5 November, 2008
Wow! I am currently traveling through Europe for business. Last night I stayed in Paris in a Quality Inn Hotel watching fearfully as the election results rolled in. My big fear was that the country I love and appreciate would once again disappoint me and elect the wrong party into office; although it was more than that. This election will prove that the Civil Rights movement has carried on and through a generation, succeeded. As I watched the coverage through the eyes of the BBC news group, I realized that the Europeans felt pretty much the same as I and others felt, that this is a pivotal historical event… I turned off the TV at 1 am when the first results came in… McCain was ahead. I tossed and turned and then finally turned the TV on at about 2:30 to learn that Obahama had won in Virginia… Ok, now I could sleep… things looked good. 7am… BBC, America has overwhelming voted the first black man as President of the United States..(am in the TV series 24?)
Yeah for us, Americans came through. Despite the obvious differences in the two candidates, the true desire for change and unanswered questions about “what’s next,” led the popular vote, as well as the electoral college to indicate that this man, this party, regardless of race, and or political rhetoric is what we need both in America and around the globe to truly define the century. My co-workers in the Paris office arrived tired and happy. Apparently the French feel very attached to the American political system, as do my friends in Germany and the UK. All eyes were on America and I think we did ourselves proud. My friends who were hoping for a McCain victory, credit to you for recognizing a great American. He really is an American hero. Too bad his party has messed up the world in the past 8 years. (I will say, I would not have been quite as disappointed with McCain as I was last time with Bush… ) However, the rest of the world (that I am exposed to) would have been very disappointed… even in the mostly conservative UK.
What a time to be in Europe. Starting last week I traveled from the UK to Munich to Paris and then back to the o UK. The first thing I was asked in each place was, are you going to vote? This trip was last minute. I learned on Tuesday that I needed to be in the UK for a meeting on Thursday, Oct 30th. Luckily I had an absentee ballot due to the fact that I had voted in the primary that way. I guess you get it automatically from then on. Anyway, luckily I found it in the mess that is my home office… (new paint, new desk…yata yata…) Ok, so I voted, mailing it at my local post office during my early morning with Dakota… She was so happy to go for walk, little did she know that she was participating in the voting process. Happy Dog!
I have never been more proud to be an American. This is a historical time. We have voted a black man into the Presidency… He gives us all hope that the world can be a better place. Hopefully he will use history to help him with his inexperience. He does seem smart enough, let’s see how he does. The world needs a great leader to help calm the storm, be the voice of reason and define the 21st century.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Mid May to Mid June 2008
June 10, 2008… yes almost one month from the last instalment…boy, what can happen in a short time… I have been back and forth to the US twice, to Lake Como with niece Jessica, Prague for a two day meeting and I am now travelling back from Stockholm after a two day meeting!! Yes, I can honestly say that I am a well travelled gal. So, let’s see, what else has happened during (or in between) my airplane rides? The most significant was the birth of my grandson, Vincent Steven Noce who weighed in at 6lbs, 14oz, 21.5 inches long…a good size for being two weeks early. (see pictures on My Kodak Gallery)
He was born via a planned “C” section, therefore both Grandma’s were able to share in the joy! Big Sister Adriana, Auntie Steph, and friend Arwen were among the waiting room guests. We all cheered when proud Daddy, Tony brought the alert, bright-eyed baby boy to meet his family…. Shortly after, Great-Grandma West (Dolores), Grand-Auntie Chris and Grand-Cousin Jessica arrived to welcome Vinny as well… All went well, Kelly is a trouper, not one to want any special attention. She doesn’t complain and she made sure her daughter was included in the family’s special day… Everyone came home three days after he was born. By Sunday he had his first outing to his big sister’s dance recital… already a very social kid…While his mom and dad stayed with him in hospital, the two grandma’s and Auntie Steph got to spoil Adriana silly. I bet she will remember his birth as a very fun time for her… she got presents, two new dresses, got to stay up late and eat whatever she wanted. She didn’t have to go to school and we didn’t have her doing homework! Good times. Unfortunately, my trip was short and I headed back to the UK on Sunday, arriving on Monday morning. Monday afternoon I was on another plane to Prague… no rest for the wicked!
During my time in Prague I was lucky to “firm up” my new job which will land me back in California. I will be working in marketing for our Consumer Solutions Division in Sunnyvale. No details yet, still waiting for the offer. Once that is completed I will be able to plan my exit from EMEA… bitter sweet, I have loved my job and the people I am working with. At this point in my life I realize how fast life moves on. Being so far away from my family, especially the grandchildren forced my decision to come back. Two years sped by. It is time to come home and once again settle into my life. I feel stronger, renewed and wiser…It will be a new adventure…
Ok, to catch up: So, let’s see… Niece Jessica… while she visited we travelled to Lake Como, Italy… this was a combined business/personal trip. I had been asked to meet with one of the event companies that Seagate uses for a very upscale incentive trip for our sales award winners… oh darn!! The trip started with a delayed flight that got us into Milan very late at night… we had to land at an alternative airport and then be bussed to the intended one…it was 1:30am before we arrived where we were supposed to pick up our rental car… guess what? Car rental place was closed! We could not find a taxi either! After about 30 min we finally found a taxi that would take us the 45 minutes to Como… it was pouring rain! I was glad I didn’t have to drive since I had no idea where I was going... we made it to our hotel, however, the front doors had been closed with steel storm doors, presumably to keep the riff – raff out. Luckily our taxi driver pounded on the door and got someone to let us in. We hit the pillows about 3am… and then we were off again in the morning to the upscale hotel we were there to check out… Wow… it was fantastic. One of then Leading Hotels of the World., the Villa D’Este sits on a wide part of Lake Como… You can get there either by car or boat… The rooms were lovely and the view spectacular, even if you were in the back of the hotel. The first day we visited some off site event possibilities, a fabulous villa that George Clooney used in Oceans Thirteen, two restaurants that were great “dine around” options and then a wonderful dinner at a restaurant that had so many fresh flowers you might mistake it for a flower shop. It even had little stools at each table for women’s purses… The next day, however, was by far our favourite outing. We got picked up in a semi-covered water taxi, complete with a local guide who shared the history of the area with us. She pointed out the important houses of the rich and famous, among them, George Clooney, Richard Branson (Virgin), Versage and many of the Italian rich and famous that we didn’t recognize… As we cruised along, the waves splashing easily, the sun shining, listening to the history of the area we just kept smiling at each other and Jess just kept saying… “This is so cool…” and it was! We cruised right up to the shores of Bellagio, the village that the Las Vegas hotel was inspired by. There were lots of wonderful shops, eating places, as well as the best people watching anyone could ask for. Sad for us, but lucky for our wallets, we were only there for a short time. Of course we managed to purchase a few things before getting back on board… Our next stop was an island only reachable by boat. Overlooking the lake towards the town of Como sits a restaurant, Locanda dell'Isola Comacina , famous for it’s never changing, traditional northern Italy menu and odd ritual of coffee service at desert. Many pictures hang on the wall advertising the important visitors over the years….The Ocean’s Thirteen crew (including Jennifer Aniston with Brad Pitt), political and sports figures and many more that we did not recognize… If you are in Lake Como, you must go there… there is a story to the whole place…up to you if you want to know more!
