I knew stress did strange things to you but I have never had so many outwardly physical signs as the past few weeks.  [Warning, this is a bit of a whine-fest so stop reading here if you don't want to indugle me] To sum up, I have developed more pimples than I have had since college, haven’t slept a full night, frequently waking to get up and work, and now, just when I am getting close to the end, my body decides I really needed one more lovely reminder of this project: a gigantic cold sore on my face. 

It is just like ones you might get on your lip or on your gums, but instead, lucky me…. I get them on my cheek, a little to the side, between my nose and mouth.  I have had about 6 or 7 of these things in my life, any every time it is the same, they start with a tingle-itch and then, within a few hours it is a large throbbing pustule, about the size of a nickel.  These things are painful and last a couple weeks in total.

This may sound quite vain, but I hate leaving the house when this happens.  How ugly these things gets can be summed up by a little story from my retail days back when Reeves and I were first married.  As much as I wanted to hide at home, I had to work and while helping a women with something, she stopped, paused a moment to tilt her head and look at me exclaiming, “my GOD, what IS that thing on your face.”  That little exchange made quite an impression on me and I have to say made me even more paranoid about my face.  These episodes have also started to leave scars and although they are supposed to be less evident every time, again, lucky me, always the over-achiever, they seem to be the same or even worse…..geeze, I can’t wait till next week. 

Sigh…OK, whine-fest is officially over….

Ok, yes, it is one more posting of excuses of why I haven’t kept my own personal goal of blogging, but I am still amazed at how much finishing my masters would kill me.  Tthe stress of what I have been feeling over the past 6-8 weeks...sigh... selling our house, cars and a 1/3 our life, picking up and moving to a new country was a breeze compared to completing my e-Portfolio.  AAAAHHHHHH – I really need a vacation….wait, we are taking another one! J  

The next posting here will probably be when we return from our trip to Rome.  We leave Nov. 22 and basically, we are spending Thanksgiving in Rome. Turkey-smurkey, here’s to authentic Chianti and pasta!!!

Last night I caught part of a news segment where the newscaster was interviewing an expert on global warming & its effects on the oceans in terms of how and when it would affect life in London, especially considering London is bisected and greatly influenced by the Thames River.  I don’t remember the totality of the response, but it wasn’t so much about the details of his response as it was about the perspective he placed on the situation.  He stated, at current trends, the world’s oceans could rise enough in the next 1000 years that London will be underwater.  My first reaction to this was wow, that is a really long time away, but then what really hit me was his next statement…(and I am paraphrasing here) ‘London was here a 1000 years ago, and we certainly imaging it will be here in another 1000, we really wouldn’t want to move the whole thing.’

This is what really hit me, especially being an American who has lived in places with maybe, if you are pushing it, 200 years of history of ‘settled’ civilization, is that London has buildings and infrastructure that are still in use from 1000 years ago!!!  In fact, it will be only 60 years from now that we will all celebrate the 1000^th anniversary of the battle of Hastings in which William the Conqueror came over from Normandy and decided to make England his new year-round residence. He and his decedents changed to the course of English history and if your family has its origins in England, it is a good chance your are descended from one of his conquering hoard. Anyway, I degress….

This little exchange really underscores one of the reasons I really am happy with our move to Ireland – the imbedded history in the people and culture, not to mention all the cool old houses and castles!

Day 4 and 5 (04-05/10/2006)

We our in our final couple hours and I have to say this has been a perfect trip.  Just the right amount of time to not feel rushed, to do everything in a couple days, and a manageable size town in which to accomplish everything we wanted to really see that represents the town.

The food has all been wonderful and we didn’t even eat at a 'fancy' restaurant this trip - it has all been bistro-type places with local Austrian/Germanic food and a little Italian thrown in for a change of culinary scenery.  Maybe because it is in my heritage, but I do love this region's food -  although one needs to be a manual laborer to burn all the calories the dishes have!  Reeves has also been quiet the little German speaker.  He always thinks he doesn't do well, but he understands so much and can at least order food, converse short dialogues with the locals and get us where we need to be.  In fact, he had an exchange in German with a wait-person whereby he told her his German was very bad and he had forgotten most and she said "well, you are understanding me now aren't you!"

