venezia

Venice is a little over an hour away by plane and, if you keep an eye on flights, you can score a great deal. For hubby's b-day I thought I'd take a peek at Ryanair and see what I could find. I had my doubts about the airline because I have heard some bad things...but really, what airline doesn't have its crappy reviews? I booked a Tuesday 6:40 am flight out of Charleroi airport...it's a smaller airport just next to Brussels. I ended up paying 127 Euro for 2 round trip tickets that included taxes. I could have gotten it for 79 Euro but snoozed by a few days and the price went up. I have to say that our Ryanair experience was great. We didn't check any bags so it was a breeze. I picked up Ginette (our nanny) @ 3:45 and we were on the road by 4:15, arrived at 5, checked in, headed to the gate and were on the plane by 6:20. Ryanair isn't messing around...they want that "ontime arrival" status and when they get it, a recorded trumpet blasts the cabin with the start of a horse race theme and an Irishman announces "yet another ontime arrival with Ryanair...bal bla bla" It's pretty funny. We were hustled off the plane and onto the tarmac old school style practically high five-ing the passengers waiting to get on...I'm telling you...they are no joke with that ontime thing!

So we head straight to the ATVO counter where we purchased the roundtrip bus pass along with the 24 hour boat bus pass...for those who don't know... Venice is a walking city. No cars, bikes, skateboards...nothin'! The 30-70 minute bus ride (depending on traffic) takes you to the tip of the city and drops you off. You then hop on the ferry/pontoon and take it where you need to go.  Both tickets were about 60 Euro...to be honest the boat bus checked our ticket once and never again...a frugal risk taker might find a lesser priced boat pass a better choice. We weren't there for the sights...we were there for the city and to be together for a time - sans kids. Our plan was to locate a few internet recommended places to eat and our hotel. While we cruised the city looking for said spots we saw much of the backstreets and what I believe to be a very interesting tour of the city. Finding addresses in Venice is a treasure hunt...along the way we stopped and grabbed a little Venetian fast food (yummy salami on fresh baked bread) and walked while we ate.

We ran across many open markets & tons of shopping. There were shops loaded with things ranging from crazy Carnival masks & costumes, Murano glass, clothing & shoes and of course an "As seen on T.V." booth. Wine bars popped up every 2 steps in buildings that looked like art itself. Twisting streets and winding narrow alleys led us to one crazy beautiful thing after another along with tons of dead ends and a sense of being fantastically lost most of the day...but it was fun and very exciting when we did find what we were looking for.

Locanda Cavanella hotel was cheap (59 Euro) but we didn't get to stay there because when we arrived Esther (front desk gal or owner for all I know) told us the toilet wasn't working. Before I could get upset she very kindly walked us around the corner to Hotel Fontana. Same price, spacious, clean and they were very helpful. So...both hotels good!

We headed back out for more cruising and really enjoyed the city. It is just unreal...like a movie set or something. You could have taken pictures all day of just about everything! I was taking pictures of people's underware hanging on the line because even that looked like it was straight out of a movie. We got snacky again and grabbed a small Gelato...it was ridiculous...why I have never eaten that yummy cup-o-goodness before is beyond me. Good thing I can't get it more often or I'd be a frickin' cow. Strolling the streets of Venice is like watching the history channel unfold in front of you in real time. It's so dramatic to see the things you've either read about or seen on T.V....to walk on ancient stones that have been trampled on by horses carrying kings. To see squares where famous artists created masterpieces...it's just unbelievable! We had to stop and soak it all in...over wine of course.

So we chose a small place called La Cantina. Its backdrop was a patina'd building. The building and the man sitting at the small table out front were probably a few hundred years old. I went in and asked for a couple glasses of red and a small snack...at least that's what I thought I said.. She came out a few minutes later with the wine and a seemingly huge platter of assorted seafood. I say that because the presentation was such that the shells on the plate made it look alot bigger than it was. Though with the basket of bread and wine it was plenty for our mid-day snack and it did look amazing. I would say that the scallops & shrimp were nice...not fantastic but nice and the fish though well cooked, lacked any flavor at all. It needed a big dose of sea salt! All in all we had 3 glasses of wine for 6 Euro and paid 30 Euro for the appetizer. If you're going for wine and a chance to people watch...it would be ok, but I would not recommend this place for much more than that.