We then spent a rainy weekend in Como. We visited the quaint town of Lugano that sits on Lake Lugano in Switzerland. It was more shopping and eating… good times. One evening we visited the “American Bar” and proceeded to hang out with the local girl bartender who kept giving us shots of something that we had no clue of what it was…of course that didn’t stop us from drinking them… anyway, the bar closed at 1:30am and Jessica would not let me go to a Karaoke bar with the last of the group… (Thank God!) boy, I was feeling no pain. At least the next day was not too bad for me since I had been diligently drinking my water in between shots! Yes,,, good times..
We arrived back at my UK home that Sunday night and then we were picked up at 8am the next morning to catch our flights back to the U.S,; me for the birth of Vincent and Jessica for the last week of her vacation.
My trip to Prague was also interesting… mostly meetings but we got out a little at night. Because of where it is located, Prague stays light until almost 10:00pm…So we could still see a lot. This wasn’t my first time there. I had been there last year. It was a totally different experience because I stayed in another area in what was an old monastery. It was very clean, relaxing and peaceful… Another place I would like to return to on vacation. So, I got back on Wednesday night, into work on Thurs and Friday and then off to Stockholm Sunday night.
I travelled back to the same hotel I stayed at last year on my first trip to Stockholm…One of our staff members lives near the hotel. He has a boat and kindly organized for a friend of his to join us with his boat for a tour of the lake and canals into Stockholm… So fun. He filled coolers with beer and champagne and we sped along the lake taking in the views, beautiful homes, picnicking locals while we enjoyed our drinks… Yes, life is good! (This is after we sat in a meeting all day… we felt we deserved this time!) Anyway, something I am going to miss, these little adventures with my European colleagues.
Just about getting ready to land… another plane ride done! It is always so nice to get off! :>)
During my time in Prague I was lucky to “firm up” my new job which will land me back in California. I will be working in marketing for our Consumer Solutions Division in Sunnyvale. No details yet, still waiting for the offer. Once that is completed I will be able to plan my exit from EMEA… bitter sweet, I have loved my job and the people I am working with. At this point in my life I realize how fast life moves on. Being so far away from my family, especially the grandchildren forced my decision to come back. Two years sped by. It is time to come home and once again settle into my life. I feel stronger, renewed and wiser…It will be a new adventure…
Ok, to catch up: So, let’s see… Niece Jessica… while she visited we travelled to Lake Como, Italy… this was a combined business/personal trip. I had been asked to meet with one of the event companies that Seagate uses for a very upscale incentive trip for our sales award winners… oh darn!! The trip started with a delayed flight that got us into Milan very late at night… we had to land at an alternative airport and then be bussed to the intended one…it was 1:30am before we arrived where we were supposed to pick up our rental car… guess what? Car rental place was closed! We could not find a taxi either! After about 30 min we finally found a taxi that would take us the 45 minutes to Como… it was pouring rain! I was glad I didn’t have to drive since I had no idea where I was going... we made it to our hotel, however, the front doors had been closed with steel storm doors, presumably to keep the riff – raff out. Luckily our taxi driver pounded on the door and got someone to let us in. We hit the pillows about 3am… and then we were off again in the morning to the upscale hotel we were there to check out… Wow… it was fantastic. One of then Leading Hotels of the World., the Villa D’Este sits on a wide part of Lake Como… You can get there either by car or boat… The rooms were lovely and the view spectacular, even if you were in the back of the hotel. The first day we visited some off site event possibilities, a fabulous villa that George Clooney used in Oceans Thirteen, two restaurants that were great “dine around” options and then a wonderful dinner at a restaurant that had so many fresh flowers you might mistake it for a flower shop. It even had little stools at each table for women’s purses… The next day, however, was by far our favourite outing. We got picked up in a semi-covered water taxi, complete with a local guide who shared the history of the area with us. She pointed out the important houses of the rich and famous, among them, George Clooney, Richard Branson (Virgin), Versage and many of the Italian rich and famous that we didn’t recognize… As we cruised along, the waves splashing easily, the sun shining, listening to the history of the area we just kept smiling at each other and Jess just kept saying… “This is so cool…” and it was! We cruised right up to the shores of Bellagio, the village that the Las Vegas hotel was inspired by. There were lots of wonderful shops, eating places, as well as the best people watching anyone could ask for. Sad for us, but lucky for our wallets, we were only there for a short time. Of course we managed to purchase a few things before getting back on board… Our next stop was an island only reachable by boat. Overlooking the lake towards the town of Como sits a restaurant, Locanda dell'Isola Comacina , famous for it’s never changing, traditional northern Italy menu and odd ritual of coffee service at desert. Many pictures hang on the wall advertising the important visitors over the years….The Ocean’s Thirteen crew (including Jennifer Aniston with Brad Pitt), political and sports figures and many more that we did not recognize… If you are in Lake Como, you must go there… there is a story to the whole place…up to you if you want to know more!
