WALK, Bike, Swim In Budapest

We really filled up Friday! The hotel Jason found for us had amazing breakfast brought to our room each morning, so we enjoyed that in bed. (brie and bacon on a bagel, which ended up having cream cheese, fig jam, and micro greens to, plus macaroons, croissants, lattes, freshly squeezed orange juice and more - you pick from a menu the day before.)

A small group of us went to the large church near by to catch a free walking tour. Now that I think of it, since I am writing this a few days later while in Romania, I had wanted to return to the church to see inside but never got to. Oh well, next time I am in Budapest I will need to remember to visit  St. Stephen's Basilica and check out the thousand-year-old mummified hand they have on display (supposed to have belonged to Saint Stephen I of Hungary and is an important religious relic.)

The walking tour was great, I love those free ones where you tip at the end. Though Teri accidentally told them when we went to check in that we had more people added into our group and they charged us in advance instead. However, the 'cost' was still less then we probably would have tipped.

Our guide took us through the Jewish Quarter, main square, to the river, over The Chain Bridge to the Castle District, then up the hill passed the Royal Palace and President's House, over to the Matthias Church. So the tour was book-ended but the cities two famous churches. Matthias Church, or Church of Our Lady of Buda is very impressive and very old. It is hard to wrap my head around the age of things hear - it is an issue every time I visit Europe but things seem even older here than usual.

After the tour we stopped at a restaurant for lunch, Jason tried Goulash soup and I got Foie Gras:
Hungary is the world's second-largest foie gras producer and the largest exporter. France is the principal market for Hungarian foie gras – mainly exported raw. Approximately 30,000 Hungarian goose farmers are dependent on the foie gras industry. French food companies spice, process, and cook the foie gras so it may be sold as a French product in its domestic and export markets. - Wikipedia
I did find the Hungarian version to be different than the French, they don't add spices, it is much smoother, creamier, and apparently cooked in it's own fat (instead of in a dish or pan). The Hungarian cuisine is, according to our walking tour guide, "not friendly to vegetarians, very heavy with many meats." I have been loving it!!

The group split apart soon after lunch, as Jason and I went to the Buda Castle Labyrinth to walk through the complex of caves and cellars underneath Castle Hill. Apparently there is over 10km of pathways, though only about 1.5km is open to the public. It is a really strange attraction, a combination or incredible history, urban legends, tacky exhibits, and confusing maze. It was dark (scary) and cool (nice in this heat). The caves themselves are obviously millions of years old and over the centuries parts have been reinforced with stone, brick and concrete. In the Middle Ages as a shelter, a prison and even as Turkish harem in the 16th century. The underground tunnel system also served as a hospital during the WWII. And despite some claims, while it was a prison at some points, it never housed Vlad the Impaler.

Trying to make our way south from the Castle District to visit the Gellert baths, on the far side of Gellert hill, led us to explore some of the castle walls and grounds. Lots of walking, lots of beautiful buildings and interesting history.

Beginner Drawing - Class 1 of 4

I am taking a Beginning Drawing class at ARTiculations, in The Junction on Wednesday nights. Here is what I did on my first night.

The image on the right is a recreation from a Degas sketch, we used a grid technique to draw it. This is the remaining aspect of drawing that I can still do, I can recreate when someone else has already taken something and made it 2D, black and white, especially when it is a sketch, even more so if a gird is involved. It was nice to end on that, helped renew my confidence.

Out Like A Lamb

I decided to follow up yesterday's post with a bit of research on the strange animal proverb used for the month of March:

"In like a lion, out like a lamb."

Turns out it has been around forever! The Paris Review claims that one of the earliest know use of the phrase is from 1732. Here are some theories of where it may come from:

Changing of Seasons
When March starts, it’s still winter, and by the end of the month spring has started. Though technically true, the Spring Equinox (for our hemisphere) is March 20 this year. However, it usually doesn't feel like spring until well into April.

The Balance of Life and Weather
The long held belief that things should balance. So, if a month started with bad weather, it should end with nice, calm weather.

Religious
Jesus's first appearance was as the sacrificial lamb, but he then returns as the Lion of Judah. Like in Narnia! I hadn't heard of the Lion of Judah before, but this theory puts the animals in the wrong order.

