#I want to make ice cream in a bag and banana boats and apple boats for dessert | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

traveltechgadgets · 5 years

Link

Turks & Caicos: Family Beach Travel Vacation

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

This post may contain affiliate links; please read my disclosure here

Contents: ⇨ Airport ⇨ Activities ⇨ Restaurants ⇨ Gadgets ⇨ Swimming & Snorkeling ⇨ Sunset

On our latest vacation travel, we chose the islands of Turks and Caicos. This was our second visit to Turks, with the first one being to Grand Turks while we are on a cruise about 10 years ago. A lot of things have changed on the islands with new constructions, new hotels, and lodging. One thing did not change was the crystal clear gorgeous water. Airport There a few airports that are currently working on renovations to not only their facilities but also tarmac as well. This is resulting in additional time outside of the terminal as well as inside. While the standard recommendation is to get to their airport a couple of hours before your flight, due to these ongoing upgrades it is a good idea to add on a half-hour to an hour. That is just what we did to make sure that we got to our terminal in time for our morning flight with the rush hour traffic starts. When we got to the airport, there were a lot of people, but the lines were moving quickly. We checked in quickly via automated kiosk and printed out our luggage tag for one bag to check-in. Travel Tip: We checked our bag for free since we booked the flight with JetBlue using their JetBlue Plus credit card. It has a benefit of one free checked bag per passenger as long as the ticket was purchased with their card. Additionally, you get 50% on any purchase on the plane and cashback for many things you spend a while on the ground. At the checkpoint, we didn’t need to take off shoes. Which is a rarity as it becomes a staple of just about every security screening. I guess they are trying to keep you on your toes and expected the unexpected. And the security now specifically asks you to put your phone into your bag instead of in the bin. "As if New York-based JetBlue’s flagship Terminal 5 wasn’t hip enough, the carrier opened a rooftop deck in 2015. The 4,046 square-foot post-security rooftop includes landscaped green spaces, seating for 50 people, a 400-square-foot children’s play area and a 400-square-foot dog-walk area." Even though this area has been opened for a while, we had no idea. While at the gate we were playing around and noticed people and coming out through a glass door. They were not employees, but rather also travelers, so we decided to check it out as well. It was a very nice area and we got some "fresh" air and views.

Ready for the flight

For our first stay at Turks and Caicos, we chose Alexandra Resort. It is an all-inclusive resort that is part of a three-hotel property. And because it has two sister hotels. we were able to visit them via a free shuttle. Well actually one of them, the Beach House, is an adults-only resort and we were not allowed inside with our kiddo. We did enjoy a couple of dinners at Blue Heaven, which is a pretty resort with very few guests. It is a bit smaller than Alexandra and the beach is smaller as well.

Alexandra Resort

Alexandra Resort Beach

Alexandra Resort walkway

On the first day of our arrival, we were famished, and so we went to find some food. While the restaurants were closed, there was a pizza and burger shack open. It is all-inclusive after all. This place has some of the best pizza. And that is coming from a New Yorker that has sampled quite a bit. It was so good, we had it for lunch several times during our stay. After we got back to our room. It is a suite. And we were quite impressed with the accommodations. It is a sprawling suite with 2 bathrooms, a large bedroom, an outdoor area, a full kitchen, and a larger pullout couch in the main room. It even had a washer and dryer on-premises.

Energized, we quickly changed into our swimwear and went to check out the ocean and the beach. The water was very warm from the day sun and very clear. The water in the ocean was so clear that you can easily see to the bottom and make out sand and other things on the ground. Even when swimming away from the coast, the water continued to be very clear. It was so clear actually that we did an experiment where we got a water bottle and kiddo filled it up with ocean water and we compared it to a closed water bottle. The ocean water was so clear, we had to mark up the bottle containing it so that we do not mistake it and start drinking the saltwater when thirsty. The following day we got to try the breakfast. The spread was ok and it would be the same, plus or minus a couple of things, every day of the week. One of the best parts was the custom made omelets and fruit choices. We had a lot of honeydew melon, apples, and bananas. We spent a lot of time in the water. Probably 70% of our vacation was spent in the ocean. The rest of the time we were either on the beach, eating at a restaurant, or sleeping. On this day we had to leave the beach a bit earlier as we found out there is a weekly event that happens in Turks & Caicos called Fish Fry. It is kind of a street fair with a bunch of vendors selling souvenir type merchandise and quite a few restaurants selling locally sourced and prepared on the spot food. It is located about a 5-minute walk from Beach House resort.

We took a free shuttle to the resort and then walked over to the open-air area for the fair. It starts around 5pm and runs until 10pm or so. We were recommended to get their earlier as it is not as crowded. So we did just that. It was not crowded at the time we arrived and we got to see the vendors and food choice unobtrusively. We also found out why there are not that many people there at the start, it is very hot still with the sun beating down and not much shade around. One of the first vendors we saw was the truck for Turks Head beer. I have heard about them through some online recommendations and videos as they were preferred over some well-known beer brands. So I had to try it out for myself. Since there was no one there, the guy let me try a flight of various flavors that they make. It was a very good beer and got a pint to go. By the way, the resort also stocks their light version throughout the hotel as well as within the rooms. There was quite a selection of food vendors at the Fry. For the most part, their menus were similar, so it was not as easy to choose. We ended up getting some fried conch at one of the vendors that were cutting it upright in front of you and making if fresh. They also gave us samples to try out of different varieties of cooked conch. Fried fritters were the best tasting. I got a full fish, head and all, plus corn at a place we walked by earlier that I saw the guy grilling it and lobster on the grill just a few minutes earlier. The fish was delicious and corn was real grilled corn. I could not believe I ordered and ate a fish with the head instead of the fillet. Me a few years back would not have done it. The kiddo also likes the fish a lot. The food definitely did not disappoint.

Also, while I got to enjoy a cold beer, the ladies got to enjoy a treat of their own. The little one got a cup of chocolate ice cream from the local shop and my wife got freshly cut coconut with the juice inside.

While we were eating the food, we saw the sunset. Hung around a bit more and got some souvenirs. A T-shirt for the kiddo and a necklace that she bought with her own money. She has a piggy bank that she fills up before a trip. And when it is almost time to travel then we convert the change into dollars and that’s what she gets to spend on vacation. We were too tired to wait for a short parade, which as we found out would only happen 15 min before close so we headed back to Blue Heaven to catch the shuttle. There was a bit of mis-scheduling with shuttles as one left way before its scheduled time and one that came after it didn't want to pick up passengers saying that the next one would be in an hour. We were having none of that and yelled at the driver to get us back as there were a lot of people waiting. Once back at our hotel, we had dessert and played foosball and air hockey before going back to the room. Activities While we didn't venture as far on this beach vacation as we did on a previous one (Family Beach Vacation - Curaçao), we were still active. I tried out stand up paddle boating for the first time. It went much better than my wife expected. I was able to get on the board and then fully stand up and start paddling. I did fall off a couple of times. And of these times were far away from the beach at pretty much the same spot. In this area, the waves were going at diagonal and really rocking the board at each paddle. Initially, I was thinking how am I going to get back on in the middle of the ocean. But I realized that the board is pretty steady in the water and I can pull myself upon it. I did just that, then climb onto my knees, paddled a bit to get better balance, and then stood up. These maneuvers worked both times, though this took quite a bit of energy and after the second one, I was all ready to head back in.