We then spent a rainy weekend in Como. We visited the quaint town of Lugano that sits on Lake Lugano in Switzerland. It was more shopping and eating… good times. One evening we visited the “American Bar” and proceeded to hang out with the local girl bartender who kept giving us shots of something that we had no clue of what it was…of course that didn’t stop us from drinking them… anyway, the bar closed at 1:30am and Jessica would not let me go to a Karaoke bar with the last of the group… (Thank God!) boy, I was feeling no pain. At least the next day was not too bad for me since I had been diligently drinking my water in between shots! Yes,,, good times..
We arrived back at my UK home that Sunday night and then we were picked up at 8am the next morning to catch our flights back to the U.S,; me for the birth of Vincent and Jessica for the last week of her vacation.
My trip to Prague was also interesting… mostly meetings but we got out a little at night. Because of where it is located, Prague stays light until almost 10:00pm…So we could still see a lot. This wasn’t my first time there. I had been there last year. It was a totally different experience because I stayed in another area in what was an old monastery. It was very clean, relaxing and peaceful… Another place I would like to return to on vacation. So, I got back on Wednesday night, into work on Thurs and Friday and then off to Stockholm Sunday night.
I travelled back to the same hotel I stayed at last year on my first trip to Stockholm…One of our staff members lives near the hotel. He has a boat and kindly organized for a friend of his to join us with his boat for a tour of the lake and canals into Stockholm… So fun. He filled coolers with beer and champagne and we sped along the lake taking in the views, beautiful homes, picnicking locals while we enjoyed our drinks… Yes, life is good! (This is after we sat in a meeting all day… we felt we deserved this time!) Anyway, something I am going to miss, these little adventures with my European colleagues.
Just about getting ready to land… another plane ride done! It is always so nice to get off! :>)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Uncle Tom and Cousin Mike Visit
12 May 2008
Well, high over the Northwest states, I once again travel back from my birthplace, San Francisico, California to my current home in England. It is an eleven hour plane ride. Because it is a business trip, I am travelling business class. Lucky me… my leg room is comfortable and I currently being served a cocktail and warm nuts..(love the warm nuts!) anyway, time to write.
Prior to the trip home, I had a wonderful visit from my cousin, Mike Kelly and my Uncle Tom Kelly. Uncle Tom lost my aunt last November. They had been married 50+ years and she died suddenly. He is doing his best to cope. My cousin Mike (son of my late Uncle Ted, brother to Uncle Tom) organized this trip for him to travel to visit me and to visit Ireland… I decided to drive them to Ireland. ...So the adventure continues....
Well, high over the Northwest states, I once again travel back from my birthplace, San Francisico, California to my current home in England. It is an eleven hour plane ride. Because it is a business trip, I am travelling business class. Lucky me… my leg room is comfortable and I currently being served a cocktail and warm nuts..(love the warm nuts!) anyway, time to write.
Prior to the trip home, I had a wonderful visit from my cousin, Mike Kelly and my Uncle Tom Kelly. Uncle Tom lost my aunt last November. They had been married 50+ years and she died suddenly. He is doing his best to cope. My cousin Mike (son of my late Uncle Ted, brother to Uncle Tom) organized this trip for him to travel to visit me and to visit Ireland… I decided to drive them to Ireland. ...So the adventure continues....
They arrived in London on Tuesday morning. I picked them up at the airport and deposited them at my home, explained how to get downtown and went off to work. Returning at about 2pm, we took off to London. We took the train, then got on the tube and came out from the underground at Piccadilly Circus. Uncle Tom was amazed! He never thought he would see London… We then rode the double decker bus that passes all the important sites in good old London Town. He was thrilled!... We enjoyed a wonderful pub meal in one of the famous Soho pubs, called Brown’s. We enjoyed traditional English pub food… and desert! This trip did not include alcohol, but lots of deserts! Men after my own heart!! …(did not help my waist line!) Just the beginning of a “good times” with “Tom Kelly, International Man of Action…” as my cousin Mike titled him.
Mike asked Uncle Tom if he might want to go to Paris? “Sure” says the International man of action… I arranged for a driver, Bruce, to take them to St. Pancreas station so they could catch the Eurostar through the chunnel to Paris. That man of action, at 79 years of age, got up at 5:30 in the morning and travelled with his side-kick, nephew - Mike, the never-stop-going- kid, to Paris… They ran all over Paris, using the metro. He saw the sites of Paris… that International Man of Action! In the famous cathedral, Notre Dame, he lit a candle and said a prayer for his dear wife… “Why wouldn’t she get on a plane?” he voiced over and over…
Mike asked Uncle Tom if he might want to go to Paris? “Sure” says the International man of action… I arranged for a driver, Bruce, to take them to St. Pancreas station so they could catch the Eurostar through the chunnel to Paris. That man of action, at 79 years of age, got up at 5:30 in the morning and travelled with his side-kick, nephew - Mike, the never-stop-going- kid, to Paris… They ran all over Paris, using the metro. He saw the sites of Paris… that International Man of Action! In the famous cathedral, Notre Dame, he lit a candle and said a prayer for his dear wife… “Why wouldn’t she get on a plane?” he voiced over and over…
(I think it was because she wanted him to have something to do after she left)
So they returned from Paris on Thursday evening, the driver Bruce delivering them to my house around 9pm. I had dinner waiting and enjoyed listening to the details of the Paris adventure. Uncle Tom repeated over and over, “… this trip as been great so far… I never thought I would ever see what I have seen…”
We decided that they needed a “down” day, which worked well for me since I really needed to spend another day in the office. Saturday we set off, first to buy Uncle Tom a new camera… (it got lost in the security check point at the train station going to Paris)…Then to the ferry that would sail us to our destination. Our destination was Ireland… Uncle Tom wanted to kiss the Blarney Stone! Like he needed too! (It is supposed to give you the “gift of gab”… believe me, I am sure he kissed it in his previous life!)
