September 19, 2009

We spent the day listening to paper rustling, tape ripping and strangers in our downstairs packing all of our stuff for shipment. We came over with 600# of stuff plus our clothes, we are going home with a container full and sold most of our stuff…where did it all come from?

Tom, the COO at the hospital came over for dinner (he brought it) and we had a wonderful night eating good food and wondering why the Qatari’s just don’t “get it”. The hospital is falling down around their ears because not only will they not take advise they are changing the way things are done to make it less efficient than it was when we arrived 2 years ago. Many of the doctors as well as Tom and the head of HR are turning in their resignations. It could have been great, now it is going to be hard to salvage.

September 20, 2009

RD went down to Qatar Airways office to get us some tickets with our frequent flyer miles. We have one way tickets to Rome (at 1:30 tomorrow), we have enough to get back to Qatar (from where ever we end up 2 weeks from now and then one way tickets back to the States on October 9^th!

Lauri, one of the other docs invited us for dinner. Ola and Katrina (from Sweden) were there as well as Tom. It is a good thing that everyone is taking pity on us because our cupboards are almost bare. We will give away the remainder of what we have when we get back from our European tour.

Italy

September 21, 2009

We are traveling light (since RD has to carry everything). Two weeks in Europe with one suitcase for both of us and one carry-on each. Flight was uneventful, got through customs and picked up our luggage, found the taxi stand, handed the taxi driver the print I had made of the name of the hotel with the address. That’s when things got “eventful”.

I think Italians ascribe to the “no guts no glory” method of driving but amazingly there are very few horns blown. RD and I kept “oowing and aahing” as we pointed out the window at various things during the half hour drive into town. Our taxi driver took us right to the address we gave him…nothing. No sign, locked door at the address posted on the website. He tried to help us for a few minutes but he spoke no English and we spoke no Italian. He kept pointing at the address on the paper and then at the address on the wall. Yes, I get it, we’re here but there’s nothing here. At first I didn’t want to be left with no where to stay but it became apparent that we couldn’t tie him up forever so we paid our fare, got our bags, and went in search of an internet café (the page I printed had no phone number). After dragging our bags over cobble stone streets, past the Trevi Fountain several times…really quite an amazing site) we finally found an internet “bar”. Bring on the G & T! I got on line…couldn’t find the website…had we been scammed? Finally realized I was too frustrated and tired to find anything on-line and passed the computer to RD to look for it. Thank gawd he found it, and the phone #! First two attempts to call went poorly. A woman answered who only spoke Italian, when I asked if anyone there spoke English she finally hung up…both times. We asked the bartender to call…turns out the number on the website is wrong…GREAT! There were about 16 doorbells at the building with the “correct” address so I sent RD back to start ringing buzzers (by this time my neck was in full-on spasm). When he got back to the address there was Paolo standing outside the building waiting for us! Why does Paul sound so much sexier in Italian than it does in English? He had no idea when we were arriving and apparently got there soon after we walked away. RD came back and collected me and our luggage, gave the bartender a generous tip, and off we went again for our 4^th or 5^th trip past the “Fontana di Trevi”(85 ft tall and 65 ft wide it is the largest in Rome)…quite beautiful when lit up at night (the first few times past it had been daylight).

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevi_Fountain

Turns out they just opened this B&B, we are their second guests and they haven’t quite worked the kinks out yet…ya think? The room is quite beautiful. Venetian plaster walls that are as smooth as glass and whoever picked the furniture has the same style as me. What’s not to love? When you open the window, fling the outside louvered shutters open and lean out and look to the left you are looking at the side of the fountain…location, location, location.

Once we got settled we went in search of food. Just across the street there is a little pizzeria…perfect, and the head waiter speaks English (he had helped us earlier by directing us to the internet bar). It seemed only appropriate to have our first meal in Italy there. RD had a seafood linguine and I had a sausage pizza and a bottle of wine (well, RD helped me a little with the bottle). Actually he ate half my pizza and went for an ice cream cone while I paid the bill…I think he was hungry…

September 22, 2009

We both slept in until 8AM, totally uncommon for RD. He was up and dressed before I had even rolled over…”we’re in Italy, let’s go roam!”…groan, way too early for jokes. I sent him out with his camera and told him to be back at nine and I would be ready for breakfast.

