Catching Up: Europe & Christmas in Peru
Greetings folks,
If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know that I can be a bit tardy at times in keeping you updated with our goings-on. This rings true once again, as I realize it's been a full three months since I've updated my blog, which might lead you to wonder if we've been whiling our days away since Bali sitting on the couch catching up on movies and TV shows. No, would be the answer (January through March will be devoted to those tasks)-Marianella and I were actually quite busy and peripatetic (love that word!) through the months of November and December. A lot of our travel was work related, which while enjoyable, made our actual time at the job in Dhaka more hectic and when you mix in the letter of recommendation season that is at its height in those months, well, my time on the computer was largely given over to work responsibilities. With those letters more or less finished for yet another year, I can turn my attention back to more enjoyable and creative writing ventures.
November was our work-related travel month with Marianella kicking things off with a conference in Dubai in the middle of November. Evidently, what happens in Dubai stays in Dubai because she did come back with any photos to share from her trip. Her report was nonetheless interesting, as when she was not at the conference she was dining and shopping in a world where bargains are not a part of the language-opulence and wealth is the standard way of life in Dubai. And sand. And oppressive heat. Marianella had a good time, but her scouting report revealed that it's very likely Dubai will not advance beyond a stopover on our flights west when we are traveling. There's just too many other, more affordable and interesting places to visit in this region of the world.
I did bring the camera with on my trip to Europe in late November, as you will see below. Why was I in Europe? An annual college counselor's conference was being held in Monaco and before heading to that conference, a hospitality school in Lausanne, Switzerland flew myself and several other counselors in for a visit to their campus. Memories of working as a public school counselor in Minnesota when funds were not made available to go to one day workshops in Wisconsin (a mere twenty miles away), flooded into my mind while on this trip. It was a stark reminder to count my blessings of where life has taken me.
Lausanne, Switzerland
So, this was my initial visit to Europe and while I was committed to work responsibilities much of the time, I grabbed the opportunity to soak in the experience as much as I could. I guess that began when I looked out the window onto our descent into Geneva and I saw the peaks of the Swiss Alps poking through the clouds. I believe I stepped into the exact polar opposite of Bangladesh when I arrived in Switzerland-in a country made famous for its watches, it makes sense that order and cleanliness rule the day. Our first two days were largely devoted to arrival, greetings, and a day on campus, but on the third day we toured around the streets of old Lausanne and surrounding Swiss villages and the images I had seen over the years on TV and in movies and magazines were captured: the cobblestone streets, ancient churches and buildings, quaint little shops. The air was crisp and Christmas displays adorned many a storefront window. It was quietly spectacular.
Inside the Cathedral:
One of the charming little stores of Lausanne:
From the villages outside Lausanne:
Nice, France
With luggage filled with Swiss chocolate and an air of contentedness, our hosts in Lausanne shuttled us to the airport and in a mere 45 minutes after lift-off we were arriving in Nice, which is located a half-hour from Monaco. I was fortunate to have a day between arrival and the start of the conference and my intent was to stroll around Monaco. One of my seasoned colleagues suggested that I spend that day in Nice instead and I will be long grateful for that recommendation. Catching the train from Monaco, I arrived in this colorful and historic city and soaked up a day walking along the boardwalk of the sea, dining al fresco for lunch, and winding my way through the markets and shops of old Nice. It's a city and a region of the world that I hope to return with Marianella for a longer stretch of time someday.
Proof that I just didn't pull these pictures off the internet:
Walking the dog:
Old Nice:
A wide variety of olives for sale at the market:
Monaco
As I walked to the convention center on my way to the conference, I passed by a Bentley dealership. To get to the conference, I would take an elevator built into the cliff side that disembarks its passengers out into the marina which was populated by boats and yachts, some of which surely cost more than the GDP of small countries. On the day I was flying out, I went out to take pictures and walked along a boulevard that was lined with orange trees. Monaco is the most surreal place I've ever visited, with a ridiculous amount of wealth poring from its streets. Frankly, it was my least favorite of the three cities visited; it just did not have the character or sense of a community like the others. Or perhaps it was because I knew it was a place that to truly experience, I would need to possess a whole lot more money than I'll ever possess. Nonetheless, the food was great, the location is stunning, and now I can say I've been to Monaco.
In every storefront in Monaco, there's a picture of Prince Albert II and his bride:
The aforementioned orange trees lining the street:
Christmas in Peru
When November ended, we took a breath and then began looking towards our trip back to Lima. Provided with a nice break, we spent a solid two weeks with Marianella's family right as summer was beginning its ascent in Lima. While the travels through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe have been outstanding, it was quite pleasing to spend Christmas with family and enjoy our favorite Peruvian dishes and restaurants, watch the fireworks from the rooftop of her parents' home, and bask on the beaches just a bit south of Lima. It rejuvenated us and has us riding quite a positive wave as we step into 2014. And since we're still in the middle of January, here's to a Happy New Year to you all, with hopes that our paths may cross sometime this year.
