I spent my lovely Tuesday of sunny 80 degree weather in my apartment.
"Why?" you ask...
Well, for starters, 80 is too hot. Seriously. If I go outside and come in 5 minutes later sweating, it's too hot. And as much as I love doing laundry, I'm not doing 6 loads a day because every time I go and come in I have to change my clothes.
I happily enjoyed the weather by looking out the windows, which probably would have served to cool my apartment down a wee bit more had they been open all the way. BUT since Germans have not invented screens that work yet (read "think a piece of netting that you tape onto your window is a screen"), I have to keep the windows tilted (read "only open 4 inches at the top and slanting inward") so that my kitties don't escape into the scary streets of Dresden.
Also, I have lists of things to get done, all of which are still NOT done, as I have become an expert procrastinator.
One of those things is our Valued Inventory- a fun little spread sheet that details the value of all the goods to be shipped back to the US.
Doesn't sound too bad, right?
WRONG. In every way.
This lovely spread sheet is about 43 (okay, maybe 2) pages long. Divided into section by room. Lists all objects you might own that would be present in each room along with space for the number of items, cost of items, color and approximate dimension (okay, those last two are exaggerations...). Keep in mind when completing the spreadsheet that any items of dissimalar value should be listed separately. SERIOUSLY?
Can't I just say "kitchen- $3000" and call it done?
So I have dilligently walked through each room in my house making tick marks and unreadable notes about items on scrap paper so that I can come back to the spread sheet, look at the paper, wonder "what the heck does this mean?" and go back and do it all another couple times before finally writing down numbers of and values of all the things I have.
This is one of those times when I wish I had less things.
5 hours, 1 headache, a quick nap, and 2 freak outs later, I think its done.
YAY!
ps.
Dear Shipping people,
I have completed my valued inventory to the best of my ability. I did not, however, find it necessary to count the number of pairs of underwear or socks I own and group them by similar value. I'm pretty sure they all came from Target anyway. And I just guessed how much they cost. Also, after looking up all the electronic equipment we own on bestbuy.com and officedepot.com, I decided that we don't have that great of stuff. So I might have rounded up a bit to get the next best model in case the ship carrying our stuff sinks. That doesn't happen very often anyway, right? And for the record, we don't even have a dishwasher, and if we did, we wouldn't be shipping it home; if we owned a "portable radio" I wouldn't even write it down because it would probably be more valuable as a doorstop; I am not a writer and certainly don't own a typewriter; and what about sofas? I'm pretty sure everyone has a sofa...
Thank you for wasting 5 hours of my life. Just for that, I hope the ship sinks because after completing your stupid form, I think I'd much rather have the chunk of money than all my things. In fact, why don't you save yourselves a couple days of work and just leave our stuff here and write us a check?
Sincerely,
Kris.
28.6.11
27.6.11
Mallorca, Spain
This weekend, we took our last vacation outside of Germany. It was awesome, but a little sad at the same time...
Mallorca is an island off the coast of Spain and for us, it was pretty much a beach vacation- the three S's : Sun, Sand, and Sleeping. Of course there were other fun things that didn't start with S too. Like frozen drinks, the pool, and a sweet mini-golf course. But more on that later.
We decided to call our trip to Mallorca our honeymoon since we never really took one. In a way, I guess our whole year in Germany has kind of been like an extended honeymoon... but in my book, honeymoons don't include washing dishes, doing laundry, or making dinner. So this was it.
I won't write a detailed play-by-play of our trip, but I'll highlight some of the most awesome things (there's only so much "and then we went to the pool" you can take).
We arrived early Thursday morning to an overcast sky :(.
We were too early to check in, so we had to carry around a lot of our stuff (the baggage room didn't seem to safe...). But as soon as the sun came out and we were lying on the beach, we were happy as clams.
When we did get our room, it was fabulous- on the top floor of the hotel with a balcony overlooking the sea!
For the most part, we spent our time lounging under palm umbrellas on the beach
swimming in the sea, lounging by the pool,
swimming in the pool, drinking fantastic frozen drinks while people watching, eating, and relaxing.
Saturday, we went into the city of Palma de Mallorca to do some touristy sight-seeing. The best part was Poble Espanyol. It was a small walled village with reconstructions of architecture from all over Spain. It was like taking a two week vacation through Spain in just two hours with NO TRAVELING!
Arriving back in the center of the city, we were lucky enough to catch the changing of the Guards in front of this awesome cathedral!
