Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2018, what a year!  We welcomed the new year on a warm island beach on La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, and continued the adventures all year long, adding lots of new country magnets to our fridge.

All that was crammed in between work and school and scouts and sports and homesteading and more.  We've definitely been doing our best to live life to the fullest.  Young Man headed to Vienna with his Knowledge Bowl team to compete in CEESA.  My Man spent 10 days flying in the Himalayas in March (where he spent more than four hours a day flying, covering hundreds of kilometers exploring the dramatic mountain range then spent the rest of the days relaxing and enjoying the warm sunshine) while the rest of us enjoyed the biggest snow storm of the year here in Kyiv.  Young Man and Funny Guy were awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence for their grades, Darling Daughter performed in the schools' "My Mother's Story" production and starred in the school play "Jack vs Jill," and both Darling Daughter and Young Man were voted onto the student council at school.  My Man took me to Cyprus to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary (wow!).  Young Man survived a miserable Week Without Walls, hiking in the rainy and cold Carpathians, while Darling Daughter got to go 4-wheeling and exploring Ivano-Frankivsk for hers.  I orchestrated several large events at the embassy, including the Eggstravaganza, end-of-the-year BBQ, and 4th of July picnic and also spent a week in Budapest finally learning the nuts and bolts of my job before accepting a nice promotion and a new job (working in the Embassy's Public Affairs Section), and My Man managed an incredible influx of Russian applicants after the U.S. diplomats were kicked out there, helping manage the huge uptick in work with minimal impact to his section with some ingenious adaptations.  He was also selected to attend training in Frankfurt, where I joined him for a long weekend to see castles, visit Heidelberg, and see Gutenberg's press (I think I got the better end of that deal).  Somehow, in spite of the increased workload, he managed to harvest a bumper honey crop from our resident beehives and set up a hive over at the historic Ambassador's Deputy's house as well.  We also got baby chicks and watched them grow into gigantic egg layers (at least the ones that didn't turn out to be delicious roosters!).  Young Man worked at the embassy in the IT section (his first real 9-5 job), while Darling Daughter worked and Funny Guy played at the school summer camp.

At last we headed out for a well-earned vacation back to the States, which started with an epic family reunion--a houseboat on Lake Billy Chinook at the Palisades (in spite of the engine trouble); then we showed the kids our stompin' grounds in Bend and Redmond, roadtripped to Crater Lake and the redwoods and Gold Beach (for the first time with My Man), built sandcastles and went clamming in Newport, and then headed back to Redmond where we missed our first ever flight thanks to a bag left at the hotel in Bend (no pointing fingers here, there was plenty of blame to go around--though it is amusing to hear everyone's excuses)!  We spent most of the next week camping, skiing, swimming, and hanging out with friends and family at Deer Creek Reservoir, fit in two college visits, and stuffed our bellies with Mexican food.  Yum.  Too soon we headed back home to Kyiv with a one-day stopover in Amsterdam where we saw the canals, cute houses, Anne Frank House, and more, though we were so tired and jetlagged we may not remember much.  Before we knew it, school was starting back up again and the kids were keeping us busy with scouts, sports, activities, and more--Darling Daughter played soccer, joined the robotics club, started horsebackriding lessons, played basketball, and participated in speech and debate.  Young Man played soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, knowledge bowl, served on Student Council, started a table tennis club, and grew his portrait photography business.  We ran a few family 5Ks, celebrated a few more birthdays, and then headed to Egypt for the most epic scuba diving of our lives and a chance to ogle the great pyramids and catch some sun with friends before the long dark winter (Young Man opted to head to Israel with his soccer team for a tournament there instead, where he swam in the dead sea, toured Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and walked through the ancient city of Jaffa).

Funny Guy skipped a year in math (way to go!), Young Man headed to Budapest with his soccer CEESA team, and Darling Daughter played on her soccer CEESA team here in Kyiv.  My Man and I won best couple's costume at the embassy Halloween party this year with our bee keeper and queen bee costumes and Funny Guy won his entire school costume contest with his epic "kid in a box" illusion costume (it was awesome!).  My Man and I snuck away to explore Rome, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast for a weekend (one last chance for sun!) and then the snow was already here.  After a whirlwind of end of semester activities (concerts, courts of honor, etc.), we kicked off the holiday season with a family trip to Bratislava and Vienna (where got to go ice skating at the Rathausplatz Ice World rink, visited five different Christmas markets, wandered old cobblestone streets, saw a castle and palace, and even caught a few English movies in the theater!).  Young Man was selected as a finalist for the competitive KEYS science internship program (breathlessly awaiting the final word!).

