It's Not Called the 'Cup of Coffee Road Trip' for Nothing

SOME PROOF AND evidence from our trip.  All of these photos were taken today...

Trieste, Italy - 9:42am

Ljubljana, Slovenia - 11:45am
 (This was actually tea, not coffee.  But it was a traditional Slovenian tea that
 resembled hot, sweetened iced-tea.  Fantastic.

Zagreb, Croatia - 3:30pm

Henry getting in on the action.

Cup of Coffee Road Trip, Day 2

TODAY'S PLANNED ROUTE:  Trieste, Italy - Budapest, Hungary (with Cup of Coffee stops in Ljubljna, Slovenia and Zagreb, Croatia).  440 km.

Auto Updates

I SEE THE auto-update function is working fine.  I've pre-written updates for each stage of our trip in case we find ourselves without internet access.  Those updates should appears at 7:00 each morning.  Each day the planned route will be posted, and if we find the time we'll try to update the posts with a few photos.

Here we go...

Cup of Coffee Road Trip, Day 1

TODAY'S PLANNED ROUTE:  Le Rouret, France - Trieste, Italy.  745km.

Merry Christmas

OURS STARTED AT about 4:45 thanks to the long-standing tradition in our family the children wake up at an hour normally reserved for farmers on Christmas morning.  It's a bit harder to do when you are the parent, but after a big mug of coffee, Kerri and I were ready to go and we felt like we were 12 again.  (That changed to feeling like we are 75 a few hours later, but that's not the point).

We had a wonderful morning and we hope you did too.  Merry Christmas.

Tomorrow we head off for a bit of a road trip so we still have a lot to do before this Christmas day is over.

Cup of Coffee Road Trip

THIS WILL MAKE more sense if you've already seen this post about our upcoming little road trip.  Without revealing exactly where we are going, the following clues might help if you want to guess.  Here is some pre-trip information:

• We will be gone about one week.
• We will cover nearly 3000 km
• Including the country we live in, we hope to drive through 8 countries, six of which the kids have never been to before (Kerri and I have not been to at least 4 of them).
• We will spend nights in 4 different countries
• We will be in some countries only long enough to have a cup of coffee (almost literally) and buy a refrigerator magnet to add to our collection.
• We will not always be able to use Euros
• We will be attending a professional ice hockey match
• New Year's Eve with the Montegues and the Capulets?

  Almost too easy, I know.  Guessing the direction we will be traveling is probably the easiest part.

Road Trip 2011

THIS YEAR WILL be the first time we have celebrated the holidays "on our own" since moving to France. Over the past few years we have either gone back to the US for Christmas (once) or welcomed parents/in-laws/brothers (3 times).  Since we are alone this year we have decided to make use of the second week of vacation and embark on what we are calling (and by that I mean what I am calling) our Cup of Coffee Road Trip 2011.

As is often the case, I am utilizing a vague sports metaphor to convey a concept or idea; and as is also often the case, the metaphor doesn't really work -- but I'm using it anyway.  In professional sports it is common for minor league players to get a chance to play a few games with the top-level club when they are young -- perhaps because a top-level guy is injured or perhaps just to give the young player a bit of experience.  This is sometimes referred to as "having a cup of coffee" in the big leagues -- as this completely made-up dialogue illustrates:

Veteran Bill:  Hey rookie, life is pretty good up with the big club isn't it.
Rookie:  Yeah, it's pretty sweet.  But the GM tells me I'm going back down at the end of the week.
Veteran Bill:  Oh, so you're just here for a cup of coffee?
Rookie:  Huh?

Our trip will sort of follow that same theme:  short stays in countries where we have never been  (get it: just long enough for a "cup of coffee"?).  Because we never really know how long we are going to be here, we decided to just get in the car and go see some things we haven't seen before.  Where are we going?  Well, that will be unveiled as we go.  A few friends and family know some of the details of our trip, but most do not.

Coming up in the next post:  Cup of Coffee Road Trip 2011 Guessing Game!  Stay tuned.

McDonalds to the Rescue

ONE OF THE many things I miss about life in the US is easy access to public internet connections -- WiFi.  In France it is very difficult to find places where you can plop down with a laptop and get free access to the web.  Unless, of course; you are at a McDonalds; one of the few places in this country that opening touts ts Wi-Fi Gratuit policy.  I know the need for these kinds of hot-spots are decreasing because of smart phones and iPads, but there are times (like today) when I am not able to be at home and I need to get some things done and I just need an internet connection.

I'm trying to get some research and writing done while Kerri and Julia do some last minute shopping.  Normally I would have just stayed home but we wanted to take our car to the garage for a check-up before next week so we had to take both vehicles.  But rather than tag along on the shopping excursion, I had myself dropped off at a local Micky D's where I will now surf the net get some work done.

Time to dig into Russia's recent WTO accession.  Fun times at McDonalds.
 

Vive l'Italie?

EVERY TIME WE go over to Italy, I wish we went more often.  If for no other reason, the prices.  Just a few minutes from the French border you can find huge pizzas for 4-5 euros and parmigiano-reggiano cheese for nearly half the price of the same cheese in France.

