I’ve had a bad day. Well, really only a bad afternoon. Due to my inability to read German, coupled with a very poorly laid out invitation (address in microscopic print at bottom), I missed an event that Annie’s daycare was putting on. (I thought it was at the daycare, silly me). We finally figured it out, but by the time we arrived the concert was over and I was completely and totally embarrassed at not being able to manage to get my child to where she needed to be on time. (Yes, I know she is going to be in 5,000 other events in her life and at 35-months old she couldn’t possibly care about the 90 seconds she wasn’t on stage. But still.)
So I stewed. About how tough it is to live somewhere where you don’t speak the language. About how the daycare teacher KNOWS I can barely speak German, never mind read it, and could/should have taken 45 second to walk me through the invitation. About how this year has, at times, been so difficult that sometimes I think maybe I made a very, very…very…bad mistake in coming here.
And what happens when I stew? Well, snap at Markus about something totally unrelated and not his fault, of course. To which he gets completely pissed off and doesn’t talk to me.
So I’m sitting in bed thinking about how we probably are going to be pissy mad with each other for a day or two. And how I am leaving for Victoria in a couple of days and if the plane crashes, boy, will we be sorry that we had a fight. (Also when I stew, my mind goes to dark places.)
So as a hopeful diversion, I start to troll through the blogs I follow, even though due to the time difference there really isn’t much hope of them having been updated since I last looked at them this morning. Since there is nothing new to de-stew me, I start clicking on banner ads. This finally gets me to this blog, called Cake Wrecks, that is entirely devoted to pictures and captions of professionally created cakes gone horribly wrong (talk about niche content!)
One post took me to an Amazon pre-order for the blogger’s book, with this image as the cover:
I had to look at it for quite a while before I understood what was happening, so that when I did get it I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face.
Markus finished his loooong bath (a passive-aggressive avoidance technique that we both employ), and I just couldn’t stop myself from sharing this with him. And of course, it also took him a few seconds to figure it out but when he did, he laughed so hard he had tears running down his face.
So in effect we made up and went to/are going to bed without being mad at each other (without really discussing the issue or resolving anything, but you take what you can get at the end of a bad day.) Just one more reason that I firmly believe that the Internet really is magic. Hocus Pocus. Marriage saved for one more day. Thank You.
Of course a visit from my mom wouldn’t be complete without unsolicited advice well-meaning suggestions. She was watching Annie chat in German with Claudia, the wonderful woman who has taken care of the hotel housekeeping for years, and suggested that I track the events in Annie’s life. ?? I feel like this blog is basically a idolatrous shrine to Annie, but I guess at least one reader feels that it is time to record some more of the events in my young daughter’s life. So here goes.
First of all, she had a riotous time with Nana and Grandpa Drew during their European visit. Annie would make her way down one flight of stairs and hang out in her grandparents’ room, well, pretty much constantly. They were her first words in the morning: “Are Nana and Grandpa sleeping?” Well, honey, as it is 6:30 in the morning, I’m pretty sure they are.
Going off to Paris was easy knowing that Annie was so happy to have some alone time with them. Although the language thing did throw my mom occasionally, they figured it out. Usually Annie can translate on request, but sometimes she only knows the word in German. But she didn’t starve, run around naked (outside) or, so the report goes, even really cry (hmmmph!), so they must have worked it out.
Here are some of the photos (You get a sense of the crazy weather in Innsbruck over this 3-week period. One week it was snowing, and the next week it was 20°C. Life in the mountains):
Much, much time was spent at the playground.
Build another sandcastle Grandpa!Grandpa Drew with Annie and her "cheese" smileNana bought Annie the sweetest Easter dress.
One thing that I’m very happy about is that Annie is so independent. (O.K., sometimes when I am in a hurry it makes me mental, but still…) She wants to feed herself, pour her milk, get dressed, have a bath, etc. etc. by herself. I can lay out her clothes on the bed and probably 80% of the time it all goes on, facing the right way, without much help. On that theme, she also stands up for herself, which I’m quite positive I never did. Her cousin Lili, also an only child, likes to direct the action and can be quite specific. Annie often goes along with the fun, as she idolizes Lili, but then if she really doesn’t want to do something, she is very adamant and does not back down. You go girl!
