Toddler Travel

Earlier this month we took our first family mini "vacation" in Europe. Keep in mind that vacation is a relative term with a toddler. It was planned around Ben's work so it required me to fly solo with Brie to Munich. No sweat, I thought as I've traveled many times with her over the past year. What I failed to recognize is with Brie's newfound mobility (as of 18 months) all bets are off. Here are a few travel reminders based on my latest experience:

1. Always carry a spare shirt/sweater (or two) in the diaper bag: While I have normally done this for fear of a major poop explosion in mid-air don't discount food related mishaps. Brie managed to squeeze the remainder of her purple-brown pouch contents all over my white sweater and scarf right before boarding.
   
2. Ask for help and accept it when offered: I like to believe I have most things under control and proudly wear it as a badge of honor that I can juggle a child, diaper bag, purse and stroller by myself (in heels as an added bonus). Screw it, let the guy next to you or the nice woman nearby take your bag or push your stroller. I wouldn't have made it on the plane if it wasn't for the kind souls near me that schlepped the stroller down a flight of stairs to the bus that shuttled us to the plane.
3. Let them judge: As Brie wailed and thrashed (in full Exorcist mode minus the pea soup) on my lap during take off and landing, I could feel the stares and eye rolls from the German travelers around me. I realized that there was nothing more I could do. My kiddo just couldn't come to terms that she had to be seated and belted in. Note, most EU airlines have a special lap child seat belt that connects to yours so kids truly are belted in. #safetyfirst
4. Do what you have to do to survive: This may require setting off the emergency alarm (literately and figuratively) as I found us locked out between exiting the jet bridge and entering the airport gate area as we were the last ones to disembark. This move got us out rather quickly as a German gate agent came racing after us.  Needless to say, my glass of wine that night was well deserved.

On the bright side, traveling with a child has  benefits. We had countless grandparents and tourists come up to us throughout our journey just to say hello and share a smile. It's heartwarming to see the laughs that Brie can generate as she quickly toddles about exploring her surroundings. At the Neuschwanstein Castle, she had tourists snapping photos as she gleefully traversed the road to the castle chasing after a stray cat. She even hugged a sweet tourist at dinner.
At this age, they can move at a surprisingly fast pace giving us an added cardio workout. Kudos to Ben who carried Brie up multiple flights of stairs during our castle tour and down the winding road on our walk back. We call it Brie's Kettlebell workout. Cheers to earning that extra glass of wine!

Home Sweet Home

After weeks living out of suitcases, we've managed unpack all our belongings and settle in. My Type A-ness was relieved to finally have things in their proper place.  Somehow we've managed to lose a variety of items as we've bounced around the past few months. Surprisingly, the loss of Google Home has been a big adjustment. I have to stop myself from yelling "Hey Google" across the room and actually walk over to my phone to play a podcast or get the weather.  I know, first world problems. Don't worry, I haven't shared this with our Dutch neighbors. They already think I'm soft and lazy as I complain about having to carry my giant American stroller (along with Maddie and Brie) in and out of the house every day.

  

After a month of research we have a daycare for Brie. We're excited that Brie can socialize and learn Dutch as many children don't learn English until 5th grade. Right now, she knows Njntje (Miffy, a popular children's character with its own kid-friendly museum) and ijsje (ice cream - Brie's favorite!). We toured a number of local Dutch places finding many of them offer standard amenities of beautiful outdoor space, classrooms filled with natural light and organic meals that consist of fruit, bread and cheese, milk and yogurt. Little processed food is allowed with an all-inclusive approach complete with diapers, sleep sacks and bedding. A mobile app is available to check on your child throughout the day.   Pricing is similar to what we would pay in the U.S. with most families receiving government subsidies or rebates for utilizing daycare. For many Dutch families, it is common for one or both parents to work part time typically getting Wednesday and Friday off. It's no wonder the Dutch have a decent work/life balance.

In case you were wondering, Dutch children are no different than kids in the States. For those that have read "Bringing up Bebe" you may have the misconception that EU kids are generally better behaved than American children. I pictured most kids Brie's age walking around without pacifiers, calmly going for errands about town and sitting in restaurants like perfect angels. WRONG! They misbehave at the park, throw fits in the supermarket checkout line and run around restaurants like they own the place.  However, the Dutch do have a secret. Kid's play areas. They are EVERYWHERE. In government buildings, restaurants, and coffee shops there is always a kid's area with activities set up to occupy their short attention spans. Makes sense, right? You can grab coffee and have 10 minutes of peace and quiet (or in my case coveted adult conversation) since your kid(s) are off playing with some new toys. Genius! I'm sure this is just one of many Dutch life hacks that I'll be sharing over the coming months. 