Another on the water activity we did was kayaking. I and kiddo took out a kayak for the first time as well. I have been in a kayak type of boat before, but this was definitely a new venture for both of us as we have not done actual kayaking before. It was a lot of fun. We were able to go pretty fast and covered a lot of areas. Kiddo was in the front and got to enjoy looking around and had fun putting her hand in the water while we were swimming.

On the beach, we built a sand kingdom with several buildings as well as a moat system similar to earlier civilizations to keep out little town safe from ocean waves. It worked well for the most part. Several attempts by the water to engulf the kingdom were diverted by out trenches. And, of course, we also did Swimming & Snorkeling

We have snorkeling masks and tubes for all of us. We take the sets with us whenever we do snorkeling. On a snorkeling excursion at Turks, we also had the gear with us so we did not need to borrow. However, they also provide fins for us. Previously, I have never really thought much of them as they tend to be uncomfortable to wear and get into the water. However, on this swim, I saw a huge difference in swimming without and with the fins. I was able to move a lot quicker through the water just using my legs and using my hand to hold the camera or Kiddo. The speed was significantly different and we will be looking to invest in some snorkeling fins for the entire family. Restaurants Alexandria is an all-inclusive resort and as such it has buffet-style meals most of the time. Breakfast was buffet style every day with the usual staples such as eggs, bacon, some variation of fried bread, and more importantly freshly prepared omelets. We opted for the omelets probably 90% of the time.

Fried conch for lunch with a view

For lunch, we went to the outdoor restaurant as we were coming straight from the beach. There they had a pre-set menu or you can order stuff from the grill. For a few days, my go-to was the fish tacos. They were very good, filled with veggies, fish, and sauce. The other lunch go-to was the pizza. As I mentioned before, they made really good pizza here. I would not recommend burgers, though, as there were not the same taste as you would expect. I tried them once, and that was enough for the trip. For dinner, you have a lot more choices. You can stay at the resort and enjoy a theme sit down dinner at the main restaurant. Or you can go to the second restaurant on-premise, the Fish Deck. We had dinner there a couple of times and the food selection was very good. The service is on a slow side even when compared to other restaurants on the island time. Besides these two restaurants, you can also take a shuttle to the Beach House for dinner if you eating or traveling without kids or the Blue Haven. We went to the Blue Haven a couple of times. The first time we opted for one of their specialties which is the all you can eat meat that you cook yourself right at the table. They have pieces of steak, chicken, and pork that you can grill, plus mushrooms and roasted vegetables. To finish off that dinner, and as you already have the fire pit in front of you, you can make your own s'mores with marshmallows, gram crackers, and chocolate. The second time there they had an outdoor buffet setup with a very good selection of food that was different from what we had at Alexandra. Gadgets Travel staples: Phones * Smartphones are the essential gadgets of travel Private Internet Access (PIA) * PIA is the VPN service that we use to access public Wi-Fi at the resort. At most resort worth their salt these days is the free and open, i.e. public, Wi-Fi available. While it is great for access to email, websites, and being social, it also comes with security concerns. Public internet can be accessed by anyone within the range. And plenty of unscrupulous people know that vacationers are likely to login into various platforms, hopefully not banking or similar, and might relax and throw some caution to the warm beach wind. Stay safe on public WiFi, even more so while traveling. Water camera * We had a blue Olympus Tough waterproof camera that served us well for many years. It has been with us through many trips (Second Go Family Travel to Aruba, We Took A Trip To Bermuda And Came Back To Tell About It - Part 2, Cruise Travel: Digital Cameras and Photo Accessories). Though on our last trip to Curacao, it was on its last legs and a portion of the casing actually came off. While it was still usable and continued to take pictures, we did not feel it would be as reliable on this trip. In our search for a new camera and going through many offerings available online and in stores, we ended up upgrading to the latest version of the Olympus camera. While, strangely, in this iteration, Olympus decided to lower optical zoom and MPs, there were many more features that they added and upgraded in this camera that made it a standout choice. There are a lot more photo filters and settings available. And we can confirm from using it in Turks & Caicos that the resolution is a lot better and the camera can take very good pictures above and below the water and even in dim light. The previous version did not do well with low light. We also got some pretty good videos with this camera when we didn't have the Go Pro around or when its battery died on us. Water wallet * This particular waterproof wallet has been through many hours of swimming at this point. It has been in the oceans and pools. It has been with me during swims in the ocean, playing in the surf, races in the pool, and many snorkeling excursions. Throughout all that water submersion it has kept room keys, cash, and credit card dry. That is if I properly close it. The only couple of times that the stuff inside got wet was with user error. In addition to the plastic wallet, I also put all of the contents in a small ziplock bag. A couple of times I was not careful with closing the lead so the seal was not as watertight. At all other times, 98%, it was great. Belt/wallet under the clothes * This travel wallet with a belt is great for keeping your documents and money safe and very close to you while traveling. The belt goes around your waist and under the clothing. It is so thin that even with money and papers in it you can have it underpants on the waist and not feel it. It is an airport screening friendly as it has no metal parts at all. All of the closures and zippers are made of plastic. I do not use throughout the vacation but mostly during the large legs of the trip. GoPro * For snorkeling and underwater video, Go Pro cameras are best. It is easy to operate, captures video with great resolution, and you don't need to worry about swimming with it and submerging as the casing is waterproof. We have Hero 3, so we need to have a case for it to be waterproof. The newer version, GoPro HERO 7, is waterproof without a housing to 33 feet. * During this trip, we also took the selfie stick for the Go Pro with us and got some great videos of all of us floating on mattresses in the ocean. And we were very glad to also have extra batteries with us as the battery that was inside the camera when we first arrived decided to crap out on our first snorkeling trip. I was able to get a few minutes of video, the rest was taken by the Olympus. (LINK back to above) Sunset On several occasions, we caught some great sunsets in Turks and Caicos. One of these was while we were enjoying some food at Fish Fry. The rest were while we were enjoying the beach later in the days.

Travel Tip/hack: use an elastic bungee cord to tie two carry-ons or luggage together for easier maneuvering.

