Chocolate Treat

What does any smart man bring home after a week away?

 What shape does a special chocolate treat come in?

A cockroach.  Of course.

A perfectly crushed cockroach. As all cockroaches should be.

A perfectly crushed cockroach with chocolates stuffed inside.  Amazing chocolates.

Amazing chocolates I didn't have to share (but did).

And a perfect treat during a morning game of chess with Jonathon.

Travel Tip: Amman-Petra-Dead Sea-Amman is too much for one day.

A friend of ours from our time in Chennai came for a visit.  She's currently serving in a UT and takes breaks as often as she is allowed, and I don't blame her.  Places to be outside, walk around, Jordan has them.  The one thing she said she really wanted to do was Petra, and for good measure we encouraged her to stay overnight at the Dead Sea as well.  Two birds and all that.  What I don't suggest is trying to do it all in one day.

I do encourage a visit to Petra in the winter/spring, during a week day, before noon and after 3 p.m.  There were times we were the only people visible and audible in the Siq.

It's fabulous for more than absorbing the vastness of the Siq and Petra in general, because without people shuffling along in front of and behind you, pushing you along to take a quick snap here and there trying to get an angle without folks traipsing through... you see some very cool stuff.

And every time you go, the sun is a little brighter or perhaps hazed over, the time of day is an hour off from your last visit, the sky is a little bluer or a little yellower, the rays cast new shadow angles.  You walk down the trail in the middle this time, or maybe the side.  Any way and time you go, it's a place that can be visited and revisited time and again without boredom.

And Petra has really cute, friendly cats.  This little girl was very thirsty so we shared a drink during our break in front of the Treasury.

Further into the Nabatean city (fewer tombs, more paved road and excavated buildings), take the stairs on the left up to the Brown University excavation of a temple.  Next time perhaps we'll take the path on the right up to the Byzantine church, but this was the temple's turn.  A little lady was very persistent in wanting to sell her trinkets and ancient coins.  A little too persistent as she followed us around a bit, then after retreating back to her mat spent more time just yelling her requests to come see her items.  Kelly explored a little further in the temple while I took the time to sit and soak in the sights, and rest my weary feet.

I wore the wrong shoes and my feet did not let me forget it for a moment.  Multiple trips and near ankle twists and for several hours I simply gritted my teeth and pushed on.  It's not like there's a Timberland outlet cave stall.

The challenge of Petra, for those who dare, is the Monastery.  Before our first visit we assumed that Petra was the Treasury (no, we didn't really read up, however we were not alone in that mistake). Yes, the Siq is gorgeous and the Treasury is a work of art.  But there's so much more beyond.  It takes a couple hours of slow and steady walking to reach as far as the restaurant at the "end."  There's no fast walking, not with the uneven ground, the stones, the sand, the old road... a slow and steady plod gets you there, with stops for photos of course.  But at the "end" you have the decision whether to continue on to the Monastery or to turn around for the 2+ hours back.  Remember all that sand on the way down is still there for the way back.  And the entire return trip, all several kilometers, is uphill.  It's tiring.

But, well, you can keep going anyway, knowing you'll add a significant chunk of time to your visit with another kilometer or two and roughly 800 steps upward.  The Monastery is worth it, just take your time.  There was no crowd to fight against, so we didn't worry about taking 5 steps and taking a break, then another 4 and taking a break.  Do watch out for the donkeys. As sure footed as they are, the most you can hope for is not careening off the side into a canyon.  They still slip and jostle and miss steps as they bound up and down the hillside. Some portions have average steps, other portions are so worn that it's more slide-like than stair-like and takes full attention both up and down.

Go ahead and tell me it's not awesomely impressive.  It's cut in one piece from a single rock face.  We made it, and sank into a couch at the Monastery cafe.  Kelly was so kind and bought both of us a drink and a sandwich.  Considering we left Amman with coffee and tea in hand at 8:45 a.m., stopped for a few minutes in front of the Treasury for a water/oranges/crackers snack, and reached the Monastery at 3:30 p.m., we were due for some sustenance and rest.

We took a couple of silly photos to prove
we were both there.

The climb and descent offer amazing views.  The grandeur is there.  Not the Grand Canyon sort of grandeur, I haven't seen anything yet that matches the Grand Canyon, but the beauty of Wadi Mousa in general and Petra in particular is inarguable. The skies are often a shocking blue, the rocks vary from deep red to gold and white, and even streaks of blue can be found.  There's no doubting that when you look at these hills and valleys you see history far deeper than carvings and etchings.  With upheavals from earthquakes and weathering from wind and water, sliding a hand along the gentle curves of the Siq connect you directly to history a million years old.  A rock casually kicked aside (or tripped over in my case) has strata formed by millions of tons of pressure.  A little rubbing with a touch of oil (happened to have some sunscreen on my hands) and the rock practically glows.

Man made is awesome.  Nature made is spectacular.  I honestly am looking forward to going back and seeing what else we can "discover."

But next time with the proper shoes.

A 20-degree change

Let bunny take the wheel.

