Go Big...

From our friends who have departed London before us, one thing we learned was this - Go Big, before you go home....and that's exactly what we did.  After living with Bryan's cousins for the month of March, we set out on our longest trip to date, for most of the month of April.  I began the trip with my parents in Germany, in a cozy motorhome, making our way to Vienna for a few days, where we fulfilled my dad's dream of visiting the Spanish Riding School and watching the Lipizzan horses train, and spent a relaxing Easter weekend together, exploring the streets of Vienna.

Upon saying good-bye to my parents at the metro station in Vienna, I flew out to Athens, where I met Bryan at the airport, to embark upon our 10-day adventure through Athens, two Greek Islands, and on to Istanbul, with varying modes of boats and planes between each.  Greece was everything we had imagined it would be, as we've been dreaming about traveling to Greece ever since we moved to London.  Though Athens was a fairly unattractive city, showing the true signs of economic decline in Greece, the ruins of the Acropolis are still a sight to behold, and absolutely worth a stay in Athens.  Via ferry through the Aegean Sea, we visited the islands of Paros and Santorini, and they are every bit as picturesque as we had imagined, with pristine white homes, doors of every shade of green and blue you could imagine, and blue domed roofs, set with the sea in the background.  Following our relaxed week in Greece, we made our way to Istanbul, unsure really of what to expect, and found ourselves overwhelmingly impressed by the architecture dotting the skyline, and graciousness of the Turkish people we met.  Istanbul was phenomenal - modern yet antique, youthful yet traditional in so many ways, celebrating the endless tulips in full bloom and boasting an incredible array of handmade Turkish sweets.  We had the opportunity to take a boat up the Bosphorus, where we were able to look out on the Black Sea and step foot in Asia, thus marking the furthest east we traveled in the past 2 1/2 years!

Following Istanbul, we made our way to Dubrovnik, Croatia, where we reunited with my parents for a few days in Dubrovnik, and a week-long cruise through the southern Croatian islands on a small vintage fishing boat, weaving in and out of exceptionally quaint and still islands, docking in tiny harbors, and enjoying the quiet hum of the locals, beginning to slowly prepare for busier summer months.  Upon our return to Dubrovnik, we concluded our trip with a day's drive across the border into Montenegro, where we couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised by an absolutely idyllic coastline (even snapping a photo of a young couple on their wedding day, taking advantage of the scenery for their stunning photos).  We think the photos from this trip do more justice to the amazing places we visited, than we could possibly describe in words...

Vienna, Austria

Acropolis in Athens, Greece

Island of Paros, Greece

 

Small fishing village of Naoussa (Island of Paros), Greece

Perissa (Island of Santorini), Greece

Fira & Oia (Santorini), Greece

Istanbul, Turkey

Croatia

Montenegro

 A special thanks to my parents, who made for an excellent final adventure...the calm before the storm of moving home....

-B&B

"To travel is to live." - MC Anderson

From Royalty to Bananas

After being cooped up all morning working on my MFT continuing education units, in preparation for our return home, I decided to take advantage of the surprisingly glorious March sunshine and head for a run outside, to my absolute favorite part of this city, Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. As I jogged through the wild flower walk, yet to be in bloom, I began to reminisce and ponder. I wonder if there are any parks in San Francisco as nice as this. Will I ever love a park as much as I love this place? As I hugged the pathway near the Serpentine, I thought of Jen and I completing the Royal Parks half marathon walk a couple of years ago, and one glistening sepia photo from that day came to mind. Yes, there it is:

Perhaps that photo will need to be displayed in our house one day. I noticed the sign for the Serpentine (art) Gallery, with free admission. Would they let me in at the end of my run, hot and sweaty in my running clothes? Hmm, probably not the best idea. The Brits don't do that. Besides, I might not come back this way anyhow. Oh well, another day. As I continued on, swerving around the strollers, dogs, and geese, I noticed that the paddle-boats are available again, and thought happily of the day Bryan and I went paddle-boating in the Serpentine last summer. Oh, and the Lido Cafe just beside the Serpentine - still haven't made it there. Shoot. Probably overpriced anyway. Mmm...but the food sure smells good. Before I knew it, I had reached the end of Hyde Park, and fondly remembered the Kings of Leon concert that we listened to on the grass one summer, passing by the field on which Bryan used to play American football ages ago.

