The title says it all. What commentary can I possibly add to a post who’s pictures tell the entire story?! Normally, I envision my readers hanging on to my every word and each carefully crafted pun (I said that I “envision” it… I know it doesn’t really happen) – but this time, I think I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking. Of course, I do have to give some sort of framework around the pictures (hey, it is my blog, after all).
Crowds fill the streets during Oktoberfest 2013
You may have just read about Josh and Abby’s visit where we ate too much, indulged too much and just did… too much! You know, the norm. We were lucky enough to also have Dave and Jill drop in for part of their trip and join us again in Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest. We were excited to get to the party – but before we could drink our first liter of beer in Munich, we needed to get there. There is no better way to travel through Europe than the train – and when you have an overnight-train option, it’s a win. You get your “hotel room” for the night included in the cost of transportation. But travelers be forewarned – the Ritz… It. Is. Not!
We took up four of the six bunk beds in our tiny room – luckily our “neighbors” were normal and smelled fine
Plenty of headroom in the top bunk
I settled in nicely
I couldn’t figure out why Google Maps said that the capital city of the German state of Bavaria was only about 6 hours by car and nearly 11 hours by train. We figured out the mystery when our train stopped in Verona for four hours – and they cut the air conditioning to conserve energy (I’m sweating just thinking about it). Josh and I were wide awake when we pulled into Verona at 11:00pm, so we opted to hop off the train for a few minutes and inhale some fresh air. Since we had plenty of time, we thought we’d go for a short walk. Forty minutes later, the Arena di Verona appeared before us and light up the night’s sky. We certainly didn’t envision being in the middle of Verona just after midnight, but all of a sudden… there we were. In fact, we were so unprepared that we were wearing our pajamas and flip flops, with very little money and no cell phones on our person. The fact that I couldn’t take a picture of us in our tank tops and shorts in front of the colosseum was depressing (I had the blog in mind) – but it was quite a fun adventure. We certainly stuck out more than any normal American tourist possibly could – the place was packed with people as a concert had just let out. We took a cab back to the train station and experienced a moment of panic when we discovered all the doors to the station had been locked with heavy chains and deadbolts (meanwhile, the girls were asleep on the train with no way to contact us). We found the one open entrance and still had plenty of time to share some whisky with people from our train, as our feet dangled over the tracks.
The arena in Verona – I borrowed this image from a trip I took earlier this year. We were walking around this main piazza in our pajamas
When we pulled into Munich the next morning, we were actually feeling quite refreshed despite a horrible night’s sleep. We were blessed with an early check-in at the hotel, so we quickly showered and got ready for the day. We ended up arriving in the Theresienwiese (the fairground where Oktoberfest is held) by a respectable 11:00am. There have been a few things in my life that have completely overwhelmed me. Seeing my bride walk down the aisle. Witnessing the birth of my daughter. And now I can add to that list… Oktoberfest.
Passing under the main gates for the first time in our lives
Each of the tents had their official wagon of barrels in front as part of the display
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair, held each year over a period of 16 days. The fair is host to over six million visitors from around the world. That’s like inviting every single person in the country of El Salvador to come stay in your city for two weeks! A staggering seven million liters of beer are consumed during the festival. Only beer conforming to the Reinheitsgebot (beer brewed within the city limits of Munich and containing 6% alcohol) may be served at Oktoberfest. There are only six brewers that meet this requirement and have the right to serve their beer.
Our first four liters of official Oktoberfest beer
How did this all get started, you say? Well, on October 12, 1810 King Ludwig I married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The good citizens of Munich were invited to attend the joyous festivities in the fields in front of the city gates. The fields adopted the name, Theresienwiese (Theresa’s Meadow).The festival grew significantly in attendance as well as production value over the next two hundred years. The modern festival is all contained within the current Theresienwiese – an enclosed fairground in the southwest portion of the city. The fair is broken into a maze of streets divided by large tents (the Hippodrom, the Armbrustschützenzelt, etc.) and small tents (Ammer Hühner & Entenbraterei or Bodo’s Cafezelt, for example). The tents are where most attendees spend the majority of their time – where all the beer drinking, rebel rousing, singing and chaos takes place. The rest of the fairgrounds are comprised of the food vendors (serving traditional foods, such as Schweinebraten, Würstl and Käsespätzle), souvenir stands (where you can purchase a traditional steinkrug – beer stein) and carnival games and rides. Take it from me – you do not want to get separated from your group after consuming half a dozen liters… the grounds all begin to look exactly the same. You might decide to break down and cry like a 9 year old girl who got separated from her parents (I’m not confirming or denying this actually happened).
