Paris to Basel: A Mad Dash and the Flug (Flight) that Almost Wasn’t

So there we were, Bianca and I. Neither of us had slept that night for whatever reason, much to our chagrin. We awoke at 5:00 am as planned, but little did we know we should have woken up at 4:00 am! We packed our final few belongings and piled on layers for our the walk to the train station, forgot to take our key out of the light box (instead of a light switch, you put your key card in a box on the wall that turns on the light), squeezed into the tiny elevator for the last time, checked out, paid, told the front desk we’d forgotten our card in the light box (they were good-natured about it!), and set out for the train station!

We left around 5:40, giving us a solid three hours to make our 8:40 am flight, even allowing time to take a couple of wrong turns along the way. It took us an hour to get to the hotel from the airport; it should take only an hour to return. Or one would be inclined to believe…

We found our way to the train station with minimal difficulty, but when we arrived and tried to buy our ticket, we discovered the machine was out of order. The sign posted on the screen said to go across the bridge and buy a ticket from the metro station. OK, merely a hiccup in the plan. We still had plenty of time. So across the bridge we walked, found the ticket counter, and were repeatedly belittled by the attendant. Even with Bianca speaking French, she kept giving us information that didn’t help us. Eventually, she directed us to a kiosk and told us to get the ticket ourselves, although we were still a bit confused about which kind of ticket to buy and whether the ticket we got would be valid across the street at the train station, or if we needed to start from the metro and somehow get to the train station from there.

Anyway, we got the ticket we thought we needed (although I’ve never had anyone check my ticket for local trains or trams in Poland, France, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Turkey, or Switzerland, so how they enforce tickets is beyond me!), and we walked back over the bridge to the train station again. No big deal. We walked down the only stairs we saw (or I saw, at least), and I put my ticket in and went through. Then Bianca pointed out we needed to make sure we were on the right side first… there’s no way to get from one side of the tracks to the other once you’re in. Oh well. We figured out (by asking someone) we needed to be on the opposite platform, of course, so I went out, we walked up and around the outside, I crawled under (again, how do they enforce anything? Perhaps Americans are simply not willing to trust our own folks…), and we waited 10 minutes for the next train because we’d missed the first one by about 30 seconds. =)

So, on the train we go! We knew we needed to switch at St. Michel/Notre-Dame station, but when we got there, it was unbelievably unclear which train to take! We asked a couple of people, and they told us a couple of different things, neither of which was right. There was a big board showing all the train stations, and in anticipation of the next train, the stations where it would be stopping had a light come on next to the name of the station. None of the trains appeared to be going to the airport! As it was, we decided to push our luck and take the advice of someone who seemed to know what they were talking about and go to another station (one that’s busier, where we thought we’d have more luck getting clearer direction). At that station, we encountered people with red jackets and nametags, seeming to be train station employees. Surely they would know!

The guy we talked to said we’d need to take a train to a station several stops away and take a shuttle to the airport from there. Seemed easy enough. By now we’d used up nearly two hours of our time, and we were getting nervous! So we got on the designated train, fretted about the fact we had NO idea how long the train or the shuttle would take, and got off at the end of the line with everyone else—apparently the other travelers were in the same boat as us and just as uncertain of where to go or what to do! Thank heavens for my iPhone. I was able to get to my check-in e-mail with the flight info in it—boarding time, flight number, terminal, etc. We squeezed into the shuttle with what seemed like 200 of our closest friends and all their luggage. The shuttle took about 20 minutes or so, and the driver was so very slow! An Air France stewardess allowed us to strike up a conversation with her. She was also late for her flight, and we asked her if she could tell us the fastest way to get to terminal 2G. When we told her what flight we were on and what time it would leave, she got this stricken look on her face and said, “Oh. I think you miss your flight.”

Great.

She also said we needed to take a bus, then a train, then a shuttle to the terminal. WHAT?! We were at the airport already, waiting to get off the shuttle, and we needed to take how many more modes of transportation? I thought Europe was supposed to be efficient! Apparently not at the Paris Charles De Gaulle airport!

When the bus driver FINALLY opened the doors to let us off the shuttle (at 8:20), Bianca and I sprinted into the building and tried as we might to find the next step in our sojourn. This is where things begin to run together for me! Bianca’s small rolling suitcase was quite the hindrance to her, and at one point we were both holding it and running together, but that didn’t last long. We decided if I could run ahead and hold things up for her, that would be best. So I ran ahead. I think we asked someone where to go, and the pointed us toward the shuttle to Terminal 2G, and somewhere in there we asked the lady at the information desk if she could call our gate and tell them we were there and enroute to the plane. Of course she said that was “not possible,” which is what I expected, but it still got on our nerves! We ran to the shuttle, Bianca told him we were about to miss our flight, but he didn’t seem to notice we’d said anything, much less hurry to the terminal.

Confession: Were the situation reversed, I would absolutely be thinking, “Too bad, you should have been early like everyone else, then you wouldn’t be in this situation. Your emergency is not my problem.” I will be more sympathetic in the future, starting now.

So, we finally got to Terminal 2G. We made it! Now we needed to check in and go through security. The attendant helping people check in was the kindest person we’d encountered all day! We tried to use the barcode in the e-mail on my iPhone to check in, but it kept on not working, so she let us through! At the security check, they let us go through the priority checkpoint, again, letting us go through even though the barcode wasn’t scanning properly. (The lady was obviously not happy about it, but thankfully she gave into peer pressure from the others who took pity on us poor, frenzied girls!) I got through the metal detector fine, but needed to be reminded to take off my scarf and coat (you don’t have to take off your shoes for all flights in Europe). Bianca set off the alarm with her shoes, so she had to come back through and put those on the conveyor belt. My bag had to be screened and searched because I forgot to take out my liquids (which you don’t always have to do, but apparently that’s a sticking point for European airports!), so that slowed us down a bit.

