My Halloween Jack O' Lantern

My friend Lisa had a pumpkin carving party for Halloween and this was my output. Over the years I have developed an unatural fear of large knives (I think it comes from never cooking/using them), so this was a challenge for me --they don't have those handy, idiot-proof pumpkin carving kits here that they sell in the States. Anyway, it was fun, and the other party guests thought my pumpkin looked like a "South Park" character.

Windsor Castle

My friend Amelia and I took the train out to Windsor to tour the Queen's castle, which made for a really nice day. I probably shouldn't admit this, but I'm an audio tour junkie, so we rented hansets and spent two hours roaming the beautifully restored State Apartments (much of it was destroyed in the 1992 fire, so a massive restoration was just completed). We also got to see Queen Mary's dollhouse (rather "Twighlight Zone" if you ask me). St. George's chapel was closed since it was Sunday and services were in order, so I have to go back to see that another time. After touring the castle, we walked across the bridge to Eton, which was very pretty at sunset.

The castle is the largest in the world still used as a residence. It's impressive. And on a beautiful Fall day, it made for a lovely and interesting walkabout.

Here are some pictures!


Castle Gate





Amelia






The Queen's Jubilee Gardens


St. George's Chapel









The Big Tower





Cat at the Castle









Eaton at Sunset

Official Apology to Germany

I begin this post with a sincere and humble apology to Germany. To be perfectly honest, I had zero interest in going there, and of all the European countries on my hitlist, Germany very well may have placed at the bottom. I mean, let's face it...with a dark past that includes Hitler, sauerkraut and David Hasselhoff (those things not being of equal darkness), Germany could use some good PR.

Or maybe that's what the Germans WANT outsiders like myself to beleive so that we don't all come flocking to their nice country. But thanks to my good friend Alicia, who lives outside of Heidelberg with her husband Christian, I have now seen the light. I went only to see her and catch up, but flew away with a whole new view of a beautiful and friendly place.

Hey Look -- It's Fall!
For a girl who grew up on a farm and won top honours for her kindergarten halloween costume as a tree, I sure have forgotten about trees and how pretty they are in autumn. But then again, living in NYC and London does not afford many an opportunity to be reminded. Anyway, as we were walking and driving along the Neckar River Valley and the Rhine River all weekend, I was floored by the soft, rolling hills alive with intense hues of orange, yellow and green. It was truly splendid, especially with the red-tiled roofs, church steeples and pale walls peeking out of the foliage from the scattered villages spread along the river and hillsides. Moreover, Germany has it's own custom pallette of colours that made me feel like I was viewing the world through some magic filter.

The Land of Spargel and Schmuck
Alicia & Christian live out in the country, in a neighborhood surrounded by fields. Right now, they are blanketed in soft, tall yellow flowers that contrasted sharply against the crisp blue sky. But in May and June, Alicia tells me the fields are bursting with spargel, or white asparagus, which is practically the national food of Germany during that season. Even more interesting she says, is that the people who typically harvest the spargel are Polish farmers, and that the men strip down to what can only be compared to a skimpy loincloth in the hot summer sun. She says it makes for an interesting drive through the fields on the way home....I can only imagine! (I think that may call for a new series of paintings inspired by Millet's famous potato farmer paintings.) I just wish I had been there in season. I love white asparagus!

"Schmuck" means jewelry in German, so we kept passing Scmuck stores everywhere. I thought that was funny. I love schmuck. Just kind of a bad word (when heard in English) for something that's so wonderful!

What I Saw in Heidelberg : Day 1
Saturday, we wandered all through the quaint streets of Heidleberg. We popped into a store specializing in liquors...I bought a couple bottles of rhubarb liquor, becuase I love everything rhubarb. We also peeked into the town's main cathedral (very big and gothic and beautiful).

We crossed the old bridge (great story, it was blown up in WWII, but some very dedicated people dove into the river, gathered all the stone fragments, and rebuilt the bridge) and did a hike up the river hillside to enjoy the view looking down on the city. It's important to mention here that Alicia is 7 months pregnant, yet she did this little climb with me. The girl is seriously in good shape and a true adventurer. I was impressed. I think I was more out of breath than she was! The walk along the hillside was so pretty, and provided great views of the city, the old bridge, the river, the famous Heidelberg University, and the giant castle on the other side of the river bank.

