Planning on Adventure

Have you ever heard of Avenue Verte? Probably just about as long, (if I started from where I am living in Crawley) but more challenging terrain than the trip I've been hoping to do for years from Passau, Germany along the Danube to Vienna (do I really have to say Austria? Or should everyone really know that already?) Well if you haven't heard of either try these two links:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/9802414/Cycling-from-London-to-Paris.html

For the England/France route

And 

http://www.freewheeling.ca/adventures/AustriaPassauViennaDanubeBike.html

For the Germany/Austria route

First biking experience was to the grocery store. Amazing. Right? Since you know, I can walk there. But I found a tub - deli sized tub - full of Dolmades for the equivalent of less than $5 Canadian. Wow! Taste excitement! Taste bud delight! Yummy!!!

Bring on the Greek food, hold the Greek men! I will not be going all Shirley Valentine on you now or ever - that fad is over. But the food, oh no, it is not!

More on the biking exploration later. 

In the mean time I leave you with this sweet little front garden:

Yes, purple (violet, lavender, lilac, amythist, mauve, magenta, plum, wine, periwinkle...) I do adore you. 

Settling into the UK

Honestly I haven't really seen much at all because, as I keep reminding myself, I am here for work not play and so the books have been open on my lap while I sit on the couch in my wee apartment. I could be on any couch, anywhere...

I have gotten out for a few jaunts here and there. The grocery store, a few jogs and three return trips on the bus to the airport, but all are excellent perspectives from which to see people and every day life.

One odd thing I've noticed, which I rather like, is at the grocery check out. The clerk waits until you've finished packing your items and you've lifted them away from the counter before starting the next order. They even say good bye to you. It's so pleasant! 

 

I thought this was fitting for a photo. Too bad I wasn't the proud driver! 

 

This photo is of (some flower I don't recall the name of) which I've seen in various colours of blue/purple/pink/white, and I was quite surprised to see it in (nearly) red! A purple version is farther away. 

I've really got to get out with my new camera. And go to London. And Munich, Belfast and Brussels. Or something. After my line check I certainly will!

I've been spoiling myself a little with fish. It all started last summer when I first tried Atlantic salmon and got hooked (hehe) in Belfast. I've also had tuna and prawns, but I imagine they weren't swimming anywhere nearby, I just happen to be in the mood for seafood. Another favourite of mine is watercress. I've never seen it available in Canada. And since I'm always up for trying something new, I did. However, as it turns out 'land cress' - I'm not actually sure that's a real term, as opposed to watercress, doesn't taste as good. It's a weedy flavour somewhere between grass and flowering dandelion, but drier... :(  Dry isn't a flavour, is it now? But people do describe wine than way... Incidentally dry doesn't really work for me in that regard either! 

And now it's actually raining for the first time in week! 

Flying to Cyprus

I really loved my holidays, and they were this first real holidays I believe I've had as an adult. It was almost like summer holidays before you were old enough to have a job... Remember that? Yes that long forgotten freedom!!! Actually I still had to pay bills and drive myself around, so it was a wee bit different, admittedly, but I basically did as I pleased and which in itself was quite relaxing and appreciated. I suppose I could have gone for a massage as the cherry on top, but alas, Rita's hand isn't yet healed. 

The good news is, I also really love my job. It's interesting and takes me places I'm not sure I would otherwise have gotten to on my own. I know sometimes it's a lot of reading and memorizing and putting it all into action, but that process itself can even be quite rewarding, if not fun! 

Today I went to Cyprus. Yes that island in the Mediterranean, way over to the east, belonging half to Greece and half to Turkey, with a rivalry so rank air traffic control can't even speak to eachother to arrange hand overs between centers. Um yep, seriously. That's rather disappointing. I know. But instead I was wondering about the possible association of the island and cypresses - those trees which are really more bush-like than anything else - as the dry hilly island is decorated in a shade of dark hunter green here and there. A long, sandy, southerly facing beach stretches out in front of Larnaca, where we landed (Greek territory), and ends almost on short final to the runway. The city is larger than I imagined... And looks like a nice vacation point. All white-ish yellow hued concrete multi-floor buildings with villas at the shore, and many little bodies sunbathing on the sand and swimming in the sea. Did I mention it was 29 degrees C? I wish we overnighted!!!

Then we had a busy little time returning to London... But rewarding :) 

Photo 1: Looking out of the window over Cyprus

Photo 2: Our planned approach, not that it really turned out that way, but vectors do often avoid holds!

Photo 3: Just over TEBRA, some way point in the sky, where facing west, with good weather, you can see the south Dover area. The green thing is a sun visor. It wasn't really meant to make it in the picture but it had to be a quick snap just before commencing our descent.

Did you know most meuseums in London are free? Yep FREE?!?! Awesome!!!

And now I'm going to attempt to put my jet lag and lack of sleep behind me... Nighty night!

New Home Sweet (Wee) Home

I haven't yet been in Crawley for 24 hours, but I know I'm going to be happy here. 

Getting here was long (including 10 hours in YYZ) but smooth and although I didn't sleep a wink, I'm not doing too badly. I feel much less jet lagged than usual, but I'm sure I could take a nap today rather easily. I'll just try reading a manual for work and surely I'll doze right off!