When Bianca and I FINALLY recombobulated ourselves, we once again sprinted in the direction people were pointing. We found out from a nice person who works for Air France that we needed to go to gate 21. So off we went! Bianca hollered for me to go ahead and hold the plane. I hollered back that I’d do my best! Running, running, running. Turn the corner into another hallway. Running, running, running. Running on the moving walkway. “Pardon!” I exclaimed in my best French accent. Running, running, running. Running on another moving walkway. Running, running, running. Too many people; running beside the moving walkway. Turn the corner. Down another hallway? Running, running, running. Another hallway! Running, running, sweating, running. I saw people coming up a hallway that I was running down, and I thought surely they were coming directly from this fabled gate that was supposed to be coming any moment now. But as I spied yet another hallway, I couldn’t stop the exasperated and LOUD sign of frustration that emanated from my weary self.

Running, running, running! Must keep going! Must stop the plane!

At long last, I made it to Gate 21! Forget the escalator, I flew down the stairs! Upon arriving, winded, at Gate 21, the gate attendants there calmly said not to worry. Not to worry? Ok. Breathless, I looked up behind me and saw Bianca hurrying down the stairs. We’d made it! The attendant tried to scan our tickets using my iPhone, but again, it wasn’t working! I don’t think we ever actually checked in, but they let us through anyway! Whew!

When Bianca and I finally sat on the plane, we looked at the time—8:34. Six minutes to spare! Woohoo! We laughed in relief and disbelief. We made it!

What an adventurous end to a fun-filled Parisian adventure! Lesson learned: Pay double the price of the train and take the direct shuttle from your hotel to the airport. =) 

Déjà vu: Paris, Day Two!

First things first: Pictures! 

Walking through Paris, I got the strangest case of déja vu, as if I'd seen it all before. And then I remembered... I have seen it! Before it was only in movies and visual descriptions from books and friends' accounts of visits to this city. But now, I'm actually here! Bianca and I began our second day in Paris with a lovely in-room breakfast of yogurt, cheese, bread and pineapple juice, and took a couple of apples and sandwiches with us to go. Ready or not, there we were! Thankfully, the rain didn’t start right away. We made it through until around noonish before the rain came.

We’d planned to go on a walking tour of Parisian landmarks, but even with my iPhone’s GPS and a map, we still had a tough time finding the Opera House where the group was supposed to meet! Along the way, we were confronted by a couple of rude and uppity French folks (I see where they get their reputation, but these people were really the exception more than the rule), walked around a giant Ferris wheel, and looked on dumbfounded at the confusing maze of Parisian roads—it was nuts! Oh, and a man with stopped us and tried to give us what looked like a gold wedding ring someone had lost. It was, of course, a scam to try to make us give him money. We figured it out quickly, though, and went along on our merry way! By the time we got to the Opera House, we were about thirty minutes late, and the group had already gone far enough off that we couldn’t find them. Oh well—there was loads to see on our own!

Looking at the map, we made our plan: follow Boulevard Haussmann back to the Arc de Triomphe, walk down the Champs Elysees (which is like PA Avenue in DC—the main street with a significant monument in the middle of it!), take pictures in front of the Louvre, and make our way to Notre Dame! Will we make it? Come along with us and find out!

So, once we figured out which road was Haussman, we began our trek. After a few minutes of walking we came to a traffic circle that didn’t seem to match up exactly. Oh well. We found Haussman again and went about our business. Again, we stumbled upon a traffic circle. Again, things didn’t seem to match up, but we found our way. Again with the traffic circle… And at long last, we found it! The Arc de Triomphe! It DOES exist! Bianca didn’t want to go up, but I sure did! It was 8.50 Euro well worth it! (Approximately $11.) Though it was overcast and beginning to drizzle, the view from the top was spectacular! The Arc is tremendous—maybe about 20 stories high or so. It’s much bigger than I thought it would be, and you can’t cross the busy traffic circle to get to it. You must take the underground tunnel, which I think it pretty neat! I climbed all the way to the top, which is 284 steps up one side of the Arc, and 284 steps down the other side (they are pretty good about pedestrian traffic flow at these Parisian monuments, actually). The view from the top was misty and lovely! I could see all around Paris from a bit of a different vantage point than the Eiffel Tower—which I could also see from where I stood. What’s funny about that is the day was so cloudy, only the bottom 2/3 of the Eiffel Tower showed; the rest was up in the clouds! Kind of mystical, if you ask me. And since you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’ve asked. =)

Onward! Back down I went to meet up with Bianca. She’d already eaten her sandwich, so I took my cue from her and began chowing down on mine as well. Under the traffic circle we went, popped up on the other side, and began our misty stroll down the world famous Champs Elysees! We saw many expensive stores, but the only store we stopped in was not all that expensive… and they were selling treats. =) Bianca and I needed something to warm us up (and to use the restroom!), so we each got a hot drink (Bianca a macchiato, I a chocolat chaud) and a snack. Bianca’s brownie looked delicious, and my chocolate-covered, chocolate-filled éclair was divine! I felt quite Parisian. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if the day were warm and dry enough to sit outside on the sidewalk!

After our break, we set out yet again. We met up with the big Ferris wheel and a pretty fountain, in which someone was walking around looking for something, and we realized we had it in our sights—the Louvre! No, we didn’t feel the need to go inside. We were perfectly happy to take pictures from the outside and say we’ve been there!