The finale of the year was a traditional Christmas Eve.  Though we wish we could have shared it with family, we invited friends to join in the fun and enjoyed all the traditional foods and games and stories and songs that make the evening special.  Today was a cozy wintery Christmas day, hanging out as a family in PJs, talking, playing games, eating leftovers and candy, Skyping with family, and reflecting on the generosity and adventure of the previous year.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  Sometimes I feel like we pay a high price with missed memories and opportunities so far from "home."  But mostly I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to make each new place our home, adding new traditions and friends to mingle with the old, learning new things, exploring new places, and doing our part to make this world just a little better as we journey through.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our home to yours!

Adventures in Italy: Pompeii, Trail of the Gods, Vesuvius, and Naples! (Part 3)

Although we could have stayed in Norma forever (peaceful, warm, beautiful, with fantastic paragliding . . . ), we couldn't quite give up on the rest of our trip, so after a morning flight, we headed south.

We got to Pompeii about 3 p.m. (last entrance is at 3:30 during low season) and unfortunately, all of the official guides were gone by then (normally they are available, just hanging around the official ticket line). Instead, we got the audioguides, which were OK, though I would have preferred a guide to tell the full story. Still, Pompeii was impressive and there was more to explore than we could see in a couple of hours. Of course, one story of Pompeii is those 4,000 who died in the eruption. There are a few casts to remind us of their loss.

The bigger story, though, is of all the people who lived! Pompeii was huge. A thriving trade center where people lived and loved and created. It was fascinating to learn of their water systems and societal norms. 

The mosaics, many of which have been transferred to the archaeological museum in Naples, were stunning. With so much of the art now removed, however, we decided we had to see the full collection (more on that later).  The craziest part of Pompeii for me was how old everything is, but still so well preserved.  And they haven't even finished excavations yet!

Traffic from Pompeii to Sorrento was surprisingly slow and finding a good place to eat was harder than expected. We finally opted for a little restaurant where we tried the traditional Margarita pizzas (named after Queen Margarita and boasting the Italian flag colors—red sauce, white mozzarella cheese, and green basil).

We were a little underwhelmed (one basil leaf?!). It may not be traditional, but I like a loaded pizza! Still, even mediocre pizza in Italy is delicious and we ate every bite. Our hotel had an incredible view of the bay and Mt. Vesuvius and My Man set an alarm so we could watch the sunrise. It was worth the early wakeup.

We drove straight to Positano after breakfast, intent on hiking the Trail of the Gods (Il Sentiero degli Dei). Although most people hike from Bomerano to Nocelle (the path with an elevation drop and the best views), since we were driving from Sorrento I decided to start at the trailhead in Nocelle, above Positano, to minimize driving. My Man and I were going to hike half the trail (roundtrip) to avoid the problem of a transfer. My Man, however, had been hit by a cold and that combined with the terribly hard beds we’d been trying to sleep on meant he wasn’t thrilled by the idea of the hike. Instead of canceling, he gallantly offered to drop me off at the trailhead in Nocelle and pick me up at the other end. He’s really awesome like that. I could have kissed him at the offer (if he hadn’t been so germy) since hiking the trail had been one of my top priorities for the trip. It’s a good thing he is an intrepid driver, because the road up to the trailhead (and back down) is pretty insane—narrow, crowded, and extremely windy (apparently most of the Amalfi coast road is similarly difficult and if we go back we will avoid driving there).

I followed the well-marked signs to the trail’s beginning (and climbed about a million stone stairs on the way!). Unfortunately, that’s where the clear marking ended. I stood looking at the big official map and then turned to look at the trail. Or rather, trails. I could make out at least six paths branching out from the official sign with no official markings or indications about which was the actual trail. The fact that I thought to take a picture at this point to document the many trail options should have been a sign (haha, sorry, bad pun).

Stumped, I set off on what looked like the most well-used path. After awhile, I met a group of goats, their bells clanging merrily as they ate. Not long after that, my well-used path began to dissolve into a series of goat trails and soon it was impossible to tell what was the main path. Hmm, I wasn’t sure if I should head back to the beginning (about 10 minutes behind me) to try a new path or, it seemed that I could see a more established path along the hillside above me. I probably should have turned back. Instead, I climbed up to the other path. It was a lovely path. I was surprised not to see any official markings, but the path was wide and clear and headed the right direction, so I happily hiked along. It had a decently steep incline, but I was expecting that. I was, afterall, hiking the trail backward. The views were stunning.