We have also been a bit shocked with the smoking everywhere here.  We realized we had been eating every meal outside and commented that it wasn't that bad until we were forced, by the rain, to seek refuge in the cafes. We definitely admit we would have a hard time living in a country that allowed smoking as many places as they still do here.

Yesterday, however, was my birthday and I had a wonderful day.  Although we woke up to overcast skies, the rain stayed away enough for us to not be caught outside getting wet. We started with the Dom museum which I have to say was a really well done exhibit. It was located in the mezzanine level in the cathedral, on the upper levels above the ambulatories.  On one side there was art and artifacts from the church and its history. One then crossed over to the other side via the platform for the large pipe organ at the back of the church.  On the other side they had a special exhibit on Mozart, placing his life, work and religious devotion, or lack there of, within the context of the time and the city's character.  There were many different sorts of artifacts, letters, hand-written pieces of music, etc. from Mozart which we were excited to see in this display. 

As a side note, we were a bit annoyed with the cost of exhibits and museums - there was not a free one the whole trip.  In fact, several places charged you multiple times to see different things with the same location.  Additionally, most were over 10 euro a person which, I think, is excessive for some of the smaller ones.  I am all for supporting the arts, but we must have spent half what we spent on food in "seeing" things.

The next item on the agenda, however, was the Rezidenz which was a beautiful series of palatial rooms used by the Prince-Archbishops as state receiving rooms, as well as their residence.  The rooms are still in use and we were lucky to get in as they were closing early for an event. Like the cathedrals, the rooms were in the Baroque style, again, very different than the multitude of English, French and Italian palaces I have toured.

Our very last tour was visiting a Mozart exhibit created especially for the 250th anniversary year and featured the latest state-of-the-art in museum display technology.  One of my enjoyments of visiting museums is not just in what is on display, but how it is being displayed.  Call it the archivist or historian in me, but I love evaluating each collection on a few different criteria...

1. Are the items pleasingly displayed?

2. Can you see the item from a 'normal' upright position?

3. Do they have descriptors for each item?

4. Do the descriptors contain date, location of origin, something more descriptive than "hat" or "shoe?"

5. Can you read the descriptor card from a 'normal' upright position? 

- these all seem logical and simplistic when read like this but it is amazing how many of these are lacking even in the most modern and most 'high tech' of exhibits.

Case in point, the Mozart exhibit - of the few 'original' pieces presented, many had the overly simplistic labels like "pair of shoes", no date, no origin, no context other than they looked old.  Additionally, many cards were illegible due to the color font on the chosen backdrop or because of too low of lighting.  Yes, one needs low lighting for conservation issues, but these objects were REPRODUCTIONS!

My last, and the most annoying observation, was in the audio tour. Normally I am a huge fan of the audio tour, I will even pay extra for one, but even with the cool technology this one used <it would automatically start playing the correct soundtrack when you walked in a room or touched an object on an interactive screen> we were ready to throw the thing out the window by the time we were done.  It was done in first person, specifically Mozart was speaking, with sidebars by his sister, mother and a few other people.  Not only was it annoying to listen to his trite repartee, he spoke in definitives, with 'modernized' history.  It is true there is much known about his life and work through an extensive library of letters and other correspondence, but much of what “he” was spouting was stated as 'fact' which really is speculation and supposition.         

We had a late flight out of Salzburg, which, of course, was delayed by an hour.  We didn’t get home till quiet late, but it was certainly a wonderful trip to remember!

Day 3 – 02/10/2006

We just finished with the evening Organ concert at the Dom.  It was a concert of the five pipe organs installed throughout the cathedral, each with a concert-level Organist from through out Europe.  The concert was titled Konzert an den Funf Domorglen.  Each organist began with their own solo, in ascending chronological order of composition dates, then began the "battle of the keyboards" - each doing their own improvisation on the Choral "Schonste Herr Jesu".  By the end all the organists were belting out their rendition, making one wonder, at what point do multiple number of organs just make a din? The ending however was lovely when they all finished with their crescendo and the pipe’s last chord reverberated and echoed throughout the vast space – chilling to the toes!