A change of scenery was desperately needed for the family.  Since our trip in January we haven't left Amman and while I really, really love living here, sometimes you just need to get out of the house, out of the Embassy, and out of the city.  Ian has had a rough few weeks and even has visitors this week in his office, but I really didn't want to skip town without him.  That means leaving later than I anticipated.  But on the flip side, where I thought we'd have to come back early today he actually took the day off so we could stay as long as we wanted.  Shorter on one end and longer on the other and we all got to take a break from the norm.

A nicer beach than the Movenpick, for sure.

We tried out the Holiday Inn, primarily because the Marriott and Movenpick are so expensive and we were booking last minute, not knowing if Ian would even make it. The folks at the front desk were a little surprised we were there, commenting that "Usually the American Embassy people stay at the Marriott."  It's true.

It's a resort all on its own, the other resorts can be seen further down the coast but the Holiday Inn has public land on either side.  It's a smaller resort with several pools, a small spa, a few restaurants, a snack bar, and an artificially created beach that is partially under construction.  The rooms are nice and can sleep 3 with a king and a couch bed.  The WiFi is free.  The minibar contents are complimentary.  A complimentary minibar makes any hotel 5-star with my kids.  

We had temps in the 80s with a cool breeze.

Actually, when we arrived, everything was quiet as it was later than I hoped and the beach and pools close at dusk.  We also remembered, too late, that a board game is always a good idea.  Next time, Scrabble or Ticket to Ride, Tsuro or Monopoly Deal.  Or all the above.  The lobby has great seating with huge square tables perfect for a TableTop night.

But we didn't.  We had a late dinner after exploring the resort (for those who are curious about the buffet: 11 and under eat free, 12-18 are at 50%), sent 3/4 kids off to their room, then watched the Caps-Lightning game instead.  Free WiFi!  Ok, I passed out since I knew the ending, but still.  Free Wifi!

At first thought it was salt...

Today was our day to enjoy the Dead Sea.  Rebecca and Katherine came down this way early in the school year with their classes.  Jonathon too.  Ian and I came down for a day away, one of those special days the Embassy is off for a U.S. holiday but the school is busy teaching.  Nicholas had never been.  Honestly, the one time we'd gone it was pretty hot, the food was OK, and the flies were atrocious.  It was good to say we'd gone, but not a very memorable time.

This time was different.  Sadly, staying at a hotel is one of our fun things to do.  I guess we're spoiled like that.

This is just some weird sweetener.

Oh right... breakfast is included with the room too.  The buffet breakfast didn't compare to Movenpick's, it was far smaller and much more basic, but again, Holiday Inn is a functional hotel and the breakfast is plenty functional.

On top of sleeping in a hotel and free minibar contents, a buffet breakfast tops my kids' list of awesome fun things.  Ah, buffet breakfast.  If it has an omelet station even better, and a waffle station?  The best.

I still don't know what's in the yellow packet.  Something sweet and corn based.

Unlike this stuff, which is so fresh and real we looked at it and had no idea what to do with it.  Clearly you cut a chunk off and then... what? I told the kids you're supposed to milk it with your hands.  I'm sure that's right.  It wasn't next to the tea or the pancakes, but it was next to the Middle Eastern foods, but not the Middle Eastern desserts.  Maybe it's a snack just as it is.

I'll continue to ponder on my own time.

Of course the big attractions at the Dead Sea are not the sweeteners but the sea and the mud with the floating and the salt.  The Dead Sea will helpfully point out every nick, cut, and scratch on every millimeter of your skin. The salt gets on your lips and in your eyes and into every crevice. Mud offers a little protection, and lots of minerals and such, until it runs off.  I think I read somewhere that staying in the water for a long time isn't recommended due to high levels of certain minerals.  Well, if nothing else, you get dehydrated fast, so there's that.  

After the mud runs off then the oily, slick sensation takes over and sticks until a shower cleans it all up. In the end it's actually kind of gross and painful, in a fun and mucky sort of way.  After about 45 minutes everyone was out and ready to hit the pool.  After the room, the minibar, the breakfast buffet... the pool.  Any hotel, whether it's by the remote Dead Sea or in the middle of Washington D.C. is better when it has a pool.  Or three.  Or five.  Or more.  One of the reasons so many families pick the Marriott is for the large number of pools, one with a slide or two.

If you have kids, you know the power of the swimming pool.   If you're a parent you know the power of the hot tub.

If you have teen girls, you have no idea what goes on in their heads but you humor them anyway.

And if you're a mom with 4 kids with a husband who is with them all in the hot tub, your view should involve your toes and a Kindle.

From the girls' room.

Even if there is but a single day to renew and rejuvenate, enjoy it.  Who am I kidding, if there are 10 minutes to renew and rejuvenate, enjoy it.

No one recommended the Holiday Inn to us, but I'm going to recommend it now.  No, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but the rooms are comfortable, the food is simple, the service is decent.  It's a nice place to stay, affordable, and honestly, the size is attractive.  There aren't a thousand places to eat or wander, nor is it a country mile hike to reach the water.  There's a lot to love about the Holiday Inn and I get the feeling we'll go back.