Yesterday was Kerri's birthday so the kids decided "Lunch in Italy" was a good way to spend the afternoon.  We went to one of our favorite small villages -- Dolceacqua -- and tried to eat at pizzeria we have been to on a few occasions but it was closed do to the fact that it was...Monday.  So, we crossed over the 1st century bridge that leads to the old section of the villages and ate at another little place just off the main square.  Three large pizzas, a four-cheese gnocci, salad, bottled water, and a terrific fresh-tomato bruschetta later, I paid the €35 bill and we got ready to present Kerri with one of her gifts:  a stop at the local Lidl (a sort of discount supermarket here in Europe).  You can get fantastic bargains at Lidl stores in France, but the deals are even bigger in Italy.  (Just one quick example: I bought a case [15] of canned tomatoes for €4.35.  It was like being at Cosco!).

We gotta go more often.  Oh, turns out we'll be going again in less than a week.  More on that later.

Photo: arial view of Dolceacqua, Italy -- just 7 km north of Ventimiglia.

Normal Sunday?

IT'S SNOWING OUTSIDE, we have no heat (the guys who came on Friday apparently forgot to switch something back on), the electricity keeps going on and off, a fire is raging in the fireplace (well done, Kerri), the women of the house are baking Swedish pastries, Henry is roller-blading around the house, and Patrick is dressed like Ebeneezer Scrooge (slippers, robe, flannel pants, night cap, and walking stick).

All in all, a fairly fun Sunday so far...

Join Us for a Free Concert

MY SERIOUS MUSIC playing days a long over, but I still enjoy getting together for some tunes from time to time. For the past couple of years I've been playing on-and-off with a group from a neighboring village that plays a lot of traditional provençal music. This fall we decided to get a bit more organized (even got a new name -- Cante'Music), arranged for a few concerts around the area -- mostly in village squares, churches, and at local festivals. This Saturday evening we are playing a Christmas concert at the old Chateau in Le Bar-sur-Loup that will feature a lot of different kinds of music: traditional local, Christmas, Irish tunes, even a couple Beatles numbers for fun. The group features people from the U.S., England, France and Italy and songs are sung in English, French, Italian, and provençal. Perfect. (Hint: the two Americans and the Englishman all teach at the CIV).

If you're around and want to enjoy a bit of music, join us at 20h30 at the Chateau de Bar-Sur-Loup -- right next to the church in the old village.

As the publicity poster says: Entrée Libre

Checklist

OBVIOUSLY, POSTING REGULARLY on this blog is not high on my list -- but there are a few things to do before Christmas. We're going to be in France for the holidays, and for the first time, we'll we by ourselves. We're mulling some interesting plans for the holidays (what a tease!) and the plans are coming together. But for now:

• Dig out Christmas decorations for the house (check!)
• Put up wreaths, lights, etc. around the house.
• Get Christmas music playing in the house 24/7 (check! -- over my mild objection)
• Make Christmas lists (check!)
• Head to Target, Old Navy, Crate & Barrel, Home Depot, Ann Taylor, Barnes & Noble to get gifts (Oh wait, we can't do that. Guess I'll go to Carrefour!)
• Get Christmas tree (that's happening today)
• Start baking Christmas treats (Julia is in charge!)

May try to keep up to date for a while on these (and other) items.

A Little Nice Hockey

WE'VE BEEN GOING to most of the home ice hockey matches this fall, and the local team is doing very well. Armed with a new crop of Finns and Slovaks, Les Aigles de Nice are sitting tied for 2nd place in France's First Division. The local paper even gave some hockey love today. The story talks about the big increase in atendance at games (we can attest to that!) and Sylvain Roy, the guy mentioned in the headline, is the team captain and the coach of the Nice under-22 team. (Note: Jean-Bouin is the name of the home arena).

We've been spending a lot of time at the ice rink lately as I've mentioned before. Henry and Patrick have started the "Hockey School" sessions on Monday afternoons, and Henry had just been invited to play for the Nice under-9 team, something he is very excited about. His first "game" will be in a few weeks near Aix-en-Provence. Because the nearest sheet of ice is almost 100 km away, it looks like we'll be making a few road trips on Sunday's this winter.

Ready for practice!

Tiring But Never Tired

LAST WEEK I returned from my 35th trip to Geneva in the past two years. Because I have finished all my coursework, I'm only going every few months now -- just to meet with my adviser to review my project and plan the next steps. With any luck, I'll only have 2 or 3 more trips before I finish the program.

While the trips themselves (both the travel and the work) can be tiring, I never get tired of this view. What a beautiful city:

I also never get tired of the lamb kebabs at Cafe Istanbul near Gare Cornavin -- but I didn't take a photo of that so you'll have to take my word for it. Oh, and the 4 Starbucks shops within walking distance of my hotel are a nice change of pace from the very average coffee I normally get near my house.

This is NOT the Film Festival

ONE THING IS for certain: the G20 meetings that start in Cannes on Thursday should give all Hollywood-types a little dose of humility. The security measures for the G20 make the Cannes Film Festival look like a picnic for children. Total neighborhood shutdowns; motorway closures; airport closures; school cancellations; alternate traffic patterns; 12,000 police; constant air and sea patrols; and that's just for the days LEADING UP to the meetings.