Annie does certainly love her cousin and sister Rebecca. I could go on and on about the fun times they have together, but I think this picture sums up Annie’s adoration for these two older girls in her life.
A great example of how a pictures says a thousand words.
The other thing that cracks me, and also gives me hope of Annie’s ability to make her way in the world, is how she approaches new activities. It happened with skating this winter and then, this weekend, on the trampoline. We went to Nutterer See (a nearby lake), which will be a great place to swim once it gets a bit warmer. But they also have a good playground with a trampoline. This was Annie’s first time on a trampoline and her reaction was so interesting to observe. At first she was scared, crying, whining, and flopping off to the side to stop the bouncing. But she kept trying it, even while crying and obviously totally frightened. She would look at me beseechingly, but when I offered to help she rejected my hand. By the end of the half hour she was giggling while bouncing around and getting irritated when Lili took too long on her turn (bouncing together was too much, but that will come I’m sure.) I’m glad Annie doesn’t give up on new things, but it is also pretty clear that my little girl is going to be a total drama queen about life’s events. Oh well…it’s not like we haven’t seen that one before.
And to finish off, a couple of my current favourite photos of Annie. The first one suggests that maybe she will be a dog lover, like her sister and unlike her mother and father. And I just love the one of her running, as it captures how she is most of the time these days: happy and in motion.
Annie and DiegoRun far my girl, but always come back to me.
Once inside, I was stunned by the beauty of the building. Formerly a train station built in late 1800’s, the space was remodeled in the 1980’s (thank goodness it missed the ’70’s!) Markus and I love the Impressionists (not very original, I know, but there is no accounting for taste), so we spent 3 hours getting our fill of Monet, Manet, and Degas. I have this incredible sense of well-being, calm, and inspiration when I am looking at art work that moves me. (Now I just need to figure out how to bottle that for injection during the rest of my life.) It was a perfect morning.
Here is a shot of the gorgeous interior, plus a couple of my favourite paintings (sorry about the quality…a photography class is next!).
Berthe MorisotClaude MonetVincent van Gogh
In the afternoon Markus took a break, as he was battling a cold, and I headed for the shops. I only bought one top, but enjoyed browsing. All I have to say is “What financial crisis?!!” Everywhere was packed with people buying clothes and gifts and toys for their children. I guess that is why I continue to have faith that our little inner city hotel could do well; it has to get really, really, really bad before people give up their vacation plans entirely.
Thursday we headed out early again for the Louvre. There was a line but it snaked in very quickly. (I was actually amazing that, although people poured steadily in all day, the museum is so massive that we would still find ourselves in rooms all alone.) We had a bumpy start since I was getting a bit obstinate about wanting to be in a certain area of the museum, and were having trouble finding it. But eventually we got there, I relaxed, and Markus forgave me.
As everyone who has ever been to the Louvre told me, the place is so incredibly huge there is no chance of seeing everything…even if you had a month. So in the end we wandered a bit, got lost a bit, and saw all kinds of works from various periods.
One of the amazing areas was the artifacts from Ancient Egypt (and a bit from ancient Iran). The tombs, jewellery and stones covered with hieroglyphs made me just want to stand and stare for hours. As for paintings, Rembrandt was a favourite, so we spent a good amount of time viewing his works. We also toured Napoleon’s apartments, which of course were ridiculously, deliciously opulent. Always fun to imagine myself living that life. Perhaps I’d just be bored. Or not.
Overall the D’Orsay was the more complete experience for me, but I would/will go back to the Louvre without a doubt should I ever find myself back in Paris.
(I didn’t take any pictures of the artworks or artifacts, but here is the official site if you just have to see more.)
I wish I could tell you that our 4 days ended with a bang and big party, but both of us were a bit beat from all the walking and had brain overload from all the amazing sites. So we hopped on the metro, took a stroll through another part of town, ate oh-my-goodness awesome crepes at a street side cafe, and went to an English-language movie. (A real treat for me, as they don’t often play undubbed movies in Innsbruck.)
The weather had been perfect all week despite predictions of rain, so we weren’t too surprised when the skies opened up just as we hopped in the car to make our way back to Innsbruck. We picked a very tired Rebecca up at the Munich airport (she was returning from 2 weeks in Canada for spring break) and had a quiet drive home.