After walking for a couple hours, the late night, early flight and romance of the city were hitting us...we headed back to the hotel for a nap. ;) After a bit of a lie-in we both felt refreshed and agreed that it was beer-thirty so we headed out again for the night. We headed to St. Mark's square and found that our true calling was the backstreets of Venice...so back into the deep alleyways we went searching for our next meal and drink. After passing a few not so special places we finally landed in Un Mondo Divino...and it was truly "Something Special". Elisa was the bar keep and she was queen to a group of thirsty locals. Her distinctive laugh shot through the room over her favorite tunes she jammed from her iPod. A group of old men yammered on in the corner and Dan and I both agreed that Italians could recite the phonebook and it would sound like music. We ordered a Moretti and some random tidbits that were displayed between us and Elisa...cheese wrapped in prosciutto, bruschetta, and some potato dumplings that I could have eaten a thousand of. Hanging from the exposed beams above were rows of ceramic cups with names on them.

While enquiring about them the bar erupted in what I would call a "you're it" game of who knows enough English to explain to the nosey Americans what the cups are for. After much laughing and scrambling an energetic and equally buzzed local girl named Serena got tasked for the job. She was so great and told us the cups belonged to locals who earned them on their 60th birthday but once earned were never used. We bought her and her friends a beer to say thanks and they in turn bought us a beer just because. She and her friends worked at another bar around the corner and came here often. Serena is an awesome soul and made us feel like we were just another one of her friends meeting up for a drink! Good cold beer, cheap yummy food, great vibe and highly recommended!

We said our goodbye's and disappeared back into the sideways of Venice as they greeted a new friend with the standard euro hello of kisses from all. Though Serena recommended a place to eat we decided to stick to the poo poo platter tour that we seemed to be on and head to another bar that we had mapped out earlier in the day. Taverna del Campiello Remer was a place that I had seen on the internet and it mentioned happy hour.  Of course, I was sold on giving it a shot. If you are on a budget...this is a great little place. It's a local spot for a good reason...its awesome! Off the beaten path, warm, charming decor and according to the waiter...they have the most beautiful toilet in Venice! We walked in just before 7 and it was full! We had come by earlier just before they opened and their being closed was a good thing because that's how we discovered Serena and her great little hangout. But by the time we got back the place was definitely in full swing. So my recommendation would be to hit it when it opens to ensure you get a seat. You buy a drink that runs you 4 euro and then you can hit the buffet as many times as you want. It wasn't mouth watering delicacies but it was hot, good bar food. Pasta, bruchetta, risotto and tons of assorted crustini's with different types of spreads. For 8 euro you can stuff yourselves and save money for your over priced gondola ride!

We had planned on a Gondola ride and read that the best time to have one was in the evening. Though the weather was great earlier, it began to rain so the Gondoliers packed it in and there went our ride. It didn't much matter because by that time we were a bit chilly and not too keen on sitting in the small boat.

The rain picked up as we headed out in search of Tiramisu and more wine. The evening and rain quieted the streets and left us alone with the locals finishing their day. We noticed a temporary raised walkway being put up along the streets and found out that it was for the rising tide that would float in and up around 11 pm. The Venetians do have their work cut out for them. In a city that is now completely geared toward tourism there is much to do to each day to ensure the goods, food and drink are available. Remember that all works must be done by boat. Building maintenance, trash pick up, deliveries etc. are all done by boat! We watched in amazement as construction workers in small dinghy’s carried on banging on tired buildings in need of repair despite being rocked by the wakes of passing boats. Heavy deliveries were being off loaded and pushed through narrow crowded streets...an insanely tough job that would make most men a grumpy mess. These burly guys however, were calling out to familiar faces along their route in sing song Italian that made what they were doing look like a musical matching the movie-like scene around us. And have I mentioned the water? This water that is and has been the highway of the town forever and should be a polluted pool of gas and goo is clear, fresh and aqua marine in color. We did find our Tiramisu, but it was a sad imposter to the real thing. But after a nearly perfect day...we just can't end on a complaint! Venice... perfect in its imperfections and truly a place not to be missed!

