Somewhere in the Middle

I'll take 3 Letter S's for Pure Relaxation please.

Sun + Sea = Pure Relaxation in my book. lol! And our last leg in Villasimius was no exception. Our last two days were filled with trips to the beach and a hike to the Spanish tower from Porto Giunco.

My favorite beach was Porta sa Ruxi, a private little beach that was a wonderful exploring area for Artsy Boy. And being able to walk on a sandy beach was a big bonus too!

C loved climbing the rocks! And he followed the rocks out quite far too.

While we were in Cala Gonone, Artsy Boy developed a rash on his face and it quickly spread to his torso, legs, and arms. We weren't sure what was causing the rash. When you're on vacation there are so many new variables it's hard to pinpoint it on one thing. But I have a feeling the sunscreen was the cause. So we tried to keep C covered up as much as possible.

Luckily, he didn't mind hanging out in the shade and reading.

We also went to Spiaggia di Porto Giunco which was beautiful but the wind made it impossible to enjoy. It was just too windy to do anything. So we left and hiked to the Spanish Tower. It was a really easy hike... in fact I did it in my cheapy flip flops. It probably took us about 40 mins due to some land mines and plenty of photo ops.

The scenary from the top was fabulous!

After our hike, we went to another beach hoping to find calmer winds. But unfortunately, the beach was a bit crowded. It was the first time we encountered so many people. We decided our hotel pool would be more relaxing so we packed up and left. But before we did we came across this interesting cactus flowering plant.

Here's another interesting flower we found at Porta sa Ruxi...

Swimming, napping & reading by the hotel pool was wonderful! In fact, we loved it so much that C & I would stay outside reading until late in the evening. So late that neither one of us wanted to go out for dinner on our 2nd night. S was so sweet & went out for "take away" and we had pizza on our balcony that night.

On our last night we stayed out by the pool until late enjoying the peaceful surroundings/ We were able to muster the energy to get dressed and go out for dinner! It was a great ending to a wonderful vacation.

On our way to Villasimius

Before leaving Cala Gonone we had a relaxing breakfast at the hotel taking in the beautiful day that lay ahead.

C even took his markers and drawing pad and went to the lounge area to sketch.

He created this beautiful drawing that will always remind me of our hotel and the gorgeous sea.

Our time in Cala Gonone was spent mainly on the beaches leaving little time and energy to discover the little town. So before leaving we walked around a bit and took in the lovely area.

Take a look at these rosemary bushes! Would love to have one like this in my home.

Our plan was to stop at Gola Goroppu where I was hoping we could do a little hiking.

The view along the SS125 was breath-taking. Gola Goroppu looks amazing! Most of the articles I read on Sardinia referred to this area as the Grand Canyon of Europe. I can now see why.

Once we reached the start of the hike we found ourselves sharing the road with goats and some cows.

There was even a little calf that was running around like a rambunctious puppy. It was pretty funny to watch him running in circles.

Once we looked at the map we decided that it probably wasn't the best idea to go hiking. We had a met a couple in Cala Gonone that told us the hike was far more difficult than the guide had explained. So based on this info S was convinced we should do the hike on another visit. Plus, he doesn't think my Converse are good hiking shoes. They're better than ballet shoes! Remember my disasterous hike near Turin!

The drive to Villasimius was really pretty. Along the way we stopped at a farm and bought two different types of Pecorino cheese to take home.

We also ran into lots of farm animals out of the road.

By the time we arrived in Villasimius and checked into our hotel  it was time for a nice dinner at Sa Tankitta, a place one of my Sardegnian friends recommended.

Day 2 on the beach :: Sardinia

With the adventure we'd had the day before, I let S plan the 2nd day. As you can probably guess we signed up for a tour. That day S wanted nothing to do with anchoring boats and swimming to shore.

The tour was actually really nice. Paolo, our fabulous navigator was really sweet. He took us inside numerous caves which we would have never done.

There was one particular cave that had this blue sparkling effect on your skin.

It was pretty cool. Paolo told us we could jump into the water and swim around a bit if we liked. The water was much too cold for my taste but S jumped right in!