At nine we went to another little “pizzeria” and presented them with a card that was good for two cornetto’s (croissant’s) and two cappuccinos (another one of those kinks that needs to be worked out…breakfast was supposed to be in our room, oh, and they have no internet service, another thing they advertised…). I really like having a little protein for breakfast so I had the guy switch out my croissant for a cheese & salami sandwich and RD and I ate half of each and a second coffee while reading the paper.

We went back to our room to gather the camera and opened the door to find Andrea (of the deep cleavage clan) cleaning our room. RD kept looking for reasons to talk to her…can’t imagine why….

Back over at the fountain we bought a guide book with a map and took off at about 10:30. First stop was the “Vittoriiano”, an immense monument at the foot of Capital Hill. From there we walked past the Forum of Julius Caesar to the Coliseum and the Arch of Constantine.

We paid the 20€ each to have a guide through the Coliseum which also allowed us to bypass the line. Well worth the extra cost. Apparently the Christians weren’t fed to the lions…that is just a myth, but over the course of 450 years 700,000 slaves and criminals (some of which I’m sure we’re Christians) were killed by a wide variety of means. They were actually on 7 year contracts and if they survived they were set free…didn’t happen very often. Also, because of the adulation (and women) many former soldiers volunteered to become Gladiators. They were often the best for obvious reasons but here’s the rub…they were on the same 7 year contract as a slave or a criminal and their “agents” got 80% of what they made. Some things never change…

Our timing was not perfect however, we went in at about noon and the second part of the tour which included the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill didn’t start until 1:15 and we were starving and thirsty so decided to skip that part. Oh well, next time…

After leaving the Coliseum we walked back to Piazza St. Ignatio (the only “Christian” to actually die in the Coliseum) where we had lunch and a well deserved “pitcher” of wine (I asked for a glass…really…but it came in this cute little pitcher that filled my glass about 3 times!) From there we walked to the Pantheon (the city’s only architecturally intact monument from classical times) and then on to Piazza Navona where we stopped for an ice cream and watched a street performer for about a half hour. From there we passed through Piazza Colonna on our way back to our B&B, finally arriving back at 4:30. Six hours of walking! That’s more than I’ve done in a long time, these new foot orthotics are amazing!

After a nap we went out to dinner but I have to say my appetite still isn’t back since surgery (silver lining…decreased appetite + increased ability to walk = losing weight!). I had Melon and Prosciutto for an appetizer and Beef Carpaccio with Rocket and Pecorino Parmesan for my main course, both very light and I couldn’t finish either one of them

September 23, 2009

Breakfast of Cornetto and Latte and off we went again in search of the Fontana del Tritone, along the way I spotted a cute little blue top that I just had to have, next time I come to Italy it will be with an empty suitcase. These women bring new meaning to the word “fashionista”…

Once leaving the Fontana del Tritone we walked to San Carlo Quattro Fontane, which is actually at the corner of Via del Quirinale and Via delle Quatro Fontane. It is a relatively small intersection with a fountain at each of the 4 corners…this city is amazing.

From there we walked to Piazza della Repubblica which is dominated in the center by the Fountain of the Naiads (nymphs) which was created in 1900 and created quite a stir because of the “excessively realistic sensuality” of the four nude bronze nymphs.

After that we walked to Termini which is the center of the metropolitan subway/bus system and also the train station for moving on to other cities. It is located at the Piazza dei Cinquecento. Once inside we got ourselves oriented and finally found a “travel agent” (which we decided might be smarter than “winging it” in Italian at the ticket counter) and got ourselves two tickets to Florence.

From there we walked past Santa Maria Maggiore, the 4^th largest church in Rome. Apparently in August of 356 AD the Virgin appeared in a dream to Pope Liberius and told him to build a church on the site where it would snow the next day…hard to imagine it snowing in Rome in August… We did not go inside but admired the architecture from the outside with a glass of wine as we rested in the shade of some tree’s in the Palazzo dell Esposizioni.