I truly couldn’t have designed a better way to usher in (hopefully at least) the next 40 years of my life. I am blessed.
Last week Markus and I kissed Annie and hugged my mom and Drew goodbye (with lots of instructions and several phone numbers), and headed out in the car for a relaxing (for me, the passenger), very scenic 9-hour drive to Paris. The weather was gorgeous, and the landscape of mountains, farms and rolling hills were soothing and stunning at the same time.
We pushed through with only a couple of coffee breaks until we got to France. We decided to stop for lunch in a town near the highway, as opposed to a road-side restaurant. It being Easter Monday, our first couple of attempts in little French villages were thwarted, as the towns were closed. Not just the shops and restaurants, but everything. Not a person in sight, not a dog on the streets. A bit weird, although we appreciated looking at the charming architecture.
We finally made our way to a bit bigger town, Saverne, where we had a very tasty lunch. We walked around for a bit, and then found a spot with outdoor seating and the look of authentic cuisine. After a little coaching from Markus, I ordered what is apparently a local specialty, Tarte Flambe. I was expecting a tart or quiche-like meal, but instead was served a thin flat bread with three different toppings. The gorgonzola was unbelievable, but it was incredibly rich so I’m glad that there were other tastes as well. The bottom is slightly charred, which usually I wouldn’t like, but the flavours worked well together. With a glass of white wine and the warm sun on my back, it was a delicious way to start the trip. (Only a week later, I’m starting to crave Tarte Flambe and am wondering when I might be able to find this again.)
With surprising little trouble (given that I am useless at navigating, as my car sickness means I can’t look at a map for more than 2 seconds while the car is moving…not to mention my hopeless sense of direction,) we found our hotel.
I’ll mention here that this Parisian adventure was made possible by Markus’ and my family. (That is one for the ‘Can’t do this in Canada’ category: travel to Paris on birthday cash.) Markus’ parents joined a vacation club about 30 years back, and let us use some of their points for the 4 nights. The deal with this club is that they choose amazing locations, and the rooms are usually apartment style with small kitchen units. You still have to pay a maintenance fee and for parking, but with total of around € 320, we couldn’t have found a decent place for one night in central Paris. And both my sets of parents and Markus’ grandmother chipped in on spending money, so it was all possible. (Thanks everyone!)
We were very happy with our small suite (one bedroom and main eating/living area). And being able to pop down to the bakery and bring back Pain aux Chocolat with fresh juice and coffee in the room was a perfect way to start the day.
And they weren’t kidding about the location. We were able to walk everywhere: Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Champs-Elysees. We took the metro a couple of times only because we had worn out our poor feet from hours and hours of strolling through the city and museums.
We were both pretty tired after the long drive, so after a short stroll around our ‘hood, a few pics, and a quick dinner, we went back to the hotel for a relaxing and refreshing sleep.
Saint-Eustache and adjacent gardens just down the street from our hotelIn the couryard in front of Saint-Eustache
The next morning our first stop at the local Patisserie was a real conundrum. We just couldn’t decide what to order, as it all looked delicious. I had a Pain aux Chocolat every day, and then one other treat to round things out. (Good thing we walked everywhere, as I’ve already gained weight sitting in bed with my broken elbow.)
Neither of us really wanted to go up the tower, even before we saw the massive line ups, so that was an easy decision. The park around the towers was beautiful, and we found a little cafe with street side tables for lunch.
After lunch we decided to hit the Paris Museum of Modern Art. We enjoyed looking at some of the sculptures as well as art deco furniture and glass work, and expressed our opinions about the paintings. Markus and I have similar tastes in historical paintings and sculptures, but different things move us with modern art. Interesting opinions ensue. We saw one artist that really reminded us of our friend Lucie Marlo’s work, but unfortunately his/her name escapes me.
One thing I was really struck with throughout our trip was how much green space has been retained in the heart of Paris. Large parks and gardens are impressive, but also areas with just grass and trees are plentiful. It made strolling through the city a real treat.