The hotel across the street.  Just because.

We're home, we're happy and...

Boy do we have a story to share. Hopefully I'll have it up this evening (our time). I've been watching the election coverage as I put the page together, so if there's a typo, blame CNN.

UPDATE: Under the photo of the Taj is a link to our journal with photos of our trip. Enjoy!

Here in Chennai

We made it to Chennai last night, all bags arrived and met at the airport. The house is very nice -- big, and the kids slept a bit. I'm here at work, logging in for the first time to check in. The Consulate is a very nice building -- the consular section is large, reminds me of Manila's NIV section. We went to see the school this morning, and met with the counselor there. All the kids know more about their classes, and are excited to start on Tuesday. I'll hopefully get the laptop fixed this weekend and get Internet access, so we hope to check in sometime over the weekend.

Back in the First World

We're now in the business class lounge of Frankfurt Airport, with another 3 hours to go or so before our flight takes off for Chennai. No more mishaps, although I did have to wait quite a while for this computer to be free. With our laptop problem, I'm carrying around a 10-pound paperweight. Nevertheless, all of us slept at least some on the last flight, so we should be OK for India. We don't know when we'll have access after this, although we'll probably be able to get on by the weekend.

In Accra...

Here we are at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra, which isn't nearly as cheesy as it sounds. It's actually quite a nice hotel. The rooms are very clean, and the place kind of looks like an airport. It's very close to the airport itself, and it even has wireless Internet access. But we're in the business center. Because....

my laptop died last night. It seems the backlight on the monitor went out, so while the computer works, you can't see anything. That's a problem for a laptop. So we thought that it would be our one glitch. Then came this morning, when we drove to Accra. The Embassy van had terrible suspension, the roads were horrible, and the driving wasn't much better. While trying to miss the potholes, the driver managed to hit part of every one. The bumping around made everyone somewhat nauseous, but Katherine more than most. We pulled off on the side of the road so she could yak. Some people offered some water, and we got back on the road, with only her dignity hurt.
This is just a day room, so we plan to have lunch, then hang out for a while until 5 p.m., when we expect the pickup from the Embassy Accra driver and expeditor to the airport. We lift off at 7 p.m. After a (hopefully brief) touchdown in Lagos, we'll be in Frankfurt. We've got several hours there, so we'll check in again.

Yes, I'm fine

Though it did change my plans quite a bit. We had intended to go to those market areas that got bombed, but we (myself and a friend from Manila now serving here) decided not to as soon as the bombings started in the morning. We stayed near the Old Airport area, which includes her house and the international school. There were some traffic jams apparently caused by the bombings and ensuing unrest, but that's as close as we got to the problems. I'm not left with a whole lot of birr, because I didn't get to do shopping.

Conference over

The consular conference is over, and I'm here for another day...

Most people are staying for a few extra days for travel in country. Some went on a city tour this morning; others are doing a city tour, then visiting an underground church about 45 minutes south of Addis. One's staying for a whole other week, and still others are going to make their way north to a city with over 40 distinct churches and on to Eritrea. They're going to have to fly through a third country, because of the ongoing conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
I'm sticking around the hotel for the morning, because in the afternoon I'll be meeting up with a friend from Manila for a tour.
I'm impressed by Addis. It's obviously poor, but there's a lot of money here too. The Sheraton is almost surreal in its relative opulence, and there are a fair number of other tall buildings, and a couple new skyscrapers. Many nice restaurants, but Lome has some too. The difference here is that these are busy.. and not just with expats, but Ethiopians. The division of wealth is no doubt huge, with no real middle class, but there is money coming in. That's a start.
The climate is great.. the sun is strong, but the city is almost 9,000 feet up. It's nice and cool, making it actually comfortable to walk around. There are lots of grocery stores, and the roads are in passable shape. Traffic is bad, but that seems to be an effect of the money coming in. The Embassy is on a large compound that looks like a college campus. Lots of trees, many different buildings, and about 10 houses. There's also houses near the old airport, the new airport, and elsewhere.
Bottom line, I'm trying to keep an open mind about AF -- it all isn't like Togo.

Greetings from Ethiopia

As not fun as it was, the Ethiopian Airlines flight did leave Dakar about 18 hours late, stopped in Abidjan, picked me up in Lome, and I'm here at the Sheraton Addis Ababa.

The Addis airport, Bole International, is about 3 years old and very nice looking. It kind of reminds me of Dulles, but a lot smaller. I got my visa on entry, which wasn't as much of a hassle as I expected. I had warned the Embassy that I was late, so their expeditor was there to meet me.
I got to the hotel (which is also the site of the consular conference I'm attending) at about 3:00 pm, so I missed almost the entire first day of the conference. There's a dinner out tonight, so I'm set for that. Changed, got a new stack of money that I don't recognize (Ethiopian Birr, about 8 to the dollar and really tiny. It looks the most like Monopoly money I've seen.)
At the hotel, after being disappointed that my wireless connection didn't find anything, I asked the front desk. They offer their own dial-up, which is good enough for e-mail. Now I'm flipping through channels. I just stopped on Al Jazeera. Their tech guy likes the newest Harry Potter video game.. I never considered that Al Jazeera does "hey look, we're cool too" tech stories like CNN. Then they showed a promo for a story on Guantanamo Bay. It didn't look real positive.
By the way, I wasn't the only person that missed the first day. Somebody else traveling from Embassy Dakar was on the same flight as me, and she started earlier (not to mention stopping in Abidjan and Lome), so I guess it could have been worse. Either way, flying horizontally through Africa just isn't a good idea.

