Have you ever watched the BBC's series, Robin Hood? If you haven't, by all means don't; its incredibly addicting and you will want to watch the entire first two seasons all in one weekend. I did say want; that is not what I actually did (but close). What is so captivating about the series is how the relationships between the characters develop amidst constant battle. There is always a hanging to be stopped, a peasant to be fed, a sheriff to thwart and a merry man to be rescued. The characters of Robin, Marian, Will, Much and so on are warm and clever; but the real draw is that they are fighting for something greater than themselves ALL the time. They do not count their own lives dearly but risk everything to protect each other; they take care of everyone around them even when they are hated and treated as dust; their energy is spent doing good, waiting in anticipation for the king's return and keeping the people alive until then. They refuse to take the lives even of their enemies, when that would seem to be the easiest way to end the suffering.
I was about halfway through season two when I became a bit convicted that I was longing to live in a world where I also had the opportunity to fight for something that mattered. I want my life to count; to be found before the Lord at the end of my days as a good and faithful servant who did not waste the time I was given. And therein lies the rub: spending 10 hours in a week watching a television show is almost by definition a "waste." So while I was wrestling with that sin, I was also trying to wrap my head around why there is such a draw towards what at first glance is just an old story that has very little historical truth. This desire to "fight" for something greater than myself is grounded in something - but it is not in injustice in the same way that the story displays it. There is too much of a Christian emphasis on social justice: the post-modern church grasps on to this because it is easier to say "Let me help you find equality, provision, and security" than it is to say "Let me show you what God says about sin and how He can save you from it." The church today does not want to be seen by the world at large as intolerant, so it does a lot of "good" without ever telling the truth about the Word of God. We never get to the gospel of Jesus because we don't want to have to tell anyone that they can never be good enough on their own.
But that is not what Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, tells us to do with our lives. Mark 16:15-16 says, "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." It is that simple. And it is that, I believe, that we are supposed to be fighting for. This desire to confront the evils of the world is not there just for the soldiers - it is for all of us who are called by Christ. In Ephesians 6:12, it says "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." For this reason we put on the full armor of God and stand with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. These are our weapons, and our enemy is the devil whose aim is to hide the Truth and keep people from coming to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Jesus, how much I want to be found in your army! How much I want to be found ready, counting the cost and holding forth your Truth in spite of all obstacles! How much I want to know your Word and make it known! Forgive me for my wasted time and help me fight for what matters - to fight for You.
Its fitting in a way that this has been on my heart - because this past week on campus has been a bit crazy. The chapel speakers introduced the idea that we should honor "Mother Earth" and be thankful to the animals, fish, and trees for our provision and care. They claimed to be continually in line with scripture and to love God but their words showed their version of God is not the same as the jealous God of the Bible, who will not share his glory with another. This is only one group in a long train of speakers who do not take the Bible seriously or have a Biblical understanding of God. This one, however, has caused a stir across campus of students who know what is being taught is wrong - that it shouldn't even be a part of the conversation - and who are trying to have their concerns addressed. And although the chaplain and others have feigned listening, one gets the feeling that the religion department just does not understand what the problem is (which is of course a huge problem).
In this time when George Fox is going through such turmoil, when people come and claim to be sharing your gospel but give another instead, Lord, protect the hearts and minds of students here! Be at work in this, to make known your truth and glory. Bring wayward leaders back to you, and give voice to those who love your word and love You. Teach these students to know your truth so not one will fall away on account of this. You are in control, Lord Jesus - move in this place so it will not be a place of darkness, but of people who shine your light.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Christmas in Wyoming
Coming home to Jackson is always a highlight for me, whether its in summer or winter. Whether the entry is flying over the mountains from Salt Lake or driving over the pass, I start to feel this intense sense of excitement when I know that a view of the valley is almost upon me. This year, I knew I had Colleen and a car full of my favorite little girls coming to get me, making the homecoming just that much sweeter. I absolutely love spending time with the Wachobs! Colleen and Erik are amazing examples of Christ-followers and so much fun to be with. We had a crazy week scheduled and all of it was a great time.
First up, Christmas with the extended Wachob/Hanks clan at the Teton Science School site in Kelly. We spent a few nights with Becky and Doug's family, eating together in the dining room, decorating the tree and playing games in the main lodge, and sleeping in the motel-style rooms. Every day was just gorgeous - beautiful, bright snow, clear, stunning views across the valley to the Tetons, and if it wasn't sunny it was pleasantly blizzarding (you'd have to be from Wyoming to understand). We spent Christmas Eve snowmobiling and cross country skiing to Granite Hot Springs, followed by a beautiful candlelight service at First Baptist. E, C, and the girls and I spent Christmas morning together before heading back out to TSS to join the larger, crazier group for more skiing and snowshoeing before dinner. We stayed for another day and a half and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.
Each of the rest of the days I tried to connect with friends that I only get to see when in Jackson - dinner with Lisa on Monday, lunch with Susannah on Tuesday, a ski and lunch with Cindy, Heather and the kids on Wednesday (including getting the suburban stuck in their driveway and braving the snowstorm to get back over the pass). We went skiing up the Death Canyon trailhead on New Years Eve, then I crashed the Willcox home that night-we watched Shrek 4 together, eating popcorn and apples just like old times. Mom arrived that evening, and we were able to enjoy time together and with Dan, Beth and Abby Cadol on Saturday. Sunday I joined the Ahlums for a game night and had a great time with Corrine, Lisa, and crew. Monday I reluctantly flew home, as teaching was calling me back to reality. You can never get enough time at home!
Before leaving for Jackson I was able to spend a quick night and morning with Amy and Forrest, and here are some pictures from the "Christmas morning" I had with them, as well as some from Mom and I exchanging gifts:
Best surprise: Ryan and Emily sent me this teacup and plate from Germany - I had admired it when I was visiting them but didn't buy it. So thoughtful of them!!