Related Articles: 12 Things You Should Always Do Before You Leave Your Hotel Room Best Water- and Dust-resistant Travel Gadgets

Subscribe To Our Newsletter To Unlock Free Printables and eBook:

Email Address*

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Buy a reliable VPN for desktop and mobile for travel and at home Save 50% On Select Lifeproof Phone Cases When You Shop At Best Buy®. Amazon's shopping guide with curated luggage by airlines Best Anti-Theft USB Charging Travel Gadget Backpack Shop All-new Kindle Travel Gear

Sound-off: What do you think? Let us know below

If you found this page useful in your gadget search, please recommend us:

#travel #gadgets #travel tech gadgets #cool gadgets #top gadget

0 notes

zanabrockca · 6 years

Text

Kid Superfoods: How to Improve Your Family’s Diet in The New Year

Finding meals and snacks that kids want to eat isn’t always the easiest endeavor. Most kids have their list of favorite foods, and the standard kid-friendly cuisine typically features not-so-healthy choices like hot dogs, pizza, chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese.

Nutritious foods like lean meats, fruits, veggies, whole grains and dairy are important to help keep bodies strong and healthy. According to HealthyChildren.org, children should eat two or three servings each day of both fruits and vegetables, aim for between a whopping six to 11 grain servings each day and include two to three servings of dairy and meats too! But how many parents are following these recommendations? And just how many kids are getting the nutrition they need every single day? According to Health.gov’s Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020, “about three-fourths of the population has an eating pattern that is low in vegetables, fruits, dairy, and oils.”

For parents that want to encourage their children to eat healthier as the New Year rolls in, little changes can make a big difference for picky palates. This year, help your children hit all their daily recommended dietary needs by filling their plates with nutrient rich foods to fuel their growth and please their taste buds. Integrate these superfoods into your daily menus to pack a punch of vitamins and minerals that kids need to stay strong and feel their best.

Blueberries

Blueberries are a fun food choice, because their small size and soft texture are easy for little hands to grasp. They’re also super healthy and are a good source of vitamin C. Be warned, though, small berries aren’t appropriate for babies and toddlers as they pose a choking hazard.

Some berries can be tart, and the pucker power might keep kids from loving the taste. But making blueberries a favorite requires serving them up the right way. Turn these berries into a sweet snack with these fun hacks:

Yogurt for Dipping

Serve blueberries with a small cup of yogurt for dipping to sweeten the tartness. When choosing yogurt, opt for brands without added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Many dairies even make yogurts formulated for toddlers.

Cheese, Please

Cream cheese also may be used as a dip alternative. You can spread cream cheese on whole wheat crackers and add berries on top. Whole grains, dairy and fruit…three out of four groups accomplished!

Peanut Butter Boats

If your child has a peanut or tree nut allergy, then choose sunflower butter instead! Make peanut-butter boats by slicing a banana lengthwise, spreading each half with peanut butter, then adding blueberries as the ‘passengers.’ The sweetness of the banana mixed with the savory peanut butter takes the bite out of the berry! And kids will love this easy-to-eat snack.

Avocados

Adults love their avocado toast and guacamole, but how do you get kids to eat this smooth spreadable and yummy healthy fat and protein-packed fruit? When kids see ‘green,’ they may turn away. So make this awesome superfood more palatable by pairing it with other tasty treats.

Avocado Parfait

Remember, avocados are fruit so you can pair them with other fruits! California Avocados has a recipe for a parfait that pairs avocados and tropical fruit. You can use whatever fruit your child loves—mangoes, papaya or maybe even pineapple. Alternate layers of fruit and yogurt (the site recommends Vanilla Greek but opt for one you know your kids will eat).

Avocado Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is a kid staple, but you can make your child’s a favorite sandwich a bit healthier by adding in some avocado and maybe even slices of tomato.

Fruit Salad

If you’re serving up fruit salad for a snack, dice up some avocado, too! Those green avocados will add some healthy fat to a daily dose of fruit.

Eggs

Eggs are an excellent source of protein. Some kids either love them or hate them, though. Make them irresistible with these hacks:

Cheesy Eggs

Scramble eggs with cheese to change up the flavor and make breakfast more fun. You can serve cheesy eggs as a sandwich with whole grain toast, or just plate those eggs.

Eggs in a Muffin

Healthy microwave muffin recipes typically call for a pop of protein: eggs! If your child won’t eat eggs as is or scrambled, mix them into muffin batter that you can microwave in a mug. One of the healthier muffin recipes just calls for mixing about ¼ cup of oats (or flour), an egg, a splash of milk (use traditional dairy, almond or soy), and some fruit (any fruit!). Add in a tablespoon of nut or sun butter for protein. Pop it in the microwave for about a minute.

Spinach

More green! Spinach often gets a bad rep from kids; it’s leafy and green…and notoriously healthy! While your kids might want to turn their noses up at this leafy superfood, they still benefit from all the vitamins and nutrients. So, add it into their diet, but be stealthy! Make sure you wash spinach thoroughly and be sure to take note of any produce recalls.

Power Smoothie

Mix spinach into a smoothie to give kids a punch of this superfood on the down-low. Spinach is loaded with B vitamins, potassium and other vitamins and nutrients. You can mix spinach with bananas and strawberries for a fruity breakfast smoothie. Everyone has their own preference as to whether to use frozen yogurt or ice (with regular yogurt), but the recipe works either way.

Spaghetti Sauce

Puree spinach and stir the veggie into a favorite pasta sauce. This ensures kids get their leafy veggie, but you don’t have to fuss at them to eat it!

Salad

Pssst, don’t tell your child that the lettuce in that sweet salad is spinach! Mix spinach with romaine lettuce and add in sliced strawberries, nuts and apples for a decadent dinner salad. Top with raspberry or strawberry dressing.

Kale

One of the buzziest superfoods of the last few years was—and is—kale. This veggie is packed with Folate, and Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K. Like spinach, though, kale is leafy and not necessarily a kid favorite. This veggie screams healthy…and it is. But it’s also tasty.

Kale Chips

Making kale chips is so easy. Cut up your kale, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a dash of salt. Bake in the oven for a crisp and healthy snack. The full recipe can be found over at Food Network.

Kale Applesauce

Yes, you can make applesauce in a slow cooker. And that sauce is even healthier if you add kale! Use about a three pound bag of apples for a larger batch, and mix in as much or as little kale as you’d like. Cut up apples into tiny pieces and slice up your kale. Throw the mix into the slow cooker and add about ½ cup of water. Sprinkle the pieces with cinnamon and cook for about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is one sweet gourd, and it’s also a holiday and festive fall favorite. Pumpkin can be mixed into so many recipes and snacks for a sweet and healthy snack. According to Health.com, pumpkins are filled with beta carotene and vitamin K.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Mix in a tablespoon or two of canned pumpkin with instant oatmeal. To sweeten it up, add a little brown sugar and sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Having breakfast for dinner? Whole Grain pancakes can be mixed with pumpkin for a special seasonal taste. Add in apples, too, for a heartier pancake mix.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Whipping up some mac and cheese? Stir in a few tablespoons of pumpkin to add in some hidden vitamins. There are many variations on this recipe, but you can even try it for that typical in-the-box staple!