As I curved around the edge of the park, I began to have a think about what I might write in our very last blog, in a couple months time. I'd better write some of these ideas down when I get home from this run, lest I forget. How would the blog end? How would we say goodbye? Yes, that's sounding good...With the last few sentences of our final blog set in my mind, I returned to the present moment, noticing the way the sunshine was creating a hazy backdrop to the trees, still in stark winter dress. Why don't I have my camera? I hate when I don't have my camera. Look at everyone else taking pictures. I'll have to take some photos of my close friends in the next few weeks, during our final coffee and dinner dates. Maybe some crazy, fun photos too! Ooh, a collage would be cool. Reaching the corner by Queensway station, I remembered the chap who used to be out there selling roasted chestnuts some time ago. Hmm, when was the last time I saw him? Must be at least a year or so now. Hanging a left to run along inside Kensington Gardens, I saw signs for the Orangery, and thought longingly that I must find time for one more afternoon tea there before we leave. I love that place. When would I be able to go? Has Ruth been there before? Maybe she'd like to join me. Maybe this Sunday - no, we already have plans Sunday. Huh, I'll have to figure that out.

As I trotted along the wide center pathway, with the Round Pond up ahead on my left, and Kensington Palace up ahead on my right, I began to slow down, as police officers were guiding onlookers to one side of the path. I squinted my eyes in the sunlight. Why are all those guards standing outside the Palace? Wait, what day is it today? The new exhibition opens there on March 25. Is it the 25th already? No, not quite yet. Probably no big deal. This city is full of fancily-dressed guards standing at attention. What do they do anyway? Ok, there really are a lot of people standing here with cameras. What is everyone waiting to see? I came to a halt, found a slightly elevated patch of grass at the back of the crowd, shielded my eyes from the sun, and waited. I don't even know what I'm waiting to see. How long have all these people been standing here? Should I ask someone? No, I'll look like an idiot. I'll just wait. Suddenly, there was a loud round of applause that could be heard from just inside the palace doors, and a few people dressed in suits began to spill out. Are those reporters? Seriously, who are we waiting to see?! And then, out from the door on the left-hand side, emerged The Queen of England. Someone in the crowd shouted, "She's wearing purple!" There were a few cheers, and a lot of tourists trying to take long-distance photos with their cameras and phones. Damn it, why don't I have my camera?!?! I don't even have my bloody phone. Within seconds, her majesty had disappeared into a car, the third in a lineup just outside the palace. The police officers on motorcycles gave their bikes a good rev, and the cars jolted into motion. The crowd, with me at the back, began to wave simultaneously, aware that The Queen's car was just about to pass right in front of us, and a visual of the purple-clad lady in the back seat might be obtained. And then, just like in all the movies, she looked at the crowd, and waved, and the people around me erupted in laughter, cheers, and hasty photo-taking. Damn, I can't believe I don't have my camera. Unbelievable.

And just like that, it was over. The crowd dispersed, the police-led entourage of cars proceeded down the center pathway, and I started to jog in tow, heading home and in the same direction. I hope these standing police officers can tell I am obviously just on a jog, not trying to chase after the Queen. I wonder if I look threatening? What if I'm on the news, chasing down the Queen's car? I can't believe I saw the Queen, on a completely unplanned jog. What are the chances? And she waved! It's almost as if she was waving good-bye to me. Wait, she was, waving, good-bye, to me. In my final few weeks in London, I've seen the Queen, and she's waved good-bye. And as I approached the edge of Kensington Gardens, right around where I had started my jog about an hour prior, I was overcome with tears. Fully, within a matter of seconds, sobbing. It's really happening. We are leaving. Am I really crying about this now, in the park, on my jog? The Queen has just waved good-bye to me. What incredible timing. I stopped for a minute to collect myself, wiped my eyes, now burning with sunscreen, sweat, and tears, and looked back at the gardens, with rows and rows of daffodils in full bloom. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

I decided to walk the rest of the way home along High Street Kensington, contemplating my rather abrupt emotional outburst, seemingly brought on by a royal good-bye wave. I thought about the blog I would sit down to write tonight, so that I would never forget this moment. I know that a common byproduct of grief is fear. What if I forget all my memories from this chapter? Surely, someday, this 2 1/2 years will be a mere blip on the radar. I mustn't forget, but how can I make sure of it? Photos I guess. I'll always have Ruth. I won't forget, will I? I remember Jen saying that it was hard going home, lonely at times, isolated in her feelings. Bryan will understand, won't he? Look at all these people walking on the high street, having no idea that the Queen was just minutes away!

And just as I reached the grocery store, about a block away from home, I remembered that I needed to buy bananas. And yogurt. Funny life people lead in London, from royalty to bananas, just like that.

