Jan 16 - Feb 8, 2014
(This post is ridiculously late, but we'll survive).
"Oh, you're bringing a guy?"
I could almost hear the disappointment in my parent's email, after I told them that Igors was coming with me to visit the US. When said I would bring a friend, they were hoping I'd bring a hot and heavy girlfriend (which means the sooner they get grandkids), instead of a Latvian dude, especially after bringing Asia last year. Most parents with hopes that their straight, 30-something son will get married soon, would consider "Latvian guy" as a downgrade from "Polish girl" when it comes to who he is bringing on vacation (sorry, no offense to any Latvian guys).
After only a 27 hour door-to-door journey from Warsaw, the days on Maui were filled with sun, pool, beach workouts in front of other tourists, lots of food, going to Costco (for some reason I bought 2.5 pounds of Lawry's seasoning salt), and seeing family, just like my normal trips. Cousin Scott's daughters are getting bigger every year (funny how that works). Kayce is 6 or 7 now, but still as silly as ever, while Tori just turned 2. And as usual, they had toys that I wish I had myself. When I say that, I mean I want them right now, not back when I was a kid. They had stuffed animal husky dogs that make noises when you read a book to them. Seriously, they are trained to bark or whine or pant or whatever, when you say certain phrases from the book. It kept me busy for a good 30 minutes (get it at Hallmark!). I was especially excited because one of the dogs didn't "speak" when others read to it, but it was perfectly obedient for me. You could say we were a perfect pair (plus duh, they're Huskies).
We went snorkeling and whale watching in Molokini, and biking down Haleakala. We didn't get up for the sunrise trip, since we would have had to go up at 3:30 am, and that's normal getting-home-from-the-club-time. The ride down was mostly downhill (obviously), but we turned around to go up hill a few times to get some exercise and feel a little "prouder" of a 20 mile ride. We didn't have much time to explore or hike the crater, so that's something for another time. There was also a nice Mexican restaurant on the way back called Polli's, so if you ever bike down Haleakala, don't forget to stop there. After busy days, we got sleepy every night at 8pm (so I guess no clubs til 3:30), and sometimes a "nap" on the floor would turn into sleeping til sunrise, while my parents watched TV next to us. I also had a few evening work calls with my boss, who was in New Zealand, and yes, I did do some work as well (although I was usually falling asleep while working).
On Oahu we had a busier schedule, meeting more family and friends, driving around in the tiny Chevy Spark. I forgot my driver's license in Poland, and was worried I wouldn't be able to drive on the trip. But I was able to apply online to get a replacement from the WA DOL. It allowed me to print a temporary license online without having to go to there, which was super nice. We hiked Diamond Head with Farrah and Pillboxes with Meagan, checked out my favorite beaches and restaurants, and spent some time shopping at Ala Moana. Igors did some swim "workouts", but I was still recovering from my boob injury so I couldn't swim much. We had dinner at cousin Sheri's and all the little kids came too. They are getting more tiring every year (in a fun way), and it's difficult to buy gifts for them. Kai (8) and Ryan (4) got Legos, while Sera (6) and Emi (7) got Hello Kitty and My Melody stationary/coloring books. I was just lucky that each of the girls happened to prefer the character I gave them. I don't even know who My Melody is, I just didn't want to get them the same things. Next year I'll have to get them some Seahawks gear, puzzles - or even Legos for the girls (or iPad apps, as they all play with their iPads all day....not to mention all the grandparents have new iPhones and I still have a Blackberry). They were all playing with these Kendama toys, where they try to make a ball, attached by a string, land on the wooden handle. I used to have one when I was a kid, but I guess they are super popular now in Hawaii, as if it took an entire generation for it to make its way out there. Kai even had two of them. This dude is not related to me, but he's pretty good at it.
One of my favorite things to eat in Hawaii is Korean BBQ (Hawaiian style). When I try to describe Hawaiian BBQ, it's hard to compare it to anything that someone in Poland could understand. It's just SOOOO GOOD. BBQ Chicken, short ribs, meat jun, gyoza, and with lots of rice...I couldn't stop. I think Igors got sick of it, because after a while, when we were deciding what to eat, he'd say "NO RICE!". He also complained about the lack of sparkling water options.
On NFC Championship Sunday, we had breakfast at Cinnamon's (the best on Oahu) with Aunty Margie, Katie and Sean, and other cousin Naomi, who is from Seattle but lives in NYC. After breakfast we had to go back home to watch the Seahawks game, where I taught Igors the rules, and by the end of the game, he finally understood. I was super nervous, but the Seahawks pulled it out on a great play by Richard Sherman, to send them to the Super Bowl. A waitress named Kira at Cinnamon's was wearing a 49ers jersey and now she owes me breakfast. If anyone knows her, tell her to contact me so I can get my pancakes!
After enjoying our last BBQs, meals, shaved ice, and sunny 80 degree days on Maui, we headed to Seattle for a few days of sweaters and drizzle. The first thing I noticed everywhere was the abundance of green and blue and the number 12 all over the city. The colors are those of the Seahawks, and 12 is a symbol for their fans. We are very proud to support the team, especially when they're playing in the Super Bowl. 12 represents the "12th man", a term that comes from the fact that there are 11 players on the field at once, and the fans act like a 12th player, supporting the team and actually making an impact on the game with the noise. Seattle is known to have the loudest stadium in the NFL, and we even set a world record for noisiest stadium during the season. The number 12 was on buildings, cars, faces, flags, even on a Boeing jet. It was great to be home.
Besides being super excited about the game, I was able to see a lot of friends and family in Seattle, including my brother who is sometimes travelling when I go home. I am always thankful that they make time for me when I am back in town. It's funny how things have changed with my friends since I last lived in Seattle (almost 8 years ago). Conversations that used to be about sports, girls, clubs, and our futures, have turned into talks about household improvements, babies, day care, and favorite toys. I also had a sense of nostalgia when walking past Key Arena (where the Sonics used to play) after we visited the Experience Music Project (also very cool for any of you who haven't been). As we walked past the arena, I got flashbacks of 20 years ago when I used to go to Sonics games. I could hear the ball bouncing, shoes squeaking on the court, whistles, the buzzer, and even the announcer calling out the names of the players as the fans cheered. For some reason "Kendallllll Gillllllllll!" kept going through my mind. I love how a place like that can bring back such vivid memories, and those sounds seemed to real to me, even though the arena was empty, and there was no sound at all. It makes me sad to think that the Sonics are gone.
Ela, a Polish friend who was traveling in California, visited us for a couple days as well. We went to the Boeing tour in Everett where they make the 747, 777, and 787 jets (pretty cool!) and they also did the Underground City tour. I got my fix of Red Robin, Pho Cyclo (as usual - we needed reservations for 19 this time with all the kids), Taco Time, and Fish Sandwiches at Pike Place Market. We also tried Anthony's Bell Street Diner, rather than the fancy Anthony's on the pier next door, and it was definitely "worth" spending less money for similar quality fresh seafood (and they had a nice early bird dinner special for old people like us). It's actually really fun being a tourist in my own city.
After a few days in Seattle, Igors and I headed off to NYC, while Ela returned to Poland. The NYC trip deserves an entry all to itself, thanks to the Seahawks historic Super Bowl victory, so you'll read about that next.
After the Super Bowl, I took a few days to visit Mike and Pascale (and Amanda, and another baby in the oven) in Quebec City. In Poland, we didn't really have an intense winter this year, and the only snow happened when I was out of the country. So you could say that I missed winter. Well, after going to Quebec in February, you could say that I don't really miss winter. It was so cold that I couldn't breathe when going outside. I literally had to put on all of my clothes. There was so much snow that the snow banks were almost as tall as the houses along the streets. Blue poles stick out of the ground to identify which houses have contracts for the street cleaners to clear the snow out of. The cars are so dirty from the snow and sand, you can't see the true color of the cars, the license plates, or even what kind of car it is. But even with all the snow and bone chilling temperatures, it was still a fun place to visit.