Next up, Notre Dame Cathedral! Along the way we stopped to mail some postcards and look in a couple of windows at the shops along the road. We walked over a bridge called Pont des Arts (“Bridge of the Arts”), which is famous for its padlocked sides. People come from all over the world with their significant others and hook a padlock to the wires on either side of the bridge. Some had their names written on their locks in sharpie, and others actually had their names engraved on them. From there, we look up and down the River Seine—quite lovely, even in the cold gray January day!

Keep it up! We looked around and followed signs for Notre Dame, but we couldn’t seem to find it! We found a tower with gargoyles on it, but that wasn’t it. We walked past the Bastille, and then… there it was! Looming above the street in its medieval magnificence. Unfortunately, new bells are being installed, so things were a bit of a construction-type mess, but most of it could be viewed. The Cathedral began being built in 1163 (can you imagine?), and took 200 years to complete. This year marks the 850^th year!

We walked right in, just as it started raining again—perfect timing! We walked around the grand cathedral, looking at the stained glass windows and statues. A few minutes into our visit, a mass started, so we got to see the church officials (I’d say their titles, but I might be wrong!) walk in procession to a place for prayer, and then into the place where everyone participating in the mass was seated. We didn’t stay for the whole thing, but it was interesting to see a mass in Notre Dame!

And up we went! Yes, up to the top again! Can you tell I like high places? Bianca went up with me this time. I bought a copy (in English) of Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (originally titled Notre-Dame de Paris, or Our Lady of Paris) because I can’t think of a better way to remember the experience! And it’ll keep me occupied on my flights home next weekend. =) We took the winding staircases up to the first lookout point, and we both thought that was it. We got up-close and personal with some gargoyles and took some nice pictures, but then, on our way down, we realized there was another staircase up! I’d forgotten that someone told me there was a second staircase, so it was like a big surprise! (There are 402 steps total, by the way.) The view from there was even better than the one below! They’ve put panels up there with lines from the book; lines about the streets and skyline of Paris in 1482. Hard to imagine now, but if you squint, you can almost see it! Quasimodo was in hiding, however. I’ll have to look for him again next time!

And down we went. There is only one set of steps to the tip-top of the bell tower, so it was interesting maneuvering around people going the opposite direction! Going down was a lot easier than going up, let me tell you! The staircases were all spiral, and I’m not sure how old the actual stairs are, but they definitely had the marks of years of wear—850? Perhaps!

And now to find a snack and be on our way! We stopped at a fabulous-looking sweet shop so Bianca could get an éclair. I waited patiently for my turn and planned on getting a couple of the macaroons. And I waited. I took my money out so they’d get the hint I was ready to buy something. And I waited. Five minutes later, I told Bianca we could go—if they don’t want my money, I don’t want to give it to them! Again with the realization of a French sterotype.

We decided to take the metro to the Hotel de Invalides, where Napoleon is buried. We had lost track of time up at Notre Dame, so we didn’t make it in time. That’s something for the next trip! We at least made it to the building, which is worth seeing itself! And then it was time for dinner. We decided on crepes!

After Bianca made fun of the way I say “crepe” (I say it like a Southern girl, “crape,” but Bianca thought it sounded like “crap.” HA!), we walked in the direction of our hotel and asked a man working at a shop where we could get good crepes. He was very kind and even introduced himself and complimented me on my pronunciation of “Bonjour!” He pointed is in the right direction and we found a creperie! Oddly, it was run by a Turkish guy, but the crepes tasted very French and were quite delicious! Bianca got one that looked yummy. It had cheese and tomatoes, maybe? I don’t remember what all was in it, but it smelled good! I got one with ham and French cheese. Maybe they were delicious, and maybe we were just super hungry from all the walking. Either way, we were pleased! We even both got dessert crepes, too. Bianca got a nutella crepe, and I got the one with chestnut butter, which I’d never had before. It was delicious!

Full and warm, we decided it was high time to hit the hay! The hotel room was small—though not as small as the elevator!—maybe about 12 feet x 12 feet. The beds were narrower than twin beds, but plenty comfortable enough for us! I loved the décor: framed winter scenes from France and Switzerland, wooden and carved furniture (headboards, armoire, chair, and a small desk), even the funny red-and-green Christmas tree drapes and bed comforter seemed to fit in with the theme! Bianca and I were both pleasantly surprised to see that our beds had been made and toiletries had been replaced—that doesn’t happen often (as in, not ever) in the budget accommodations I’ve stayed in previously! Having our own bathroom was nice, too! The shower full-sized (not just a stall or something super tiny), and the showerhead was detachable as opposed to the standard stationary ones I think most Americans are used to, which is typical in Europe and other parts of the world. The bathroom itself was tiled and all white, no frills. Something I like about European efficiency: stackability! Under our sink was a stool, and under that was a small trashcan. This may seem like an insignificant detail, but in what looked to be a 4-5 foot wide x 8-ish foot long bathroom, anything that takes up more room than a sink, toilet, and shower needs to be out of the flow of traffic. If at all possible, things should be stacked! These are little nuances we don’t see as often in America!

So then it was bedtime! Bianca and I needed to get up at 5:00 so we could make our plane the next morning, but that is an entirely different adventure. One to be recounted in the next post!

Thanks for coming along with us! 

Paris! Day One, More to Come!

Because everyone loves them: PICTURES

Bonjour de Paris! (Hello from Paris!) This is my first time ever in Paris--my travel mate Bianca and I are drinking in every moment! We flew in from Basel Switzerland this morning, and we're already pooped from just one afternoon!