First up, Christmas with the extended Wachob/Hanks clan at the Teton Science School site in Kelly. We spent a few nights with Becky and Doug's family, eating together in the dining room, decorating the tree and playing games in the main lodge, and sleeping in the motel-style rooms. Every day was just gorgeous - beautiful, bright snow, clear, stunning views across the valley to the Tetons, and if it wasn't sunny it was pleasantly blizzarding (you'd have to be from Wyoming to understand). We spent Christmas Eve snowmobiling and cross country skiing to Granite Hot Springs, followed by a beautiful candlelight service at First Baptist. E, C, and the girls and I spent Christmas morning together before heading back out to TSS to join the larger, crazier group for more skiing and snowshoeing before dinner. We stayed for another day and a half and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.
Each of the rest of the days I tried to connect with friends that I only get to see when in Jackson - dinner with Lisa on Monday, lunch with Susannah on Tuesday, a ski and lunch with Cindy, Heather and the kids on Wednesday (including getting the suburban stuck in their driveway and braving the snowstorm to get back over the pass). We went skiing up the Death Canyon trailhead on New Years Eve, then I crashed the Willcox home that night-we watched Shrek 4 together, eating popcorn and apples just like old times. Mom arrived that evening, and we were able to enjoy time together and with Dan, Beth and Abby Cadol on Saturday. Sunday I joined the Ahlums for a game night and had a great time with Corrine, Lisa, and crew. Monday I reluctantly flew home, as teaching was calling me back to reality. You can never get enough time at home!
Before leaving for Jackson I was able to spend a quick night and morning with Amy and Forrest, and here are some pictures from the "Christmas morning" I had with them, as well as some from Mom and I exchanging gifts:
Best surprise: Ryan and Emily sent me this teacup and plate from Germany - I had admired it when I was visiting them but didn't buy it. So thoughtful of them!!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Happy Birthday, Daddy
Today would have been my dad's 60th birthday. Three years ago, after spending my first Thanksgiving without him, I escaped into a coffee shop in Bridgeport with my Bible and journal in tow. It had been two months since we lost him and I had avoided these, what used to be my best comforts and time alone with God. It wasn't that I didn't trust the Lord anymore - it was more that I didn't want to pour out my heart to Him because I was already so empty, I was afraid of what might be left.
Once I started to pray, and the tears started to come, it was like the floodgates were opened. My heart, though still in so much pain, was ready to feel again. I wanted to talk to God, really talk to him, for the first time since Dad died. A small start, but critical to me.
Exactly three years later now, I am awash with familiar emotions: another year passed without him, another afternoon spent putting a wreath on his grave. Another Thanksgiving with one less plate at the table, another birthday without someone to sing to. Watching my mom go through another anniversary and holiday season, I see her strength though I think she sees mostly her weakness. Her tears and grief are an offering, and she is helping others get through their own in an incredible way. She is amazing and my dad would be so proud of her.
At the youth group I help out with last night, our pastor asked the kids what they were thankful for. He asked them to be completely serious, and they were - as far as middle school students get, anyway. They were thankful for family, friends, for passing tests, for band practice and sports teams. Typical and honest, and blessings all. But I couldn't get it out of my head that there are sometimes things you are so thankful for, they overwhelm you - and one such blessing happened this past weekend.
On Friday night, a friend of my cousin's (and mine) lost her dad. It happened suddenly, unexpectedly, abruptly - just the way my dad left us three years ago. Without warning he was gone, and they are left without their hero, confidant, and guide. When Paige got the call from her dear friend, we knew only that he was without a heartbeat or breath, and she wanted us to pray. I felt for my strong, godly cousin in that moment - because she was so far away, with nothing to hold to but the hope and love of Jesus for this family, and she held onto Him with all her might. We prayed, we cried, we prayed again, and harder; eventually my family went to bed, and still we sat in silence in the family room, hoping that God would use this opportunity for a miracle. We waited for news - I feel asleep in the armchair, but Paige kept the light on as a true watchman - and near 2:00am we heard that he had passed. We cried some more, and prayed, and then slept. I was reminded of David - how he begged and pleaded with God for the life of his son. And when he was taken home, David got up, and washed, and ate. This father was at home now, and our prayers were now for the living and hurting left behind.
Perhaps this doesn't seem like something to be thankful for at all. But if you've lost someone dear to you, you know - those last memories of time spent together are absolutely precious. How much more poignant that their last days as a family came at Thanksgiving - days already looked forward to and cherished completely. Our friend told Paige that they had had amazing time together as a family - a true gift from the Lord. This we can be thankful for - this is a huge blessing from the God who loves us more than we can know.
The Thanksgiving after my dad passed began with a birth - the birth of my beautiful, precious niece Sadie Pearl. God gave us joy in a time of heartache, peace in a time of pain, beauty in a time of ashes. I am forever thankful that we had something beyond our sorrow to focus on - Sadie was more than the gift of a life, she was a promise that light would breakthrough the darkness we all felt.
I don't understand the why of hurt - of why this family is without their father, or why my daddy isn't here to celebrate his birthday. But I do understand the gift of healing - I know that Jesus Christ, the Savior, is present with us in our pain, turning it into something beautiful and good in our lives when we trust in His love for us. I know that Almighty God, the Father, is holding out his arms to embrace us when we cry. And I know the Spirit intercedes for us and never leaves us alone, even when we feel like we are. Such is the mercy, love, and beauty of my Lord - beyond all we could ask or imagine.
Happy Birthday, Daddy. I know you probably already have, but could you go find Dean Walton and give him a great big hug from everyone down here? His family and friends miss him more than words can say. I love you & miss you too.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Dinner at Coach Forbes'
Yesterday (Tuesday November 2) the JV volleyball team I coach came over to our house for a dinner and awards night. They had a blast! They were excited from the moment they got there and saw the house and the view until the moment they scared their parents with the speaker feature on the front doors. It was an awesome night, with tons of laughter and good memories made.
