Safely home now after a relatively comfortable flight back from the U.S. INFINITE thanks to my sister for the gift of Ambien! Couldn't have had a better Christmas present! :-)One of my best friends from when I went to school in Spain in 1990-91 has been visiting this week for the first time, and today we went to Madurodam (www.madurodam.nl) in The Hague. It was fun, and Marcos got to show off what a big guy he is! He's headed back tomorrow, but we've had a fun time catching up and seeing Holland! Gracias por venir tio, y espero verte muy pronto aqui de vuelta o en nuestro querido Euskal Herria! :-)
Took a few days off to go to Paris to see my Uncle Fritz. Unfortunately didn't catch up with my Aunt Lou who was there for a biology conference. Always fun to see either or both of them... I'm very fond of them and their great to be with. Fritz and I just kicked around Paris all day and saw the sights and did some shopping. Was fun.
When I called at 4 p.m. this afternoon, they hadn't done anything at all with the plain gold bands yet, but they promised to do their best to have them ready. When we got there at 8:10, they still weren't ready, but by 8:45 p.m., 15 minutes after closing, they were finally ready! We each ceremonially paid for the other's ring, wrapped them up in a wooden and silk box, and came home, sat on the couch, unpacked them, and put them on each other. It's hard to tell from the picture, but Wilbert's (right) is white gold and mine (left) is yellow gold. They have two inset diamonds, represening us as individuals, and one large diamond in the gap, representing that together, we are greater than we are alone, and we complete each other. It was a beautiful night in our exciting adventure together. We'll use them as engagement rings (right hand) until the wedding, then have them polished, engraved with names and date, and made ready for the wedding next June. After the wedding, we'll wear them on our left hands in the tradition of Wilbert's catholic family. Ik hou van je lieverd, en ik ben hartstikke blij dat ik de rest van mijn leven met je door mag brengen!
I had the honor of attending Wilbert's Mother's 70th birthday party yesterday. There was more family there than I had ever seen, and it was really fun. I'm sort of jealous of Wilbert for having all his family so close by, and is often the case with someone who has that luxury, he doesn't seem to fully appreciate it. And there are some really nice people among them as well! I was especially impressed with his Uncle Piet, who even at his ripe old age is still very interested in internet, satellite TV, and all sorts of other technologies. Cool guy!
He insisted (and quite rightly so) that the immediate family get together for a photo. With Caroline living in France, they don't get to see each other that often. Was also nice to meet Perry's new girlfriend, who seemed like a really nice gal and a major improvement over the last one. :-)
In general, I feel really lucky to be able to enjoy my partner's family, since my own is so far away.
Yesterday was the famous Gay Pride parade on the canals of Amsterdam. Unfortunately, I missed it, because with my current eyesight, I wouldn't have enjoyed it very much anyway. I'm pleased to say that I'm seeing a little bit better every day, especially if I keep my eyes well moisturized with artificial tears. So I'm a bit more hopeful and less pessmistic than I've been the last few days. Being like this for so long is a bit depressing. And I was really sorry to miss the canal parade, especially when it was gorgeous weather for once!
Our new pride and joy! This little puppy makes every DELICIOUS kind of coffee imaginable! Purchased from the fabulous folks at Kaldi Koffie in Purmerend, this fully automatic machine makes 8 different kinds of coffee (and tea!) and includes a fresh milk container that it uses to steam perfect frothy milk for cappuccino (3 cm thick foam on top!). And it has the sexiest little touch screen controls! Very gadgety!
After having a mediocre Japanese dinner on the town square (where there was a fat guy who put me to shame both in the size and ability to eat department - he kept ordering more and more and more!), we went to visit some long-time acquaintances who we both like very much because of their down-to-earth and incredibly friendly natures, Jan & Michael. Wilbert has been chatting with them recently on the internet, but we'd never really had time to get to know them without other (slightly loud) people around. We had a lovely evening of conversation, coffee and cocktails in their backyard, which provided some welcome relief from the heat. All in all, it was a really relaxed evening with some really nice people, and hope we get to do it again soon! www.jansnoek.nl
I've been so on the move this past week that I haven't even had time to tell the most amazing story: how a gifted but troubled young gay man who chose to end his life 15 years ago brought four people together in Madrid last weekend to remember him, tell stories of his and their lives, revel in Madrid's Gay Pride celebration in his (and our) honor, and strike up new friendships while healing old wounds.