We walked past Quirinale Palace which was begun by Pope Gregory XXII in 1574 and served as residence to the Popes until 1870 finally stopping at 3:00 for a pizza and a glass of wine before going up to our room for a well deserved nap.

That evening we went back to the ”internet bar” and after several attempts made reservations for a B&B in Florence but don’t know yet if they have availability.

RD had another pizza and I went to bed early…I’m not feeling well…I think I have been pushing it too hard.

September 24, 2009

Breakfast of cornetto’s and latte’s, finished packing, paid for our room, and said goodbye to Andrea (originally from Iran, speaks 5 languages at age 24!) before catching a taxi to train station. It is all very organized, which track to board on, which car to get on and finally which seat is all on your ticket. However, no one ever asked to see it! Seems like it would be really easy to jump a train (with no luggage of course) and just walk up and down the length several times and never have to pay….there must be some way of controlling it that just wasn’t obvious. Once on the train I made a phone call to B&B we tried to reserve for tonight, they were full but they said there was another one right below them and booked us in that one.

The train we were on was actually in route to Milano, when it stopped at Firenze M. S., luckily we figured out that Firenze was Florence and got off before the train took off again. We made a quick stop at a taxi stand where I handed the driver the address to our B&B, and we were off. Again the sights from the taxi were just as amazing as in Rome.

Found our B&B (with much less angst than in Rome) and checked in. Why are all B&B’s up a long narrow flight of stairs? We are traveling light but RD still has to carry everything since I have this 5# weight limitation. Our host is Bruno and he is delightful.

By this time it was after 2PM and we were starving. We stopped at the first little street side café and said “we’ll have what they’re having” (menu was all in Italian), turned out to be a sample plate of foccacia sandwiches, really good.

We took a walk around and saw Il Duomo, an absolutely magnificent church which took over 200 years to build, see:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Cathedral ,
and Ponte Vecchio (which literally means “old bridge” in Italian), which were two of the three major things I wanted to see in Florence. That only leaves the statue of David for tomorrow.

After another afternoon nap we went out to dinner. I am feeling better and getting my appetite back, I think I just needed a day with less “activity”.

September 25, 2009

40°C in Doha, 27°C in Firenza, Italy…I am so glad I am here….

RD left at 6AM this morning and walked the city taking pictures when the light was good and the people were at a bare minimum. He got back at 8:30 and after breakfast and a shower we took off in search of the Museum that houses David. I promised not to drag him to any museums but I just had to see Michelangelo’s David, especially since we did not make it to the Sistine Chapel in Rome (gives us a good reason to come back).

You are not supposed to take any photo’s but we saw the sign “after” RD snapped off a few. Of course RD and I spent 5 minutes noting that his right hand is bigger than his left, his thighs are too small compared to his calves, his feet are too big and his penis is way tiny! Despite all that it is amazing. Also they had a Mapplethorpe exhibit that was juxtaposed with the marble statues…really wonderful.

We had planned on walking to the train station to get tickets to Lausanne, Switzerland but got lazy and stopped at a travel agent instead then went to lunch. We will then travel from there to Chamonix, France to ride the gondola to the top of the mountain http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aiguille_du_Midi .

After another nap we walked around until we found a restaurant on Piazza della Signoria that looked interesting and had yet another pizza. I must admit, I am getting a bit tired of pizza but since I am not a big pasta fan and it seems to be the only other choice in the sidewalk café’s that we end up in.

Switzerland

September 26, 2009

RD was up early and walked the 404 steps to the top of the dome of Il Duomo and took pictures in the early morning light. I drank a cup of coffee and got my gear packed up then went out to the kitchen area to have breakfast. Turns out there was a couple from Kalispell just checking out! It really is a small world.

After finishing packing and getting our gear out of the room we went for a final walk; RD in search of a nice leather belt and me in search of a pottery pitcher like they serve the wine out of over here. RD found a beautiful woven belt but I was having some difficulty on my quest. Finally we turned down a small street (almost an alley) and right there was a small shop with what I was looking for and a guy sitting outside, hand-painting the pieces. Score! It cost me almost as much to ship it as I paid for it but it was well worth it.