Up up and Away.

Ian is on his way to Ethiopia.

He was picked up Sunday morning about 9:30 a.m. to catch an Ethiopian Air flight to Addis Ababa. The duty driver and expediter brought him to the airport where he checked his bag, received his boarding pass and then was told his flight (coming from Dakar, Senegal with a stop in Abidjan, Ivory Coast) hadn't actually left Dakar yet. The last we heard, the pilot decided there weren't enough people on board and was going to wait for more to show up.
Ian came home.
At 12:15 he was picked up again... there was another flight.
By 2 p.m. he was home again. Sure, there was a plane on the ground, but it was going the other way. And what about rumblings of a flight from Ghana stopping in Lome' before departing to Addis? The pilot decided he didn't want to stop in Lome'.
If you're like us you're wondering about flight plans, and when pilots got the power to decide where and when to stop for passengers, and how many passengers need to be on board before initiating a scheduled flight. Those folks had connecting flights in other countries too, I wonder what they thought waiting around for phantom last minute flyers desperate to get to Ethiopia.
Later yesterday evening, the expediter called and said a flight would leave at 5:30 a.m. this morning. Ian dutifully rose at 4 a.m. and I haven't seen him since.
He's either on his way to Addis or asleep on the luggage carousel.

Welcome to May

May did not start off well. It has been a very difficult week, centering on Katherine and school.

But until I have any sort of resolution regarding that, I figured it's time to write up our Ghana trip, so here it is.