  

More to come on my new Dutch gym, our latest weekend excursion to the apple orchard and anniversary trip (Ben won't spill the beans).

Kids, Cats, and Coffee - Oh My!

Well, where to begin? Our first few weeks were a mix of emotions in our attempt to acclimate to our  new city. The flight was what you would expect with a 1.5 year old in tow. We all survived! We weren't able to get a bassinet in our bulk head section, which was annoying. Brie wasn't thrilled being confined to her seat for 7+ hours. Despite being overtired, she fought the exhaustion with solid 10 - 15 minutes screams that made some travelers clutching their ears. Umm…this is just with one child! I think that crosses my mind every day. All in all, we can't complain. Things would have been far worse if it wasn't for our nanny extraordinaire, Miss Tayler (The Brie whisperer), who joined us on the flight. Maddie was by far the best traveler of the family. Would you expect anything less? She's perfect!

Upon arriving, we had a little short stay apartment in an beautiful, family friendly neighborhood right outside the city center. The apartment was cozy to say the very least.  It still beats a hotel! There were four of us packed into about 800 square feet making our home in Nashville feel like a mansion. Although, Dutch design is know for efficiency, we're still adapting to a refrigerator about 1/4 of the size of the one in the States.  I've been growing accustomed to shopping every other day. Thankfully, the local grocery store (Jumbo) is a quick five minute walk away. I can't help but miss our grocery delivery option (Shipt) during those lazy, rainy days. More on this at a later date.

As in any new place, you realize the similarities and differences rather quickly. Below are a few things that we've come across thus far:

1) There are a lot of rules and everyone (for the most part) follows them. The speeding fines are high,  you always pay your parking meter and using a cell phone while driving is unthinkable (however, texting and biking is another story). And don't even try to do anything without an appointment. Getting a bank account, cell phone, and even a gym membership all require one!

2) Bikes are the Dutch minivan. I am not kidding! At 8am you'll find many moms and dads traversing the city streets with kids on the front, back or in a basket being biked around rain or shine. Props to the Dutch women who do this while fully dressed in work attire including high heels.  Not to mention, if you have a newborn, they are strapped to you via a Baby Bjorn or Ergo carrier. And I thought my commute with one kid in an SUV was tough. I have to add that none of the kids wear helmets. If you see anyone with them they are probably American. Right now, my helmet tally is at two and counting...

3) The doors here are a bit different than what we are accustomed to in the U.S. We've managed to lock ourselves out of the house not once, but TWICE. In my defense, the door will lock behind you when closed,  like in a hotel.  A locksmith is more than happy to come out and rescue you for an easy 100 Euros. I need to figure out how to break into my own home. My unfashionable solution has been to wear house keys on my wrist. Isn't the grandma look in?  So far we haven't had to call the locksmith again!

4) Utrecht and Nashville have a lot more in common than we thought. Hen (Bachelorette) parties seem to be just as prevalent here than in Nashville. Sigh, just when we thought we were rid of them. These hen parties are often found dotting the canals in rented, electric boats starting on Thursday night with the same outrageous attire found in Music City. Imagine our surprise when we saw peddle pubs traversing the city square as we sat outside enjoying our favorite Belgian beers during our date night last weekend. Seriously, we can't get away from these things!  

As with any new place, it's all about establishing a new normal. We are quickly learning the challenges and benefits of being in a new, European city.

Ben now faces a 75 km commute each way to work. What was once a short 20 minute work commute in Nashville is about a 60 minute trek in the Netherlands. We believe it's worth it in order to be in such a fantastic city. We have access to Amsterdam and the airport via a quick train ride. To Ben's credit, he's  transitioning into this new way of life relatively well. His ability to navigate the narrow city streets flanked with parked cars is impressive.  There is the additional complexity of bike lanes full of two-wheeled commuters EVERYWHERE. The 90 Euro weekly petrol bill and 4 Euro an hour street parking has been hard to stomach. Not to mention, trying to charge an electric hybrid on the street when all the instructions are in Dutch is no small feat. 