We grabbed a final prosciutto, rocket and pecorino pizza and a glass of wine before grabbing a taxi to the train station. We go from here to Milano then change trains to get to Lausanne. It is only 18°C there (28°C here) so the coolness will be a welcome change.

Our train left at 1:19 on the dot and arrived in Milano at 3:29 on the dot. We had about a 45 minute wait at the train station in Milan and then left at 4:25 on the dot. If only we Americans could come up with a train system this extensive and this efficient. I think we really missed the boat on this one… At Domodossola they stopped the train and an official looking man came on to check passports. They didn’t even look at the pictures in our’s once they saw we were Americans. I’m a little bummed…no stamp in my passport when we arrived in Italy and now no stamp upon departure. I have a feeling that they look at the EU as one big country and don’t bother with stamps in passports…bummer.

Once we arrived in Lausanne (Switzerland…just East of Geneva) and hailed a cab to our hotel we found out that the Swiss did not join the European Union and do not use Euro’s…they use Swiss Francs…go figure. Luckily the cab driver was willing to take a credit card. We also have to switch our “ears” from Italian to French as the Southwestern part of this country speaks French, the Southeastern speaks Italian and the North speaks German. On the far Eastern border they speak something called Romansh, and luckily for us many seem to speak enough English to make our lives a bit easier. I tried a little French but my accent is so abominable that they immediately respond in English.

After checking in and taking a quick shower we got the recommendation of a restaurant and had the front desk call us another taxi. They had given us a card that allows us to ride the subway (metro) and the bus free but I am not up to trying to figure out a new transportation system (in French no less) in the dark, without a map of the city.

We had a great dinner (anything other than pizza is good in my book at this point). I think I have ingested more flour (pizza crust, foccacia, cornetto’s) in the past week than I usually do in a whole year! The waiter and I had great fun teasing RD because he couldn’t say Merci (thank you)…he kept pronouncing it mar-say…which of course is a city in France…Marseilles.

September 27, 2009

I spent the morning on-line trying to find the train schedule for the next leg of our journey and make hotel reservations in Paris. (We decided Chamonix was too far out of the way and besides…it would be more fun during ski season!) Turns out France’s high speed train (TGV) has a direct route from Lausanne to Paris! At 200 mph it is only a 4 hour trip. I think I also found the metro connections to get us from the train station in Paris to the hotel with only one transfer…keep your fingers crossed!

As I was doing all this RD went to the train station and bought our tickets (1^st class no less!) and walked around Lausanne for a few hours (I really needed to rest my feet). At about 1:30 I caught a bus to the train station, (our designated meeting point for lunch), and we had lunch at a little Thai restaurant (not very “European” but a welcome change for the taste buds). The bus and metro system in this city is very “user friendly”, but unfortunately, being Sunday, many of the stores and restaurants were closed so there were not many places to go.

We hopped another bus and went to a museum called “Collection de l’Art Brut”. It is a collection of art by “marginalized”, self-taught artists, and by “marginalized” they mean prisoners, inmates of psychiatric hospitals, eccentrics, loners and outcasts. To say it was interesting is an understatement. I’d say the general theme was a weird combination of mayhem and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).

Right near the museum was the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee. Lausanne is the “Olympic City”…who knew! There is also an Olympic museum here but RD has had his fill of museums (we’ve been to 2 and I’m sure there is no chance I will get him into the Louvre once we get to Paris).

Once back at the train station we got on the metro and went down to the waterfront (Lausanne is on a huge lake) to look at the sailboats (we were disappointed by how dirty and poorly kept the majority of the sailboats seemed to be) and have a cocktail as the sun was starting to set low in the horizon. We only had one…a gin & tonic at the Movenpick was $19! This country is way too expensive for our blood! RD had wanted to travel north through Switzerland but despite not being a “Francophile” he agreed going through France was a better option.