One of the things we did together was work on making a "Good Luck" video for their big sisters on the varsity team who are headed into state playoffs. They were supposed to say some encouraging words and wish them luck - but we ended up adding a lot of humorous twists. For example: giving encouragement from my bathtub, on a Swiss ball, at the piano, and in a prom dress (or actually, ALL of my sisters' and my old prom dresses). Here are a few of the best for your viewing pleasure. :)
One of the things we did together was work on making a "Good Luck" video for their big sisters on the varsity team who are headed into state playoffs. They were supposed to say some encouraging words and wish them luck - but we ended up adding a lot of humorous twists. For example: giving encouragement from my bathtub, on a Swiss ball, at the piano, and in a prom dress (or actually, ALL of my sisters' and my old prom dresses). Here are a few of the best for your viewing pleasure. :)
Monday, November 1, 2010
My Perfect Man
A few weeks ago my JV team took it upon themselves before practice to find me a guy. They were pretty serious about it, to the point of making me a list of all the things I should be looking for in someone, so that they could in turn look for him for me. I thought it was pretty cute how excited they were getting, all the while (as always) a good opportunity for me to let them know why I didn't want all the things they were putting on the list. One of my captains wrote it all down as everyone was throwing in ideas. So here is the final version, with my edits that were added along the way:
1. Strong Christian
2. Athletic
3. Supportive
4. Wants kids
5. Likes my family and friends
6. No city guys - has to be a country boy! (you can hear the St. Paul in them)
7. Makes me laugh
8. Cute
9. Independent
10. As tall or taller than me
11. Optional - romantic
Not a bad list, all things considered. I had to throw out a few of their requirements but these are the ones I added or let them keep. Now, on with the search!
1. Strong Christian
2. Athletic
3. Supportive
4. Wants kids
5. Likes my family and friends
6. No city guys - has to be a country boy! (you can hear the St. Paul in them)
7. Makes me laugh
8. Cute
9. Independent
10. As tall or taller than me
11. Optional - romantic
Not a bad list, all things considered. I had to throw out a few of their requirements but these are the ones I added or let them keep. Now, on with the search!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Germany Week 2: Mom's Visit
July 19-27
Technically, most of this week was spent in Italy. But since it began and ended in Germany, I think I'm allowed to keep my title. And as for writing 'Mom' instead of 'my mom,' everyone who's reading this A) also calls her 'Mom,' B) has spent enough time around me that it shouldn't bother you anymore, or C) is my mom. So no complaining. :)
Venice - the Basilica de San Giorgio Maggiore
Monday, July 19
Alps near Innsbruck
As I mentioned before, after we picked Mom up from the train station we headed back to the Abrams. We finished getting ready to leave for Italy, and introduced her to some of Ryan and Emily's friends. On our way out of town we stopped at their favorite Doner Kebap restaurant in town - it was very good but so big! I ate three of those things while on this trip and I don't know why I never got smart enough to not eat the whole thing. Then we got on the road, traveling southeast through Innsbruck, Bolzano, Trento, Verona, and after five hours in a hot car, Venice. I never expected the Italian Alps to be so beautiful! With all my knowledge of maps and geography, I still found myself saying, "I didn't expect Italy to look like this." (Later, driving through Tuscany, I commented that that was more along my expectations.)
Two views of Ryan's favorite Italian castle on the drive
We parked and got on the train somewhere around 11:00pm. My first experience with people who act helpful and then want money for their "service" happened here, as we tried to figure out where to buy the 1 euro ticket we needed for the train into the city. I think Emily gave him the equivalent of 50 cents.
As soon as we left the train station, the sensation of being on a floating city hit me. It was SO gorgeous! Venice at night is spectacular - glowing and dancing on the water with such radiance. We took a vaparetto (water bus) all the way down the Grand Canal, past the Rialto Bridge and the Plaza San Marco to our stop, then wandered through tiny streets to our hostel. We had somehow ended up with an apartment (at the top of 74 stairs, I counted), with 4 twin cots set up in the same room, a small kitchen, and an upstairs balcony to which the door was locked. Ah well - would have been cool. :) It was nice to have so much space, and a great view over the city.
Tuesday, July 20
In front of a canal & St. Mark's Basilica
We were all fairly exhausted but still got up at a decent time to go exploring. We started out at Piazza San Marco, wandering through the throngs of tourists lined up to get inside the Basilica and dodging illegal street vendors and their stacks of purses. Then we headed off in no specific direction, with a vague idea of a mid-morning snack and the somewhat indefinite ultimate destination of the Rialto Bridge our goal. We window shopped, ate at a snack bar, wandered, crossed a bridge over the Grande Canal (along with many bridges over small canals), shared a fruit cup and a slushy, and generally had a great time. It was hot, very hot, but we kept ourselves to the shade. Around noon we hitched a ride on a vaporetto going around the city back to the Rialto Bridge, and set out on a much more determined goal: finding me gelato.
We had passed gelaterias earlier, but they weren't open yet - now was the time. Ever since reading Sisterchicks in Gondolas several years ago, I have known that what I wanted most out of Venice was gelato. (That's only slightly an exaggeration.) We passed a few, but they didn't look quite authentic enough - one of them even had the gall to call themselves "ice cream" in the hopes that those American tourists who either have never heard of gelato, or who can't tell that the brightly colored rows of deliciousness in the cooler are an Italian cousin to their favorite treat, would choose this stand over the many lining Venice's tiny alleys. Once we found one to my satisfaction, I went all out: three scoops(!), of chocolate, strawberry, and lemon. Oh, so good - and well worth the wait.
It was definitely lunch time by then, and so our next stop was at a cafe on the waterfront. We had passed it earlier while I was on my hunt, and the waiter had walked by carrying a pizza topped with freshly sliced pineapple. It looked so good! We all knew that was exactly what we were in the mood for. Getting back there was difficult, though - with barely any space between the cafes, and with hosts trying to seat you as you just walked by (very similar to the manner of the street vendors), we couldn't tell which one we were going for. But one of those hosts caught our attention by breaking out in song: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine!" He sang this to Emily, which prompted a strong response in Ryan: "No, she's MY sunshine." We were pretty sure this was the place, so we asked if they had the pineapple pizza and they did. It turned out to be the best pizza I had ever had, and we were stoked to enjoy it in such a beautiful setting along the Grande Canal.