One of the larger tents – Hofbräu-Festzelt (Hofbräuhaus tent)
Another of the large tents – Armbrustschützenzelt (Paulaner Beer)
A street scene in the fairground – carnival rides and games as well as various vendors
Food stand
Carnival game – knocking cans over
Another carnival game – rifles
Since we had arrived at a respectable hour (before noon) we took a chance on one of the more popular tents, Hofbräu-Festzelt – the counterpart of the famous, Hofbräuhaus. We settled into a wonderful spot, with plenty of space to spread out and enjoy our first tasty bier (beer) and brezen (pretzel). Some Aussies sat down next to us and the real party began. Our new friends were hilarious, fun and really made the party!
Walking in to the Hofbräu-Festzelt
Josh and I smile for a photo while we wait for our first beir
The delicious first “taste” of Oktoberfest
Jen’s first beer
Abby’s first brezen
A group shot at our first table
Aloisius waits patiently for the girls to start throwing their bras up toward him
Our crazy Aussie friend, demonstrating his “angry dolphin” and his torn lederhosen
Despite the fun we were having, I had one harrowing thought repeating over and over in my head – “I’m not wearing any lederhosen!” The garment of Bavarian working-class men has become the traditional garb of the festival… and there I was wearing a stupid sweater and a pair of jeans. I felt as uncomfortable as if I had shown up to an interview wearing sweatpants and an REO Speedwagon tee shirt. I was able to convince Josh to head to the “lederhosen outlet” we saw adjacent to the fairground’s entrance. We found a Turkish businessman that owned a booming store with plenty of folks in the exact same predicament as us… people that showed up not realizing everyone gets into the spirit of tradition. I asked to see his cheapest pair of lederhosen, I tried them on and selected a matching shirt. After some quick negotiating, I was all dolled-up for €60. But that wasn’t the end of it. You see, Josh had tried on the same pair, but it didn’t compliment his butt properly. So he tried on another pair. The color of that pair didn’t compliment his eyes (or something like that). A third pair didn’t flatter his calves properly. Finally, he ended getting the perfect pair, a traditional shirt, socks and who knows what else. His total? €150 (about $210)! I’m laughing to myself all over again as I’m typing this. He was so mad at me the entire walk back (for “making” him buy lederhosen) that he barely talked to me. His temper was further exasperated when Abby couldn’t believe how much he spent for such a “stupid shirt”! He ended up throwing his new shirt away and putting his original shirt on under his lederhosen. Now that we were properly dressed, I could relax and start drinking!
I came back ready to really join the party
A local photographer for a Munich paper got a photo of this beautiful couple
Now that I’ve got my lederhosen, I’ve got a big grin
Jen and Abby got to work while we were out
Silly girls
If someone stands up on their bench, it means they have to “skull” or drink their entire beer
Finishing it will earn you cheers; falling short will land you public shame and jeers from the crowd
My new buddy helps me track my consumption of steins
Abby poses for a picture in a picture in a picture…
Dave and Jill found our spot in the tent while Josh and I were buying our lederhosen and the party really started to take off. We spent some more time in the Hofbräu-Festzelt, before deciding on a change of scenery. We walked toward another tent (I couldn’t tell you which one if my life depended on it), stopping only for some würstl (sausage) and to pick each other up off the ground. All the carnival games had gotten Josh and my typical competitive juices flowing – and so we left the group momentarily to compete. He took me in the first competition (knocking pins over) and I crushed him in the next (shooting ducks with a rifle… how I was able to hit 8/10 I’ll never know). While we were decided what the tie-breaker should be, we somehow just devolved into wrestling in the middle of the festival.
Dave and Jill join us in the first tent
Group photo
Dave and Jen cheers
This guy was soaking his dreads and having people suck the beer from them
He tries to get Dave to participate
We shuffle from our first tent to our second…
Our second tent – they were serving Hefeweizen
The girls were dancing… not sure where the bunny ears came from
Three different version of “Blue Steel” and a pretty smile
Another group shot
Josh and I venture to the outside world
Josh does a little shimmy…
…. and a shake
We start wrestling
I think it just turned into big man-hugs
This is what Josh found when he got back – the girls were just taking a short power-nap. They did rally though
We kept the party going for several more hours before finally heading home. It felt like 2:00am but was actually only about 10:30pm.
