Mean Reversion - "A theory suggesting that prices and returns eventually move back towards the mean or average" (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/meanreversion.asp)
A couple months ago, I wrote an entry how things were going well for me, and how I was waiting for the inevitable drop. It's fair to say that I'm reverting back to my mean.
Instead of talking about that, and in the spirit of keeping things light given the upcoming holiday, I'd like to pose a question. Have you ever given or received the perfect gift? (note: Jesus's love and forgiveness, even thought correct, is too serious of an answer)
I LOVE the challenge of getting/making friends/family something they'll enjoy. Gift cards are only used for people I don't see often, or don't care about. It's probably my general hatred of the gift card industry (huge profit maker) that has me jaded on those things.
Back to the question, what was your favorite gift you got as a kid? Something only Santa could deliver ;-) The only thing I remember, I can't talk about here...or anywhere for that matter. One of my favorite gifts I ever gave was a Leafs jersey I got my dad a few years back. My dad doesn't often show emotion (remind you of anyone?), so seeing his face light up when he opened it, was a treat. Similarly, I remember getting my mom a "University of Ottawa Mom" sweatshirt that made her cry. She deserved that sweater...and wore it proudly.
Finding an appropriate gift has gotten harder as my budget expands. I think a lesser budget forces you to be more creative in your ideas. Creative is synonomous with thoughtful, and people dig thoughtful presents.
After reflection, my favorite "gift" each year is spending time with my family. We just don't see eachother that often anymore, and being around them makes the holiday special.
When unwrapping your gifts this year, make sure to remember what you're actually celebrating. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Last Trip Entry
After hauling myself out of bed this morning at 7:30 Paris time (1:30 EST), I somehow managed to shower, shave, down a half litre of OJ, and checkout in 30 minutes. Oh yeah, I also dressed myself *proud*
Caught a taxi to DeGaulle airport, where I breezed through pre-board screening, and ate breakfast in the Air Canada lounge (pain chocolat, fruit, pineapple juice, cookies, danishes, cheese, etc.). The flight back from Paris to Toronto is 8+ hours. At this point, I'll make an admission: I drank quite a bit to kill the time on the plane. My recollection is a glass of champagne, 2 glasses of port, and a Heineken. If it helps, I also ate quite a bit to help offset the liquor. Another great thing about travelling business class is the movies/tv terminal. I managed to get through 3 movies: Year One (dumb), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (great quote: you're meant to lose the ones you love; how else will you know how much you care about them), and the Time Traveller's Wife (decent, except for the last 2 minutes).
After arriving in Toronto at around 2:30pm, I almost got on the 3:15 to Ottawa...but they couldn't transfer my luggage. The 4pm to Ottawa is full, so I'm stuck on the 4:50 flight, which boards in about 30 minutes.
Since I wrote my first trip entry in the Air Canada lounge in Ottawa, it's only fitting I write my last trip post from the Maple Leaf (read: Air Canada) lounge at Pearson. I had a Guiness and 3 cookies to help me keep awake. My goal is to stay up til 10pm tonight, and I'll let myself sleep in tomorrow as long as my body wants.
There was this kid...well, actually young man (20ish) at the L'Ouvre (G will likely correct my spelling on that *haha*) who I overheard say "I never thought I'd see the Mona Lisa in my life". At the time, I thought it was just a typical, cliche expression. After reflection, I understand and sympathize with what the kid was saying. In my mind, and at heart, I'm just a country boy from a small town (Pembroke - population 13,500 when everyone is home), who managed to get through the first 29 years of his life without a passport. I saw and experienced so many different things on this trip that were...pardon the cliche...beyond my wildest dreams. On this trip I've stood at the feet of Big Ben, took a ferry from Europe to Asia, wondered around Grand Place, walked through the red light district, and got overwhelmed by the light show at the Eiffel Tower. I know there are people my age, from my type of background that have done more, ane experienced more than I have...but I feel so lucky right now. I'll never be a chique, affluent, jet-setter...but my hard work at my job allowed me the opportunity to experience different cultures, explore 6 countries, and most importantly, broaden my horizons.
Happy travels friends!
Caught a taxi to DeGaulle airport, where I breezed through pre-board screening, and ate breakfast in the Air Canada lounge (pain chocolat, fruit, pineapple juice, cookies, danishes, cheese, etc.). The flight back from Paris to Toronto is 8+ hours. At this point, I'll make an admission: I drank quite a bit to kill the time on the plane. My recollection is a glass of champagne, 2 glasses of port, and a Heineken. If it helps, I also ate quite a bit to help offset the liquor. Another great thing about travelling business class is the movies/tv terminal. I managed to get through 3 movies: Year One (dumb), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (great quote: you're meant to lose the ones you love; how else will you know how much you care about them), and the Time Traveller's Wife (decent, except for the last 2 minutes).
After arriving in Toronto at around 2:30pm, I almost got on the 3:15 to Ottawa...but they couldn't transfer my luggage. The 4pm to Ottawa is full, so I'm stuck on the 4:50 flight, which boards in about 30 minutes.
Since I wrote my first trip entry in the Air Canada lounge in Ottawa, it's only fitting I write my last trip post from the Maple Leaf (read: Air Canada) lounge at Pearson. I had a Guiness and 3 cookies to help me keep awake. My goal is to stay up til 10pm tonight, and I'll let myself sleep in tomorrow as long as my body wants.
There was this kid...well, actually young man (20ish) at the L'Ouvre (G will likely correct my spelling on that *haha*) who I overheard say "I never thought I'd see the Mona Lisa in my life". At the time, I thought it was just a typical, cliche expression. After reflection, I understand and sympathize with what the kid was saying. In my mind, and at heart, I'm just a country boy from a small town (Pembroke - population 13,500 when everyone is home), who managed to get through the first 29 years of his life without a passport. I saw and experienced so many different things on this trip that were...pardon the cliche...beyond my wildest dreams. On this trip I've stood at the feet of Big Ben, took a ferry from Europe to Asia, wondered around Grand Place, walked through the red light district, and got overwhelmed by the light show at the Eiffel Tower. I know there are people my age, from my type of background that have done more, ane experienced more than I have...but I feel so lucky right now. I'll never be a chique, affluent, jet-setter...but my hard work at my job allowed me the opportunity to experience different cultures, explore 6 countries, and most importantly, broaden my horizons.
Happy travels friends!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Paris Day 3
It's my last full day in Paris, and after seeing the Eiffel tower last night all lit up, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do today. I ended up consulting my handy-dandy Paris guidebook, and decided I'd visit the rest of the top 10 sites in Paris. This required a fair amount of metro planning prep work, but it was worth it.
I took the metro to the Champs-Elyse, and basically walked along the river, with little detours to get shots of the 7 sites I hadn't seen. The most unique was the Pompodore (?) center. It basically looks like a big series of pipes from the outside. Another high-light was touring inside Notre Dame. Sad to say, I didn't see any hunchbacks...
Also of importance, I got the last of my gifts for people back home. This was actually quite a stressful process, so it's nice to have completed it.
Oh, and I ate at this amazing little Thai place near the Patheon. Probably my favorite meal in Paris.
Anyway, think I'll go out once more tonight to the Eiffel tower and walk to the Champs d'Elyse. Call me a sucker for lights and beauty ;-) Heading back to Canada tomorrow...not looking forward to the 8+ hour flight to Toronto, and 1 hour hop to Ottawa. Looking forward to seeing everyone again though...and getting a good night's sleep in my own bed.
I took the metro to the Champs-Elyse, and basically walked along the river, with little detours to get shots of the 7 sites I hadn't seen. The most unique was the Pompodore (?) center. It basically looks like a big series of pipes from the outside. Another high-light was touring inside Notre Dame. Sad to say, I didn't see any hunchbacks...
Also of importance, I got the last of my gifts for people back home. This was actually quite a stressful process, so it's nice to have completed it.
Oh, and I ate at this amazing little Thai place near the Patheon. Probably my favorite meal in Paris.