Afterward we stopped at Cala Biriola. Which I loved! This was actually my favorite beach in Sardinia. The rock formations were incredible and the waves were pretty calm. C had a blast jumping from the rocks.

After soaking up the rays at Cala Biriola, Paolo took us out to Cala Goloritzé.

Next stop... Cala Mariolu.

This beach was deserted when we arrived. And while it was breath-taking the water was much too rough.

Our last stop was a visit to the Grotta del Bue Marino. On the way Paolo asked C if he wanted to drive the boat. Definitely!! C was in heaven; he loved every minute!!

The Grotta del Bue Marino tour was fascinating. We walked near subterranean lakes, saw amazing stalactites and stalagmites formations, and even got to see some Neolithic graffiti.

Up until the 1980's, the Mediterranean Monk Seals lived & birthed their babies in these caves. Because we were the last tour of the day, we had the place to ourselves and the guide even let us snap a few photos.

That night we ate dinner at Agriturismo Nuraghe Mannu. Our experience was a different from other Agriturismo's. Usually, it's a very friendly, family style type of dining. But each course was brought out with no explanation. And there was just one French couple with us in the dining room.

But no worries... we enjoyed every course!

C especially enjoyed the Seadas, a traditional Sardinian dessert. These delicious fritters were stuffed with a very mild pecorino cheese and drizzled with honey. And while C was enjoying his fritter I was busy licking my plate clean eating warm, home-made ricotta!

If I could only eat fresh ricotta everyday, I'd be one happy grrrl!

Rest + Relaxation = Sardegna

For our 20th wedding anniversary, I was hoping to receive a big, brillant rock to wear on my finger but I think S misunderstood and thought I wanted to SEE some amazing rocks! lol! 

And did I ever get my share of rocks! lol! We spent an amazing week in Sardinia, Italy. I absolutely fell in love with the island. I wouldn't mind visiting Sardina every year!

We spent 4 days in Cala Gonone & 3 in Villasiumius. Both areas were GORGEOUS but Cal Gonone was by far my favorite. The vibe was more low key and more rustic. I fell in love with the landscape... I mean how can you not fall in love with these beaches. The coastline is breath-taking.

Every morning we were greeted by the sun.  When you live in a sun deprived country, waking up to clear, blue sky and lots of sunshine is something I've learned to appreciate and savor. This was our view from our hotel in Cal Gonone.

While driving to Cal Gonone, I couldn't help compare the landscape to Southern California. Very dry and arrid.

It took us almost 3 hrs to drive from Cagliari to Cal Gonone.

At certain points the roads were very narrow & quite windy. When we were close to arriving we turned a corner and wow, the ocean came into view.

It was really beautiful.

Once we checked into our hotel, we drove down to the city center and inquired about the boat options. According to the research I did on Cal Gonone, the most beautiful beaches are only accessible by boat. There are tours, taxi's, and of course you can rent your own little boat. Since it's not high season yet the taxi service was only going to Cala Luna. Of course I already made up my mind of what I wanted to do. The idea of choosing which beaches we wanted to visit was very appealing. But S wasn't completely comfortable about renting a boat since... well neither one of us has ever navigated a boat! lol! But everyone assured us that driving the boat would be no problem and because it's so small you don't need a special license to rent the boat. In my mind it was a no brainer. But we didn't make any final decisions that night.

The next morning we ate a wonderful European breakfast by the pool that included prosciutto, a variety of local cheeses, and a delicious range of cakes and pastries. And they also had my favorite.... fresh rocotta drizzled with some local honey. I had to restrain myself from taking the entire bowl to my table and eating it all! lol!

When we got to the port, we went over our options again and Artsy Boy & I pressured convinced S that renting a boat was the way to go! I even said I would drive. I mean how hard could it be if there are so many people who do it! Right? After a short lesson we were off on our adventure!

S did a great job navigating and we were having a great time.

