Category: friends

2014 · church · fiestas · food · friends · Germany

A lovely quick white fun-filled holiday

GOING NINETY MILESLeave a comment

Dec. 24:

Left Mallorca for Germany. Adieu!

IMG_2102.

IMG_2103

Flew over the Alps. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

IMG_2107

Landed in Düsseldorf in complete fog.

IMG_2149

Landed safely. Whew! Ordered an extra large coffee and went upstairs to meet my boyfriend to head off to Wesel for the Christmas celebration to begin. We arrive, pour some champagne. But first, lemme take a selfie.

IMG_2175

Awwwww, I love it. Mama N always decorates her house so beautifully and Christmas time is no exception.

IMG_2150

IMG_2129

IMG_2136

Opened all the presents. Dr. Dre Beats headphones!! Thanks Santa! Now time for the FOOD. Meat fondue. So delicious.

IMG_2139

IMG_2140

And now we are stuffed. Upstairs for some laughs and wine. Next day we did a quick trip to Xanten, Germany to visit the cathedral.

IMG_2146

Then drove to Detmold and went out to dinner at the Greek restaurant. Yummy. Next day was time to fly back to Mallorca. And we woke up to a white winter wonderland!

IMG_2151

IMG_2159

IMG_2169

IMG_2162

I hope your Christmas was blessed too. OX

Save

Save

Save

2013 · architecture · beauty · france · friends · just do it already · love love love · paris · sporty · travel

La Tour Eiffel

GOING NINETY MILESLeave a comment

The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris.  It was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair,  it has become both a global and cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; 7.1 million people ascended it in 2011. The tower received its 250 millionth visitor in 2010.

The tower stands 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-story building. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930. Because of the addition of the antenna atop the Eiffel Tower in 1957, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building by 17 feet (5.2 m).

IMG_0327

The tower has three levels for visitors. The third level observatory’s upper platform is at 279.11 m (915.7 ft) the highest accessible to the public in the EU. Tickets can be purchased to ascend, by stairs or lift (that means elevator to all you non British speaking folks), to the first and second levels. The walk from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. Although there are stairs to the third and highest level, these are usually closed to the public and it is usually accessible only by lift.

The line for the elevators was too long for our liking so we bought a ticket to walk the stairs. I can’t remember how much it was but no more than 10 euros. And the climb began! Up and round and up and round we went. Finally we made it to the first level! It was much higher than I thought it would be. Like everyone else, we snapped some pics.

IMG_0333

You can see Sacré-Coeur in the background

.

IMG_0340.

And a lovely picture of us! I have this new habit of sticking my tongue under my teeth for some reason. But aren’t we adorable!?

We decided to keep going. Up to the second level. Yeah, we’re cool like that. That was about another 300 steps and we were getting high! As in elevation, my friends. I am usually fine with heights but I was getting a little dizzy and trying not to look down. Possibly it was being more claustrophobic with the people climbing the stairs up and down alongside me but the stomach was starting to do some flip-flops here and there. We arrived at the second level and took a quick walk around. Snapped some more pics …

IMG_0337

IMG_0336

.I took this one leaning back as far as I could. After that, vertigo kicked in and we had to GO! On the walk back down 600+ steps, Jeannette joked that we should start telling everyone, “Sorry, it’s closed.” I laughed the entire way down. Miss my Jeannie!

So there you have it. Maybe next time we will go to the top but maybe I will chicken out. Or maybe we will just hang out at the restaurant for hours and have several beers – will that make vertigo better or worse? Whatever the fact, time for you to climb the TOWER.

Save

Save

friends · paris · travel

Paris This N That

GOING NINETY MILES3 Comments

Paris Paris Paris! What a lovely city. Have you been? I would love to hear your favorite places.

I was in Paris last year, with Jeannie! With her job she sometimes needs to travel to France to meet with some French peeps and talk about French things … in English. Er, so I think. What the hell do I know? Anyways she had to go to Paris last month and asked me to meet her and the answer is always the same. OF COURSE I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU!

I did the same thing as last time, flew into Orly (with the WORST turbulence ever) and caught the Paris metro. It is SO easy! And saves me about 40 euros had I taken a taxi. We were staying at a different hotel this time. While it was nothing exciting and the room was quite small, it had a balcony which was fantastic. If you stay at the Mercure Paris Royal Madeleine hotel, make sure you ask for a room on the top floor with a balcony.  Just do it.

I arrived around 4 p.m. and we walked a few blocks to a bistro and ordered two bieres. It was a bit chilly and I never seem to pack right for Paris. The time before I seemed to have only packed denim, I made quite the fashion statement. Oh yeah, I brought denim back y’all. After that it was all the fashion rage! And this time I was prepared for summer. I had a miniskirt, a tank top, a pair of jeans, a light cropped jacket and a flimsy blue scarf. And the temp was NOT summer. Alas, I survived. While enjoying our beers, a drunk guy aged about 30 years old was almost run over by a bus. But he retaliated by punching the bus driver’s window, so no worries. And then he stumbled away. There never seems to be a dull moment when Jeannie and I get together.

We wandered a bit. Stumbled onto the Champs-Élysées and took a quick (and blurry pic) of the Arc de Triomphe before being flattened by one of the speeding cars rushing by.

champs

Then a pic of our shadows on the sidewalk a la Paris. (In my mind pronounced PA REEEEEEE)

shadows

.And because anything that says Felix  always catches my eye (and my heart).

francoise felix

.Next up for the Paris blog post(s) – Eiffel, Louvre and cool bar on the Seine!