Anyway, think I'll go out once more tonight to the Eiffel tower and walk to the Champs d'Elyse. Call me a sucker for lights and beauty ;-) Heading back to Canada tomorrow...not looking forward to the 8+ hour flight to Toronto, and 1 hour hop to Ottawa. Looking forward to seeing everyone again though...and getting a good night's sleep in my own bed.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Days 1 & 2 in Paris
Bonjour from belle Paris! I'll keep my entry short, since I'm about to head off to bed (it's 9:30ish now).
Day 1
Leaving Amsterdam was bitter sweet. I loved the city, I enjoyed the buffet breakfast at my hotel, and their transit system is world class. However, I was looking forward to Paris, if only for the mystique of the city.
Before catching my train to Paris, I picked up a "Top 10" guidebook to Paris, that's been well worth the 10 EUR. I also bought a copy of Anne Frank's diary, as I hadn't had time to read it prior to Amsterdam.
Sat beside a pleasant Dutch guy on the train, and we talked about Anne Frank's diary (I read about half of it on the way), Paris, and school. Even though the train was delayed due to a breakdown, we're talking 20 minutes top, instead of the usual 1 or 2 hour delay for Via Rail trains.
Arrived in Paris about 2pm, caught a taxi to my hotel...which is interesting. My room is tiny, breakfast isn't included, and my tv is about 18 inches...but...it's in a great location (close to metro), their's free in room Internet (!), and it's close to the Arc de Triomphe (20 minute walk). The last point is included since I walked to the Arc the first night here. Then, in what is becoming a re-occurring theme, I passed out the second I hit the bed (9:30ish).
Day 2
Today was jam packed. I bought a 48 hour metro pass, and that has made me extremely mobile. Although Paris's subway and bus system is more difficult to understand than Amsterdam (yes, I've got lost a few times today), it's still incredibly efficient. I've never had to wait more than 2 minutes for a train...for serious!
With Metro pass in hand, I headed off to L'Ouevre, since it's always been a goal of mine to see the Mona Lisa in my life. Having now accomplished that goal, I'd go as far as to say that there's much more interesting peices at the museum. The Venus DiMio (sp?) was breathtaking, and I also really enjoyed Winged Victory (probably got that wrong).
Headed back home to...you guessed it...nap. Then headed out to the Eiffel Tower since my guidebook says it must be seen at night. Totally agree with that, as it lights up for about 15 minutes and hour, and there's a little sound and music show. To make the night even better, I had a ham and cheese crepe on my way back to the Metro station...spectacular! Which reminds me, since breakfast isn't included at my hotel, I bought myself some choissants and cheese this morning...a block of brie (which I love) was 1.50 EUR! I ate 3/4 of the block...and it tasted incredible.
Anyway, I'm exhausted, and need to hit the sack. Looking forward to returning to Ottawa on Wednesday.
Day 1
Leaving Amsterdam was bitter sweet. I loved the city, I enjoyed the buffet breakfast at my hotel, and their transit system is world class. However, I was looking forward to Paris, if only for the mystique of the city.
Before catching my train to Paris, I picked up a "Top 10" guidebook to Paris, that's been well worth the 10 EUR. I also bought a copy of Anne Frank's diary, as I hadn't had time to read it prior to Amsterdam.
Sat beside a pleasant Dutch guy on the train, and we talked about Anne Frank's diary (I read about half of it on the way), Paris, and school. Even though the train was delayed due to a breakdown, we're talking 20 minutes top, instead of the usual 1 or 2 hour delay for Via Rail trains.
Arrived in Paris about 2pm, caught a taxi to my hotel...which is interesting. My room is tiny, breakfast isn't included, and my tv is about 18 inches...but...it's in a great location (close to metro), their's free in room Internet (!), and it's close to the Arc de Triomphe (20 minute walk). The last point is included since I walked to the Arc the first night here. Then, in what is becoming a re-occurring theme, I passed out the second I hit the bed (9:30ish).
Day 2
Today was jam packed. I bought a 48 hour metro pass, and that has made me extremely mobile. Although Paris's subway and bus system is more difficult to understand than Amsterdam (yes, I've got lost a few times today), it's still incredibly efficient. I've never had to wait more than 2 minutes for a train...for serious!
With Metro pass in hand, I headed off to L'Ouevre, since it's always been a goal of mine to see the Mona Lisa in my life. Having now accomplished that goal, I'd go as far as to say that there's much more interesting peices at the museum. The Venus DiMio (sp?) was breathtaking, and I also really enjoyed Winged Victory (probably got that wrong).
Headed back home to...you guessed it...nap. Then headed out to the Eiffel Tower since my guidebook says it must be seen at night. Totally agree with that, as it lights up for about 15 minutes and hour, and there's a little sound and music show. To make the night even better, I had a ham and cheese crepe on my way back to the Metro station...spectacular! Which reminds me, since breakfast isn't included at my hotel, I bought myself some choissants and cheese this morning...a block of brie (which I love) was 1.50 EUR! I ate 3/4 of the block...and it tasted incredible.
Anyway, I'm exhausted, and need to hit the sack. Looking forward to returning to Ottawa on Wednesday.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Amsterdam
Amsterdam Day 1
The train ride to Amsterdam was a bit strange for a couple of reasons. Firstly, my colleague was flying to Frankfurt while I was riding the rails to Amsterdam. Secondly, although I had been going “First Class” on business, I bought the cheapest coach train ticket I could get on the Internet. There was also the fact that the train conductor never checked my ticket, only those around me. Maybe I have a trustable face?
On arriving in Amsterdam, the Central station completely overwhelmed me. There was very little English, which made the experience of exiting the station all the more frustrating. The frustration continued when the cab from the station to my hotel cost me EUR 32. I was disappointed in the location of my hotel, since it’s basically in the middle of nowhere.
However, this is also when things started to turn around. The girl at the front desk of the hotel told me where the metro station was located (about 500 meters from the hotel). I did my last bit of “work”, and then walked over to the metro station and bought a 48 hour pass (with some difficulty). The EUR 10.50 for the 2-day pass saved me a small fortune on cabs.
I took the subway back to Central station where I got some supper, and then went for a little walk. I found a touristy street (think Sparks Street, but with a lot more pot), and bought my souvenirs. At point, I took the subway back to my hotel since I was exhausted (as I have been for the past week).
At the hotel, I watched this crazy channel that seems to only play cop and lawyer shows in English. I ate some dark Belgium chocolate, planned out my destinations for the next day, and passed out at 10:30pm.
Amsterdam Day 2
While checking in, the girl at the front desk mentioned that breakfast was served from 6-10am on the weekend. This was a surprise since I didn’t remember the hotel having a continental breakfast. On the other hand, I thought they had free Internet access, which I guess technically they do, through 2 public computers. So I got up around 9ish, showered, then stumbled downstairs to check out this breakfast. Turns out the breakfast buffet was in-line with that of the Waldorf Hilton in England. I had multiple chocolate croissants, some crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, yogurt, fruit, milk, orange juice…and some of the worst peanut butter I’ve ever sample.
With my stomach full, it was time to discover Amsterdam. I took the metro to Waterlooplein (about 2 kilometers from downturn). There was a flea market there, city hall, a beautiful church, but try as I might, I couldn’t find Rembrant’s house. No worries, I walked downtown along one of the many canals. The walk took me through Chinatown and the Vietneese part of the city. I picked up a more detailed map of the city from the Amsterdam tourism office, and then proceeded to find Anne Frank’s house. This was definitely somewhere I wanted to visit, but, seeing the line-up around the block, and knowing I didn’t want to rush at my main stop of the day, I decided to take some pictures of the famous house, and the gorgeous church beside it, and move on.
It took a while, but I finally arrived at the reason I wanted to come to Amsterdam in the first place – The Van Gogh Museum. I know what you’re thinking, I’m not the most artsy guy you know. In fact, I’m probably the least artist person you’ll ever meet. However, it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the genius that was sir Vincent. For EUR 12.50, I got to see over 250 paintings, some sketches, letters, and learn more about one of my favorite artists. There was a hidden gem of a painting I really loved (beside the amazing sunflowers, potato eaters, and self-portrait). It was a still life of lilies, daisies, and poppies. I’ll have to look it up at home and order a print. The colors just pop…it’s an amazing piece.
By the time I exited the museum, I was exhausted and my feet were starting to get sore. I had thought about taking a tour of the Heineken beer factory, but seeing the line-up, and knowing I would have been rushing to enjoy it in only an hour and a half…I decided to skip it. Instead, I bought a quick snack at a grocery store, and found a metro station from which I could get back downtown.