-B

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." - Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie

What Rain?

Having lived in London for over 2 years now, putting pins in our map and planning our next adventure, we have continuously put off traveling to Ireland for one main reason - weather, and finding the best time of year to risk the Irish rain. Well, two weeks ago, we did it - we finally went to Ireland, on a 4-day trip, equipped with our big sturdy umbrellas, our raincoats, and our boots...and somehow (I still can't believe it!), experienced only about 30 minutes of rain during our entire long weekend! So, to set the stage...Ireland in early March - sunny with mostly blue skies, a chilly wind and an occasional quick shower - opened our large umbrellas once, for about five minutes. It was absolutely incredible...like I said, I still can't believe the luck we had!

We arrived in Dublin on a Thursday evening, had a lovely dinner in the Temple Bar area of Dublin, and awoke Friday morning with very different plans for the day in Dublin...

Having coordinated with my former professor and boss at the University of San Diego (USD), I spent Friday with students and staff members from USD's Marital & Family Therapy Program (MFT) at a one-day conference at University College Dublin, where we collaborated with clinical psychology students from Dublin during three professional seminars about various topics related to the counseling/therapy profession. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet current students in the program at USD (making me quite nostalgic for the USD job I left behind when we moved to London!), and to reconnect professionally with topics relevant to my field. Following the conference, Bryan and I wandered around Dublin's city center, which is really a young, energetic, slightly off-beat and edgy university town, enjoyed a sunset over the Ha'Penny Bridge, and later joined up with the staff members from USD for dinner and drinks, which was a lovely, low-key catch-up and brilliant end to my day in Dublin! -B

At the Ha'Penny Bridge, Dublin

After kissing my beautiful fiance goodbye for the day, I threw my backpack on and headed out to discover what Dublin had to offer, on a surprisingly beautiful day. My first stop was to the Guinness Brewery, which was quite impressive. It was a 5-story tour, including a great historical account of how Guinness was discovered, the brewing process explaining its rich color and unique taste (hint: roasted barley and lots of hops), the fact that they source all of their ingredients locally and employ a large percentage of Dublin, and then concluded not only with a complimentary tasting lesson of a quarter-pint, but a fresh full pint as well in their sky bar (taking the official 119 seconds to pour), with a 360 degree view of the entire city. While I enjoyed my pint, I made friends with a local Dubliner and his mate from Brazil, and we compared European beers to US beers - sidenote...while the famous US light beers were an afterthought, they did surprisingly think US microbrews beat many European beers.
I bid them farewell and headed to my next stop....the Jameson Distillery. However, I was starved since it was almost 2pm at this point...not realising I had spent almost 3 hours at the Brewery (well done Guinness marketing). The Distillery was by guided tour only, and I had about an hour until the next one, so I enjoyed a nice lunch in their cafe - irish soda bread topped with fresh crab and lox, accompanied by a glass of their house red wine...deeelish. I finished just in time for the tour to begin and was chosen as 1 of 8 people, out of about 30, to partake in the whiskey tasting at the end of the tour. To be honest, the tour was a bit disappointing. It was only about 30 mins long and not very informative, though I did learn that Jameson is distilled 3 times compared to twice for most Scotch, and just once for many Bourbons. The tasting made up for the poor tour however, where I was able to compare Jameson to Johnny Walker (much smokier) to Jack Daniels (much sweeter). Sure enough, I made some more friends, but this time they were from Northern California...small world. By then it was time to meet up with Brandina, so I bought her some Jameson-infused chocolate and headed back to our hotel. - B


After our day in Dublin, we set off (together!) on Saturday morning via coach for Galway, having been told by a number of people that a real trip to Ireland requires getting outside of Dublin, to experience the countryside and the sea. We spent the entire weekend in Galway, where we stumbled upon a fantastic seaside cafe, boasting only locally-grown and sustainable food (we enjoyed it so much we had both lunch and dinner there one day - and yes they did recognise us), enjoyed the medieval layout of the small town, perused the local markets, and listened to traditional Irish pub music in the evening. On Sunday, we joined a bus tour bound for the Cliffs of Moher, stopping along the way for a hike in the Burren mountains at a local Irish family farm, having lunch in a small fishing village, and again, literally enjoying the most amazing Irish landscapes with sun and blue skies. It really was phenomenal. Sensing a theme here? I know, like I said, I still can't get over the weather we had! Interestingly enough, we did experience about 10 minutes of a sleet/snow storm whilst on the bus to the Cliffs, but by the time we arrived, all signs of winter had passed.