The schedule included a four and one half hour ride to Holyhead in Whales in my little BMW. The arrangement worked fine. I drove, Mike behind me…sleeping as soon as I started the car!...Uncle Tom in shotgun, able to move the seat back so his long legs could stretch out.. and Mike guarding all the stuff we needed to travel - water, candy (what else for a road trip!) ect… At Holyhead we caught the car carrier ferry and took the 2.5 hour trip over to Dublin… it was a quick trip to homeland! (The name Kelly in Ireland is like Smith in the US…)
We spent four days in Ireland. Two days in Dublin, one overnight in County Cork…up to the Cliffs of Mohr and then down to Waterford and then to the return ferry at Rosslare Harbor. The visit included an AA meeting in a small town outside of Dublin, Irish Music in the Temple Bar District, a visit to the “Book of Kels” at Trinity College, a hike up to the vista at the Cliffs of Mohr and a car tour through Tipperary and other counties to Waterford… (too late for stores… we saved some money there!)… 12 May 2008
So they returned from Paris on Thursday evening, the driver Bruce delivering them to my house around 9pm. I had dinner waiting and enjoyed listening to the details of the Paris adventure. Uncle Tom repeated over and over, “… this trip as been great so far… I never thought I would ever see what I have seen…”
We decided that they needed a “down” day, which worked well for me since I really needed to spend another day in the office. Saturday we set off, first to buy Uncle Tom a new camera… (it got lost in the security check point at the train station going to Paris)…Then to the ferry that would sail us to our destination. Our destination was Ireland… Uncle Tom wanted to kiss the Blarney Stone! Like he needed too! (It is supposed to give you the “gift of gab”… believe me, I am sure he kissed it in his previous life!)
The schedule included a four and one half hour ride to Holyhead in Whales in my little BMW. The arrangement worked fine. I drove, Mike behind me…sleeping as soon as I started the car!...Uncle Tom in shotgun, able to move the seat back so his long legs could stretch out.. and Mike guarding all the stuff we needed to travel - water, candy (what else for a road trip!) ect… At Holyhead we caught the car carrier ferry and took the 2.5 hour trip over to Dublin… it was a quick trip to homeland! (The name Kelly in Ireland is like Smith in the US…)
We spent four days in Ireland. Two days in Dublin, one overnight in County Cork…up to the Cliffs of Mohr and then down to Waterford and then to the return ferry at Rosslare Harbor. The visit included an AA meeting in a small town outside of Dublin, Irish Music in the Temple Bar District, a visit to the “Book of Kels” at Trinity College, a hike up to the vista at the Cliffs of Mohr and a car tour through Tipperary and other counties to Waterford… (too late for stores… we saved some money there!)… 12 May 2008
That International Man of Action walked all over Dublin, clapped and stomped his feet to the Irish band we enjoyed at Goharty’s Pub in the Temple Bar area… he climbed the narrow, winding Castle stairs to kiss the Blarney Stone… and that he did! … Again he said, “I never thought I would do this..” Good Times… We drove to the Cliffs of Mohr where he climbed the path to the vantage point without even being out of breath! Talk about “Man of Action”
We ended up taking the late ferry at 9pm and arrived at my house at 5:30 in the morning on Wednesday morning.
We slept until noon then ventured out to Windsor Castle… we didn’t get to visit the castle because the Queen was in residence and she was having some kind of event so the castle was closed…
Not to be stopped, the International Man of Action and his two side kick relatives ventured over to Eton which is within walking distance of the castle. The old English lifestyle is very evident in this school boy town… we enjoyed a nice drink by the river at a place called the River House which we thought was an appropriate establishment for us to finish up our trip.
More good times!
The next day I orchestrated the perfect airport pick up/drop off… I dropped off cousin Mike and my Uncle Tom outside terminal three at 8:am… circled around and parked my car. Walked into the arrivals terminal and greeted my cousin Pauline who arrived on a 7:30am flight…Back to my house where I left her to her own devices then set out to work! I was pretty proud of myself for what ended up being a great airport coordination! She and I enjoyed a great time together.
The next day she went off to spend time in London and I headed for the States… well that is a whole ‘nother story!
Sunday, April 06, 2008
March travel
The map on the overhead plasma monitor indicates our plane is coasting towards Athens. We are heading south from Milan. Since my last entry I have once again been a travelling fool. My trip back to the US was busy but fun. I visited with family and friends as well as former co-workers. The reason for my short trip was to attend a mentoring meeting sponsored by my company. I was honoured to be asked to mentor a wonderful girl, Christie Edwards, who works as a sales analyst for one of the Executive Sales Vice President’s. She works and lives in Colorado and is a single mother of two young kids. We get along very well and I expect to benefit from the experience as much as she. Anyway, that was a one day deal and then I was able to visit our offices in Sunnyvale and Scotts Valley, networking and meeting face to face with many of the people I speak to on a regular basis on the phone… Good meeting, good visit… I was there for a week and then back to Marlow for a week of meetings, including meeting and entertaining some of our executives and customers. Busy times… The following week, my son Joe came to visit. We took a trip into London, explored the British Museum, took in a dinner and a show… saw “Spam-a-lot,” I took a few vacation days and we decided to visit Dublin…
Dublin was loads of fun. Luckily I checked with others to find out where we should stay. Our hotel was situated in the “Temple Bar” district. This is the tourist area of the city where lots of the bars and restaurants are located. One Irish bar after another, touting …live music, pub food, good fun…all true! We know, we went into all of them! We did a whisky tasting and had more Guinness than I have had in my lifetime.. Funny travelling, mother and son…it didn’t seem to matter. Joe was still a magnet for girls… He sweetly let me go back to my room by midnight and then he went out to explore the bars more! (see pictures of Joe’s trip on my Kodak site)… We got on the hop on hop off bus and toured the Guinness Factory, the Dublin Zoo and the National Museum. We saw a lot! It was very fun to just be on vacation, not working.
