Entry 7 - April 3, 2009

After hauling our luggage down to the basement and checking emails one more time, we headed out to the Westerkerk. I’m so glad we did! The 30 min tour was awesome and we got to see some amazing scenery. The view from the middle of the tower (we couldn’t go to the top) was beautiful and I hope the shots come out. We were blessed with another sunny day so the conditions were perfect. The walk up the tower though…oh my. Almost vertical spiral staircase & ladders that made even me a little nervous. But like all things in Amsterdam, it was worth it.

After that we hopped on a canal ‘bus’ and went in/out the canals for about 1.5 hours. It was great; we got a whole different viewpoint from the water. That ended at Centraal Station where we quickly walked back to the hostel to get our luggage (side note: the basement was just a sea of suitcases and bags – you couldn’t even walk down there. We were literally climbing on top of bags just to get access to ours). Then back to the train station to head to Schipol Airport, which is where we are now. Our flight to Cairo has been delayed by about 45 min, and we just found out that we’ll have to re-check our luggage when we get there. So short layer over + delay + rechecking luggage might prove to be a bit of a problem. But I’ll just pray that all works out. We’re really looking forward to just getting to our hotel tonight in Sharm and just crashing! Logan’s knee is really acting up so hopefully it’ll get better as the days go on. I must admit I’m a little nervous heading to Egypt and not knowing the language. And not being sure of our connections or hotel transfers, etc, etc, etc. I know the Lord has already gone before us though and will keep us safe. I’m just so thankful once again for this incredible opportunity to travel. I’ll write again from our hotel in Sharm…hopefully!

….NOPE! Not writing from Sharm at all. Actually I’m lying in a bed at the Fairmont in Cairo because sure enough, we missed our connecting flight! Here’s the breakdown:

· Our flight leaving Amsterdam was delayed by 45 min
· Our connecting flight was leaving Cairo 1.5 hours after we were supposed to arrive
· We finally arrive in Cairo with 30 min to “spare”
· We try to walk off the plane but are instead stuck behind a women and her toddler that she refuses to pick up
· The arrivals lounge was PACKED – shoulder to shoulder. We needed to get our luggage, recheck it, and then check ourselves in
· It’s now 10:15…
· We go over to this ‘transfers’ counter and show our visas, and this gentleman tells us to come with him…sketchy, but alright…
· We skip ahead of the line, out luggage becomes priority, we’re rushing through crowds trying to keep up with this guy
· Get outside the main terminal and we’re immediately hassled by taxi drivers pretending to work for the airport
· Speed walk over to what ends up being the wrong terminal
· Almost get checked into a flight going to LUXOR (not Sharm)!!
· Walked back through crowds of Egyptians and literally felt like raw meat
· Waited for 45 min, now fully aware that we’ve missed our flight, for a shuttle to a hotel
· Met some random guy who kept asking if we plan to party and ‘do some hash’
· Met Martin from Amsterdam who also missed the same connecting flight…he somehow got a really, really strange illness while on the previous plane and how his entire body is shaking – it won’t stop! He’s been sitting (shaking) in a wheelchair this whole time, poor guy.
· We helped Martin to the same hotel as us and into his room (none of the staff would help) and we’ll help him out again in the morning – aka, in about 2 hours.

40 Toothpicks and Counting

Allow me to introduce you to some of my amazing family…some extended family that lives on the other side of the world; the Dennis’. These fine folk are exactly that – amazing; and the best part is that they’re coming HERE – to Canada – to visit us :D

Let’s start with Jen. A wonderful mom, sister & aunt. Jen’s the one with the radiant smile and laugh that truly brightens a room. She’s down to earth, funny, soooo easy to get along with and hospitable. She can speak pig Latin like it’s her mother tongue and actually have conversations with my Dad (for hours, if we let them!). She used to have a lion cub as a pet for a little bit (maybe she was babysitting it). Some days I wish I could go back and see what it was like to be her at a young age, with my Dad and uncle Andrew as big brothers. I’m sure she was picked on like none other, but I have no doubt she was also her Daddy’s little girl, AND was able to hold her own. Sometimes my mom can see Jen in the expressions I have…which I love hearing; makes me feel like I have a piece of her in me.

Then there’s Kev. A great father, brother and uncle. My fondest memories of Kev will always include his mischievous grin, like he was planning something; or perhaps wanting to build something, fix something, redesign something. He was always thinking! Last year when I went back with Logan to visit, he still called me by the nickname he gave me when I was little girl: Cha-nin. Not ‘Sh’, but ‘Ch’. I loved it; I loved being called that. It was like a little connection between my uncle and me that was just us. He always seemed like a stable guy; the kind that would give wise advice but only if you asked for it. The kind of guy that would let you do your own thing until you messed up – but he wouldn’t belittle you because of it. Now granted I was never ‘parented’ by him, but I would imagine that he’d be that kind of a Dad. Just…solid. Present. Loving.

Then there’s Greg. Or Gregorius. Or Greg Shawn. Or just Gregory Shawn Dennis(!) when Jen is mad at him. Greg is the cousin that is closest to me in age – he just turned 22. I think being close in age, we got along pretty well; often playing Cops & Robbers around their house and our backyards. Greg has a gentle soul in the inside and peaceful personality. He’s incredibly likeable, and I really mean that – everyone likes him (at least from what I’ve observed). He’s like your all-around good guy; always playing sports and sticking up for others. He’s even nice(ish) to his sister! We had a blast as kids and we’d usually see each other every weekend or so. I still remember watching/hearing the summer storms roll in and smelling the air, even as we continued to play outside; tag, hide-and-go-seek, treehouse…whatever it was – we were in our own little worlds and having fun. I am most saddened to be writing this, but Greg actually can’t make the trip out here with the rest of his family. He’s got a job and responsibilities that he can’t get out of unfortunately…but I of course included him in this post because he’s a member of the Dennis’!