Horoscopes and Constellations
At the start of March, Leo, or the lion sign, is the rising star constellation and by April, it’s Aries. Aries is a ram, a male sheep. (And lambs are baby sheep!) This one is my favourite theory.

Long Flight

I had been thinking that the 11 hour flight between Paris and Cape Town would be my longest in air. However, Jason kept mentioning my trip to Asia. However, I flew from Vancouver to Beijing so it wasn't as far as doing a direct from Toronto - I didn't think it had been that long.

Looking back in Always Standing it turns out he was right, that flight to China was almost 14 hours long. (According to what I wrote on July 25, 2010.)

Itinerary Update - Travel To South Africa

Pre-Scheduled Post: Thursday/Friday - Travel to South Africa
As per our trip itinerary (bar any issues/changes/complications etc.) today we will ....

Be flying to South Africa!

Kristen and Noah are going separately, through Amsterdam.

Mom, Tessa, Jason, and I will be on Air France Flight AF351 leaving Toronto at 6:35pm tonight, getting into Paris Charles de Gaulle, France tomorrow (Friday) morning at 8:00am. It is about 6.5 hours in the air. The longer flight is a full day one for all of Friday. Leaving Paris at 10:10am and flying AF864 to Cape Town, getting in at 10:40pm. It is over 11 hours of flying (not much of a time change going straight south I guess.

Rings, Springs, And Organizing Things - Friday In The Azores

Breakfast is included in our hotel, so after a bit of a sleep in we went downstairs to see what the buffet would look like. I was very impressed, four rows of food including a full row of bread and pastries, lots of hot food, fruit, yogurt, even chia seeds!

We went into town (Ponta Delgada) to sort out whale watching and figuring out how to get to the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo, since the ferries don't start running until May.

We booked our whale watching with Moby Dick, one of the main operators and top rated on Trip Advisor. We are going tomorrow.

While we were booking, I noticed a brochure for sailboat charters; this is one of the ways I had figured out we could get to the islet. Also, it seems like a fancy thing we normally wouldn't consider - perfect for a honeymoon treat. The lady at Moby Dick said that the brochure was for a friend and she would call him for us, a few minutes later he was leading us to the boat (that was finishing up a film shoot for a French travel show.) We booked a private full-day trip for Sunday, and have no idea what to expect!

After a quick stop back at the hotel we headed over to Caldeira Velha hot springs. It was only 2 Euros each to go in. The short walk through the forest was breathtaking, with a stream, palm trees, and ferns everywhere. We passed a small pool and patch of boiling mud (so cool!) The larger pool was a bit cold but had a natural warm water waterfall so if you stayed close to, or under, it you were fine. It was totally magical. We did spend some time in the smaller, warmer pool too. After we got out Jason noticed that our silver wedding rings had changed colour! 

Quiz - Distance Dispute

I don't know if you noticed from the previous posts but Jason and I had different answers for the question about the furthest we have traveled together. He said Peru and I said Paris. He was pretty confident that Peru was further, I didn't really know but felt like going over an ocean seemed like a bigger deal. But we both love facts and statistics and numbers, so Jason looked it up.

So, as the crow flies, in a straight line from one city to the other, using a Distance Calculator, we got the following answers:
- Toronto to Cusco: 6,410 km
- Toronto to Paris: 6,007 km
Jason was right but the difference is pretty close!

Quiz - My Answers

From yesterday's Valentine's Day Quiz, here are my answers (about Jason)

- Who's older? Jason, for this half of the year
- Who was interested first? Neither, eHarmony
- Married? For four months
- Together? For over four years
- More sarcastic? Jason (he is basically Kristen)
- Who makes the most mess? Me, but I am also the one that cleans the bathroom
- Who has more tattoos? Me
- Better singer? Him, by far. However, I sing way more often
- Hogs the remote? The Xbox uses voice commands
- Better driver? Him
- Smarter? Toss up
- Most common sense? Me
- Whose siblings do you see the most? His. Mike's in Edmonton
- Do you have any children together? No, and it is a long way off.
- Did you go to the same school? No
- Who is the most sensitive? Me
- Where do you eat out most as a couple? Harvey's
- Where is the furthest you two have traveled together? Paris
- Who has the worst temper? Neither
- Who does the cooking? Jason lately, but we try to share the task
- Who is more social? ME!
- Who is the neat freak? Jason but he isn't unreasonable
- Who is the most stubborn? JASON!
- Who hogs the bed? Jason
- Who wakes up earlier? My alarm goes off first
- Where was your first date? Starbucks
- Who has the bigger family? Me
- Do you get flowers often? Not really
- Who does the laundry? Jason
- Who drives when you are together? Jason, but only because he hates my driving
- Who picks where you go to dinner? Usually me
- Who wears the pants in the relationship? Pants? Isn't everything better naked?

