Wednesday February 15, 2017
Missing the flight to Ethiopia was not only a let down in terms of lost experiences, but presented some financial implications. The airline fee to change the date of our flight was set at $1050.00. I did not feel this fee should be imposed since we could have been allowed to travel onto Ethiopia and await our documents there. Nate accompanied me on the half hour train journey to the outskirts of Brussels where I presented my case to an Ethiopian Air representative. My negotiation skills, tone of voice, word choice and body language must have been strong since at the end of my presentation the rep was not only pleading my case for me to the airline (the fees were waived) but recommending that I seek financial remuneration from the airline for being wrongfully denied boarding of my flight Saturday evening.
Sunday, 19 February 2017
Flight ET 705 - Not to be
Saturday February 11 we headed for the airport in Brussels to catch our 19:30 flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We arrived before 17:30 and proceeded to the check in counter. When I presented the passports to obtain boarding passes the clerk said, "birth certificates please." I said, "here are the passports." She replied that when travelling to South Africa, children under the age of 18 require birth certificates. I said I had passports. That was not good enough. I had to go to the Ethiopian Air desk and discuss the matter. The desk demanded the same identification. I said I was not informed of this policy. Thanks to the help of Larissa, Darrell and Jacquie playing the Amazing Race they were able to get Bev and Ashley into our house and take photos of the birth certificates. One clerk thought if we presented photos of the birth certificates this would be good enough. These were emailed and I presented the pictures to the clerk. This was still not sufficient. I pleaded for us to be allowed onto the plane and I would have the documents fed exed to me in Addis Ababa. We had 5 days there before moving on to South Africa. Darrell was heading in to WPG to get them on the next plane, everything was in motion. No. This was denied. We would not be allowed onto the continent without the proper documents.
In Brussels airport waiting for things to get sorted.
After 19:30 came and went and our flight had departed without us, we needed to find somewhere to stay. I contacted the man we had rented an apartment from for the past 2 nights and he had something available. We headed back to our familiar neighborhood and were settled by 21:00. The barrage of phone calls started and I found out I needed an unabridged birth certificate for each child. Being Saturday night, vital statistics would not be open until Monday AM. Thanks to amazing friends and family, when Monday morning started in Canada we had Bob and Kathy in Regina at vital statistics by 8:00 and Luke's birth certificate fed exed by 14:00. Nancy took care of Levi and Nate's in Winnipeg and had them on a plane that afternoon. All was delivered to our door on Wednesday by 10:00. I agree with Pat's comment, "Good grief - all anyone would have to do is take one look at your boys to know you and Jack are their biological parents."
Waiting for train to go back to meet Ward at Le Lorrain. No Addis for us.
Levi told Big Nate he thought we would miss all of Africa with this set back. As far as he was concerned this was good news - he thought he would be home 2 months earlier.
In Brussels airport waiting for things to get sorted.
After 19:30 came and went and our flight had departed without us, we needed to find somewhere to stay. I contacted the man we had rented an apartment from for the past 2 nights and he had something available. We headed back to our familiar neighborhood and were settled by 21:00. The barrage of phone calls started and I found out I needed an unabridged birth certificate for each child. Being Saturday night, vital statistics would not be open until Monday AM. Thanks to amazing friends and family, when Monday morning started in Canada we had Bob and Kathy in Regina at vital statistics by 8:00 and Luke's birth certificate fed exed by 14:00. Nancy took care of Levi and Nate's in Winnipeg and had them on a plane that afternoon. All was delivered to our door on Wednesday by 10:00. I agree with Pat's comment, "Good grief - all anyone would have to do is take one look at your boys to know you and Jack are their biological parents."
Levi told Big Nate he thought we would miss all of Africa with this set back. As far as he was concerned this was good news - he thought he would be home 2 months earlier.
Saturday, 18 February 2017
In Awe of Architecture
February 9 - 11
Brussels, Belgium - the land of beer, waffles and chocolate!
The train ride from Amsterdam to Brussels was quick. We arrived at Brussels Midi and found our way by subway to the apartment we would stay in for the next two nights.
Everything about all buildings in Belgium appears grand. I thought our front door was grand.
We stayed in the Muslim quarter of Brussels. Fresh produce grocers displayed their wares on the street, butchers with kosher cuts, bakeries with delicious pastries.
Our boys are not cut out for apartment life. With their ability to make noise and constantly wrestle and thump, there is a reason we live on the outskirts of Carman. So far, no complaints from neighbors here.
Belgium Chocolate
A chocolate festival was on in our neighborhood the first night we arrived. Chocolatiers demonstrated their craft and showcased their skills, and lucky for us, they provided many tasty samples of their work. Why are Belgium chocolate so good? Belgium, after laying claim to The Congo in the 1880's (not a good thing; watch the movie Tarzan) had access to cocoa from Africa long before any other European nation did. Through engineering they were able to produce machines that could mix the cocoa beans to a thin, smooth consistency.
Apparently Belgium waffles are not what these are called. They are Brussels waffles. The boys thought they were delicious!
Grand Place
Photographs do not do Grand Place justice. I have never seen a more spectacular square. Majestic, ornate and medieval just begin to describe it. We would walk the 20 minutes from our apartment to Grand Place everyday.
What we found yucky was the amount of dog poop everywhere. Near the end of our stay we found a fantastic park to play in. Unfortunately, we had to keep to the gravelled paths as the grass was not worth stepping on! Levi thought if he returned in 20 years there would be nothing to see. The piles of dog poop would block all these beautiful buildings.
City Hall steeple from another view.
Near Grand Place
Manneken Pis. He is in the top 5 most disappointing attractions in the world. None the less, he was a part of our walking tour. He has a wardrobe of over 800 costumes and is found everywhere! From souveniers to graffiti on buildings.