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt tends to taste more bitter than traditional yogurt varieties, but Greek yogurt is higher in protein. If your child has an aversion to new tastes, mixing this yogurt into smoothies and parfaits takes the bite out of the bitterness!

Dark Chocolate Greek Yogurt Shake

Blend yogurt, ice, banana, a splash of milk and little bit of dark cocoa powder for a sweet dessert that’s also healthy.

Powerful Parfait

Make a breakfast parfait by layering vanilla or regular Greek yogurt with fruit and granola. You also can grab your child’s favorite breakfast cereal and add it to the mix. Greek yogurt tastes great with chocolate puffs, fruity cereals or even simple corn puffs.

Frozen Yogurt

Mix your favorite flavor of Greek yogurt with fruit or jam, and place in a freezer safe container. Stick it in the freezer to firm up and enjoy easy frozen yogurt. Top with granola, nuts or maybe even sprinkles.

Quinoa

This is a super grain that’s also high in protein. Quinoa can be baked into muffins, pancakes or even made as a hot cereal. You also can serve it up as a savory side cooked in broth. But for kids, opt for the sweeter side of quinoa.

Hot Cereal

Instead of oatmeal or other hot cereals, serve quinoa. Martha Stewart’s recipe calls for mixing this grain with two cups of hot milk. Boil the milk, then add a cup of quinoa. You can mix in maple syrup, cinnamon, fruit…whatever your child likes.

Crumbles for Parfaits or Yogurt

Use the above recipe to also create a quinoa crumble to add into yogurt or parfaits.

Sloppy…Quinoa?

Delish features a meatless Sloppy Joe’s recipe that subs in quinoa! This is one sneaky and tasty way to give kids a daily dose of grains and protein!

Many parents find that their children favor certain foods that might not satisfy all their nutritional needs. It’s common for kids to love the same foods, but it’s also important to vary their diet so that they are exposed to all the vitamins and minerals needed for growth and good health.

Superfoods are super because they are chock full of vitamins and nutrients that fuel the body; everyone can benefit from these foods, especially kids. But not all superfoods may appeal to younger and more discerning palates. Parents can mix these healthy fruits, veggies, proteins and dairy options with other ingredients to create kid-friendly recipes that make these superfoods taste even better. Food battles are winless, so don’t fight them. Instead create meals that are healthy, fun to eat, tasty and infused with superfood treasures!

The post Kid Superfoods: How to Improve Your Family’s Diet in The New Year appeared first on 1(800) Car-Title®.

from News And Updates About Loans https://www.1800cartitleloan.com/blog/kid-superfoods-how-to-improve-your-familys-diet-in-the-new-year/

0 notes

opepin · 7 years

Text

september: week four

18: i woke up before my alarm went off. i didn’t sleep well for the last few hours of the morning... i’ve only been getting 6 hours of sleep on average lately x_x; i did get myself to do a weighted leg workout and then i showered and made my first chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie -- i fell in love. i washed all the dishes before leaving and then said goodbye to kevin. i got to the train platform 10 minutes earlier than usual but i still got to work at the same time -__-’ there were delays again. oh well. then i did a bit of work, played with the surface pro we have at the office, organized my spam email because outlook thinks everything is spam -_-, took a break with cole so he could give me guava candy LOL. so cole slacked me and told me he brought in candy so i thought it was something suspicious but then he gives it to me and it’s the guava candy i can find at the asian grocery market. apparently, he bought two large bags full from amazon -- he’s so funny. well, we talked about food and what we ate as children before heading back to work.

i didn’t have much to do so then i ate lunch and went to figaro’s with cole so he could get his lunch. i got a chocolate chip brownie and ate it all... steve, cole, and i ate in the office supply office LOL and talked about random things like horror movies and birthstones. it was a great time. then we all headed back to work. i headed back and realized i only ate 1/3 of my lunch. i ate another third and then packed it away -- i was too full. then i got on stand up and went right into a meeting with phil. after that, it was already 4 pm. so i headed over to steve and cole’s office and then chilled with them for a bit. i brought over the surface and drew on it and they were impressed with my drawings ;D the surface makes my handwriting look so nice :3 they just finished their work but then i think something broke? so i went back to my office, did a little bit more work and then took my laptop over to their office to work while they finished up their stuff. dave left me all alone in the office for a meeting; joe left early because he wasn’t feeling well. then i walked to south station with cole, took the train home, got all of our mail, tried talking to erin but she was gone, got my first eggie shirt, and went upstairs to the apartment. i got my $200 visa card for my laptop trade in and i got my try again tee from eggie. the tee isn’t as nice as i thought it would be, but it’s still pretty awesome.

after i sorted through the mail and stuff, i got myself to do my butt workout and i died doing the bulgarian split lunges. i think my legs were exhausted from my workout in the morning still. i think i need to cap my lifting to 30-50 min max per day until i get stronger. the workout should have taken 30 minutes but i think i took 40-45 minutes x__x; the struggle was real. i also lifted 5 lbs heavier for basically everything... ded. my legs pretty much felt like numb jello after. i stretched and foam rolled a bit before showering. then i made myself another delicious chocolate pb banana smoothie before washing the dishes. i ate the leftovers from lunch with congee and more tofu and beef while watching youtube videos. then i made kevin a greetabl for our upcoming 2 year anniversary and then did internet errands. oh, i also managed to get tickets back to chicago for thanksgiving for only $4.50 more than my previous christmas tickets. (((: so i’ll be back in chicago! oh, kevin went out to meet up with old friends and i didn’t want to go so i spent my time at home doing my own thangz.

kevin got back and then we talked and cuddled and i ended up falling asleep on the bed for 30 minutes -- i was so tired from lifting. i just wanted to ko. i got myself up and made pico de gallo while chicken cooked the chicken thigh for lunch tomorrow. i stayed up for a bit longer but then just brushed up and went to sleep at some time... probably around 12 am. kevin also showered early and then played a few games and went to sleep early. we were both tired for some reason. well, i know why i was tired. i think kevin went to sleep late last night LOL.

