March

Compared to our February, which, besides a trip to Vietnam, was fairly uneventful, our March was rather busy. In addition to traveling to Macau for a long weekend we had a fairly full social calendar here at home.

BBQ'ing like a local

First we went north to Cingpu (青埔) MRT station, an area of Kaohsiung we've never visited, to experience BBQ'ing like a local. The custom here is to rent an area at a private park (I don't believe public parks have BBQ'ing facilities) where you can also purchase food sets, allowing you to arrive with nothing more than yourself and some beverages. The BBQ is built into the table, Korean BBQ style, rather than a stand alone unit. Our area had three picnic tables with this setup.

This BBQ was our first event with Conversation Kaohsiung, a Meetup group populated mostly by locals, most of whom have lived abroad and most of whom also speak English. We had been trepidatious at first, expecting only to be there for a couple of hours, just to try it out, but when the party was wrapping up we realized more than five hours had passed. Time had just flown by.

Enjoying ourselves so much, we joined that same group the following weekend for a trip to the Kaohsiung Fine Arts museum to see the recently opened Kusama Yayoi exhibition. Though Mike's brother lives near this museum, and we've been to the surrounding park many times, we've never actually ventured inside the museum. We didn't even know that it was free (though special exhibitions have an entry fee).

The exhibition was enjoyable, though incredibly crowded at times. The museum itself is fairly large and the other exhibitions, which we quickly explored before returning to our group, appeared very interesting and are worth another trip. We look forward to returning, adding this free diversion to our list of things to do when bored.

March was definitely our month for culture because, in addition to the above, we ended the month with a play at the Pier-2 Art Center. We saw "It's Dark Outside" which was absolutely magical. Imported from Australia for the Kaohsiung Spring Festival the play had no dialogue, relying instead on a combination of live-action, animation, music, and puppetry to tell the story of an elderly man with Alzheimer's. Not relying on language as communication, it was perfect for a multicultural audience. Additionally, the unique storytelling was viscerally affecting. It was a beautiful interpretation of a tragic disease and an excellent way to spend an evening.

Mike's new bike

In addition to the above events, we also bought a secondhand bike for Mike to use for his commutes. It was super cheap at only about US $24 and has reduced Mike's commute time by 80%. An excellent investment!

In other news, the weather is beginning to turn again and we've already had to turn the A/C on a few nights this month. Hot water is no longer needed for showers as the cold water is lukewarm since the outdoor tank is heated naturally by the blistering ambient temperature. Luckily, the weather appears to be turning slowly, one day hitting 32 another day only reaching 26, allowing us to savor these last few days of comfortable temperatures.

After experiencing a winter here, we were hoping to have acclimated by now but that doesn't appear to be the case. Consequently, when our lease expires at the end of July, we're hoping to move to a flat with less stairs (we're on the 6th floor of a walkup), better A/C (right now only our bedroom is air-conditioned), and a pool. (As a lady of leisure, I demand a pool.) All things that should help us cope with the heat and continue enjoying our time here without constantly commenting on the weather. Because weather commentary is boring. And we refuse to be boring.

Second #100days

Kaohsiung City

I can't believe it's already been 100 days. On one hand, it feels like we just got here. On the other hand, it feels like it's been forever since we were in New York City. I can't even believe that was just earlier this year. Craziness!

We finally got up to Monkey Mountain this month, for a nice hike and to see our new city. Happily, the monkeys weren't as scary as last time but we weren't carrying anything to entice them this time either. Because we learn from past mistakes.

Of course, it did take Mike's school organizing a day out to entice us across town for an 8am start time, necessary to avoid the heat. We had to get up at 5am to catch an early bus. Fortunately, it was well worth it. Of course, we promptly took a 3 hour nap upon returning home that afternoon. Because that's how we roll.

Monkey Mountain namesake

We also finally got out to Fengshan Night Market, our closest one. It was really fun and super cheap. Among other amazing deals were eight oysters for $100NT and pancake sandwiches, filled with red bean or something similar to creamed corn (but I'm pretty sure wasn't), for $5NT each. Plus, being located on a lovely canal, it was very scenic.

Fengshan Night Market

We also finally made it out to Lotus Pond. It's even lovelier than we remembered and we're so happy that we happened to time our visit for sunset. The place is gorgeous at any time of day but sunset was particularly magical.