Why you may ask? Well, first I wanted to eat supper. After a chicken donair (yum), that mission was quickly accomplished. The real reason I came back downtown was to find the infamous “red light district”. This isn’t on any maps, but having experienced the “marijuana district” the night before, I thought the red light district would complete my Amsterdam experience. If there’s one thing I’ve figured out on this trip, it’s that when in doubt, follow the tourists! This strategy led me to the red light district in about 15 minutes (for serious!)
A couple of words. First off, it was pretty crazy, but it’s over-hyped. Picture a bunch of old (40ish), fake, and gender-questionable “women” in windows, and you basically have an idea of what you’d see. The more amusing part for me was watching men try to negotiate with them. It’s eye-opening to see the type of guy that goes into a whorehouse. Hearing them try to strike a deal on heavily-used-“ladies” was a crack-up.
Anyway, after walking through the red-light district, I made my way back to the train station, picked up an “Innocent” smoothie (yes G, they are addictive), and made my way back to the hotel.
Needing to pack my suitcase before passing out, I’ll need to sign off now. I expect to post this entry when I get to Paris tomorrow.
The train ride to Amsterdam was a bit strange for a couple of reasons. Firstly, my colleague was flying to Frankfurt while I was riding the rails to Amsterdam. Secondly, although I had been going “First Class” on business, I bought the cheapest coach train ticket I could get on the Internet. There was also the fact that the train conductor never checked my ticket, only those around me. Maybe I have a trustable face?
On arriving in Amsterdam, the Central station completely overwhelmed me. There was very little English, which made the experience of exiting the station all the more frustrating. The frustration continued when the cab from the station to my hotel cost me EUR 32. I was disappointed in the location of my hotel, since it’s basically in the middle of nowhere.
However, this is also when things started to turn around. The girl at the front desk of the hotel told me where the metro station was located (about 500 meters from the hotel). I did my last bit of “work”, and then walked over to the metro station and bought a 48 hour pass (with some difficulty). The EUR 10.50 for the 2-day pass saved me a small fortune on cabs.
I took the subway back to Central station where I got some supper, and then went for a little walk. I found a touristy street (think Sparks Street, but with a lot more pot), and bought my souvenirs. At point, I took the subway back to my hotel since I was exhausted (as I have been for the past week).
At the hotel, I watched this crazy channel that seems to only play cop and lawyer shows in English. I ate some dark Belgium chocolate, planned out my destinations for the next day, and passed out at 10:30pm.
Amsterdam Day 2
While checking in, the girl at the front desk mentioned that breakfast was served from 6-10am on the weekend. This was a surprise since I didn’t remember the hotel having a continental breakfast. On the other hand, I thought they had free Internet access, which I guess technically they do, through 2 public computers. So I got up around 9ish, showered, then stumbled downstairs to check out this breakfast. Turns out the breakfast buffet was in-line with that of the Waldorf Hilton in England. I had multiple chocolate croissants, some crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, yogurt, fruit, milk, orange juice…and some of the worst peanut butter I’ve ever sample.
With my stomach full, it was time to discover Amsterdam. I took the metro to Waterlooplein (about 2 kilometers from downturn). There was a flea market there, city hall, a beautiful church, but try as I might, I couldn’t find Rembrant’s house. No worries, I walked downtown along one of the many canals. The walk took me through Chinatown and the Vietneese part of the city. I picked up a more detailed map of the city from the Amsterdam tourism office, and then proceeded to find Anne Frank’s house. This was definitely somewhere I wanted to visit, but, seeing the line-up around the block, and knowing I didn’t want to rush at my main stop of the day, I decided to take some pictures of the famous house, and the gorgeous church beside it, and move on.
It took a while, but I finally arrived at the reason I wanted to come to Amsterdam in the first place – The Van Gogh Museum. I know what you’re thinking, I’m not the most artsy guy you know. In fact, I’m probably the least artist person you’ll ever meet. However, it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the genius that was sir Vincent. For EUR 12.50, I got to see over 250 paintings, some sketches, letters, and learn more about one of my favorite artists. There was a hidden gem of a painting I really loved (beside the amazing sunflowers, potato eaters, and self-portrait). It was a still life of lilies, daisies, and poppies. I’ll have to look it up at home and order a print. The colors just pop…it’s an amazing piece.
By the time I exited the museum, I was exhausted and my feet were starting to get sore. I had thought about taking a tour of the Heineken beer factory, but seeing the line-up, and knowing I would have been rushing to enjoy it in only an hour and a half…I decided to skip it. Instead, I bought a quick snack at a grocery store, and found a metro station from which I could get back downtown.
Why you may ask? Well, first I wanted to eat supper. After a chicken donair (yum), that mission was quickly accomplished. The real reason I came back downtown was to find the infamous “red light district”. This isn’t on any maps, but having experienced the “marijuana district” the night before, I thought the red light district would complete my Amsterdam experience. If there’s one thing I’ve figured out on this trip, it’s that when in doubt, follow the tourists! This strategy led me to the red light district in about 15 minutes (for serious!)
A couple of words. First off, it was pretty crazy, but it’s over-hyped. Picture a bunch of old (40ish), fake, and gender-questionable “women” in windows, and you basically have an idea of what you’d see. The more amusing part for me was watching men try to negotiate with them. It’s eye-opening to see the type of guy that goes into a whorehouse. Hearing them try to strike a deal on heavily-used-“ladies” was a crack-up.
Anyway, after walking through the red-light district, I made my way back to the train station, picked up an “Innocent” smoothie (yes G, they are addictive), and made my way back to the hotel.
Needing to pack my suitcase before passing out, I’ll need to sign off now. I expect to post this entry when I get to Paris tomorrow.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Day 12
Let me preface this post by making an admission: I'm drunk, or at least buzzed. A beer at supper, and 3 more at Delerium (including one that was 10.5%) means I'm not 100%.
After getting my last 2 business meetings over with, I went out for a walk in Brussels to get some pictures and explore the city. Grand Place is extraordinary, and I'm glad to have it experienced it at 3 different times of day.
My colleague and I decided to go out for dinner in the "fish market", which limited my choices to a beef stew in a restaurant called "Huitres". It was enjoyable, but I liked the walk down to the statue of the boy peeing (I'll post a picture on FB later) which is famous in Brussels.
Afterwards, we had a Belgium waffle with chocolate and banannas (yum), and then made our way to Delerium. This is a bar with over 2,000 beers, including the favorite of my colleage Gulden Draken, which is 10.5%. I also partook in a cherry beer (imagine a heavier cooler), and a pomegrante wheat beer. Both very tasty, and very buzz-inducing.
Now, I have to go up and pack, since I'm off to Amsterdam tomorrow. I'll have some water to help sober up. It'll be nice to sleep into 9am tomorrow. Brussels is lovely, but I'm glad to be moving on. King, out.
After getting my last 2 business meetings over with, I went out for a walk in Brussels to get some pictures and explore the city. Grand Place is extraordinary, and I'm glad to have it experienced it at 3 different times of day.
My colleague and I decided to go out for dinner in the "fish market", which limited my choices to a beef stew in a restaurant called "Huitres". It was enjoyable, but I liked the walk down to the statue of the boy peeing (I'll post a picture on FB later) which is famous in Brussels.
Afterwards, we had a Belgium waffle with chocolate and banannas (yum), and then made our way to Delerium. This is a bar with over 2,000 beers, including the favorite of my colleage Gulden Draken, which is 10.5%. I also partook in a cherry beer (imagine a heavier cooler), and a pomegrante wheat beer. Both very tasty, and very buzz-inducing.
Now, I have to go up and pack, since I'm off to Amsterdam tomorrow. I'll have some water to help sober up. It'll be nice to sleep into 9am tomorrow. Brussels is lovely, but I'm glad to be moving on. King, out.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Day 11
If this entry doesn't make much sense, I'm trying to squeeze it in before heading to bed after an exhausting day. Plus, if you come to my blog to logical entries, I question your sanity.