Joe left on Saturday and then on Monday I flew off for a week of site surveys, looking for a venue for our next big customer event in the September time frame. Venice was our first stop. ( I am travelling with the owner of our event company, who is also a good friend and lots of fun.) OMG! I had no idea! Venice is wonderful. As a friend of mine once said of Venice, “Who knew?” I love Venice and would proudly were a hat that says so (all though you wouldn’t while you are there!) The canals, the shops, the people, the food, the shops, the ambiance… you truly can’t put it in words… (see my pics on Kodak) It is expensive. I hope we are able to negotiate a reasonable rate with the San Clemente Palace Hotel… located on it’s own island in the lagoon surrounding Venice… Yes, you have to take boat to get there. Not just any boat, one of those wood designed speed boats with the little cabins. I really felt like I was in thee rich and famous world! After Venice we flew to Barcelona where we stayed one night. The weather was terrible so we stayed close to our hotel and did not venture too far. I have been to Barcelona before and know that you need lots of time and good weather to really get around. After Barcelona we headed for Athens. This plane trip made a stop in Milan and then on to Greece. The Milan airport was interesting… yes, I spent more money… finding a nice little jewellery shop where I purchased a ring and bracelet… my travelling is never dull! Anyway, once we got to Athens, it was dark. We had an appointment for dinner with our agent there. The hotel we stayed in was located just below the Parthenon. I took a picture from the balcony of my room!. The weather was mild so we took a nice walk to the restaurant, passing many people starting out their evening. Happy people, strolling below the ruins of the old city, oblivious of the history. We had a wonderful dinner at a trendy place. The following day we visited two potential hotels, one “city center” hotel and the other out on a peninsula about 30 miles outside of Athens…neither hotel really suited our needs but it was a good day. We flew out from Athens directly to Heathrow Airport, lucky for us, the second day the infamous terminal five opened. Luckily we had carry on luggage as they had major luggage handling problems and not enough staff on duty in customs… it was a mess! Lucky me, I was able to get through fairly quickly.
One day at home, then on Sunday I headed to Paris again, on the train. The train is a great way to go. It only takes 2.5 hours and is a pleasant ride. You can get up and walk around, you don’t have to wear a seat belt…you leave one world and end up in another! I had two meetings to attend there. One was my staff meeting and the other with my peers. Champagne, nice meals, good people. Good Times!
Dublin was loads of fun. Luckily I checked with others to find out where we should stay. Our hotel was situated in the “Temple Bar” district. This is the tourist area of the city where lots of the bars and restaurants are located. One Irish bar after another, touting …live music, pub food, good fun…all true! We know, we went into all of them! We did a whisky tasting and had more Guinness than I have had in my lifetime.. Funny travelling, mother and son…it didn’t seem to matter. Joe was still a magnet for girls… He sweetly let me go back to my room by midnight and then he went out to explore the bars more! (see pictures of Joe’s trip on my Kodak site)… We got on the hop on hop off bus and toured the Guinness Factory, the Dublin Zoo and the National Museum. We saw a lot! It was very fun to just be on vacation, not working.
Joe left on Saturday and then on Monday I flew off for a week of site surveys, looking for a venue for our next big customer event in the September time frame. Venice was our first stop. ( I am travelling with the owner of our event company, who is also a good friend and lots of fun.) OMG! I had no idea! Venice is wonderful. As a friend of mine once said of Venice, “Who knew?” I love Venice and would proudly were a hat that says so (all though you wouldn’t while you are there!) The canals, the shops, the people, the food, the shops, the ambiance… you truly can’t put it in words… (see my pics on Kodak) It is expensive. I hope we are able to negotiate a reasonable rate with the San Clemente Palace Hotel… located on it’s own island in the lagoon surrounding Venice… Yes, you have to take boat to get there. Not just any boat, one of those wood designed speed boats with the little cabins. I really felt like I was in thee rich and famous world! After Venice we flew to Barcelona where we stayed one night. The weather was terrible so we stayed close to our hotel and did not venture too far. I have been to Barcelona before and know that you need lots of time and good weather to really get around. After Barcelona we headed for Athens. This plane trip made a stop in Milan and then on to Greece. The Milan airport was interesting… yes, I spent more money… finding a nice little jewellery shop where I purchased a ring and bracelet… my travelling is never dull! Anyway, once we got to Athens, it was dark. We had an appointment for dinner with our agent there. The hotel we stayed in was located just below the Parthenon. I took a picture from the balcony of my room!. The weather was mild so we took a nice walk to the restaurant, passing many people starting out their evening. Happy people, strolling below the ruins of the old city, oblivious of the history. We had a wonderful dinner at a trendy place. The following day we visited two potential hotels, one “city center” hotel and the other out on a peninsula about 30 miles outside of Athens…neither hotel really suited our needs but it was a good day. We flew out from Athens directly to Heathrow Airport, lucky for us, the second day the infamous terminal five opened. Luckily we had carry on luggage as they had major luggage handling problems and not enough staff on duty in customs… it was a mess! Lucky me, I was able to get through fairly quickly.
One day at home, then on Sunday I headed to Paris again, on the train. The train is a great way to go. It only takes 2.5 hours and is a pleasant ride. You can get up and walk around, you don’t have to wear a seat belt…you leave one world and end up in another! I had two meetings to attend there. One was my staff meeting and the other with my peers. Champagne, nice meals, good people. Good Times!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
It is still a thrill!
29 February 2008
Well, here I am once again on a plane travelling from London to San Francisco. It is February 29th, that extra day we get every four years… Time for reflection, I think… Since my return from the holidays in the states I have been busy. End of January I travelled to Monte Carlo, Monaco. This is where the famous Princess Grace lived. The very cleanest city I have ever been in. It really is an idealic place, quite the contrast to my trip last week to Cairo, Egypt…one of the dirtiest places I have ever been. Boy, what a difference!
Monte Carlo sits facing Meditterean Sea, huge yachts that never see the open sea… sailboats, in and out of the neatly arranged harbour, cruise ships stop regularly to give tourists a chance to see the sights. The streets are full of stores like Prada, Dolce and Gabana, Tiffany, you get the idea. The woman walk up and down the hills in designer shoes and clothes. People sit at outdoor cafes sipping expresso and champagne, depending on the mood. Every corner has a park, most with beautifully tiled fountains. There is carefully disguised construction; continuing the tasteful layout of the famous city. The dirtiest habit there is the smokers, still a sophisticated vice. Each building, even the newer ones have character, brightly colored shutters or fancy awnings. Everything is kept in good shape. The street cleaners work very early daily, preparing the city for the day. Ferrari’s, Mercedes, BMW and Audi, are the everyday cars on the road.