19: i slept in today and woke up extra sore. i ate a pork bun for breakfast and then got straight to work. i took a break when kevin woke up and decided to work from home as well :) i made us the chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie i’m in love with right now and he loved it too! he says it tastes like ice cream LOL. then i went into meetings basically for the rest of the day -- it was a day for design meetings. kevin got the entryway bench from the package room and built it while i was on a design call then i got a short break to eat lunch. i helped move the bench to the entryway and moved the shoe rack over to the other wall. then i went on to stand up and then into another design call. i managed to do some errands and ordered a new toilet brush on amazon prime now. i also booked us a river tour because i forgot about a groupon i bought and it reminded me today. so this weekend will be packed: apple picking and charles river boat tour. i felt pretty dead... maybe it’s because of the weather. x_x; after that, i did some work, took a break to do some yoga, and watched some videos and then hopped on a call with phil so i could prepare more training stuff.

i started reading ‘sourdough’ by robin sloan and i instantly got hooked. i read until kevin gamed, played guitar, and before leaving for the fitness center. it was my recovery day today so i thought i would try doing the elliptical; it was a mistake. it’s nice that i can watch food network but the motion and quad work required of the elliptical were too much for my quads because they were super tired from yesterday’s 60 minute lifting session... it felt weird and i got really bored and kept looking at the clock until 30 minutes were up. kevin ran alongside me and then we stretched and showered. we ate leftovers for dinner plus some of these glutinous rice balls filled with purple sweet potato filling and mandu! yummm. we watched 1 1/2 episodes of agents of shield and then kevin went to game and i continued reading for the rest of the night. i actually finished the book before going to sleep! it was a really great book. it’s not one of my favorites but still a really good read. i felt good. kevin and i actually went to sleep at around 12:30 am. we were both tired. x_x;

20: i woke up at 8 am and then fell back asleep until 8:30 am. then i got up and did a hiit workout but my thighs were burning... i don’t think i rested it enough. i need to rethink my workout schedule again lol. i also managed to hurt my wrist a bit too? it was a really hard workout. i stretched my quads after and then foam rolled. i showered and went to work before making my fave smoothie. kevin wanted some but didn’t tell me so i drank all of it by the time he came out of the bathroom xP i guess it’s time to buy bananas in bulk :) then i went back to work and so did kevin. we both wfh again because we were getting our ikea package today. it was a pretty packed day for me with all the meetings. we had a design meeting that kind of went over on time but then we stopped so dave and i could have lunch. kevin and i snuck in an episode of agents of shield while eating. then i hopped on stand up and then i got on a call with phil to plan out what to do for the upcoming training sessions. at this point, i got really annoyed because phil wanted me to do a run through of the first session and i wasn’t feeling it. i feel like it was kinda overkill to have me do it again. he kept commenting and he told me to slow down (which i do need to do but i was doing it fast because it was a run through). i think he’s very stressed and worried about this but my nerves have come and gone and i’ll do it like i do usually.

well, during the call, the ikea guys came and then it happened so that phil needed to get on another call and so i got off and opened the door for them. then kevin got to building the dining table. i was annoyed and just frustrated about what my role is at t7. i feel like i’ve been a shared asset in which i don’t really have a solid place in training or design so i feel like i’ve been tossed back and forth. in the future, i have a feeling that i will be set to more training and i don’t know how i feel about that. i would rather design than teach different customers something over and over again. yeah, that’s the thing, phil wanted me to prepare for something i will be doing SO much in the future and that bothers me. it seems so monotonous. sigh. i vented to cole a bit and then i hopped off the computer after work and did oblique workouts without weights and on my mat. apparently, there are a lot of isolated ab and oblique moves that make you lose your hourglass figure, especially with weights so i’ll keep weights to a minimum for now. kevin went back to working for a bit before cooking. i put on agents of shield while he cooked.

we ate and watched agents of shield and then washed up. kevin went on a run and took some cardboard with him. after i showered, i took some cardboard and recycled it, washed the wok left in the sink, checked if our new keys opened the storage room, took some suitcases back there, and then took out all of the garbage. kevin came back and showered. oh, we also took out the mirror first when our package came and put it in the room. it looks so nice! it was getting late so i brushed up and hopped into bed while kevin gamed. i think i went to sleep at around 12 am or something. i was tired.

21: i got up at 8:30 am and then did a back workout in the morning. i took it easy on the back because later in the evening, i’d be doing arms. then i came back, showered, and kevin and i got in a small morning argument but then made up before he left lol. man, i am moooody. i made 2 eggs for breakfast and tried mixing pb, cocoa powder, and milk with a spoon in a cup; it failed miserably D: i drank it anyway too. then kevin went to work and i started working. i hopped on a design call and then ate lunch while watching the ‘masterchef’ finale! then i talked with phil, hopped on another call, then went straight to stand up. yup, lots of calls today. after, phil took a break from all the calls and then i finished up the finale while working. i’m so happy dino won. this is the first time i am happy with all three finalists, actually. i wanted jason to win the most but i really liked dino throughout the competition.

anyway, after doing some edits, i hopped on a call with phil again and then made some more edits and ended my work day at 5:30 pm. then i headed over to the yoga studio and did my arm workout. it was my first time working out my biceps and they burned T__T then i came back, relaxed, and showered. kevin started cooking dinner and i watched some youtube videos. then we put on agents of shield and ate our first meal from the dinner table! yay (: then we moved to the sofa and watched another episode. well, kevin went to wash dishes and i walked around while watching to get in some activity. then kevin decided to make the ikea chest and then run. i helped make the drawers and did any two person thing but it was mostly kevin building it. the last time i made a drawer was last year and i the drawer is now falling apart because i built it angrily... LOL. so i let kevin handle that. it actually took us 3 hours to build it... i knocked out after we built all six drawers and then woke up to check in on kevin. i drooled on my shoulder... then i helped a bit and ko’d again until kevin asked for my help. then i just stayed up watching kevin hammer nails into the back and then we moved it into place along with the drawers. lol it was like 2 am and i was ded.

i brushed my teeth, kevin was not going to run so he showered, and i fell asleep before he even got in the shower. lol the first time i ko’d was at like 12 am. i am weaksauce hahah. i think we went to sleep at around 3 am...

22: kevin and i basically rolled out of bed and then kevin went to work and i hopped on my computer. then i made myself an egg sandwich with pico de gallo and a glass of chocolate peanut butter milk. i watched ‘girl’s trip’ while working and then went to practicing teaching my training module. phil pinged me to catch up and then timed myself. i got the first part of the session down in just the right amount of time, but i kind of rushed the second part. i looped back around and talked with phil and both of us felt good about going into this. then i think kevin came back and he went to do something??? probably cook. so i did an intense stretching session for about 40 minutes. yeah, i think i watched some ‘beat shazam’ while kevin cooked and then we put on shield and that’s when i finished up stretching. lol we spent the rest of the night watching agents of shield. we got up to the last episode before the season finale!! i noticed i only walked like 6k steps and tried getting to 10k steps in the last 15 minutes of the day. i got about 2.5k steps before it hit 12 am T___T kevin ended up getting more steps than me today...that’s sad tbh LOL. well, i think we stayed up a bit longer just chilling and thriving in the friday night bliss before the weekend~ we went to sleep pretty late LOL.

