Throw KC from the Train

Well, everything was going just splendidly until we sat in the wrong rail car and, three minutes before train departure, realized as much.

We were on the right train, but we were at the back of it in car 36, and it splits in Salzburg... With that back end of the train staying put and the other (where we should have been sitting in car 26) moving onto Munich. This would most certainly prevent us from getting back to Munich and onto Paris.

And so begins the three minute train dash - please, if you have it, play Chariots of Fire now (especially if you have the version by Zamphyr). I am carrying a duffle, a large purse full of junk, and a suitcase. Paul has two big suitcases and his backpack. When I hear that we have to go to get on the right part of the train, I realize we have to go fast. And I grab everything and start heading out the train to run along side to jump back in. Paul stays in the train and tries to navigate from the inside. Just so you realize the train is parked at this point, so take that visual of me successfully catching a running train out of your mind. We are not in a movie; this is real life people!

Side bar on the visual associated with this:

In our cold, yet fashionable Euro Winter Wonderland, I am dressed for the occasion and for the weather. I have tights under my jeans, boots over my tights, a tank under a turtle neck, which is under a cashmere turtleneck, which is under a quilted coat with a very warm scarf. And I haven't really worked out since August, so running with luggage and all this clothing is not a pretty sight. Worse, stopping after running with luggage, and trying to lift said baggage into the train while freaking out that you've abandoned your husband officially dismisses me of all cool euroness that I might have just picked up in inklings along our journey thus far. I'm arriving in a train car completely out of breath, sweaty, irrational, and I can't describe how opposite of that everyone else was around me. Chalk me up to being a super tourist today.

So my logic is that since the trains are linked, they most certainly connect inside. I figure we will meet up. Knowing that I have a little less stuff, I rush to get to car 26.  Genius that I am, my thought was that thought if only I can wait at this door until Paul pops out of the car behind me, we can link him back in at this car, no problem. Well, if you couldn't already tell, I'm not well-schooled in train logistics; they don't connect from the inside, and no one is going to let me wait for Paul. And as the conductor is waving me on, I'm being told we can figure it out at the next stop. And so Paul stayed on the back half of the train. Without a ticket. With no idea if I'm on the train too.

The train starts moving, and while I'm trying to remain somewhat calm and discuss the situation with the conductor, my phone rings. Of course, it's Paul. Rightfully so, it's the closest he has come to being truly upset with me. What a scene. Him feeling quite abandoned, and me feeling quite terrible that we aren't together, and we are both a little panicked. "Is your train moving?" "Yes! Is yours?" (mine is in front of his, so yes, it's moving - it's pulling your with it I hope!). "Are you on the train?" "Yes! are you?" "Yes, barely, but yes." So now what?!

Conductor Fritz to the rescue! Luckily at the next stop 15 minutes later we will be able to get Paul to the front of his train half and over to ours. Our Conductor has also called the other ticket checker to let him know that Paul won't have a ticket. Let's say that Conductor Fritz was less than impressed, and we are totally lame tourists, but whatever, the problem will be solved. So what's a girl to do but order some sparkling wine that she can't pay for because her hubs has all the cash on him?

That was probably a bit more salt in the wound than needed, "honey, while you were dealing with the stress of potentially missing our train, I ordered something a little bubbly to soothe my nerves." But all's well that ends well, and Paul is now quasi relaxed, sitting in front of me, watching Game of a Thrones in he right car on the right train and contemplating how he can make my death look like an accident. 

Cheers!

KC

UPDATE: Paul has offered me some of his sandwich. He took the first bite, so I think it should be safe... Only time will tell if this is a token of peace or a gift of war paired with the hope of a choking incident.

Also, it's hard to tell from the pictures below, but everything has a lovely dusting of snow on it right now, which is different from when we were headed toward Vienna. Very beautiful. I could die peacefully here if Paul chooses.

UPDATE TWO: I may have quelled the anger of my husband by getting him some pretzel sticks... Hopefully this puts him on a path to recovery. I got myself a second mini bottle of sparkling wine, so even if it doesn't completely erase his fierce frustration with his wife, I'll be in my own happy weinland!