Brie has been immersed in a wonderful world of toddler friends and playgrounds. We were taken back to see the numerous parks and playgrounds surrounding the neighborhood. Griftpark is just a few blocks away that has a petting zoo filled with cows, sheep, pigs and rabbits. Its's amazing to see the caliber of parks given the such high taxes. We are lucky enough to be a half kilometer away from "The Toddler Garden". It's a membership only playground for ages 0-4. Here they have an enclosed, safe space with a sand pit, playground full of every toy imaginable with oodles of water activities to keep the most rambunctious tots entertained. For parents, there is a volunteer run café with snacks, coffee, treats, toilets and baby area. One could stay there all day, if needed. We go every morning after our walk and it's packed with children. We're in the midst of finding a Dutch daycare. We know Brie will be much better off being in a place that can help her learn Dutch, get the socialization that she needs, and most importantly give mom a break! More on this in my next post as I'll be touring a few places later this week.

Maddie is now going on countless walks dramatically increasing her exercise intake. To make our daily walks even more entertaining, we learned that Utrecht has a large population of cats that seem to have free reign around the city. We can't seem to get away from them. At any turn, we find them sitting on the sidewalk, sunny themselves in the window, or harassing Maddie atop a fence. She seems quite determined to tell them off and make them dessert.

I am trying to get used to getting my beloved caffeine from tiny cups of espresso instead of my mega 20+ ounce coffee mug (Yes, it is so American). The adjustment to whole milk in my coffee instead of cream hasn't been as bad. I have also found that ordering a decaf coffee is not common. Both my mother and mother-in-law will not be happy to hear the news. In meeting up with a friend of a friend a week ago, I received a puzzled look when asked if I could get a decaf cappuccino. Turns out a caffeine free herbal tea was the best I could do. At 4pm, I didn't want to be wired the rest of the night. Okay, maybe I really am turning into a grandma!

At least the coffee quality is much better and it is not hard to find a quaint little café (not to be confused with the "other coffee shops") around the city. Furthermore, it is common to have it offered everywhere you go. From the bank to the gym and even on the playground, coffee is everywhere. I think we will be just fine here.

Here we go again!

Yes, we're off again. To our parents' chagrin, we have made the decision to once again become expats.  We're looking forward to investing a bit more time this trip- two years to be exact. Follow us as we assimilate back into European way of life. Have I mentioned, how much I've missed high quality European food and freshly baked bread in grocery stores?

Some fun facts about Utrecht courtesy of Wiki:

1. Utrecht is host to Utrecht University, the largest university in the Netherlands, as well as several other institutions of higher education.
2. Due to its central position within the country, it is an important transport hub for both rail and road transport.
3. It has the second highest number of cultural events in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam
4. In 2012, Lonely Planet included Utrecht in the top 10 of the world’s unsung places

Needless to say, we were sold after a few walking tours via Google Maps. The city instantly reminded us of a blend between the quaint Belgian cities of Ghent and Bruges.

Below are a few recent shots of Ben's trip a few weeks back:

Meet Miffy: http://www.findingdutchland.com/simple-message-behind-miffy/

May Madness

The month of May was filled with visitors (Kay and Ben from Boston) and constant travel including a trip back to the U.S. for a week. I was fortunate to use my AA miles and scored an inexpensive flight. Conveniently,  British Airways flies direct to Austin out of Heathrow. Nice to see Austin is hitting the big time!  I was relatively high functioning despite the jetlag thanks to lots of coffee (with unhealthy amounts of cream) - It's been a few months since I had the joy of cream in my coffee so I went overboard…who wouldn’t! It was wonderful to experience the warm Austin sun and downtown nightlife again. Austin always feels like home. All in all, it was a whirlwind of a week back in the States. Not only was I able to attend (and stand up in) my best friend's wedding but the nuptials also coincided with my brother's graduation with his Master's in Psychology. I was a flying fool to say the very least! My travel schedule went something along the lines of  BRU>LON>AUS>DFW>PITT>BOS>DUB>BRU

Upon arriving back home, Ben happened to be invited to a work recruiting event in Reims, France (Champagne region) for the weekend. Oh okay, twist my arm. Given this was our last weekend with access to four wheels (Blue Devil) we were able to make the 2.5 hour drive with Maddie. Yes, she has now been to two areas of France. #spoileddog

It was nice to learn about the Champagne making process through visiting a few different vineyards and Champagne houses outside the tiny city. The weather was a bit chilly but that didn't stop Maddie from frolicking amongst the grapevines. We stayed an extra night to relax and enjoy the sites inside the small, quaint city of Reims before embarking on the scenic drive through the French countryside back to Brussels.