Mike and I had to both work while there, so we didn't do much day time sightseeing (plus the Olympics were on so we watched some of that). It was nice to hang out in their house, a 3 story palace, with lots of bedrooms (I had my own entire level with a bedroom, bathroom, living room and play room), nice kitchen and hardwood floors, and a nice yard (when it's not covered in snow). Pascale was also at work, living the life of a partner in the QC office. But we did manage to see some of the town.
Of course I wanted to eat a lot of food there, and funny enough, my first meal included French Onion Soup. I think there's a lot of teasing that goes on between French people and French-Canadians, so I laughed about my French Onion Soup. When Mike was in Warsaw with me, he tried to pretend he was French, and a French friend could tell he was an imposter after only 1 word out of his mouth. So even though the language is slightly different, it's still French. And it's strange to me that there is a place in a country that speaks mostly English where a lot of people don't speak English at all. It made me feel like I was in a different continent, not in Canada. I mean, they don't say "a-boot" or "ehh" after everything when they speak French. So they can't be Canadian! I even noticed mostly Quebec flags all over the city, not any Canadian flags. Because of this, it has a nice European feeling, including a cute Old Town. After a while, I got used to it and stopped complaining.
The main attraction for me was the poutine. The fries, cheese curds and gravy seem unhealthy enough to kill a man in one sitting, but I went ahead and had it twice in the span of 12 hours. The second time also with a smoked meat sandwich at a restaurant called Brynd (very nice). It was extremely delicious, but something you have to prepare for (and then go into detox after). One of the places we ate at was called "Snack Bar" and the phone number for delivery from this bar is posted on the sign outside: 522-GRAS. If you speak French, you know that "gras" means "fat". That's all you need to know about that.
And that's when I decided to go on a diet for the rest of the trip.
Up next, the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. And I'm there to witness it.
(This post is ridiculously late, but we'll survive).
"Oh, you're bringing a guy?"
I could almost hear the disappointment in my parent's email, after I told them that Igors was coming with me to visit the US. When said I would bring a friend, they were hoping I'd bring a hot and heavy girlfriend (which means the sooner they get grandkids), instead of a Latvian dude, especially after bringing Asia last year. Most parents with hopes that their straight, 30-something son will get married soon, would consider "Latvian guy" as a downgrade from "Polish girl" when it comes to who he is bringing on vacation (sorry, no offense to any Latvian guys).
After only a 27 hour door-to-door journey from Warsaw, the days on Maui were filled with sun, pool, beach workouts in front of other tourists, lots of food, going to Costco (for some reason I bought 2.5 pounds of Lawry's seasoning salt), and seeing family, just like my normal trips. Cousin Scott's daughters are getting bigger every year (funny how that works). Kayce is 6 or 7 now, but still as silly as ever, while Tori just turned 2. And as usual, they had toys that I wish I had myself. When I say that, I mean I want them right now, not back when I was a kid. They had stuffed animal husky dogs that make noises when you read a book to them. Seriously, they are trained to bark or whine or pant or whatever, when you say certain phrases from the book. It kept me busy for a good 30 minutes (get it at Hallmark!). I was especially excited because one of the dogs didn't "speak" when others read to it, but it was perfectly obedient for me. You could say we were a perfect pair (plus duh, they're Huskies).
We went snorkeling and whale watching in Molokini, and biking down Haleakala. We didn't get up for the sunrise trip, since we would have had to go up at 3:30 am, and that's normal getting-home-from-the-club-time. The ride down was mostly downhill (obviously), but we turned around to go up hill a few times to get some exercise and feel a little "prouder" of a 20 mile ride. We didn't have much time to explore or hike the crater, so that's something for another time. There was also a nice Mexican restaurant on the way back called Polli's, so if you ever bike down Haleakala, don't forget to stop there. After busy days, we got sleepy every night at 8pm (so I guess no clubs til 3:30), and sometimes a "nap" on the floor would turn into sleeping til sunrise, while my parents watched TV next to us. I also had a few evening work calls with my boss, who was in New Zealand, and yes, I did do some work as well (although I was usually falling asleep while working).