Christmas Eve day at the market:
Santa's scantily-clad little helpers:
Hair coloring for the holiday:
From left to right: brother German, uncle Raul, aunt Adriana, cousin Diego, Marianella, and Diego's girlfriend, Maria Fernanda:
Enjoying la playa:
If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know that I can be a bit tardy at times in keeping you updated with our goings-on. This rings true once again, as I realize it's been a full three months since I've updated my blog, which might lead you to wonder if we've been whiling our days away since Bali sitting on the couch catching up on movies and TV shows. No, would be the answer (January through March will be devoted to those tasks)-Marianella and I were actually quite busy and peripatetic (love that word!) through the months of November and December. A lot of our travel was work related, which while enjoyable, made our actual time at the job in Dhaka more hectic and when you mix in the letter of recommendation season that is at its height in those months, well, my time on the computer was largely given over to work responsibilities. With those letters more or less finished for yet another year, I can turn my attention back to more enjoyable and creative writing ventures.
November was our work-related travel month with Marianella kicking things off with a conference in Dubai in the middle of November. Evidently, what happens in Dubai stays in Dubai because she did come back with any photos to share from her trip. Her report was nonetheless interesting, as when she was not at the conference she was dining and shopping in a world where bargains are not a part of the language-opulence and wealth is the standard way of life in Dubai. And sand. And oppressive heat. Marianella had a good time, but her scouting report revealed that it's very likely Dubai will not advance beyond a stopover on our flights west when we are traveling. There's just too many other, more affordable and interesting places to visit in this region of the world.
I did bring the camera with on my trip to Europe in late November, as you will see below. Why was I in Europe? An annual college counselor's conference was being held in Monaco and before heading to that conference, a hospitality school in Lausanne, Switzerland flew myself and several other counselors in for a visit to their campus. Memories of working as a public school counselor in Minnesota when funds were not made available to go to one day workshops in Wisconsin (a mere twenty miles away), flooded into my mind while on this trip. It was a stark reminder to count my blessings of where life has taken me.
Lausanne, Switzerland
So, this was my initial visit to Europe and while I was committed to work responsibilities much of the time, I grabbed the opportunity to soak in the experience as much as I could. I guess that began when I looked out the window onto our descent into Geneva and I saw the peaks of the Swiss Alps poking through the clouds. I believe I stepped into the exact polar opposite of Bangladesh when I arrived in Switzerland-in a country made famous for its watches, it makes sense that order and cleanliness rule the day. Our first two days were largely devoted to arrival, greetings, and a day on campus, but on the third day we toured around the streets of old Lausanne and surrounding Swiss villages and the images I had seen over the years on TV and in movies and magazines were captured: the cobblestone streets, ancient churches and buildings, quaint little shops. The air was crisp and Christmas displays adorned many a storefront window. It was quietly spectacular.
Inside the Cathedral:
One of the charming little stores of Lausanne:
From the villages outside Lausanne:
Nice, France
With luggage filled with Swiss chocolate and an air of contentedness, our hosts in Lausanne shuttled us to the airport and in a mere 45 minutes after lift-off we were arriving in Nice, which is located a half-hour from Monaco. I was fortunate to have a day between arrival and the start of the conference and my intent was to stroll around Monaco. One of my seasoned colleagues suggested that I spend that day in Nice instead and I will be long grateful for that recommendation. Catching the train from Monaco, I arrived in this colorful and historic city and soaked up a day walking along the boardwalk of the sea, dining al fresco for lunch, and winding my way through the markets and shops of old Nice. It's a city and a region of the world that I hope to return with Marianella for a longer stretch of time someday.
Proof that I just didn't pull these pictures off the internet:
Walking the dog:
Old Nice:
A wide variety of olives for sale at the market:
Monaco
As I walked to the convention center on my way to the conference, I passed by a Bentley dealership. To get to the conference, I would take an elevator built into the cliff side that disembarks its passengers out into the marina which was populated by boats and yachts, some of which surely cost more than the GDP of small countries. On the day I was flying out, I went out to take pictures and walked along a boulevard that was lined with orange trees. Monaco is the most surreal place I've ever visited, with a ridiculous amount of wealth poring from its streets. Frankly, it was my least favorite of the three cities visited; it just did not have the character or sense of a community like the others. Or perhaps it was because I knew it was a place that to truly experience, I would need to possess a whole lot more money than I'll ever possess. Nonetheless, the food was great, the location is stunning, and now I can say I've been to Monaco.
In every storefront in Monaco, there's a picture of Prince Albert II and his bride:
The aforementioned orange trees lining the street:
Christmas in Peru
When November ended, we took a breath and then began looking towards our trip back to Lima. Provided with a nice break, we spent a solid two weeks with Marianella's family right as summer was beginning its ascent in Lima. While the travels through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe have been outstanding, it was quite pleasing to spend Christmas with family and enjoy our favorite Peruvian dishes and restaurants, watch the fireworks from the rooftop of her parents' home, and bask on the beaches just a bit south of Lima. It rejuvenated us and has us riding quite a positive wave as we step into 2014. And since we're still in the middle of January, here's to a Happy New Year to you all, with hopes that our paths may cross sometime this year.
Christmas Eve day at the market:
Santa's scantily-clad little helpers:
Hair coloring for the holiday:
From left to right: brother German, uncle Raul, aunt Adriana, cousin Diego, Marianella, and Diego's girlfriend, Maria Fernanda:
Enjoying la playa:
Marianella's mother's dog Athenas ringing in the New Year:
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