Cairo is located on the Nile River, one of the longest rivers in the world. (Amazon is the longest.) I have been told it runs South to North (it also has this in common with the Amazon). Most rivers run North to South… anyway, the Nile is a major river in Africa. It is a busy river. Boats are continuously making there way up and down. Cargo ships, loaded with containers make there way to various destinations. There are sail boats with what looks like ancient styled riggings. I did see some kayaks, (now that would be the way to do the nile!) There are a lot boats that look like little ferry boats, bringing the locals across or up/down the river. The river is filthy! I don’t think I would want to swim it. It is brown in color with a hint of green. It is still an awesome sight! The streets appear to never have been cleaned. This must have to do with the desert sand and heavy smog. There are no emission standards so not only are the roads filthy, every building has a brown film of dirt/dust on it. In the general areas of Cairo there is no character. Tall, twenty story buildings with each floor the same, clothes hanging on balconies to dry… 90% of the buildings look either unfinished or in the process of being knocked down. The guide we had explained that when a building is finished, taxes apply. If a building stays in an unfinished state, no taxes are due. Therefore most of the building is left unfinished either on the first floor or mostly on the top floor. You see what looks like unfinished top floors, rebar sticking out into the air. Satellite dishes sit on these unfinished roofs… very unappealing. On the roads you see Mercedes, BMW and Audi… all in the same car! The tier 2 taxis and general population cars are a hybrid, not gas wise, parts wise… they take parts of old cars and build new ones. The typical Egyptian car has a furry dashboard, ten mirrors in the front, is either black and white or gray, or it is a donkey pulling a cart! Yes, and on the freeway! They do stay in the slow lane at least!
Most of Cairo’s population of women wear beautiful scarfs and western type clothes. A few women dress in the full outfit of the fundalmentalist (all black, face covered)…It is because most everyone is a Muslim… the Christians try to identify each other and become very happy if you are one of them… one driver gave my adorable Lebanese Marketing Coordinator, Diane, a beautiful crucifix to protect her… He was also Lebanese, working in Cairo. I have decided that most women wear the scarfs because it protects their hair from the sut and dust! If I lived there, I would wear a scarf!
You do see the designer stores, but not like Monte Carlo. Every other store is a shoe store, probably because they do a lot walking (it is faster than driving and they have very virtually no mass transportation system. There is what we call freeways, however, there are no lane restrictions… in other words, you may have three lanes marked but six cars will be driving neck and neck and weaving in and out of traffic like there are no rules… well, there aren’t! I learned to trust the driver and not look out of the side windows… just looked at the scenery…
In Cairo there are old cemeteries (looks like New Orleans cemetaries) with large family plots, many with small buildings housing the family’s dead relatives. People live there!!! That is how bad the poverty is there! They use water from the Nile but no electricity or any other amenities… Thousands of people live in these “Cities of the Dead”… incredible that in today’s society, people live that close to civilization yet as if it was ancient times. Cairo is a city of approximately 18 million people…
Every person in Cairo looks like they work hard. Every person in Monte Carlo looks like they don’t work at all. The people that serve in restaurants, bars and stores in Monte Carlo act like they are doing you a favour. They are not outwardly happy people. The people in Cairo are so wonderful. They are so happy that you are in their country. They are appreciative, kind and helpful and seem to have, as my friend Sally always says, “joy” in their lives. Wow, what a cultural dicatomy! Isn’t it interesting, happiness or joy do not equate to money or living conditions.
So what you ask, was the best thing about Monte Carlo? Well, I enjoyed being near the sea, it felt a little like home to me because I could smell the sea air, enjoy the beautiful vista, see the sun and moon over the sea… sailboats, ect… The beautifully kept buildings. I stayed in a hotel built in the early 1800’s that was originally the hotel that the servants of the rich and famous stayed in when there master/mistresses were visiting Monte Carlo… It was gorgeous… beautiful shuttered full length windows… spacious rooms with high ceilings. This was for the one extra night I spent after the meeting I attended. The hotel we stayed at for the meeting was also fabulous, but in a different way. It was a new hotel, very modern… the first time I stayed there was during the World Music Awards and all the music stars were staying there.. ( not that I knew who they were!.. you could just tell they weren’t “regular” people!) Anyway, the hotel sits right on the Monte Carlo Bay, the views were spectacular! I have pictures posted so you can see… Anyway, for me, Monte Carlo is not a “real” place which is OK sometimes when you want to just forget about all the miseries of life. It is almost like a dream place, not a place anyone would actually live in.
Cairo, what was the most impressive? I have to say, actually climbing the Pyramids! Something I have secretly always hoped to do… It was all that I had expected and maybe more! It is just as amazing as they say… The Sphynx which is located in the same area was also quite a sight! Imagine, a girl from Shoreview, San Mateo, California walking in the same sand as those Egyptian workers so long ago! I was smiling the whole time… truly awesome. I decided not to ride the camels. They were dirty and stinky! (a girl can set limits!) I took a picture of them. That was enough for me!
As I was there for work… (I know, it doesn’t sound like it!) we entertained customers in the evening. One night we took a dinner cruise on the Nile. We didn’t see much of the Nile because the entertainment was non-stop! First, a belly dancer was brought in on a gilded chair, ala Cleopatra, and she danced for at least 45 minutes… then, the featured entertainer, a guy dressed in what looked like ancient Turkish attire. He had on multiple skirts and he was spinning for at least 30 minutes… all to fast drums and other instruments… it was fantastic…see pictures… I can’t even explain it all but it was amazing! Anyway, the Nile was magic with all the colourfully lit boats, the building lights and fantasy-like street lights on the bridges… Very different from the day!
Cairo was amazing, interesting, disturbing and exciting, all at the same time…
I am on the down side of my EMEA adventure. I hope to be permanently back in my house sometime this summer… with a new grandchild on the way, I am looking forward to getting back to family and friends… look for more adventures though… I am not done yet!
Well, here I am once again on a plane travelling from London to San Francisco. It is February 29th, that extra day we get every four years… Time for reflection, I think… Since my return from the holidays in the states I have been busy. End of January I travelled to Monte Carlo, Monaco. This is where the famous Princess Grace lived. The very cleanest city I have ever been in. It really is an idealic place, quite the contrast to my trip last week to Cairo, Egypt…one of the dirtiest places I have ever been. Boy, what a difference!