Classic – I couldn’t tell you where this hat came from
One of our last photos of the night
The next day, we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast sponsored by our hotel, the New Orly. We still had so much of the city to absorb, so we eagerly set out as soon as we gulped down our final freshly squeezed orange juice. Our first stop – Abby’s lifelong quest to see the Rathaus-Glockenspiel in the Marienplatz (center of the Old Town). The Rathaus-Glockenspiel is basically a giant cuckoo clock in the Town Hall building – but instead of a bird popping out, 32 life-sized figured dance to 43 bells and tell the story of Renata of Lorraine’s marriage to Duke Wilhem V (the founder of Hofbräuhaus and my personal hero).
Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) in the Marienplatz
The central tower housed the Rathaus-Glockenspiel
A collection of pretzels dangling just out of reach
Josh and I stand under the pretzel tree
After witnessing the dancing figures, we walked around, taking in the sights of Altstadt (Old Town) – including impressive churches like the Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau and Theatinerkirche St. Kajetan as well as the Royal Gardens and so much more.
Beautiful building in the Altstadt
The Frauenkirche (Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau, “Cathedral of Our Dear Lady”)
Theatinerkirche St. Kajetan (Theatine Church of St. Cajetan)
I’m happy to embrace all of Munich at once
Josh and Abby in the Royal Gardens
Me and Jen in the Royal Gardens
We were lucky to have a beautiful second day
At this point we had been in Munich for nearly two days and had yet to visit a biergarten (beer garden), so we asked some locals for their recommendation and set our sights toward the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Beer Garden) located in the middle of the Englischer Garten (English Garden), Munich’s largest park. We settled in for a beer outside and listened as the band played some traditional German music. We grabbed lunch and awaited Dave and Jill’s arrival.
Inside the Chinese beer garden
This is where our group reunited for the second time
The Englischer Garten has a unique feature – a man-made wave pool in one of the park’s rivers
We watched the surfers catch gnarly waves for a little while
After everyone had their fill of beer and food, we walked to the train station and headed back to the Theresienwiese for Round 2 of official Oktoberfest festivities (FYI – the Aussies we had been congregating with the day before had been in Munich five days and hadn’t once explored outside the fairgrounds – I don’t think I’ve had stamina like that since I was 18 years old). We visited a few more tents, drank a few more liters and ate a few more würstl’s. A highlight of the day was when we were sitting with some proper English lads and recounted the tales of our insane Australian friends from the day before. Not wanting to be outdone by the offspring of their country’s prisoners, one of the chaps took off his shoe and drank beer from it! Then they left to go ride roller coasters. I don’t think they quite reached the same level as the Aussie’s – but they got an “A” for effort.
Round Two begins…
We stop for a photo before settling in to our first tent
We chose the Bräurosl tent for our second day
Inside the tent – it was hard to find seats because it was late in the day
The entire gang on the second day
Jen and I salute another day of fun
I didn’t know Robert De Niro’s older brother would be at Oktoberfest
Having fun
Our British pal
Oh, that’s just nasty
I pretend to do the same thing with a shoe I found – what was I thinking?!
I am about to buy my last würstl of the trip
I ordered the biggest one they sold
We shared our final table at Oktoberfest with native Bavarians
The Hofbräu-Festzelt as our time in Munich comes to a close
As the sun was setting we headed back to the train station and boarded our overnight train back to Como. Josh and Abby disembarked the train in Verona, venturing on their own to Venice for a romantic day-trip and overnight stay. We had an amazing time in Munich with our wonderful friends Josh, Abby, Dave and Jill – something that we’ll never forget. If you have never been to Oktoberfest… add it to your bucket list. Jen and I will be happy to go back with you!
Abby brought Julia back an authentic lebkuchenherz (heart-shaped gingerbread cookie)
Admit it… you sang the title in your head, complete with the voice raising on the “and-a I”…
I love to cruise. Jen loves to cruise. And now… Julia absolutely loves to cruise. We have very few experiences aboard cruise ships, but each time we’ve been on one of these massive floating hotels (or mini-floating city’s… I couldn’t choose between adjectives – you pick your favorite), we feel like royalty. We know that we will chose this method of vacation many more times in our lives. Cruising requires little planning and you are always rewarded with the very best customer service, the opportunity to see many more cities than you normally could in a given time period, endless activities aboard the ship, wonderful food, the benefit of unpacking only once and perhaps best of all – a very affordable vacation (you can get very good deals if you hawk the last-minute deal sites).