Rialto Bridge behind us
Looking from the Rialto Bridge back to our cafe - the last with a burgundy canopy
After lunch, we walked back in the direction of our apartment. We ended up retracing our steps from the Piazza earlier, in search of a couple of things we had seen, and decided to buy - a small cappuccino/teacup for me, and a beautiful sailboat of Murano glass for Mom. The sailboat is now sitting proudly on the mantel in our living room, and the teacup is displayed with the rest of my collection. Happy campers are we!
Our next goal was to escape the afternoon heat of Venice by heading for the beach. The island of Lido, a short boat ride away, was calling our names. It turned out to be a great idea - more gelato, bouncing around in the Adriatic, and napping on the beach. It was perfect.
The beach at Lido
Walking from one side of the island to the other
Lido from the boat - I wish the pictures could show the stunning colors of the buildings, especially when the sun hit them
We decided to dress up a little for dinner, so after showering and donning my new Tollwood dress, we headed out in search of a place recommended to Ryan and Emily the last time they were there. It was good - not great but good. We shared a bottle of wine and each had an appetizer. I had grilled eggplant and a whole bream - mom didn't want to look at it but helped me out by de-boning it for me - she's so awesome!
We slept so well that night - we were all so tired! I think I fell asleep before the lights were even off.
Wednesday, July 21
Murano glass decorating the patio
Venice in the morning
Our second day in Venice began with me waking up long before the rest of my family. With the sun shining through the window and my stomach growling, there was no way I could go back to sleep. I was able to spend some time reading the Bible, and then decided to go for a morning walk and return with breakfast. Mom was up by then so I told her my plan and took off. It was a gorgeous morning - the sun glancing off the canals and streaming between the buildings, people going about their morning chores and jobs, very few tourists out yet - it was a great way to experience Venice. I found my way through the maze of alley-sized streets to a cafe and filled up on a variety of pastries for us. Everyone else I saw were enjoying their morning cappuccinos from tiny teacups at the counters, and gave me interesting looks when I walked out with a ton of buttery and sugary goodies.
When I returned to the apartment, everyone was up and getting ready. We split every one of those pastries into fourths and has more than our fare share for one morning. Oh so good!! Ryan and Emily have become experts at bakery goods since moving to Bavaria, and kept rebuffing my attempts to get them to save some for later. So with full bellies and all of our gear, we set out for the train station. We decided to walk part of the way, so we got off the vaparretto at the Rialto Bridge and walked along a wider boulevard and shopping area.
The best thing we found that morning was a juice bar complete with fruit cups, pre-made smoothies, fresh lemonade, and a bowl of sangria. They let us taste everything - soo good! - then we bought one of all but the sangria and found some shade to enjoy them in. We eventually made it through the heatwaves and throngs of other tourists to the train station, after getting cheap pizza to go from a nearby stand.
On to Florence! It took us over an hour to actually leave Venice because of several train and parking lot setbacks, and then about three hours of driving. It was really hot without air conditioning, but Ryan did a great job of getting us there quickly and safely.
Finding parking in Florence was an issue (more so since I was stressed about missing our reservation time), but we did end up making it to the Accademia in time for our appointment with David. :) He was excited to see us! And he is HUGE. When we walked into the room, we just kind of stared - every detail is so intricate and impressive. The museum as a whole wasn’t that amazing, although they had a few individual items that were special, like Botticelli paintings of scenes from the book of Esther, and several Byzantine paintings from the 14th and 15th centuries. It was also quite eye-opening to see the unfinished Michaelangelo’s as we walked into the hall housing David: you can see unfinished men emerging from massive blocks of marble, and the chisel marks still present where he last worked on them. Seeing the process that Michaelangelo used to create David was very cool, and made me even more impressed with his incredible abilities.
After the Accademia, we headed towards the Duomo. Mom wanted us to see the Baptismal’s gold doors - which were pretty impressive. The pictures on them are 3D. On our way there we stopped for gelato, a slushy for Ryan, and dress shopping for Colleen and Amy. Then we followed Rick Steve’s advice for a restaurant next to the Duomo, which had awesome food but wouldn’t give us tap water. What the heck! We were so thirsty that we ended up getting a couple of Italian beers to share instead.
We got lost on our way to our hostel/campground that night - but eventually made it thanks to the GPS system. We had two rooms, side by side, one for Emily and I and one for Mom and Ryan, but the woman at the front desk tried to charge us for our car. By that time we were done dealing with people, and headed to bed. After a day of both excellent experiences and extreme frustrations, sleep sounded good.
The Duomo
One panel of the Baptismal's door
I can't possibly fit anything else into this post, so I suppose there will have to be a part two. Until then!
Technically, most of this week was spent in Italy. But since it began and ended in Germany, I think I'm allowed to keep my title. And as for writing 'Mom' instead of 'my mom,' everyone who's reading this A) also calls her 'Mom,' B) has spent enough time around me that it shouldn't bother you anymore, or C) is my mom. So no complaining. :)
Venice - the Basilica de San Giorgio Maggiore
Monday, July 19
Alps near Innsbruck
As I mentioned before, after we picked Mom up from the train station we headed back to the Abrams. We finished getting ready to leave for Italy, and introduced her to some of Ryan and Emily's friends. On our way out of town we stopped at their favorite Doner Kebap restaurant in town - it was very good but so big! I ate three of those things while on this trip and I don't know why I never got smart enough to not eat the whole thing. Then we got on the road, traveling southeast through Innsbruck, Bolzano, Trento, Verona, and after five hours in a hot car, Venice. I never expected the Italian Alps to be so beautiful! With all my knowledge of maps and geography, I still found myself saying, "I didn't expect Italy to look like this." (Later, driving through Tuscany, I commented that that was more along my expectations.)
Two views of Ryan's favorite Italian castle on the drive
We parked and got on the train somewhere around 11:00pm. My first experience with people who act helpful and then want money for their "service" happened here, as we tried to figure out where to buy the 1 euro ticket we needed for the train into the city. I think Emily gave him the equivalent of 50 cents.