It's really quite a huge undertaking. We've seen a good deal of evidence

for it already -- from the two policemen stationed at every single overpass on the A8 motorway, to the constant hovering of helicopters. Quite a boost to the local economy, I image -- assuming, of course, the 15,000 expected protesters don't recreate the havoc they created at the EU Summit in Nice in 2000 (good part starts at the 8:00 mark).

The security measures are astounding:

Halloween

I SUPPOSE IT wouldn't be October (uh, November) without a look at how our family celebrated Halloween. It's not a very popular holiday in France, but I must admit that the French seem to be slowly catching on (as evidenced, perhaps, by the Halloween-themed ice-skating session we went to this afternoon at the Palais Jean-Bouin).

But they haven't caught up enough to make trick-or-treating a sure-fire way to get candy -- so we normally organize our own evening of candy and fun (and, as usual when it comes to planning fun things, when I say 'we' I mean Kerri). And we always make sure to get into our get-ups nice and early.

Sports theme for three out of the four. Psycho pumpkin theme for one of the four.

Cupcakes -- and good, moist ones thanks to the Halloween box that arrived from Kerri's parents.

I don't know that I really have much to say about this one.

Intense, sporty fellas.

Attention Dan Snyder: if the Shanahan thing doesn't work out (and it looks like it may not) I have an idea for your next Head Coach.

Big French Sunday

SUNDAY IS A big day for French rugby fans -- they will compete in the Rugby World Cup Finals against host-nation New Zealand. If you don't know, New Zealand, or the All Blacks as they are know, are the most iconic team in the world of Rugby and they are perhaps best knows for the Haka dance they do before every match. The Haka is a traditional ancestral war cry that comes from the Maori people of New Zealand. It is absolutely incredible to watch and the clip below is about as good as any you'll see. It's from the last time these two clubs met in the knock-out stage of a World Cup -- back in 2007 when it was here in France (though this match was play, oddly, in Cardiff, Wales). Watch as the French team just stares down the All Blacks. The intensity on both sides is fantastic. France went on to win the match in 2007 and will try to do the same tomorrow. (The Haka starts at the 4:27 mark, but there's also a pretty good rendition of the French national anthem at the 3:00 mark. Nothing like 80,000 singing a national anthem).

I can't believe I'm saying this, but...I can't wait for the rubgy match tomorrow!

Corsica in the Distance?

CORSICA IS 191 km from our house according to GoogleEarth. The great debate is whether we can see the island from our house. We're convinced that we can, though some of our friends seem to think we are only seeing the "shadow" of the Corsican mountains -- some sort of atmospheric mirage. Well, I put together some evidence on my much-below-average-quality camera. Here's a still shot, and some video evidence follows:

First Hockey Practice

SINCE WE LIVE on the sunny Cote d'Azur it only seems natural that our youngest son wants to play...ice hockey?

We took Henry to his first hockey practice this afternoon at the Palais des Sport Jean-Bouin in Nice -- the only sheet of ice within 100 km of our house . He has been begging for us to sign him up for a couple weeks so we made the 30 minute trip to the rink and got him all dressed in his "gear". He has never really skated before on ice (well, maybe once at a birthday party) so we were a but unsure how he would manage. We thought the hours of roller-blading he has done over the past few weeks would help, but we weren't sure. To make things a bit more comfortable, his big brother and sister took to the ice with him -- resulting in the rather comical sight of two lanky pre-teens skating with a bunch of munchkin 6-10 year olds. But I digress.

Henry had a blast! He hit the ice with the rest of the kids and barely stopped for 80 minutes. The coach (we think he is Czech) had the kids doing all sorts of drills -- backwards skating, circle

s, squats, fall-down-get-up, etc. When the session was over, Henry asked if we could go back tomorrow. We can't, but we will head back on Wednesday evening for the bourse aux equipements where people bring in the used equipment their kids have grown out of and sell it an cheap prices. We'll be in the market for shin guards, pants, shoulder pads, gloves, and sticks. Size = 6 years old. Oh, and also size 12 year-old because Patrick now wants to do hockey as well.

In a related development, I'm in the market for a higher paying job.

The photos below are dedicated to our friends Jim and Dana and their kids: the only Canadians who have come to visit us since we moved a few years ago!!

A few days ago -- when he was 'practicing' on our porch with roller blades.

This afternoon -- getting ready for a few sprints across the ice.

Learning to shift weight from leg to leg. Sort of looks like a young Crosby, no?

Some steady gliding, it appears.

Helmet said "Made in Sweden" on the back. Perfect!!!

If we're really lucky, he'll play Juniors in Oshawa where he can live with Jim and Dana.

The Office - Two Versions

I MENTIONED THAT YouTube sent a letter about a video we posted a few years ago. They have blocked the ability to 'embed' the video -- but I was able to work around that and embed it below. For those who don't know what I am talking about, we made a silly knock-off video that copied the opening credits to a popular TV show in the States (originally, a show in England). Here is the original from the show, followed by our French for a While version. OK, I admit we totally stole and concept, but isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Take a look at both: