April Showers Bring May Flowers...

01 April 2011

It is the first day of April and in the past month I have expanded my geographic familiarity while making myself exhausted!  My visit to Madrid to see Mr. Adam J. Martin, who is also from the great state of Michigan, rounded out the month of February.  Madrid is a city so alive, beautiful and fun, yet slightly soured by a lack of cleanliness.  The Prado museum’s Goya exhibit was exhaustingly fulfilling.  The tour of the Palacio de Real was more emotional than I imagined a walk through former living quarters could be…some of the rooms, like the throne room, had heaviness to it.  It was strange how all of a sudden when we entered the throne room, everyone started speaking in whispered tones and moving more slowly.  My time in Madrid was a whirlwind that ended with a drink at Why Not, where the YMCA is still alive and well!

After Madrid came Dubrovnik Croatia.  The Southern Dalmatian Coast was amazing!  Adriatic Sea views were framed by terracotta rooftops placed like steps up the mountain.  One of my best friends met me in Croatia where we walked, wandered, shopped, climbed and on the third day, we drove to Montenegro.  Montenegro was not nearly as much of a pleasure as Croatia.  Upon our return to Dubrovnik, we promptly sought out more Croatian red wine to erase the misery we viewed on our drive through a land still touched by war.  Speaking of Croatian wines, and changing the subject from war, wow!  Amazing taste and very well-priced.  I was sad I did not purchase any to bring home…well, until my bag was stolen at the Zagreb airport and I realized the wine never would have made it to Vienna to be enjoyed by me anyway.  Outside of the stolen luggage, my first trip to Eastern Europe was a great adventure!

The middle of March marked my first ski trip that involved real mountains.  My company took us to the Austrian Alps where I rekindled my love of skiing!  The views, the powder, the après-ski party!  It was all fantastic.  After our day on the slopes at Flachau, we met up to drink and sing songs.  Some were Austrian ski songs…but there were a few American songs thrown in like Sweet Caroline, Country Roads, and Highway to Hell followed by some electronic dance music strongly stating “Barbara Streisand” every 5 seconds!  It was hilarious and so much fun!

Shortly before the ski trip, I found out that upon my return from the ski trip, I had to head to the US for a week in the Gaithersburg, Maryland office.  I loved seeing my friends in the evenings (dinner at Ray’s the Steaks with Sarah and Jen was perfect and so necessary!) but it was really stressful to be at that office.  As of yesterday, everyone I loved working with there is gone due to layoffs and new jobs.  I am finally thankful there will be no job for me there when I leave the Vienna office to go back to the US.

Now, I am back in Vienna and springtime decided to meet me here!  The sun is shining and the rain is falling (yes, the weather is as confused as I was upon hearing my COO yell out “Barbara Streisand” on the post-ski dancefloor), the flowers are blooming and I need a new umbrella.  Hello April, so happy to spend 27 of your days in Vienna, Austria J 

 Adam and I leaving the Palace

 A View of Dubrovnik

The Austrian Alps