Our ship – Holland America’s MS Nieuw Amsterdam
The first time that Jen and I took a cruise was on our honeymoon. We spent three weeks sailing around South America (from Buenos Aires, Argentina all the way around Cape Horn and on to Santiago, Chile). I chose Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) for our first cruise, primarily because the itinerary was perfect and I found it to be reasonably priced. I wasn’t nearly the internet-nerd I am today and so I did little research beyond that. We had a wonderful vacation, ate way too much food, enjoyed some lovely scenery (I have thousands of pictures to prove it) and had an absolute blast. However, I had no idea how amazing cruising could really be until we recently boarded Holland America’s, MS Nieuw Amsterdam (pronounced, n-e-w); one of the newer ships in their fleet.
Boarding the Nieuw Amsterdam
I had a few checklist items when we moved abroad – things I wanted to do and to see. Experiencing a cruising-adventure was definitely on that list. For the first time in our lives, we had the flexibility to really take advantage of a “last-minute” vacation, and so the plan was to use that to our full advantage. Unfortunately, we discovered that having a child prevents you from really getting those steep 70% off discounts you see flashing on the side of your favorite webpages. Some cruise lines require a child to pay a full fair. Others require that he or she have a special room or special bed. Either way, it seemed that the myth of really inexpensive cruising (at least with a child) was just that – a myth. Eventually, we searched for dates further into the future (ensuring the ability to book a room that could accommodate a small child) and narrowed our choice down to two cruises with two very different itineraries on two very different cruise lines.
Could this little peanut (eating until her heart is content) actually prevent us from finding our perfect cruise?!
“Who me?! No way, Dad. Now, let’s EAT!”
World travelers and vacation aficionados – here’s where you need to pay attention. I am going to share two valuable resources I discovered throughout this process. First, I had been paying a fortune in cell phone bills, calling these various companies to get accurate information about their cruises. Then I stumbled across, gethuman.com – an internet based voiceover IP company that allows you to call most major companies from your computer – for free! I have spent this past year calling American Express, Visa, Wells Fargo and other companies at a cost of roughly €10 per call… just to get past the automated prompts! This site has revolutionized my ability to manage tasks at home while living abroad. Second, we discovered cruisecritic.com – the ultimate guide when selecting a cruise. Consider it the yelp or trip advisor of the sea. This site allows you to plug in any cruise line and read reviews – but more importantly it allows you to search specific cruise ships, ranking everything on that unique vessel from the food to the service – ultimately awarding the ship a nice, neat approval percentage number. It’s all very easy and streamlined. What I learned was that a cruise line can offer a vastly different experience aboard any number of their ships (for example, an older ship with lesser quality food may not be nearly as pleasant as one of their newer ships). Therefore, we learned that the ship itself is more important than the cruise operator. And we learned this lesson just in time. I was on the phone with Costa (the losing company), about to book our cruise. I had selected this particular cruise because of the funky itinerary. In addition to the “normal” places, we would have ventured into Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria. I was moments away from giving my credit card number when Jen motioned at me frantically, having just discovered this particular ship only had a 54% approval rating. I got off the call as quickly as possible and called Holland America, booking aboard the Niew Amsterdam.
Julia evaluates one of the rooftop pools – this one was located midship
Our cruise departed from Venice, and so we took the three hour train from our home. We were in no rush to get into Venice early, having been there on previous occasions. We bypassed the throngs of tourists vying for photos of the canals and simply went right to the ship. We stayed in Venice’s port the first night, but set sail early in the morning. As we sailed through the Canale Della Giudecca in the middle of the city (I had no idea that it was deep enough to accommodate our massive ship), our fabulous Location Guide, Tom gave a memorable and insightful tour of everything that we were seeing. I apologize in advance for the pictures, I only had Jen’s cell phone with me – poor planning.
Sailing past another ship in the harbor
From high atop our cruise ship – we could see the entire city unfold before our eyes
A beautiful view of Santa Maria della Salute and the Campanile of Piazza San Marco
From this height we could actually look down and across Piazza Saint Marco – a very unique perspective
Here you can see many of the 118 different islands that make up Venice
Our first full day aboard the ship was a Sea Day, which means exactly that – we were at sea all day. This is wonderful portion of the cruise for anyone that likes to eat, gamble, drink, workout, spa, play in the pool, attend cooking courses, read, mingle, do nothing, do everything…. you get the point. I think I hit about four or five of those things in the first three hours – eating and gambling at the top of the list.