MOULBAIX

Ok, a small bit of history....The mill of the Marquise is an old mill perched atop a small hill in the town of moulbaix. This beautiful wood windmill still grinds grain and they do demo's in the spring...we're so taking the kids there for that! It was built in 1747 and put into operation on December 7, 1752 at the request of the Marquis Francois de Chasteler Gabriel, Lord of Moulbaix. I'm trying to get more info on the Marquis but it's difficult because it's all in french and I have to translate it. The owners have a nice shop next to the mill where I can get great flour "whole foods" style. It's not like in the states where you can go to a whole foods or Trader Joe's and get all the organic whole foods you need in one place. Don't get me wrong...they have great stores with tons of mouth watering food....but if you're going organic and gently processed then it's a bit of work. You want fresh milk and cheese you hit the dairy farmer, grains & flour you head for the mill and then there is always the butcher and fish monger for the fresher meats! This place is not just great for whole grains and flour...it's cool! There are horses nearby and the mill and surrounding area is just amazing! Enjoy the pic's! xoxoxo

La Grande Braderie de Lille

Europe's biggest flea market is a must visit. La Grande Braderie is a tradition dating back to medieval times. The citizens of Lille set up shop on the street and flog their unwanted possessions in a jumble sale of epic proportions! Any resident can grab a corner of pavement and play hawker for the weekend. From household items to the most esoteric gadget you never knew you wanted, bargains galore are guaranteed at one of Europe's biggest flea markets. Of course, haggling is mandatory and if you really want to get into the spirit of things there's plenty of beer to help you on your way.

If crowds aren't your thing then this is not the place for you. It was very intense at times and it crossed our minds that had there been any sort of catastrophe... we were pretty much screwed!

Headlines "AMERICAN FAMILY TRAGEDY...TRAMPLED TO DEATH AT STREET FAIR" Good thing for us that the locals are quite used to the crowds and seemingly fine with hords of people pushing their way through the streets. The only people who were bothered or concerned I think were us. Personal space is a funny thing here...not too much of it.

Mussels or Moules as they are called in Belgium are a specialty and are served EVERYWHERE! They come in a pot with Belgian fries and if you like Mussels you won't go hungry here! The amount of mussels being slung in this country is staggering. Mussels to Belgians are like cheeseburgers to Americans...eaten everyday by millions! It sounds so much more refined to say I'll have the Moules et Frites VS. a number 3 combo...and make it big! And have I mentioned the beer today....mmmmmm the beer. Nothing washes down anything here better than beer! It's just the way they role and of course we have blended well here in that department!

They are prepared a number of ways but Dan and I are fond of the Moules avec Roquefort...........they are to die for!

The cafes are very proud of the piles of Mussel shells lingering outside on their curb. Bragging rights go to the cafe with the largest mound which is also a sign that they have the best Moules in town!

What a great day. The weather was perfect and we really soaked up some local fun. We're ready for next year already! The girls were in a terrific mood and they love that stroller....so do the locals! We're a real spectacle with that thing. We really need to start charging people for photo's. Meme shopped till she dropped as you can see! Enjoy the pics!

A NOT SO BELGIAN HALLOWEEN

The Halloween craziness isn't quite the hit it is in the States but from what I hear it has been picking up some speed. While the Belgians are still on the fence, we of course are geared up for one of our favorite fiesta's. Halloween in the Conley household goes way back before kids and marriage. I have and will always love dressing up and making a scene on October 31st. Some might find it creepy and some may think it's a bit on the dark side to celebrate fright night.....but we Conley's are just taking an opportunity to dress up, hang with friends and eat candy!

Though we're told that some creepy critters might come to our door begging for treats we opted out of the Belgian soft Halloween and went on base where the other wierd Americans were going hard core....our peeps if you will. It's a small twist on trick or treating at Chievres Air base. It's called Trunk or Treat and all are invited to participate. Hmmm, now "all" in this small village seems to say about 30-40 kids to me...but no no no. The word has spread and all means...all N.A.T.O. families, Chievres families and civilian employees and their families for a grand total of an estimated 400 people!!
Holy bat crap....400 hundred trick or treating tots tweaking out on treats are you kidding me? I LOVE IT! Once you register your vehicle with the base they assign you a space and then your obligated to provide enough candy for the masses...roughly 30 bags. So gal pals Brenda, Tracy, Jennifer and myself joined forces and reserved space 5. The base sets up tables with numbers on them and you pull up to your space and decorate. There is, of course, a contest for the spookiest spot so we went all out.

We adorned our spot with a menacing graveyard scene, ghosts and jack-o-lanterns. The scary tunes were blasting from the van and on accident we had a great layer of fog rolling through the grave site...the exhaust! So we sat at out table 5, inhaling carcinogens, drinking our downlow hooch and passing out candy...oh and freezing our asses off. It was a great time had by all! Enjoy the pics!