Today started with a cab ride to Brussels Midi train station. Actually, back that up, today actually started with a chocolate croissant and a smoothie (with 5 servings of fruit). We took a 3 hour train ride to the Frankfurt airport where we had a 1 hour meeting. The ride to Frankfurt was interesting, as there was so much gorgeous scenery as we moved from Belgium to Germany, and most of the way across that country.
The Frankfurt airport is a massive structure. I counted 8 terminals, 2 train terminals, and a conference center (where we had our meeting). The shops could put Rideau Center to shame. Knowing it would likely be my last time in Germany for a while, I picked up a soccer scarf, some post-cards, and two fridge magnets.
Then we trained back to Brussels on a German "ICE" train. We reached speeds of over 250 km/h. Luckily it was dark, as it would have been hard to look outside at those speeds given I was facing backwards.
Tomorrow is our last day of meetings, and my last full day in Brussels. I'm going to try to hit a few touristy spots, but the timing of my meetings make it difficult. I MUST pick up some chocolates at some point tomorrow, as many of you have ordered those before I left.
Again, I'll say just how tired I am, and how days are fading together. Hopefully I can snap a few pictures tomorrow to help remember my time in the beautiful Brussels.
Lastly, here's a quick shoutout to Five Finger Discount, my Thursday night Frisbee team in O-Town. Give them hell tomorrow G & Co.
Today started with a cab ride to Brussels Midi train station. Actually, back that up, today actually started with a chocolate croissant and a smoothie (with 5 servings of fruit). We took a 3 hour train ride to the Frankfurt airport where we had a 1 hour meeting. The ride to Frankfurt was interesting, as there was so much gorgeous scenery as we moved from Belgium to Germany, and most of the way across that country.
The Frankfurt airport is a massive structure. I counted 8 terminals, 2 train terminals, and a conference center (where we had our meeting). The shops could put Rideau Center to shame. Knowing it would likely be my last time in Germany for a while, I picked up a soccer scarf, some post-cards, and two fridge magnets.
Then we trained back to Brussels on a German "ICE" train. We reached speeds of over 250 km/h. Luckily it was dark, as it would have been hard to look outside at those speeds given I was facing backwards.
Tomorrow is our last day of meetings, and my last full day in Brussels. I'm going to try to hit a few touristy spots, but the timing of my meetings make it difficult. I MUST pick up some chocolates at some point tomorrow, as many of you have ordered those before I left.
Again, I'll say just how tired I am, and how days are fading together. Hopefully I can snap a few pictures tomorrow to help remember my time in the beautiful Brussels.
Lastly, here's a quick shoutout to Five Finger Discount, my Thursday night Frisbee team in O-Town. Give them hell tomorrow G & Co.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Day 10
First business day in Brussels was busy, especially since I spent very little of it in Brussels. We had a meeting scheduled at 10am downtown, but the owner, who's a bit of an eccentric, invited us out to Gent, where our second meeting was scheduled at 1pm. He picked us up at the train station (lovely train ride btw), and we went out to talk over a drink. My colleague had a 10% beer, while I opted for the less potent 8% brew. Luckily, I had ate a heavy breakfast (chocolate croisant, cheese, banana, smoothie, etc.) or I would have been as buzzed as my colleague ;-)
We then happenned into the most friendly taxi driver in all of Gent, who took us on a fun tour of the city (250K pop.) before dropping us late for our second meeting. The gentleman we met was almost as outgoing and energetic as the first guy, but he did give us a lot of information. Our taxi driver then came to bring us back to the train station. We tipped well since he was such a character.
Did some work before supper, then went out the Brussels Grill, where I sampled a 9% beer with my meal. The Belgium make some wonderful beer, and I plan to try a few other brews before I head off Friday morning.
After squeezing in a workout tonight (after hearing about some of your workouts back in Ottawa, I felt guilty), I'm down in the lobby, where the Internet is free, telling you about my day. I'll head back up when this is done, since I have to get ready to head to Frankfurt tomorrow for a meeting. It's a bit of a train ride, but I'm looking forward to relaxing along the way.
I'll level with you and admit that this trip is starting to wear me down. I wake up not knowing where I am, and one meeting is starting to role into the next. Worse is that I'm barely having time to catch my breath, yet alone see the sights in the cities we're passing through. Lastly, I'll admit I'm having a hard time with people at work, who don't seem to realize I can't respond to their queries in a moment's notice (6 hour time difference, limited connectivity, so much prep work and meetings over here)...*sigh*
Ok, no more complaining. I'm off to Germany tomorrow...and that makes me happy. For those of you who don't know, my background is over 50% German, so I look forward to my return to the motherland. If only for a few hours.
We then happenned into the most friendly taxi driver in all of Gent, who took us on a fun tour of the city (250K pop.) before dropping us late for our second meeting. The gentleman we met was almost as outgoing and energetic as the first guy, but he did give us a lot of information. Our taxi driver then came to bring us back to the train station. We tipped well since he was such a character.
Did some work before supper, then went out the Brussels Grill, where I sampled a 9% beer with my meal. The Belgium make some wonderful beer, and I plan to try a few other brews before I head off Friday morning.
After squeezing in a workout tonight (after hearing about some of your workouts back in Ottawa, I felt guilty), I'm down in the lobby, where the Internet is free, telling you about my day. I'll head back up when this is done, since I have to get ready to head to Frankfurt tomorrow for a meeting. It's a bit of a train ride, but I'm looking forward to relaxing along the way.
I'll level with you and admit that this trip is starting to wear me down. I wake up not knowing where I am, and one meeting is starting to role into the next. Worse is that I'm barely having time to catch my breath, yet alone see the sights in the cities we're passing through. Lastly, I'll admit I'm having a hard time with people at work, who don't seem to realize I can't respond to their queries in a moment's notice (6 hour time difference, limited connectivity, so much prep work and meetings over here)...*sigh*
Ok, no more complaining. I'm off to Germany tomorrow...and that makes me happy. For those of you who don't know, my background is over 50% German, so I look forward to my return to the motherland. If only for a few hours.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Day 8 & Day 9
Day 8
This was my favorite day in Istanbul. I slept in til 9:30, then go up and had the breakfast buffet for almost an hour. With a full stomach, I did 2 meeting reports before taking a walk. One of my favorite ways to explore a city is by walking around aimlessly. I walked for about 3 hours, passing the soccer stadium, some mosques, and the heading along the waterfront. On the way back, I picked up a very tasty 2 TL turkish chicken kebab, sour cherry juice (3.50 TL), and a bag of doritos (2 TL). Then, I totall splurged and bought a Turkey soccer scarf from a street vendor for 20 TL. My negotiating skills clearly paid off as he started off indicating it was 35 TL (which I probably would have bought it for, but enjoyed the challenge of talking him down).
My colleague and I went out for lunch with my company's new representative in Turkey, who took us to a traditional Turkey restaurant in an indoor/outdoor mall (The Canyon). The food and company were both fantastic.
I ended the night doing some more work, and then relaxing and watching Good Night and Good Luck which I borrowed from the hotel concierge. A nice last full day in Istanbul.
Day 9
My colleague and I got up early so we could enjoy our last breakfast buffet at the Park Hyatt Istanbul. Forget the Waldorft Hilton in London, this PHI is my favorite hotel. The fact there was basically no-one staying there at the same time as us meant we had the staff's full attention, and experienced excellent customer service.
We were driven to our 3 meetings, and then had a company driver take us to the airport. We barely had time to check in and fill up on Efensen Pilsner and nuts in the first class lounge, before we flew to Brussels. Brussels is a much more managable city, and made a good impression on me when our cab took Amex!
The Sheraton Brussels is more of an...efficient hotel than the two others we've stayed. I'm just another guest to them, but I like my room, and the service is just fine. Typing this in the lobby using complimentary Internet, and will then head off to bed. Good night!
This was my favorite day in Istanbul. I slept in til 9:30, then go up and had the breakfast buffet for almost an hour. With a full stomach, I did 2 meeting reports before taking a walk. One of my favorite ways to explore a city is by walking around aimlessly. I walked for about 3 hours, passing the soccer stadium, some mosques, and the heading along the waterfront. On the way back, I picked up a very tasty 2 TL turkish chicken kebab, sour cherry juice (3.50 TL), and a bag of doritos (2 TL). Then, I totall splurged and bought a Turkey soccer scarf from a street vendor for 20 TL. My negotiating skills clearly paid off as he started off indicating it was 35 TL (which I probably would have bought it for, but enjoyed the challenge of talking him down).