We woke up early, eager to start the day – but Julia reminds us not to wake our neighbors
We enjoyed a cooking demonstration
Posing with the Chef and Activities Coordinator
Julia would stop and watch this duo, Adagio perform each night after dinner
We hoped that lady luck would find Julia
Julia treats me to a kiss during one of the “formal nights”
The following morning was a real treat – our first Port Day. We were at port in Katakolon, Greece, which was just a short bus ride away from something you may have heard of… Olympia, Greece. As in… the place the very first Olympic Games were ever held. As in, the place that contains the ruins of Zeus’ temple. And so I was a little geeked-up to see it all. I didn’t have to imagine standing in the very first olympic stadium – where the worlds best athletes competed since the 8th century BC; we actually got to do it. It was very awe-inspiring.
Our first sunrise at port
We strolled through Katakolon before our bus departed for Olympia
Travel-bugs… please allow me to give you another tip. If you are reading this post and thinking, “Greg is making a convincing argument for a cruise… I think I’ll give it a go”; don’t make the mistake many cruise-goers make. Do not book excursions through the cruise directly. Sure, it’s easier. Some may say safer. Others may tell you they’re better designed. That’s all true… but at an immense premium. Please allow me to state my case. Below is one of the excursion options at our first port (copied from Holland America’s site). Just skim it if you’d like… I’ll recap:
The small fishing village of Katákolon is your gateway to the mystical site of ancient Olympia, 25 miles to the east. The sanctuary of Olympia has the appearance of a park, and as you step back 2,000 years into the past, imagine the area crowded with athletes, orators, merchants and philosophers surrounding the Temple of Zeus with its forty-foot statue of the god, the ruins of which you will see today. It’s easy to imagine the roar of the spectators as the athletes took their marks on the marble starting blocks, and to picture the temples, treasuries, porticoes and statues as they were. After your visit to Olympia, you will continue to Mercouri Estate, known not only for its wines of supreme quality but also for its magnificent location. This is the area where the Refosco grape was first planted after being imported from Italy. In 1930, the Mercouris built a modern winery and distillery, updated again in 1990 with the latest technology. You are invited to experience the beauty and charm of the vineyards, to see the old and new wineries, and also to taste the locally produced wines.
OK – so you get a bus ride with 40 other schmoes to Olympia, gate access and a wine tasting. It’s very well written and this guy is singing a sweet sirens song – but he couldn’t lure me. Guess what it costs… $150 per person plus $60 for kids. OK – so we’d be all in for $360. Guess what we did? We got off the ship, walked over to the person selling bus tickets to Olympia (the same cushy travel bus with A/C and TV’s that the cruise people take) and bought both tickets for $20. Then another $20 at the gate and I’m all in for $40. A savings of $320. With that much left in my pocket, I had my choice of any number of Greek wines “known for their supreme quality” that we picked up at Duty Free on the way back to the ship.
We stop for a family photo in front of the Palaestra
Julia does a little dance number
Ruins of the Theokoleon
A lone column capital (top) remains… 1,000 years old? 2,000 years old? 2,500 years old??
I stop to stand in front of the Temple of Hera
Jen and Julia challenge competitors on the Stadium ground
Lost amongst the rocks in front of the Temple of Zeus
Another view of the Theokoleon
Impressive remains of the Philippeion
The next day we woke up in Piraeus, Greece – which is the port city outside Athens, Greece. Same thing as before – I bypassed the tempting, but expensive excursions and departed with Jen and Julia in tow. We walked around the corner and found that the Greek Gods were smiling on us that day. In addition to the regular cabs and buses to take us the 20 minutes into Athens, there were “Hop On-Hop Off” open-top tour buses. That meant we would get a ride, an audio tour and the ability to come and go as we pleased, all for $30.
Athens is an amazing city with a recorded history spanning 3,400 years
We rode around Athens, enjoying our tour and chuckling to ourselves at the Greek music they kept playing over and over (imagine the soundtrack to “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” on repeat). My plan was to complete the loop and finish the audio tour before getting off, but when I saw the majesty of the Parthenon, I knew we needed to depart the bus immediately.
The Parthenon sits atop the Acropolis of Athena
The Parthenon is the featured temple within the Acropolis of Athena; a temple built to honor the Goddess, Athena. Construction of the temple began in 447 BC and today it is widely considered the most important surviving building from Ancient Greece. In order to reach the temple, you must climb the imposing slate steps to reach the Acropolis of Athens, an ancient citadel set high atop a rocky outcrop far from today’s modern Greece. But before we climbed the steps of the Acropolis, we first climbed a neighboring cliff for a view of the magnificent ancient city and the more modern one below.
