Refreshed and Connected

Hello again,

I will get to posting about the rest of our trip to Krakow at a later date, in the meantime I will give you all a more current update.

I am currently sitting in Starbucks having a day of rest and relaxation. It feels great to get caught up on emails. It makes me feel more connected to you back home. Krakow was great but was also very tiring so, it is nice to rejuvenate myself.

I am feeling really great and alive today. Not sure what exactly it is, maybe my day of relaxation, maybe the extra sleep I got last night, maybe the excitement of my new baby nieces' arrival, maybe the prospect of April possibly arriving two weeks early, maybe the cleansing diet I began yesterday or maybe just one of those really great days. I am truly happy and feeling like I am extremely blessed to be me.

I hope this post finds you all having your own day of happiness like I am today.

Miss you and love you all endlessly,
Jenn(ifer)

ps - this picture is not from this trip but it best represents how I feel today :)

Welcome Baby Caley!!!!!

Hello All,

I will report on the rest of our trip in Krakow later but first, some more important news!

At 6:43am this morning Melanie and J.D. had baby girl #3! Caley Caroline Heffern weighed 7lbs 11ounces and is 19 inches long. Everyone is doing well.

I am so excited to be an Auntie to another beautiful niece. I can't wait to meet her in September.

Congratulations Melanie and J.D. and to big sisters Julia and Emma.

Love,
Auntie Jenn

Prince Charming...

Wednesday was a day filled with Castles, dungeons and dragons and of course, prince charming. The girls and I were joined by Owen, Ethan and their mom, Gillian today for a day of sightseeing. We started out by heading toward Wawel Hill and The Royal Castle. Of course, with 4 young children we needed to make stops for bagel/pretzel breads (not sure what exactly to call them but they are sold EVERYWHERE and are very inexpensive and quite delicious) and lots of playtime.

The Royal Castle was incredible. I definitely didn't get to read much about it seeing as the young'ns attention spans are not very long but just looking around was a memorable experience. The castle was home to three dynasties of Poland's monarchs and Wawel Hill is apparently a Mecca for every Pole. There was also a budding romance emerging today. Anemone and Ethan have declared that they are "boyfriend and girlfriend" and were holding hands all throughout the castle. It was rather precious. I just had to take some pictures. She said he was her prince...how cute.

Once we were through seeing the state rooms and courtyards on the castle grounds we made our way to the infamous dragon den. Legend has it that a dragon inhabited the cave below the castle and because it drank too much it exploded. The kids were very brave and really enjoyed exploring the cave and taking pictures with the dragon statue. Getting down into the cave was quite the adventure for me however! I had the baby buggy and Artemisia did not want to hold Gillian's hand so I had to trekk down nearly 200 very windy, narrow stairs with a folded-up baby buggy and a two-year old holding my hand. Needless to say, it was exhausting and I bumped my head and was quite stuck on more than one occassion! Once in the cave, I was very happy to experience the cool temperatures. It has been excruciatingly hot here in Krakow these past few days.

Following the castle we treated the children to some ice cream and then the girls and I went off to find a grocery store. In the grocery store, I felt like a complete imbecile. If I thought German was a difficult language well, Polish is impossible. I can't even pronounce the words so, I found myself asking for meat and cheese from the deli by saying "can i have what that lady just asked for please?" and pointing emphatically at the lady next to me. All the while hoping I was getting something the kids would like! It was quite the comical experience. To top it off, we got the checkout and there was a lineup behind us and I was trying to count money (and not understanding how much she was asking for) and there were many a grumpy "urghh's" and "ahhhhhh's" behind me and quite the disapproving face from the cashier. We were happy to be out of there after that!

We spent the afternoon reading, watching a video, snacking and relaxing before meeting back up with Yianni and Miranda for a horse and carriage ride around the square and then dinner with all of their conference friends. The carriage ride was really fun and the girls were in heaven, especially Artemisia. Miranda was even able to bargain with the horse and carriage driver and cut the cost down by 50%! I was impressed.

It was a very pleasant day and evening and I certainly feel as though I am living in a fairytale.

Many many happily ever afters to all of you,
Jenn(ifer)

Canada Day in Krakow

Again, it seems like forever since my last post but it is just because I am busy having so much fun. I will, again, post multiple posts in order to catch you all up on the happening since monday.

First off, I have really fallen in love with Krakow. This city is nothing at all like I thought it would be…

On Tuesday we departed Berlin late morning and drove to Krakow. As soon as we crossed the border out of Germany and into Poland, we began to bump and bounce as though we were on a old, creaky, wooden roller coaster. However, it was not a roller coaster it was the highway! It was pretty much that way until we arrived in Krakow. We stopped at a truck stop along the road for toilets and lunch and were met by two men trying to wash our windshield. We very clearly were saying “no thank you” but, they continued and then we were afraid not to give them money in case they hurt our car and so they were rewarded. That is probably why they don’t listen to people like us saying “no thank you”.