A short walk later to what is now our nightly ritual and we stopped at mozARTs for wine and ice cream.  It is a lovely outdoor spot and we were only ushered inside because of the pouring rain and wind driving the rain sideways.  The large umbrellas were doing fine until the cafe decided it was even too windy for them to remain. I personally like the power of the storm and would have been happy enjoying the natural show!

Today however started a bit earlier since we were going to go out to Hellbrunn to view the palace and grounds.  It did not disappoint and the trick fountains were definitely fun, although annoying if you were the recipient. It is amazing these were designed and implemented over 250 years ago with their intricacies and detail.  Also on the grounds was the gazebo which was in the Sound of Music featured in the song "Sixteen going on Seventeen".  After another wonderful alfresco lunch at the Hellbrunn café, we took the bus back to town, whereby the bus actually back into another car causing an accident!

We rested a bit before heading out to the Alter Platz for a traditional pizza dinner in the square.  There are so many wonderful dogs about who seem to accompany their people everywhere.  Their was a woman on the buss with two, including a 4 month old Afghan and a lovely black lab which sat next to us at dinner.  We are in dog heaven here and what is even better is they all seem so well behaved. I guess that come with their acclimation at an early age to being in public so much.

We are now killing time at the cafe before we venture out in the rain.  We have been so blessed with great weather up to this point I really hope tomorrow, my birthday, is pleasant.   

Day 2 – 01/10/2006

We woke to a bit of rain, but by the time we were done with our leisurely breakfast at the hotel, it was just overcast and a great temperature for me, tepid.  We started at the post office and then walked to the Modern Museum, but like unseasoned tourists we try not to be, we didn't check the opening days and were disappointed when we found out they were closed on Mondays.  This diverted us to across the river with a gorgeous view up and down the Salzach, the river that bisects the city. 

The leaves are just beginning to turn and the atmosphere is turning to fall.  We walked through the Mirabell Gardens with the fountain from the Sound of Music where they sing the Do-Re-Mi song and proceeded up to the XXXX Closter.  We took the 'scenic' path where by Reeves got some great shots of the city and fortress, but Paula got over heated and wasn’t prepared to do a two mile hike with steep inclines and declines in city walking shoes. (Can you hear the grumbling coming from me even now…) In all, however, it was a lovely view, just not a well labeled sign and path.  The Closter itself was a striking small chapel with an active monastery, fully equipped with monks in full length brown robes, complete with hoods, tending the picturesque garden.

It was almost three pm by the time we were down from the mountain when we finally had lunch off the Linzer gasse at the Gablerbrau restaurant.  Reeves had a yummy Weinersnitzel while I had a spinach and cheese crepe baked with yet more cheese - quite decadent but very apropos after our long and tiring hike.
 
We walked back across the river toward the shopping district where I picked up a new bag (very cool, unisex bag that I can use as a handbag, laptop case and just general duffel.  Here is the url: http://www.george-gina-lucy.com/ggl/content.html) and a gold charm for my charm bracelet.  We proceeded back to the St. Peter's church to look inside.  I have never visited a place with such Baroque influence.  Although it is not my taste, it is very impressive craftsmanship and artistry.  We stumbled across the St. Peter’s Stiftskeller restaurant which, deciding upon one glance, would be our dinner spot. It had then most unique interior, being part outside in a courtyard, and part enclosed in a Romanesque arched grotto – very atmospheric! On the route home we stopped at the Dom to take a tour of the interior and the crypt - again, the baroque influence is the dominant style here in Salzburg and was in no short supply in the Cathedral. 

After a short rest in the hotel room we proceeded to dinner in the St. Peter’s Stiftskeller for which the building dates back to 803 A.D.  It was set into a beautiful Romanesque arched grotto with ivied arches and candelabras.  We again has some wunderbar Austrian dishes and because it was still early when we finished, walked around the town a bit and stopped that the mozARTs cafe to have some wine and ice cream.  It is still a lovely evening, just perfect to sit outside with a sweater and a glass of warming liquid.   