My colleague and I went out for lunch with my company's new representative in Turkey, who took us to a traditional Turkey restaurant in an indoor/outdoor mall (The Canyon). The food and company were both fantastic.
I ended the night doing some more work, and then relaxing and watching Good Night and Good Luck which I borrowed from the hotel concierge. A nice last full day in Istanbul.
Day 9
My colleague and I got up early so we could enjoy our last breakfast buffet at the Park Hyatt Istanbul. Forget the Waldorft Hilton in London, this PHI is my favorite hotel. The fact there was basically no-one staying there at the same time as us meant we had the staff's full attention, and experienced excellent customer service.
We were driven to our 3 meetings, and then had a company driver take us to the airport. We barely had time to check in and fill up on Efensen Pilsner and nuts in the first class lounge, before we flew to Brussels. Brussels is a much more managable city, and made a good impression on me when our cab took Amex!
The Sheraton Brussels is more of an...efficient hotel than the two others we've stayed. I'm just another guest to them, but I like my room, and the service is just fine. Typing this in the lobby using complimentary Internet, and will then head off to bed. Good night!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Day 7
I'm writing this at around 1am Turkish time, since there is disco music blasting at a club across the street from my hotel. I'm in an odd part of town, with lots of upscale shops, 5-Star hotels, and clubs that pump up the jam until the wee hours each morning.
Today, my colleague and I played tourists in Istanbul. We visited the blue mosque (absolutely stunning), took pictures of the other main mosque (the name escapes me), the museum, and then spent the afternoon shopping at and around the Grand Bizarre. Let me tell you something about the Grand Bizarre - it's draining!
The grand bizarre has a few thousand stalls, all under one roof. Add in a couple hundred thousand Turkish people and tourists, and a generous helping of pushy vendors, and you have yourself semi-organized mayhem. It took my colleague and I 3 hours before we bought anything, just because we both found it so overwhelming. I walked out totally drained, but with a couple of gifts for you fine folks back home.
Tonight was a nice supper in the hotel (lamb, cherry trifle, and a dark Turkish beer) and a movie in my room (Sex and the City...cause I'm so comfortable in my masculinity). There might be some big plans for tomorrow, but you'll have to wait to find out about those.
Today, my colleague and I played tourists in Istanbul. We visited the blue mosque (absolutely stunning), took pictures of the other main mosque (the name escapes me), the museum, and then spent the afternoon shopping at and around the Grand Bizarre. Let me tell you something about the Grand Bizarre - it's draining!
The grand bizarre has a few thousand stalls, all under one roof. Add in a couple hundred thousand Turkish people and tourists, and a generous helping of pushy vendors, and you have yourself semi-organized mayhem. It took my colleague and I 3 hours before we bought anything, just because we both found it so overwhelming. I walked out totally drained, but with a couple of gifts for you fine folks back home.
Tonight was a nice supper in the hotel (lamb, cherry trifle, and a dark Turkish beer) and a movie in my room (Sex and the City...cause I'm so comfortable in my masculinity). There might be some big plans for tomorrow, but you'll have to wait to find out about those.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Week 1 - London, Istanbul & Izmir
I know I promised regular blogging, but without Internet access in London, and with irregular, inconsistent, downright disappointing access in Istanbul, I saved up notes from each day, and will post below. Ending with Day 6 (today) since I've lost a day due to flying through 7 different time zones.
******
Day 1
First day in the UK and I’ve hit the first few snags on my trip. The first and totally unexpected snag is that there is no free Internet at the Waldorf in London (my hotel). This is the most expensive hotel I’ve ever stayed in, and Internet access costs and extra GBP 15 / day. On the flip side, the hotel offers a fabulous buffet breakfast for free. This was an unexpected perk.
Second unexpected snag was my loaner Blackberry doesn’t have Internet browser activity either (my colleague’s does). Together, with snag one, I’ll have limited connectivity during the first few days of my trip. Only my work email on my Blackberry is keeping me connected back to the office.
Now for a few high-lights. Flying first class was spectacular. When they weren’t feeding me a 3-course dinner, pampering me with freebies, and fast-treking me through ‘passport control’, they were inviting me to a ‘special’ lounge in Heathrow.
G will enjoy this – I tried Jaffa cakes. Not bad, but I doubt I’ll bring any home for myself. Having said that, at least my gift for one person is procured!
My colleague and I went for a 2 hour walk along the Thames today. Got a few nice pictures with my new camera, including ones of the London Eye, St. Patrick’s cathedral, and London Bridge (from far away). Planning on using the tube tomorrow, and possibly meeting a client near Buckingham Palace.
I’m exhausted and it’s time to turn in. I’m watching an American movie on tv (saw 500 days of Summer on the plane – meh), and am looking forward to my first meeting tomorrow at 9:30am. As they say in the UK (even though I haven’t heard anyone say it just yet…) Cheerio!
***
Day 2
Meetings started in earnest today, with a breakfast get together, a pre-supper chat, and then drinks with another contact. By the time Mark (my colleague on the trip with me) and I ate dinner at 8pm, we were both holding our heads up. This entry, written at 10pm, will likely be short, since I’m exhausted.
In my free time today, I walked to parliament, the National Gallery, Westminister Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. Pictures were taken of everything, and I think they’re turning out spectacular. I take no credit, as I’m sure it’s all the new camera.
We had drinks tonight at the hotel, and for the second night in the row, I asked for Strong Bow, but was given Meyners (and Irish cider) instead. This is slowly replacing Strong Bow as my favorite cider. It’s very pale, sweet, and about 4.5%. Another high-light was raspberry crème brule for dessert at supper.
Also bought some souvenirs and gifts today. Can now cross off three more people off my ‘to buy stuff for’ list.
Oh, and here’s a comment on something off topic – UK tv is strange. We only get about 15 channels at the Hilton, and only one of them is sports (SKY). Everytime I turn on the sports channel, I see soccer! It amazes me how big soccer is over here. Even with a new British heavyweight champ, everyone can’t stop talking/thinking/obsessing over soccer.
Anyway, it’s definitely bed time (10:14). Hope all is well in the C.dot.
***
Day 3
My last full day in the UK was jam packed. Reality is that I’m over here on a business trip, and today was a virtual non-stop sequence of meetings across the city. We ended up at a reception with an open bar just past 6pm. In less than an hour, my colleague and I both made the most of the free appetizers and drinks. When we left at 7pm, I was full enough to not want to bother with supper.
In order to work off some of the beverages, I used the fitness center attached to the hotel for the first time. Nothing too strenuous, just a 5 minute run, and 3 sets of 6 exercises. I felt energized after the workout, and proud of myself for doing something during my trip. Maybe it was the circular implement Friday night email I got just before heading off to the gym, but it felt fantastic to get some gym time in.
After the gym, I decided to go for a little walk down by the Thames. I took a couple of pictures, and then started to look for a place to eat. I wanted to go for a pub since it’s my last night here, but the only one I found “The Sherlock Holmes” closed at 10pm (I found it at 9:50). So, I decided to gather myself a traditional English meal on the go instead. I grabbed a Thai chicken wrap (incredible), a banana (needed a fruit), an Innocent strawberry smoothie, a chocolate tart, and a Magners cider (my new favorite cider). All in all, it was a great meal.
Now I’m watching an English movie, with a few American actors, thinking about my 3 days in London. This is such a beautiful, historic, picturesque city, Turkey really has it’s work cut out for it.
Until next time, happy travels ;-)
***
Day 4
Left London on a high note (Star Alliance lounge at Heathrow), and ever since my mood has changed drastically. The first 2 hours in Turkey have been awful, losing 2 hours is sucking, and honestly, I’m just really down right now. If I continued with this entry, I’d probably say things I’d regret. Off to sleep. Hoping tomorrow is a much better day.
***
Day 5
Today was a slightly better day. It started off early when the hotel cashed and converted my GBP travelers’ cheques to Turkish Lira, giving us some cash to cab. Also had 2 very enjoyable ferry rides across one of the major bodies of water to Ottawa to/from a meeting. Cabs continue to be a problem, as I spent 15 lira to basically get nowhere, and need to spend an extra 6 to get back to my hotel.