After a rest/nap, we found a very French bistro with a very French waiter, and quenched our cravings for Steak Frites. That was fine, but it was the appy that really got me. Raw vegetables with a goat cheese fondue that was seriously spectacular, served in a little, scalding hot, cast iron pot. After the veggies were gone I dipped bread, and when I was starting to get worrisomely full, I took my spoon and just ate the melted cheese. YeeeUuuuMmmm!
A memorable first day.
P.S.
Taken strolling along the Seine. Too bad it was too early for a beer.
The story and pics of Paris will be up soon, but I just wanted to do a short post on this day, my 40th birthday. (So weird, I tell you. I think of myself as much younger and am constantly forgetting I’m not a puppy anymore.)
I woke up before Annie did, a big treat, and then heard her toddle into our room. She gave me a big snuggle and then, when I told her it was my birthday, attempted to sing Happy Birthday and claimed, “but it isn’t in your closet.” O.K. then.
Markus and Annie made me crepes with strawberries and Canadian Maple syrup, which is one of my favourites. Even Rebecca woke up early to join us. Right now, after chatting with Markus and my mom, I’m sitting on our balcony reading a book. I feel content and happy and pretty lucky to be in this beautiful setting.
Tonight we will all go out for dinner and then back to the cafe for cake. A lovely way to spend my birthday.
Here is my view on this gorgeous morning (click on the picture to enlarge):
View from my balcony, April 20th, 2009The mountains actually feel even closer in person.The hills are alive...
I’m celebrating my first day being able to type with two hands by resuming my blogging. The cast came off on Tuesday, and after yesterday’s physio session, I can turn my wrist enough to lay it on the keyboard and type. Yahoo! I’ll keep this short though, as I’m pretty sure my forearm will start to ache soon.
Mom and Drew arrived Tuesday for a visit to Innsbruck. Drew had a 4 week volunteer management stint in Serbia, so Mom joined him for the last week. They enjoyed Belgrade and then visited Budapest and Vienna on route to Innsbruck. Mom will be here for another 2 weeks (and look after Annie while we go to Paris) and Drew will be here until next Tuesday.
This last week has brought almost summer-like conditions here in this part of Europe. So strange. A week before there was snow on the ground, and then suddenly the temps are above 20 ° C. Markus wanted to get one last ski in before the season ended, so we all piled into the car and took the funicular to the top of Axamer Lizum, a mountain about 25 minutes drive from Innsbruck door-to-lift.
Markus had some beautiful runs while Mom, Drew and I enjoyed the sun, warm weather, and spectacular view. Here are some pics and a short video of the panoramic view of the mountains, including a shot of a cross, a required feature on the top of every mountain in this very Catholic country.
Mom at the base of the mountainThe gang waaaaay up high.Markus ready to enjoy a gorgeous Spring ski.
Yesterday was a beautiful day. Sunny and warm. The first real day of Spring here in Innsbruck. Annie, Markus and I decided to head out for a bike ride along the river. Although no one over 6-years old here wears a helmet, I’m just not comfortable with that, so popped out to the sports store while Markus got Annie geared-up.
We made it through downtown and were on a paved back lane that runs beside the pedestrian trial. I was behind Markus and was keeping an eye on them so I didn’t get too close. Up ahead, past Markus’s shoulder, I too late noticed a car backing out of the driveway. There was a high fence around the sides of the driveway, so the driver had no chance to see us. Markus manged to stop with control (thank goodness), but I squeezed my brakes hard and went head first over my handle bars. My face got the worst of it…or so I thought. The driver of the car checked that we weren’t dead, made sure we had the address, and then took off. I guess that “don’t leave the scene of an accident” rule isn’t so important here.??
Anyway, a lovely woman walking by called an ambulance for us. Poor Annie was a bit confused. She kept saying, “You got jam on your Mund (mouth in German.) You have to wash it off.” She rescued my water bottle from the road, sweet girl, and kept close to Dad.
Two very young looking attendants came (god, I’m getting old), luckily who both spoke English, as I wasn’t thinking clearly enough to speak German. Long story shortish, after 2 tries at an x-ray, a CT scan, and more than few tears (I used to have such a high pain tolerance but now am a total wimp), I went home with a fat lip, nasty shiner under my eye, banged up knee, and a very long cast over my broken elbow. Luckily, it looks like only a hairline fracture, so the cast should be off in 10 days.