Plants Grow

I think this is one of the best Before and After's I have ever done! And it isn't even about house renovations. Way back in the mid-2000s when I lived with Anna, she had a plant. In fact when she went away to France for a semester I stole the plant and put it in my room. Well, I visited Anna for her birthday this past weekend, which involved an amazing game of Pub Golf that I will blog about soon. The plant has grown. I know this seems obvious, but it really struck me how long we have know each other that the plant could get so big - but it has been 10 years. So check out almost 10 years of growth on this thing:

TB - May 2007

Throwback Thursday - Scroll to the bottom of the month and read up. Or click on the earliest post in the month (to view the post and the comments) then keep clicking Newer Post until you finish the month.

MAY 2007

I figured it out, the new roommate was Jake! I still don't know if this was the summer that I started at GeoConnections though. May 2007 was the month that I went to France to visit Anna, which was an incredible trip at the tail end of a very difficult time in my life. I had been to Paris briefly in Grade 8 when I went to France over March Break to visit my grandparents, but had only stayed in the city for a few hours. This trip during university really solidified my love and I returned again with my mom and Jason a couple of years ago for another two week stay. Yes, in just Paris, I have spent two separate two-week vacations exploring the city. However, when I visited with Anna we did head out to Chantilly for a day and in 2014 we went to visit Versailles.

Noted Post: The moment that I fell in love with The Eiffel Tower.

Travelling With Our Boys

I haven't been the only one away over the holidays. My previous travel partners:
- Steph (England 2008)
- Teri (North American Road Trips)
who are both married to amazing guys, went on holidays recently with them. So, while Jason and I are in Peru, this is where they traveled:
- Steph and Dave went to Las Vegas 
- Teri and Greg went to France and Belgium
I am excited to see their pictures and hear about their trips!

Mom Is Home

My mom is back from her trip to Europe (France and Spain). I really missed her, it always feels like a long time. (This might be because it usually is a minimum of two months.) What was really nice this time was that we got into a bit of a routine talking in the mornings, which were her early afternoons. I would text that I was on the bus down to work and Mom would call me back.

In early March, one of our phone calls caught her during a walk. She sat down and talked for me a while. At one point she mentioned that the view was amazing and she would take a picture of it for me. She posted this on her blog:

With the caption: 

(Chris this is where I sat and talked to you on the phone for 20 minutes.)

I decided that I would also take a picture of my 'view' during our conversation:

It is really not the same at all:
Don't let the sunlight on the seat fool you
it was -15 Celsius!

Cat Sass

This Caturday, go check out some hilarious cat comics by French cartoonist Claude Combacau:

Her website: catsass.me

Or, see a good general overview of her work on Buzzfeed.

Travel Vicariously

My mom is gone again - spending two months with my grandparents in a place called Céret in the south of France. She has already started to post updates on her blog and it looks stunning. The pictures make the cold and snow here a bit more depressing. Her blog is always available under Some Lovely Links in the left-side column of Always Standing. Or find it here:

vicarious travelling 

Check regularly, she is away travelling in France and Spain until early April.

Turning Back The Hands Of Time

For my 30th birthday, I had asked Jason for night cream. Instead for his gift he took me to Paris. So, I am not complaining that I didn't get a tube of moisturizer.

Still, I figured it was time to start properly moisturizing on a regular basis and I had started to notice some dark spots on my cheeks, near my nose, that didn't really look like freckles, sun spots maybe? Or as beauty companies call them: age spots. I never had to deal with particularly bad acne and have always felt comfortable without make-up. I don't want aging to change this and would like to stay looking 'young.'