In other news, yoga here is really expensive. Actually, most things ex-pat are really expensive. So, I asked Mike to ask his Chinese co-teacher where she goes for yoga, since locals wouldn't pay these inflated ex-pat prices. Turns out her studio is right next to my house and is less than half what the whiteys are paying. Who cares if the entire class is given in Chinese? I usually have to follow the teacher anyway, since I'm not sure what Warrior 2, etc. is without a little visual assistance. Also, I'm learning a lot of new Chinese words and phrases. For instance, my teacher usually says 'fu bu' while signaling for me to use my stomach muscles. "Fu bu! Fu bu!" I think it means "suck in your belly!" I love yoga here!

Lotus Pond

As to my goals, my book is now over 26,000 words and I have just enrolled in National Novel Writing Month, a motivational competition to get you to write at least 1600 words per day, or 50,000 words total, in November. If I complete this challenge, my 75-100K word book will be complete and I can use the month of December for editing before submitting by the end of year deadline. Right now, that's my main goal for my second #100days. And to continue my 中文 studies.

I'm really enjoying learning a new language in this immersive environment. I'm disappointed with how long it's taking me to pick up on certain things but, hopefully, by the end of my second #100days, I'm able to order easily from McDonald's and understand what the person at the grocery store checkout says to me. Little wins.

Birthday Month

my birthday balloons

Even though both Mike & I celebrate our birthdays in April, the entire month used to be just for me. Mike would get his day but I would have the whole month for my celebrations. In recent years, for some reason, I've become much more generous and have begun ceding more and more of my month to Mike for his celebrations. This year I gave him the whole latter half. You're welcome, Mike. And happy birthday.

Even with only half of the month dedicated to me, I still had a great time! Celebrity sightings, dinners out, a boozy brunch, the zoo, bowling, a cruise; it was a near constant celebration.

Cruising NYC

Mike's half was fairly celebratory as well, though we both got sick this week and have kind of sputtered to a rather unimpressive end. Still, I bet if you ask him he'll tell you he had a pretty great time.

Now that birthday month is over, and we're fully ensconced in May, we are officially less than a month away from our big move. We've given our landlord notice and I've given my employer notice, we've bought all our tickets, made arrangements with family and friends, and are now getting ready to start purging our possessions. Soon we'll be on our way and this whole experience will be in the past tense.

Happy at the zoo

Before we go, however, there are a few things we'd still like to do while based in New York. Because we've lived the last year with this mindset however, our list of items still unaccomplished is fairly short. Still, we've kept our May rather empty to allow for last minute additions and adventures. The list so far:

1. Run around the reservoir in Central Park.
2. Day trip to Montauk. (Where Revenge takes place and, also, just to see the Hamptons.)
3. Ride the Cyclone at Coney Island.

If we're able to accomplish these before we leave then this will continue to be the best move experience we've had since we originally moved to Seattle in 1999. After recent move experiences, that's not a bad position to be in at all.

Winter Blows

The last sunset of 2013, Coney Island

We ended 2013 at our favorite beach in NYC, watching the last sunset of the year at Coney Island. We had hoped to make it a whole event, with Irish coffees and noise makers, but it was freaking cold. Like, I'm surprised we didn't die of exposure kind of cold. And, not one restaurant was open to help us with the Irish coffees. Come on!

We still watched the sunset and walked the boardwalk from Coney Island to Brighton Beach but then we jumped on the subway tout suite and celebrated the new year from the warmth of our East Harlem flat.

The last sunset of 2013, Coney Island

After greeting the new year from the steps of Sacre Coeur in Paris and the Spanish Steps in Rome, perhaps you're wondering why we didn't make an effort this year and watch the ball drop in Times Square? Perhaps you're also unaware of the freaking clusterfuck it is down there? First of all, you have to be situated by 3pm. Secondly, the police barricades keep you rooted until after midnight, meaning you can't move from the spot you chose before 3pm for a full 9 hours. And, unless you're in a certain spot, you also can't see the ball drop. Finally, the coup de grâce, there are no public restrooms. Seriously.

In all our travels we've never encountered anything as ridiculous as Times Square on New Year's Eve for crowd control. Times Square is a freaking mess during the best of times, man. I can't imagine what fools actually brave all that bullshit to stand in the cold for nine solid hours. I'd rather be warm and drink copiously with easy access to bladder emptying facilities. God we're getting old. And smart.