That evening, we went to the awesomest mini-golf place with fantastic food. It was the House of Katmandu and was probably the coolest building for a mini-golf/restaurant to be housed in EVER.
Sunday was the day to get in all the things we'd missed so far.
We took out a paddle boat and paddled around the mini-island in the inlet
And even went to the fish spa to get the dead skin eaten off our feet!!
Mallorca is an island off the coast of Spain and for us, it was pretty much a beach vacation- the three S's : Sun, Sand, and Sleeping. Of course there were other fun things that didn't start with S too. Like frozen drinks, the pool, and a sweet mini-golf course. But more on that later.
We decided to call our trip to Mallorca our honeymoon since we never really took one. In a way, I guess our whole year in Germany has kind of been like an extended honeymoon... but in my book, honeymoons don't include washing dishes, doing laundry, or making dinner. So this was it.
I won't write a detailed play-by-play of our trip, but I'll highlight some of the most awesome things (there's only so much "and then we went to the pool" you can take).
We arrived early Thursday morning to an overcast sky :(.
When we did get our room, it was fabulous- on the top floor of the hotel with a balcony overlooking the sea!
For the most part, we spent our time lounging under palm umbrellas on the beach
swimming in the sea, lounging by the pool,
swimming in the pool, drinking fantastic frozen drinks while people watching, eating, and relaxing.
Saturday, we went into the city of Palma de Mallorca to do some touristy sight-seeing. The best part was Poble Espanyol. It was a small walled village with reconstructions of architecture from all over Spain. It was like taking a two week vacation through Spain in just two hours with NO TRAVELING!
Arriving back in the center of the city, we were lucky enough to catch the changing of the Guards in front of this awesome cathedral!
That evening, we went to the awesomest mini-golf place with fantastic food. It was the House of Katmandu and was probably the coolest building for a mini-golf/restaurant to be housed in EVER.
Sunday was the day to get in all the things we'd missed so far.
We took out a paddle boat and paddled around the mini-island in the inlet
And even went to the fish spa to get the dead skin eaten off our feet!!
 |
| it tickled. A LOT. |
We were both sad that we had to leave, but it was an awesome last trip in Europe (at least for a while!).
20.6.11
Time for One More Project??
With less than one month left in Germany, my days and weekends seem pretty full. I have to get all our stuff ready to be packed since it will leave a few days after I fly back, I have to make sure to visit all my favorite places one last time, Thursday we leave for Mallorca, Spain for the weekend, we have one more weekend to take a day trip or hang out at the beer gardens, then a weekend with a college friend who's visiting, and then my mom arrives to help us get our stuff together and take the cats back. I'm tired just thinking about it...
But I was inspired this weekend by these wall decals I found online...
But I was inspired this weekend by these wall decals I found online...
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| www.weegallery.com |
I am so excited to decorate a nursery for our new little monkey, even if it won't be for a while...
In preparation, I started some sketches of jungle animals. I read that babies like big, bold patterns because they can't recognize whole images for a while... so here are a few of them...
Maybe I won't have time to turn them into paintings before I leave, but at least they'll be ready!
16.6.11
10 Things...
As you know, I'm in my last month of my European vacation and will soon be returning to real life in the US. I'm very conflicted over how to feel about this move. Half of me is so excited to be back in a place where people have normal colored hair, speak my language, and don't give me funny looks when I laugh out-loud at a restaurant. But the other half is sad to leave my awesome apartment in the middle of downtown Dresden where the mall, fantastic pastries, bratwurst and two Starbucks are only steps away.
**I would also like to add that had I been able to drink for the past five months, German beer, which is far superior to American beer, would also be included in that last sentence.
In honor of the move, and to help keep my sanity, I've decided to post the top 10 things I will miss about Dresden, the top 10 things I can't wait to leave behind in Dresden, and the top 10 things I'll be glad to have back in the US. (And once I'm back, I'm sure I'll have another list of the things I really didn't miss...)
So, here goes...
The Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Dresden
1. Bier Gartens
2. Public Transportation because sometimes it's nice to not drive
3. Our giant and conveniently located apartment (which is probably bigger than the house we will buy)
4. Walking everywhere
5. Bratwurst on demand. No matter where you go or when you're there.
6. People watching. They are rude and weird and dress ridculously, but that makes for some entertainment.
7. Not taking responsibility for my actions because sometimes it's easier to play dumb with a "I don't speak German"
8. Bakeries. Everywhere. Seriously. Fresh bread and pastries every 5 steps.
9. Beer that is cheaper than water.
10. Markets and Festivals every other week.
The Top 10 Things I am Glad to Leave Behind
1. Smells. The once a week showerer, the "I don't use deodorant", the sewage smell on the street...
2. Unfriendly, rude Germans. Not all of them, but the majority.
3. Paying to use a public restroom. ESPECIALLY if it's dirty or doesn't have toilet paper. I must have spent 200 Euro just going to the bathroom here...
