cheese, proscuitto, wine, olives, sundried tomatoes... yes, wine! in the park! this is england!



8pm we went in for the performance, which was 3 hours long, and frankly, quite fantastic! the theatre had stadium seats, which was nice, and you were allowed to bring in food and wine, etc... but even still, francis had a hard time staying awake...he was still so tired! i tried to explain to him what was going on, and i think he understood most of it, and really enjoyed the jester and laughed outloud. i was thoroughly impressed and entertained-- it was set during the roaring twenties, with suits and long dresses and gangsters. it got chilly when the sun went down, but we had brought our layers.



back at home, tucking him in, i asked if he had fun today. he said it was too busy. i said: tomorrow we're only doing ONE thing: taking the train to windsor castle!

it feels like everything is going too fast, and it is only the first day! how can that be? so i am hoping for a not-rushed day tomorrow, and that francis is rested and enjoys himself fully.

and i would like a cup of tea...we missed ours today..

i see london (i see france)

friday: 27th june, 2008
on the plane...British Airways to london...

francis is happily watching a movie. he was happy with our seat; he said: "look at all this stuff you get for only 2nd class! i wonder what 1rst class gets!" he's loving how fancy this is: luxuries you don't see in the US anymore. each seat has its own pillow, blanket, headsets, and comfort kit: eye-mask, socks, and travel toothbrush with mini-paste. he was in awe and very excited. "would you like a full british breakfast, luv?" said the steward. you get the accent already, and you're not even there yet. i said yes, even tho i didn't know what it was. we were then served a tray each, consisting of: scrambled eggs, potatoes, ham, sausage and mushrooms, OJ, yogurt, coffee, blueberry muffin, roll and butter, and fruit. it was too much to eat! and better yet, complimentary!



i am having trouble feeling excited. i'm on a plane to london, but my stomach isn't in turmoil. i mean, i am excited, i am looking forward to it, but i don't have the physical feeling of excitement. maybe it hasn't hit me yet? i am kind of in a daze. i am not nervous, i am not giddy. i am very tired. it's hard to explain. i have not planned what to do in london for 5 days (i've been so focused on france and italy) but that doesn't bother me. we will see what we can; i am just happy to be there, staying with our friend ruth. we will be meeting up with greg on wednesday. i am content to see familiar sights, eat british food, drink tea, hang out, and show francis 'round the town. but i consult my lonely planet london guide anyways, for some ideas...



we land and go thru customs: always a hassle. but we get thru ok, and follow signs to the underground. it's about 9pm british time, but francis can't keep his eyes open. we catch the picadilly line, and he promptly falls asleep on the tube, for our hour ride. i have trouble waking him up; he's delirious. we follow ruth's directions to her flat: "when you get out of the station cross the road and walk straight ....... you pass sainsburys supermarket on your left. turn left down the side of sainsburys till you get to a zebra crossing. cross the crossing and walk straight til you hit another zebra crossing, cross it and turn left. my building is at the end of that street on the corner. my door is red and on copenhagan st. buzz the 'flat' bell. it's about a 5-7 min walk". how do you like them directions! ruth wanted me to call her when we arrived, so she could run out and meet us, but i liked the challenge of navigating the city with just those directions. i wanted to see if i could find it, and find it i did!

francis' first sight out of the tube station was a double-decker bus and he got so excited! i'm happy watching him, all these sights, for the first time. i'm enjoying stepping back into a place that's familiar, a place with memories...





we buzz the buzzer to the flat, and ruth's calls out "hello" from the third floor. she says: "that's it?" to our luggage, a carry-on size wheely bag for each of us. we wanted to travel light, but it still feels like too much.

ruth shows us to our "quarters"; the nook she's made up for us. it's so homey and like camping out. it's late, but francis wants to read before bed; he is thoroughly engrossed in the lord of the rings. we say good-night to ruth, with plans to sleep in, have breakfast, and hang out with her tomorrow.



i think i'm starting to feel excited. i'm happy to wander and be, to hear the accents, and drink tea...

when in rome...

stay in rome...as long as you can...you will not want to leave...