Since we went over spring break/Easter weekend, the kids were off school and we could leave on our trip as soon as Ian got home from early-release Friday. My biggest worry was getting across the border but Ian handled it like a pro, visiting the half dozen windows and getting stamps x6. We were through the border town Aflao and on our way an hour after we left the house. We passed the huge termite mounds, the Ostrich Farm, the seemingly well-provided for country hospital, the pot market (as in clay pots, not the other kind), through towns with cross walks and speed bumps and too many shake-down spots. Normally a cause for a rush of nerves and a wave of anxiety, but since I’d done this trip once before and our Embassy driver not only drove through them but barely slowed in the process, I told Ian to do the same. The driving was easy. Only one point, where Ian tried to pass an 18-wheeler directly into on-coming traffic, did we have any problem. We slowed to fall back behind the truck but there really wasn’t enough time. We were duly impressed when the folks we were heading towards slowed down also, allowing us the couple extra seconds we needed to get out of their lane. Once we crossed the river bridge at Sogakope, the road changed to a newly paved 4 lane divided highway. It was bliss. While we didn’t reach the 100mph the Embassy drivers seem so fond of, flying along between 60 and 70mph was cleansing.
We used an amazing map, borrowed from the CLO but I’d also paid enough attention during February’s trip to sense if we were heading the right way. With that, combined with proper street signs and working stoplights that were –heeded-, we found our hotel on the Accra beachside with no problem.
The La Palme Beach Hotel is huge, lovely and seemingly well-run. We had 2 adjoining rooms in a separate round bungalow. There were six other rooms in the bungalow for other guests as well. Through a lawn and along the beach was a path to the main resort with its huge sectioned pool and several restaurants. There’s even a gelateria with decent gelato.
It’s only a three hour trip from Lomé to Accra, but the kids were more than ready to go swimming. Cooled off and cleaned up, we were the first to the on-site Japanese Tepanyaki restaurant. At dinnertime there’s nothing kids like more than watching the food preparation, especially when it involves bursts of flames.
The kids went to bed without a problem. Two twins in one room for Ian and I, while the kids shared the king bed laying crosswise like sardines. After the second night they were very ready for their own beds at home, but it worked in a pinch.
Saturday we all went swimming after enjoying a poolside breakfast and before visiting the dentist. The dentist has a home clinic, clean and well-stocked, complete with four assistants. His prices were American, but we feel that the care he offered was worth it. After an x-ray confirmed Katherine’s adult tooth is coming in nicely, her nearly abscessed baby tooth was pulled. She can now where her new Gap shirt. The dentist also discovered the sealant work done in Manila is cracking. When we return in the fall, it will be repaired. Then it was Rebecca’s turn in the chair. The gray line on one tooth was a cracked filling, also from Manila. That too was repaired. Both girls had their teeth cleaned. The boys each had check-ups: Nicholas is doing great, Jonathon needs to brush for longer. That’s where the new Firefly toothbrushes come in. My parents sent some for the boys and I got additional ones for the girls. Press the handle and the toothbrush blinks for a minute telling the kids to keep on brushing. Jonathon was told to press his Firefly twice at each brushing.
While the girls were in the chair, the boys and I played Go Fish, Crazy Eights and I Spy to stay occupied for the 2 ½ hours. It’s not like the assistants said hello, much less offered any sort of diversion. It was almost eery how silent the place was. But we’ll be back during fall break to finish up the work that needs to be done on all of us.
Relieved that Katherine was no longer in pain, though she couldn’t speak well and was a little drooly after the Novocain, we made our way to the Embassy commissary. It’s a spot of paradise in our book with freezers full of US grade meats and ice cream, and shelves of cereals, lunchables, nachos, and M&Ms, the kids were like, well, kids in a candy store. Ian and I were no better. We treated ourselves to a trunk full of treats. Even better, there are discussions going on of forming a Co-op with Embassy Lomé once we’re in the new building. There is commissary space allotted in the compound and we’d put in regular orders from Accra to keep our own store going. Wouldn’t that be sweet? Speaking of food, we’re due to put together the remainder of our consumables order. Our first attempt was more difficult than it should have been that we’re a touch nervous about it. We’ve learned Peapod by Giant no longer does diplomatic orders so we’ll do this one through ELSO and perhaps it will get here the first time and quicker overall.
Well past lunch time, we returned to our hotel with our goodies. All the restaurants but the Ghanaian Village were done with serving lunch, so we sat outside by the beach (well, not by the beach, as there’s a fence and a drop to actually reach the sand, but we could see the waves) and waited what felt like forever for our food. Katherine was stuck with soft foods so she opted for soup. Note to self: peanut soups are always spicy.
We had a rest period in our rooms before joining Simon and Jill (third tour) at their home for a BBQ. Simon had been to our Embassy a few months back on a small exchange, so his family invited us to spend the evening with them. Their two bunnies were the hit of the evening with our kids and the kids also spent a lot of time playing in the toy wonderland of Elizabeth and Henry’s room. The most striking thing about their home is the colors on their walls. Jill has painted just about every room, from deep red in the dining room to the flowers and bugs in the kids’ room. Her work really made the house feel homey and for three years in one place it might well be worth the time and expense. I guess my biggest issue with painting is that typically the Embassy asks for everything to be returned to original white before you leave post.
After a very nice evening commiserating about the difficulties of West Africa (they have water trucked to their home several times a week and the generator works overtime) and sharing some perspective (“Oh, you think that’s bad, we don’t….”) we promised to visit again in the fall. We’ll be bidding from the same list, and it’s always interesting to see which places folks pick and why.
The next day was Easter Sunday, so we dressed up, had our poolside breakfast and attended Mass at the Nunciature, aka the Embassy of the Holy See. The kids and I had missed going to Mass, so it was nice to participate in a low-key, English, familiar service. Ian had the opportunity to chat with the Papal Nuncio after Mass.
Our time in Ghana was done. After a quick poolside lunch, we packed up the car and drove out of town. The drive was uneventful, Jonathon slept most of the way and the border was hassle-free. We weren’t thrilled to re-enter Lomé with its bazillion motos and poor roads, but we were home and having that feeling that we were glad to be back in our house was worth quite a bit. Contentment, no matter how brief, refreshes the mind and soul.
Of course, we’d locked ourselves out of the house (a deadbolt had slipped partway into place) which erased some of the good feeling, but after much sweat and a little cursing, we yanked the door open. The kids had gone swimming during our effort, and once we were inside, all was well and back to normal.

Success!!

Our actual travel plans are all set for R&R. With a mix of flying, busing (bussing?) and boating, we're going to get where we need to go. I'm psyched. Now is the easy part... deciding what fun stuff to do in each city. Ian wants to bungy jump but I haven't found an easily accessible place for natural bungy, as opposed to off a crane or something in the middle of town. If you're going to plummet you might as well have a nice view on the way down, right? We'll be visiting castles and forts, churches and parks. Basically, anything that involves walking for hours outdoors is fair game. I'm still seeking adventure as well. Anyone have recommendations for Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius? Remember, we're a family of 6, the youngest being 4 (almost 5 by then) so we prefer activities we can all do. Unless it's something really cool like zorbing, then the littles can just sit and watch. Hee.

That Time Again

It’s that time again, time to plan our R&R trip.

We have several ideas tossing around our collective heads. The one we’ve considered the longest is heading to Italy, though now we’ve also begun considering Norway, Finland, or Scotland. We’re planning to head out early June and travel for about 3 weeks. What we want is a relatively family-friendly itinerary.