4. Paying half of what my meal costs at a restaurant for a soda. Then getting a soda sized for a barbie doll. .2l? That's like a dixie cup. Yeah, what a thirst quencher.
5. Having a dorm-room-sized fridge and having to go to the grocery store every day.
6. Needing a grocery cart but not having a Euro... which leads to me traipsing around the grocery store with two hand baskets looking like an overloaded mule.
7. Being constantly run into on the street. I don't know what it is, but Germans are drawn to me like a magnet and then look like they're about to bite my head off after they run into me!
8. Budgers. Line-cutters. These people act like they're in kindergarten... sorry Frau, but there aren't "backsies" in real life.
9. Construction outside my window ALL THE TIME.
10. Lack of air conditioning. Seriously? Summer while pregnant with no A/C equals a crazed lunatic (me).
Top 10 Things I am Looking Forward to Having Back in My Life
1. All the important people in my life who will be a car trip, not a 15 hour plane ride, away.
2. Wal-Mart. (I know, some of you boycott it, and I understand. But I need the one-stop-shop that's open 24 hours).
3. Free water and free refills on soft drinks. I might float away...
4. Free bathrooms.
5. The Food Network and American TV (not that I don't love CNN, the BBC and reality shows in German.
6. Good Mexican food. Actually, good food in general... especially red meat.
7. My car. My Honda Fit is awesome. And it is orange. And it fits a lot of stuff. And I miss driving.
8. English speaking people. At stores, on the phone, on the street... Being able to communicate with others makes life a lot easier.
9. Going out to eat without it taking 3+ hours.
10. Drive-throughs and take out. Sometimes you just need some good food fast and you don't want to cook or wait 2 hours at a restaurant.
**I would also like to add that had I been able to drink for the past five months, German beer, which is far superior to American beer, would also be included in that last sentence.
In honor of the move, and to help keep my sanity, I've decided to post the top 10 things I will miss about Dresden, the top 10 things I can't wait to leave behind in Dresden, and the top 10 things I'll be glad to have back in the US. (And once I'm back, I'm sure I'll have another list of the things I really didn't miss...)
So, here goes...
The Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Dresden
1. Bier Gartens
2. Public Transportation because sometimes it's nice to not drive
3. Our giant and conveniently located apartment (which is probably bigger than the house we will buy)
4. Walking everywhere
5. Bratwurst on demand. No matter where you go or when you're there.
6. People watching. They are rude and weird and dress ridculously, but that makes for some entertainment.
7. Not taking responsibility for my actions because sometimes it's easier to play dumb with a "I don't speak German"
8. Bakeries. Everywhere. Seriously. Fresh bread and pastries every 5 steps.
9. Beer that is cheaper than water.
10. Markets and Festivals every other week.
The Top 10 Things I am Glad to Leave Behind
1. Smells. The once a week showerer, the "I don't use deodorant", the sewage smell on the street...
2. Unfriendly, rude Germans. Not all of them, but the majority.
3. Paying to use a public restroom. ESPECIALLY if it's dirty or doesn't have toilet paper. I must have spent 200 Euro just going to the bathroom here...
4. Paying half of what my meal costs at a restaurant for a soda. Then getting a soda sized for a barbie doll. .2l? That's like a dixie cup. Yeah, what a thirst quencher.
5. Having a dorm-room-sized fridge and having to go to the grocery store every day.
6. Needing a grocery cart but not having a Euro... which leads to me traipsing around the grocery store with two hand baskets looking like an overloaded mule.
7. Being constantly run into on the street. I don't know what it is, but Germans are drawn to me like a magnet and then look like they're about to bite my head off after they run into me!
8. Budgers. Line-cutters. These people act like they're in kindergarten... sorry Frau, but there aren't "backsies" in real life.