First things first, I'm staying with my Swiss family for a couple of weeks, just in case you're wondering what in the world I'm doing flitting around Europe like this. I decided on this trip I wanted to take a day or two and go up to Paris. I'd never been before, and I've had this marvelous dream all my life of going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Scratch that one off the bucket list!

Anyway, I've been staying with the Steinhauers the last few days. Dan and Margrit Steinhauer got up with me this, and fixed me breakfast, made sandwiches for Bianca and me to have for lunch, dropped me off at the train station, and helped me find Bianca so I'd get on the correct train car. These people are amazing--hospitality got its reputation from these folks!

So, Bianca and I took the train to the bus, the bus to the airport, an Air France plane from Basel to Paris, a shuttle to the train terminal in the airport, a train from the Paris airport (CDG), switched trains, and walked to the hotel--whew! We had minimal (but some) difficulty getting the right train ticket to the city center, but we made it! It sounds a lot more complicated than it was. ;) Added bonus of taking the train in Paris: performers. We had an accordion player and a singer get on and perform for tips at different times on our train ride!

Bianca and I checked into our hotel and squeezed into THE tiniest elevator I've ever experienced in my life! It was about two feet wide and maybe 4-5 feet deep. It was hysterical fitting ourselves in it! I'm glad we packed LIGHT! Our room is adorable. We have a private room AND bathroom, which is WAY more than I can boast about some of the places I've stayed! And the best part is we're a 10 minute walk from La Tour Eiffel--the Eiffel Tower! So guess where we went first...

All we had to do was look up and we could easily find out way to the Tower. I was so excited, I could hardly stand it! While we waited in line for tickets, I looked at the Eiffel Tower app I put on my phone before my trip (yes, I certainly did!), and I read some of the facts aloud for Bianca and me, and whomever else around us may have wanted--or not wanted--to listen. We got our tickets (best 14 Euro I've spent EVER), and made our way up! Unfortunately, you can't walk all the way up, but they have really hefty elevators that take you up on a diagonal instead of vertical. We got up to the first stop off and took pictures all the way around. Even just being 57 storeys up was a thrill! But there was more to see!

So up, up, up and away we flew (in the safe confines of the elevator), to the tippy tippy top of one of the most famous, most visited attractions in the entire world. The view was stunning! We could see the Louvre, the Arc de Triumph, Notre Dame, the Champs Elysee, the Seine River, everything. I can't wait to explore it all tomorrow! Bianca and I decided to splurge for ourselves and feel very important, so we ordered hot drinks and looked out on the River Seine like Parisians in the movies! She got a cappuccino, and I got a chocolat chaud (sho-co-la shu, for those of us who don't speak a lick-a French!), which is simply the most lovely hot chocolate you could every imagine. =)

After our stint with Mr. Eiffel, We walked down the Champs de Mars, then decided to find something else closeby before the evening got too dark. Meeting with zero success--although we met a lovely Frenchman who showed us how to move the map down so I could see it with my short self--we went to the grocery store and got some food for tonight and in the morning. I love going to the grocery wherever I am in the world!

Armed with enough food to get us through till lunch tomorrow, we started back to the hotel. As we talked and walked down the street, we both stopped dead in our tracks and gasped!

Because THAT is what we saw! It truly took my breath away. I honestly think nothing is pretty on a gray day, which is exactly what today was. Everything kind of looked dead and wet and, well, sad. But I was determined to make the most of it. And then seeing this as we rounded a corner made the whole trip magical! I don't usually use that word to describe things, but that's the only word I could think of as Bianca and I both gaped at the sight!

And after that we got lost. Yes, lost in Paris. Another of my favorite pastimes when traveling--getting lost the first day! Oh well. We found our way! I even had time to upload photos, blog, Skype with my parents and my mom's school kids, and eat my yummy French in-room supper. It was a good day, that's for sure! And now I'm pooped. Also for sure! 

Bonne nuit! (Good night!) Au revoir! (Goodbye!)

Manatees to Mermaids to Manatees Again!

Here are pictures from the weekend!

Hello, all my faithful readers! As mentioned in the last post, we got to meet some mermaids Sunday afternoon! After church that morning, Michael and I met up with Meredith to embark on a wonderful undersea adventure: Weeki Wachee Springs State Park! This is something to get excited about, folks… Mermaids swim here!

Weeki Wachee Springs is a beautiful, clear, freshwater spring where wildlife such as manatees, sea turtles, otters, sea plants and more live and play. Not only that, it’s the deepest freshwater spring in North America, going far down to depths of over 400 feet!

Weeki Wachee Springs has been a roadside attraction since 1947. A man named Newton Perry, who trained Navy SEALS to swim under water in WWII, invented an underwater breathing apparatus there at Weeki Wachee after his run in the Navy. He did a lot of work with people in Hollywood—so anything you see from the 40s and for many decades after that involves water, Newton Perry had a hand in!—but he also wanted to bring people to Weekie Wachee. He began hiring girls to perform underwater shows as mermaids!

Back in the day before Facebook, Twitter and other forms of mass communication, mermaid girls did their own marketing! They would stand on the side of the road in their bathing suits and wave to people so they’d come watch the show.  Even if they just had one audience member, the girls would give it their all and perform their very best show! Bear in mind that the water is 74.2 degrees year round. That sounds pretty nice, but that’s more than 20 degrees below body temperature! Too much time there in the water, and you’ll get pretty chilly! The mermaids only do shows for 30 minutes at a time. The three of us saw two shows that afternoon: one about the history of the park and showcase of what all the mermaids can do, and the other was Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid!

