Home Again, Home Again Jiggety Jig

Approximately two hours from landing at JFK with the boys seated between us in a middle row of four seats, a sudden feeling of sadness and pride swept over both of us. 

The sadness was the realization that our uninterrupted time together as a family was coming to a close.  No more days without definition.  No more days that could begin at 5am for a flight or activity just as easily as they could begin at 8am if the schedule allowed.  No more making it up as we go along...should we do another game drive...should we visit a village...should we hit another museum...

The overwhelming feeling of pride was our collective recognition that Roman and Mabret accomplished things on this trip that are astonishing for people of any age.  They interacted seemlessly with people from backgrounds as different from theirs as night is to day.  They were kind, thoughtful and humble at every turn.  They did not tire of the hard work that comes with travel.  They never complained about the many long days that are a prerequisite to seeing the things and places which we encountered.   

Roman and Mabret, you make your Mom and Dad proud. 

5:30am in London and we are ready to roll. 

Welcome to JFK. 

There were two things that Roman and Mabret were excited to see.  Their beloved dogs...

Ella

And Zeke.

The second thing that kept them smiling on the long trip home is their friends and family.  While we look forward to seeing family in the coming days and weeks, Mabret and Roman's friends live close-by and a few of them were there when the boys stepped out of the car.  This sight brings to mind a favorite movie quote from Stand By Me.

"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve.  Jesus, does anyone?"  

We are not done blogging yet.   Stay tuned.  

Peace Out!

The Final Four

Day one in London and day one of our bittersweet countdown toward home saw the RTW Adventure Family exploring the Tower of London.  While in London, home is a cozy two bedroom apartment in Europa House which is a bargain compared to hotel rooms in this city which is often referenced as the most expensive in the world.  Just down the street from our front door is the Maida Vale stop on the Bakerloo line of London's Underground. 

While we have been on many ordinary and extraordinary modes of transportation while on this journey, the underground is the most efficient and simple most comprehensive public transportation system in the world.  Roman and Mabret quickly mastered its many lines and frequent interchanges. 

Pretty soon we were downright comfortable.

Maybe too comfortable...

Upon arriving at the Tower of London, we we met with a warm welcome from the Beefeaters.  While technically there to guard the prisoners, and the Crown Jewels within the Tower and to generally protect the premises, since there are no prisoners and the worldwide tourists don't seem too dangerous, they serve as tour guides as well. 

The Tower is impressive. 

Within the Tower walls sit several museums.  Of course, the boys were drawn to the weapons. Boys will be boys.

Here they examine several swords and daggers.

Day two brought the London version of the Fat Tire Bike Tour. As it was such a hit in Spain, we decided to follow the age old advice...if it ain't broken don't fix it.  Jamie from Fat tire delivered with a magnificent 4 hour tour of London's sights and sounds. 

The Houses of Parliament are situated along the banks of the Thames River.   Home to the House of Lords and the House of Commons, at one point in history the decisions made here directly affected one quarter of the world's population.  Attached to the houses of parliament, Big Ben actually refers to the 13 ton hour-bell within the clock tower rather than the tower itself.  However, as is our tourist right, we will continue to make the same mistake as millions 'round the world.   

Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of the Royal Family since Queen Victoria. This 661 room palace remained the dwelling of the monarchy throughout World War II, even after being hit seven times by German air strikes.

Westminster Abbey was founded, according to legend, in the year 616.  It is home to the crypts of some of the most famous British citizens, including a number of kings and queens, Charles Dickens and Sir Issac Newton.  Additionally, since 1066, all British monarchs who have had a coronation have been crowned in the Abbey.

Trafalgar Square is home to the National Gallery and Nelson's Column.  Lord Nelson was the enigmatic commander the British fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar and is one of England's most legendary military leaders. Today the square is considered one of the most central points in London and hosts events, public gatherings, ceremonies and festivals.  The square also boasts a new sculpture that was unveiled in 2013 and was a hit with Mabret and Roman.   

The National Gallery.

The giant blue cockerel.

The tour also took us through London's peaceful and memorable Royal Parks including Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park and St. James's Park.  The RTW Adventure Family endorses Fat Tire Bike Tours. To our friends traveling domestically, they are now in D.C. so check them out next time you are there.

Day three found us returning to Trafalgar Square to visit the National Gallery.  The museum is totally free which is almost as astounding as the works of art found inside.  Mom put together a hunt that involved reading a map and following clues to locate great pieces of art.  Roman and Mabret nailed all 10 and didn't even realize that they were touring a boring old museum.  Great job, Mom. 

Trafalgar Square is home to street performers of many varieties.  Some with unique talent.

Others who sorta make it up as they go along and recruit volunteers...including Dad.

And finally, some who are like road kill.  Including this fella who is able to pull his body through an unstrung tennis racket by popping his shoulders out of their sockets several times on both sides.

Our final day in London and on this adventure was memorable for just being together and reminiscing both audibly and silently about the journey of the last four months.  

However, we did check off and obligatory box on the London trip.  The Harry Potter photo opportunity which required a one hour line caused by people posing countless times as though they were in a Vogue shoot.  All in good fun.

We also checked out a cool restaurant named Inamo.  The place uses an interactive ordering system which is projected onto the table and operated by touching the items. The system also allows you to set the "table cloth" and do other cool stuff. The cuisine is pan Asian and was yummy.  

Love this pic. 

We had such a full and fun 4 days that more pics remain that must be posted.  Here goes...

We really don't know what to say about this coming to an end. The flight home tomorrow leaves time for reflection. More to come but for now and for one last time while abroad...