Athens has roughly 3.2 million inhabitants – Greece’s largest city by a wide margin
Hundreds of visitors passing through the gates of the Acropolis
Ancient ruins are a part of the city – even as modern urban sprawl is built around it
Some more “modern” temples perched atop their own cliffs
My girls begin their ascent
Julia fights the wind and I steal a kiss
I think Athena herself would have been pleased to have this little guest in her temple
As we climbed the steep incline of the Acropolis toward the temples, we narrowly missed slipping and sliding back down to the bottom. The slate steps were slick even though they were bone dry – I couldn’t imagine making the climb if it had rained. There were many sights to see, including the amazing expanse of a remarkable city below. We marched through the ancient doorway leading into the city and stopped for a rest and some photos.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus – a steep sloped amphitheater built in 161 AD
The southern wall remains well intact
Julia lets me kiss her for all of Athens to see
The Parthenon – Temple of Athena
It’s amazing how well the Parthenon has been preserved
Julia pays her respects to the Greek flag
Family photo in front of the Parthenon
While the Parthenon is clearly the star of the show within the Acropolis, there are many other important ancient buildings and temples. The Greek word Acropolis (Ακρόπολη) is made up of two components – akron, meaning “edge” and polis, meaning “city”. While there are many other Acropolis’ within Greece, it is commonly accepted that the Acropolis of Athens is the Acropolis in all of Greece. From the moment we walked through the gateway into the city, I truly felt as if I was transported into an ancient, mythical world – where Gods and Goddesses ruled from on high. Perhaps I have seen too many movies, but I really did feel as though I was apart of something far bigger than I’ve ever known. I think I was even annoying Jen a bit with my enthusiasm and newfound feeling of power (as if I was somehow apart of the world of The Gods and could strike down any mere mortal…). It was probably good that I got out of there when I did, lest I try to actually smite someone.
The Erechtheum – a Temple for both Athena and Poseidon built between 421 and 406 BC
The Porch of the Caryatids (maidens) built to conceal a 15 foot support beam
Another view of the Erechtheum from the south west
We had worked up quite the appetite touring the Acropolis and so we descended the ancient city toward a more modern part of town. We found a charming pedestrian area of the modern city and stopped for a lunch of what else… Greek salad! We drank a couple of refreshing Greek beers and then strolled through the ample markets.
Greek salad – the authentic way!
Finally, we boarded the ship and set sail for our next adventure… I hope you’ll hop back aboard for Part II (coming soon)!
When our friends, Nathan and Danielle had come to visit this past spring – Danielle pointed at a unique outdoor-oven-with-a-chimney-thingy in a neighbors yard and asked what it was. I replied with all the confidence in the world that it was an Italian-style BBQ, but in reality I wasn’t positive. I had seen the smoke billowing through the chimney and I had seen many of these things in other neighbors yards – but I had never inquired about it. I asked my “go-to guy for all things Italian”… Jen’s uncle, Franco. He confirmed that it was in fact a BBQ and a fairly typical one in Italy. So, my educated guess was right. Whew!
Classic Italian style outdoor grill
I noticed shortly thereafter that the typical gas Weber grills we’re accustomed to using in the States are non-existent here. In fact, it’s possible you may see a round charcoal grill – but more often than not, it’s one of these large, permanent fixtures that people use to grill.
Jen may rule the kitchen around here, but I’ve always loved to rock the grill! As soon as I learned of this wonderful outdoor oven (it’s really more of a wood burning oven, than a simple grill) I knew that we absolutely needed one. However, we live in a condo with other families and we needed everyone’s approval before one of these beauties could bask in our communal yard. Franco became the champion of the project and pitched it at the very next board meeting. The grill got a unanimous vote and so when Jen’s parents were here visiting, we went to acquire the grill.
Franco, Dominic and Gianfranco discuss the various merits of certain grills with the clerk
Once again, I learned that things that are usually simple in the States (i.e. buying a car or procuring cell phones) is not necessarily the case in Italy. Buying a grill requires many visits to the store, many discussions, lots of construction and many more discussions. I was a little taken aback when Franco picked up cement and outdoor paint, realizing this was going to be a much bigger project than I originally expected.