In the first show, we saw what the mermaids can do and how they do it. The girls have be able to swim of course, and then they have to go through a year of training and be able to hold their breath for a very long time. The breathing apparatuses are the same design that Newton Perry came up with in the 1940s. The whole show takes place under water, so of course the girls need to be able to breathe sometime within that 30 minutes. They can hold their breath for a while, but certainly not half an hour! Anyway, the things look like microphones, so it’s a pretty clever little device. They’d take a breath, but it looked more like they were singing or speaking into a microphone.

In addition to just being in the water for 30 minutes at minimum, they have to be able to swim down, down, down to at least 117 feet (12 stories) using the breathing tool, and then come up without taking in any air! The girl we saw made it up in around 2 minutes, maybe less, but then she started doing flips and swimming around until she absolutely needed air--2 minutes and 38 seconds later! It was quite impressive! 

And then it was time for a break between shows! We wandered around the park for a bit, and we took a little boat tour around the Springs. The tour guide was a HOOT! He had a fabulous Southern accent and just cracked everyone up with his laid-back humor. He pointed out all kinds of wildlife and plants and told us interesting facts about them. They said manatees and larger animals like them make their way into Weeki Wachee from the Gulf of Mexico--several miles away! 

After the boat ride, we made sure to hit up all the photo ops, including this one! 

And this one! 

Yes, we had FAR too much fun! =) But is anyone surprised? 

And then came the main event... Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid! The show was such fun. Of course it was only 30 minutes and didn't go along with the version by Disney, but it was even better because, well, there were real mermaids playing the parts! 

There's the mermaid princess doing her thing! And yes, those fish swimming around are real! Such fun! The princess went up to the surface to see what it's like, and there was a terrible storm! A handsom prince fell into the water, and the princess, of course, gave him the breath of life so he could swim and breathe underwater as well! He had to go back to his world, however, and the princess was very sad. She heard that the sea witch could help her get legs and go up to the surface to find her prince! 

Sure enough, the sea witch did as the princess asked... but she took the princess' beautiful voice in exchange! The princess found her prince, but she also needed to go back to her own world as well. The prince and the sea witch fought because he wanted to be with the princess forever, and the prince won! He and the princess lived happily ever after, with legs, above the water. Hooray! 

And that was that! Afterward, we went to a place called Neon Leon's for supper. I got to have gator AND frog's legs for the first time! It was all kinds of delicious. =) 

The next morning, Meredith and I went kayaking out on Crystal River to see some more wildlife before I needed to leave for the airport. I'm so thankful for my newfound friend! I didn't have to bother Michael the whole morning, and he didn't have to take off work to take me to the airport! I made it to my flight just in time and jetted back to DC. I had so much fun in Florida! If any of you would like to go for a manatee swim, let me know and we'll go visit my friend Mike! 

Telling Manatee Tails...

Greetings from Crystal River, FL! Things were getting a little chilly up in DC, so I cleverly scheduled a trip down to sunny Florida for December!

Well, there was a bit more motivation than that. My friend Michael, whom many of you from the DC area know, manages a manatee refuge down here for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. I came down to visit with him a bit... and to swim with MANATEES! And yes, I named one Barbara. =)

For your viewing and listening pleasure, enjoy the video here: Barbara Manatee Song--Veggie Tales

Pictures will follow soon, but here is the adventurous tale!

First of all, it's important to know that manatees are mammals. They have hair, and they breathe air through their noses. They are also appropriately nicknamed "Sea Cows." The mamas and babies are even called "cows" and "calves!" Many manatees like to come to the hot springs in Crystal River, FL, in the winter time because it's warmer here than in the open sea. It's also their mating season, and this is a nice, calm place for them to rest and start raising their calves.

There are several places where the manatees mate and hide out for the winter around here. Michael, his co-worker and friend Tracy and I went to Three Sisters Springs and Kings Springs today because we thought we'd have the best luck at seeing manatees there. Michael has taken me to Three Sisters Springs to swim on a previous trip here about 2 1/2 years ago, but mating season was already finished by then, so I didn't get to see any. This time, I deliberately scheduled my trip to coincide with the best time of year to see them! It's been warm down here (well, warm for FL in November), so there weren't a lot of manatees to see, but there were enough to give me a thrill! The three of us met at Michael's office this morning around 8:00 to suit up and head out to Three Sisters Springs.

Step 1: Wetsuit. This was the hardest part of all! I'd tried one on yesterday, with great struggle, mind you! Michael said it was supposed to be tight and uncomfortable, so as long as I could breathe, I was good to go! It was no easier to get the thing on (or off for that matter!) this morning, but it was totally worth it!

Step 2: Driving to Three Sisters. About five minutes away. Requires no other explanation. ;)

Step 3: Getting in! The water felt very warm to me, thank goodness! My feet are too small for any of the flippers from Michael's office, so I didn't have to worry about that. The only other accessories I needed were the mask and snorkel. I said the wetsuit was hard, but really the mask gave me the most trouble!

Step 4: Here we go! Again with my smallness, the mask was a little too big, even on the shortest strap adjustment. I kept getting water in the mask, and it didn't help that I'm completely inept at only breathing in and out my mouth! I'll get to more of that later so we can all have a good laugh at my expense! =)

Onward and outward! Michael and Tracy showed me where to look, and the first time I stuck my face in the water... a manatee swam just a few feet from me! I'd only seen manatees at zoos, in movies and once at a manatee rescue place here in Crystal River, but I never knew how graceful and majestic they could be until today! It's really amazing what those big, awkward sea cows can do and how they move! Things were going along pretty well for a while. The manatees would be sitting on the bottom, looking like rocks, and then--they'd move! It looked like big boulders rolling around and creeping along the bottom.