PEACE OUT.

Journey to London

As are journey continues, I myself am really excited. It has been really cold here in Madrid and I have been freezing! In London it's going to a lot colder and our Dad is coming to meet us in London. We plan on going to Big Ben in London and the Tower of London. 

I'm so excited to see Dad, London and have the family back together!

One More Time

Wow, I cannot believe how much I miss blogging.  I am sitting in JFK Airport waiting to board Kuwait Airways flight 102 bound for London.  While my responsibilities at the office have been plentiful and days have been stressful and long, sitting at an airport bar dreaming about what the coming days will bring is what makes travel so extraordinary.  While I am sad for Kathy, Mabret, Roman and Katie, I am so excited to make the most of the next 4 days and leave London with great memories of our final stop...for now.   

So you ask, "Why am I sad for Kathy, Mabret, Roman and Katie?"  The answer is because they will not appreciate the true freedom of mind and spirit that comes with long term travel until they return to the grind of everyday life.  In addition, they will miss each other as we grew accustomed to spending so much time together.  There is nothing better than time with your best friends. 

Boarding...

Peace Out. 

Museo National Del Prado

SCAVENGER HUNT

Our final day in Madrid and I was finally able to drag the kids to the Prado Museum.

The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in centralMadrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of Spanish art. Founded as a museum ofpaintings and sculpture, it also contains important collections of other types of works. A new, recently opened wing enlarged the display area by about 400 paintings, and it is currently used mainly for temporary expositions. El Prado is one of the most visited sites in the world, and it is considered to be among the greatest museums of art. The large numbers of works by Francisco de Goya, the artist most extensively represented in the collection, and by Diego Velázquez, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens and Hieronymus Boschare among the highlights of the collection.

     Monument to Francisco Goya marks the northern entrance to the Prado Museum.

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes ( 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. 

The plan I concocted was a scavenger hunt! 

I researched about eight famous paintings and wrote a question regarding it's meaning, what it depicts or the history of the painting. In order to make it manageable for the kids I was able to discover each painting's location by room number before they started. The boys had my 8 questions (with hints), a museum map, and the room number of the painting with corresponding question number. Their job was to discover the artist and the name of the paiting. Yes, this took me some time in morning before heading to the museum. The prize would be 5 euros!

The boys agreed and may even have been excited for the challenge.

      The first successful find, the answer the question #3.

The Third of May 1808  is a painting completed in 1814 by the Spanish painterFrancisco Goya, now in the Museo del Prado, Madrid. In the work, Goya sought to commemorate Spanish resistance to Napoleon's armies during the occupation of 1808 in the Peninsular War.

The painting's content, presentation, and emotional force secure its status as a groundbreaking, archetypal image of the horrors of war. Although it draws on many sources from both high and popular art, The Third of May 1808 marks a clear break from convention. Diverging from the traditions of Christian art and traditional depictions of war, it has no distinct precedent, and is acknowledged as one of the first paintings of the modern era. According to the art historianKenneth Clark, The Third of May 1808 is "the first great picture which can be called revolutionary in every sense of the word, in style, in subject, and in intention".

Yes, many of the paintings throughout this museum are graphic and or depressing. There was no real way to avoid it so we went with it and tried not to dwell too long. (warning don't scroll further down with young eyes watching -- check first)

The boys moved along well and found all the paintings on the scavenger hunt and even enjoyed looking for a few more of the masterpieces that caught their eye.

Roman choose to investigate the below painting by Goya after reading its name.

 

Saturn Devouring His Son is the name given to a painting by Spanish artist Francisco Goya. According to the traditional interpretation, it depicts the Greek myth of the Titan Cronus (in the title Romanised to Saturn), who, fearing that he would be overthrown by one of his children, ate each one upon their birth. The work is one of the 14 Black Paintings that Goya painted directly onto the walls of his house sometime between 1819 and 1823. It was transferred to canvas after Goya's death and has since been held in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

Mabret's favorite - distinctly different from Roman's - as it involves nice dreams!

     Jacob's Dream

This painting by Jose de Ribera tells of Jacob the Patriarch’s mysterious dream, as told in Genesis. He appears asleep, lying on his left shoulder with a tree behind him. On the other side is the ladder of light, by which the angels ascend and descend. 

This subject demonstrates Ribera’s skill at constructing metaphoric discourse. He uses the image of a shepherd resting in the countryside to describe one of the best-known Bible stories. The foreground view of the solidly constructed figure and the scene’s realistic features bring realism to the miraculous dream described in a ray of light under a blue and gray sky. 

Here, Ribera offers one of the numerous proofs of his delicate sense of color and his exquisite compositional capacity, masterfully placing the foreground volumes in diagonal contraposition. 

   The Drowning Dog

Another of Goya's Black paintings These were painted after an illness at age 46 caused him to become deaf and suffer with mental issues. They were painted on the walls of his home in Madrid and were not meant for others to see.

Finally, Las Meninas (Spanish for The Maids of Honour) is a 1656 painting by Diego Velázquez, the leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age, in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work's complex and enigmatic composition raises questions about reality and illusion, and creates an uncertain relationship between the viewer and the figures depicted. Because of these complexities, Las Meninas has been one of the most widely analyzed works in Western painting.

Las Meninas has long been recognised as one of the most important paintings in Western art history.  More recently, it has been described as "Velázquez's supreme achievement, a highly self-conscious, calculated demonstration of what painting could achieve, and perhaps the most searching comment ever made on the possibilities of the easel painting".

 

Even a short amount of time just being surrounded by the masters is better then no time at all.

Peace out from del Prado, Madrid.