twelve day tour

Since we are leaving this neck of the woods for who knows how long, we decided to make our one last hurrah in Croatia and Venice. Never been to Croatia so this was one I was really looking forward to. The people were so amazing, though I think I say that everywhere we go when we leave France! They do love children and there were some great play areas for mon petit fee.

Our Croatia leg started after we picked up the rental car from Venice. I didn't do so well on the drive being pregnant (with twin boys)! I am so sorry to the car behind me. The sickness came so fast, all I could do was to roll down my window as there was no place to stop. Finally when we did reach a safe place to pull over so I could finish, it ended up being in front of someone's home. I AM SO SORRY! But it was either there where the rain would cleanse or in the car. That was the start of our journey!

Croatia is not a part of the European Union, so they have their own currency - the Kuna. The euro is much stronger so we were able to enjoy more on a smaller budget. We didn't go to Bosnia though I would have really liked to considering it was only 45 minutes away from where we were, though plan to go one day. Traveling while pregnant and with a toddler forces you to choose between sanity or seeing sights. Maybe if this had been our first trip, or if we would have come directly from the US, we would have felt differently.

Whenever we go someplace one of our favorite things to do is to sample the local cuisine. Of course because of its location, seafood is on the menu. One photo is a sampler platter of octupus and potatoes, sardines, anchovis, and something else I can't remember. The other is a local dish with octapus, potatoes, olives, etc. Sooooooo fresh!!!!

This photo to the right was taken during our drive along the coast from Split to Duborvnik. So many breathtaking views I didn't want to put the camera down!

We'd been to Venice six years earlier during the summer, but for some reason I don't remember it being so crowded as it was in April. All the tourists really bothered me. It seemed like a Disney spectacle, though I understand why. This city is utterly beautiful (take out the tourists). Probably one of the most beautiful I have ever been to. I had forgotten this as we have traveled so many places and seen some incredible sights.

During the time that we were there, at around 6pm the water started coming up over the edge of San Marco Square and up through the drain pipes. Of course it is a well known fact that this happens, but to actually see it is quite disheartening. To think that maybe one day all would be lost...

Supplies are brought in by boat, of course, since the roads are water ways!

One of my favorite dishes, spaghetti with mussles and clams. And of course the infamous Italian cappuccinos - sooooo scrumptions! Sorry but even flavored American coffee is no match.

And below is the Ponte Vecchio. One of the most famous bridges in Venice. It used to be the big fish market, but these days they sell all sorts of souvineers from the Murano glass to the famed Venician carnival masks.

les jumeaux

Learned another new word today - les jumeaux. When I went to the doctor at my 13 week scan (also my first appointment - already knew I was pregnant and prefered to wait beyond the 12 week period because of the last time), she informed me that it was imperative I receive an ultrasound (echographie) immediately, this week. This was after listening to the heartbeat(s) about an inch apart. I remembered from my first time around that the doctor had a difficult time finding the heartbeat, the location had to be exact. But this time it was a bit curious to see that it could be heard in two places. I didn't think much of it at the time and my doctor only raised an eyebrow, didn't even mention the possibility...

I went in for the ultrasound and when we looked on the screen, we saw two heads. This was interesting, and I wondered what kind of new technology they were using so you could see a mirror image. That's when I learned what "les jumeaux" means - twins. Holy shit! I've always wanted three kids, I already have one, so this was perfect. I love working/teaching orchestras but don't really have the option (internally) to work while my children are little. I tried the first year when mon petit fee was four months old, but I had such a hard time even though it was part time, I quit after eight months and haven't looked back. I still teach in the evening/after school one day a week so that keeps me satiated and my brain working. This has worried me a bit wondering how long I would not be working, so getting the two for one just couldn't have come at a better time. And especially after the miscarriage in October it is almost like I am getting my baby back. These two are due in October.

Anyway, I'm not sure what is recommended in the US, but here with twins, I have to visit the doctor every month and get a sonogram every month. Everything is on track, both babies are healthy and growing normally, or as normal as can be seeing as I'm carrying them! I'll keep you posted.

orchestre ut5eme

http://www.ut5.fr/

stand partner

I will have my first official concert this next week with my French orchestra. They are really a great group of musicians, and very different than many of the French people I have met. If I had been in this group when I first arrived, my impression of the French people would most likely be quite different. I have actually made friends from this group. This has been the most difficult challenge here, more difficult than the language. But I'm not sure if it's the music that brings us together, or the kind of people that play an instrument, specifically the cello, or if it's that they think I'm good and respect me (I'm sitting third chair!!!!!)???? At the first rehearsal my stand partner asked me if I was Russian. Russians are known for being virtostic and, well I did practice my part, was confident, and played quite strongly. But I wasn't sure of this compliment as I thought he was referring to my body odor. I sweat so badly when I'm nervous and it was a nerve racking day. I stunk so bad I didn't want to sit by me!