On the farm, set in the Burren mountains

At the Cliffs of Moher

Heading home, via the coastal route

The bus tour finished with a coastal drive back to Galway, where we rounded out the weekend back at our lovely little B&B...on a street seemingly designed just for us :).

-B&B

"May you live all the days of your life". - Jonathan Swift, Irish satirist and poet

The Beginning of the End...

Yup, that's right. This past weekend, we've entered what can only be described as the beginning of the end, the end of our chapter in London that is.

Perhaps a timeline of events would be most helpful here...

• February 25th-26th: moved out of our flat in Hammersmith, and moved in with Bryan's cousins for the month of March (so, so generous of them!)
  
• March: Live with Bryan's cousins (Lori, Marlin, and son Thomas), soak up our last month in London, including a 4-day trip to Dublin & Galway, a leaving dinner and drinks (or a 'Leave-Do' as they call it here) towards the end of the month, a weekend visit from some California friends (who've just moved to Germany), and squeezing in a few final tourist attractions
  
• April: Our grand finale, 3-week trip; Brandina to join her parents for 3 days at the beginning of their motor-home adventure in Germany, then off to meet Bryan in Greece, Istanbul, and Croatia
  
• April 29th-30th: Return to London for a final re-pack of our bags, and a few very sad & dreaded good-byes
  
• May 2nd: Board a plane, destination San Francisco, California....with one-way tickets.

So, just after New Years, in preparation for all of the above, we began the formation of two documents - "The Epic List" and "The Great Purge." The Epic List, as you might imagine, is everything that needs to be done between January - August 2012...and it's a long one, including everything that goes into leaving London, traveling, moving back to California, planning a wedding, and everything in between...3 pages, single-spaced, organized to the nines, and overwhelming as anything. It is truly massive, rather intimidating (haha, especially when it includes line-items like "find a place to live", as if that's a simple task!) and gets amended (both ticked off and added to, I'm afraid) on a regular basis.

The Great Purge, on the other hand, is a list of everything we've accumulated here in London that won't be making the trip back to California. From a television, to endless amounts of baskets, a granny shopping trolley, extension cords, a printer, a bed frame, and loads of other items. The process of selling and donating these items has been a month-long project, involving several exchanges of hand-me-down goods with our friends over lovely breakfast and dinner dates, as well as a few craigslist postings, and charity shop drops. It's been exhausting, to say the least, but successful nevertheless. We've given some our favorite things to wonderful homes, and continued the cycle of international hand-me-downs, oh so common in this city.

So, as you may remember, we arrived in London in October 2009, with 2 carry-on bags each, and 5 check-in bags total. Having just packed up all of our belongings over the past month, selling and donating loads of goods, and packing up all our clothes, souvenirs, art, books, and wedding crafts, it looks as if we will be leaving London with 2 carry-on bags each, and 9 check-in bags total. So, after two years, we've added 4 bags...for better or for worse :). At least, that's what we schlepped to Marlin & Lori's house on Sunday! It was a very, very surreal moment, pulling up to their house in a fully-packed car, just like we did when we first arrived from the airport in London, wide-eyed and inexperienced, but determined to have a go at this adventure, determined to give everything we had to make it work. So, 2 years and 4 months later, we've come full circle - all moved back in to their guest room, where we will spend the next month living partially out of suitcases, but in great company, and exceptionally grateful for their hospitality! In fact, just a few days ago, we realized that we will be spending the next 3 months living partially (at times fully) out of suitcases, until we've found a place to live in San Francisco, and settled in. All part of the transition process....think I might raise a glass of wine to this realization tonight!

Right then, so how are we feeling about having entered the beginning of the end? Bittersweet, most definitely. Bryan is a bit more ready to make the transition than I am, perhaps because I will be leaving some very, very close friends behind (I tear up just thinking about it actually, and I absolutely have not yet come to terms with it, if I'm completely honest). I vacillate regularly between excitedly looking ahead at our prospects in San Francisco, updating my resume, planning our upcoming wedding, preparing for friends' weddings this summer, seeing family, and imagining our lives Stateside again....to feeling completely distraught about leaving this city, saying goodbye to some very special people, people who have changed my life in so many ways, and accepting the fact that, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end sometime. I think I speak for us both when I say that living in London has far surpassed any expectations we had when we began to apply for our visas, but that being said, we have a very exciting chapter ahead, hence the sweet. We are so very excited to reconnect with friends and family that we've only seen on an annual basis at best, over the past few years, look forward to calling San Francisco home, and continue to excitedly plan our wedding, which is only 172 days away (!!!).