Then disaster started... My face is too small, and I discovered I am utterly inept at breathing exclusively through my mouth! I'd be going right along, all excited to be swimming next to manatees, and then air would begin to push through my silly nose! Air bubbles went out of the mask, water came into the mask, my mask started fogging up... But I made the most of my time with what I had! Michael said there weren't many manatees and they weren't very interactive, but I was overjoyed just to be there!

Anyway, back to the moving rock-cows! So, how could I tell a rock from a manatee? Simple... the tail! Their tails are a very distinct shape (hence the title of the blog: "Telling Manatee Tales"), and when coming up on a manatee, for some reason that was the thing I noticed first when deciding what it was I was seeing ahead. Occasionally Michael or Tracey would point out some manatees to me, either resting along the bottom or swimming slowly, gracefully along. I ended up just holding my nose much of the time, since that was really all that would ensure I DIDN'T try to breathe in and out my nose and would help me stay still.

As I floated along, holding my nose, I saw a manatee out of the corner of my eye. It rose itself, floated effortlessly to the surface, stuck its nostrils out to breathe, and let itself back down again. It sort of pulled itself up from the middle--not head first, as a person might do, and not with sweeping fin or tail movements as one might expect, just slowly, elegantly, naturally. The movement was so much more palatial than that, but I hope that gives you an idea!

We also saw several mamas and babies (cows and calves) swimming together or resting together. Michael said they're 60 pounds at birth, but these were definitely larger babies than that! After a while, I think Michael felt sorry for me and my foggy, leaky-masked self, so he said we'd go back and try a different mask and a different spring where there might be more manatees. I had started to get cold, so I was ok with moving on! We loaded back up in the SUV and went back to Michael's office.

I did, in fact, find a better-fitting mask and hoped for the best! One of the interns, Dan, was in the office this morning, and we asked him to come along as well. The four of us got in a boat this time and set out on another manatee search!

Now, I'll just be honest with you. I was cold, and I was getting hungry, and I thought, "Would it be rude and ungrateful if I asked if this one could be a short trip?" But I'm glad I kept my mouth shut because this was the better of our two swims!

The water was a bit murkier there at Kings Springs, but my mask didn't leak at all! I even did a good job of keeping my airflow exclusively through my mouth! There was another manatee tour going on with several other people, but this time there were enough manatees to go around! It took longer for me to see them, but again, I just looked for the tails! These cows were ok with getting close, too!

Michael and I were swimming next to each other, and he pointed over to my left and there--was a manatee! He was gliding by, lickety-split and fast-like, and I let out a little squeal of surprise! Of course Michael laughed at me, but I was delighted enough that I didn't care! The thing that really amazed me is how fast they can go without seeming to do any work with their fins until they just absolutely HAVE to! And it's as if they create no stir in the water at all. There'd be one swimming literally inches from me, and I wouldn't even notice a change in the water around me at all.

At one point, one was coming right toward me! I knew we're not really supposed to touch them, but they can touch us if they want. I stayed still until it was right up next to me, it grazed me, and then I started flipping out a little bit. I didn't want to touch it and scare it, nor did I want to get pushed out of the way and possibly hurt (those things are HUGE!), so in my attempt to quietly and calmly move away, I think I scared him! =( But apparently he's a lot braver than I, because he came back by me! Michael let me know it's ok if I touched the manatee, so I did! Their skin is a lot tougher than I thought it would be--a different texture entirely! It reminded me of leather, very rough, gray leather. His face got really close to me, and so I started trying to stay away again--it didn't help that I was drifting toward the restricted area with the water as well--and I think I scared him off for good. Sad day! But I definitely got to swim up-close and personal with some impressive sea cattle!

We swam around a bit longer and saw a few more manatees. Some rolled over, others scratched on real rocks, several even came up to breathe just feet away--and I had no idea they were even so close to us under there! I hope that if ever you get an inkling to swim with manatees, you'll do it! I know just the place!

So that was our big adventure! We went back to the office to change out of the wetsuits and dry off (again, the wetsuits was as difficult to get off as it was to get on!), then went to a local pizza and pasta place called Natalia's for a hearty lunch! Pictures to follow.

Oh, and tomorrow's adventure involves PROFESSIONAL MERMAIDS!!!!!! Stay tuned!

Adventure Whit

An Evening of Food, Folklore and Faeries... Exclusively at the Brazen Head, Dublin!

Saturday night's activity was the very best of the trip, in my humble opinion! We made it to the Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Dublin, dating from 1195, just in time to get to our seats and place our orders. Helena, the storyteller, greeted us and was just a delight right off the bat! We were seated by the fire in the corner, but we had no trouble seeing from our spot. I was happy to be by the fireside, myself, even though a couple of the waitstaff said they could turn it down if we got too warm. After such chilly weather, I was happy to be warm and toasty for the next three hours!

Just a few minutes after the 7:00 start time, Helena rang a little bell to get our attention. She explained the schedule of things—stories, food, stories, food and music, stories—and told us the types of things she’d be talking about: food, Irish culture, the world through Ireland’s eyes, and the “truth” about faeries and the legends of Old World Ireland. All that sounded good to me! Helena is a spectacular storyteller. She’s so entertaining and has an enchanting voice. She really made the experience special!

First up: Why is the potato so influential and prominent in Ireland and the Irish culture?

Irish folk

Ireland was the poorest country in Europe. Nearly all the land was owned by landlords, not be the people. Folks had to work very hard to earn enough money to pay rent and still feed and clothe their families at the end of the day. The crops most people grew took a lot of effort to plant, grow, and harvest, and people didn’t make much money off of these things. People were also rather unhealthy because they were not consuming enough food for energy in daily life. But when the humble potato was introduced in the 1790s, the Irish world changed for the better! In the span of just 50 years, Ireland’s population had move than doubled!