Our plan was to go to the farthest beach and work our way back throughout the day. We didn't have to return the boat until 5:30. But what we thought was Cala Mariolu was actually Cala Luna. When we realized our mistake we laughed how silly we were to think we had already reached the last beach. We were completely disoriented! lol! It's a rather big coast when sprinting along in a little boat. Deciphering which beaches are which was a little confusing since there aren't any signs and it was our first day out. Now if you're looking at a map that would help since the beaches are recognizeable by theire landscape but we were enjoying the scene so much the map got stuffed into a backpack. 

S managed to pull the boat into the shore without much difficulty and C & I got out and found a spot on the beach while S took the boat out again.

Cala Luna was beautiful. It's recognizable by its three caves.

C enjoyed exploring the caves. The next beach we visited was a little inlet we found right next to Cala Mariolu.

We spent most of our day on this beach with it's huge boulders and crystal clear water. The boulders reminded me of the beaches S & I visited years ago in Virgin Gorda. Gorgeous! But the boulders in Virgin Gorda are surrounded by colorful tropical fishes.

At this time of the year the water along the Golfo di Orosei is freezing! At least for this grrrl who's used to the beaches in Florida and the Carribbean. lol! C dared me to jump in and when I did I thought I had jumped into ice water. But if you let the sun warm you up sufficiently the water wasn't too cold.

As the day passed, the sun was overtaken by shade so we left in search of a beach with a few more hours of sunshine. And we found it at Cala Sistine. When we arrived there was just one family there.

Poor S, by the time he docked the boat and swam back to shore he was absolutely exhausted! I'll admit the rocks at Cala Sistine were huge and after a day of walking on rocks our feet were screaming. But on the bright side, there was plenty of sunshine and we spent a relaxing time lounging on the beach.

It was about a quarter to five when we decided to leave and by this point we were completely alone. S went out to get the boat and we packed everything up. But when we or I should say S tried to get the boat out far enough to start the engine the waves were so strong it completely washed the boat ashore. And everytime S tried to move the boat the waves pushed it further onto shore. Our little boat kept filling up with water as each current came in. It was awful. I can still see him now using every muscle in his body to move that boat. I'm sure he was thinking, "WHY, Did I agree to this?!" It's funny now but at the time it was a completely different story. I jumped out of the boat and tried to help. After a few minutes we developed a rhythm and were able to get the boat out to shore.

Once we were out on the water the current were so strong that the boat was bouncing like crazy! C & I were hanging on for dear life! At any moment I thought the boat was going to flip over. But thank god, we got back safely. A little tired & beat up but we were safe and happy to be back on land. ;)

Celebrating 20

Happy Anniversary! The last 20 years have been incredible! Thank you for being such an amazing partner!  Love you!

Happy New Year!

This New Year began with lots of enthusiasm and excitement! Thanks to my Secret Agent I spent the New Year in Times Square. That's right, baby! New York City! It was absolutely fabulous!!

We were having dinner with C's Godfather, his partner, Mr. "NYC-On the Street", and of course Mr. Secret Agent. Around 11pm, Mr. Secret Agent asked, "Are we going to do this? Who wants to go to Times Square?" S said he'd pass and stay with Lil' C. He didn't want to be with all the crowds. When Mr. "NYC-On the Street" & R said they didn't want to go either I was completely shocked. Not me! How many times in your life do the stars align and allow you a special pass to celebrate New Years in Times Square without the 5-6 hour wait? "I'm in!' I told Mr. Secret Agent. Immediately, R, Mr. Travel Man changed his mind too.

We left the house at 11:15pm and walked to Times Square. It was a beautiful night too. It wasn't really cold which was perfect! There were people EVERYWHERE! It was absolutely crazy. Hand in hand we walked or I should say they walked, I jogged. lol! Mr. Travel Man & Secret Agent walked so fast. We went through about 5 blockades. The first one was a little crazy because there were hundreds of people who wanted to get through the blockade but the police officer kept yelling at the crowds to get back. But when Mr. Secret Agent used his secret powers the police offficer told us to go through. After a minute or two the crowds disregarded the officer and started running through the street. But there were blockades at every street so when we arrived at the next blockade we had to wait a bit. I think the police were worried that if they let us through the crowds would again rebel. So we squeezed our way to the corner of the street and the NYPD escorted us through. It was such an amazing experience! The sidewalks were completely empty except for the NYPD and us! lol!! Now I know how celebrities must feel. lol! 