After the climb, we came back down into town and stopped at a little cafe for lunch. Which was good...we both got something they called a baguette. No bread, just two warm blocks of goat cheese baked in butter, olive oil, and topped with peppers, olives, tomato and served with a lovely side salad. As my neice Catherine would say, "Oh my gosh, it was soooo good."

After lunch, I bought some gummy bears, then we drove up the hillside to the massive Heidelberg castle (or "schloss" as they are called in German) that peers over the city. We wandered around the perimeter and went inside the main walls. Much of the castle is in ruin...many additions were built over the years, so it's sort of a "collage" of castle parts. It's beautiful though, and the front terrace affords gorgeous views of the city. By this time of day, the light was amazing, the weather was good, and it was so peaceful and gorgeous. We hung around for awhile chatting and enjoying the grounds and views. Oh, there were also sheep roaming the hillside in front of the castle. I don't know if I'd ever seen lots of big fluffy sheep like that before. There was even a baby.


After the castle, we were tired. So we went back to Alicia's house, poured through the massive stack of English-language trash/tabloid magazines I had brought per Alicia's request, and took a nap. Around 8:30ish, we got ready, went back into town and ate at a very traditional German restaurant. I'd say Germany's food is right up there with English food in terms of browness and heaviness. Ok, maybe it's even heavier and more brown. But it was pretty good. I had two pork cutlets in a thick brown sauce served with two large bready-dumpling things that were like balls of stuffing. We also got a side of red cabbage, a German specialty that was tasty (was sweet). Oh, I had a beer too (of course!) After dinner, we hit a gelato shop for dessert, then went home and called it a night.

Wandering Castle Ruins & Speyer: Day 2
Sunday, we got up, went into town and met a friend of Alicia's (Annetta) for brunch. The menu was huge and I couldn't read any of it, so Alicia spent about an hour translating it for me. I decided on some tea, scrambled eggs, fruit, yogurt and bread. Was good. Anetta was one of Alicia's German teachers when she first arrived. I'd say she taught her well given Alicia's now mastery of the language! Anetta's expecting a baby too -- everyone seems to be pregnant.

After brunch, Alicia and I drove up the gorgeous Neckar Valley and did a hike along three castle ruins. They were very pretty, and I climbed to the top of two of the towers. One climb was very dark though. Actually, pitch black, so I felt my way along the stairs hoping I would not trip in the black void and fall to my death. Clearly, Germany has no concerns about liability and lawsuits (or, they assume you'll be smart enough to bring a flashlight). But the view from the top of the tower was well worth the risk.

Next, we drove to the town of Speyer (located on the Rhine river; was a major Celtic center; developed by Romans, but sacked by Huns ca. 450 AD; rebuilt in 7th cen.; ruled by powerful bishops from 10th cen.; major trading center by 11th cen.; destroyed by French in War of Grand Alliance in 1689.)

We visited the lovely cathedral in the town's center which is HUGE. It was founded by Conrad II in 1050 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site...it was the biggest church of its time. Really a massive and gorgeous structure with a huge dome and 4 towers. And Episcopalian no less (I'm Episcopalian so I always like that in a church). Despite its size, it is a very simply designed and decorated church inside with none of the usual gaudy decor. Almost refreshing and zen-like. We went down into the crypt which was interesting -- it is the resting place of at least 8 medievil German emperors and kings.

From the church, we wandered down Speyer's main street to a lovely, wide tower called the Altportal. The town's main street (Maximilianstrasse) has been refurbished and looks brand new. It has the charm of a Disneyland street or Naples, FL -- with impeccable pastel coloured buildings and a picture-perfect cobblestone road. Alicia and I took a break at an outside cafe where we people watched over steamy cappuccinos and two huge slices of cake. It had gotten kind of chilly out, but the cafe provided warm fleece blankets to cover up with which was a nice touch. I'm telling you, these Germans really know how to host a crowd. ;)

After our wander of Speyer, we headed back to Alicia's house....I had to get back to make my 10:10pm flight back to London that night.

Alicia & Christian's Abode
A & C live in a nice, big house in a darling neighborhood. There is a large, artistic oven in the main living area that Alicia tells me 1) does not heat the house or 2) cook anything. But it sure does look nice. It's three stories, plus a basement (the house, not the oven). I felt like I was staying at a little hotel. They also have a nicely landscaped backyard, referred to as "gardens" in Germany.