CHIEVRES BELGIUM...OUR TOWN

Our town is old....very old. (I've added a link below that has a little history of the town) This is a picture of our church...Église St-Martin. Our house is on the other side.

When we got here it was all a blur. The jetlag, the kids, living in the hotel....it was all very intense. I thought it would be easier. I don't really know what we expected. But it has been a rough few months. I can easily say that it is as tough as deployment. But once we moved into the house in Chievres we felt at home......There are still a few bumps in the road but we're part of this community now and it feels nice. Sundays are very special for us. It is a day of rest in Chievres and we have embraced that as well. Americans are so used to go go go...lots to do and no time to do it. Eat alot and eat it fast. Shop 24 hours a day...wake up and go until you can't go anymore. It's all about convenience and alot of it.

Things don't go that way here. Dinner is long. They don't shovel. Their idea of fast food is a baguette , cheese...really good cheese, yummy sausages and a bottle of wine or beer. They like their beer. The Belgians chat and enjoy their company as well as their meal. The only thing they do fast is drive! But once they get where they are going they like to stay awhile and enjoy. Hours of operation are short and that is something we have had to get used to. But don't worry if you run out of bread and the market is closed....there is a Bread vending machine in front of the boulangerie (bread shop) that is stocked daily with fresh breads. It even keeps them warm...it's conveniant.

Our house is in this picture. It's white and next to the other white house with ivy growing from the window boxes. You can see our van in front. Our landlord and friend is in the white house with ivy and his wife is Brigite. They are very good to us and tollerate our noise. They say they can't hear us but the girls can get wicked loud and think they are just being nice. The other picture below is of the Grande Place where our house can still be seen as well as the church. To the left are some shops and a pub and on the right is a couple of eateries, banks and the city hall. It's very small. You could walk the entire center of town in 3 minutes. The town as a whole is larger but you could still walk it.

The people here are hard working and kind. Though we don't speak their language it hasn't stopped them from talking to us and making us feel at home. After church we head to our weekly outdoor market where we gather our fruit, bread, sausage, cheese, roaster chicken and potatos. But you don't just buy food here. The market is where you see friends, chat and again...stay awhile. We've made friends at our market and look forward to seeing them each week.

This is Alan our fruits and vegi's guy. He is a riot! There is a lot of shouting going on between the vendors....you would think they were arguing, but then they all erupt in laughter and you realize they are just giving each other a hard time and having fun with the customers! We get it now so we use our very little french and give it right back! It's great. We've learned that bread goes quick so sometimes I run over to the market before church by myself and grab a few baguette's and a couple of treats like waffles or cream puffs. After the market we take our loot and go home for a big feast. Meme is a fan of the rib and chicken bones...the larger ones of course, and we throw her a bone or two to keep her happy. She's become fond of berries but there's nothing better than slurping on an old bone. We've added a video clip below of her enjoying a bone...it's a typical Sunday thing for her but for first time viewers it's pretty funny!

It has become a routine for us and we quite look forward to Sundays just hanging out in our little village very much.

The girls love it and are very familiar with stinky cheese...in fact when we take pictures now they call out..."Stinky cheese". We always have enough leftover for dinner and anything extra finds its way into lunchboxes. After the feast we hunker down for the big family nap. The afternoon is usually just tinkering around the house and getting geared up for the week. So...who coming for dinner next Sunday?

http://flagspot.net/flags/be-whtch.html

In Bruges

What words can I find to describe our afternoon in this historic city....hmmmmmmmmmm! Almost unbelievable. A painters paradise. Perfectly quaint. The girls were great...which is always a plus! The thing is, when the weather is nice you drop what you're doing and go....but first you hang the laundry out on the line! We follow the lead of the locals and run utilities after 10 pm (because it's half off) and hang dry as much laundry as possible. So when the sun comes out, hang the clothes and hit the road!

We had a short hour drive to Bruges where we strolled the city streets taking in all the history, enjoying the sounds of horse drawn buggy's on the cobblestone, the smells of the cafe's and of course soaking up the sun! It was GREAT! I can't get over how close it was to our house. What a fantastic experience for our family. We are so blessed! Life is good. This is really one of those times when you tell people...wish you were here!! So pack your bags family and friends and come break off a piece of heaven!