As soon as we left the train station, the sensation of being on a floating city hit me. It was SO gorgeous! Venice at night is spectacular - glowing and dancing on the water with such radiance. We took a vaparetto (water bus) all the way down the Grand Canal, past the Rialto Bridge and the Plaza San Marco to our stop, then wandered through tiny streets to our hostel. We had somehow ended up with an apartment (at the top of 74 stairs, I counted), with 4 twin cots set up in the same room, a small kitchen, and an upstairs balcony to which the door was locked. Ah well - would have been cool. :) It was nice to have so much space, and a great view over the city.
Tuesday, July 20
In front of a canal & St. Mark's Basilica
We were all fairly exhausted but still got up at a decent time to go exploring. We started out at Piazza San Marco, wandering through the throngs of tourists lined up to get inside the Basilica and dodging illegal street vendors and their stacks of purses. Then we headed off in no specific direction, with a vague idea of a mid-morning snack and the somewhat indefinite ultimate destination of the Rialto Bridge our goal. We window shopped, ate at a snack bar, wandered, crossed a bridge over the Grande Canal (along with many bridges over small canals), shared a fruit cup and a slushy, and generally had a great time. It was hot, very hot, but we kept ourselves to the shade. Around noon we hitched a ride on a vaporetto going around the city back to the Rialto Bridge, and set out on a much more determined goal: finding me gelato.
We had passed gelaterias earlier, but they weren't open yet - now was the time. Ever since reading Sisterchicks in Gondolas several years ago, I have known that what I wanted most out of Venice was gelato. (That's only slightly an exaggeration.) We passed a few, but they didn't look quite authentic enough - one of them even had the gall to call themselves "ice cream" in the hopes that those American tourists who either have never heard of gelato, or who can't tell that the brightly colored rows of deliciousness in the cooler are an Italian cousin to their favorite treat, would choose this stand over the many lining Venice's tiny alleys. Once we found one to my satisfaction, I went all out: three scoops(!), of chocolate, strawberry, and lemon. Oh, so good - and well worth the wait.
It was definitely lunch time by then, and so our next stop was at a cafe on the waterfront. We had passed it earlier while I was on my hunt, and the waiter had walked by carrying a pizza topped with freshly sliced pineapple. It looked so good! We all knew that was exactly what we were in the mood for. Getting back there was difficult, though - with barely any space between the cafes, and with hosts trying to seat you as you just walked by (very similar to the manner of the street vendors), we couldn't tell which one we were going for. But one of those hosts caught our attention by breaking out in song: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine!" He sang this to Emily, which prompted a strong response in Ryan: "No, she's MY sunshine." We were pretty sure this was the place, so we asked if they had the pineapple pizza and they did. It turned out to be the best pizza I had ever had, and we were stoked to enjoy it in such a beautiful setting along the Grande Canal.
Rialto Bridge behind us
Looking from the Rialto Bridge back to our cafe - the last with a burgundy canopy
After lunch, we walked back in the direction of our apartment. We ended up retracing our steps from the Piazza earlier, in search of a couple of things we had seen, and decided to buy - a small cappuccino/teacup for me, and a beautiful sailboat of Murano glass for Mom. The sailboat is now sitting proudly on the mantel in our living room, and the teacup is displayed with the rest of my collection. Happy campers are we!
Our next goal was to escape the afternoon heat of Venice by heading for the beach. The island of Lido, a short boat ride away, was calling our names. It turned out to be a great idea - more gelato, bouncing around in the Adriatic, and napping on the beach. It was perfect.
The beach at Lido
Walking from one side of the island to the other
Lido from the boat - I wish the pictures could show the stunning colors of the buildings, especially when the sun hit them
We decided to dress up a little for dinner, so after showering and donning my new Tollwood dress, we headed out in search of a place recommended to Ryan and Emily the last time they were there. It was good - not great but good. We shared a bottle of wine and each had an appetizer. I had grilled eggplant and a whole bream - mom didn't want to look at it but helped me out by de-boning it for me - she's so awesome!
We slept so well that night - we were all so tired! I think I fell asleep before the lights were even off.
Wednesday, July 21
Murano glass decorating the patio
Venice in the morning
Our second day in Venice began with me waking up long before the rest of my family. With the sun shining through the window and my stomach growling, there was no way I could go back to sleep. I was able to spend some time reading the Bible, and then decided to go for a morning walk and return with breakfast. Mom was up by then so I told her my plan and took off. It was a gorgeous morning - the sun glancing off the canals and streaming between the buildings, people going about their morning chores and jobs, very few tourists out yet - it was a great way to experience Venice. I found my way through the maze of alley-sized streets to a cafe and filled up on a variety of pastries for us. Everyone else I saw were enjoying their morning cappuccinos from tiny teacups at the counters, and gave me interesting looks when I walked out with a ton of buttery and sugary goodies.
When I returned to the apartment, everyone was up and getting ready. We split every one of those pastries into fourths and has more than our fare share for one morning. Oh so good!! Ryan and Emily have become experts at bakery goods since moving to Bavaria, and kept rebuffing my attempts to get them to save some for later. So with full bellies and all of our gear, we set out for the train station. We decided to walk part of the way, so we got off the vaparretto at the Rialto Bridge and walked along a wider boulevard and shopping area.
The best thing we found that morning was a juice bar complete with fruit cups, pre-made smoothies, fresh lemonade, and a bowl of sangria. They let us taste everything - soo good! - then we bought one of all but the sangria and found some shade to enjoy them in. We eventually made it through the heatwaves and throngs of other tourists to the train station, after getting cheap pizza to go from a nearby stand.
On to Florence! It took us over an hour to actually leave Venice because of several train and parking lot setbacks, and then about three hours of driving. It was really hot without air conditioning, but Ryan did a great job of getting us there quickly and safely.