Cheers again!

Gondola Lunch!

Paul and I are having gluhwein and schnitzel for lunch... In a gondola outside the Vier Jahrenzeiten. That is all.

Munich!!

Paul and I arrived in Munich around 12:30, and we successfully made it to the hotel, which has the BEST Christmas spirit to it, then stepped out for a bite to eat at Ayinger's, pub. More to come on the Chrstmas feeling at the hotel.. I will share pictures. Below is the bread basket that comes with one's drink. Not sure how people aren't all just rolling themselves out of every restaurant everyday.

We both had soup first - mine was a creme of horseradish with teeny chunks of beef and chives, and Paul had creme of potato soup... Wow sehr gutte! Then I had a Parmesan crusted pork cutlet with a light brown gravy and cranberry sauce, married with little two bacon stuffed pommes dauphinois, and some broccoli and yummy spiced apple, cabbage, and beets. Paul had an amazing veal schnitzel.

We came back for a nap today, then headed out to the Christmas Market that was recommended by the front desk - it was not the touristy one, which would have driven Paul and me a little bonkers, but truly, we felt like we were the only two foreigners in the market. It was off the beaten path in a platz, which turned out to be the royal residenz. The booths included all sorts of yumminess... French fries with mayo and spicy sauce, gluhweine, frankfurters, waffles, creeps, eggnog, etc. wow...yum.

Frankfurt to Munich in ICE

We arrived in Munich around 6:00 am, after a red eye from Addis Ababa, and we were scheduled for the 8:37 train in the morning. We bought first class tix, which landed us in the Deutsche Bahn lounge ahead of time enjoying some soda water an wifi. We also picked up a delicious salami sandwich to split (at 7:00 in the morning), which was absolute heaven. I will proudly not fit into my clothes at the end of this trip.

We have a small history in Frankfurt.. Before Paul and I were married, we took a trip to Portugal with his parents, and we transferred through this German mega hub. While there, (for all of two hours) Paul fell in love with frankfurters (the food, not the peeps; his singular sentence in German is: "frankfurter bitte"), and he also realized that his most favorite candy in the world, Haribo gummy bears, are German. He only came to this realization because as we are sitting in the Lufthansa lounge watching the planes go by we, spotted a Haribo-sponsored A340. The whole plane was a gigantic Gummy Bear package. We both got really excited about this at the time... Maybe it was circumstance, as Paul had just filled up a paper cup in the lounge with these delectable ursus gummius, maybe it was blossoming love.... "thank-you" (yes, THAT Portugal trip), or perhaps, simply jetlag, but we were totally giddy to see that plane.

Fast forward to this morning... We get on the train and into our seats.. Paul goes to get us a drink - him Coca Cola, me champagne, and we start to relax and watch the scenery... 2/3rds into the ride the train steward walks by with a basket of bite-size bags of..... HARIBooooooo!!!

The train itself is very well put together, and our ride, with champagne, sausages, little Greek flatbread and a tour of Germany from North to South at high speed was terrific!

Great start to a fun Christmas trip!

Look how happy my husband is!

Thanksgiving Saturday in Monte Belo

Ever wonder what Thanksgiving is like in Angola?
Thanksgiving is not a day off in Luanda. We're all pretty much okay with that - many come home to a very nice meal made by their spouses, or you're like Paul and me, who got home on Thursday at 8:30 after battling traffic and make gourmet top ramen - the gourmet part was that I pulled a scotch bonnet and some green onion and cilantro out of the garden to increase the fancy factor a little.

The point being that there isn't the same family gathering and holiday feel that many from the US are accustomed to. Thanksgiving in the US is a big deal - I didn't realize as much until I lived there, but it's almost bigger than Christmas. I think in Canada, we have less of an emotional tie to our Thanksgiving. As one would perhaps conclude, there is even less of a focal area of celebration in Luanda on that holiday (the same as Columbus Day), since most here are from the US of A, Portugal, or the UK.