After another month of craziness, I am finally getting back here again.  We had our house delivered and that just took over our lives.  We were, however, able to get away, for the first vaction in several years, that just included the two of us.  I journaled our trip while there and am finally getting around to posting. 

Here is the first day...

Journal from Day 1 – Salzburg (30/09/2006)

The morning bells were ringing at 11am with the Glockenspiel ringing in our day. It is a a pretty day with just a few clouds.  We had breakfast at the lovely little hotel restaurant – a fabulous continental breakfast, including pate, croissants, and fancy cheeses – the antique tables, buffet and cabinets were in a traditional setting with modern touches – picturesque! - Karen Brown never steers us wrong! (if you like boutique hotels, you should check her out: http://www.karenbrown.com/  The small room was busy with visitors, always a good sign of a good hotel.

The Hotel Wolf is very close to one of the main plazas  - Mozartplatz which is also next to the main cathedral, the Dom.  On the plane coming in yesterday I was actually sitting next to two women in a Choir from Bray, Ireland which was performing at the Dom today at 'half eleven'.  We stopped in at the beginning of the service/performance and listen to the large choir fill the cathedral with music.  Since is was a full Catholic service, we only stayed through the fist couple sung prayers, but with the pipe organ, soloists and choir it was a majestic scene.

Up the hill a bit we stopped off at the very quaint graveyard of St. Peter which looks like a scene out of Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings.  I have never seen wrought iron grave markers which were so charmingly designed and maintained with plaques and flowers.  Some of the family mausoleums were alcoves in the colonnade lining the wall of the fortress and had family members buried there going back hundreds of years.  There were painted family portraits, devotional oil paintings and other carvings open to the elements. I wonder how long they have been there!  The cemetery led to the catacombs actually carved out of and built into the side of the cliff below the fortress.

We took the funicular up to the fortress, started in 1077, with quite the Bavarian history.  It was such a lovely day with the sun peaking through the clouds washing the white stucco walls in warm light.  We had the loveliest lunch of goulash, wurst and sauerkraut while sitting out on the patio overlooking the Tennengebirg valley.  The veiled Austrian alps were in the distance in graduating shades of grey and blue rising into the sun. One of my favorite things about visiting museums and historical venues is reviewing the cafes – this one definitely rates very high with the great food and spectacular views!  

We did our normal thorough tour of the fortress including the underwhelming audio tour.  It had some interesting tidbits of information, but the only historical points of note were the views from the top and the 'bull' or pipe organ from 1502.  After a stroll through the museum, mostly containing implements of war and war making (not my forte or interest) we meandered down the very steep entry path to the Stift Nonnberg, a Benedictine convent which has been in constant use as an Abby since the 8th century, the oldest in the German-speaking world.  While in the chapel, which we had to ourselves, a nun in full habit came to change the candles. I felt I was on the set of the Sound of Music, which was very poignant since this was the church use in the scenes of Maria at her Abby.  It was a picture out of another century, especially since there was no artificial lighting, just the natural sunlight coming through the small high windows and the stained glass above the high alter.

We walked back the Motzartplatz and are sitting facing the Residenzplatz which has the sun setting just below the roof of the Residenz building.  It is the perfect place to people watch and we are enjoying a glass of rotwein and Reeves his only vice, eis.

To quickly recap yesterday - Last evening when we arrived, we were starving for dinner, but en route while walking to the restaurant we came across a traditional band playing the Mozartplatz and followed it as the proceeded, marking band style, through the plaza and over past the Dom.  It was such a magical evening, the perfect weather and the back drop of the city seemed like a movie set with the perfectly backlit and up lit buildings.  Everything seems is so clean and perfectly restored here – gotta love the preciseness of the Germanic peoples.

We walked down the main shopping street, the Getreidegasse, and although all the shops were closed, the window shopping was lovely.  We couldn't find the restaurant we set out for, but came across a traditional looking villa with yummy food and our own private dining room. It actually held two tables, but the other couple sitting in the room left shortly after we arrived, so we were left alone to enjoy our dinner and view of the little plaza below.