OH MY!

Save

friends · healthy schmealthy · just do it already

Some TLC For Your Breasts

GOING NINETY MILESLeave a comment

Using hot guys to make us remember to do a breast exam!?

That is totally fine by me.

My friend tagged me in this video (rethink breast cancer your man reminder) – and downloadable APP! And while the video/app is informative, educational and “eye-catching”, it also hopefully serves a purpose – DO A MONTHLY CHECK ON YOUR BREASTS! And if you can’t do that, a yearly mammogram.

My friend who tagged me lost her mother to breast cancer at the tender age of 12 or 13. I can barely remember it. Except for a vivid memory of her mom in her bedroom wanting to see my friend as soon as we had come home from school and she had been waiting to see her children. I remember walking into that dark bedroom with my friend. Her mother gave a smile and held out her hand and asked how school was, I am pretty sure we answered in the usual “fine, boring” way. She was a very sweet woman and I remember she smiled and nodded as we walked out of the room while telling her we were going to go play.

But a few months later she died. And I went to her funeral with my family at the Christian church in our hometown. I must have blocked it out because I don’t really remember it. My mom tells me we went and I was very distraught, but mostly for my friend. I am so happy that this sweet friend of mine now has a beautiful family and is still part of my life after all this time.

My mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer twice and had a mastectomy of one of her breasts. My father was also diagnosed with breast cancer and had a lump removed. So obviously, I try to check myself as often as possible and get regular checkups.

But I never want to make such a downer on things so I really loved this video my friend tagged me in. Who doesn’t want to be reminded to get their breasts checked by hot guys? Watch the video, download the app, give yourself some TLC and fight breast cancer.

.

familia · fiestas · food · friends · happy holidays y'all

Happy Day Chuck!

GOING NINETY MILESLeave a comment

Thanksgiving has passed and thankfully this year I was able to enjoy it with my family in the USA. I am here for my dad’s 70th birthday which sometimes falls on Turkey Day, but not this year. We enjoyed the norm – turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberrries, green bean casserole and several pies to choose from, pumpkin being my favorite.

The day has gone and today we get to enjoy the leftovers. Turkey and cranberry sandwich anyone? And tomorrow is dad’s birthday. I think his greatest present will be if Oklahoma State wins against OU in the Bedlam game tomorrow so let’s keep all things crossed for that. My dad’s name is Charles but usually goes by Chuck. In the spirit of still lingering with Thanksgiving and the birthday I am ending with one of my favorite childhood memories – Charlie Brown. Nothing is better than enjoying life with good friends and family. Hope all of you enjoyed the day like that as well.

favorite things · friends · go ~ mallorca · Mallorca · spain

All Aboard – Destination Sóller!

GOING NINETY MILESLeave a comment

Typing this post while listening to Madonna’s new album MDNA. L-U-V Madonna!

So that is a bit off track (ha, track – get it? train track!) from what my post is about but just wanted to throw out a “holla” to the material girl. If she visited Mallorca I do believe one of the first things she would do is ride the train from Palma to Sóller. This darling train complete with carriages largely constructed from wood with banquet-style seats, brass fittings and gaslights is a most enjoyable hour-long journey through the mountains. My friend Perla was here visiting and we went two years ago but wanted to go again! So, let’s go!

I  loved the paper ticket. I still have mine! We caught the 1:30 train, which gave us enough time to wander around Sóller a bit and then catch the last train back to Palma at 6:15. Don’t forget that you have to come back! Well, I guess you don’t necessarily have to come back. There are many lovely hotels to stay at for the night.

The 27 kilometre length of track (one of the narrowest in the world at 914 millimetres) opened in 1912, connecting the capital with Sóller and cutting journey times down from a day to just an hour and a quarter, thus allowing the citrus growers of Sóller to get to the Palma markets and back in a day.

Little has changed since then: the tiny station (at Placa Espanya) is reached through a wrought-iron gate bearing the words “Ferrocarril de Sóller”. The first part of the journey is a bit slow, as the track runs along through Palma but within fifteen minutes you start to reach the outskirts of the capital and into open countryside, with the peaks of the Tramuntana as a spectacular backdrop.

As you approach the first stop at Bunyola, olive fields give way to pine forests.

Beyond the village the train enters the first of twelve tunnels, which become progressively longer, until it breaks through the mountains and emerges on the west side of the island. The views here are superb as the train winds over bridges and across dry torrents, high above a valley rutted with terraces and dotted with disused farmhouses.  In the distance you can spot Sóller and the villages of Biniaraix and Fornalutx.

As you slowly make your way into Sóller the orange and lemon trees are close enough to stick your arm out and grab one. From the station in Sóller you can wander down into the town square, there are many shops, cafés and a beautiful church to see. Or you can jump on the tram that takes you to the sea at Port de Sóller.

Somewhere I thought I read it was a twenty minute walk to the port. I was wrong! Don’t do it. Just jump on the tram. Sadly, we didn’t do the tram because we ran out of time but next time I am definitely taking the tram to the port! So we wandered around Sóller; we grabbed a bit of lunch, a beer here and there and took in the sights. Fantastic!

Save