I was sitting at dinner with colleagues at the Clubhouse in Vouliagmeni, Greece (see below), when I got a call from a TV producer from the U.S., who said he was making a film about an old friend of mine, Todd , whose name I didn't immediately recognize. It then hit me like a bolt of lightning what he was talking about. He had found me through research and the internet... I had spoken to Todd's mother once briefly shortly after it happened, and they found my parents, who gave them my mobile number.
The story 15(+) years ago.
- Todd graduated from high school and went backpacking across Europe.
- He met Peio on the street and they spent four beautiful days together.
- He went on his way, but they stayed in touch.
- Todd went to college but made plans to come to Spain to study and see Peio.
- Peio, in the meantime, met Javi and decided to move in with him.
- Todd came to Spain anyway to study, but to another city.
- He had difficulty with the superficiality of gay life in Madrid, and struggled with not wanting to disappoint his parents.
- He and Peio remained friends, and Todd accepted that Peio was in a committed relationship.
- Todd visited Peio in San Sebastian where I met him.
- Peio's boyfriend Javi pitched a fit, and Todd went home.
- I needed a place to stay in Madrid, so called Todd.
- I went to Madrid, but Todd was nervous and depressed, and demanded I find somewhere else to stay.
- When there was nowhere else to stay, he kicked me out anyway. I found a place.
- I flew home, and after a few days got a telegram for Peio that Todd had jumped to his death.
- I was devastated, and for 15 years had thought I was the last one to see him alive (now we're not so sure).
- Actual cause/circumstances of death were never determined/known by family/friends.
So that brings us to present time.
MTV-owned gay & lesbian LOGO network in the U.S. is doing a documentary on gay siblings, and Todd's twin brother and sister are gay as well. They were going to fly to Madrid and record images of them remembering their dear older brother. I then suggested we find Peio and bring him in as well. With one consultation of Google.es, I found him, called him, and he agreed to come to Madrid. It was the first time I'd spoken to him in 13 years, as we'd lost touch several years after I left Spain. Bizarre that it was so easy to find him!
It was an emotionally and physically exhausting weekend. I wasn't actually aware of the whole Peio/Todd love affair because when I knew Peio, he was with Javi and didn't confide his history with Todd to me. I imagined that I, being the last one to supposedly see him alive, would have the most to tell Louis and Christine, but I didn't. And Peio had been carrying around a significant amount of guilt for the last 15 years about Todd's death (we told him that's rediculous, but people feel what they feel and there's nothing you can do about it). The bond between Christine, Louis and Peio was clear, and in the end I actually played a very small part in the story (other than supporting Peio through this difficult time.
After the interview (program will air on LOGO in November and we'll get DVD's of it), we were surprised with the fact that some of us would be going on a float in the gay pride parade, a huge affair in Madrid. But there were only four "places" and the obligatory costume (tight t-shirt) didn't fit me. And having been clearly sidelined by Peio's powerful story and with the cameras still rolling, I was left to walk behind the float, which thoroughly exhausted me. It might sound exaggerated, but that's the way I felt.
The parade, however, was fun, and I survived it (it was VERY hot!) because of the excellent company of the Spanish translator we had (completely unncessary considering my presence) and her girlfriend, both of whom where delightful and charming women. They took good care of me.
We then met Peio's current boyfriend of six years, who was struggling with the situation, but came around after meeting the twins and hearing the story. He was adorable and very sweet, I hope I get to spend more time with him and Peio in the Basque Country.
In the evening, we went to dinner with the whole gang to the Kupula Basque restaurant (see below), where Peio and I had eaten the night before as well. It was a fun time and the wine/food flowed freely. In the end, Louis picked up the bill and surprised us all with his generosity. I then went back to my hotel while the others went out, because I was flying out the next morning and it was already 2.30 in the morning. They stayed out til after 5, so I was glad I did.
The following day, Peio, Louis and Christine had tattoos done that were appropriate for the occasion: per aspera ad astra (through the thorns, to the stars) - a statement of the sacrifices required in order to achieve a better situation in life. We all mourn the fact that Todd didn't make it through the thorns of coming out as a young man in the early '90's, but celebrate the inspiration he gave us while he was alive and the gratitude we have for the fact that we were luckier and did make it through the thorns and to the stars.
18 hours at home with Wilbert and the kitties, then off to Rome (see below). Now home for three days before Prague, so happy to be spending a 2-day weekend at home. Clebrating Wilbert's belated birthday with a hamburger barbeque and his friends on Sunday. Looking forward to it. And looking forward to staying in touch with Peio in the future as well.