Since every place has Pros&Cons, the only way to decide is to make a list.
Italy:
Pros: Rome! Pompeii! Venice! No matter where you start or which direction you go, there are amazing things to see, do and most importantly eat.
Cons: The summers are getting worse in Europe, and we’re really going to need someplace with a different temperature than Togo. The cost of staying in Italy is fear-inspiring. Starting in Rome means heading North or South, not both. There’s that language thing too.
Norway:
Pros: Definitely cooler than Togo with average June temperatures about 17C. Fjords!
Cons: Again with the language. Same concerns with the cost.
Finland:
Pros: See Norway. But also, we don’t know anyone who’s been to Finland, and it’s somewhere, well, not everyone goes. Which would be great! There’s a cool castle outside Helsinki that looks like fun.
Cons: See Norway.
Ireland:
Pros: I’ve never been. No language problem, well, not really. Not too bad… right? We might even find a leprechaun in the Emerald Isle.
Cons: There are cons to visiting Ireland?
Scotland:
Pros: It’s gorgeous, and who wouldn’t want to tool around Scotland?
Cons: I’ve been to Scotland already. Haggas.
But those are all just fun ideas at this point. What we’ve really been considering and thinking about and hammering through is this:
Fly to Helsinki, Finland
Ferry to Tallinn, Estonia
Train through (stops along the way) Latvia and Lithuania
End up in Poland
See Warsaw and Krakow
Fly home
There’s a chance we’ll meet up with my parents. We might be able to convince Jeff to meet up with us. Maybe folks we know will be in the area. And even if all those things don’t pan out, sounds like a blast of a trip to me!
Whadja think?

It's not just Bienvenue around here...

Bon Arrivee! (one day I'll figure out correct spelling and how to put in accents)

29-30 AUGUST 2005 – Boo to Air France
They sold us a seat with bad electrical wiring so it didn’t recline, forgot to give me my dinner and then woke me up way too early for breakfast. The last was Ian’s fault, but I’ll still blame the airline. On the second flight they shifted people around for takeoff and landing in order to have an adult with every child. Uh… we’ve never done that before.
The cheese plates stank. Literally.
On the other hand, Jonathon slept all but 20 minutes of the first leg and I got sleep in a properly reclining chair in the second. Katherine was my seat partner and she was busy with Sudoku.
But I guess the most important thing is that we made it to Togo, along with our luggage. Our sponsors, the Corrao family, were there and prepared to get us home. Our house is way too big so I know that, like goldfish, we’ll expand and fill it with more crap than any family ought to have. Our den is actually a 4th bedroom, so when our bed comes we’ll stick it in there along with the TV and computer. We’ll have so few guests that having a duel purpose room should be no problem.
1 SEPTEMBER 2005 – So Very Tired
I don’t know if it’s jet lag, staying up until midnight or stress (most likely all three) but I’m really out of sorts. It’ll get better, I know it will. But we’re not in a compound anymore, we’re not in the States anymore, we’re in a former Ambassador’s house that’s right on a main road, with no full-time guard.
I know that in the grand scheme of things, we are safe. But it’s so hard to accept that when we’re running on adrenaline, surrounded by people we don’t know who speak a language that’s foreign. Oh, soon I’ll be able to hit the grocery store with no problem, but I’ll never be comfortable taking a taxi there, nor am I comfortable with the security here in general. Once we have “stuff” and a car, we’ll get a daytime guard. But then, how do you trust someone to watch your family and your belongings? The worst offenders of threat and theft seem to be those hired to prevent exactly those things. I have a hard time trusting anyone to begin with, this is really going to test my boundaries.
And the kids. Our poor kids. They were brought to school, unknown to them that it would be for the whole day. I’ll be surprised if Nicholas wants to go back tomorrow. He doesn’t deal well with change at all. Katherine was on the verge of tears but kept strong. Rebecca wasn’t sure she wanted to go to school at all. Jonathon barely noticed we left. This morning we’d prepped the kids for a quick visit to the school to meet their teachers and see their classrooms. They didn’t even bring backpacks because I had no food in the house to make lunches. Come to find out that the school offers hot lunch each day and today was lasagna, so without further ado, the kids joined their classes.