Upon arrival in Krakow, I was wowed….this is what I expected Europe to look like. It is old and beautiful. There are cobblestone streets, a large city-centre, churches everywhere, nuns and monks in large numbers, history, music and merriment. Oh what a place! I am really enjoying it here. Just walking outside makes me excited to see it all and really experience it…I feel like I am walking on an old Hollywood set most of the time…Krakow is certainly a must-see in my books ☺

We are staying in an apartment right in the town square which is the largest city square in Europe. Our apartment is really nice, if not a tad small (Miranda and Yianni are sleeping in the kitchen!). Krakow was relatively undamaged during WWII so it is fascinating to walk around and feel as though you are experiencing history.

Upon arrival we settled into our cozy apartment and then went outside to check out the square. We found a delicious restaurant for dinner and were all quite satisfied. Artemisia ate nearly 3 pieces of pizza! It was rather dark so I wasn’t able to get any great pictures that first night. Seeing as it was Canada Day, I was quite pleased to see a fire-type of entertainment going on in the square. It was certainly not fireworks but it will have to do. Owen and Ethan (twin boys of Miranda and Yianni's co-workers) were wearing Canada Flag tattoos that were also very festive and made me feel a little more like I was with all of you celebrating. I hope you all had very enjoyable and safe celebrations on Tuesday! Happy belated Canada Day!!

I hope this post finds you all happy and enjoying summer!

Miss you,
Jenn(ifer)

Busy weekend

Hello,

Sorry, again for the gap in new posts but this weekend was a busy one! It began with the Christopher Street Day Parade which is supposed to be the biggest Pride Parade in the world but, in my opinion, I prefer the Toronto Pride Parade. It may just be that April and I attend the parade in Toronto together and that would, of course, make it more enjoyable :) The "parade" was more of a march of a bunch of drunken people, some dressed in costume but, unlike other parades, this one didn't really have floats or distinct groups leading various groups. No Family Pride, school groups, church groups, or great costumes and floats. Miranda was more disappointed that there were no nudes (haha). However, one thing this parade does do well is the great big party at the end of the parade. A huge section of Tiergarten Park is sectioned off with hundreds of vendors, thousands of people and a great big stage with music and dancing. I saw the coolest the grill. JD, you would have loved it! It was a huge round grill that hung with chains over a pit. They were, of course, using the grills to cook all kinds of wurst of which I just had to partake of along with a beer. Overall, it was a good experience however, I was a bit disappointed.

On Sunday, I had planned to attend the Dom for church but, I ended up being more than 1/2 hour late so I didn't want to disturb everyone and walk in that late. I will definitely attend next week at the Dom. Instead, I walked over to a nearby hostel and sat in the lobby reading some pamphlets. It was quite the snazzy hostel! I then, took some reading material across the street to the park outside Marienkirche. I lazed on a bench and decided I would sign up for a bike tour of Berlin when I get back from Krakow next week. I think it will be a good way to meet people or at least be able to speak to others while I am being a tourist and checking out the sites. I am looking forward to it.

Sunday afternoon we all met up at Brandenburg gate with some of Miranda and Yianni's friends and their two little ones. It was chaos there with more than half a million people there by 4pm and the game wasn't to start until 8:45pm! So, we quickly decided to move elsewhere, preferably somewhere a bit less crowded and a bit more kid-friendly. We eventually ended up at an outdoor pool. Some of us had to swim in our underwear but it was definitely a tonne of fun.

Sunday evening was the big game. We, at that point, were at our usual restaurant/game-watching hot spot (the place with the cocky Italian waiter) where we had dinner and then stayed to watch the game. Unfortunately Germany lost 1-0 which was very sad but I think what is even more sad is that there will be no more Euro Cup games! Whatever will we do with our evenings?!! Nemy again made it through the whole game and was a great fan. This morning she slept in until 11am!!!!

We are off to Krakow, Poland tomorrow. It's about a 4-5 hour drive and we're leaving bright and early so we should have some time for sightseeing tomorrow. I am really looking forward to seeing Krakow and also for a change of pace. It should be great. I will do my best to keep blogging while I'm away.

Sorry this entry isn't quite as detailed as usual. I find it difficult to be detailed when I wait so long to tell stories and then have a whole bunch of events to talk about in one blog.

Happy Canada Day tomorrow to all of you living in my "home and native land" :)

Miss you and please enjoy the festivities for me.

Love,
Jenn(ifer)

Deutschland, Deutschland!!!!!

Hello once again :)

Germany has done it! They are off to the final of the Euro Cup. They will be facing Spain on Sunday (sorry Amy, I know you may, if you care, want Spain to win but I am really hoping for a big party in this city on Sunday!). It is expected that there will be more than a million people at Brandenburg gate (fan mile) watching the game! I think we will go and check it out and then just find a pub to watch the rest of the game.