Collaborating on the best way to load the grill into the truck
After our second or third visit to the hardware store, Dominic purchased the grill and we loaded it onto a friend’s truck. He helped us deliver it to the building and we carried the unbelievably heavy grill, piece by piece into the yard. A week or so into the project and we were only marginally complete. The grill lay disassembled, piles of cement and stone until we all returned from a quick jaunt to Scotland. By the time I was finally able to roll up my sleeves and start slinging cinder blocks – Jen’s parents had boarded a plane bound for the States. Sadly, Dominic never got to enjoy the BBQ that he helped acquire. That certainly didn’t stop his brother, Franco from encouraging me to send him images of our first festa (party). Brothers will be brothers!
Construction begins
Stefano helps mix the cement as Franco and I set the frame
Stage One complete!
Claudia scolds me in Italian for dunking Julia’s head
Julia thought this was the funniest thing
Julia wanted to help
We place the final piece
And we’re done! Our new grill is complete
My beautiful baby
The first party we had was a blast. Our neighbors below are from Naples – and boy, do they know how to party. They had extended family show up and bring delectable treats with them. I was pushed away from the grill as Aurelia and her husband, Stefano took over. As I watched a jaw-dropping amount of meat depart the grill – I was glad I had been sent to the sidelines. I know now that I was out of my depth. We feasted on pork ribs, beef ribs, lamb, porchetta, speck and various types of salsiccia (sausage). Our waistlines thanked us for the grilled vegetables – eggplant, zucchini, peppers and more. We devoured homemade salumi and cheeses that kept appearing each time I turned around. Of course, the cheeses were from all over Italy (“this is from Veneto… aged 24 months” or “my grandmother made this in Napoli… it stayed under ground for 36 months”). Hours later, the desserts (insert image of the best homemade tiramisu’s I’ve ever had) and then the coffee appeared. This was quickly followed by round after round of grappa (homemade, of course). All this – and it was just a first of many parties!
Franco shows me how it’s done
This was the first image that I sent to Dominic – I still feel guilty, but Franco and I got a kick out of it
Our first festa went late into the night
Since then, we’ve had many more outdoor parties – including a pizza party, where all the Napolitane baked their own bread and made pizza from scratch.
Setting the table
Now the food has arrived
All different types of homemade pizza
Various types of homemade cheeses from Napoli
Stefano got a mini-keg of beer
Aurelia teasing us for taking so many photos
The food was delicious
Cousins and nieces and nephews. Neighbors and friends – the best kind of pizza party
This seemed to be the easiest way to transport all the grappa
When my parents were here visiting, we decided it was another good time for a BBQ.
Everyone gathers around, doing various tasks
Julia plays a little calico (soccer)
Stefano gets a few lookey-loo’s while grilling (including my dad, who couldn’t understand a word being said)
Beef ribs get a nice sear while the charcoals glow beautifully
Jen’s cousins, Franco and Claudia and my parents
Aurelia telling me “smettere” (stop) with the photos. Her sister Angelina shows me the meat
The pot kept getting magically refilled with grilled meat before it was ever emptied
Everyone digs in
Julia was certainly no exception
Another late party
Another time, we wanted to bring all the family together and so all of Jen’s cousins came for a festa.
The younger generation of cousins pose together
I’ve used the grill for a simple meal for the five of us (myself, Jen and Julia along with Franco and Claudia) and not to be outdone by any Italians – I got about three times more meat than necessary.
Would you eat an entire picante peperoncino – Franco shows us how it’s done
All told, we’ve had a wonderful grilling season and while I’m anxious for the fall and then winter – I’m already looking forward to the time when I can dust off the ol’ tongs and have another Italian-style BBQ!
We had exactly two trips pre-planned before we moved to Italy. One to Scotland with Jen’s family this coming June and the other; something way to good pass up… Saint Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland! Jen suggested we participate in one of the largest parties in the world and I happily obliged. We booked a flight on a local carrier and headed to Dublin for a long weekend. I’m going to publish three separate posts dedicated to Dublin – too many stories and photos to fit all into one!
On our way to Dublin
We boarded our flight on Ryan Air from a small, regional airport. As it turns out Ryan Air (an Irish Airline) is simultaneously the coolest and the absolute worst airline on the planet. They offer low-cost airfare throughout Europe (great), but those flights are tricky to find and they nickel and dime you to death (not great). When you book your ticket, you have to navigate through 5 pages of extras that they try to trick you into buying (“would you like trip insurance for your goat?”). By the end, you’re too burned out to read their luggage policy and you might end up in a pickle like we did.