The school is small. So very very small. I hope they’ll be happy there. Katherine is in a combined 3/4/5 class, while Rebecca and Nicholas are in a combined K/1/2 class. Jonathon is one of 7 kids in the preschool 2/3/4yo class. The older kids have new teachers and the rooms aren’t set up well yet, so I know they felt really lost.
The one good thing that pops right up is that the school is very close to home. Once we get our car it will be no big deal to get there or pick them up. I’ll let the Embassy van drive them to school in the morning since Ian will be with them, but then I can get them at the end of the day, or arrive myself in the afternoon to spend time in the library or the classrooms, whatever needs to be done.
The Embassy is small. The compound is poorly designed, the hallways are tight, the rooms are cluttered. It’s no Manila. You don’t appreciate a lovely Chancery until you don’t have one anymore. And the Grand Marche really does butt right up against the compound. The longest travel time is the street before the entrance. I can’t wait to see the new building. It’s farther out, nearer to the British School (which is in a “gated” community), so we’ll have to see what our school plans are for next year. Everything depends on how this year goes. There is a good mix of nationalities (no Americans but ours), so at least they aren’t the only white kids.
Would it be a negative project to do a countdown chart? We’re down a day, only 700+ more to go.
Yeah, we’ve already asked ourselves what drove us to move here.
Everything will look better once the kids feel comfortable at school, we have our car (I –hate- not having my own transportation, even if it’s just to go to the school 5 minutes away), our consumables come (groceries, what a nightmare at this moment) and we’ve had a weekend to just enjoy being here, all together. Yesterday was our first day and Ian had a full day of work while the kids and I unpacked our UAB from Arlington. It was a productive day and each day will hopefully just get better.
I want my kids home though, I imagine they will be completely worn out this afternoon. I want them home for them and for me. I don’t like being alone and I really hate the people who ring the bell and then ask for the guard. We don’t have a day guard so when I say that I feel like I’m being sized up. The more people here, the better… I should have homeschooled, then we’d always be home. Ok, now I’m letting it get to me.
I just know that if I call home, I’ll cry. Tired, jet lag, stress. All three.
2 SEPTEMBER 2005 – Glorious sleep
It’s amazing what a little bit of sleep does for the psyche. Today was a much better day. In fact, once the kids returned home from school yesterday, everything got better. They went for a swim in the pool, after we scooped out a lizard from the bottom which had apparently fallen in from an overhanging tree branch. The lizards here are way cool, just like I remember them from Niamey. The pool is small and very deep, nearly 5’ in the shallow end.
The school is small, but the kids came home happy yesterday. Seeing them happy lifted me out of my glum hole. Nicholas gave a big hug and said “French is hard.” French kids don’t learn print, do they? Nicholas was writing cursive small As and today came home saying French was better because cursive small Rs aren’t as difficult. Katherine has done art, next week the kids start music and P.E. and I have my fingers crossed that this will be good. For everyone.
The house was bug sprayed this afternoon, so once Ian came home from his half-day (yay Friday!) and the kids were picked up from school, we went next door to the hotel to have some drinks. At 6 p.m. we walked to the Lebanese grocery store down the street that thankfully has a little of everything and plenty of spices, before going to dinner at La Nuit de l’Orient directly across from our gate. Pizzas all around, personal thin crust pizza. I had the crepes for dessert while the kids had ice cream and ian had a pastry. The crepes, sadly tasted like they’d been cooked in the same pan as some smoked fish.
We haven’t been careful with our food consumption. Ian purchased a handful of soft maize cakes, off the top of a passing woman’s head. With our dinner we had ice in the drinks and ate raw vegetables from the platter. If we’re sick in the morning, everyone will know why.
I did our laundry which wasn’t as cumbersome as I’d anticipated since I brought one load out at a time. The washer and dryer are housed in a separate building in our yard. Tomorrow we’re going to a Labor Day party and perhaps the Marine House. Sunday, the Corrao’s are meeting us as church then we’re going to Cocoa Beach for lunch. Monday is a holiday for Ian but not for the kids, so hopefully it’ll be a quiet day at home. I thought it would be a quiet weekend, but Ian filled it up with Schtuff.
Tonight we’ll call home. I did yesterday and talked to mom at work, tonight the kids can talk too.