I decided to buy my own tube and picked out Olay Total Effects, since it was on sale and mentioned aging a lot in all its ads. It promises to fight the '7 Signs Of Aging', which according to Olay are:
- fine lines and wrinkles
- rough texture
- uneven skin tone
- dullness
- prominent pores
- age spots
- dryness
I started 'applications' of this wonder cream today and if you notice that I have "visibly younger-looking skin that looks more resilient to aging" than you will know why. (I love the constant use of the term 'look' since there are no actual scientific claims that can be made about the product.)

Personally, these are my 7 Signs Of Aging:
- The slowly increasing length of time that it takes me to get back in running shape each spring
- Caring deeply about benefit packages at potential new jobs
- Struggling to save a 25% down payment for a house
- Knowing that as each year passes children will become more difficult to conceive and carry.
- Owning multiple blazers and looking forward to upgrading my 'work wardrobe'
- Finding prices for things incredibly higher than I remember them recently being (gas, movie theaters, camp ground spaces, etc.)
- Worrying about who will look after my plants when I go away and whether they get enough water
Sadly, I don't think Olay is going to change any of these for me.

The Plateau

I weigh myself every Monday (and record it in my planner to track.) For the last month I have plateaued. That was fine at the start because it meant that in Paris I didn't gain any weight, but now it just means that I have stopped losing even though I have adjusted my lifestyle to cut severely back on complex-carbs. I am now left with two options: do a week of a low-calorie diet to kick start everything again or increase my exercise to burn more calories. This first choice would actually be easier but at the same time less enjoyable. I have gotten very good and going for a walk everyday but to find the motivation to increase the intensity of that might be challenging. However, I know that it would be so good for me in so many ways.

Are You Getting French Ads?

I noticed that Always Standing started having advertisements in french a couple of days into my Paris trip. I figured that it made sense since I was accessing everything from France - I was often taken to the French version of Google, YahooMail, etc. I was so intrigued by it at the time that I took a screen shot and saved pictures of some of the ads that were coming up in French.

The ad on the right, for Chromecast, is actually for a thing that Jason recently bought. I thought that it was funny that it appeared and showed up in French.

However, I have been back in Canada for over a week now and some of them are still showing up in French. I know that it reads my blog posts to try to match advertisements to topics that I am writing about - so the Airbnb ad that keeps showing up and advertising apartments in Paris makes sense. However, there haven't really been any French words in any of my posts.

I have three ads that show up on Always Standing, one below the title at the top, one at the top of the right column, and another a bit lower down on the left column. Are the ads French for you?

Truly Jobless

Jason left for work today and now it is fully hitting me that I am totally unemployed. The trip to Paris was a nice buffer zone to ease me away from work. However, at the same time it let me avoid thinking about the realities of not having a job. It is terrifying to to relying on savings and to some extent on my boyfriend. It is hard not to jump at the first opportunity that is presented (I have been 'head hunted' a couple of times for things I wasn't interested in) and instead wait for something that I really want to do. It is also going to be especially hard to stay motivated all day, alone, to do things that are not particularly enjoyable - like apply for jobs.

I want my days to be productive so I hope to get into some sort of routine where I am active and useful during the day:
- applying for jobs
- preparing for interviews
- running
- cleaning
- cooking
- shopping (groceries)
- writing
- working freelance/contract/part-time

A Fast Week

Flying home now from Paris. I need to go to my Photoshop class tonight which means in 'Paris Time' I will be up from 6am until 4am - not looking forward to a 22 hour day. Hoping to sleep on the plane and get home in time to nap before class.

The Louvre

Yesterday we went to The Louvre:

We probably spent 3 to 4 hours inside and it was a great visit! We got to see all the stuff we were interested in seeing, for me that was the Nymph with a Scorpion and The Coronation of Emperor Napoleon, which we had seen a copy of at Versailles and I wanted to see the original. Jason was quite happy to come across an Easter Island Head on display, until I mentioned that I had seen one as well at a museum in England, to which he replied, "Uhhh, Europeans" and it is true - too many things have been taken away from their rightful place by powerful empires of the past and present. Jason was excited to see the Colossal statue of Ramesses II and the Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon. And of course we made the obligatory stop among the crowd to view the famous masterpiece:

Jason & The Mona Lisa

The Louvre, Paris, France

Photo by Me