Tea for Two...or Seven

Sadly, one of my friends is getting ready to move back to the States this weekend (we'll really miss her and her family). So, this past Sunday, we got some girlfriends together for a special treat in honor of her--afternoon tea at The Howard (a lovely hotel in an equally lovely area). Afternoon tea is a serious event, complete with lots of delicious food and, unsurprisingly, unlimited--and fancy--tea.


The Howard is known for serving one of the best teas in the area, from the room decor to the food to the somewhat over-the-top service. Sadly, we didn't experience the latter point (the service was pretty unremarkable) with the exception of Fernando, a delightful man who took pictures for us at the end of our time.

Fernando and the Girls

The menu for the day consisted of several types of tea sandwiches (smoked salmon, cheese and chutney, and roast beef and horseradish), scones and jam, amazing spiced cake, and a whole host of sweets (vanilla and rhubarb mousse, cheesecakes, homemade Jaffa cakes, truffles and several others). The whole tea menu was also available and I enjoyed a pot of a White Needle and another of the best Rooibos.

All the Girls
Rebecca, me, Leah, Ashli, Katie, Katy, Trudy

A great, and indulgent, afternoon with friends. Always a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

A Secret Garden

It is definitely spring here in Edinburgh. The sun is out--rising super early (5:30am) and setting late (8:40pm)--the temperature is warm and the flowers are blooming. It's hard not to want to be outside after a dark, rainy, and cold winter. Plus we hear that this kind of weather doesn't last long, so we are trying to take full advantage.


A couple of weekends back some friends of ours had a great idea to get some of the peeps together for an afternoon in the garden. Not their garden. And, not some common neighborhood park. No, we got to spend the afternoon in the private, secret, gated Dean Gardens. I've heard about the Dean Gardens before, afterall we do live in Dean Village and the gardens are nearby, but I hadn't been. And, in all honesty, if you don't know they exist you wouldn't notice them. So, I was excited to find out that Katy and Jeremy had joined and had the key to this secret little world, and even more excited that they were going to share.

The Dean Gardens are amazing. They run alongside the Water of Leith, on the opposite side of the water from the path I take to work everyday. Looking from the public side, I couldn't quite make out what made the Dean Gardens so remarkable. Until I went in. There are several levels of gardens, starting at the street side level and descending to the water. The gardens are clean and well maintained but keep their natural feel. They are scattered with benches lining walking paths, tables for picnics, big old trees, and open areas. There was even a children's play area that looked like it too had just sprouted from the ground. It was perfect.

At the playground

Katie and Leah--two beautiful mamas!

Derek and Jeremy, playing on the playground

Katy and Jeremy, thanks for sharing this treasure with us. It was such a fun afternoon in a beautiful garden with some truly beautiful friends.

(special thanks to Leah for several of the pictures!)

Some Closing Thoughts

Well, I finally finished posting all about our trip (a month later). It was great and I think we are both suffering from the travel bug. Europe has always interested me and, as much as I have always wanted to visit, I am not sure I ever would have if I hadn't met Joe and moved over here with him. Something about having an adventurous partner to get me over all my practicality about why it wouldn't be, well, practical and having a best friend to share the journey and memories with. Living here and being able to travel so easily is an opportunity I am grateful for and enjoying very much. Anyway, here are a few closing thoughts:

• I LOVE Europe. I was meant to live in Europe. I need to travel Europe. Seriously.

• Every European city seems to have the following in their old town: 2 H&M stores (within a block), a castle or castle ruins, a Swarovski store, a river (as in an actual river), an open town square, outdoor cafes with blankets provided for patrons, and (sadly) a McDonalds.
  

• Rental car companies should provide foreign drivers with a laminated cheat sheet of street signs and their meanings. Seriously. Have you ever tried navigating through a city in which the signs are in a language you can't read and the symbols are unfamiliar? It's a bit difficult. (What do you do, for instance, when you get to a traffic light that set atop a Stop sign? What happens when the light is green?)

• The large everything-you-could-need stores (e.g., Target) don't really seem to exist here. There are a few department stores (really nice ones, not like Target) but for the most part their are clothing stores, furniture stores, shoe stores, book stores, rug stores, frame shops, flower shops, food shops, hardware stores, sports stores, travel stores, etc. Everything seems to be more specialized. (We have observed this in Edinburgh, but is seems consistent everywhere we've been so far).

• WWII affected people and cities in Europe in a way I had not considered before moving here. European cities were bombed. And, I knew this before coming here, but seeing the effects and hearing about it brings it to life in some way. Old, historic structures were ruined; some were rebuilt and some were not, but you can't go far without learning about how the bombings literally changed the landscape. There are remnants of the old Jewish ghettos that bring to mind the horrors of the Holocaust. Children in Britain were sent away to other parts of Britain, or even other countries, in order to protect them from the bombings they knew were coming. We've met some of these children, now grown up, who were sent away and to hear their stories makes you understand how wide-spread were the effects of the war. People here don't say World War 2, they simply refer to it as "the War" and it is a part of the life story of anyone who was alive during that time.
  

• I've never encountered markets like I have experienced in Europe. Local, fresh produce. Local, fresh meats and cheeses. Big markets. Open air. Clean and bright. Amazing. Love it.

• The lifestyle here seems much more laid-back. People work hard, and some work over 40 hours per week, but life seems less driven by work and achievement. Stores close early (6-8pm), and people spend the evenings being with other people, not working. It's nice.

• Holiday seasons (Christmas and Easter) seem to be festive times but not commercialized and cheesy. More quaint and charming and steeped in tradition.

• Have I mentioned that I love Europe? Because, I do.

• I love Europe. I especially love Germany--the food, the people, the markets, the landscape, the culture.