We arrived at the airport and were sent to a different counter because we hadn’t printed our boarding passes. €10 to print?? Err… OK, no biggie. That’s when I started to notice all the mini-luggage people were towing around (picture the novelty suitcase you would buy your 8 year-old). I glanced back at our behemoth US sized carry on bags and knew we were going to be in trouble. I didn’t even bother to try to cram it into the “your bag must fit in this cage” contraption and went to the desk to check them. AGENT: “Oh, you didn’t pre-check online? That will be €120″.
ME:“I’m sorry, I’m only on level one of Rosetta Stone – that sounds like you said one hundred and twenty euro’s for two carry-on bags?!!” AGENT: “Yes. That’s just for this leg of your flight” Gulp!
Jen and Julia boarding
With a €130 lighter jig in my step – we eagerly boarded the plane. The nickel and diming continued… “would you like water – €4″ (I’m not exaggerating). But also… “would you like lottery scratch offs and smokeless cigarettes for the flight?” Haha… hmmm, kind of cool. But I’m with my wife and baby, lady – no dice!
“Uhhh… sir, there’s a hole in the bottom of your plane!”
We departed the best/worst flight of our life and arrived in the center of Dublin. We were instantly taken with the cleanliness, beauty and charm of the city. We were going to enjoy this trip!! The forecast had called for rain, but yet the sun was shining as bright as all the red hair atop everyone’s heads.
We checked into our beautiful hotel, adjacent to one of the most popular parts of town – Temple Bar. Temple Bar houses street after street of wonderful pubs and restaurants. Admittedly, it may have been a location that suited us better 3 years ago (the partying can get a bit rowdy)… but it was still spectacular. On the other side of our hotel, we were flanked by Trinity College, one of the world’s top ranking universities established in 1592. When Julia asks, I’ll be sure to tell her that’s why I selected the site.
Our hotel
Temple Bar – too early for the crowds
Temple Bar pubs
Jameson and Guinness run this town
Enjoying Temple Bar
Temple Bar at night
We searched for a good pub to eat lunch and found the perfect place. Inside The Stags Head, the atmosphere was great, the Guinness was tremendous and the fish and chips were the best I’d ever had. Well, they’ve had over 100 years to get it right – The Stags Head was established in 1895. Julia loved the crowd she gained while feigning drinking her mom’s Guinness. We let her get close enough to get an adorable Guinness mustache.
The Stags Head est. 1895
Our first Guinness in Dublin
“Mommy, you’re so silly!”
“What’s all the fuss about?”
“Oh, now I see… delicious!”
Our food was wonderful. Here are some pictures of what we enjoyed.
Cocktail sausages and chips
Beef and Guinness Pie
Slow cooked Irish beef with roast vegetables in Guinness broth served with rosemary potatoes
Beef and Guinness pie
Traditional Fish and Chips
Fresh Haddock in a light crisp beer batter served with home-cut chips and a tartare sauce
Traditional fish and chips
After lunch we walked for miles and miles, taking in the sites and the festivities that seemed to be at every turn (a carnival, band, show or jokesters like these guys were everywhere).
Everyone was getting in on the fun
We particularly enjoyed walking down Grafton Street, a pedestrian street full of incredible shopping. If there is anything that I know, it’s that a crowded street full of pedestrians brings out the street performers!
Grafton Street – Dublin’s pedestrian shopping district
A fire juggler
He saw my camera and stopped performing to pose
The Irish are taller than the Italian
A little taste of Venice in Dublin
We passed through Fusiliers’ Arch into Saint Stephen’s Green. Fusiliers’ Arch was completed in 1907 in honor of the enlisted men and officers of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers that fought in the Second Boer War.
Fusiliers’ Arch at the northwest corner of St. Stephen’s Green
Saint Stephen’s Green is a picturesque park toward the southern end of the city. The perfectly manicured lawns matched the beautiful duck pond and stunning fountains with blissful harmony – a perfect backdrop for a curious 2 year old to run wild and wreak havoc! We chased Julia all the way into a playground we discovered and loved watching her have fun with her new Irish friends.
Saint Stephen’s Green Park
A little duck watching
A bridge spanning the duck pond
Julia by the fountains – she made her first wish
By the time the sun set we were thrilled to see another surprise. The “greening” of the city. During the St. Patrick’s Day festivities the entire city seems to participate in this tradition of green uplighting. All in all – we decided after a magical first day, we had the Luck of the Irish on our side (OK, I had to fit that in there somewhere)!
Custom House 1791
Trinity College
A Temple Bar pub
Temple Bar at night
Julia and Jen certainly loved getting in touch with their Irish roots and I was just happy to be a part of it all!