Even if one's family sets up a nice meal on the Thursday proper, there still isn't the same significant gathering that maybe one gets when surrounded by a big group of extended family. We don't really travel for Thanksgiving in Canada either. It's really about whoever's around is invited.

So what did we actually do?
On Saturday, we had our "extended" family of Monte Belo get together for a pot luck Thanksgiving feast. The greatest part about this, to me, is the work that everyone puts into the event. Of course, there are a few leaders who put the whole thing on (thank-you Vivian, Catherine and Tammy!), but there are a lot of other man-hours put in to this thing by way of table decorating, cooking, and the take-down afterwards.

The Table:
Emiquilson helped me to decorate our table - if anyone was driving around MB's surrounding streets on Saturday morning, they would have seen us cutting the bright orange blooms off of the trees that frame the streets. They were my only option to create some sort of center-piece for the table. It worked out fine…. but the flowers smelled a little like used kitty litter, and the wine I provided for the table (though it's the reserve of my favorite $8.00 and $15.00 bottles) bit the big one. I only found out after the fact because no one had sipped on it, and so I curiously tried some only to realize too late why… Ah, gift horses. Well something to improve next year, I guess! I did make a bacon mac and cheese that got some good reviews, so maybe that was compensation for the other stuff.

The Food:
It was nice to have a down home meal with honey baked ham, turkey, gravy, stuffing, curried chick peas, saffron rice, fried rice… oh wait? the last few aren't on your traditional TG menu? Well guess what? We had all sorts of people come to this event with their delicious dishes from wherever they originate! Lucky us! It made for a really nice event. And of course… the pictures….

Table for 12 - Luanda Style

This tastefully done setting screams Architectural Digest - Luanda.

This blue on blue themed table had lovely crystal votive candle holders - it was muito azulejas themed - much like the Portuguese tiles that are considered a popular decor

The recreation center with something like 15 tables… wow!

I loved the elegance of the pears on each plate, and the beautiful runner!

My goofy table…it worked for being a little a last-minute.

Smell the litter!

A little blurry, but man was this plate full of goodness - notice the saffron rice, the fried rice, and the chickpeas starting at about 1:00-3:00! My bacon mac and cheese is at the 5:30 - 6:30 mark.

A very happy hubby - look a that ham! What a smile.

Sometimes I think I have to throw the "I'm almost smiling"
pic back at El Pablo - this one screams "joy."

Our fantastic table with all the usual suspects! A few more were parked right next door to us.

International Day at Luanda International School

The International Fair set up… 

Remember school fairs? I had pretty much forgotten about them until I was properly immersed in one, and it was great! Last weekend my friend Lina and I stopped by the Luanda International School to take a look around International Day.

(EMS/Semi/Elgin friends - there is a cameo of one of our Peninsula rugby players at the 5-minute mark of the video in that link… what a blast from the past that was! I didn't know he was here!)

As an aside, because Pablo and I don't have kids (yet), and certainly not grade school level children, it's always sort of a trip to go to a school. (I went to Lina's son, Nico's school the week prior, and I was amazed at how cool the classroom was for four year-olds). LIS is set up for all grades, and the campus is pretty spectacular - at least by my high school standards… they have a full sized pool, fields, a gigantic gymnasium, and I'm sure the classrooms are cool too; I just didn't see them. 

Ladies from Azerbaijan - they had such a beautifully decorated booth!

I really like the vibe of the international community here, and it was well-represented at the fair. Because Luanda is a hub of Oil and Gas, we see a very diverse set of nationalities represented, and, naturally, this is reflected in the school as well.  In any case, cruising around there (even though it was a roasty toasty day) was really fun. I think my favorite part was the fact that every country there had a really great booth with their nationals (parents and students from the school) fully immersed in representing their homelands. Warm and fuzzy moment… sigh.

Another fun thing to see was the drivers all really getting into the event. They were sampling all the food, and hanging out having a great time. I like when they get to be a part of things. Our main driver, Emiquilson was off for the day, but he was there along with Alberto, our relief driver. 