Amazing graffiti around the city.
Hmmmm. I wonder what Levi was up to the night before?
Brussels, Belgium - the land of beer, waffles and chocolate!
The train ride from Amsterdam to Brussels was quick. We arrived at Brussels Midi and found our way by subway to the apartment we would stay in for the next two nights.
Everything about all buildings in Belgium appears grand. I thought our front door was grand.
We stayed in the Muslim quarter of Brussels. Fresh produce grocers displayed their wares on the street, butchers with kosher cuts, bakeries with delicious pastries.
Our boys are not cut out for apartment life. With their ability to make noise and constantly wrestle and thump, there is a reason we live on the outskirts of Carman. So far, no complaints from neighbors here.
A chocolate festival was on in our neighborhood the first night we arrived. Chocolatiers demonstrated their craft and showcased their skills, and lucky for us, they provided many tasty samples of their work. Why are Belgium chocolate so good? Belgium, after laying claim to The Congo in the 1880's (not a good thing; watch the movie Tarzan) had access to cocoa from Africa long before any other European nation did. Through engineering they were able to produce machines that could mix the cocoa beans to a thin, smooth consistency.
Apparently Belgium waffles are not what these are called. They are Brussels waffles. The boys thought they were delicious!
Grand Place
Photographs do not do Grand Place justice. I have never seen a more spectacular square. Majestic, ornate and medieval just begin to describe it. We would walk the 20 minutes from our apartment to Grand Place everyday.
What we found yucky was the amount of dog poop everywhere. Near the end of our stay we found a fantastic park to play in. Unfortunately, we had to keep to the gravelled paths as the grass was not worth stepping on! Levi thought if he returned in 20 years there would be nothing to see. The piles of dog poop would block all these beautiful buildings.
Near Grand Place
Manneken Pis. He is in the top 5 most disappointing attractions in the world. None the less, he was a part of our walking tour. He has a wardrobe of over 800 costumes and is found everywhere! From souveniers to graffiti on buildings.
Amazing graffiti around the city.
Hmmmm. I wonder what Levi was up to the night before?
Monday, 13 February 2017
On to Brussels
Thursday February 9 we said goodbye to Amsterdam and boarded our train bound for Brussles. In under two hours we arrived.
Amsterdam February 7 - 9
Tuesday at 4:30AM we left Reykjavik for Keflavik to catch our plane to Amsterdam. Good bye Iceland. I loved Iceland for its serene beauty, ruralness, and upbeat vibe of Reykjavik. Jet lag will not be an issue with this flight. A new city, with new money, and new sights to see.
Outside of the Anne Frank House is a common sight for this city. Beautiful canals and plenty of bikes! We were able to visit the Anne Frank House Thursday afternoon (Feb. 7). I remember this museum from a few years ago and it still does not disappoint. It is advertised as a museum with a story. Quotes from Anne's diary, photographs and short films educate visitors as to what went on in the house while Anne was living in it.
Just a few of the 600000 bikes in Amsterdam.
On our canal cruise these houses were called the dancing houses. These canal houses look like they are about to fall over. The soil that these houses were built on was so swampy that they had to be built on wood piles that would rot if exposed to air. The more the wood rotted the more the houses danced. With this dancing, they look a little off kilter. If one looks closely, a hook can be seen from the top of the houses. These hooks are used to move furniture in and out of the house through the windows.
There are 165 canals that combine for a length of over 100km. There are 1281 bridges. This is unique view that shows 7 bridges.
One canal is dedicated as a flower market. This time of year mostly bulbs for sale. Not many fresh flowers in this chilly weather.
Cheese please!
Outside of the Anne Frank House is a common sight for this city. Beautiful canals and plenty of bikes! We were able to visit the Anne Frank House Thursday afternoon (Feb. 7). I remember this museum from a few years ago and it still does not disappoint. It is advertised as a museum with a story. Quotes from Anne's diary, photographs and short films educate visitors as to what went on in the house while Anne was living in it.
Just a few of the 600000 bikes in Amsterdam.
On our canal cruise these houses were called the dancing houses. These canal houses look like they are about to fall over. The soil that these houses were built on was so swampy that they had to be built on wood piles that would rot if exposed to air. The more the wood rotted the more the houses danced. With this dancing, they look a little off kilter. If one looks closely, a hook can be seen from the top of the houses. These hooks are used to move furniture in and out of the house through the windows.
There are 165 canals that combine for a length of over 100km. There are 1281 bridges. This is unique view that shows 7 bridges.
One canal is dedicated as a flower market. This time of year mostly bulbs for sale. Not many fresh flowers in this chilly weather.
Foods I Remember
Growing up in an Icelandic community it was not unusual to see fish hanging on a clothesline to be dried for hardfish. My friend's Amma would make skyr and my grandmother would make a flatbread we called stump. Viennatarta does not exist in Iceland! It must be a North American creation. I did, however, eat my fill of the black likkris.
This looked so good I had to try it. The label says it was even made in Vogar! It tasted almost as good as I remember.
Skyr is much better than I remember. No longer that "yogurt gone bad" taste.
This looked so good I had to try it. The label says it was even made in Vogar! It tasted almost as good as I remember.
Skyr is much better than I remember. No longer that "yogurt gone bad" taste.
Wonderful Reykjavik
Three out of four Icelanders live in Reykjavik. Even at that ratio the city is small and safe. It boasts the title of being the northern most capital at 64 degrees north. On the shortest day of the year, it receives only 4 hours of daylight. We noticed the difference in daylight especially since we did not see the sun until around 10:00.
The Atlantic seaboard.
How can a city not be safe when it needs to institute a no tractors allowed sign?
The Atlantic seaboard.
How can a city not be safe when it needs to institute a no tractors allowed sign?
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