Finding parking in Florence was an issue (more so since I was stressed about missing our reservation time), but we did end up making it to the Accademia in time for our appointment with David. :) He was excited to see us! And he is HUGE. When we walked into the room, we just kind of stared - every detail is so intricate and impressive. The museum as a whole wasn’t that amazing, although they had a few individual items that were special, like Botticelli paintings of scenes from the book of Esther, and several Byzantine paintings from the 14th and 15th centuries. It was also quite eye-opening to see the unfinished Michaelangelo’s as we walked into the hall housing David: you can see unfinished men emerging from massive blocks of marble, and the chisel marks still present where he last worked on them. Seeing the process that Michaelangelo used to create David was very cool, and made me even more impressed with his incredible abilities.
After the Accademia, we headed towards the Duomo. Mom wanted us to see the Baptismal’s gold doors - which were pretty impressive. The pictures on them are 3D. On our way there we stopped for gelato, a slushy for Ryan, and dress shopping for Colleen and Amy. Then we followed Rick Steve’s advice for a restaurant next to the Duomo, which had awesome food but wouldn’t give us tap water. What the heck! We were so thirsty that we ended up getting a couple of Italian beers to share instead.
We got lost on our way to our hostel/campground that night - but eventually made it thanks to the GPS system. We had two rooms, side by side, one for Emily and I and one for Mom and Ryan, but the woman at the front desk tried to charge us for our car. By that time we were done dealing with people, and headed to bed. After a day of both excellent experiences and extreme frustrations, sleep sounded good.
The Duomo
One panel of the Baptismal's door
I can't possibly fit anything else into this post, so I suppose there will have to be a part two. Until then!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Germany Week 1: Exploring Bayern
July 13-19
Seeing Ryan and Emily at the train station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was one of the best moments I have had all year. I arrived via train, having flown from London to Munich (ask me sometime about being mistaken for a native German by a group of Spanish guys and attempting to use my very poor Spanish skills). Ryan and Emily were there to meet me at the station - biggest hugs ever! How I missed them the last six months. We spent the whole evening talking and hanging out in Ryan's dorm room, eating pancakes and looking at their pictures from Egypt and Israel.
Wednesday, July 14
When I arrived, Ryan and Emily were in the middle of a 10 day working stint to make up for all their time off in the Middle East. So, that meant I was on my own every morning and afternoon until they got off work. The first few days I had limited access to the Abrams (the dorm complex where they live), because my passport had not yet cleared the access roster. The guards would only let me onto the base if I was signed in by someone who had permanent access. So, I took Emily's cell phone along and just hung out in Garmisch until they got off work.
The town is really a neat place - the Marianplatz has many cute shops, gelaterias, and backereis, which I definately took advantage of. The day was really hot (had I known that it would be the only hot day while I was there, I might have spent it differently), so after walking around town I wandered down to the river Loisach and read with my feet in the really cold water.
Hanging out at the Eibsee
Ryan and Emily picked me up when they got off work, and we went out to the Eibsee, a lake lying at the base of the Zugspitze (tallest mountain in Germany at 9,718 ft). Its a gorgeous place, and it was awesome to jump in and cool off. Later we headed back to the Abrams to make dinner. I think Emily made eggplant that night, thus beginning my love affair with grilled eggplant on this trip (I kept requesting it everywhere we went, especially in Italy).
Thursday, July 15
Although it was cloudy when I got up, I decided to go on a hike on Thursday. There were so many hills and mountains surrounding Garmisch that I wanted to get as much hiking in as possible while I was there. The path to the Kramerspitz began less than five minutes walk from the dorms, so that's where I chose to go. I had a map but was really just following along the signposts as I wandered around. The hike provides a great view of the valley on the way up - it was fun to see where things were in relationship to where I had been the day before. By the time I got to the ridgeline, however, I couldn't see anything but clouds. I was pretty much socked in and didn't know how much further it was to the top (plus I reached an area where I kind of lost the trail), so I stopped. I found out later from one of Ryan's friends that I had been about a half hour from the top - oh well. I was super tired, having not hiked like that in a long time, and it was getting to be late in the afternoon. I pretty much ran all the way down the hill (it took me just shy of 3 hours to get to where I stopped, and about 45 minutes to get down).
That night Ryan, Emily and I went to dinner at an Indian restaurant with three of their friends: Renee', Sam, and Ben. All of them are a part of the Bible study they attend. The food was great and the company was even greater - they have such great friends! I loved hanging out with them.
Friday, July 16
The day before I had decided to go to Dachau Concentration Camp, which is outside of Munich - an hour's train ride from Garmisch. Renee' was headed to Tollwood, a hippie-style festival (without the drugs), so we shared a train ticket to save money. Before we left I had time to explore the farmer's market in the Marianplatz, and came back with a bunch of fruit, vegetables, and bread. So much fun! And somewhat difficult when I don't even know numbers in German, let alone phrases.
Dachau was really hard. I don't have any words to explain what it felt like to see the same land, same buildings, same walls as held captive so many innocent and hurting people. Even though it wasn't an extermination camp in the same way as Treblinka or Auschwitz, so many people were robbed of their lives there. It was the first of the Nazi's concentration camps, and many of Dachau's prisoners were held for political or religious reasons. In the exhibit they have so much information - pictures, statistics, stories....it would be impossible to wade through it all in one afternoon, but it was an incredible experience. Sad and heartbreaking, and powerful.
Ryan and Emily drove up and met me in Munich that evening to go to Tollwood. We walked around, looked at all the random things for sale (and bought some of them), and ate a wide variety of food. It was so good! We bought and shared a waffle, crepe, falafel with tabbouleh, chocolate covered strawberries and bananas, a coconut with its top cut off so you drink the milk, and maybe something else I don't remember. There were a bunch of different music tents, including one where people were swing dancing, and several large structures made out of road signs. Emily LOVED it, and Ryan and I had an awesome time too.