Monte Carlo sits facing Meditterean Sea, huge yachts that never see the open sea… sailboats, in and out of the neatly arranged harbour, cruise ships stop regularly to give tourists a chance to see the sights. The streets are full of stores like Prada, Dolce and Gabana, Tiffany, you get the idea. The woman walk up and down the hills in designer shoes and clothes. People sit at outdoor cafes sipping expresso and champagne, depending on the mood. Every corner has a park, most with beautifully tiled fountains. There is carefully disguised construction; continuing the tasteful layout of the famous city. The dirtiest habit there is the smokers, still a sophisticated vice. Each building, even the newer ones have character, brightly colored shutters or fancy awnings. Everything is kept in good shape. The street cleaners work very early daily, preparing the city for the day. Ferrari’s, Mercedes, BMW and Audi, are the everyday cars on the road.
Cairo is located on the Nile River, one of the longest rivers in the world. (Amazon is the longest.) I have been told it runs South to North (it also has this in common with the Amazon). Most rivers run North to South… anyway, the Nile is a major river in Africa. It is a busy river. Boats are continuously making there way up and down. Cargo ships, loaded with containers make there way to various destinations. There are sail boats with what looks like ancient styled riggings. I did see some kayaks, (now that would be the way to do the nile!) There are a lot boats that look like little ferry boats, bringing the locals across or up/down the river. The river is filthy! I don’t think I would want to swim it. It is brown in color with a hint of green. It is still an awesome sight! The streets appear to never have been cleaned. This must have to do with the desert sand and heavy smog. There are no emission standards so not only are the roads filthy, every building has a brown film of dirt/dust on it. In the general areas of Cairo there is no character. Tall, twenty story buildings with each floor the same, clothes hanging on balconies to dry… 90% of the buildings look either unfinished or in the process of being knocked down. The guide we had explained that when a building is finished, taxes apply. If a building stays in an unfinished state, no taxes are due. Therefore most of the building is left unfinished either on the first floor or mostly on the top floor. You see what looks like unfinished top floors, rebar sticking out into the air. Satellite dishes sit on these unfinished roofs… very unappealing. On the roads you see Mercedes, BMW and Audi… all in the same car! The tier 2 taxis and general population cars are a hybrid, not gas wise, parts wise… they take parts of old cars and build new ones. The typical Egyptian car has a furry dashboard, ten mirrors in the front, is either black and white or gray, or it is a donkey pulling a cart! Yes, and on the freeway! They do stay in the slow lane at least!
Most of Cairo’s population of women wear beautiful scarfs and western type clothes. A few women dress in the full outfit of the fundalmentalist (all black, face covered)…It is because most everyone is a Muslim… the Christians try to identify each other and become very happy if you are one of them… one driver gave my adorable Lebanese Marketing Coordinator, Diane, a beautiful crucifix to protect her… He was also Lebanese, working in Cairo. I have decided that most women wear the scarfs because it protects their hair from the sut and dust! If I lived there, I would wear a scarf!
You do see the designer stores, but not like Monte Carlo. Every other store is a shoe store, probably because they do a lot walking (it is faster than driving and they have very virtually no mass transportation system. There is what we call freeways, however, there are no lane restrictions… in other words, you may have three lanes marked but six cars will be driving neck and neck and weaving in and out of traffic like there are no rules… well, there aren’t! I learned to trust the driver and not look out of the side windows… just looked at the scenery…
In Cairo there are old cemeteries (looks like New Orleans cemetaries) with large family plots, many with small buildings housing the family’s dead relatives. People live there!!! That is how bad the poverty is there! They use water from the Nile but no electricity or any other amenities… Thousands of people live in these “Cities of the Dead”… incredible that in today’s society, people live that close to civilization yet as if it was ancient times. Cairo is a city of approximately 18 million people…
Every person in Cairo looks like they work hard. Every person in Monte Carlo looks like they don’t work at all. The people that serve in restaurants, bars and stores in Monte Carlo act like they are doing you a favour. They are not outwardly happy people. The people in Cairo are so wonderful. They are so happy that you are in their country. They are appreciative, kind and helpful and seem to have, as my friend Sally always says, “joy” in their lives. Wow, what a cultural dicatomy! Isn’t it interesting, happiness or joy do not equate to money or living conditions.
So what you ask, was the best thing about Monte Carlo? Well, I enjoyed being near the sea, it felt a little like home to me because I could smell the sea air, enjoy the beautiful vista, see the sun and moon over the sea… sailboats, ect… The beautifully kept buildings. I stayed in a hotel built in the early 1800’s that was originally the hotel that the servants of the rich and famous stayed in when there master/mistresses were visiting Monte Carlo… It was gorgeous… beautiful shuttered full length windows… spacious rooms with high ceilings. This was for the one extra night I spent after the meeting I attended. The hotel we stayed at for the meeting was also fabulous, but in a different way. It was a new hotel, very modern… the first time I stayed there was during the World Music Awards and all the music stars were staying there.. ( not that I knew who they were!.. you could just tell they weren’t “regular” people!) Anyway, the hotel sits right on the Monte Carlo Bay, the views were spectacular! I have pictures posted so you can see… Anyway, for me, Monte Carlo is not a “real” place which is OK sometimes when you want to just forget about all the miseries of life. It is almost like a dream place, not a place anyone would actually live in.
Cairo, what was the most impressive? I have to say, actually climbing the Pyramids! Something I have secretly always hoped to do… It was all that I had expected and maybe more! It is just as amazing as they say… The Sphynx which is located in the same area was also quite a sight! Imagine, a girl from Shoreview, San Mateo, California walking in the same sand as those Egyptian workers so long ago! I was smiling the whole time… truly awesome. I decided not to ride the camels. They were dirty and stinky! (a girl can set limits!) I took a picture of them. That was enough for me!
As I was there for work… (I know, it doesn’t sound like it!) we entertained customers in the evening. One night we took a dinner cruise on the Nile. We didn’t see much of the Nile because the entertainment was non-stop! First, a belly dancer was brought in on a gilded chair, ala Cleopatra, and she danced for at least 45 minutes… then, the featured entertainer, a guy dressed in what looked like ancient Turkish attire. He had on multiple skirts and he was spinning for at least 30 minutes… all to fast drums and other instruments… it was fantastic…see pictures… I can’t even explain it all but it was amazing! Anyway, the Nile was magic with all the colourfully lit boats, the building lights and fantasy-like street lights on the bridges… Very different from the day!