It's interesting because I've been to several of the countries in the fair, and, as an example, I think Emiquilson has only been to Portugal - not even any other countries in Africa, so it's really fun for all of the drivers to get to taste all sorts of food from other countries (well I think it is at least!).

I'm hoping my sister can help me with the names of these foods… soooooo good!

Each country represented had a booth/table set up that showcased its food, culture, traditional dress, or other interesting aspects. Iran served some amazing falafels, babaganouche, etc (I am almost certain that this is NOT what it is called in Iran, so maybe my sister or brother in law can help me with that). Right next door, Israel was serving some yummy chicken, cucumber, tomato, and parsley stuffed into pitas. 

(Notice I'm only two booths in and already at about 400-500 calories?)… 

Next was South Africa, which had a huge booth, and a little sponsorship from South African Airways. A few of our neighbors were serving sausage from the brai, and some sort of shot called a Springbok the website linked calls it a springbokkie (a little springbok).

Lina and KC enjoying the South Africa booth! Notice the fried goodness that Lina has in her hand!

So Lina and I tried one (delicious once, but I can imagine a rugby game where things could get really rough really fast with more than that).  Add 300 more calories after that table - I wasn't counting in the first place, and based on the list below, no one should!

There was a little bit of rhyme and reason applied to the logistics, as there seemed to be a distinct area for various geographies. Additionally, the gym was hosting a talent show, where the kids performed their traditional arts/dances/etc, and the bleachers were packed!

A rattled-off list of countries that I can remember and the treats they offered:

Africa and Europe/Eurasia were bunched together along with some island outliers:

Portuguesas in traditional garb

• Angola - out front with local crafts being sold
• Nigeria - with some local food - which I tried when I was in Lekki - and that was enough.
• Namibia - with yummy dried oryx and springbok (not the drinks, the real meat!) - see the picture below (I couldn't agree more with the slogan - what a cool country).
• Cameroon - with a delicious and tangy juice made from a local flower the folks manning the booth were in beautiful African dress
• Portugal  - with DELICIOUS sangria and little pastries
• France - serving crepes and madeleines
• Azerbaijan - with ladies in full dress serving delicious dishes
• Russia - with nesting dolls, full dress and I think perogies, but I was full at this point...
• the UK - serving Pimms Cups - I saved my room for the Sangria (note that drinking at school is allowed without question? US School Boards are so…. meh.)
• Trinidad & Tobago - dressed in Carnaval clothing - super fancy
• Australia - with some dude playing the digeridoo

I agree! (Interested in why I think so? Then take a peek at the Windhoek blog series I did last weekend)

Serving hot dogs while serving their country - probably a nice
respite from Marine Corps day to day.

Then the Americas…..

• Bolivia - I wish I could remember what was there….
• Mexico - guacamole - I learned something new! didn't realize if you leave the pit in, the stuff stays greener longer! 
• Colombia  - was inside the cafeteria and was serving arepas too - I'm bummed because we only found out after we left that the were there!
• Venezuela -  with arepas partying down with a DJ super latin style
• Brazil - preparing for the World Cup
• Canada - with Nanaimo bars, a little plastic hockey table and a mountie poster in back
• the US - with hot dogs served up by the armed forces (notice the difference between my two home countries?)



The Venezuelans partying on…





Brasil was super great with its World Cup
chocolate!

I haven't had a Nanaimo bar in years, and I'm sure I haven't seen one of these since grade 3 or so.

And finally, beautiful Asia

• India - serving yummy samosas
• Thailand - serving delicious rice and summer rolls
• Japan - sharing very tasty candies wrapped in soy paper
• Indonesia - decorated with beautiful batik



This woman was absolutely gorgeous,
and she was dressed so elegantly!




Someone got their carve on for this…
I think it might have been my neighbor
from across the street!

I'm sure there were more (there were some in the cafeteria that I learned about after we left). I keep hoping that when we have kids, we have an opportunity to be on overseas assignment when they are growing up so that they get these types of experiences. Thanks to all the moms, dads, kids, and teachers that helped pull this all together!