Our trip has begun...

Ian, here. We're in the Air France lounge in Dulles, awaiting our boarding call. We've got about an hour, so I'm having a beer (part of a plan to help me sleep on the overnight flight) and the kids are playing cards. Other than the pain in my shoulder from carrying my backpack and the laptop, we're all good. I've already met two other foreign service officers from my French classes, both going to their posts in Cote D'Ivoire and Mauritius. Looks like US diplomats will dominate business class.

We'll see when we get a connection again. I'm going to flip through the French-language edition of "Premiere" magazine and see if I still have any French skills. Hmmm, they love "Charlie et la Chocolaterie"...

Beachy Keen Day 6... yeah yeah, my days are off

Friday, the last day at the beach. It was nice in the morning, I came down with a cold in the afternoon and it rained while the rest of the clan was getting their PM sand and I packed suitcases. We cleaned out snacks as best we could, ate leftovers and did luandry.

The week ended and what a week it was. Perhaps we can do it again in a couple years time.

Beachy Keen Days 2 & 3

The beach, continued.

16 August: Today is the kids' first day of school in Togo and we're at the beach in Virginia. What's wrong with this picture? Mandated vacation, that's what's "wrong."
The whole family hit the surf and tried out the new boards. Our eyes sting and we have more sand in our suits than any human should. And I've discovered that two piece swimsuits don't belong -in- the water.
17 August: No beach today. It stormed last night and this morning was overcast and drippy. A red flag day. The kids spent the morning watching cartoons while mom and I made cream puffs. Nothing like the ones at the State Fair, but yummy nonetheless. We cleared out leftovers for lunch then had everyone play a rousing game of Cranium. it's labeled teen and up, but with 4 players to a team, the kids acted out Cameo cards and did some Sculptorades and Cloodles. I think even grandpa had fun. My favorite act was my dad and Jonathon acting out a snake charmer. Guess who was the snake. My favorite act was trying to be a lava lamp. After the first few minutes of trying to be a blob of goo rising up, popping and sinking down, I should have resorted to regular charades... 2 words, 1st word... *act like lava* Think Ian would have gotten it then? Me neither.
The sun came out and we were ready to drive to the VA Beach strip. It's beacoming familiar haunting grounds for us over the years with the haunted houses, shops and olde tyme photo shops. We did go through a 3D funhouse which really was pretty neat, and I found new clip-on sunglasses for both Katherine and me. The ones I've had for a few years are all scratched up.
We had dinner oceanside at Simply Italian (skip it, it's not good, the best part was the pizza crust) then had a fun 18-hole pirate minigolf game. As usual, Nicholas won. The kid has a knack for minigolf. Jonathon does not. Not sure if it's his handedness, but he can't get a good whack in. He had a similar problem with skeeball at Flipper McCoys. While the other kids were playing a little of everything, Jonathon was taking 6 shots with a ball and not getting it over the rim.
After Nicholas's not-surprising win, we strolled the streets listening to the performers. They're out every night during the summer, paid for by the city. We stopped to listen to The Stick People, a la STOMP.
We gorged on Dairy Queen blizzards before finding a great spot for fireworks. By that time it was after 10 and the kids were collapsing. Oh, OK, so were the adults.

Beachy Keen Day 1

Sunday, August 14th...

14 August: What is there to do at the beach but play in the sand and get soaked by the water? Number 1 on the list of things we miss from Manila is the gentle beaches where no one had to worry about being sucked out into the ocean. the waves here are strong and the sand dips quickly so there's only about 15 feet of playroom and that's only with an adult right near by. It doesn't help that Tropical Storm Irene is off the coast somewhere, increasing the riptides and wave height. No, they aren't Hawaii surfboard waves, but it's not snorkeling water either.
The house is perfect for us. It's open and airy, with more than enough beds. It can actually sleep 17, so we have two bedrooms closed off. There's a "secret" shower outside so no one traipses in a large quantity of sand and we are oceanfront. Not that we keep the doors open at night, the water is way too loud.
Today is Sunday, so we played at the beach, cleaned up, went to church, had lunch, after which Jonathon and I took a nap while the others watched the Batman and Robin movie (with Adam West) followed by a couple more hours at the beach in the late afternoon. We grilled hamburgers for dinner then sent everyone to bed.
Nicholas isn't feeling well. Since we arrived he's been out of sorts, and last night he was up with a fever. Today he's playing fine, but during dinner he had a hard time warming up from the cold water. Even being buried in the sand several times didn't get rid of the chill. He's coughing a lot at night and generally just feels bad. We've put them through a tough couple weeks, so it's not too surprising that we're dealing with headaches and sickness now.

Getting to Beachy Keen

We're at the beach, and have been since Saturday. Here's the beginning of the journal, starting Saturday, August 13th...

13 August: We skipped breakfast this morning, but for some fruit snitched from the continental buffet. Lunch was at the Michie (pronounced Mickey, he was from Scotland) Tavern at 11:15, so it made no sense to fill up on breakfast at 9:30. No one even bothered to wake up until 8:45.
Packed up once again, we arrived at the Tavern. Lunch was good for "food from yesteryear", but I'm glad the boys ate free and the girls were reduced. Nicholas ate a roll. But he's not feeling well today, with a headache that comes and goes. Poor kid is probably still suffering from his encounter with the law.
The beach house was waiting for us, but we didn't want to arrive before 3 p.m., so we stayed at Michie and took the tour of the original tavern, moved here from it's original land 17 miles away, about 80 years ago. A basket on the deck provided dress-up clothes for the kids and our guide gave us and a couple other people a fun tour. The kids tried the dulcimer and wrote their names with a quill and ink in the ladies parlor. I finally learned that to use a quill, the point goes on the bottom so the feather ink well is above the point, then the pressure applied to the point releases the ink. Why I never knew this, I don't know. But all the kids wrote their names really well with the right technique. Upstairs we visited the ballroom and saw a map drawn of eastern Virginia by Peter Jefferson (Thomas's father) and Mr. Fry. While in the ballroom, our guide taught us part of Virginia Reel. Now that was fun. Back downstairs in the keep (the room where cooked meals were kept until it was time to serve them, the kitchen was elsewhere) was an assortment of nifty tools. Often I've wondered why some great ideas have disappeared over time, like the corner china cabinet with butterfly wing shelves so items in the back could be easily reached. Or the table that could be pushed against the wall and flipped up to expose a bench underneath.
One question though... out in the Necessary, are the corn cobs for what I think?
Before eating lunch, the kids had each received a treasure hunt. One sticker from the Ordinary (restaurant), and one from the Tavern, left the Clothier and the General Store. If they answered questions for each place and collected all four stickers, a prize awaited them. We scooted through the clothier and got caught in the store with a table sized chess set. Rebecca and Nicholas faced off and ended in stale mate. The others were bummed they didn't get a turn. I want a chess set like that whenever we have a house of our own, something that takes up a corner of a room.
The kids received their bags of gold coins, a real treasure.
Time to leave, and four hours later we pulled into the Beachy Keen driveway at Sandbridge.