With Mr. Secret Agents superpowers, the next 3 blockades were a breeze to get through. We ended up in an area reserved for family & friends of the NYPD & NYFD which was great. We had space to move around and we weren't completely crammed in.

By the time we arrived to this spot it was 11:45pm. Beautiful! We counted down to midnight, watched the fireworks, and sang Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" along with thousands of other New Yorkers as billions of pieces of confetti fell from the sky! It was so amazing!

Afterward, we had drinks with some of Mr. Secret Agent friend's that work for the NYPD & NYFD. These guys were true New Yorkers... with their deep NY accents and mannerisms. I loved it. 

Here are a few photos from that night. I also took these videos but because I wanted to focus on the moment not on where I was taping it's a super crazy video.

The photo quality is absolutely horrible but really I don't care... everytime I look at these photos & watch these videos my hearts beats a little faster and I just can't help but smile and think about what an awesome night it was! Thanks Mr. Secret Agent!! I owe you one! ;)

A Night at the Abbaye

Tonight we broke a record... two date nights in one month! We almost didn't know what to do with ourselves. lol! Until... I found out about Les Nuits du Cirque.

It's been a few years since I visited L' Abbaye de Villers; my bookclub had read " The Pillars of the Earth" and we met at the Abbaye to discuss the book & of course to wander around. But this time the Abbaye had a different feel to it. Seeing the performances at the Abbaye made it very enchanting.

You can't help being captivated by watching a performance or listening to jazz in a tiny stone room or an old church that's several hundred years old. 

Les Nuits du Cirque was really fun. It's definitely an event the whole family can enjoy. The day was filled with various performances. Had we known we definitely would have love to go earlier. There were clowns, musicians, and various acrobats performing.

Some of the acrobatic shows were funny while others were quite artsy. They were all great.

I especially liked this woman's show. Using a red sash she climbed to the top of the tree and performed all sorts of acrobatic moves. I especially loved when she twisted herself up in the sash and spiraled downward.

What made her show fascinating was how she made the sash seem as if they were real stairs. Each step was done with such gracefulness. It was amazing.

Since the Abbaye is close to a small forest area we walked over a mile at the end of the evening in pure darkness just to get back to our car. I was a bit spooked but I have to admit it was the perfect way to end this bewitching event. We'll definitely be putting this event on the calendar next year.

One can not deny thy heart.

Love. That was the theme of a skit we saw at the Tower of London.

The story focused on four prisoners who lived in the Towers, one of them being a prisoner of the heart. Unfortunately, her father forbid the marriage because he was a Scotsman. But the young woman will do just about anything to get her father to change his mind. The actors were really good and they had the crowd laughing throughout the story. C & I found the skit very entertaining.

C & I spent the majority of our day at the Tower of London. The palace is immense.

Luckily for us the palace wasn't too crowded. Seeing the crown jewels was just amazing. The grandness of the collection is truly incredible. C & I also really enjoyed the royal armour.

Take a look at this cool dragon made with various pieces of armour.

Once we left the Tower of London, we headed off to see Big Ben. After taking a quick look at the clock tower, we decided to take a chance and see if we could buy tickets for the London Eye.

I read somewhere that you needed to reserve tickets in advance. But when we arrived we were able to buy tickets right on the spot. We waited in line for about 20 mins which wasn't too bad. If it were high season, I'd definitely recommend making reservations. Once we had our tickets we immediately watched a 3D movie about the London Eye. Very cool... C loved it! Throughout the movie he was holding out his hand trying to catch bubbles and the sparks flying through the air from the firework show. As the Brits would say, it was brilliant!

Within 5 minutes of seeing the movie we were on the London Eye.

The view was spectacular! Look at how tiny the people are.

These next few photos were taken as we reached the highest point of the ferris wheel.

Our little capsule had about 10 people so C & I  walked around freely taking in the landscape.

When we left the London Eye C was on a natural high. He was just so happy and jumping all over the place.