I want to crawl in my bed and not come out for a week. After a very busy but pleasant two weeks (Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Athens, Madrid, then back to Amsterdam for only 18 hours), all hell broke loose in Rome and I nearly lost it. The taxi's were on strike, and it took a lot of time (and money) to get from A to B to C. At one point I threatened the hotel where the conference was that I would sleep in their lobby if they didn't give me a room (to no avail). I also threatened the conference organizers that I would get on a plane and fly home before giving my presentation unless they got me sorted out (which they did their best at). In the end I went for the only sure thing I could get, which was a room at the airport hotel with guaranteed shuttle service to and from the conference. Beds were too hard, but watching World Cup games in the bar was fun (especially Italy-Germany - the Italian crowd went nuts!).
My saving grace and calm in the storm for the whole thing was my colleague Nadra, who kept me sane and was an excellent travel companion for the second week in a row. She's going with me to Prague next week as well. It's a good thing I'm gay, or people would start to talk!
I have done enough trade shows to last me for a year, but at least I get a break until September and can just work. Will be nice to be at home for a while with Wilbert and the kitties. Just one more short trip to Prague on Monday, then I hope to stay put for the rest of the summer!
No additional restaurants of note to report. Rome's Airport Hilton is a comfortable, modern facility if you ever need to stay there, but like all airport hotels, you pay about a 25% premium. Nice business hotel, decent buffet, but get there before 22.00 and pay €30 instead of €37. A small bottle of Coke is around €5! Outrageous! In the Executive Lounge on the 5th floor, the exact same bottles are free!
Kupela
Marqués de Cubas, 8 - 28014 Madrid
+34 91 523 3450 - info@restaurantekupela.com http://www.restaurantekupela.com/
So good that we went two nights in a row! This piece of the Basque Country in the middle of Spain could create enough good will with its food to end the conflict between the two parties! Located with ZERO fanfare on a small side street of Calle Alcalá, it's a fantastic place for either an intimate dinner or a large group of friends because of its several small rooms.
The food is very Basque and very good. We took the ciderhouse (sidrería) menu both nights, which included a cup of hard apple cider (definitely an acquired taste, but I acquired it long ago), thin, spicey txistorra sausages, a cod omelette, and very rare (read: bleeding) gigantic ribeye steaks (chuletón) cut into strips to share. The traditional dessert is idiazabal cheese, whole walnuts and quince (membrillo). Other people enjoyed small red peppers stuffed with cod, small squid (txipirones) served in their own ink, and other Basque delights.
The service was brilliant. The second night we showed up with 9 very rowdy, happy people at a few mnutes before midnight (when the kitchen was supposed to close), but they admitted us without complaint and catered to our every whim and fancy for more than two hours. Really well done, muchachos!
We of course ended our meal with a glass of homemade patxaran, a Basque anis liquer cured with currant berries served on the rocks. The stuff of gods! :-)
Seriously worth a detour to find in Madrid!
Situated in the Astir Palace resort complex, about 20 minutes outside of Athens, this restaurant sports the single most stunning view of any restaurant many of us had ever eaten in (with La Perla in San Sebastian, Spain, running a close second). It has an almost trendy interior, but where it really shines is the patio that overlooks one of the many small bays that dot the peninsula it's on. Stunning.
A self-proclaimed "gourmet restaurant", the food was good but not meriting any stars. Most of us had seafood risotto and pasta and were satisfied but not blown away. The staff was very helpful and attentive. Price-wise you certainly pay for the view, but it's worth it.
So all-in-all, definitely worth a try if you're in the area. But make sure to bring both your hunger and your camera! And make sure to time your visit for sunset!
If you're looking for a similar view but a dining experience a few notches down in both quality, service and price, try the restaurant in the Nafsika hotel that's also part of the Astir complex.
http://www.zorbasrestaurant.gr/
Purportedly one of the best retaurants in the small Mikrolimano port area outside of Athens and on the other side of Piraeus. Right at the beginning of the road that circles the port, with the restaurant on one side of the street and a well-appointed terrace right on the water, where we sat.
The view was lovely. We arrived before 9, so the sun was still up. They made good wine and fresh seafood recommendations - we had a mixed appetizer plate of fresh shrimp and calamari, and for our main course we each had a whole red snapper, which was delightfully seasoned and cooked. For dessert we shared a strawberry millefeuille (sp?) and something else I no longer remember, also good.
So in all, the food was good to excellent (and we got out of there for under EUR150 including a playful, crisp bottle of Greek red).