The incision on my neck is healing but we can’t decide if it looks like a 3^rd year medical student who was in a hurry or a veterinarian in training sutured me back together…it is just awful. RD keeps saying it will flatten out but I see a revision in my future…

I am only taking Naproxen (Aleve) once or twice a day (which is actually pretty normal for me and my assortment of body aches and pains), so I would say that being only 3 weeks post surgery I am doing remarkably well!

France

September 28, 2009

Our train left at 9:03 and at 9:45 we crossed the border into France. So far we haven’t hit anything even close to 100 mph so I must have read the web page wrong.

Oh the joys of riding a train through the French countryside with RD…”Look, we’re going through pineapple (Dole)”…”Look, now we’re going through mustard (Dijon)”…I didn’t need to have children, I have RD!

We eventually got up to speed on the final leg between Dijon and Paris and finally arrived at Gare de Lyon train station at 1:03. My previous research paid off and we were able to find first “ligne 1” of the “métro” to the Concorde stop where we got off and got on “ligne 8” to the École Militaire stop. Two or three blocks later we were standing in front of our hotel. Our reservation that I had done on-line had not come through yet but they had a room so they checked us in. We are on the 6^th floor and are you ready for this…we can see the Eiffel Tower from our window (even when lying in bed!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_Tower

Our room wasn’t quite ready so we dropped off our luggage and went across the street for a quick bite to eat. I tried to figure out the menu in French but the waitress finally gave up and handed me one in English. I think I’ll pick it up quick, I was right about what it said I just couldn’t pronounce it right (in the future I’ll just point instead of embarrassing myself with my horrible accent).

We both took a nap and then RD did a little “recon” while I napped a little longer. We walked over to the Eiffel Tower then found a little restaurant (La Fontaine de Mars) near our hotel. At first they didn’t want to seat us because we did not have reservations (the place was empty so we thought they were just being “Parisienne”) but once they finally seated us we noted that limo after limo was stopping in front dropping people off. Apparently it is one of the “IN” restaurants and once looking it up on-line I saw it gets rave reviews…something to be said for just stumbling into something special.

September 29, 2009

RD as usual was up and out the door early to catch the good light of early morning…me, I slept in until 8:00.

After a quick shower I started to get ready for the day when I had a little coughing fit. Something “popped” in my neck and scared the hell out of me but I think it was just scar tissue adhesions ripping.

We stopped and had Quiche Lorraine for breakfast then walked over to the Eiffel Tower. Luckily there was no line but they would not let RD in with his pocket knife. He had a little “I hate the f*****g French” moment then checked his knife in with a booth that was there for just that purpose and up we went. It was built for the Paris Exposition of 1889. At 300 meters it was the tallest structure in the world until the Empire State Building was built some 40 years later.

Once down we walked over to the Seine and booked a boat tour for sunset this evening. We each had a crepe for a snack then walked to the Arc de Triomphe which is at the western end of the Champs-Élysées (which as far as I can see is French for “5^th Ave, NYC”). After a leisurely  glass of wine and a bit of people watching we walked to the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais (both museums/galleries so no chance of getting RD to go in) and across the Pont Alexandre III which is an absolutely gorgeous bridge leading to Hôtel des Invalides (Musée de l’Armée) which houses Napoléon’s Tomb. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a little corner bistro and I had a Confit de Canard (duck leg) that was to die for.

After another nap we walked to the Seine for our sunset boat tour. It was only an hour long and I figured it would give us a quick “down & dirty” of places to go tomorrow. It was really quite beautiful seeing the lights of the city blink on and just as we got back to the dock, which is right next to the Eiffel Tower, the tower burst into a light show that had everyone clapping. We had gone past Notre Dame Cathedral, Hôtel de Ville, and the Louvre…all must “do’s” for tomorrow. We also passed under 22 bridges, the Musée d’Orsay, Assemblée Nationale and at the end saw this cute little island (Allée des Cygnes) supporting 3 bridges. The bridge at the Grand Palais was built 400 years ago and was the first bridge to span the river in one go. It was built in collaboration with the Russians so is named Pont Alexandre III.