On our way back to the Tube while snapping some photos of Big Ben, I happen to spot this cute pub. You'll see this same scene all over London.Believe it or not this place is pretty empty.

I remember when my sister & I went to Dublin we saw crowds of people spilling out into the streets drinking everywhere. Why be cramped up in a stuffy bar when you can enjoy the good weather outside. Love it.

C & I didn't get back to the hotel until after 8pm! We'd had a late start but we really made the most of our day! Unfortunately, I didn't realize S made dinner reservations at a charming little fish restaurant recommended by one of his collages. But we went anyway and luckily they were able to squeeze us in. The food was quite good & best of all I was able to satify my craving for fish & chips. ;)

The following day, we went to the National Gallery. The Gallery has several art trails you can do with children which made the art a bit more interesting. C was an expert navigator. He was able to find all the art pieces all on his own. The little booklet had all sorts of questions and activities for C to do. Had I not been starving I would have enjoyed spending more time going through the gallery.

Before we left for the train station we had lunch and then went back to the Tower of London to take a few family photos. And within a few hours we were back on the EuroStar and heading home.

Recharging in London

Learning another language can be mentally exhausting. Sometimes it's just nice to speak your mother tongue. So when S mentioned he was going to London for a business trip C & I decided to tag along.

We took the Eurostar into London which was an absolute breeze. I loved it.

C was quite excited about traveling underwater but once we entered I think he felt a litte tinge of concern. Here is some interesting trivia about the tunnel...

• 50.45km : the length of the three tunnels. It takes 20 minutes to travel through it.
• 100m : the deepest point below sea level the tunnel reaches
• 20 : the distance in miles from which the cliffs of Dover can be seen.
• 334.7km/h : the record breaking top speed (208 mph) a Eurostar train reached in July 2003 when testing the UK High Speed 1 line.

In two hours flat we were in the city.  Amazing.

After checking into our hotel, we set off to do a bit of shopping and then headed off to dinner near Picadilly Circus. It was absolute madness and I loved it. Amidst the chaos was this tranquil hotel with flowers & plants growing along the side of the building. Absolutely lovely.

One of the things I love about London is the abundance of ethnic restaurants. That night I was craving Middle Eastern food. We stumbled onto a fabulous Lebanese restaurant called Noura. The food was fantastic. The garlic hummus was simply the best I've ever tasted; the flavors were so intense. It was incredible. And the lamb was tender and wonderfully seasoned.

C was in love with the "puffy bread" and COULD NOT stop scooping up the delicious hummus. He must have eaten an entire basket of puffy bread all by himself. lol! I think all three of us wanted to lick the bowl of hummus clean. I'm on a mission now to replicate this dish. When our server asked how the food was I joked that it was so good we'd be coming back for dinner every night while we were in London. Little did I know C would take me serious and insist we go back to Noura on our second night in London. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

The following day as S headed off to his meeting, C & I explored the city of London. But before starting our day we stopped into Starbucks where C declared they had the best blueberry muffins. Unlike many cities around the world, Belgium only has one Starbucks... at Brussels National Airport. It's not a big deal to me since I'm not a coffee drinker but C did enjoy his fresh fruit, muffins and a nice assortment of yummy juices.

After breakfast, our adventure began. Our first stop... The British Museum. The museum holds the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The range & quality of the items is extremely impressive.

C has developed a real interest in Ancient Egypt so it was great to be able to experience this with him. Providing C a bit of insight into some of the things I saw while traveling in Egypt was really fun for me as well.

We did the children's audio guide which was perfect for his age. If C's interest continues I'd love to take him to Egypt one day.

Once we left the museum I asked C what he wanted to do after lunch and his response, "I just want to relax. Let's go back to the hotel." lol! Yeah, that was not happening. So we compromised and planned a quick visit to Buckingham Palace followed by a visit to Green Park.

C loved walking around the park trying to find a good tree to climb. He's a simple kind of guy. ;)

While we walked we came across a young man playing the bagpipes. It was really beautiful.

The daffodils were in full bloom. Considering it was such a nice for a walk in the park, the place was quite empty.

I did spot this tres chic older couple walking together. I love her Chanel orange and black heels.

