Berlin

There was an amazing sunrise over Spain yesterday. We took these from the plane. No justice done.

And, finally, after another exhausting day of flying, we are in Berlin and starting our vacation. 

Since we've been here before and are familiar with the neighborhoods, we decided to book a VRBO instead of staying at a hotel. Many times VRBOs are the cheaper option, but we like them because we feel more like locals than tourists. This trip, we're staying in Kreuzberg, an area southeast of the city center. A vibrant and gritty neighborhood, Kberg has a large Turkish population and some of the best bars and restaurants in town. Markets spill out onto the sidewalks, graffiti art splatters every building, a mix of dialects and languages fill the air, sizzles and pops send street food aromas straight up your nose making your head instinctively turn to see what you're missing...Kreuzberg is the place to be.

Last night, once we settled into our home for the week, we walked three blocks to visit one of our favorite bars in the world - The Biererei - and see our friend, its owner, Cihan Çağlar, We had a fabulous time, met a couple of new friends, had some Turkish pizza, and walked back home around 12:30am (mind you, we'd been up since 4am).

So, yeah, I am not ashamed to tell you that I didn't get up until 1pm today, ate a cheeseburger for lunch, am posting this, and when I'm done will take a nap...'cause it's New Years' Eve and we're heading back to the Biererei!

Cheers!

Estoy Muy Cansada!

I am very tired. On Monday, we got up at 3:30am in order to leave for the airport at 4:30am for our 7:something flight to Boston. Every news outlet was reporting it would be one of the busiest travel days at DIA - a million or so passengers, get there early. We stressed about our ability to get an Uber at that ungodly hour since we couldn't get a confirmation. Hey, I get it. It's the Monday after Christmas and everyone's going home. We found a Lyft and made it through security in record time - Murphy's Law.

Our not too long flight dropped us into Beantown, and we were ready for a beer. 

Several beers

And lobster (totally wrekt). 

And Boston Cream Pie Cake.

Tuesday morning - just a tad hungover - we faced our next hurdle: getting our COVID documents in order for the Spanish Health Ministry. I made it through the online forms, but Joe took a wrong turn somewhere and slid down a rabbit hole that took hours to crawl out of...just a tad stressful. Had he not been able (finally) to complete it, they likely would have not allowed him to enter Spain. Big problem. HUGE!

Tuesday night, our international flight was delayed - not by much, but by that time, we were all...CAN WE JUST GO??? This trip has been a game of inches.

On board, the accommodations were comfy, the service great, and the food not terrible. But, let me tell you, you think you hate wearing a mask at a Trader Joes?? Try sleeping in one. Ugh. Hated it big time.

Wednesday morning (wait, we've only been gone two days???), we arrived in Amsterdam at 8:00a, had a five hour layover, and at 4:00p we arrived in Madrid. So fucking tired. Moreover, we're only here for a night (these are the hoops through which one must leap in order to use miles instead of money). 

Tomorrow we are up early again for our flight to Berlin, at which time we will begin our vacation. Whew!

So Far, So Good

 So far, so good should be everyone's mantra in the time of COVID. All week we've been inching toward our flight to Boston (and Tuesday's flight to Madrid/Berlin). We survived scheduling a test/cancelling a test, packing a bag for 42 days that weighs only 50 pounds, rampant airline/flight cancellations, and, actually not contracting the virus.

Yesterday, I got some flack from a friend about how foolhardy we were to be traveling now. I responded with well, we planned it last summer when things were really looking up. We're both double vaxxed and boosted and have no problem wearing a mask when required. We haven't been to any superspreader events lately, and have mostly stayed home by ourselves for the past few days. We've done our part.

I hear a lot of hyperbole about how we should wear masks forever, how we shouldn't travel anymore, how we can never hug again, how we should isolate ourselves and rely on grocery delivery, home gyms, video games, and Netflix. I call bullshit. Humans are not meant to live like that; we're social creatures, made to explore.

And so...so far, so good...we're heading out tomorrow into the big bad world to see what we can see. And I promise you...we'll see a lot!