President Clinton and Mayor de Blasio

New Year's Day saw us at the Mayor's inauguration celebration. I scored a couple of tickets to the event, which also got us a couple of blankets, some souvenir mugs, and a free lunch, plus the closest I've ever come to a past or present US President. (I may have been closer to a future President Barack Obama in 2008 but he was on the other side of a structure at the Seattle Center so I didn't really get to see him. I heard him though. Magical.) The following weekend, we also got to tour Gracie Mansion, the Mayor's residence, and we both had our picture taken with him. His staff hasn't emailed those out yet but I'm sure they're coming. (Shakes fist in air.)

Atlantic City, NJ

Our first mini-break of the year was to Atlantic City, NJ. We got a killer deal so were able to stay right on the famous Boardwalk, in the Bally's on Park Place. I'm not sure what I expected but reports of the city's death and degradation have been greatly exaggerated. Atlantic City is gorgeous! The casino scene might be a bit like downtown Las Vegas, a bit down and out, but the beach is ahhh-mazing and the boardwalk itself is in great condition! Though we didn't escape the boardwalk area during our short stay, I wouldn't mind going back to explore the rest of the city. Seriously, Atlantic City, where have you been all my life?

East River, NYC Cruise

We wrapped up our January with a lovely 3-hour nighttime cruise around Manhattan. It was a great way to see the city and a lovely experience all around.

Happy Holidays!

Snow on the morning commute

As we begin our 2013 Christmas celebrations here in New York City, I can't help but be reminded of our recent Christmases. Last year we celebrated in London; 2011 we were in Rome; 2010 we were in Paris; and, in 2009, when this trend of travelling over the holidays began, we celebrated with family in Kaohsiung. This year, similar to last year, we find ourselves staying in the city where we live, which isn't a bad thing but not as exciting as previous years.

Although not necessarily our first choice, New York City has been really great during this time of year. First of all, the city is deserted, making normal tasks a bit more pleasant. Like today, for instance, I was almost the only person on the bus during my morning commute.

Secondly, the weather has been all over the place, hitting all the extremes, providing a bit of excitement on a day to day basis. Although today it appears to be back to normal, hovering in the 30s (F), this past week was more like a Roman holiday, even hitting 70 degrees over the weekend. Two weeks ago we were way below zero and had a pretty heavy snow storm, which we didn't really get to take advantage of because we were both sick.

Christmas trees are being sold in pop-up shops on almost every corner, providing a pleasant pine scent and special festive note, allowing us to feel festive even without decorations of our own. And, surprisingly, if we avoid certain areas of the city (between Park and 6th Avenues in the 50s), we're not even overwhelmed by the worst part of the season, consumers and holiday tourists.

As we prepare to begin our Christmas celebrations by brewing vin chaud and wandering the country's number one neighborhood for holiday lights, we wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. Although we probably won't be celebrating Christmas in the traditional New York way - with a movie and Chinese food - we do plan on wandering the city, taking pictures at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, meandering through Central Park, viewing the window displays at Saks Fifth Avenue and Barney's, and otherwise just absorbing our surroundings. Even if this isn't our last Christmas in New York, it's definitely our first and we're looking forward to making it a memorable one. We hope you have a memorable and joyous holiday season too.

Summer Volunteers

Columbia University campus

Mike & I are starting our summer by making a couple of volunteering commitments.  I've been hankering to volunteer since our Dundee days but pickings were a bit slim in that small town and we were far too busy being super popular in London to even contemplate the idea (except, early on, we did volunteer one day in the Carshalton lavender fields).  Now here, where we seem to have nothing but time, we decided to see what was available.

Well, as I suspected, opportunities abound and everyone wants a piece of us.  After a few interviews and inquiries, we've selected one long-term commitment, teaching English as a second language to adults at Columbia University's Community Impact program, and one shorter commitment, working the beer booth at the Governors Ball music festival for Doing Art Together.

We had our first teacher orientation at Columbia last night.  It was a lot of fun and we're both really excited to get into the classroom.  Classes start on Wednesday.  We chose ESL because we expect Mike to spend at least his first 9 months in Hong Kong teaching English and we want to make sure it's something he enjoys.  We chose Community Impact's adult ESL program because it's Columbia University and will look great on our resumes.