The service, however, ruined the night. It was abismally slow. As a former American, I am still more sensitive to this than most Europeans, but in general in Greece, the wait staff seems more interested in discussing/arguing with each other than serving customers. It took our food a little bit longer than was acceptable (even by Southern European standards, which are slower), but the piece de resistance was when we asked for the check and a taxi at the same time and the taxi arrived 15 minutes before the check did (forcing us to pay a waiting fee on the meter - good thing Greek taxi's are so cheap).
In short, the good quality of the food and view was overshadowed by the poor service, and we left feeling like we would try a different restaurant next time.
www.zorbasrestaurant.gr
Booked through Expedia for a special rate of about €120 per night (double occupancy, no breakfast), this modern hotel is half-way between downtown Athens and the port of Piraeus. A €25 daytime fare from airport, but keep an eye on the meter because Athens taxi drivers are the most crooked lot I've ever come across. They seem to randomly make up their own prices so watch them like a hawk. The hotel offers a free hourly shuttle to Syntagma (Constitution) Square but a taxi ride should only be €5-10.
The hotel has a modern, friendly atmosphere. The rooftop pool, restaurant and bar offer lovely views of the port and are great for relaxing and casual dining/drinks. Staff is mostly helpful (especially on the roof), but lobby restaurant service for breakfast and lunch was slow, unfriendly and poor. Rooms are small but very comfortable, but beds are rock-hard (staff was very accommodating in finding solutions, but the hotel should change the mattresses). Housekeeping staff was helpful and very friendly.
Despite the distance from the action, I would highly recommend this hotel (unless you have a bad back or are impatient in restaurants) because of its excellent value for money proposition.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a 7 (great value but uncomfortable beds and inconsistent wait staff).
On a side note, something I've figured out about hotel and restaurant staff in Southern Europe (think Italy, Greece and Spain). In these countries wait/reception staff tends to often be from older generations - generations less experienced with customer service and the idea that the customer is always right. Many of them seem like they're waiting for their pensions to kick in and it's the only reason they show up to work. Younger people usually tend to be more polite, more eager to help and generally more resourceful than the older ones, who in many cases are outdated fixtures of establishments they've worked in all their lives. This might sound disrespectful or over-generalized, but the truth is that I've gotten much better service in general (with very few exceptions) from younger people than I have from the 50/60-year old crowd. They're also harder to connect with because of language issues - the younger generations seem to be more tuned into English than the older generation. Even so, I speak a number of languages, and the same concept usually remains true regardless of my ability to communicate with the staff or not.
This was also true at this hotel. With the exception of a really great host on the top floor restaurant, the older reception staff was generally quite unfriendly, and the younger staff was more helpful and polite.
So hospitality industry, if you want to do right by your guests, either retrain your existing staff (good luck!) for the 21st century guest, or get in some fresh, eager young blood who will take good care of your patrons.
I was at dinner with Wilbert last night (a bizarre experience... see next entries) and it occurred to me that I get to visit so many places, stay in so many hotels and eat at so many restaurants that it would make sense if I actually wrote something about them as well. And considering
that I can e-mail my reviews from my mobile phone directly to my blog while the impressions are still fresh, then why not? So today we'll start out with one good one and one mixed one...
Hope you find them interesting and useful!
...why certain Americans calling themselves "Christians" consider the two of us a threat to their family? Doesn't make any sense to me at all. We've had gay marriage in the Netherlands for years now and I don't know of one family (or child) that's suffered as a result. What are you so scared of? Why do you want to make our lives so complex? Securing the same rights (i.e. inheritance, hospital visitation, etc.) costs us tens of thousands of dollars to arrange while for you it comes automatic with marriage."I don't believe there's any issue that's more important than this one," said Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican. "I think this debate is very healthy, and it's winning a lot of hearts and minds. I think we're going to show real progress."
"The federal marriage amendment debate simply is an opportunity for us to affirm our support for marriage," said Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota Republican. "It is an important debate to have in this country."
But Sen. Ted Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, denounced the proposed amendment Tuesday as "an instrument of bigotry and prejudice," which he said was designed by the GOP leadership "to try to bring Republican senators out of the ditch of disapproval."
And Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said that "the reason the Senate Republicans are pushing this marriage amendment is because they don't want to address the real issues of this country."
"This is an effort by the president and the majority in the House and the Senate to distort, to misdirect what the real issues are," he told reporters Tuesday.
My first favorite accessory continues to be Harman Kardon's Drive+Play - the kit that makes using the iPod in the car elegant and easy as opposed to messy and difficult (though you pay through the nose for it: €179 + professional installation that costs about the same):
(Above: The happy couple with friends from Boston)