Upon disembarking we went in search of a “sex museum” that RD found on the internet (only kind of museum I’m likely to get him into). Unfortunately he did not write down the full address, only the métro stop and the street number. The métro stop was Place de Clichy and as luck would have it there was an Avenue de Clichy, a Rue de Clichy, a Boulevard de Clichy and a Place de Clichy. We never did find it…we did find Moulin Rouge but at 250€ each it was a bit too pricey for us. Oh well, Amsterdam is next and I’m SURE they have a sex museum because I went to it in 1999!

September 30, 2009

Late morning, I was exhausted from all our “searching” last night. Our first plan was to go to the train station and buy our tickets to Amsterdam and then proceed from there but as we were walking down the street we came upon a travel agency and although it cost us about 70€ more it was worth it. From there we jumped on the métro and went directly to Notre-Dame Cathedral (well not directly, we had to stop for a glass of wine in front of the Hôtel de Ville).

It really is a quite magnificent example of the Gothic style, and took over one hundred years to build. There are five bells. Four that are rung daily, while the fifth and largest, “Emmanuel” is only rung on special occasions and is an F sharp.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_de_Paris

From there we hopped back on the métro to the Louvre. RD took a few photo’s and then we parted ways. RD had found a gm near the Louvre and I just could not come to Paris and not go into the Louvre and see the Monna Lisa. The Louvre is 700 meter’s long (that’s almost ½ mile!). I gave it the old “college try” but I think it would take days to really see it. I stopped and listened to a woman (either a teacher or a docent) who was speaking in English as she spent 20 minutes on one painting. It was fascinating! I really should’ve taken an Art History class when I was in college…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre

I finally had to stop due to starvation and painful feet. Upon leaving the Louvre I found a little bistro and had a foccacia with ham and brie and a glass of wine…ah, refreshed enough to make my way back to the hotel.

OMD! (that’s OMG in French), my feet are killing me! I may never walk again!

I tried to convince RD to just go buy a roasted chicken, a few baguettes, a hunk of cheese and a bottle of wine so we could eat in the room (and I wouldn’t have to stand up) but he wouldn’t go for it. So out we went again, only about a block from the hotel, for our last meal in Paris, I had duck, again. That makes 3 days and duck prepared 3 different ways…the French really know how to do duck (Canard), but I’d have to say the Confit is my favorite.

We have decided to get on the métro by 7:00 to allow time for transfers, getting to the train station, getting a cup of coffee and finding our train track (our train leaves at 8:25).

Amsterdam

October 1, 2009

RD woke up before me and lost track of time on the internet…he woke me up at 6:25 (we have to be checked out by 6:45). No shower for me! And hopefully no one looks too closely at my make-up (I slept in it)…this one is going to cost him.

We made it to the train station with plenty of time to spare, found our track (which for some reason they were not posting but announcing over the loud speakers in French of course) and eventually found our train and car (voiture). We continue to be amazed at the ease and efficiency of the métro in Paris and the train system through-out Europe in general.

RD just informed me that I look better than if I had taken a shower…this is really going to cost him.

Upon arrival we grabbed a cab and went to our hotel which is a lovely old 3^rd generation family run hotel on the inner canal. We dropped our gear and first went in search of something to eat. Just down the street we found a great restaurant and I had one of the best Bacon Cheeseburgers I think I’ve ever had…or maybe it was just because I was starving.

Back at the hotel I finally took a shower, and “got ready for the day”. While I was getting ready RD busied himself finding “sites to see” and places to go on the map they provided us with here at the hotel and cross-referencing it with Google Earth…this is not an easy city to navigate what with all the curving canals.

We walked until I thought my feet were going to bleed but we think we got the “lay of the land” and hopefully will do better on future excursions.

October 2, 2009

One of the things RD looked up was the closest place to get a massage. Turns out there is one about 2 blocks away that also offers “floats” (remember when isolation chambers were all the rage in the 80’s?), so after breakfast we walked over and made reservations for this evening. We’re going to do both massage and “float”…there’s a first time for everything!