Doing Art Together is a short commitment, just this weekend, and gives us free entrance into the music festival on the days we volunteer.  I'm not a huge fan of music festivals (see this post) because they're crowded and there are long lines everywhere but I might enjoy myself if standing safely within a beer serving booth.  For charity. Also, it might take me back to the good old days of helping The Cascades Conservation Partnership at festivals throughout Seattle during the summer of 2001.  I saw Billy Idol, Lyle Lovett, Burt Bacharach, Chris Isaak, plus many others that summer, and all for free while volunteering for TCCP.  It was a great summer.

Although this weekend is supposed to be ensconced by Tropical Storm Andrea, and there are flood warnings and thunderstorms predicted, I'm sure we'll still have a good time.  It's a rare event that can surround us with beer and music and not produce a couple of happy Furnesses.  Make it free and it's damn near unheard of.

Being A New Yorker

Random 8th Ave Street Fair

So, I just experienced my first street fair as a New Yorker.  I did stumble upon one as a tourist back in 2008 and we've passed them since we moved here earlier this year but this is the first time we walked out our front door and our main avenue, 8th Avenue, had been co-opted by street fair merriment, complete with entertainment stage and police placed traffic barriers.

In the days leading up to this event there were no signs announcing that 8th Ave would be closed on Saturday from 9am to 8pm; there were no advance warnings.  We just start Mike's morning commute at 8:50am and see a few portable toilets, barriers being placed, booths being erected and hear a dude screaming, "you want me to fuckin' respect you, you better use your head" to some guy for some inexplicable reason.  I believe, my friends, this is what being a New Yorker feels like.

I just returned from visiting my local street fair and feel more like a New Yorker than I did when I left the house this morning.  First of all, this is my neighborhood and there's a certain level of pride I have in the fact that I just walked down the street and was able to partake in a freaking New York City street fair.  Secondly, the New York Times had a booth and I signed up for my Sunday delivery, with my 10011 zip code, which I will get delivered to my freaking NYC brownstone basement apartment beginning next Sunday.  Additionally, not only did I get a golf umbrella and tote bag (emblazoned with "The New York Times" for my trouble) but, and how fun is this, I got to deal with a super crazy old time New Yorker in the process of subscribing for said delivery.

Super crazy old time New Yorker lady was in front of me in line at the booth but didn't believe that it was a real New York Times booth.  She wanted everything in writing and kept asking, "how do I know you're real?".  It was awesome.  Apparently, even though she doubted their legitimacy, the tote bag and umbrella were too good for her to pass up.  But, she still made those poor staffers work for their wages.  And, after about 3 minutes of her shenanigans, I decided to jump the line and said, "I believe you" which almost instantly resulted in my receiving their full attention.

Crazy New Yorker lady didn't like my impertinence or the fact that I was a more welcome customer than her.  She responded by stating, "can you help me first since I was here first?  I'm sorry I'm being difficult but I'm a New Yorker.  Now, can you put everything you've told me in writing along with your first and last name?"  The two New Yorkers working the booth (and myself, thank you very much) just continued as before.  Lesson of the day: crazy does not equal New Yorker and New Yorker does not equal crazy.  Crazy equals crazy.  But, all of it equals entertainment.  And that, my friends, was perhaps one of my best New Yorker experiences since moving here.

Mid-March Update

Here we sit.  It's now March 14 and we don't have much to show for it.  We're still both unemployed.  As I suspected, I failed at my first attempt at my dream job.  Luckily, they saw my potential and offered me the opportunity to interview for another position within the organization.  I had my final interview for that position this past Monday.  Sadly, I won't know if I succeeded this time until next week.  Preliminary reports say I 'interviewed very well' so I'm cautiously optimistic.  Mike's had no luck whatsoever though.  Poor guy.

Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge

We're continuing to explore our city on foot to help fill our days.  We just discovered that there is pedestrian access on more than just the Brooklyn Bridge so we've decided to walk across all the bridges.  We started this past weekend with the Williamsburg Bridge.  With fewer people than the Brooklyn Bridge, and separate paths for bikes and pedestrians, it made for a much nicer walk across the East River.  It's also somewhat protected from the elements and has the added bonus of being used for the J train.  The pedestrian and bike paths are above the car and train traffic so you get to watch trains pass below you while walking across the river. I thought that was fun.

Bumping into a friend from London in the LES

While walking from Chelsea to the Lower East Side for our Williamsburg Bridge walk this past Sunday afternoon we bumped into a friend from London.  We're just walking down Bowery when someone yells my name.  It was so awesome!  Seriously, what are the odds?