Carnival Rides

These past couple of days we've been on a roller coaster, or maybe a scrambler...at the very least the teacups. With COVID ruling the roost, every possible entity - from airlines to hotels, bars, restaurants and museums, to whole cities and countries - seems to be working against us. It's enough to raise a fever blister.

Husband Joe has been monitoring COVID protocols for everyplace we're planning to visit; those protocols change almost daily. In the back of my gut, I could feel the tick...tick...tick of the roller coaster climbing up that first incline. Wednesday, while he was searching for answers for our layover in Amsterdam, gravity took over and suddenly we were hurdling down the opposite side: Delta sent an email saying we had to be tested within 48 hours of arrival and present a negative test at customs. Even if we are only transiting through the airport!? Oh shit, our flight is early early Monday morning to Boston, and departing Tuesday for AMS. Can't get a test in Denver Sunday night, nothing's open. Can't get a test Monday morning at Denver International, it's too early, nothing's open. Can't get a test at Logan Airport in Boston, no appointments available at either location on site. Oh, and what if we tested positive? Scramble, scramble, scramble.

I spent most of the afternoon searching for test availability in Boston proper. I called our hotel there to see if they could provide some insight...not much. Local CVSs were all booked, Walgreens provided no help. Urgent Clinics are charging upwards of $500 (prepaid). Spinning, spinning, spinning.

I finally found a place in downtown Boston we could book for a rapid test Monday afternoon. Ahhhhh. Things were looking up. But we cancelled Joe's birthday dinner out - we're not leaving this house and contracting COVID!

Thursday, airlines started cancelling flights. Are you fucking kidding me!?!?!?! 

And then, Delta sent another email. We were afraid to read it. 

Turns out, someone had made a mistake. (You had ONE JOB, Steve!) Deep breath. If you're transiting through AMS airport, you do not have to show a negative test. Whew.

I called and cancelled our appointments in Boston and girded myself for whatever's next.

Here's the thing about traveling - especially the way we do it - you have to be flexible. You have to be aware of what's going on where you're going and what you have to do to get there. We still have forms to fill out for both Germany and Spain, but so far, our vaccination cards will serve as our envoy. And while all the scrambling, spinning, and up and downess is a huge pain in the ass, I look forward to this trip. I know we'll have a blast - we happen to like carnival rides.

No Matter What It Costs, Travel Makes Us Richer

For the last 18 months or so, we've been homebound - meaning both to our house and to our country. That's hard for two travelers who routinely count the pins on the map. It's time to go further afield, so from the end of December through early February, we're going on an adventure. For six weeks, we'll be exploring like we've never explored before...COVID be damned.

We arrive in Madrid (serving as our gateway city) and then grab a flight to Berlin to celebrate New Year's Eve with friends, in one of our favorite bars, The Biererei. We'll be in this huge city for a week wandering museums, eating schnitzel, and drinking great German beers before returning to Madrid.

Back in Madrid, we'll spend a week trekking the city. We've been here before but it's been several years. A majestic city, Madrid offers fabulous architecture, exceptional cuisine, world class art museums, sparkling nightlife, and loads of culture. I can't wait to order up some tapas and a big glass of Rioja wine (Me gustería tomar tapas y una copa grande de vino tinto).

Our next stop is Valencia - where Paella is the local dish. This will be our first time here, and top of our to do list - a paella tasting. The rich, silky saffron-loaded rice dish is a national treasure, but Valencia is the source. We'll stay here a week enjoying the modern architecture and exhibits, the huge beach, warmer Mediterranean weather, more museums, and more paella (did I mention the paella?).

Our final stop will be Córdoba, where we'll spend three weeks in a VRBO - basically on our own. Oh, we have friends about 30 minutes away, but I totally intend to shop by myself at the local market, get to know the neighborhood, and be immersed in the language and culture. I've always dreamed of living in Spain - here's my chance to try it out!

By the time we get back home, we will have been gone for 42 days - our longest trip ever. And I know I'll be much, much richer for it.