But as we have had several rehearsals together, I have had a chance to overcome my insecurity of talking with people and have had a few nice conversations. One cellist will be going to California this summer for three weeks. One guy had been to New York and Boston and someplace else on the East Coast. I think both of them speak English but I haven't heard them yet. Another girl is a fluent English speaker so we talk a mix of English and French. And my stand partner, I think he knows a little English, but we always talk in French. I think that he is nervous to speak English to me as I am nervous to speak French to him, but he is so nice and there is something about playing music together that you can get a sense of someone's soul. So we have made a convivial connection without many words. And ok, after last rehearsal, he is now my hero!

Just in the past few months they have started a new thing in Paris. The city provides bikes at certain locations, usually by metro stops. They are there to cut down on car/bus/metro usage and to promote an energy efficient mode of transport. And so you can rent a bike, though I think it's free if it's within a certain time, and ride from one location and drop it off at the next. Well, my stand partner did this - with a cello in a hard case ON HIS BACK while riding the bike!!!!! This is not easy as the cello itself is heavy, plus the weight of the hard case. And then on your back! The weight is tough, but also the coordination of it all. Though I guess he is pretty coordinated to play the cello, so guess this shouldn't be too big a deal. I don't know though. All analysis aside, it's still pretty cool. Now I need to find where my drop off location would be!

renoncule

These are my favorite flowers of all time. If anyone asks... They are called: renoncule.

I learned that today (after living here 4.5 years!) at the market. I love the flower man. He's always so jovial I wonder if he's really French. Maybe one day I will ask him. He gave mon petit fee a rose and then proceeded to tell me he was Rambo. Where that came from I don't know. "Where's my knive, where's my knife" he kept saying. Good golly. Definitely was a good laugh though, that's for sure. He was so kind to write down the name of this flower for me so I just had to take a photo of it. Even the color has to be my favorite, too. And at only six euro a bouquet, I can afford them weekly!

And I need all the cheer I can get as I am in need of a little sensual stimulus (not sexual - something to stimulate my senses, because Paris doesn't do it anymore - been there, done that, seen it. Ok that's not really accurate as there are many things I still enjoy, but the honeymoon is over). These days I leave the tea pot on for so long, all the water boils out of it. Or I put the tea pot on the stove and forget to turn the stove on. I had some raw milk that was going to expire the next day so I thought I'd be clever and make a delicious custard out of it only to forget that I had put it in the oven. "That's what timers are for" you say?!?! Well smarty pants, I did set the timer, listened to to it buzz and then just went about my evening like la de da. Is this mommy brain? I need another good long sniff of those flowers.

too long

You know you've been living outside the US too long when....
a family member has cancer and you send a sprout tray and broccoli seeds for sprouting.

But hey, there's good reason for that. Check it out:
http://www.mercola.com/1997/archive/broccoli_sprouts.htm

back to normal

This season the weather has been so fantastic I have forgotten what city I am living in. Blue skies and no rain puts anyone in a good mood. Maybe that's why I am feeling so well. But the last couple of days, it has gone back to normalicy for this time of year. Yucky, gray skies, rain, toe freezing weather. Today was no exception. Mon petit fee and I went to the jardin des poetes just to get out of our three room apartment. (Three rooms meaning, one living area, one dining area, one bedroom - literally, three rooms). Of course it was drizzling, so the playground was wet. But they have these beautiful greenhouses, one of which we entered. There we found another American expat! She had three kids and we had such a nice time chatting while the kids played together and watched the fish in the little ponds. With them an hour went by faster than a minute alone and all too soon it was time to say goodbye.

We were to take the bus home and ended up waiting a good ten minutes for it, standing out in the light rain. I stopped carrying an umbrella as it is just one more thing to carry and ok, really, it is just so much effort to carry it open while pushing the stroller. They need to make a stroller with an attachable umbrella for mommy. How on earth am I supposed to push the thing with just one hand over cobble stone/rocks/bumpy pavement with the full weight of mom petit fee and a load of groceries??? Come on entrepeneurs, here's and easy one for you. Donc voila, I did have the stroller with a bag and some odds and ends I purchased at the store just before going to the playground/greenhouse. School had just gotten out - it's only half days on Wednesdays - so there were about 20 kids waiting at the bus stop. They all got on and I stood there looking at a bus full of people, ready to get on. The driver took one look at me and informed me that I would have to fold up my stroller as the bus was full. I understand the bus driver does have this right, and legally the passengers are required to oblige the driver. But it was raining, I had a lot of loose things in the stroller of which what was I to do with? It's not like there wasn't ANY room for us. People would just have had to move back a little. But it's this mentality that "pfff, oh la la, c'est trop difficile..." So I just told him never mind and walked in the rain with mon petit fee the rest of the way home. It was only about a 15 minute walk the way I walk (you know, one foot in front of the other), but did I mention that it was raining, I was cold, and mon petit fee was hungry??? Guess there are worse things though so I shouldn't complain. I do have feet to walk with in the first place. Good grief Charlile Brown. Where have you done and gone?