Things I like about Turkey:
- The people are very nice, and love to talk.
- Our hotel is beautiful, except for the Internet charge.
- The food is interesting…but…
Things I dislike about Turkey:
- The food expensive. For example, tonight I paid about 8 Canadian dollars for a can a sprite. This beats the 10 Canadian dollars my colleague paid for a 1 L bottle of water.
- The language barrier is pretty huge. The only turkey word I’ve learned is “Fiche” (receipt).
- Cabs are not well run, and most drivers don’t speak English, and have never heard of our hotel (only open 14 months).
Off to bed before a flight to Izmir tomorrow at 11am. Hoping tomorrow is a slower day as I’m starting to wear out. This wouldn’t be such a problem if people back home didn’t expect me to respond immediately to their work requests despite the 7 hour time difference and my loner Blackberry being down all day (another thing I dislike about Turkey). Until next time, sweet dreams peeps.
***
Day 6
Got up and had another delicious, complementary breakfast at my hotel, and then headed to the airport to fly to Izmir for a meeting. There were a couple bumps along the way getting to the airport, figuratively speaking, but I want to concentrate on the positive.
The flight to Izmir is only about 45 minutes in the air, and since we're flying business class, each flight starts off with champagne (or OJ). The geography around Izmir is fascinating. It's basically the size of Toronto (4 million people) built in between and on mountains. I have some pictures of it, that don't do it justice, but it's sprawling, beautiful city.
The company we were meeting with sent a car to the airport for us, as they were about an hour away from the airport. My colleague and I enjoyed the drive immensely. Not only was it scenic, but our driver drove like he was rushing us to the hospital for an emergency. I can't do Turkish private drivers and cab drivers justice in trying to explain their driving to you, it's truly something you have to experience. Here's a quote from my colleague "Do you notice that this car starts to shimmy when we go over 140 km/h?" I tipped the driver 20 Euro when he dropped us off back at the airport, and his eyes just lit up. It's people like him who make Turkey worthwhile.
I intentionally try to minimize details on the business side of my trip, but feel it necessary to say that this was by far my favorite meeting. Not only did our hosts feed us a Turkish lunch in the company cafeteria (where 3 meals a day are served for employees), he took 2 and a half hours to answer all our questions, and then toured us through the premises. I can only say that the tour was fascinating and eye opening. I'll never forget today's meeting.
Had some dinner on the flight back, and enjoyed the Star Alliance lounge at the Izmir airport before that. Got back to the hotel, bought 24 hours of Internet access (since Blackberries continue to function for about 5 minutes a day), and have been working, and catching up on emails ever since.
It's time for a little Turkish/English tv before bed. With 4 non-news channels to choose from, I think I'll settle on some Euro-Sport (likely soccer)...which should help put me to sleep. Here's to sleeping in til 10am tomorrow!
******
Day 1
First day in the UK and I’ve hit the first few snags on my trip. The first and totally unexpected snag is that there is no free Internet at the Waldorf in London (my hotel). This is the most expensive hotel I’ve ever stayed in, and Internet access costs and extra GBP 15 / day. On the flip side, the hotel offers a fabulous buffet breakfast for free. This was an unexpected perk.
Second unexpected snag was my loaner Blackberry doesn’t have Internet browser activity either (my colleague’s does). Together, with snag one, I’ll have limited connectivity during the first few days of my trip. Only my work email on my Blackberry is keeping me connected back to the office.
Now for a few high-lights. Flying first class was spectacular. When they weren’t feeding me a 3-course dinner, pampering me with freebies, and fast-treking me through ‘passport control’, they were inviting me to a ‘special’ lounge in Heathrow.
G will enjoy this – I tried Jaffa cakes. Not bad, but I doubt I’ll bring any home for myself. Having said that, at least my gift for one person is procured!
My colleague and I went for a 2 hour walk along the Thames today. Got a few nice pictures with my new camera, including ones of the London Eye, St. Patrick’s cathedral, and London Bridge (from far away). Planning on using the tube tomorrow, and possibly meeting a client near Buckingham Palace.
I’m exhausted and it’s time to turn in. I’m watching an American movie on tv (saw 500 days of Summer on the plane – meh), and am looking forward to my first meeting tomorrow at 9:30am. As they say in the UK (even though I haven’t heard anyone say it just yet…) Cheerio!
***
Day 2
Meetings started in earnest today, with a breakfast get together, a pre-supper chat, and then drinks with another contact. By the time Mark (my colleague on the trip with me) and I ate dinner at 8pm, we were both holding our heads up. This entry, written at 10pm, will likely be short, since I’m exhausted.
In my free time today, I walked to parliament, the National Gallery, Westminister Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. Pictures were taken of everything, and I think they’re turning out spectacular. I take no credit, as I’m sure it’s all the new camera.
We had drinks tonight at the hotel, and for the second night in the row, I asked for Strong Bow, but was given Meyners (and Irish cider) instead. This is slowly replacing Strong Bow as my favorite cider. It’s very pale, sweet, and about 4.5%. Another high-light was raspberry crème brule for dessert at supper.
Also bought some souvenirs and gifts today. Can now cross off three more people off my ‘to buy stuff for’ list.
Oh, and here’s a comment on something off topic – UK tv is strange. We only get about 15 channels at the Hilton, and only one of them is sports (SKY). Everytime I turn on the sports channel, I see soccer! It amazes me how big soccer is over here. Even with a new British heavyweight champ, everyone can’t stop talking/thinking/obsessing over soccer.
Anyway, it’s definitely bed time (10:14). Hope all is well in the C.dot.
***
Day 3
My last full day in the UK was jam packed. Reality is that I’m over here on a business trip, and today was a virtual non-stop sequence of meetings across the city. We ended up at a reception with an open bar just past 6pm. In less than an hour, my colleague and I both made the most of the free appetizers and drinks. When we left at 7pm, I was full enough to not want to bother with supper.
In order to work off some of the beverages, I used the fitness center attached to the hotel for the first time. Nothing too strenuous, just a 5 minute run, and 3 sets of 6 exercises. I felt energized after the workout, and proud of myself for doing something during my trip. Maybe it was the circular implement Friday night email I got just before heading off to the gym, but it felt fantastic to get some gym time in.
After the gym, I decided to go for a little walk down by the Thames. I took a couple of pictures, and then started to look for a place to eat. I wanted to go for a pub since it’s my last night here, but the only one I found “The Sherlock Holmes” closed at 10pm (I found it at 9:50). So, I decided to gather myself a traditional English meal on the go instead. I grabbed a Thai chicken wrap (incredible), a banana (needed a fruit), an Innocent strawberry smoothie, a chocolate tart, and a Magners cider (my new favorite cider). All in all, it was a great meal.
Now I’m watching an English movie, with a few American actors, thinking about my 3 days in London. This is such a beautiful, historic, picturesque city, Turkey really has it’s work cut out for it.
Until next time, happy travels ;-)
***
Day 4
Left London on a high note (Star Alliance lounge at Heathrow), and ever since my mood has changed drastically. The first 2 hours in Turkey have been awful, losing 2 hours is sucking, and honestly, I’m just really down right now. If I continued with this entry, I’d probably say things I’d regret. Off to sleep. Hoping tomorrow is a much better day.
***
Day 5
Today was a slightly better day. It started off early when the hotel cashed and converted my GBP travelers’ cheques to Turkish Lira, giving us some cash to cab. Also had 2 very enjoyable ferry rides across one of the major bodies of water to Ottawa to/from a meeting. Cabs continue to be a problem, as I spent 15 lira to basically get nowhere, and need to spend an extra 6 to get back to my hotel.
Things I like about Turkey:
- The people are very nice, and love to talk.
- Our hotel is beautiful, except for the Internet charge.
- The food is interesting…but…
Things I dislike about Turkey:
- The food expensive. For example, tonight I paid about 8 Canadian dollars for a can a sprite. This beats the 10 Canadian dollars my colleague paid for a 1 L bottle of water.
- The language barrier is pretty huge. The only turkey word I’ve learned is “Fiche” (receipt).