When I came home Annie kept telling me the story: you fell off your bike; you went in a funny chair; you rode in the amblience; you hurt this knee (correctly pointing to her left knee), not this knee; you got jam on your Mund…She cracks me up. She also went through her routine on what she knows about the doctor: first you take off all your clothes… Then she gives me a little rub on my back and a kiss to make it better.
Rebecca looked after Annie while Markus stayed with me at the hospital. Once I was home she popped in every little while to bring me water or ask if I needed anything. And Markus, of course, is taking very good care of me. What a great family I have.
This morning my knee is less stiff and the pain killers are starting to work for my arm. All in all, as people keep reminding me, not too bad and of course could have been worse, like if I hadn’t been wearing a helmet! But I did have to get Markus to take one photo for posterity. Clearly looking for a bit of sympathy with those puppy dog eyes.
I was scrolling through our photos with Annie and cousin Lili the other day, and came across this video again. I didn’t post it before, because the quality isn’t very good. And also because the big pile of recycling and unruly wire nest in the background makes it look like we live in a ready-to-be-condemned hovel, which isn’t true (most of the time).
But this is just too cute not to share. I took this video a few months ago when Annie started singing this song, unprompted, one day at the dinner table. Annie now knows “Apfelmus” inside and out, so I’m glad I captured it when she was still struggling to remember the words. You can just see her little brain working hard. Melts my heart every time.
I hadn’t been down to the hotel cellar until about a month ago. I really had no need to traverse into the depths, but a few weeks ago I thought I’d go to find out how to change over the oil in case I ever need to spell off Markus for this bi-weekly task.
The basement hinted at interesting stories of the past, so thought I’d share some images this morning.
To start with, you have to make your way down these scary-ass stairs. Don’t you just love it when staircases curve so you can’t see the bottom? I can just hear the voices, like the audience watching a horror film yelling at the screen, “Don’t go down there! Don’t do it!”
Feeling rather brave to explore the basement.
The basement is huge and mostly unused. If we do decide to ship furniture from Canada we certainly won’t have trouble with storage until we move into our own apartment.
Here is really the only room used for hotel needs besides the oil/hot water area:
Even after 6 months and what is becoming countless castles and historic places, I’m still in awe of the thick walls and brick arches so common in these old buildings. I wonder when that will start seeming normal.
Towards the back of the cellar is a room that was used as the bomb shelter during the war years. It has been mostly cleared out of the food, water, clothes and supplies that must have lines the walls 70 years ago, but the skeleton of the bunk beds remain as a reminder of this time.
Sure wouldn't want to stay down here for long
Markus knows the value of rooms such as this one. His grandmother who raised him was working as a waitress during the war somewhere in Austria. Often the raid sirens were ignored, as they so frequently were sounded, but this one particular morning the owner of the restaurant suggested the staff take cover in the bomb shelter. An explosive ended up destroying the restaurant, and killing some patrons, but those in the shelter were unharmed. There would be no Markus if the owner hadn’t followed his intuition that day. A bizarre thought.
But hands-down the most interesting area is the room that is used for some of the family junk. Mostly Lili’s old toys, some unused cabinets and an inexplicable male mannequin. However, check out the wall! Markus tells me that decades long past a student group used the space for their weekly meetings. What could they have discussed? Just thinking about it is so fascinating for me. They were obviously very into the gatherings if they bothered to create this painting on the wall. Maybe someday I’ll track down what this image was a representation of. Too interesting.
More than just a junk roomSword, helmet, branch and wings. What could it all mean??Detail of face and halo. An angel I hope I don't meet in heaven. At least he is smiling.
I’ve started a new category for this…Things I’d Never See In Canada. Fits, I think.
Markus has been making the most out of the camera on his new iPhone that he scored for free with his new mobile plan, so thought I’d share some of the fun. (I call the iPhone his new mistress, as I have trouble getting his attention when it is around.)
Opa and Annie have definitely bonded. Mostly over unhealthy treats, but I try to overlook that. Rebecca and Lili hit the slopes on a gorgeous dayHow cute are those two?
Since I can’t supply Annie with the 10 siblings that she craves with her hyper social personality, it is a good thing Rebecca and Lili have lots of energy!