We jumped on a boat with the kids and toured the canal. The driver was witty but didn't have too much info on the city...other than knowing where the oldest pub was. That was good enough info for us anyway! It was a lovely day trip!
The girls loved the boat...but the big hit was the juggler, who was an American, go figure! He made the girls a couple of crazy balloons...the balloons and the boat ride will be their memories of Bruges! We had a lobster sandwhich, a crab sandwhich, a ham and cheese and 3 cokes for 16 Euro...not bad I thought...it was such a deal I ordered a few shrimp...suddenly it wasn't such a deal...34 Euro...oops! Oh well. The shrimp were really good at least. Off to bed now....enjoy the pic's! xoxoxo

Disneyland Paris

It looks like Disneyland, it smells like Disneyland, but it's just a little off. Great place...but not the original. With that said let's get into our day.

We're only a few short hours away but we got a late start and ended up there at 12:30...the princesses only recieve the masses between 10-noon. What the heck are they thinking? HELLO...half of the kids there were dressed as princesses....you can't buy anything pink these days without a giant princess face on it...why wouldn't they have those chicks out there all day making the 7,000 kids shleping their wares happy?

So we roll into the park and the girls could see the last few kids getting their photo's taken with Aurora and Ariel while 80 or so other poor "late" kids hung on the outskirts and cried, including ours!



So....I was told by this nice mom at the store that the new Buzz Lightyear ride was a hit and that I shouldn't miss it. (I no longer like that woman in the store, where ever she is) Buzz sucks! Now we've spent 3 hours in the car, missed the princess momment and have stood in line for 45 minutes only to have the crap scared out of my kids in a very dark neon monster filled ride that has now broken down. So I'm sitting in the ride praying for it to start so I can get my screaming kids off of it!




It's now 1:30 or something and we head over to the annual pass office because you have to go there on the day you purchase the tickets in order to get your picture taken or else...I don't know what the or else is...probably or else your screwed out of the pass...I don't know...anyway, we head there and that takes 30 minutes...so at this point we aren't feeling like the happiest family on Earth.

Because I LOVE Disneyland...I'm still optomistic. Then We decide to hit Dumbo....That will be a good one...I mean it's DUMBO...Dumbo Good! Buzz bad! So we get in line...1 hour...they FINALLY let us in...and because they don't count the people while they are letting them inside...we of course, got jipped and couldn't get on a Dumbo....so Elle starts to cry....doesn't understand that we'll be next FOR SURE! But we manage to real her in and wait the 1 minute 20 seconds for the next round. Yippee...now it's time....so the guy opens the gate and slams Elle's hand inside where it gets stuck...because it's really chubby!

I'm freaking out...Elle's screaming and the rhode scholar ride guy carries on letting people rush past us! I yank her hand out and try to settle her while checking to make sure her hand isn't broken... (the guy looks at me and does a very weak..."oh, sorry" ) I lead my screaming broken child out to the Dumbo's and naturally....they are all taken again! So I go back to the dude and he tries to shuffle me back in line...after he just slammed my kids hand in the door as well as screwing us out of the last ride.....I about lost it! I am not kidding...at this point I could have just about ripped that guys head off...Dan jumped out of his Dumbo and told me to get in his with both girls and he would take Meme and sit out. The whole 1 minute in the air the girls were so happy and all of their woes were gone...but I was soooooooooo pissed off I could hardly see straight.

The ride ended and I expressed my mood to the exit lady who offered us another ride...which I declined...Buzz and Dumbo suck. Dan and I looked at each other and were like....ok...let's shake it off and find our happy place...because right now...it aint in Disneyland!



I will say that the second half of the day went GREAT! It got better and better. The park closed at 8 so that was kind of a bummer but the day turned around at Pirates Island. The kids played in the treehouse and had fun but the best was yet to come...."It's a small world is wonderful"

That ride was the turning point for me...the line was short and the girls LOVED it! We rolled into the fairytale boat ride and Casey's train ride and we ended there because it was 8 o'clock. We were heading out and we saw that people we still being let on the Carousel so we jumped in line...but the attendant said the park was opened until midnight for those with special passes...I looked around and noticed that we were the only ones without a special pass (badge around our necks) so I started to leave the line and he was so nice...he stopped us and said..."what could it hurt...go ahead" AWE! He totally made up for Jackass Dumbo dude!

Carousel good.....Disneyland good!