Once we got back to the hotel I was absolutely exhausted. I'd had enough... lugging around my big camera (which seems to weigh at least 10 lbs) along with a handbag fill of brochures, a London guidebook, maps and personal items was cumbersome. I almost found myself taking less photos to avoid taking my camera out of my bag. This never happens when S is with us. So I ditched my bag and we set off to dinner.

We'd decided to stay close to the hotel and dine at a local Italian restaurant that looked good. But C insisted we head back to Noura.

"But we already ate there last night" I told C.

"But, you said we were going to go back." replied C.

He's right. I did make that comment. AND the food was delicious - we couldn't argue about that detail. So... we jumped into a cab and set off to Noura again. This time we sat right across from the brick oven where they make the "puffy bread". C was captivated watching the baker work his magic turning those flat round disks into puffy bread with his wooden peel. The baker was a gracious man and called C over and asked  him if he wanted to help. So he gave C a little hat and stood him on the counter and gave him the wooden peel. And together they turned many little dough disks into puffy bread. C was so excited. The baker asked me if I wanted to take a photo. Inside I was saying, "YES, definitely!" But what I really said was, "Nooo, I forgot my camera." I'd left my camera at the hotel! I was so disappointed to miss out on this great shot. But I tell you watching C work the brick oven is engraved in my memory. It was such a great moment. C was over the moon happy.

 

As soon as he returned to the table he started to draw Mr. Puffy Bread Cook (as C refers to him) a drawing. S knew I was upset so he offered to go back to the hotel & grab my camera. Do I have the sweetest, most thoughtful husband or what? ;) Of course, I took him up on his offer. I figured I might have another chance later in the evening. So S jumped into a cab and retrieved my camera but unfortunately the man stopped baking bread. The next time we saw the baker he was dressed nicely helping the servers in the dining room. So I missed out on the bread making but at least I was able to photograph C's drawing before he presented it to Mr. Puffy Bread Cook. ;)

More of California

French class was canceled today so here I am trying to finish some posts that are long overdue. Here's one from our trip to California...

Even though it was Fall in California it felt more like summer. On many days, the temperatures reached into the 90's. The weather was beautiful.

When we first arrived Lil' C was able to go to a Fall Festival centre which he loved!!

C even made a little friend while he was bouncying in one of the castles and towards the end of the day we already had a playdate invite. That is one thing I just love about California... people are super friendly!

On another afternoon my sister, C, and I went to Color Me Mine to paint ceramics. C painted this cute little cat he saw in the shop. My sister chose a little bowl while I picked a small serving plate.

My drawing was inspired by an idea C gave me. We had a great time! I was really happy with the results even if it did take forever to paint the images with 3 coats of paint.

For Halloween this year, C chose to dress up as a black cat. He really enjoyed trick-o-treating and with no jacket!! It was also fun to see all the neighborbood Halloween decorations.

I felt a wee bit guilty that C missed the Halloween festivities at home. His school was having a Halloween Disco and of course we can't forget about Trunk-o-Treat. Over the past five years, the Halloween celebration in our community has really improved. I'd say it's just about as much fun or even more fun depending on the US neighborhood.

Although I must admit spending Halloween in the warm California weather was definitely a wonderful treat!

Not only did we get to spend Halloween in California but we also experienced a bit of the Christmas spirit as well. Most people complain about how the US kicks off the holiday season too soon but I welcomed it! I was nice to see all the beautiful decorations at the indoor & outdoor malls. Before we flew back to Belgium, Lil' C had a chance to chat with Santa & take his photo with him.

C & I also went to see "Alpha & Omega" which was a cute movie.

One of the highlights of our trip for C was a visit to the "Build-A-Bear" shop in Downtown Disney.

His favorite build-a-bear needed a bit of reconstructive surgery since she's a few years old now and the recording in her arm no longer works. So what better place to have a bit of cosmetic surgery than in Disney's Build-A-Bear shop. lol!

Sparkle left the shop feeling like a million bucks... New stuffing, fancy clothes, high heel sandals and a new blonde wig! She's a California Grrl now.