After Tollwood, they took me to the Hofbrauhaus - a famous huge Bavarian restaurant and bar. It serves beer in liter size glass mugs called a mass (pronounced 'moss'). I'm not a great one for drinking beer, so when that mug showed up I thought there was no way possible I would finish it. But Emily had ordered me a Radler - a mix of lemon soda and beer, which was actually really good, and drinkable. The night ended with possibly the craziest, fiercest hail and lightning storm I have ever been in. The hail got so big on our drive home that Ryan and other drivers were pulling over and stopping underneath overpasses in order to get out of it. Emily and I were praying the whole drive. We eventually made it safely home with only a few unfortunate dents and scratches on Ryan's BMW.
Saturday, July 17
Ryan and Emily's friend Ben invited me to go hiking with him Saturday morning before he had to work - he's one of the RAs at the Abrams and works an early swing shift. So we took off around 9:30 and headed towards a ruined castle not far from the dorms. When we got there, we happened upon an alpenhorn lessen - a woman dressed in a dirndl, who spoke no English, was giving a middle-aged gentleman a lesson on the traditional Alpine instrument. It was crazy! The guy was pretty good for only having two days experience. The feel of where we were just made it seem like we had walked into Switzerland in 1600. Ben was really excited - he's a music guy and hadn't seen anything like that before.
We also made it to a small lake nearby, and then just kind of wandered around on trails until we had to head back. It was a great morning, and so much fun to get to know Ben a little bit.
When Ryan and Emily got off work, I think we began planning our Italy trip for when my mom arrived, and then watched Die Hard 4 or whatever the latest one was. For not being a fan of that kind of movie, I liked it - funny and not scary like I always think they will be.
This is what much of hanging out in Emily's room consisted of :)
Sunday, July 18
Ryan and Emily are never able to go to church on Sunday, because they always work weekends. But a bunch of their friends go to the chapel on base, and Ben is actually the worship leader for the chapel. So Sunday morning I walked to the base and attended chapel, which was a great experience. I think it was really refreshing to see an Army chaplain who truly believes the Word of God, and a community of believers who are committed to each other, to outreach, and to the Word. Meeting some more of Ryan and Emily's friends (including the couple who lead their Bible study), was also really neat.
That afternoon I hung out with Ben until he had to work, then did random stuff at the Abrams until my favorite couple got off work. It had by this point kind of become a routine - like being at home & spending time with family in the evenings. It was so nice to be able to stay in Emily's room and have a welcoming home base.
A bunch of their friends wanted to have a Boy Meets World marathon that night - I watched for a while (remembering how awesome a show it was when I was in jr. high). I also went for a walk that evening - the moon was out and it was a beautiful night. There was just a tiny bit of light coming over the mountains, and the silhouette was gorgeous.
Monday, July 19
Mom arrived today! But before that, I convinced Ryan to let me borrow his car (after dropping them off at the hotel) so I could drive to Neuschwanstein Castle. It wasn't that far away, but taking a bus would turn a morning excursion into a day long excursion and I didn't have that much time. For anyone who knows how Ryan feels about my driving (boats, cars, vans, video games), you know that it took a LOT for him to say yes (thanks Emily for backing me up!) - so I thank you dear brother! I took good care of it!
Ryan's GPS took me there without incident. I parked and started walking up the long hill - I had already decided not to pay to go inside. The enchantment for me with this castle has always been the exterior (plus several friends said its not worth it). It was gorgeous, but just so weird to see it sitting there looking over the plain - like it was slightly out of place. Hohenschwangau, where King Ludwig II grew up, was also just crazy to see - bright yellow and prominent, although situated at less of an altitude than Neuschwanstein. Behind both of them is the Alpsee, the small lake you always see in pictures of the castle. It was amazing to see in reality, and not just in my head, how these places exist.
I climbed up the hill beyond the lookout bridge to get these pictures.
Hohenschwangau with the Alpsee behind it
Once I got back, the three of us picked up Mom from the train station (a reunion much like the one I had - lots of hugs and smiles and estatic-ness), returned to the Abrams to get ready for Italy, and headed south.
More to come!
Seeing Ryan and Emily at the train station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was one of the best moments I have had all year. I arrived via train, having flown from London to Munich (ask me sometime about being mistaken for a native German by a group of Spanish guys and attempting to use my very poor Spanish skills). Ryan and Emily were there to meet me at the station - biggest hugs ever! How I missed them the last six months. We spent the whole evening talking and hanging out in Ryan's dorm room, eating pancakes and looking at their pictures from Egypt and Israel.
Wednesday, July 14
When I arrived, Ryan and Emily were in the middle of a 10 day working stint to make up for all their time off in the Middle East. So, that meant I was on my own every morning and afternoon until they got off work. The first few days I had limited access to the Abrams (the dorm complex where they live), because my passport had not yet cleared the access roster. The guards would only let me onto the base if I was signed in by someone who had permanent access. So, I took Emily's cell phone along and just hung out in Garmisch until they got off work.
The town is really a neat place - the Marianplatz has many cute shops, gelaterias, and backereis, which I definately took advantage of. The day was really hot (had I known that it would be the only hot day while I was there, I might have spent it differently), so after walking around town I wandered down to the river Loisach and read with my feet in the really cold water.
Hanging out at the Eibsee
Ryan and Emily picked me up when they got off work, and we went out to the Eibsee, a lake lying at the base of the Zugspitze (tallest mountain in Germany at 9,718 ft). Its a gorgeous place, and it was awesome to jump in and cool off. Later we headed back to the Abrams to make dinner. I think Emily made eggplant that night, thus beginning my love affair with grilled eggplant on this trip (I kept requesting it everywhere we went, especially in Italy).
Thursday, July 15
Although it was cloudy when I got up, I decided to go on a hike on Thursday. There were so many hills and mountains surrounding Garmisch that I wanted to get as much hiking in as possible while I was there. The path to the Kramerspitz began less than five minutes walk from the dorms, so that's where I chose to go. I had a map but was really just following along the signposts as I wandered around. The hike provides a great view of the valley on the way up - it was fun to see where things were in relationship to where I had been the day before. By the time I got to the ridgeline, however, I couldn't see anything but clouds. I was pretty much socked in and didn't know how much further it was to the top (plus I reached an area where I kind of lost the trail), so I stopped. I found out later from one of Ryan's friends that I had been about a half hour from the top - oh well. I was super tired, having not hiked like that in a long time, and it was getting to be late in the afternoon. I pretty much ran all the way down the hill (it took me just shy of 3 hours to get to where I stopped, and about 45 minutes to get down).