Hanging out at Big Beach
Igors using his Go Pro
Beach sunset workout
Going down Haleakala
On Oahu we had a busier schedule, meeting more family and friends, driving around in the tiny Chevy Spark. I forgot my driver's license in Poland, and was worried I wouldn't be able to drive on the trip. But I was able to apply online to get a replacement from the WA DOL. It allowed me to print a temporary license online without having to go to there, which was super nice. We hiked Diamond Head with Farrah and Pillboxes with Meagan, checked out my favorite beaches and restaurants, and spent some time shopping at Ala Moana. Igors did some swim "workouts", but I was still recovering from my boob injury so I couldn't swim much. We had dinner at cousin Sheri's and all the little kids came too. They are getting more tiring every year (in a fun way), and it's difficult to buy gifts for them. Kai (8) and Ryan (4) got Legos, while Sera (6) and Emi (7) got Hello Kitty and My Melody stationary/coloring books. I was just lucky that each of the girls happened to prefer the character I gave them. I don't even know who My Melody is, I just didn't want to get them the same things. Next year I'll have to get them some Seahawks gear, puzzles - or even Legos for the girls (or iPad apps, as they all play with their iPads all day....not to mention all the grandparents have new iPhones and I still have a Blackberry). They were all playing with these Kendama toys, where they try to make a ball, attached by a string, land on the wooden handle. I used to have one when I was a kid, but I guess they are super popular now in Hawaii, as if it took an entire generation for it to make its way out there. Kai even had two of them. This dude is not related to me, but he's pretty good at it.
WITC on Diamond Head
Top of Pillboxes
One of my favorite things to eat in Hawaii is Korean BBQ (Hawaiian style). When I try to describe Hawaiian BBQ, it's hard to compare it to anything that someone in Poland could understand. It's just SOOOO GOOD. BBQ Chicken, short ribs, meat jun, gyoza, and with lots of rice...I couldn't stop. I think Igors got sick of it, because after a while, when we were deciding what to eat, he'd say "NO RICE!". He also complained about the lack of sparkling water options.
No words necessary
On NFC Championship Sunday, we had breakfast at Cinnamon's (the best on Oahu) with Aunty Margie, Katie and Sean, and other cousin Naomi, who is from Seattle but lives in NYC. After breakfast we had to go back home to watch the Seahawks game, where I taught Igors the rules, and by the end of the game, he finally understood. I was super nervous, but the Seahawks pulled it out on a great play by Richard Sherman, to send them to the Super Bowl. A waitress named Kira at Cinnamon's was wearing a 49ers jersey and now she owes me breakfast. If anyone knows her, tell her to contact me so I can get my pancakes!
After enjoying our last BBQs, meals, shaved ice, and sunny 80 degree days on Maui, we headed to Seattle for a few days of sweaters and drizzle. The first thing I noticed everywhere was the abundance of green and blue and the number 12 all over the city. The colors are those of the Seahawks, and 12 is a symbol for their fans. We are very proud to support the team, especially when they're playing in the Super Bowl. 12 represents the "12th man", a term that comes from the fact that there are 11 players on the field at once, and the fans act like a 12th player, supporting the team and actually making an impact on the game with the noise. Seattle is known to have the loudest stadium in the NFL, and we even set a world record for noisiest stadium during the season. The number 12 was on buildings, cars, faces, flags, even on a Boeing jet. It was great to be home.
Besides being super excited about the game, I was able to see a lot of friends and family in Seattle, including my brother who is sometimes travelling when I go home. I am always thankful that they make time for me when I am back in town. It's funny how things have changed with my friends since I last lived in Seattle (almost 8 years ago). Conversations that used to be about sports, girls, clubs, and our futures, have turned into talks about household improvements, babies, day care, and favorite toys. I also had a sense of nostalgia when walking past Key Arena (where the Sonics used to play) after we visited the Experience Music Project (also very cool for any of you who haven't been). As we walked past the arena, I got flashbacks of 20 years ago when I used to go to Sonics games. I could hear the ball bouncing, shoes squeaking on the court, whistles, the buzzer, and even the announcer calling out the names of the players as the fans cheered. For some reason "Kendallllll Gillllllllll!" kept going through my mind. I love how a place like that can bring back such vivid memories, and those sounds seemed to real to me, even though the arena was empty, and there was no sound at all. It makes me sad to think that the Sonics are gone.