What was the magic? Well, potatoes can grow in most any type of soil—rocky, flat, hilly, whatever. They also LOVE rain… of which Ireland already had an overabundance! And the only tool you needed was a spade—no plow, no horse or donkey, no heavy machinery! One acre of potatoes could feed 6-8 people for an entire year. Your typical farmer himself was eating about 14 pounds of potatoes… PER DAY! People were finally getting the calories they so desperately needed to live, plenty of potassium and they could sell all these potatoes to pay their rent and still have enough to clothe their families!

The Irish got right creative with their potatoes. They would make boxty, potato cakes, colcannon, and other interesting concoctions and mixtures to change up the flavor of the potatoes and add bulk to their other forms of nourishment. They’d put potatoes in their stews; mix them with cabbage, onions and butter; make bread out of it, etc.

Things were going along great for a while. The people in Ireland thought the faeries were all happy with them… until August of 1845. The potato blight came to Ireland. Know what happens in a potato blight? Potatoes rot in the ground. And you and can smell it. People didn’t know why this was happening. Were the faeries upset with the people of Ireland? People thought a volcano had erupted underground. Priests took holy water out to the fields and tried to fix the situation, but nothing helped. By 1847 (called “Black ‘47”), hunger was taking its toll, and diseases such as cholera and various fevers were spreading rampantly.

Many Irish felt they had no choice but to emigrate. Most went to the States or Canada in what they would call “coffin ships.” Whenever someone died onboard the ship, they had to be buried at sea. Once the survivors made it to America, they had a hard time integrating, especially in the larger cities. America was largely a Protestant nation, and the Catholic faith the Irish brought with them was seen as a threat to the American way of life. Also, the Irish spoke Gaelic, not English—or at least not much of it. But they made their way! There are currently around 17 million Irish and people of Irish descent all over the world—they say the biggest Irish export is people!

And then we had our appetizers. I had the fish cake, which I thought would be like a crab cake. It sort of was, but it was thicker and included lots of different sea creatures, not just crab—and of course potatoes!

 Fish cake with sweet marinara-cocktail sauce

And now, on to the faeries!

When things happen that people don't understand, the human mind begins to fill the void--or make things up. =) That's where the faeries come in for the Irish. The faeries live in the underworld, which is an idyllic place to live. The faeries controlled everything, and they were not necessarily good people--they were to be feared! 

This is what the Irish people believed, and to a degree some still do, until St. Patrick came in to teach them about Catholicism around the 5th century. When that happened, people used to explain the Biblical accounts and facts using faery tales, as a way to find common ground with these people. 

There are two types of faeries: trooping and solitary. Trooping faeries move around and can take on any shape or form--including that of a person! Mostly they do this on Samhain (pronounced "sah-wen"), which is Halloween! So obviously, children in old Ireland do NOT go out on Halloween--they don't want to be caught in the path of a faery who could take them away! 

Solitary faeries pretty much keep to themselves. Leprechauns are this type of faery! Their job is to make shoes for faeries and to guard their treasure. Crafty leprechauns are known to encourage drinking and gambling. But we know them today as happy, jovial little people who wear green all the time and lead people to their pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. =)

Other faeries to be feared are the banshee and the pucah. Ever heard the term "screamin' like a banshee?" That expression came from Ireland and alludes to the fact that banshees wail and scream when they're about to steal someone away with death! The pucah is an evil of a different sort. He hangs out in the pubs. When men finish drinking at the pub and start home for the night, the pucah will take him and carry him away for hours! So when the man went stumbling home at 5:00am the next morning, he blamed it on the pucah's magic! Another thing about faeries is that they like little boys. And by like, I mean they take them away! So, the Irish tended to dress their little boys in dresses to look like little girls to fool the faeries!

So, faeries live in the underworld, but they come up to Earth on occasion. Where do they stay during that time? In faery trees and faery forts, of course! People do NOT build homes or other buildings on a faery fort or tree. Some have tried, but there are even recent accounts of terrible things happening. When DeLorean built a car plant on property where there was a faery fort, it failed! Others have built homes on faery forts and had the houses burn down or have other bad things happen like that. Once, when the government wanted to build a road clear through a faery tree, the people of Ireland protested! Helena described the out come of the road, "Straight, straight, straight. Around the tree. Straight, straight, straight." When asked if they believe in faeries, some Irish folk will say, "No, but they're there anyway." Ha!

And then it was time for our entrees and dessert! =)

Irish Stew

Apple Pie

Yes, it was as delicious as it looked, and less blurry. =) Sorry, my camera doesn't do darkness well! 

anyway, back to the final stories and songs. During our lovely dinner, a duo or Irish instrumentalists and singers came in to entertain us! They played traditional Irish songs and had us all playing games and clapping during the meal, without being intrusive. =) It was such fun! 

Back to the storytelling! Helena informed us that, as we may have already figured out, the Irish didn't just kiss the Blarney Stone, they swallowed it! They have a love of conversation and stories, which has been spread with them throughout the world. Winter has always been the best time to tell stories because of the cold, short days. Sitting in front of the fire is the perfect place for telling stories, as the fire is the spark of the family. As a matter of fact, the family fire was never extinguished. It burned low throughout the night, then was stoked in the morning. Even when the Irish decided to emigrate, they would take embers from their family fire and share it with neighbors, as if to keep the family going in the hearts and homes of their friends. She told us a few other Irish tales that kept us entertained, then sang a beautiful version of Van Morrison's sing, "Irish Heartbeat," dedicated to her sister and other Irish who have emigrated throughout the world and would like to come home. 