We then walked back to Centraal Station (the two a’s are on purpose…those Dutch always have to double up on their vowels…) which is not only the train station where we came in yesterday but also the location of boats that tour the canals. We went on a one hour tour. Not quite as exciting as the one in Paris but we saw lots of “Old” Amsterdam, the Anne Frank house and many of the 2500 houseboats that line the canal (and yes, the toilets flush directly into the canal…).

We stopped for lunch and did a little shopping then went back to the hotel for our afternoon nap (I am really getting used to this nap thing…).

At 6:00 we went over for our massage and float. I did the massage first, RD did the float first, then we switched. I had a bit of trouble lying face down on the massage table (C6/7 on the right did not like it at all), my next massage the therapist will have to be more creative in positioning me. Next was the float. The water is essentially body temperature and has a really high salinity so you “float”. It is fully enclosed so when you close the lid it is pitch black and there is no sound. On top of that you wear ear plugs to keep the salt water out of your ears. The first 15-20 minutes were spent trying to get comfortable (it’s really slippery and every motion causes an equal and opposite reaction so it is best not to move around too much).  At first I was supremely aware of the pain and stiffness in my neck and shoulders. With some focus on that area I was able to get it to relax. After about 30 minutes I noted I was beginning to get nauseous. An interesting experience but I wouldn’t do it again.

Back at the hotel we got dressed for dinner and went in search of an Argentinian Steak House RD had spotted. After dinner we strolled through the “Red Light” district and checked out the girls standing in the windows. Some of them looked sexy but the vast majority of them just looked bored.

October 3, 2009

RD and I both had massages scheduled again for this AM (no float) so we zipped over there before stopping at a local café for breakfast. Both of our massages were really good but we are both still feeling slightly nauseous from the float last night, RD get’s dizzy if he lies flat on his back. Hmmmm, must be some kind of inner ear response to being weightless for an hour. We are laying low for the day. I called downstairs and changed our checkout to the 5^th and then got us train reservations from here to Frankfurt and airline tickets from Frankfurt to Doha. (Qatar Airways is having a special that makes it really cheap to fly out of Frankfurt).

By about noon it was obvious that RD was in a lot worse shape than me. Lying on his back made him extremely dizzy. He decided he had BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo…something about rocks in your inner ear getting stuck) and had to be treated with something called the Epley Maneuver. I looked it up on-line, watched a you-tube video on how to perform it, he told me which ear he thought was the culprit (treatment for right ear is different than treatment for left ear) and I treated him. Within 20 minutes he was feeling better and by dinner time he was fine.

We walked to a restaurant near-by and had a wonderful dinner. Just as we were paying our bill a couple sat down next to us and we could hear they were speaking English. We ended up talking for about 10 minutes. They live in Baltimore but are originally from the UK. He is a plastic surgeon who specializes in burns and is good friends with the doctor that RD trained under during his “plastics” rotation. It really is a small world.

October 4, 2009

RD went downstairs and printed off all our assorted train and airline tickets for tomorrow and then we took off walking. We walked past the smallest house in Amsterdam then hit the Sex Museum, the Erotic Museum…stop laughing, it’s true…we are in Amsterdam after all. We then hopped a metro to the Van Gogh museum. (RD didn’t dare complain after I went to those two museums with him earlier…).

By then it was about 3:00 so we decided to have a late lunch/early dinner and walked over to the Hard Rock Café. I had my usual, Bar-B-Q ribs (Beijing, Athens, Bali, Amsterdam…always the same consistent quality) and was pleased with my choice.

Back at the room I got on-line and booked my ticket from DC to Helena for October 21^st then took my afternoon nap while RD went for a sit in the sauna.

It has been an amazing two weeks but I’m finally getting tired of moving from city to city. Rome, Florence, Lausanne, Paris, Amsterdam…I really wanted to hit London but I guess we will just have to save that for another trip.

Tomorrow will be a long day, we leave at 8:04AM and we won’t hit Doha until almost midnight, but once home it will give us 3 days to wrap up any final details and pay off any final bills so we can leave the country on the 9^th, hopefully, for the last time. RD may have to come back the end of November to wrap up contract details but he is working to get that taken care of now so he doesn’t have to then.