This has happened to me once before though.  We were in Washington DC in 2008, staying at a small B&B in Columbia Heights, when one of the few people also staying there turns out to be someone I went to high school (or junior high) with back in Utah.  Crazy how small this world is, right?!

Anyway, that makes two friends from London and zero friends from the US.  I'm not sure why that's something I'm keeping track of.  I just find it interesting.

Hopefully next week brings good news for our family.  We need some good news.

Bring On March

Our second month in New York City is coming to an end and, unfortunately, both Mike & I are still unemployed. My temporary assignment, though meant to be long-term, was not what I was looking for so, in my infinite wisdom, I quit. My thought process was that being unemployed would be better than working somewhere that wasn't my ideal. Well, this is week two of unemployment with no other job on the horizon. Well played.

Mike did have one interview we thought went well but it's been over a week and he hasn't heard anything yet.  I had four interviews at my dream organization, the last one just this past Friday, but I haven't heard anything since and my pessimism is setting in.  Mike did get a short-term gig by exploiting a connection he made whilst in London.  He's spent the last couple days helping to set up an exhibition at a Chelsea gallery.  Otherwise, the job hunt continues.

Mike's art in our flat

We've extended the lease at our current apartment until July.  We're really loving our neighborhood and, though we hope to never live in a basement again, we're really enjoying our flat.  We do dream of living a couple floors up in a one bedroom in the East Village though.

Williamsburg Bridge, East River

Since we have so much free time, we're spending a lot of time walking around the city.  We prefer the East River over the Hudson, though both are attractive.  The East River has lovely bridges whilst our part of the Hudson has views of New Jersey and the Statue of Liberty.  As previously mentioned, we like the East Village more than our current area but that might just be a 'grass is greener' mentality.  Honestly, we haven't encountered a neighborhood we wouldn't enjoy living in.

Steve (from London) and me
The High Line

Unlike our move to the UK, where we didn't get our first US visitor until the tail-end of our 2+ years there, we had our first UK visitor here in early February.  Our good friend from London was here for business and we were able to spend an entire Saturday with him, definitely one of the highlights from February.

Happily, February has been more fruitful than January was and, though we have no employment prospects and our savings is dwindling, we're rather calm about the whole thing.  When the boredom isn't affecting us, we're rather happy and in good spirits.  Who knew unemployment and poverty could be so enjoyable?

August Wrap Up

the view from my office's rooftop terrace
in Trafalgar Square

August was a great month for us!  We're really adapting quite well to London and we're having a great time! Our flat is working out quite well, even with the super crap futon we're sleeping on.  If these last two years have done anything they have made us very flexible when it comes to our sleeping arrangements.

August brought us lovely weather, steady income, and increased fortunes.  Thanks to our Yelp events, we're finding our social calendar quite full, which is a huge change from our recent solitary existence in Dundee.  I'm probably the most friendly and social I've ever been.  It's weird.  I'm not sure if this is a permanent change or just a blip but I'm having fun and meeting some great people so we'll see how it plays out.  Maybe London Desi is Friendly Desi?  I hope London Desi is also Less Embarrassing Desi because I could really do with a little less of that.  I'd also like London Desi to be More Articulate Desi because all that solitary living up north has left me with an inability to convey any coherent ideas verbally.  I'm really just a big ball of beeps and ticks at this point.  I usually give up trying to convey any ideas mid-attempt, which actually goes against my hope for Less Embarrassing Desi because beeping and ticking whilst conversing is actually just as embarrassing as it sounds.

We started investigating alternative commuting methods.  We've been commuting via bus, mostly because it's cheaper than via tube but it's also more convenient.  But, with the nice weather we gave the Boris Bikes a try.  Riding a bike in London is almost as heavenly as it was in The Netherlands and definitely not as bad as the war zone that is Seattle.  I have no idea how I used to commute via bike in Seattle.  Those drivers are actively out to get you (I had one actually stop and get out of his car, like he was going to fight me...for riding my bike).  Walking back home along the north bank of the Thames was also fun for a few evenings.  We'll probably wind up sticking with the bus, especially when the weather turns, but it's nice to know we have so many options.