Christian had been hiking in the Alps all weekend with friends, so Alicia and I had a true girls weekend. But he returned before I left on Sunday evening, so we all had a nice pasta dinner together at their house. It was nice to see him again...he is a very nice guy (and a very tired guy after his weekend escapade). I predict the Lenze baby will be hiking before she can even walk...it will be in the genes. ;)

Really, there are castsles EVERYWHERE!!!
On the drive to the Frankfurt airport Sunday night, I was just floored by all the castles in Germany. They are everywhere, and all lit up at night along the roads and hills. It's pretty cool, and now I want to go back to see more! I definitely feel a castle obsession coming on. My neices, who loves princesses and fairy tales, would be very envious.

One last "I'm sorry," fair Deutchland!
So Germany, I am soooo sorry I doubted you, but I promise never to do it again. I had a really great, relaxing weekend, even with all we did. And I now want to return to see more -- Bavaria, Berlin, Munich and Hamburg in particular. And the quick flight from London will make that pretty darn easy.

The TV Police

I received a rather threatening letter in my mailbox yesterday from the TV Licensing Board. It was addressed to the previous resident of my flat saying that my apartment was under investigation for not paying the TV licensing fee. The letter goes on to say that they are watching me and that this is a serious offense with a £1,000 fine for offenders.

What the....? Well, In the United Kingdom, citizens must pay a licence if they own a television set. Not for cable or satellite, just for the regular old 5 channels you get when you plug the set in. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a government agency that has the power to tax and enforce laws. In order to obtain funding, the BBC requires that anyone using its services must pay for them. The annual cost (set by the government) is currently £126.50.

But you say, "Ha! Try and PROVE that I'm watching the tele," right? Well, they have the means to enforce it too! Government enforcers (who I like to call "The TV Police") actually patrol the streets of England in vans rigged with cutting-edge technology that can detect when a TV is on inside a home that has not paid the TV license. Then, when an offender is identified, they come knocking on your door to catch you in the act and slap you with the hefty fine! I visulize this to look like the high-action drug busts I've seen on the TV show "Cops," but with people scrambling to flush the TV down the toilet instead of the drugs. Hey, this would make for some quality reality TV here in the U.K.!

So, needless to say, I took care of this little situation first thing this morning. The last thing I need are the TV police to come knocking on my door as I'm suffering through one of the very bad, low-budget American movies from the early 1980s that the BBC makes available each evening (last night they aired the Burt Reynolds classic "Every Which Way But Loose" -- I rest my case).

I am curious though, what do the "TV police" uniforms look like?

Erica & Andy...Together Forever (Just like that Rick Astley song)

Greetings!

I took a whirlwind trip to Boston last weekend for my friend Erica's wedding -- it was lots of fun, despite the long travel for the short trip! She and her new husband (the delightful Andy Murray) got married in the city center and had the reception at the lovely Gamble Mansion. It rained for the better part of the weekend, but that didn't ruin the fun! It was also a nice reunion for my best gal pals, Kate, Molly and Melinda, who were all there as well (the three of them, Erica and I have a girls beach weekend tradition that goes back many years from when we all lived in DC -- we were rather inseparable). So, a joyful "Cheers!" to Erica and Andy (who are now lounging on a beach in Hawaii and definitely not concerning themselves with this blog).

Oh, I must also mention that their wedding announcement made it into the New York Times on Sunday....which is, um, no easy feat!

Sunday, before leaving, I met up with my sweet friends Dan and Ellen Pedro, who walked around town with me and then introduced me to Boston's charming Oak Bar where we had a cocktail. It was wonderful seeing them.

Here are some pix from the wedding...

Cutting the cake













Erica and Andy, post wedding, at their brunch on Sunday


















The Gals: Me, Melinda, Molly and Kate













There was crazy dancing all night....with Melinda in the lead, as always. She is about 6 months pregnant, so this is adorable and impressive at the same time. The groom's father actually thanked her for being the life of the party (true story).

This is Melinda and her hubby Jeff. Aren't they cute? Jeff is one of my favorite guys in the world becuase he is totally fun and cool and can hang with all girls and actually enjoy it (or at least he does a good job pretending)! He always fits right in and contributes to the good time at hand.