germany, mrgrant and friday turkey

We're still not sure if Steve was coming to visit us or drink beer in Dublin, but we know he managed to do both and most importantly he was here for Thanksgiving. We celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday since Joe was in Germany for work where he had his own feast.

In celebration of the team's work, the client hosted a feast worthy of a US Thanksgiving. A giant wooden table for almost 30 people, endless wine and courses and of course an American as an honored guest on Thanksgiving day.

Thanksgiving Friday involved lots of great food...I made my first Duck...it was great they tell me, but I still don't think they were truthful about the sauce...it was way too salty. In addition to Steve, Leo and Francesco joined us. Friends of my friend Michelle from back in the states, they really seemed to enjoy the meal and the company.

Steve left Sunday morning and Joe and I headed to the airport a couple of hours later for Barcelona.

thebatiste

Our second DCDD member came just before Thanksgiving. Gene was here on business, but despite his tight schedule he managed to find an evening to join us for dinner at our favorite local pub, The Fentiman Arms.

buda+pest

Budapest was great fun! In addition to attending a choral performance in their world famous opera house...it has to be seen to believed...we had a great, low cost (by the usual standards) spa day at Mandala Day Spa, take time if you can.

We stayed at the K+K Opera, our second stay at a K+K hotel (we stayed in one in Prague a few years back) and we were very pleased. One night we did have a power outage, but since we had already gotten a good seat at the bar before the lights went out it was a nice couple of fun hours.

The oldest subway line is so beautiful you have to see it to believe it. It's like a little toy train.

We made the trek out to Monument Park, where they have several Soviet era statues on display.

We celebrated my 45th birthday with dinner at the Four Season's Peacock restaurant. An amazing view of the Chain Bridge by night and of course great food and impeccable service.

The highlight moment of the trip was when we went to see the ruins of the anciet Roman city Acquincum on the outskirts of the city center. We got there and of course it was closed for the season. We did visit the museum and met up with an Argentine music teacher touring Europe on summer break. On the way back to the train to head back to town, the three of us decided to walk the long way around and stare through the fence.

It was then that a man came at us from the other side of the fence. At first we thought we were going to be in trouble, but instead he asked us if we wanted to visit the ruins. When we explained our predicament, he arranged for us to be his guests and left us to spend as much as time we wanted to tour the ruins.

When it was time to head home, though we were bummed to end the vacation, we enjoyed the idea that it would be a 2-hour flight and home was London! It was like the vacation would never end.

themarthajaninefactor

A week or so after Jon and Meliss left, Janine and Martha came to visit. They both had been to London before and wanted the native's tour. So we went to Borough Market the day they arrived and went out to lunch and had some wine...and plenty of it.

While they were here we went to see the very short-lived Desperately Seeking Susan play version of the movie featuring music by Blondie. If you were of the era it was great fun, but I can certainly understand why it may not have had a broader appeal.

On Monday they headed out to Paris via the Eurostar and came back on Friday in time for great fun and food and one of our favorite local haunts, Madiera. Excellent Portuguese food and atmosphere, with a little singing and dancing thrown in for added fun.

On Saturday we headed to the airport with them - Martha and Janine back to the US - Joe and I off to Budapest for a week's vacation.