Our last May long weekend was spent in Morocco (initially considered our BIG trip ) with Ben's life-long friend Jason. The weather in Brussels was average (rainy, cloudy, and cold) so we were incredibly anxious to soak in the Moroccan sun and 80+ degree weather. We really loved Morocco! It was a great trip to learn and experience an entirely different culture. That being said, it was still an adjustment to see women completely covered up and doing most of the hard labor. Yes, you heard that right. Visiting the Berber villages we often saw women carrying wood and household supplies uphill while the men sold goods in the nearby markets.  Not to mention, they are fully clothed in 30+ degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit) heat.

 

We kicked off our first day in Marrakesh with a full day tour to the Atlas Mountains complete with camel riding. It has always been on my bucket list so I was happy to finally cross it off. Ben was a bit resistant as he didn't find them much fun as a kid. He ended up loving his camel and the entire experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We decided to experience another area of Morocco by taking a 2.5 hour drive west to the coast city Essaouira. We initially scheduled a rental car but with that falling through, Jason saved the day by finding and hiring a driver to take us roundtrip for a nice price. Glad to see the hard bargaining skills learned in law school paid off. Our driver, Mohammed, was able to safely escort us there and back with major issues. Essaouria had a hippy, beach bum vibe with the Atlantic ocean as the perfect backdrop. We made it just in time to see a stunning sunset. The Medina is a fraction of the size of Marrakesh's marketplace so it was a bit more manageable for shopping and sightseeing. I was able to relax with a 2 hour Hammam - body scrub, sauna experience that was a bit different than I'd expect in the States but for 30 euros I can't complain!

 

We were surprised how much Americans are loved in Marrakesh. You could almost see the $$ signs pop up in their eyes. Although we weren't thrilled with that the association it was still a fantastic visit. The food was fantastic...I don't think we had a bad meal! I plan to cook up a few tagines once we return home.  We were coaxed into seeing the Tannery (leather production) by a few insistent locals which proved to be an interesting albeit "fragrant" experience. We were given mint leaves as our "gas mask" to help survive the tour. Not the best place to visit after lunch!

 On our last night, we had a scrumptious meal overlooking the mosque at sunset complete with belly dancing.  Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better trip.

 

Only two more weeks left in Europe until we land in the Lone Star State (patriotically arriving on the 4th of July). Stay tuned for more updates on our latest trip to Greece!

Barcelona for Birthdays

For the past six years, Ben and I have been celebrating our birthdays together.  Yes, it is adorable yet incredibly abnormal. At least I never have to worry about Ben forgetting my birthday. We always celebrate with a trip in lieu of exchanging gifts. Our approach is that it's far better to obtain different experiences than material things. This year marks Ben's 30th (finally!) so he chose Barcelona for our birthday trip destination.

 

It was our first time celebrating in Europe, which was extra special given May Day is an EU holiday.  Being the super planner, I booked the popular attractions online so we could bypass waiting hours in line and maximize our time touring the city.  We picked the Picasso Museum along with Gaudi's Sagrada Familia and Park Guell as our main tourist sites. Sagrada Familia was by far our favorite structure. We could have spent hours scouring every nook and cranny of the jaw dropping masterpiece.

 

We were fortunate to have above average temperatures (78 degrees), which gave us the excuse to eat lots of delicious fruit filled popsicles and bask in the sunshine on the local beaches. Ben's speedo was packed for the occasion. Unfortunately, we found very few people walking around in such European attire. So much for fitting in!

For our first evening activity, we decided to embrace the club culture by heading to the W Hotel for the spectacular view at the Eclipse nightclub. Trust me, if there wasn't a view, there would be no way Ben would step foot in a nightclub. We had a great time people watching as there were multiple Hen (Bachelorette) and Stag (Bachelor) parties taking place.  The Big Bang Theory doppelgangers happened to sit right next to us. We were quite entertained by them especially since a few appeared to be having successful interactions with the opposite sex.

 

 

For our last night out, we decided on a romantic birthday dinner followed by a Four Guitars concert at the beautiful Palau Música Catalana. I made reservations at a nice little establishment known to be a highly rated dining spot in Barcelona. The reservation was made on Ben's iPad which automatically sent the request via his email. I couldn’t help but add that it was MY birthday so he wanted to make sure the dinner was EXTRA special. While I'd normally include that it was also Ben's birthday, we've found people think we are trying to pull a fast one. I don't know how many times we've had to show our passports to prove it.