As the trail neared a steep ravine, it also became smaller and steeper. It was clear I was not, afterall, on the Trail of the Gods, but on the Trail of the Goats. So, faced with the decision whether to continue or head back and try to find the official path (now more than 30 minutes behind me), I opted to push forward since it was such well-used trail that I figured maybe it would still go through and I didn’t want My Man to be waiting too long for me on the other side (this is where My Man would interject that while I am a master planner, my on-the-fly decision-making skills could use a tune-up). Soon after, however, the trail deadended into a spectacular cliff—towering above and below. There was no option but to turn back.

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the ocean was spectacular in front of me. So, while the setback was frustrating, it wasn’t all bad. As I backtracked, I considered the experience a bonus hike. About halfway back, I spotted the real trail far, far below me down the mountain. With a wooden banister and other people hiking there, it was obviously the real deal. The question was how to reach it. I could continue all the way back to the original sign and hope that I made the right choice this time, or try to make my way down to the path I could see. Since there were myriad goat trails heading down and I was already behind schedule, I opted for the more direct path. There were a few setbacks when goat trails ended in drop-offs, but it didn’t take too long for me to make it down the mountain to the actual trail to “begin” my hike.

My shadow selfie celebrating finding the correct path at last!

And wow. The earlier hiking had been wonderful but the Trail of the Gods was really phenomenal on a whole other level. I loved stumbling across old stone ruins, turning back to see the precarious and colorful seaside towns perched on the mountainside and running down to the ocean, and the cliffs set a dramatic backdrop for everything.

I counted myself very blessed to have a husband patient enough to humor my passion for getting away from it all and hiking. As I climbed, drinking in the fantastic views and sunshine, I was grateful just to be alive.

I would hike that trail again tomorrow (or tonight) or any time I have the chance. It was definitely worth it and one of my absolute highlights from our trip (and the real trail is well marked with red dots/dashes every few meters. Not sure how I missed it originally—must be less clear at the end because most people are traveling the other direction). Anyway, I made it to the end in just over 2 hours (estimated time for the trail that direction without detours is 3 hours, so I felt pretty good about myself). My Man just barely beat me to the other side and took the chance to hike a bit of the trail himself. Perfect.   

Although hiking the full trail meant I missed the Amalfi Coast drive (we didn’t stop at the Emerald Grotto as I’d planned or lunch in Positano), I felt like I’d seen plenty from the trail and My Man had had more than enough of that drive, so we headed overland toward Mt. Vesuvius.

The trail up Mt. Vesuvius isn’t very long, but it’s steep and after my morning scamper my legs were burning! We reached the top and were adequately awed by the views of Naples, the ocean, and Pompeii. We looked over the edge into the deep gulf of the crater and watched the sulfurous steam waft toward us. It was humbling to imagine the magnitude of the eruption that buried Pompeii and Herculaneum while standing on the rim of the volcano that is overdue a similarly huge explosion. After a sufficient time spent gaping and imagining, we headed back down the hill to tackle the chaos of Naples.

Parking on the edge of town (at Parcheggio Brin), we taxied straight to the Archaeological Museum of Naples to explore the riches of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The mosaic collection is unbelievable, especially after exploring Pompeii. I was amazed to learn that the museum has housed the Pompeii artifacts since 1750—that means that the museum has been a museum longer than the United States has been a country!

After the museum, we had one goal: pizza from the birthplace of pizza!  We walked from the museum to Spaccanapoli, soaking in the intensity and grittiness of Naples. It was fascinating. And then we found it, the best pizza place in the world: Vesi Pizza. My personal pizza smothered in mozzarella cheese and tomatoes and arugula was big enough that I ended up eating it for three straight meals! My Man managed to finish his pesto pizza in one sitting (impressive!). You'd think that after all this pizza we'd be ready for something else, but no. I would eat that pizza again tomorrow. And the next day. And . . . well you get the picture. After pizza it was time for one more Italian gelato (yum!) before heading for home.

And that was our trip: sun-drenched, cheesy pizza and gelato-filled chaotic cities, historical sites, and beautiful mountains and sea. Did we see all of Italy? Nope. But saw a lot and we loved every bit. Italy—we love you! This trip was not our last!