23: we woke up hella late. we woke up too late to go apple picking T__T lol. i think i got out of bed at 12 or 1 pm. kevin and i were so tired. mmm we ate breakfast and we moved furniture around in our bedroom. i hated the way it looked and brooded over that for a while and i got super frustrated. kevin left to game and then i got up and started watching an episode of ‘beat shazam’ while walking to lift the bad mood i was in. i felt a good deal better after walking around. then we meal planned and drove over to the mall where bdubs is. it’s our two year anniversary on the 26th and we didn’t really plan anything for it. i wanted to but we’ve spend so much money on the new furniture so we didn’t really want to spend more money on a fancy dinner. so what did we do? we went to bdubs, got fried mushrooms, and split a medium boneless chicken wing platter for only $25 to celebrate LOL. we got the right amount of food to finish everything. we tried their blue moon wings and they were pretty good. the thai curry wings taste like the golden curry sauce haha.

after lunch, we went to auntie anne’s to get buy 2/$6 pretzel nuggets. mmm. we got the original nuggets with the limited edition pumpkin spice one. the pumpkin spice one tastes exactly like the cinnamon sugar but with pumpkin / nutmeg flavoring. we walked over to target and then kind of got lost in buying stuff. i got thinkthin protein bars because i couldn’t find the oatmega bars, we tried looking for the glass bowls but they were all gone, and then i found a polar bear hooded blanket and kevin and i fell in love with it. we then found really cute appetizer plates with a clever print on them by cheeky and decided to try to find where the polar bear blanket came from. the one we found seemed like it lost its packaging? it was in aisle c10 according to the scanner but there was no c10... there was a c9 and c11... we found someone and he told us the display was c10 LOL. we looked but couldn’t find another one. :( but then we stumbled upon a bear night light that would look really nice on our chest that was placed in a spot i hated in the room. so we ended up getting that bear. we also got the last of this bear box!! it was meant to be!! we were looking for a box to fit under our entryway bench cubby to make it look more put together.

at this point, we needed to get out of there so we wouldn’t go back for the polar bear hooded blanket. on our way to the register, i found the oatmega bars and got the chocolate coconut flavor. then we checked out, went to kam man for groceries, went to bj’s for the rest of our groceries, and came home. we put away everything and hooked up the night light and put the box in its place. ahhh, everything is starting to look so nice. we were both pretty full still so kevin went to game and told me he’d come by to run while i went to work out. i did a total body strength workout for 50 minutes. i actually extended my workout because i was wondering where kevin was? LOL. oh, i also love doing clean presses. anyway, i went back, showered, and kevin was still gaming... this boy. then he cooked and i believe he did run at some point. i washed the dishes and tried out the oatmega bar -- it’s delicious! i hope the whey concentrate isn’t too kfjnskjdf for my stomach. after kevin came back and showered, we had rice cake soup again while watching the last episode of agents of shield’s season 4. woooo. the ending is super ambiguous. we cleaned up and we might start watching game of thrones and westworld now. mmm. i think i was super tired after and i went to sleep while kevin gamed. well, that’s usually how it goes haha.

24: i woke up at 9 am and then did a hiit cardio workout. then i showered and woke kevin up. we ate breakfast just in time to leave to get to our charles river sightseeing tour. i ate a thinkthin protein bar after my workout and it hurt my stomach :( it’s probably the sugar alcohols. i think i’ll stick with my oatmega bars for now. we made it just in time for the train and then kevin needed to use the washroom right after getting off the train so we looked around but couldn’t find a public restroom. we walked to the mall where the boat would leave and kevin used the washroom there while i waited outside so that the boat wouldn’t leave us. well, we got there 10 minutes early and kevin had time to use the washroom. we were the last people on, we got a ginger ale to share, and we enjoyed the rest of the ride. we spent half of our time in the front to feel the sunshine and breeze and the other half inside to just sit and chill. the boat wasn’t going fast so there wasn’t that nice breeze but overall, the ride was so relaxing. we got off and got taco bell at the food court and walked to the train station. we entered through the wrong side of the kendall train station and then went to the other side but had to wait for kevin’s monthly pass to work again. the attendant didn’t have her badge and did her best to help us though. lol. i can’t blindly trust kevin when it comes to these things now LOL. we both gotta check what side we’re entering xP

we took the train back and then we drove to the target in stoughton to check if they had the anchor hocking serving bowls. it said online they had a limited stock. we checked in the aisle and they were all gone and asked someone for help and he said there were no more T___T so we got kevin’s shaving cream and drove back home. it was a rollercoaster ride of emotions today with the boat ride, the train situation (it takes the monthly pass 20 minutes to become usable at the same stop), not finding the bowls, and then coming back home stressed because i still needed to do chores and i wanted to get a good night’s rest for training tomorrow. well, i got a tension headache and ended up sleeping on kevin’s shoulder and taking an hour nap. lol i snapped at kevin for leaving me on the couch LOOOL but then i fell back asleep. i woke up and right away, i made myself some food. i think the bar effed up my stomach. then i started the laundry and guess what happened? the washing machine drum made a dent in the metal outer structure of the washing machine and it was making sounds like it was going to explode.. it was really scary. so we had to call the emergency maintenance line and they couldn’t do anything about it. @_@ so we put it on quick rinse and finished our laundry. i feel like everything wasn’t properly cleaned though...

kevin helped me clean the kitchen and i cleaned the bathroom. he vacuumed a bit and then we both worked out. i did another hiit workout and he ran. he showered when we got back and then i waited for the laundry to dry because i had no underwear. he cooked and then i showered. we watched some youtube videos while eating and then kevin cleaned up and i folded the laundry. then we played ‘crawl’ together to see if we liked the game -- we’re keeping it. i still had a bit of a headache so i rq’d for the night and he went to game on his computer. i went to sleep at like 12 am because i was going to work from home because i didn’t want to be distracted by anything while leading training. i also learned that uni are sea urchin testicles....

0 notes

susantregre · 7 years

Text

Camping With Kids (Tips For Families)

We have done the impossible three times in the past 2 months… we went camping with kids! We have six kids ranging in age from 2 to 8 and let’s just say the idea of camping terrified me at first, and we now have a routine. I love it!

These are just a few of the tips that we have scoured the internet for and incorporated into our camping routine.

Grill fruit – it is easier for small fingers to grab the fruit and put it on the roasting stick by themselves. And a lot less messy than marshmallows!

Use a blow-up mattress for your kids to sleep on. YOu won’t need to worry about stones if you tent camp and it takes up very little space once collapsed in the car – making pack-up a breeze.

Pack clothes in a roll. We laid out a bottom, undies and a top and then rolled the outfit together. Secure it with a rubber band and now the kids won’t make a mess of their clothes as they grab the next day’s outfit.