Cairo was amazing, interesting, disturbing and exciting, all at the same time…
I am on the down side of my EMEA adventure. I hope to be permanently back in my house sometime this summer… with a new grandchild on the way, I am looking forward to getting back to family and friends… look for more adventures though… I am not done yet!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
It has been too long... I am behind
January, 2008... Last post was in July. Well, time goes so fast! Ok, where to begin... End of July...Trip to the U.S. began... I was able to go to California and attend the Kelly Family reunion at Russian River. It was great and little did we know that it would be the last one Aunt Lori would attend. She looked great and no one had any idea that she would be gone by Thanksgiving. May she rest in peace.
We all enjoyed being together, David my nephew played the bag pipes and we played a dice game. Steve and Chris and I rented a cabin on the river and I got to swim in the river without stopping which was awesome. My kids canoed, we had a lot of fun. I had to leave early to catch a plane to Chicago for my company sales meeting but the short trip was worthwhile.
Chicago was great! So much has changed from the last time I was there about ten years ago... Sailed on the Lake in the afternoon and then watched fireworks from another boat later on in the evening... danced at a blues club until 3am....(yes, still recovering)... also did a little work...
After four days, back to California where I caught a plane to Cabo San Lucas to meet up with my son Nick, his girlfriend Ashley and my brother Brian's family. We stayed at a great resort... and, as you do, I bought a time share so that my family would go on vacation with me (even if I am old!) Anyway, it is a gorgeous place overlooking the Pacific Ocean...
I returned to California for another week and then back to the U.K.... Since that time the traveling has not stopped... Paris, Dubai,Istanbul, Munich, Nice, Amsterdam, Monte Carlo, Geneva, Paris... One airplane after another... except, I try to always take the train to Paris... a much better way to travel.
july 28 Chicago
sept 2 Paris
sept 6 Dubai
sep t 16 Istanbul
sept 25 Munich
oct 10 Nice
oct 22 Amsterdam
nov 4 Monte Carlo
nov 8 Geneva
nov 11 Paris
nov 17 SF
Significantly, Dubai - Disneyland vs New York!, Istanbul so old, so much history, Nice - truly a well named place...Monte Carlo - incredible, cleaner than Disneyland, Geneva - beautiful, Swiss... Paris - still my favorite... no, home is my favorite place... we take so much for granted living in California.
Unfortunately, just before the Thanksgiving my wonderful Aunt Lori who was married to my Uncle Tom something like 46 years passed after a short time in the hospital with a brain tumor that she didn't even know she had. Timing is everything because I had scheduled a trip home for a meeting that was right around Thanksgiving. I was able to get home in time for the wake and funeral. She was buried in the cemetary on the hill down the road from their cabin. It was a beautiful day, sad but a lovely ceremony. I felt blessed that I was able to be there. My aunt and uncle are very special people. She was smart, funny and never afraid to say what she thought! I learned from her... she was a great mother and grandmother as well as my Uncle's best friend... she is missed.
Anyway, then we had Thanksgiving. My sister Ce-ce and her husband Jeff hosted us this year. They rented a tent for the back yard. It was a lovely day, great food, great setting, great people... Fun times.
I returned to the U.K. after my meeting in San Jose the first week of December. This was the beginning of the holiday season for me... First, a nice dinner at a trendy restaurant just off Piccadilly Circus with one of our advertising agencys, the following week same place for dinner and then off to see Hairspray the play...fun, fun, fun... The following week my staff and our event team celebrated with a forty-five minute ride on the London Eye, overlooking all the lights of London in our private pod, complete with champage and picture ops... then dinner and gift exchange.. of course singing! Numerous lunches, meetings and dinners followed concluding with a wonderful dinner for our entire office at an elegant old manor house, complete with black tie attire, an Elvis impersonator, gift exchange and of course singing... (45 people singing the twelve days of christmas... you had to be there!) And then, home again, home again... my holiday vacation began!
Adriana had "grandma days"... whistling, talking and singing all the time. We don't need the background music played everywhere during the holidays because she can sing every song... over, and over again!
I got to spend time with friends and family, saw a couple movies, did some shopping and of course ate and drank too much... also got some exercise in! Had two Pilate's classes, walked in the woods, walked on West Cliff... all the things I like to do.
The highlight of the party season was my mother's 80th birthday party... She is such a beautiful person, loved, revered and yet humble. A true role model. The family organized a lunch on her birthday, Dec 30th. 140 family and friends showed up. She was walked into the room with her grandson David, in full dress attire playing the bag pipes. Her husband, her sister, her children, nieces and nephews, grandchildren and many friends got up and spoke about her and what she has done for them over the years. Of course, one of her four great grandchilden...Adriana, took the microphone and a capella sang Happy Birthday to "GGM"... My niece Megan prepared a fantastic slide show/video capturing her life. It was great!
While in the U.S. I traveled to Las Vegas week of Jan 6 to the Consumer Electronics Show... Large TV's - small phones.. It was for work. I got to stay at Bellagio and catch up with old friends.. not bad for a work week.
The Noce family is going strong. We are looking forward to a new member. Tony and Kelly are expecting a baby boy the first of June. Adriana who now is four was at first upset when she was told it was going to be a boy. She wanted a sister... now she is very happy that she is going to be a big sister and looking forward to having a little brother. Oh, this is going to be fun.
This January we have everyone but me in school. Tony and Kelly are registered for classes at Cabrillo. Tony will be taking EMT courses which should provide him the final classes he needs combined with Air Force training to complete his AS in Fire Science. Kelly is taking courses in accounting and will get another Associates degree... Steph will be continuing her classes at CSU Monterey towards her teaching degree, Joe is beginning classes at USF towards a Masters in Teaching and Nick begins the Fire Academy in San Mateo and will continue his courses in Fire Science to get his AS by summer... Very busy family! Oh, Adriana will be starting dance classes this month too!
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