**Disclaimer, we visited during the beginning of low season when crowds and prices were down but we lucked out with perfect weather.  We probably would have had a less enchanted view of Italy if it had been cold and rainy or hot and crowded.  November travel is a gamble, but for us it worked great!

Adventures in Italy: Vatican City and Paragliding Norma, Part 2

The next morning we checked out of our hotel early and set out for our morning Vatican Museums tour (8am exclusive tour with Italywithus.com). Normal admission to the Vatican Museums is at 9 a.m., but I’d read that the crowds were so dense it was hard to appreciate the grandeur, so we elected to splurge a bit for the pre-admission ticket at 8. Frankly, I can’t imagine the 9 a.m. crowds because by 8 the place was already an absolute zoo! And we were there in the low season! 

Unfortunately, our headsets didn’t work and our guide was a bit obnoxious so I can’t recommend the company, but I still would recommend getting the early tickets since it saved us lots of time in lines and the crowds got worse and worse the longer we were there. 

Sadly our itinerary didn’t allow time for the Vatican City paintings exhibits (definitely have to go back), but we did wander (fairly quickly) through some of the Vatican Museum's sculptures and tapestries before arriving at My Man's favorite exhibit: the Gallery of Maps, which outlined with stunning accuracy the breadth and power of the Vatican's dominion (all the better to intimidate supplicants).  In addition to the maps along the walls, the ceiling's frescoes are amazing.

My favorite room was the Raphael room.  I loved seeing the paintings and imagining the rivalry between the two starkly contrasting personalities of Rafael and Michelangelo.  

I especially loved the symbols of diversity--whether indicative of a progressive Pope (as our guide indicated) or of Rafael himself (as I am more inclined to believe), it was wonderful to see the culmination of various religious symbols and philosophers and races brought together to represent enlightenment. 

By the time we got to the Sistine Chapel, we were shoulder to shoulder with other people staring up at Michelangelo's masterpiece on the ceiling and at his Last Judgement on the alter wall. It is really amazing to see in person. I recommend Steve Rick’s audio guide for both the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica (our tour guide left us right before the chapel). After a sufficient time of neck-kricking staring at the ceiling and walls (although really, there are so many paintings and stories in this room you could really spend hours), we reluctantly headed out to see the Basilica. (No pictures allowed in the Chapel, but here is Wikipedia's complete gallery of the ceiling and here is the Last Judgment.)  And here's one picture of the iconic Adam by open source pics: 

Just before heading into the Basilica from the Sistine Chapel, we passed by these mosaic gems depicting the life of Christ.  Nearly hidden, they were stunning in their vibrant simplicity.

Perhaps the most amazing part of the entire Vatican City experience for me, was to see Michelangelo's Pieta’, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica after just having seen his fresco masterpieces (in spite of his adamant claim that he was a sculpture, not a painter) and then gazing up at the dome he designed as his last artistic triumph. To consider the man who so completely epitomizes the renaissance, re-making himself again and again as an artist to such acclaim from the beginning to the end of his life, is truly inspiring. 

The sheer scale of the art in the Basilica is another jaw-dropping experience. Until you are there, you simply cannot appreciate the hugeness of it all. The “little” cherubs are bigger than a person and everything gets bigger from there. It’s simply stunning (and a little much, honestly). 

For me, the entire experience was inspiring and fascinating and wonderful, but too busy and gaudy to be sacred. Give me a quiet mountain top or forest glen, and there is where my soul renews.

And that is exactly where we headed next. After stopping for one last pizza in Rome, we grabbed our rental car and headed for the hills of Norma. 

Our little AirBnB apartment was literally perched on a cliff (the balcony stuck out over the drop off) and it was impossible to drive to (we meandered on foot through tiny rock alleyways to find it), but it was enchanting. The bed faced full-window walls on three sides and the sun shone in brightly.

We dropped off bags and headed straight for the paragliding launch at the Norba archaeological site. There, a herd of sheep grazed, families picnicked, the sun shone, the grass and wildflowers smelled enchanting, and the half-ruined stone castle stood sentinel on the hill behind us. 

My Man launched into the sunset and soared as I soaked in the last of the day’s sunshine and my soul expanded. As much as I loved Rome, I loved the quiet hills of Norma even more.  In fact, we loved Norma so much we were tempted to ditch the rest of our trip and just stay there!  To find out what we decided, you'll have to read Part 3 . . . 