Don’t buy ice. Use jugs of drinking water. Freeze them and put them into the cooler. As it melts you have cool water to drink – and your food stays cool.

Make fire-starter “pods”. Keep your dryer lint and fill a cardboard egg carton with the lint. Pour wax over it. These pods will even start a fire in a drizzling rain!

Create a camping food station. Use an over-the-door shoe organizer – stuff the sections with the supplies you need.

Add some comfort to tent camping with foam floor pieces. They are durable, comfy, and easy to assemble/remove.

Stop the itching bug bites with chloraseptic spray. Just spray it on the red bumps and the itching will stop (p.s. it also stains, so wait till it is dry before clothes come in contact with it.

Keep fishing lures in one place and away from small fingers with a mini-tackle box – made from a tic-tac container!

We all want clean toilet paper. If you are not staying at a KOA and are roughing it, put your TP into a coffee canister.

Do you bring pets with you?? The KOA we were at had a dog park and there were a bunch of friendly dogs for my kids to enjoy! I love this idea of cutting the bottom out of a jug and using that as your pet’s watering bowl.

Is there a ban on fire rings where you are camping?? You can still have the campfire experience. Use candles on sticks – this is a theoretical “hack”. I did not use this with my kids, but it could be a fun idea for a way to have light after the fire has gone out – and when the littles are in their sleeping bags.

We all know that we don’t want to bring technology camping, but sometimes rain happens, or your kids need an activity to wind down. Time for DIY ipod speakers. If you have wi-fi at your campground use a solo cup as a speaker.

Bring activity bags. These bagged activities are perfect for the slow-paced days where you hangout all morning around the cabin or campsite. The kids can grab one bag and go make something nifty.

Give your kids a nature bag and tell them to go on a scavenger hunt around your camp site! They can collect objects they find!

Meals are chaotic while you are camping. Scramble eggs for breakfast ahead of time – keep your scrambled eggs in a jar. You can pour them and cook as needed.

DIY Tasty Energy balls. These are perfect to grab on-the-go. Bring them with you for a day of hiking.

Grilled banana boats. Guys, these are beyond yummy, they are scrumptious! Tastes a bit like wet icecream when the chips melt into the banana.

Homemade granola bars are easy to make ahead of time, and could be a meal replacement if you have a picky eater or if the meal got scorched by flames.

Prepare single use packets of antibiotic cream – and even hydrocortisone lotion – for the times that your kids *will* get scraped knees and funky plant-induced rashes.

Don’t want to buy firewood?? Make your own blocks with old newspaper. We have made one of these in the past. It catches fast and burns hot… perfect for breakfast.

Camp in a cabin – save your energy for the day’s activities, instead of the “drama” of a tent.

Make campfire cones. These are smore’s inside a waffle ice cream cone. We love to add marshmallow, dark chocolate chips and fruit…. We’ve also made them with apples and cinnamon – so tasty!

Play I-Spy… only add a fun decorated rock. Your kids will have a blast creating the rock and then taking turns hiding and hunting for it.

Enjoy oreo smore’s. We love smores they are our nightly camping ritual. This is a super simple way to make a fun treat.

The post Camping With Kids (Tips For Families) appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog http://ift.tt/1vO7qU3

#Kids Activities Blog

0 notes

awolfroams · 7 years

Text

April Break 2017 - Belgium and the Netherlands, Part 2: Amsterdam

Thursday, April 13, 2017, 1:30pm The Lebanese Sajeria, Amsterdam

Anise reminds me of my grandmother. We arrived at 11, walked along beautiful, sunny canals to our hostel to check in, and stopped here for lunch. I got a beef and labneh with creamy coconut lentil soup and yensoun - anise tea. Some people can’t stand the taste of anise and it breaks my heart because I can’t get enough of it. It tastes like Christmas at home.

7pm City Hall “Coffee Shop”

We took a Sandemans tour of Amsterdam. I really love Sandemans. They always give great tours. The guide, Kor, was passionate about everything from his hometown of Amsterdam to his hatred for Trump and a decent chunk of American culture, to the importance of accepting refugees. Thanks to him, we realized the value of booking online tickets to the Anne Frank House - we literally got the last two between now and us leaving, for Saturday at 8:30am - and I secured a ticket for the Van Gogh museum on Saturday at 3. We also booked tickets for Keukenhof tomorrow. Apparently, this is the busiest weekend of the year for Amsterdam, because naturally. After the tour, and profusely thanking and tipping our guide, we wandered back to Dam Platz to buy “Amsterdam” fries - covered with sweet spicy sauce, cheese, and fried onion bits - and stroopwaffel half-dipped in Nutella at the carnival. From there we came to this Coffee Shop, City Hall, recommended by Kor. It is a mellow place sunk into the side of an old building. Reminds me a bit of Christopher Street in the Village. The weed here is very high-quality, and very strong, for very cheap (7 euros a joint).

Friday, April 14, 2017, 1:30pm On the bus to Keukenhof!

After the coffee shop, we walked to Leidseplein, as I had read reviews online to check it out, but we found it underwhelming, so we went back to the hostel to shower and relax for a bit. At 9, we headed to the Red Light District, which was PACKED. I can’t decide how to feel about the “book readers,” as Kor coyly referred to them. Part of my reaction is holy-hell-you-are-gorgeous. On the tour yesterday, Kor took us to a section of the Red Light District where there was a Church, and explained how that Church kept great business because of the book readers back in the days when Amsterdam was a fishermen’s city, as sailors, having visited a “book reader” before braving months back at life-threatening sea, and unable to go to Church the next morning to confess, would pay the priests to “pre-confess” beforehand and be absolved in advance. Yo ho.

Another gut reaction I have to the book readers is to feel self-conscious and wanting to go ask them if they’re getting on alright, even though I’m sure if I actually did they would tell me off and shoo me along so I wasn’t getting in the way of business. I guess there was a big soccer game in town last night, so there were a TON of “polite, family-friendly young men out for a sporting event” (very funny, Kor) wandering half-drunk through the Red Light District, and half the things I overheard Brits saying to and about the women made me truly want to knock their teeth out.

Kor explained the rationality of Dutch tolerance for prostitution, weed, gay marriage, and Catholicism, back in the day, thus: “It must follow the cardinal rules of Amsterdam. Number one, it must be good for business. Number two, it shouldn’t hurt anyone. And number three, it must be discreet.” (Hence, “coffee shops” that don’t sell coffee, and “book readers” who don’t read books; at least, probably not on the job.)

In the middle of our wandering we visited the Erotic Museum, which had a floor of porn from around the world, from at least the 15th century to the present, on everything from Japanese ceramic tiles to Grecian mosaics to British and Dutch watercolors. There were autographed photographs from celebrity icons like Madonna and Bette Davis, and confiscated “lewd” drawings by John Lennon of Yoko Ono in various stages of lovemaking. There was a room screening fairy tail and cartoon porn, and an entire floor of BDSM videos and toys.