- Cabs are not well run, and most drivers don’t speak English, and have never heard of our hotel (only open 14 months).
Off to bed before a flight to Izmir tomorrow at 11am. Hoping tomorrow is a slower day as I’m starting to wear out. This wouldn’t be such a problem if people back home didn’t expect me to respond immediately to their work requests despite the 7 hour time difference and my loner Blackberry being down all day (another thing I dislike about Turkey). Until next time, sweet dreams peeps.
***
Day 6
Got up and had another delicious, complementary breakfast at my hotel, and then headed to the airport to fly to Izmir for a meeting. There were a couple bumps along the way getting to the airport, figuratively speaking, but I want to concentrate on the positive.
The flight to Izmir is only about 45 minutes in the air, and since we're flying business class, each flight starts off with champagne (or OJ). The geography around Izmir is fascinating. It's basically the size of Toronto (4 million people) built in between and on mountains. I have some pictures of it, that don't do it justice, but it's sprawling, beautiful city.
The company we were meeting with sent a car to the airport for us, as they were about an hour away from the airport. My colleague and I enjoyed the drive immensely. Not only was it scenic, but our driver drove like he was rushing us to the hospital for an emergency. I can't do Turkish private drivers and cab drivers justice in trying to explain their driving to you, it's truly something you have to experience. Here's a quote from my colleague "Do you notice that this car starts to shimmy when we go over 140 km/h?" I tipped the driver 20 Euro when he dropped us off back at the airport, and his eyes just lit up. It's people like him who make Turkey worthwhile.
I intentionally try to minimize details on the business side of my trip, but feel it necessary to say that this was by far my favorite meeting. Not only did our hosts feed us a Turkish lunch in the company cafeteria (where 3 meals a day are served for employees), he took 2 and a half hours to answer all our questions, and then toured us through the premises. I can only say that the tour was fascinating and eye opening. I'll never forget today's meeting.
Had some dinner on the flight back, and enjoyed the Star Alliance lounge at the Izmir airport before that. Got back to the hotel, bought 24 hours of Internet access (since Blackberries continue to function for about 5 minutes a day), and have been working, and catching up on emails ever since.
It's time for a little Turkish/English tv before bed. With 4 non-news channels to choose from, I think I'll settle on some Euro-Sport (likely soccer)...which should help put me to sleep. Here's to sleeping in til 10am tomorrow!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
All my bags are packed I'm ready to go...
I'm sitting in the Air Canada executive lounge at the Ottawa Int'l Airport (YOW for those of you who know your airport codes), ready to embark on the longest trip of my life. Not only have I never left North America before, I've barely been out of Canada in the last few years.
Today was hectic. Up at 8am to get into work early. At work from 10am - 2pm, getting more accomplished than it usually takes me 2 days to complete. Back home and off to get a haircut and a couple of last minute purchases at 3pm. Picked up supper so that I could eat, pack, and do my laundry at once. It took me about 2 hours to pack, which isn't too shabby. Having said that, I'm glad that only my colleague from EDC will be seeing me for more than 3 days in a row, cause I'll be wearing a lot of the same outfits over the next couple of weeks. Although my suitcase was...well...pardon the pun, but packed, there's quite a bit of paper that can be thrown (or shreaded) as the trip goes on. Also, I'm bringing my big laptop from work (currently typing on my small loner laptop from work), with the intention of sending it back to Canada with my colleague when he leaves in two weeks.
Now for the important question - will I have enough socks and underwear to last me the entire 18 days??? Well, if my mom reads this, I'm happy to report that I should be fine. If worse comes to worse, I can always pick up some in Amsterdam or Paris.
I also found myself thinking - 'can I dispose of this?' when I was packing. Consensus is that my shoes can go (don't worry Andrew, I'm talking about dress shoes), as can a few of my work shirts, and handkerchiefs.
Well, I'm going to go take advantage of the complimentary beverages and food. Air Canada sure knows how to treat their executives *haha*
Today was hectic. Up at 8am to get into work early. At work from 10am - 2pm, getting more accomplished than it usually takes me 2 days to complete. Back home and off to get a haircut and a couple of last minute purchases at 3pm. Picked up supper so that I could eat, pack, and do my laundry at once. It took me about 2 hours to pack, which isn't too shabby. Having said that, I'm glad that only my colleague from EDC will be seeing me for more than 3 days in a row, cause I'll be wearing a lot of the same outfits over the next couple of weeks. Although my suitcase was...well...pardon the pun, but packed, there's quite a bit of paper that can be thrown (or shreaded) as the trip goes on. Also, I'm bringing my big laptop from work (currently typing on my small loner laptop from work), with the intention of sending it back to Canada with my colleague when he leaves in two weeks.
Now for the important question - will I have enough socks and underwear to last me the entire 18 days??? Well, if my mom reads this, I'm happy to report that I should be fine. If worse comes to worse, I can always pick up some in Amsterdam or Paris.
I also found myself thinking - 'can I dispose of this?' when I was packing. Consensus is that my shoes can go (don't worry Andrew, I'm talking about dress shoes), as can a few of my work shirts, and handkerchiefs.
Well, I'm going to go take advantage of the complimentary beverages and food. Air Canada sure knows how to treat their executives *haha*
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Preparing for Europe Trip
For a small town boy, who's never been outside of North America, a 3 week trek to Europe is pretty intimidating. Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited, but I'm so nervous.
I'm flying direct from Ottawa to London this Saturday night, where I'll stay until Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon I'm flying to Istanbul and staying until next Monday. However, there's the possibility of a quick trip to Kazmir on Monday before leaving. Then it's off to Brussels where I'll be until Friday. On Tuesday, we're off to Gent for the afternoon. On Wednesday, we're training to Frankfurt and back. Details of this 'business portion' of the trip are being left sparse intentionally.
Then I'm off on my own, training to Amsterdam until Sunday morning. I found a 4-star hotel for $120 CDN a night, which is a kilometer from city center. On Sunday morning, I'm off to Paris where I'll stay in another 4-star hotel, less than a kilometer from the Arc de Triomphe, which was again $120/night. I might be visiting one last company on Monday in Paris, but will generally be enjoying what the city has to offer. Then I'm flying back to Ottawa next Wednesday afternoon (arriving next Wednesday morning).
All my travel arrangements are in place, and I'm just picking up a few last things for the trip...including my biggest splurge in a long time. I'll keep that a secret until tomorrow.
My plan is to update this blog with details from my trip (minus the business stuff) over the next few weeks. All of the hotels I'm in have wireless. Look forward to telling you all about the travels of this small town boy...
I'm flying direct from Ottawa to London this Saturday night, where I'll stay until Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon I'm flying to Istanbul and staying until next Monday. However, there's the possibility of a quick trip to Kazmir on Monday before leaving. Then it's off to Brussels where I'll be until Friday. On Tuesday, we're off to Gent for the afternoon. On Wednesday, we're training to Frankfurt and back. Details of this 'business portion' of the trip are being left sparse intentionally.
Then I'm off on my own, training to Amsterdam until Sunday morning. I found a 4-star hotel for $120 CDN a night, which is a kilometer from city center. On Sunday morning, I'm off to Paris where I'll stay in another 4-star hotel, less than a kilometer from the Arc de Triomphe, which was again $120/night. I might be visiting one last company on Monday in Paris, but will generally be enjoying what the city has to offer. Then I'm flying back to Ottawa next Wednesday afternoon (arriving next Wednesday morning).
All my travel arrangements are in place, and I'm just picking up a few last things for the trip...including my biggest splurge in a long time. I'll keep that a secret until tomorrow.
My plan is to update this blog with details from my trip (minus the business stuff) over the next few weeks. All of the hotels I'm in have wireless. Look forward to telling you all about the travels of this small town boy...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
JPod The Series
After a year of being on the waiting list for JPod the CBC series (cancelled after a few episodes), it FINALLY came in! Watching episode 2 and loving it. So far, it's just an expansion of the book, but with so many more episodes, it's bound to get even better.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Happy Turkey Day!
Nothing deep or profound to write, but do have some ideas for entries down the road. After this week, I anticipate that my schedule will be slightly less hectic, and afford me more opportunities to write.