 

Upon arriving, we were greeted with glasses of champagne to kick off our "special" dinner. Ben was a bit perplexed until I explained my sneaky request. We ordered a large pitcher of sangria along with an assortment of traditional Spanish dishes: fish, chicken empanadas and gazpacho. The pitcher arrived filled to the brim with ice and a colorful array of fresh fruit. We poured our drinks and I judiciously spooned out some of the fruit into our glasses as I like to pick out all the strawberries. This happens with just about every food we share from trail mix to cereal. In refilling our glasses, I was spooning out the fruit again only to notice a different colored piece. At first glance, it looked like an odd shaped piece of plum against the candle light. I pulled the spoon closer to Ben and asked if he knew what type of fruit that was in our drink. Ben was a bit skeptical and asked for me to put it down on the table so he could get a better look . After a few seconds, he ordered for me to immediately look away confirming my suspicions that it wasn't a piece of plum. Oy Vey! As I peered across the table, the "plum" was indeed a member of the cockroach family.  Ben angrily requested the owner/manager come to our table to discuss the drink issue. He was appalled and disturbed, removing the unwelcome dinner guest from our table. I managed to keep my composure while Ben demanded they bring the rest of our meal. We miraculously regained our appetites and attempted to forget what transpired moments earlier.  The owner promptly arrived back at our table with a mea culpa along with his best wine. He must have told every server in the restaurant as each one came up to check on us and see if we would order anything else. The patrons around us must have thought we were some American celebrities with the way the staff was fawning over us. If they only knew…

We decided to refer to our unexpected creepy crawly visitor as "Antonio" to help lighten the mood. At least we can laugh about it now and joke at how the situation could have been much worse. We concluded that Antonio really had the worst night of all. 

Moral of our dinner story: Always double check the sangria!

Spring Synopsis

Phew! It's been a hectic couple of weekends. Not to sound like I am whining or anything. :) Apologies for the delinquent post. I have been spending a good bit of time organizing and planning for a LOT of upcoming trips and visitors. Stay tuned! Not to mention, we are now 100% legal. Yes, we officially received our Belgian Visa D Registration while we were in NYC last week. The very tedious and time consuming process is finally over!

 

 

We are counting our lucky stars each and every day that we have the opportunity to enjoy our city and travel around Europe. We frequently remind ourselves that we only have a few more months left. Taking advantage of every weekend is our mantra. We are very sad at the prospect of leaving what we now call home. Don't get me started about having to move back to Texas. Sorry friends, but Ben may be bringing me (and Maddie) back kicking and screaming. Right when everything was really starting to feel like home, we are 10 weeks away from leaving. I've finally have taken the time to upload photos from the last few months of travel. In addition to our own travel plans, we have been hosting Ben's family over the past few weeks. We couldn't be happier to have the excuse to further explore our home and show off our favorite Brussels hotspots.  Below are a few photos of our travels:

 



We decided spend the long Easter weekend in Amsterdam as Europe receives the following Monday off for the holiday.  We were surprised to see that the city was PACKED! It seemed that everyone in the EU flocked to Amsterdam like geese to water for the weekend. Hotels were sold out well in advance leaving us late planners (clearly not my doing) with the remaining option of staying on a houseboat. It was a unique experience that even Maddie was able to enjoy. Unbeknownst to us, she's quite the little sailor for a dog that doesn't like water.

 

While our houseboat location wasn't the most convenient (about a 30 minute walk to the city center) we decided to alleviate the walking burden by renting a Vespa on our second day. We opted for the motorized approach instead of the traditional bicycle. Despite the many motorcycle excursions together, Ben and I had yet to experience Vespa riding TOGETHER. Well it was a fun filled experience and not half as fast as we are accustomed. The tiny motor, barely audible over din of the city, topped out at about 25 km/hour thanks to the added kilos from my rear on the back. Vespa riding in Amsterdam is strictly regulated to the bike lanes which makes for an entertaining experience as we weaved our way amongst bikes, pedestrians, and in some cases cars (it was entirely unclear what was a bike lane vs. street) throughout the canal filled streets. We were taken back by the lack of caution and driving manners of the cyclists, pedestrians - a complete free-for-all.  When asked about the rules of the road, the Vespa rental manager responded that typically the larger (or more powerful) person entering the intersection as the right away.  Yes, that was the actual answer.

 

 We luckily came out of Amsterdam unscathed and didn't even have a close call due to Ben's superior driving skills. While we were unable to see some of the famous tourist sites, the Anne Frank House in particular, we are excited to have the excuse to return. Being a 2.5 hour drive from Brussels, we'd be remise to not make another appearance on what we hope will be a less crowded weekend.