So, that's where we are at the moment, in the beginning of the end of this chapter. It's scary, sad, overwhelming, exciting, fun, and frustrating at different times...occasionally all at the same time. A special, huge thanks to everyone that has already been so helpful as we've begun this transition, and to everyone that's offered to help with various parts of The Epic List. We couldn't have done the past 2 years without your support...and certainly couldn't face the next 6 months without it either. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thanks ever so much.

-B&B

"Oh love, you're just going to be further away, not leaving for good. Plus, I get to see where you live...So I can imagine you there too. It's a new and exciting phase." - My dear friend Ruth

An Urban Art Hunt

Having recently read an article in the EasyJet inflight magazine about the city of Bristol, famed for its street art and recent completion of the See No Evil project on Nelson Street, we decided we couldn't pass up the opportunity for a short day-trip outside of London, all in the name of art. Unfortunately, Bryan had to work all weekend, so I hopped on the train to Bristol solo, and went on an urban art hunt (and for those of you who know me well, you know this is right up my alley, and an excursion I had no trouble enjoying on my own!)...

Despite being quite cold, the sun was shining bright, the skies were clear and blue, and the art and culture of Bristol did not disappoint. Nelson Street was absolutely brilliant, an entire street of building facades largely covered in quite impressive graffiti, as part of an internationally-acclaimed project that took place last summer in Bristol, involving street artists from all over the world, who met in Bristol to beautify an otherwise rather drab street. I just love the idea of giving street artists an opportunity to legally express their creativity and incredible talent, in a university town booming with culture and diversity, on a permanent project supported by the city (!!!), designed specifically for the beautification of a local street. It really just screams progression, passion, and appreciation of the arts. The photos below don't really do the project justice, given how difficult it is to capture the incredible size of this street art...but here are a few of my favorites:

Following my tour down Nelson Street, I browsed a small antiques market in the Old City, perused dozens of vintage fashion shops, street market tables, and pop-up art galleries (galleries literally thrown together in a vacant space, accepting cash only, and boasting the artistic and creative works of local residents and artists) in various pockets of the city, from the central high streets to the harborside. I meandered through the Arnolfini contemporary arts center, currently dedicated to the exploration of the importance of museums in modern society. Bristol is a fascinating mecca of young and old, clearly dedicated to all the things art, from theater, to graffiti, to handmade jewelery and baked goods, boasting buyers and sellers from many walks of life, meeting in a flourishing university town. It's both vintage and fresh, a tribute to young minds, individual expression, and local community, bolstered by an exceptional university, a grand cathedral, and a history shaped by its proximity to the sea. Very, very unique indeed. I finished the day with a short bus ride to Clifton Village, to hike up the hillside for a view of the city and the incredible Avon Gorge, connected by the vast Clifton Suspension Bridge, sparkling in the crisp February sun light.

Went on an art hunt, definitely caught a big one...around the streets, over the river, up the hill, through the old city, back on the train...aaaand home.

-B

“Nothing in the world is more common than unsuccessful people with talent, leave the house before you find something worth staying in for. ” — Banksy, Bristol-based street artist

Portals to the Past

This Saturday, we took advantage of £5 tickets on Chiltern Railways, and embarked on a day trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace and home of William Shakespeare. Graced with absolutely gorgeous January weather (albeit quite cold, but beautifully sunny), we bumbled along on a self-guided historical walking tour of the town, ate lunch at Vintner Cafe Wine Bar, housed in a building dating back to 1492, and visited three of the town's homes associated with the Shakespeare family, including Shakespeare's childhood home, parts of which still contain the original stone flooring! Settled on the River Avon, Stratford is about as charmingly historical as an old English town can be. The streets are lined with old-world facades, with architecture steeped in both documented tradition and historical speculation, several buildings claiming supposed ties to the life and family of the famous playwright. Modern businesses and cafes have nestled into buildings with original door frames and stone-laid floors, allowing visitors to very easily imagine life during the Elizabethan era in England. As evidenced by the majority of photos taken during our day, the town boasts many, many unique and enchanting portals to the past....


-B&B

"What's past is prologue." - William Shakespeare

A BBC Retraction

Hi all! It has come to our attention, by a very devoted reader, that the quote from our most recent "Holiday Happenings" blog is a repeat, from our New Years blog 2 years ago. We do apologise for this unfortunate oversight, and hope that we have not disappointed too many of you. :)

Thus, we would like to offer the following quote instead....

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot." - Michael Altshuler

-B&B