And finally we have Haylee Girl. Or Haylee Paulina as my Dad calls her. Haylee was born just two years before we left to come to Canada, and she’s now 17. Good Lord! From what I recall about her at the age of 2, she was literally a bundle of joy (as per the picture below). Always moving, always wanting to sit on your lap or hug you or play Barbies – and by play I mean walk around the house dragging the poor doll by its hair. She also always wanted to be a part of the games Greg, Gareth & I played but alas – a two year old can’t quite hold their own in the games we played, hah. She was an adorable little thing, and still is to this day. She’s grown into an amazing young woman while vocal pipes like none other. She can act, sing and dance (I think) – what they like to call a ‘triple threat’. She’s my only girl cousin on my Dad’s side so needless to say I have this small protective nature thing going on when I get updates about her. She’s all grown up now (tear)…


So, there you have the Dennis’ – and three out of four will be landing at YVR in 40 days. I. CAN’T. WAIT. In my family we have a tradition for counting things down, by putting toothpicks in a potato and taking one out every day.

So here’s to 40 toothpicks and counting…

Entry 6 - April 1, 2009 – still…

Back at the hostel now, it’s about 7:30 pm. The Keukenhof was spectacular – just as I had hoped it would be. Our train ride on the other hand…we accidentally went an hour too far on our ride and had to backtrack to Leiden Centraal. I said it before and I’ll say it again; I could swear we never passed a “Leiden Centraal” at all! I would have noticed! So I think we were on a different line and then had to get on the right line. I had to literally draw out the map because there weren’t any to take with us.

Anyway, it was still beautiful and so immaculately manicured that I think my Dad would go nuts; huge tall trees, bright green lawns, lakes, streams, cafes, shops, and of course, tulips. And tons of other types of flowers too. I got enough pictures to last a lifetime, which they will!

And thank the Lord; we just got our heater fixed – hallelujah! Tonight we’re not really sure what the plan is – it’s just about 8 and we technically haven’t had dinner yet. Tomorrow we want to go up the Westerkerk Tower before heading off to the airport. Oh and Jane’s not here anymore so I assume she got the job at the Flying Pig Uptown. Nick is lying on his bunk right now, fast asleep…looking forward to packing tonight…not.

Entry 5 - April 1, 2009

Yesterday was a great day: started off by going to the Anne Frank House and it surprised me how much her family went through to hide themselves. It was quite eye-opening. (Side note: She and her family were forced to go into hiding to escape Hitler's persecution of the Jews – she wrote everything down in a diary when she was 13, which later become published as The Diary of Anne Frank). One of the things we read just as we were exiting was a quote by Nelson Mandela in 1994: “Being able to read Anne Frank while in prison gave us hope…” He wrote that while on Robben Island – interesting considering we plan to go there too!

Next we headed down to Vondel Park, which seems to be like a “Central Park” or something similar. It was quite pretty; lots of grass, bike paths, walking paths, bridges, benches, dogs, people…sunshine! We found ourselves a bench and just soaked it all in – it was beautiful. After that we headed for lunch at none other than the Hard Rock Café right alongside one of the hundreds of canals. Our feet were throbbing but the food was great.

Next we headed back up to the Bloomenmarket, where they sell hundreds upon hundreds of bulbs, seeds, tulips, daffodils, souvenirs and clogs; pretty hustin’ & bustlin’! After that we slowly walked back to the hostel, rested our feet/backs and checked Facebook (duh). We did a little shopping right outside on Nieuwendijk Street and went back to our room. As soon as we got there, we soon realized we now had a roommate! They were in the shower at the time, but we came to the conclusion that she was a backpacker, and a masculine one at that. Five minutes later, out walks Nick – a guy! Hahah, so much for what we thought were girls-only dorm rooms! I think that rule only applies to the bigger, 12+ rooms. Anyway, so Nick is originally from Ireland, but was travelling in from Germany where he’s doing a year abroad to study law! Nice guy, although I think little shy around two girls (understandably!). So we chatted with him for a bit before heading out for a bit to eat. Not five minutes after coming back, in walks Jane - our 2nd roommate! She had just arrived from London with her whole life in 2 bags – coming to Amsterdam to start over again. She had been living in London for the past 12 months and before that in Melbourne, Aus. I was so in awe that she would just pick up and leave. She didn’t have a job to go to or anything, but was hoping to get one at the Flying Pig Uptown. So we may or may not have a 2nd roommate tonight! We all hung out in the bar downstairs for a bit but headed to bed around 11 pm.

THEN, at about 8 am, the WORST sounding fire alarm goes off so loudly and wakes the whole place up. Jane and I shot right up in bed, our bodies trembling. It ended after about a minute, but seriously… waking up to that was not pleasant.

So now, April 1st, 11 am – we’re now on the train again to Leiden and the Keukenhof Tulip fields. It’s about an hour outside the city so we’re about half way I think. The sun has come out and it looks to be another beautiful day. I’m looking forward to this; all the bright colours and beautiful smells. Anyway, time to start taking train pics…OH and I bought a fisheye camera yesterday too! Can’t wait to see how those come out...

Entry 4 - March 31, 2009

So we had a two hour nap yesterday knowing it would probably mess with our sleeping pattern…sure enough we went to bed around 1 am and woke up again thinking it was already 7:30 – nope, it was only 3:15! We’d be sleeping for 2 hours. So needless to say, it was a bit of a restless night; not to mention the fact that we can’t turn off the freaking heater! It seems to be an overcast day out there, but I hope it burns off – we have a full day ahead of us!