9. Construction outside my window ALL THE TIME.
10. Lack of air conditioning. Seriously? Summer while pregnant with no A/C equals a crazed lunatic (me).
Top 10 Things I am Looking Forward to Having Back in My Life
1. All the important people in my life who will be a car trip, not a 15 hour plane ride, away.
2. Wal-Mart. (I know, some of you boycott it, and I understand. But I need the one-stop-shop that's open 24 hours).
3. Free water and free refills on soft drinks. I might float away...
4. Free bathrooms.
5. The Food Network and American TV (not that I don't love CNN, the BBC and reality shows in German.
6. Good Mexican food. Actually, good food in general... especially red meat.
7. My car. My Honda Fit is awesome. And it is orange. And it fits a lot of stuff. And I miss driving.
8. English speaking people. At stores, on the phone, on the street... Being able to communicate with others makes life a lot easier.
9. Going out to eat without it taking 3+ hours.
10. Drive-throughs and take out. Sometimes you just need some good food fast and you don't want to cook or wait 2 hours at a restaurant.
15.6.11
Luzern: Day 3
We woke up Saturday to more rain :( Which was especially sad because it was the day we were going up the mountain to see the spectacular view... so much for that...
Since our tour didn't leave until 12, we decided to check out a contemporary art museum in the morning. It was the Rosengart Collection. I loved it because it had a lot of my favorite artists like Klee, Picasso and Kandinsky.
Then we found our tour to Mount Pilatus.
It started out with a bus ride to a gondola that took us up the mountain. The gondola ride took a long time and we really couldn't see much because of all the clouds and rain. We had a couple hours at the top to enjoy the scenery...
which really wasn't that enjoyable.
We did go on a cool walk through a path that was in a cave to learn the legend of the dragon(s) that live on Mt. Pilatus.
On the way down we took the steepest cog railway in the world! It was still pretty cloudy and drizzly...
But we did get to see some awesome cows wearing cow bells!
Once we'd safely made our decent, it was time to board a boat back to Luzern. Even though it was cloudy, the views were still amazing.
They were definitely the cutest part of the Luzern trip!
Since our tour didn't leave until 12, we decided to check out a contemporary art museum in the morning. It was the Rosengart Collection. I loved it because it had a lot of my favorite artists like Klee, Picasso and Kandinsky.
Then we found our tour to Mount Pilatus.
It started out with a bus ride to a gondola that took us up the mountain. The gondola ride took a long time and we really couldn't see much because of all the clouds and rain. We had a couple hours at the top to enjoy the scenery...
We did go on a cool walk through a path that was in a cave to learn the legend of the dragon(s) that live on Mt. Pilatus.
On the way down we took the steepest cog railway in the world! It was still pretty cloudy and drizzly...
Once we'd safely made our decent, it was time to board a boat back to Luzern. Even though it was cloudy, the views were still amazing.
Later that evening, on a walk after dinner, we saw the cutest thing ever!
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| baby swan pile!! |
14.6.11
Luzern: Day 2
We woke up on Friday to sun and blue sky, which was a pleasant change from the rain of Thursday. We had a lot to see and do in Luzern during the day, as Saturday- our last day in Switzerland- would be spent on a tour of Mount Pilatus with Bob's mom who would arrive Friday night.
While it was still cool and the sun was shining (we were a little afraid the rain would come back...) we decided to spend some time outside walking the old city wall and climbing some old towers.
After the towers, we had some must-see sights to visit like the Dying Lion Monument.
We also saw a lot of souvenir stores. The best one was this Swiss Cheese Store.
Here is another example of how expensive things were in Switzerland:
We had a couple more things to see before calling it a day.
Luzern's Glacier Garten was cool. We saw lots of fossilized rocks and "rock mills," which are deep holes carved by water rushing around large round rocks.
We also saw the largest rolling ball clock in the world at a fancy watch store called Bucherer.
After a long day of sightseeing, we had burgers for dinner at a pub by the river with Bob's mom. Here's a photo of the restaurant from across the river.
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| Mt. Pilatus |
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| A view of the wall from one of the towers |
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| Down from the wall, looking up at a tower |
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| Bob looking sad about the lion |
Here is another example of how expensive things were in Switzerland:
After sightseeing and taking a lunch break with some swans,
we rented a paddle boat to go out on Lake Luzern. It was beautiful. Bob even went swimming!! I guess it was really cold... Needless to say, I stayed on the boat...
Luzern's Glacier Garten was cool. We saw lots of fossilized rocks and "rock mills," which are deep holes carved by water rushing around large round rocks.
We also saw the largest rolling ball clock in the world at a fancy watch store called Bucherer.
After a long day of sightseeing, we had burgers for dinner at a pub by the river with Bob's mom. Here's a photo of the restaurant from across the river.
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| (it's the one with the green umbrellas) |
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