so anyways, this is us: in front of the trevi fountain, making our wish (can you guess what it is?) and what you can't see is the hundreds of people crammed in next to us, doing the same. i know, i know: i was that person!! can you believe it? i was a bit suprised at myself, and greg rolled his eyes, but i rolled with it, and had no shame in doing the touristy self-portrait with my cell-phone. hence, it is blurry and dark. it is not a great photo. there is even another person in it. but it still caught the rare moment of the three of us, together, and it captured the memory.

we can say: "remember that time when..." and we are all included in the inside joke. we can laugh at the memory, and we were all there. no one left out.

and now when francis complains it is hot outside, i can rightly say: "what??!! are you kidding me? this is NOT hot. you have seen hot. remember that time in rome when you clung to inches of shade, moaning: "how many degrees hot is it?" now THAT was hot!..." and then i freely laugh at him. (ok ok, WITH him!)

ah, rome: missing it already.

so that's it for now...
one photo, one snippet...
stay tuned, more to come...

home again home again jiggety jig

can you believe it's august???

well, we nyssens are back state-side, for about a week now. francis and i returned and received a welcome home present of: the flu. puking and out of commission for about a week. greg came home during that as well, exhausted, and a little under the weather after his week in india, with spicy indian food, and lots of it, for three meals a day! but he survived it quite well, i should say, and we are slowly getting back on track to life as we know it in seattle.

there shall be stories, in snippets, and there will be photos, someday, but for now i will say that it was entirely wonderful and exhausting. and worth it. and we are glad to be home.(except for the fact that we'd rather be in rome!) if anyone's wondering how it was traveling with a 10 year old: francis was absolutely great! (despite the fact that we are going thru the "terrible 10's" right now, and have to deal with some wannabe-teenage attitude lately...on the trip he did very good.) he was old enough to keep up with us, often til midnight every night, he carried (er, wheeled) his own luggage, needing only our help up and down the many many subway stairs we encountered along the way. he didn't need naps, and often had more energy than we did by mid-day. he thought every single thing we saw was "AWESOME", and he's at an age where i'm hoping this trip lasts as a wonderful memory. also, not being a teenager yet, he was still entirely content with our company, except when he saw kids playing at the beach, or park, and would ask us: "how do i say: can i join you? in italian?" and we would look it up in our book, he would memorize it and run off, loudly announcing "non parlo italiano! posso giocare anch'io!" (i don't speak italian! can i join in?) and the kids would then either practice their grade-school english on him, or just play side by side, chattering away in italian, but play often needs no translation, when there's smiles and sandcastles...

we were totally content to not even try to do everything.

we went to: rome, venice, the cinque terre, marseille, paris, dover (that was francis' pick) and london. and even that, in 18 days, was alot. we wished we had stayed more days in rome. i think that was a definite favourite.

we stayed out late, and could not get up early, no matter how hard we tried. in italy, we ate paninis, gelato, and pizza every day and didn't tire of it. i really loved ordering cappucinos, and practicing my limited phrase-book italian, and the italians were very happy to watch us try. francis even picked up on the tonal influctions, and would announce "grazie mille!" with enthusiasm, and they got a kick out of that.

in france, i had a much harder time with the language, and left most of the communicating up to greg, seeing as he took french in high school. not one single word is pronounced the way it looks! and they weren't as happy as the italians to watch us try. but, despite their reputation, and some of our own experiences with rudeness, we encountered many friendly french that proved they can't be stereotyped. maybe it was traveling as a family? i don't know. but we had fun wandering the streets, eating crepes, baguettes, croissants, and "cafe cremas"...

we traveled on foreign trains, planes, busses, ferries, boats, subways...everything an adventure. i am sorry to report that i did not cope as well as i would have liked, i was not as easy going as i remembered either, and i became a bit of a frantic spaz when it came to making our connections. we had some frustrating moments, dealing with the "lost in translation" language barrier, and always winging it. but that should be expected i guess, and i remember the vacation being wonderful, so it must not have been that bad!

anyways, real life beckons at this very moment, the sun is shining, and i must get outside. more to come later...