It was wonderful! I would highly recommend the evening to ANYONE visiting Dublin! The food was fabulous, the stories and music were such fun, and Helena was just fabulous! I'm not sure how many other storytellers they have, but I'm sure it's incredible every time! Helena left us only after we promised her one thing: that we would all go home and tell stories. She said everyone heard her telling the same stories, but all of us had different pictures in our heads. Everyone has an individual imagination! 

That'll be no problem for me... as you well know by now! I hope you've thoroughly enjoyed our Irish adventures! Where will QuickWhit turn up next? I'm open to suggestions! Wherever it is, I hope you'll join me always!

Dublin Day Two and the Journey Home!

Dublin Pictures are HERE! 

Well, I’m a bit behind, but here’s Sunday’s account!

Sunday morning, my friend’s friend, Angela, swung by with a cab to pick us up for church. I knew Angela via my friend Andrea, who studied in Dublin last year. It was nice to finally meet in person! Meeting and worshipping with Christians in other countries and seeing their dedication is one of my favorite things about traveling, as well as one of the most encouraging things I can do!

Their worship service was very nice one. Some differences I noticed were that they only stood to pray, and they stood each time they prayed; and they sang in unison, not with harmony or in parts. Neither of these things is better or worse than any other service I’ve been to, just different! The sermon was on baptism, and the preacher hit on a few points I hadn’t heard in a while. The people there are a tremendous encouragement because their beliefs are so different from those of their families, friends, coworkers, and others around them. There are few, if any, “second generation” members—meaning that most everyone was converted on their own from their previous religion to the understanding they have today. I spoke with a few people afterward and got an idea of their perspective and experiences. Everyone was so friendly and really liked having visitors!

We caught a ride with one of the members back to our hotel—quite the wild ride full of laughs!—and off we went to explore Dublin one last time! We’d decided to split up for a few hours and then come back together to eat dinner. Matt explored some of the sights we didn’t get to the day before and took pictures all around, especially at Trinity College, and Cherie and I went to the National Leprechaun Museum!

Yes, the Leprechaun Museum. It sounds corny, and it was wonderfully so! I’d really wanted to go, but knew my companions may not be as interested. The museum is geared toward children for the most part, but I was really interested int he legends and the stories. Our guide was a fabulous storyteller! The first room is full of written accounts of Leprechauns and scenes from movies pictured on the walls. There are also "artifacts" referring to Leprechauns from around the world--figurines, Lucky Charms (which they don't sell in Ireland, I was told!), copies of stories of leprechauns, etc. 

Apparently, Leprechauns were not all that prominent in Ireland for centuries. Most of the legends and such from Ireland are a bit dark and unhappy, actually! Faeries are to be feared, the Banshee is out to bring death, giants are, well, gigantic and can squish you with one missed step! But the little Leprechaun, he's a nice and right jolly fella! When Irish emigrants began spreading throughout the world, and especially in America, they didn't want to put their homeland in a dark, scary, sinister light. They began to tell (and make up!) stories of the Leprechaun, which literally translates to "little person" in Gaelic. They are happy little folks, about 1/3 the size of a normal person! They are the designated shoemakers for the faeries, who loved to dance and would dance for hours on end--wearing out their shoes and needing more! 

Since the Leprechauns were so well-employed making shoes, they have lots of money--hence their pot o' gold, which leprechauns actually kept their gold buried in undisclosed places and not at the end of a rainbow. There's one story where a lazy farmer discovered a leprechaun working away on some shoes and sitting on a toadstool on his property. He walked up and caught the little man from behind, demanding to be taken to the pot of gold! At first the leprechaun tried to distract the man and get away--if you look away from a leprechaun for even a fraction of a second, he'll disappear--but to no avail. Mr. Leprechaun had to take him to the gold. He led the farmer to a tree in the forrest where he'd hidden the gold, but unfortunately, the farmer didn't have a spade with him to dig into the ground and find the gold. He tied a red ribbon to the tree so he would know which one to go back to and told the leprechaun not to remove the ribbon. Mr. Leprechaun said sure, but leprechauns are very, VERY mischievous...

When the farmer returned, he knew the leprechaun would already be gone, which is why he'd left the ribbon on the tree. He didn't, however, think the leprechaun would be quite so crafty... Every tree in the forest now had a red ribbon tied to it! The lazy farmer wasn't about to dig up every tree, not even for a pot of gold! 

We heard lots of stories and "facts" about faeries and giants and leprechauns (oh my!), so after that we decided it was time for a little rest! Cherie and I found a little coffee shop with wifi and just relaxed for a bit until it was time to meet Matt for supper! We three finally found some great live Irish music in a pub called The Old Storehouse. I don't think we could have found any place more authentic with better atmosphere! 

After supper, it was time to say goodnight to Dublin one last time and go to the Hilton hotel next to the airport. We'd left our stuff with the front desk at the other hotel, so we took a cab there, picked it up, took the same cab to the other hotel, and checked ourselves in. Matt had the earliest flight, so he was already up and gone by the time Cherie and I got up about an hour later. 

I had a new experience on this trip that I liked a lot and was very thankful for... we got to clear customs in Dublin instead of waiting till we got back to the States! =) That made for much easier connections later on! I finally got into DC around 6:15 pm Monday night and am gradually adjusting back to DC time! 

More to come... I am still writing about the "Night of Food, Folklore and Faeries" because that evening deserves its very own post! Be on the lookout... ;)