• I should have been born German. Ok, well, I was born German (Schmitt, anyone?). But, I should have been born in the motherland. I was meant to be German. It's in my blood.

• We may have to move to Germany next. I'm signing up for German language classes and buying lederhosen and dirndl. I'm actually not kidding--well, I am about the clothing part. Prepare yourself people. You've been warned.

Ruby Anniversary

Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary, Carlos and Ronda!

Today is the "Ruby" anniversary of Joe's parents, Carlos and Ronda. 40 years ago they were married and today we want to honor them as they celebrate this special day. We think this is truly an accomplishment and we are grateful for the model you give to us through your marriage. Love you and miss you!

Spring

Dear Spring,

Joe and I just wanted to tell you how nice it was to see you while we were traveling on the Continent. I know you have just been on a vacation of your own and we so appreciate you coming back like you did for our trip. Truly, you brightened every day and made the experience even more special. We know you did a lot of work to keep that pesky Rain away, and we hope it wasn't too much trouble. We really appreciated that too.

We were sad to return to Edinburgh and find that you had decided not to return with us. That stinker, Winter, was still here and had even invited his three sidekicks (you know who I mean...Rain, Wind, and Snow).

Anyway, we are so pleased that you have now made your way to Scotland. We do hope you are feeling quite welcome here and will make yourself at home. Preferably for a few months. After all, you really need to be someplace for a few months to truly experience it. And we do want you to really experience all that Edinburgh has to offer. We have had a great time with you these last two weekends and hope to get out with you again this coming weekend--maybe even during the evenings this week.

Don't be a stranger!

Your sincerely,

Amanda Rivera

p.s. I am including a few pictures for your scrapbook.

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens
Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens

Princess Street Gardens

Remote-Control Boats at Inverleith Pond

Inverleith Park/Pond

Queen Mother's Garden Pavilion
Walls entirely covered in shells

Queen Mother's Pavilion
Ceiling entirely covered in pine cones

Munich

Munich was a surprise. I wasn't really expecting much (not sure why) but was really taken in by this city--beautiful parks, amazing buildings, lots of surprises around the corners. Munich is particularly interesting to visit because many of the buildings have been restored to their original state. After WWII, like many European cities, Munich had been devastated by bombings. Unlike many other European cities, though, Munich officials decided to rebuild many important and historical structures rather than leaving ruins or building something new.

One of our favorite places in Munich was this area by the Munich Residenz. This is the former royal palace and is amazing. So much so that I actually spent the money to take a tour. I was not disappointed. It has been completely restored and was just marvelous.

The Antiquarium

Part of the Residenz

The Emperor's Courtyard

The Residenz includes a large courtyard with a gazebo in the center. The gardens weren't in bloom yet, but it was still lovely. On Sunday afternoon, a gentleman was giving an impromptu cello concert there. That was definitely a highlight.

Just outside the Residenz walls was this big, beautiful, old church. I think this was one of Joe's favorites.
We heard about the royal family's summer palace, a little out of the city center, so decided to make the trip there. Oh.my.word. Amazing. The Schloss Nymphenburg was out of this world (or as one of my clients says OTT--over the top).

Front of the Schloss

View of the back

While the interior of the Castle is apparently gorgeous, the really unique aspect of the palace is the grounds. With 490-acres, it is huge and has many walking paths. They allow the public free access to the gardens so we enjoyed a leisurely stroll. This is the view from the back of the palace out into the center of the gardens. It goes back further than you can see in the picture. On either side are large areas of "wilderness" as well as several pavilions, pump houses, and greenhouses.

Central garden area

One of the first things we actually saw when we got to Munich was the Rathaus, or City Hall. We were taken aback when we rounded the corner from a fairly modern row of shops to find this:


Other highlights included a trip and a pint (well, half-liter actually) at the world famous Brauhaus, a stroll through the Englischer Gardens (larger than Central Park, but still not as big as Forest Park in St. Louis), and another random run-in with a talkative local (this one who claimed he was my astrological soulmate and gave me a hug while my dear husband looked on and giggled).

Two days was not enough in Munich and we definitely want to go back.

Salzburg

Salzburg was another beautiful city but a little unlike any of the other ones we visited. I can't quite put my finger on what made it so different, but in some ways it seemed like you just stepped back in time when you were here. It's a bit more remote feeling (maybe because of the Alps looming right on the edge of the city) and feels a bit quieter. While a beautiful city, the beauty comes more from the surroundings and less from the buildings themselves. All in all, we liked Salzburg a lot, but it wasn't our favorite (though we do know an older gentleman at church who thinks we just didn't see it properly).

We really didn't do the Sound of Music tour, but it is impossible to visit Salzburg and not see something from the movie....even if you weren't trying. We did tour Mozart's home and got to see his piano, letters he wrote, and other interesting artifacts. Pictures weren't allowed there, so you'll have to use your imagination....or better yet, go yourself!

A House on a Lake
(better known as the back of the movie Von Trapp Home and the lake the children fall into)

Love this view from behind the Fortress

View of the city

Rooftops

The Alps

A church

Beautiful church ceiling

Mirabel Gardens
(site of the Do-Re-Mi Song)

Pretty Church

Mirabel Schloss (Castle)

Mirabel Castle
(Sound of Music scene alert)

View of Festung (Fortress) Hohensalzburg and Nunberg Abbey
(last part of Do-Re-Mi song ended where I am standing)

Salzburg had a natural beauty, obviously, that was perhaps quite different than the other cities. The Alps are really stunning and you can see them wherever you are. It was warm and sunny while we were there, but you could still feel the cold from the snow melting up in the mountains and it was really breathtaking. I wouldn't discourage anyone from going to Salzburg and would definitely go back again. It was a really beautiful city with many interesting sites.