The architecture here reminds me a bit of Switzerland, but the colors of the buildings are softer with a more muted pallet.  The buildings are taller and a bit more symmetrical than Geneva, but the city is such a lovely intimate size, without being too small for lovely cathedrals and palaces.   And they even have a Hermes boutique to boot! 

Well, just when you think all is going well, bamb, your motherboard goes bad on you!!  Needless to say I have had some computer issues since we got here, including no internet, no wireless access for my computer (solved today) and then the motherboard.  Thankfully it went out just before we took a trip to Redmond, WA and we could take the laptop along to be serviced by Dell at the MS headquarters.  The warranty has sure paid for itself, especially since I am on my 3^rd hard drive and my 2^nd motherboard. One of the many reasons I have not been online……

To make a long story even longer, our house was delivery on Thursday and we have been eye-ball deep, literally, with all our boxes.  I though I had done a good job in getting rid of things…HA HA HA…we had so much stuff that we still can’t walk in three rooms of our 6 room place…..it will take another several weeks of purging till we can comfortably move in our house, but at least we won’t have as much to move the next time around!

I think we had the easiest car buying experience, ever......

Today as Reeves was walking home from the SPAR on the corner, picking up some bread and juice for me to make breakfast, he happened to cross over the street and walk by an used car on the street the BMW dealership had parked there to move around their inventory (which seems like a daily occurrence).

Since it was a 3 series station wagon (one of the cars we have been considering) he thought he just might see if it was an automatic transmission, which is harder to find than a dry day here.  Confirming it was auto, he didn’t think he could possibly be as lucky to discover it has a/c as well.  Peering through the rain-soaked window, there it was, the tell-tale snowflake – it had A/C!

Not believing his luck, he came in and called to talk with the sales manager to ask why it was such a good price to boot. Everything checked out and it had just been on the sales floor for a couple weeks, so wanting to move it, the price had just been reduced. Since Reeves was home because we were expecting our new replacement fridge to be delivered (yes, we haven’t had a working fridge yet) we couldn’t go over till 2 pm.  We took a test drive and by 3 pm, we had a new (used) car!  Since the price of the car was so resonable, we only haggled down once and even at that price, it was almost half of what we were going to spend on a new Jetta we had begrudgingly decided to buy.  (scary huh, cars here are insanely priced for new and NOTHING is “standard”, you even need to pay extra for armrests and cup holders!)

So the car is a 2001 318 wagon in black (the only color we really didn’t want, but beggars, etc. etc.) with grey cloth interior and a tape deck, how quaint!  The car had only one previous owner, a full service record, taxes paid through the end of the year and a full one year warranty, good through out Europe!  (just as a note, most every new car here only has a 2 year warranty, nothing like the US and their 4 and 5 year ones)

We still can’t take possession of the car since we don’t have insurance, and getting car insurance means getting a provisional Irish drivers license, which we are hoping to do over the next week or two.  Thankfully, with the dealership (and their service center) being right across the street, we can have them hold the car for us till we are ready to take delivery.     

This is one huge weight lifted off us and with the great price, we can even take a driving trip over to England now without guilt!!  Hay-on-Wye here we come!!!!

I can't believe it has now been a full month we are here.  In some ways it feels like forever since we were in San Jose and others, it can't possibly be a month since we moved in....very weird state of being.

It has been a couple weeks since I posted here for a couple reasons…

1)       We just got broadband access as of Friday (after 'borrowing' our neighbor's unsecured wireless access until they left on vacation and turned off their computer, the nerve of them! :) )

2)       Amy was visiting for 2 weeks and we spent time in Scotland while she was here

I will start putting up some more posts soon, but today, after spending almost 6 hours online looking for jobs, I am a bit exhausted with the computer and will post more about the past couple weeks in the next few days.  

However, here is a link to some of the pictures from Amy’s visit.

...or at least a few hundered.  I haven't written in a couple days, so I thought I would add a few pictures, expecially since Trina and Mike have both requested them. :)

  Here is a passenger's view...from the left!

  ...and, Reeves, driving on the left.

   Our empty living room....

  ....expecty for a few empty boxes from the first few essentials.

  Our lovely sitting room, complete with lawn chairs and TV/PC and laptops.

  A view to our back yard from the kitchen.