Adventures in Italy: Rome, Norma, Naples, Pompeii and more! (Part 1)

Italy has been on my bucket list since FOREVER.  Seriously.  One of my very favorite books is a 776-page beast about the life and works of Michaelangelo I read in 8th grade (The Agony and the Ecstacy by Irving Stone, a book I very much recommend, by the way, if you're thinking of heading to Rome).  Also, I love pizza and pasta and gelato and sunshine . . . obviously, I'm pretty much Italian and still after all these years, I had never made it there.  I think it was just too overwhelming. There is so much to see and do and never enough time.  So finally, My Man talked me into a long weekend in Rome (with a few other destinations tucked in for good measure, since I'm sneaky like that).  I love him.

Heading straight to the airport from work, we caught an evening flight to Rome, picked up our rental car (amid a host of warnings and tips about how to avoid the myriad of possible fines, tickets, and extortions involved in renting and driving a car in Italy), and set off toward downtown Rome.  By the time we got the Hotel Arcangelo (just past the Vatican City wall!), it was after midnight and we opted for sleep rather than a late dinner.

We made up for it the next day.  Setting out for the Colosseum early, we leisurely strolled the 6 km, passing wide-eyed and open-mouthed by St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican City, Castle St. Angelo, numerous unnamed but beautiful old buildings and churches, the River Tiber, the Spanish Steps, the Vittoriano, the Roman Forum, and a LEGO store, finally arriving at the Colosseum.  

We prepurchased the official tour to the underground and belvedere (27 euros), which allowed us to skip the line (using a private entrance at the back of the Colosseum, opposite the main lines and hordes of tourists) and see everything, from the basement where they kept the animals and gladiators, to the main arena floor, and up each level to the very top.  

Our guide was fantastic, helping bring to life brilliant construction and chaos and horror of the original building and games.  We took way too many pictures, but even going through them now I have a hard time deleting any.  You're lucky I only picked a hand full instead of posting all 117 of my "favorites"!  I loved the tour.  I loved the Colosseum.  It didn't hurt that it was a beautiful day--warm, sunny, with gorgeous views of Rome from the top of the Colosseum.

The ticket also included entrance to the Roman Forums, which could be used that day or the next.  Sshhh, don't tell anyone--we didn't use ours, instead we found a cute little café on an alley behind the Colosseum where they served pizza (including gluten free!) and a gelato shop with incredible gelato.  My Man and I each ate an entire pizza and topped it off with ice cream.  No guilt, we’d already walked more than 8 km and the day was just getting started.

We then set off toward the Pantheon.The walk there was another feast for the eyes, as we stopped to explore the Vittoriano and nearly every turn showed another amazing building or monument or sight.  

The Pantheon itself is almost hidden, but well worth seeking out.  

Here we listened to Rick Steve’s audio guide about the construction and artwork inside, including the resting place of Rafael and two of Italy's first kings.  I was partly sad that the forecasted rain never materialized—I’ve heard that visiting the Pantheon during a rainstorm is a life-changing experience.  But our weather for the entire trip was far too perfect to complain about—warm and sunny, never too hot and never too cold.  We’ll have to try to catch the rain another time.

I had planned to catch the New Rome Free Walking Tour that evening and according to my detailed itinerary for the day, we had another 2 hours, so we found a quiet little café, just away from the bustle of the Spanish Steps, to rest our tired feet and get a drink.  

We dawdled awhile, watching the sun set outside and the buildings light up, before finally heading back out to meet our tour.  But no one was there.  Another look at our tickets showed that I had written down the wrong time.  They had left an hour earlier while we’d been chilling in the café.  My Man commiserated with me while secretly thanking the gods for the walking reprieve.  I decided the only thing I could not miss was the Trevi Fountain, so we made our way there for some pictures and to throw in a coin to ensure our return to Rome (though I think the gluten free pizza already sealed the deal for My Man).  

And yes, that evening’s dinner was homemade pasta (with gluten free for My Man).  I was too stuffed to even think about another gelato. On our way home we passed one of my favorite doorways, ever.  Honestly, by the time we got to our hotel we had logged more than 30,000 steps.  I think I'm lucky My Man hadn't turned into this guy by then (I think the pizza helped. . .)

And all of that was just Day 1 of our Italy Adventures!  Stay tuned for what we did next.