Surrey Docks City Farm

We didn't travel anywhere in August but we did ramble along the Thames.  We didn't get farther east than Greenwich but we did discover a lovely city farm with goats and chickens and pigs (oh my).  We also experienced one of our most magical evenings, watching 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' in a courtyard in Covent Garden with Bollywood dancers pre-show and free drinks and popcorn.  We also got to go to the industry screening of 'Great Expectations' in Leicester Square (where all the London premiers take place) where the director, Mike Newell, actually spoke to the crowd.

Bollywood dancers

Although August was a great month, September is already shaping up to be an improvement upon it, which is hard to believe but totally appreciated.  It's also hard to believe we've already been in London for two full months but, at the same time, it's hard to believe it hasn't been longer.  As expected, our time in Dundee is already fading from memory and being replaced almost entirely by pleasant London ones.  September will hopefully continue that trend.

How to Tumble

I have only been on a trampoline maybe four times in my entire life.  Consequently, I have no acrobatic skills whatsoever and may be irrationally certain my next encounter with one will leave me paralysed.  Contrast that with Mike who grew up with a tramp in his backyard and can tumble and somersault and backwards somersault (etc.) without any fear whatsoever (and without having done it for nearly a decade).  Of course I believe him to be magic and awesome (for many reasons but mostly for his mad tramp skills).

All this to say, yesterday I was inexplicably drawn to our neighbourhood park to play on Sacrilege 2012 (aka bouncy Stonehenge).  Perhaps because of its size or the lack of metal framing but I felt very acrobatic during our 10 minutes of play and asked Mike to teach me how to tumble.  He was a good sport and spent a few minutes helping me out.  Here, in 7 easy steps, is how to tumble.

1. Prepare by tucking your chin into your chest (it's okay to cry a little bit here)

2. Start to fall forward (optional: keep your arms at a 90 degree angle at all times)

3. Embrace the fall, try to tuck in a bit and fling your feet over your head

4. Gravity takes over

5. Just go with it

6. Come to a rest, confirm your neck isn't broken

7. Celebrate

I proceeded to do a bunch more of these sad tumbles and I had the best time!  Of course, I thought I looked more like this at the time:

but, whatever.

Is This Summer?

We have been enjoying summer-like weather for a week now.  It's rare to have a solid week of lovely weather and all of Britain is making the most of this phenomenon.

Yesterday Mike & I walked along the Tay for 5 miles, to the beach in Broughty Ferry.  We haven't returned since our first visit, back in August 2010, mostly because there hasn't been a nice enough day to entice us.  Luckily, we've now had the good fortune to see the Dundonians at play and it made for some interesting people watching.

We spent hours watching the Dundonians on the beach and, before yesterday, I'd never seen anyone walking on a beach whilst wearing socks. Shoes and socks, sure.  Just shoes, okay.  But, socks no shoes?  Like sleeveless t-shirts tucked into denim short shorts, that's apparently the style in these parts.  Similarly, I'd never seen a stroller on the beach before yesterday.  I'm not sure what others do with their kids; I've never really paid any attention before.  All I know is that seeing a whole lot of strollers being pushed on the sand appeared bizarre to me.

After enjoying the people watching at the beach we headed back home where we realised we had actually become sunburned.  Are we in Mallorca?

Today, although burned and tired from our 10-mile walk yesterday, we still wanted to enjoy the lovely day so we headed back down to the Tay where we saw sunbathing sea lions (or seals, I don't know the difference).  We sat on the river wall for a bit, enjoying their company, before heading back home.

Knowing this fine weather won't last, we're trying to make the most of it and appreciate it while it's here.  At the same time, we wouldn't mind living where this kind of weather is known as summer rather than a phenomenon.

Birthday Month

watching The Good Wife in my birthday cinema

April is our birthday month.  It used to be just my birthday month but in recent years I've started ceding the latter half to Mike.  For my celebrations this year Mike surprised me by creating a cinema in our flat with rented equipment from the university (projector and DVD player).  He also made me a lovely home movie/slideshow celebrating our years together.  It was very sweet and thoughtful and I enjoyed it immensely.

Since I possess no real creativity but am aces at planning holidays, I splurged on a weekend away for Mike's birthday.  We spent this last weekend in England's Lake District where we enjoyed Muncaster Castle, lambing season, and local real ales.  We had a great time!