That night Ryan, Emily and I went to dinner at an Indian restaurant with three of their friends: Renee', Sam, and Ben. All of them are a part of the Bible study they attend. The food was great and the company was even greater - they have such great friends! I loved hanging out with them.
Friday, July 16
The day before I had decided to go to Dachau Concentration Camp, which is outside of Munich - an hour's train ride from Garmisch. Renee' was headed to Tollwood, a hippie-style festival (without the drugs), so we shared a train ticket to save money. Before we left I had time to explore the farmer's market in the Marianplatz, and came back with a bunch of fruit, vegetables, and bread. So much fun! And somewhat difficult when I don't even know numbers in German, let alone phrases.
Dachau was really hard. I don't have any words to explain what it felt like to see the same land, same buildings, same walls as held captive so many innocent and hurting people. Even though it wasn't an extermination camp in the same way as Treblinka or Auschwitz, so many people were robbed of their lives there. It was the first of the Nazi's concentration camps, and many of Dachau's prisoners were held for political or religious reasons. In the exhibit they have so much information - pictures, statistics, stories....it would be impossible to wade through it all in one afternoon, but it was an incredible experience. Sad and heartbreaking, and powerful.
Ryan and Emily drove up and met me in Munich that evening to go to Tollwood. We walked around, looked at all the random things for sale (and bought some of them), and ate a wide variety of food. It was so good! We bought and shared a waffle, crepe, falafel with tabbouleh, chocolate covered strawberries and bananas, a coconut with its top cut off so you drink the milk, and maybe something else I don't remember. There were a bunch of different music tents, including one where people were swing dancing, and several large structures made out of road signs. Emily LOVED it, and Ryan and I had an awesome time too.
After Tollwood, they took me to the Hofbrauhaus - a famous huge Bavarian restaurant and bar. It serves beer in liter size glass mugs called a mass (pronounced 'moss'). I'm not a great one for drinking beer, so when that mug showed up I thought there was no way possible I would finish it. But Emily had ordered me a Radler - a mix of lemon soda and beer, which was actually really good, and drinkable. The night ended with possibly the craziest, fiercest hail and lightning storm I have ever been in. The hail got so big on our drive home that Ryan and other drivers were pulling over and stopping underneath overpasses in order to get out of it. Emily and I were praying the whole drive. We eventually made it safely home with only a few unfortunate dents and scratches on Ryan's BMW.
Saturday, July 17
Ryan and Emily's friend Ben invited me to go hiking with him Saturday morning before he had to work - he's one of the RAs at the Abrams and works an early swing shift. So we took off around 9:30 and headed towards a ruined castle not far from the dorms. When we got there, we happened upon an alpenhorn lessen - a woman dressed in a dirndl, who spoke no English, was giving a middle-aged gentleman a lesson on the traditional Alpine instrument. It was crazy! The guy was pretty good for only having two days experience. The feel of where we were just made it seem like we had walked into Switzerland in 1600. Ben was really excited - he's a music guy and hadn't seen anything like that before.
We also made it to a small lake nearby, and then just kind of wandered around on trails until we had to head back. It was a great morning, and so much fun to get to know Ben a little bit.
When Ryan and Emily got off work, I think we began planning our Italy trip for when my mom arrived, and then watched Die Hard 4 or whatever the latest one was. For not being a fan of that kind of movie, I liked it - funny and not scary like I always think they will be.
This is what much of hanging out in Emily's room consisted of :)
Sunday, July 18
Ryan and Emily are never able to go to church on Sunday, because they always work weekends. But a bunch of their friends go to the chapel on base, and Ben is actually the worship leader for the chapel. So Sunday morning I walked to the base and attended chapel, which was a great experience. I think it was really refreshing to see an Army chaplain who truly believes the Word of God, and a community of believers who are committed to each other, to outreach, and to the Word. Meeting some more of Ryan and Emily's friends (including the couple who lead their Bible study), was also really neat.
That afternoon I hung out with Ben until he had to work, then did random stuff at the Abrams until my favorite couple got off work. It had by this point kind of become a routine - like being at home & spending time with family in the evenings. It was so nice to be able to stay in Emily's room and have a welcoming home base.
A bunch of their friends wanted to have a Boy Meets World marathon that night - I watched for a while (remembering how awesome a show it was when I was in jr. high). I also went for a walk that evening - the moon was out and it was a beautiful night. There was just a tiny bit of light coming over the mountains, and the silhouette was gorgeous.
Monday, July 19
Mom arrived today! But before that, I convinced Ryan to let me borrow his car (after dropping them off at the hotel) so I could drive to Neuschwanstein Castle. It wasn't that far away, but taking a bus would turn a morning excursion into a day long excursion and I didn't have that much time. For anyone who knows how Ryan feels about my driving (boats, cars, vans, video games), you know that it took a LOT for him to say yes (thanks Emily for backing me up!) - so I thank you dear brother! I took good care of it!
Ryan's GPS took me there without incident. I parked and started walking up the long hill - I had already decided not to pay to go inside. The enchantment for me with this castle has always been the exterior (plus several friends said its not worth it). It was gorgeous, but just so weird to see it sitting there looking over the plain - like it was slightly out of place. Hohenschwangau, where King Ludwig II grew up, was also just crazy to see - bright yellow and prominent, although situated at less of an altitude than Neuschwanstein. Behind both of them is the Alpsee, the small lake you always see in pictures of the castle. It was amazing to see in reality, and not just in my head, how these places exist.
I climbed up the hill beyond the lookout bridge to get these pictures.
Hohenschwangau with the Alpsee behind it
Once I got back, the three of us picked up Mom from the train station (a reunion much like the one I had - lots of hugs and smiles and estatic-ness), returned to the Abrams to get ready for Italy, and headed south.
More to come!
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