Ela, a Polish friend who was traveling in California, visited us for a couple days as well. We went to the Boeing tour in Everett where they make the 747, 777, and 787 jets (pretty cool!) and they also did the Underground City tour. I got my fix of Red Robin, Pho Cyclo (as usual - we needed reservations for 19 this time with all the kids), Taco Time, and Fish Sandwiches at Pike Place Market. We also tried Anthony's Bell Street Diner, rather than the fancy Anthony's on the pier next door, and it was definitely "worth" spending less money for similar quality fresh seafood (and they had a nice early bird dinner special for old people like us). It's actually really fun being a tourist in my own city.
Space Needle at night
12th man piggie at Pike Place Market
After a few days in Seattle, Igors and I headed off to NYC, while Ela returned to Poland. The NYC trip deserves an entry all to itself, thanks to the Seahawks historic Super Bowl victory, so you'll read about that next.
After the Super Bowl, I took a few days to visit Mike and Pascale (and Amanda, and another baby in the oven) in Quebec City. In Poland, we didn't really have an intense winter this year, and the only snow happened when I was out of the country. So you could say that I missed winter. Well, after going to Quebec in February, you could say that I don't really miss winter. It was so cold that I couldn't breathe when going outside. I literally had to put on all of my clothes. There was so much snow that the snow banks were almost as tall as the houses along the streets. Blue poles stick out of the ground to identify which houses have contracts for the street cleaners to clear the snow out of. The cars are so dirty from the snow and sand, you can't see the true color of the cars, the license plates, or even what kind of car it is. But even with all the snow and bone chilling temperatures, it was still a fun place to visit.
Snow banks taller than me
Mike and I had to both work while there, so we didn't do much day time sightseeing (plus the Olympics were on so we watched some of that). It was nice to hang out in their house, a 3 story palace, with lots of bedrooms (I had my own entire level with a bedroom, bathroom, living room and play room), nice kitchen and hardwood floors, and a nice yard (when it's not covered in snow). Pascale was also at work, living the life of a partner in the QC office. But we did manage to see some of the town.
My hosts with our canned fondue (it was awesome)
Of course I wanted to eat a lot of food there, and funny enough, my first meal included French Onion Soup. I think there's a lot of teasing that goes on between French people and French-Canadians, so I laughed about my French Onion Soup. When Mike was in Warsaw with me, he tried to pretend he was French, and a French friend could tell he was an imposter after only 1 word out of his mouth. So even though the language is slightly different, it's still French. And it's strange to me that there is a place in a country that speaks mostly English where a lot of people don't speak English at all. It made me feel like I was in a different continent, not in Canada. I mean, they don't say "a-boot" or "ehh" after everything when they speak French. So they can't be Canadian! I even noticed mostly Quebec flags all over the city, not any Canadian flags. Because of this, it has a nice European feeling, including a cute Old Town. After a while, I got used to it and stopped complaining.
The main attraction for me was the poutine. The fries, cheese curds and gravy seem unhealthy enough to kill a man in one sitting, but I went ahead and had it twice in the span of 12 hours. The second time also with a smoked meat sandwich at a restaurant called Brynd (very nice). It was extremely delicious, but something you have to prepare for (and then go into detox after). One of the places we ate at was called "Snack Bar" and the phone number for delivery from this bar is posted on the sign outside: 522-GRAS. If you speak French, you know that "gras" means "fat". That's all you need to know about that.
Poutine with smoked meat topping - delish
And that's when I decided to go on a diet for the rest of the trip.
Up next, the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. And I'm there to witness it.
No comments:
Post a Comment