The rental car drives well but I'll miss the Golf TDI from last year. Do you see the plate almost has my name on it? :) I'm not sure I'll be using the car much though, since everything is so well set up to walk, bus and ride your bike. And my bike is on its way, hopefully arriving on the weekend! Crawley is great. Quaint and cute and rather quiet, yet full of houses and yards and people and traffic. It's certainly not scary, even in the dark of night. If you can call it dark with all the street lights. We went by foot to the Snooty Fox for dinner and drinks. A pub here seems to have a significantly different feel than in Northern Ireland. I guess people are less drunk and less friendly.  Tesco is right down the road and I'll be paying them a visit later for groceries and hopefully a phone, too. 

And here it is from the front. My new place to call home for a bit. Below is the gate to the lane and the building behind.

I watched a few movies on my way over and I thought The Wedding Guest was quite cute, Fargo was simple and rather direct, but a classic. (Quite glad I waited until after the Toronto-Calgary drive to watch it otherwise it might have been unnerving!) And the other was a waste of time. I also finished The Girl You Left Behind, by Jojo Moyes, historical fiction tied to modern day, flip flopping between, which I enjoyed. A nice story.

Just Because You Can Almost Smell It!

 Mouthwatering pizza straight from the oven!

Posts are about to get shorter.  Just like last summer. But maybe more numerous. 

Time to pack and get organized!!!

Hello Birthday Cake!

 This was a monumental cake. 

Chocolate cake in 6 layers, separated by vanilla butter cream, salted caramel and shortbread crumbs three times, and ganache sandwiched between two layers as well as all over the outside...

Even I, who can take a lot of sweet indulgences regularly, 

would say this cake is decadent and rich.

It took quite a while to make all the parts and the assembly goes slowly, too, 

but well worth the time. 

I lovvvvvved it! 

We tried to have cake in San Francisco, and chances are we just didn't go to the right place, 

and ended up not counting a bad cake encounter as the official birthday cake.

This one completely made up for that wee stumble - 

A perfect birthday cake for me!

It's another delightful Sweetapolita creation called the Sweet & Salty Millionaire's Cake.

(Did you know she's writing a cake book? Well she is, and I bet it'll be amazing!)

Mine doesn't look as spectacular as hers, 

but once I do it six times or so I may just get the hang of it.

Meanwhile no one is complaining they have to help eat it!

 You know you've made a good cake when after a long eating silence occurs, 

it is suggested when I retire I open a kind of B&B but more B&C which would mean Bed and Cake. Or a Tea House where the cake and the view are so good it becomes famous. 

As in, if you read a travel book about Salt Spring it would be listed in the top ten musts. 

Maybe... regardless it is great to be appreciated ;)

Soliciting Wise Wrinkles

...And Ostensibly Earning Worldliness Honestly ;)

Yes, it's that time of year again - the time we talk about age and getting older: My birthday!

This year, since it's a big one, culminated in the form of many things I enjoy - travel, sunshine, my man, biking, exploring, learning - all of which I found in San Francisco. 

It was a pretty tight trip to fit into three days but we managed to cover a lot of ground 

by foot, cable car, bike, train and bus. 

Maybe also because it was a big birthday, I received a very special gift - a new camera!!!! 

I'm learning to use it and loving it. 

Hopefully I'll be able to share better photos from now on.

Day 1 - We arrived in the late afternoon, explored the fisherman's wharf, enjoyed happy-hour, tried out my new camera, and visited the Exploratorium, which is a science museum open to adults at a reduced rate in the evening, liquor licence and all. 

Day 2 - I woke early. Must have been the excitement of my birthday itself! We lazily breakfasted, walked the city hall area and visited a mini performance of Beach Blanket Babylon. A famed musical from San Fran on its 40th anniversary, it is complete with enormous and outrageous hats. We rented bikes and rode about 20 miles - most of which was flat but included two gruelling hills which were happily enjoyed going downhill on the reverse route, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, 

and went for a nice dinner at Annabelle's (not actually our cow, lol).

Day 3 - Was a tad cramped, but we managed to ride cable cars, visit the crooked section of Lombard Street, bus and walk to Haight-Ashbury and the Golden Gate Park as well as take in a ball game at AT&T Center where the Giants beat the Mets.

We stayed at Aida Plaza Hotel which was good value, not fancy, and not a fancy price. 

I would recommend it as long as you are okay with a hostel feel. 

Aida was less for three nights than for a single night at a mid range hotel at the last minute. 

I, of course, am not a princess and don't feel entitled, so it's location facilitated a fantastic trip. 

Don't get caught:

*If we did it again we'd know better and rent bikes from a company and not use the bay area bikes which is a share program... they are not $9 for 24 hours, with extra charges for returning them late, they are $9 plus your use which will add up very quickly.  Too bad the instructions were unclear as 2 bikes for 4 hours ended up costing $124... Ouch, especially when bus tickets for the day are only $14 each!!!

*Also regarding transit to and from SFO airport, the BART doesn't run all night or particularly early in the morning - on weekends in particular - but there is a bus company called SamTrans that will 

get you there faithfully. Check them out and don't miss your flight!

If you noticed I didn't mention cake it is because there wasn't any.

Now that I'm home I'll be making some. More on that soon!

I am so impressed that I can take a nice picture!!!
This camera will be the most used gift ever :)