Ravenglass, Lake District

There is no real news yet on the visa situation.  Mike's appointment with his adviser is next Tuesday after which we hope to begin working with some real options.  Until then, we're making peace with the possibility that the next few years may be different than originally planned and resolving to enjoy whatever time we may have left in the UK.

Back In The Game

After our miserable attempt at a day out a few weeks ago, we would have been perfectly content to watch these next four months pass us by from the semi-comfort of our couch.  Fortunately, though, we were forced to get back in the game yesterday when we were invited to a birthday party in Edinburgh.

Since it costs about £30 for two return bus tickets, we decided to make a day of it.  We planned a leisurely day of galleries and charity shops in Stockbridge, a neighbourhood in New Town (versus Old Town) which we have not yet explored.  New Town, having been built in the Georgian era, has not been as appealing to us as the medieval Old Town and, consequently, we have mostly ignored it on our previous visits.  This time though, with planned itinerary and map in hand, we ventured forth.

Upon arrival, we made a quick, unplanned stop at the newly reopened National Portrait Gallery to see Graham Fagen's (one of Mike's tutors) exhibition of commissioned work.  Afterwards, we wandered north, stopping at a few galleries along the way, until reaching Raeburn Place (aka charity shop heaven) where we had a lot of fun zigzagging from shop to shop.  After spending a couple hours working up an appetite, we enjoyed a late lunch at The Stockbridge Tap (pictured) before leaving to explore further afield.

After our meal we grabbed a bus out of town to the new Decathlon, a store we discovered whilst in London and one that is almost as fun as our favourite store back in Seattle, REI.  We used to go to the REI on Yale just for fun, whenever we were bored (usually on Sundays).  Sometimes we'd find an amazing deal but usually we'd just have fun picking through all their cool outdoor supplies (good times!).  While Decathlon proved diverting and worth the effort it was not quite as fun as our REI days used to be.  However, it will be fun having one just a short tube ride away when we relocate to London later this year.

We had a couple more hours to kill before we had to catch the bus to our party and, happily, Decathlon was in a business park surrounded by other diversions.  We felt like we were back in the States, shopping for our house.  We were surrounded by a B&Q (Home Depot equivalent), Curry's (like Best Buy), and Tesco (somewhat reminiscent of Super Target).  I almost expected, when we were leaving B&Q, to find ourselves back in Columbia City.  Alas, we were still in the 'burbs of Edinburgh and now running late for our party.

Although I say I have no desire to ever return to Scotland again, I would not be averse to returning to Edinburgh if the opportunity arose.  Edinburgh is a beautiful city and one I highly recommend.  It is unique and magical and one I would've enjoyed living in.

Look Out Nessie

Mike & I had a fun day today.  Rather than just walking to our local grocery store, like always, we decided to walk 4 miles east to the closest Sainsbury's.  We haven't shopped at a Sainsbury's since London and it was a lot of fun seeing the familiar packaging of the Sainsbury's brand, reminding us of our time there this past summer.

The reason for our grocery shopping detour was due to the ScotRail vouchers Sainsbury's was giving away.  For every purchase over £15 you received a voucher to travel anywhere in Scotland for only £19 return.  Mike & I were just saying how sad it was that we've been in Scotland now for over a year and we have yet to make our way up to Loch Ness.  But, when we researched prices, train tickets were running about £35 each, and we just don't have £70 worth of excitement in us about Scotland any more.  But, now that we have these vouchers, we can definitely muster up £38 worth of excitement.

Train travel in the UK is expensive.  Actually, all travel in the UK is expensive.  It's cheaper to purchase a flight to somewhere on the continent than it is to go to Edinburgh (sadly, though, we have to go to Edinburgh in order to fly to the continent).  Accommodations here aren't cheap, either.  We booked a hostel in Inverness for one night and it cost £36.  Inverness, people.  That's more than we paid for a hostel in Edinburgh.  There's no reason for a hostel in Inverness, in February, to charge those prices.

All that aside, now that we have cheap travel to a whole new area of Scotland, to a place we've always wanted to see, we're excited again about exploring Scotland.  Inverness is the capital of the Highlands, situated on the River Ness, near Loch Ness, and we get to spend a weekend there thanks to our Sainsbury's vouchers.

Besides the voucher situation, though, we had a whole lot of fun today just on our weekly grocery shopping trip.  We're simple people with simple pleasures who enjoy walking 4 miles one way to go grocery shopping.  Receiving a voucher for cheap travel was just the gravy.