Thanksgiving for me is about spending time with family. Yes, food is a big part of it, but I'll take time with my family over turkey any day. As my nephews grow up, as my brother grows his first chest hairs, and as my parents embark on retirement, I come away thinking that I don't spend enough time with any of them.
Here's hoping you took the time this weekend to think about your many blessings in life. We all lead such rich lives, and should feel truly blessed. Happy thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving for me is about spending time with family. Yes, food is a big part of it, but I'll take time with my family over turkey any day. As my nephews grow up, as my brother grows his first chest hairs, and as my parents embark on retirement, I come away thinking that I don't spend enough time with any of them.
Here's hoping you took the time this weekend to think about your many blessings in life. We all lead such rich lives, and should feel truly blessed. Happy thanksgiving!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
What Accountants do in the Grocery Store...
Having told you one of the mental games I play while waiting for the bus, I'll tell you about another I play in the grocery store. Since I like to put my accounting skills to good use outside of work, I usually calculate how much my grocery bill will come to before getting cashed out.
There's two versions of this game. One is to add the items while picking them up, and keep a mental tally. The second, and more challenging, is to add them up at the cash, while putting them on the conveyer belt.
The goal of the game is to come within a dollar of the actual total. One of the things that makes this game difficult is the lack of tax on some 'essential' items. I'm generally not good at knowing what items are deemed 'essential', but do know the items that have 13% tax (chips, cookies, anything sweet or with lots of sugar).
How successful am I at the game? I guess within a dollar about 50% of the time. Once the taxes are harmonized, I'll be able to increase that to two thirds of the time within a dollar.
There you go, you're a little closer to figuring out the strange stuff that makes me tick ;-)
There's two versions of this game. One is to add the items while picking them up, and keep a mental tally. The second, and more challenging, is to add them up at the cash, while putting them on the conveyer belt.
The goal of the game is to come within a dollar of the actual total. One of the things that makes this game difficult is the lack of tax on some 'essential' items. I'm generally not good at knowing what items are deemed 'essential', but do know the items that have 13% tax (chips, cookies, anything sweet or with lots of sugar).
How successful am I at the game? I guess within a dollar about 50% of the time. Once the taxes are harmonized, I'll be able to increase that to two thirds of the time within a dollar.
There you go, you're a little closer to figuring out the strange stuff that makes me tick ;-)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Something I find sad...
I usually have to wait for my bus for about 5 minutes in the morning. One of the little games I'll play is to count the number of cars in a row that only have 1 passenger in them. This morning, I got up to 17 cars (rathre a personal best, or worst).
Nobody knows more than me that carpooling is frustrating. It's difficult to coordinate opportune times, clashing personalities, and cuts into your independance. Furthermore, I ackowledge that some people choose to drive to work as a status symbol, thinking the car they drive, and the fact they can afford $200 / month to park in downtown Ottawa makes them "special".
All that said, I find it sad that with as many people saying that they value the environment, that the average number of one person cars I count in a row is about 6 or 7. There are multiple buses that go down Bank Street. There are many more buses that travel adjacent to Bank Street along the transit way. Why can't more people take the bus and give up their cars?
Yes, buses smell.
Yes, buses are inconsistent.
Yes, you might have to sit beside another person at a time of day when you don't feel like talking (if you're lucky enough to get a seat at all).
Yes, Ottawa city council doesn't seem to get that public transit is not a profit center, but an expense center (which should be run to minimize expenses, not to turn a profit).
Yes, not everyone can take a bus.
BUT come on...stop saying you care about the environment, and take action to dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. That's all I have to say about that.
Nobody knows more than me that carpooling is frustrating. It's difficult to coordinate opportune times, clashing personalities, and cuts into your independance. Furthermore, I ackowledge that some people choose to drive to work as a status symbol, thinking the car they drive, and the fact they can afford $200 / month to park in downtown Ottawa makes them "special".
All that said, I find it sad that with as many people saying that they value the environment, that the average number of one person cars I count in a row is about 6 or 7. There are multiple buses that go down Bank Street. There are many more buses that travel adjacent to Bank Street along the transit way. Why can't more people take the bus and give up their cars?
Yes, buses smell.
Yes, buses are inconsistent.
Yes, you might have to sit beside another person at a time of day when you don't feel like talking (if you're lucky enough to get a seat at all).
Yes, Ottawa city council doesn't seem to get that public transit is not a profit center, but an expense center (which should be run to minimize expenses, not to turn a profit).
Yes, not everyone can take a bus.
BUT come on...stop saying you care about the environment, and take action to dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. That's all I have to say about that.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Europe or Bust!
Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, they did. Not only did I have an excellent weekend (more on that...never), my Manager told me today that I had been selected to go to Europe for two weeks in November to visit some companies. I'll be starting off in Brussels, spending a week or so there, then heading off to visit other companies in different countries. Since I have 4 weeks of vacation + 4 days I carried over, I'll probably take another week or so after the trip is over, since there are some countries in Europe (Rome, Austria) that I've always wanted to visit. I'll try to fly back through Washington DC so I can visit my good friend who's teaching there.
To summarize, things are going exceptionally well....so....I'm pretty sure the bottom is about to fall out *lol*
To summarize, things are going exceptionally well....so....I'm pretty sure the bottom is about to fall out *lol*
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Things are going well....
It's been a while, and I'm sure there are plenty of entries I could have written, but just didn't get around to them. It's crazy how busy this summer/early fall has been for me.
As the title indicates, things are going really well for me. When this happens, the pessimistic side of me always waits for something bad to happen. Life tends to even out for me, and I know I can't stay on this high for long.
Until things turn, I'll enjoy the positive streak. I do have some pretty exciting news to share including a team I'm on, a tv purchase, and something else....but I'll keep you in suspense ;-)
As the title indicates, things are going really well for me. When this happens, the pessimistic side of me always waits for something bad to happen. Life tends to even out for me, and I know I can't stay on this high for long.
Until things turn, I'll enjoy the positive streak. I do have some pretty exciting news to share including a team I'm on, a tv purchase, and something else....but I'll keep you in suspense ;-)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
TV Situation - Update
"So close, but no cigar!"
- Not Bill Clinton
I posted my entertainment unit on usedottawa.com last night, and within minutes had a message from an Asian guy "Bill" wanting to pick it up from me tonight. Sweet deal I thought, I could finally rid myself of the monstrosity, and get myself a new tv. I've had my eye on this 50 inch LCD at Future Shop, but my brother accurately pointed out that 50 inches might be too big for my condo given how close my seating is to my tv.
But I digress...so Bill comes a couple minutes late tonight, and he's 5'1ish, but at least he had a trolley. He comes up to my unit, I put the entertainment unit on his trolley....and then he says "Hmmm, I think this is too big to fit in my car".
Seriously, you brought a car to pick up a 5 foot by 4 foot entertainment unit? OMG...of course it won't fit in your car. I had the dimensions posted on usedottawa, and assumed anyone interested would have a truck to pick up the unit. Why do I give people too much credit for knowing how big 5 feet by 4 feet is?
Anyway, I'm going to pay my 'junk' guy to lug it away this weekend. I really want a new tv, and need to get rid of the clunky, old, monstrosity of an entertainment unit.
- Not Bill Clinton
I posted my entertainment unit on usedottawa.com last night, and within minutes had a message from an Asian guy "Bill" wanting to pick it up from me tonight. Sweet deal I thought, I could finally rid myself of the monstrosity, and get myself a new tv. I've had my eye on this 50 inch LCD at Future Shop, but my brother accurately pointed out that 50 inches might be too big for my condo given how close my seating is to my tv.
But I digress...so Bill comes a couple minutes late tonight, and he's 5'1ish, but at least he had a trolley. He comes up to my unit, I put the entertainment unit on his trolley....and then he says "Hmmm, I think this is too big to fit in my car".
Seriously, you brought a car to pick up a 5 foot by 4 foot entertainment unit? OMG...of course it won't fit in your car. I had the dimensions posted on usedottawa, and assumed anyone interested would have a truck to pick up the unit. Why do I give people too much credit for knowing how big 5 feet by 4 feet is?
Anyway, I'm going to pay my 'junk' guy to lug it away this weekend. I really want a new tv, and need to get rid of the clunky, old, monstrosity of an entertainment unit.
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