After the museum and walking around a bit more through the Red Light District, we went to a Surinamese Restaurant for some we-are-closing-at-midnight-so-you-have-fifteen-minutes-to-eat, tasty food.

This morning, we slept in a bit, then had a late breakfast at Broodje Bert, a Bert-and-Ernie-themed cafe overlooking one of the canals. I ate eggs, homemade bread with Dutch cheese, and fresh, seasoned salad with awoooooogala. I drank Earl Grey with a complimentary biscuit while we people-watched for a bit before walking to Centraal Station where we caught the ferry across the Canal to Overhoeksplein, from where we are riding to Keukenhof in style on a Mercedez..bus.

Easter Sunday April 16, 2017, 12:30pm Gare du Nord, Brussels, waiting for the train to Bruges

Keukenhof was beautiful. Everywhere smelled of flowers. I counted at least thirty different types of tulips, as well as hyacinths, and many more other varieties than I could name or count. As we walked the grounds, we at homemade ice cream in a cone for 2,50 euro. It tasted like frozen fresh-whipped cream. Not as sweet as the ice cream back home, but very light and creamy. We saw Mondrian’s Composition II made out of tulips, visited baby goats and pigs at the petting zoo, and climbed the giant windmill made in the 1800s. Inside the windmill, if you looked up, you could see the aged gears turning in their sockets. On the bus ride out, you could see fields of bright stripes of tulips in every color of the rainbow. I’ll have to write to Sharon to let her know I finally went.

Back in Amsterdam, we took a canal tour of the city with Lover’s for 16 euro. They gave us headphones so we could listen to the history of the city and keep an eye out for key points of interest, such as the Rembradnt House, Flower Market, and the point on the canal where you can see a gapped tunnel of sorts forming from seven perfectly-aligned canal bridges. I tried to take a photograph, but the boat was too crowded.

After the tour, we walked to Sonneveld, a restaurant on a quiet canal recommended by Kor for traditional Dutch food. Brittany had Stamppart - mashed potatoes with vegetables topped with a giant meatball covered in gravy - chased with a Heineken, of which I stole another sip. I had fresh cod with greens, fries, and Dutch mayo, which is more like butter with herbs mixed in. For dessert, I finished off the last of the Tony’s salted caramel chocolate bar I had bought at the Keukhenhof gift shop. Dutch chocolate is much richer than our chocolate. Less sweet, and more complex.

It had started to rain, which we couldn’t really complain about, as we’d had two days of sun after a forecast promising showers every day, so we pulled up the hoods on our raincoats and, after a couple of unsuccessful attempts to find a souvenir shop, headed back to the hostel for the night. The girl from Brooklyn who’d quit her job and rented a car to drive to breweries across the countryside here was still below my bunk, but the two girls from Croatia had been replaced by a woman from Vietnam and another from Ethiopia who were living in Budapest and working for Unicef. Oh, to work for the UN...

6pm Sitting below the Simon Steven monument across from The Chocolate Line

We woke up very early on our final day in Amsterdam so we could make our 8:30am time slot to the Anne Frank House. As expected, the visit was rough. We walked through too choked up to speak, listening to our audio guides read excerpts from Anne’s diary, while we stared at the pencil marks showing Anne and Margot’s growth on the walls and the dozens of pictures, comic strips, and other book clippings Anne had pasted onto her walls. The Nazis had raided the attic of all furniture and major belongings, and Otto had wanted it kept that way, but photographs showed recreations of what the annex had looked like when people were living there. Perhaps the hardest thing to hear was the accounts of Otto and others who had known Anne and experienced losing her. Afterwords, I bought a copy of her diary, as I haven’t heard it since middle school, and a book exclusive to the museum about her life and history as a gift for my mom.

After the museum, to change up the pace a bit, we went for breakfast at The Happy Pig Pancake Shop, where I had a chocolate-hazelnut covered waffle with banana and a yerba mate, and Brittany had a delicious apple-caramel-nut pancake that she kindly offered me a bite of. The owner of the shop was an adorable, friendly British woman, who aside from oinking along with her poor bemused chef when we tipped, kept checking in to make sure the food was good, remembering us by name - NOT EUROPEAN AT ALL. When we mentioned we were looking for tulip bulbs and other souvenirs, she helpfully suggested we visit the Albert Cuypmarkt. On the way, we stopped into Mail and Female after seeing their bright pink sign out front proclaiming “Eat Pussy: It’s Organic!” At the Market, I bought fresh stroopwaffel made in front of me for a euro fifty, and a few bags to take home to my students [Future Note: They liked it so much, one of them ordered more on Amazon.], and we did most of our souvenir shopping. We couldn’t find any US-certified tulip bulbs, so we went back to the Bloemenmarkt to buy some for our moms. [Future Note: My mom’s have already come up, or at least, the leaves have. Hoping they bloom next year.]

Finally, we found the I AMsterdam sign to take some photographs (it was PACKED with people), and then split up for a bit so that I could go to perhaps my favorite stop on our tour of Amsterdam, the Van Gogh Museum.

8:45pm On the train back to Brussels

Wandering through the Van Gogh Museum by myself, at my own pace, was just what I needed on this trip. I take a long time in museums. I’m the type of person who wants to read all of the plaques and stare at the art from at least four different angles, if you give me the time. What can I say about Vincent Van Gogh that hasn’t been said already? Probably nothing. That won’t stop me from trying, though, or loving his work. His yellows and purples and deep blues. His thick, tactile paint strokes urgently sprawling, writhing across the canvases, or Japanese box lids, or tablecloths. Sometimes the art just couldn’t wait for the perfect material. Getting to view his seascape pieces under a microscope and see the bits of sand and sea washed into the paint. The sense of desperation, of needing to leave behind a legacy, of running out of time. What is a legacy? Seventy paintings in seventy-five days. Why did he paint like he was running out of time? Did he, too, imagine death so much it felt more like a memory? He too, chose when it would get him. And what if it hadn’t? And what if he’d lived with the monsters in the window? What if he’d actually seen Amy and Eleven’s gift? Would it have felt like a gift, or an unattainable, suffocating challenge?

After the museum, I met Brittany back at the hostel where we charged our phones for a few minutes and I accidentally got to witness for the first time a man in a Zelda shirt snort a coke line off his hand in the smoke room across the window from us. Ah, Amsterdam. You popped so many cherries for me.

We met Kris, the same BlaBlaCar driver, who picked us up along with a quiet girl from somewhere in Southeast Asia and two Armenian girls whose driver had cancelled on them, so Kris had offered to take them along if one rode in the trunk. At least it was a minivan.

0 notes