On Wednesday, Nemy, Yianni and I joined some of Yianni's friends at a restaurant to watch the game. Anemone stayed up until midnight and was frisky as could be after the big win. What a party girl! She was running up and down the street holding onto her huge German flag, Yianni holding one end and Nemy the other. It was great fun. She is such a great football fan. She can even tell you about offsides, and direct and indirect penalty kicks now!! She says she will play for Greece and Canada oneday :)

Funny story...On the way to the restaurant, Anemone was all wrapped up in the German flag and was flying her smaller German flag proudly. She was certainly adorable so was getting much attention. One gentleman began speaking to her in German (I'm sure, telling her how great she looked and how great of a fan she was or something to that effect) and after a minute of her looking at him silently, Yianni stated "she doesn't speak German" to which Yianni and I both laughed hysterically. What must that guy have thought...an enthusiastic Deutschland Foosball fan in Berlin, wrapped in the flag....who doesn't speak German. The memory still provides me with a good chuckle.

Nemy and I have been having such a great time reading Pippi Longstocking that Nemy wanted to actually be Pippi so, today, we transformed Anemone into Pippi. What do you think? Believable or what?! hehe

I will attach some pictures of the football game and street party afterward, the fort we made in the living room as well as some of little Pippi Longstocking. I have not figured out yet how to put captions on my pictures so, if anyone knows, please do share. Thanks!

This weekend is shaping up to look like a good one with The Christopher Street Parade on Saturday (the largest Pride parade in the world) church at the Dom on Sunday and then the big Euro cup final on Sunday night. I will certainly have lots to write about next week!

Love,
Jenn(ifer)

A Tourist...

On Tuesday I had the day off so I decided I would be the typical tourist and check out the major sites!

I started the day with the Reichstag, which is the German government building. The Reichstag fire in 1933 allowed Hitler to put into effect emergency measures eliminating representative government in Germany. It has a glass dome that has a circular ramp inside winding up to the top viewing deck where I had some incredible views of the city. The glass dome was completed in 1999 and not only gives you a clear view of the city but also a clear view into the plenary chamber. The dome is supposed to represent transparency and accountability of the government to the people. Other than the more-than hour-long wait to get into the building it was a great (free!) experience.

After the Reichstag, I wandered down Unter Den Linden, the heart of Berlin. Apparently there was a meeting of the foreign ministers in Berlin on Tuesday so there were Polizie EVERYWHERE. Condoleezza Rice was in town and staying at the famous Aldon Hotel. That is the same hotel that Michael Jackson hung his baby over the balcony awhile back.

I then went to the Holocaust Memorial (officially known as the National Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe). I had gone here on my first day here but had not gone into the museum part of the memorial. It was a sobering experience. It’s not that I wasn’t aware that more than 6 million people died such horrific deaths but I have never been so confronted by it. I highly recommend this museum to anyone who ever comes here. There are only five rooms but each of them had a major affect on me. The first room gives a detailed account of the condition of Jewish life in Europe between 1933 and 1945. The next room has 12-15 glass displays on the floor with letters, postcards, and diary entries of various people during WWII. Along with each artifact is a description of who they were and what happened to them by the end of the war. The 3rd room was the hardest for me. It was large monuments to 12-15 Jewish families with detailed descriptions of that families origins, their role in the community prior to the war, and a list of family members who did or did not survive WWII. For most of those families, there were never more than a couple survivors. The 4th room had 4 large screens and a speaker that named every recorded victim of the Holocaust along with various pieced of information of that persons life and death. On the wall it says you will have to sit there for 6 years, 7 months and I can’t remember how many minutes in order to hear every name. Finally, in the last room there are pictures of all the memorials around the world dedicated to Holocaust victims. It was truly an experience I will never forget…

After the Holocaust Memorial I wandered back to Unter Den Linden and just strolled down the street taking in the sites. There are many really amazing buildings and parks. Some highlights were Humboldt University (Albert Einstein was a professor there!), and the public library (Alte bibliothek), which had the most beautiful courtyard and tall ladders that go up the bookshelves that you can actually use to retrieve books!! However, I would have to say that the highlight was Nikolaiviertel specifically, Nikolaikirche Platz. It was the most magnificent little square in the city. It had a beautiful church in the centre (Nikolaikirche) and was surrounded by pastel-facaded town houses, quaint shops and many cafes. I felt like I really was in old Berlin…

By the end of the day I was quite exhausted and was in bed earlier than any other night since my first night here but it was a wonderful day. I also, of course, had beer and wurst for lunch :)

Sorry for such a long post…hope you all lasted through the whole thing!

Missing you all and sending my Love,
Jenn (ifer)

PS - I also found a great Birkenstock store and think I need 2 pairs of new sandals (excessive?)....I might even need 3...definitely excessive? I'm being serious...