Como, Italy and Lugano, Switzerland

Hotel Borgo Antico

Buongiorno! I spent a few days with a friend in Como, Italy for my birthday. Apparently we chose the perfect time to visit; several locals told us that the weather had been dismal just a few days before our arrival. Luckily for us, it was sunny, warm, and beautiful during our entire stay!

Before this, my only exposure to Italy was Milan for this past New Year's. We had a wonderful time but Milan is certainly a "business" city. It wasn't really the Italy I imagined: coastal, filled with beautiful and friendly people, and lots of delicious pizza and pasta. I'm so glad I was able to see a different city in Italy. Though Como is only 40 miles away from Milan, it feels like a different country.

We flew into Bergamo and took first a bus and then two trains to reach Como. Our hotel was just a five minute walk to the train station. Hotel Borgo Antico has only been open for a few months and it was absolutely perfect for our stay. The value is unbeatable and breakfast is included. Staff were eager to please and the property is extremely secure, with a 24-hour desk attendant who buzzes guests into the hotel after hours.

Duomo in Como

We spent our first afternoon eating lunch on a terrace in the historical center of Como. I didn't have one bad meal in Como and the wine (I mostly had house whites/reds) was fabulous! I was grateful for the reasonable prices. Maybe it's because I just returned from Santorini and felt slightly robbed. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise.

There are lots of shops in Como stocking the usual touristy items, but also many upscale boutiques selling the fashionable image of Italy. We browsed around in a few and if I had the dough, I would've definitely purchased a Gucci gown from Tessabit... you know, for all of those film premieres and private parties at Villa d'Este.

We had a lovely lunch of pizza and prosciutto with fresh melon the next day. This was fuel for our journey up to the top of Como on the funicular. The views were stunning and it was actually my first time on a funicular. Como's has been operating since 1894. The walls of the waiting area at the bottom are filled with old photos from a time gone by, when the funicular was operated by steam engine and female passengers wore long, billowing skirts and fancy hats.

After our bird's eye view of the lake and Alps, we decided to take a quick train ride to Lugano in Switzerland. We didn't know much about Lugano but we thought the side-trip would be a fun way to spend the afternoon. Before we knew it, the sparkling waters of Lake Lugano stretched before us, framed by a mountainous backdrop.

Lugano

As we made our way down to the lakeside from the station, we happened upon the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. The cathedral was founded in the early Middle Ages. It was under serious restoration but windows were strategically placed in the plastic partitions and we could still look in and get an idea of what the church looked like without all of the construction. Fortunately one small section wasn't covered in scaffolding. The frescoes on the ceiling were breathtaking.











Next, we strolled down the Lakeshore Promenade toward Belvedere Garden. Lots of people were out, lounging in chaises while reading, napping on blankets in the sun, and playing ultimate frisbee. It was a beautiful, lush park with playgrounds, lots of trees, and spectacular views of the lake and mountains.

The day was coming to an end and we had to catch a train back to Como for dinner. Lugano was lovely and I'm really glad we went, even if just for an afternoon.

Newspaper Art in a Lugano Tunnel

Our final day in Como was next. It involved wine, some rowdy Americans, and George Clooney.

Ciao! Ciao!

Hello, Maastricht, Our New Home!

The past two months have been very busy. We had a visitor for a little over a week and the rest of the time was spent preparing for our big move. We are now proud residents of Maastricht in The Netherlands! We are only a 30-minute drive from our house in Germany but it feels worlds apart. We are very fortunate to be able to experience life in two different countries. Though they share a border, we are already noticing little differences here and there. We spent a lot of time in Maastricht before the move so we're lucky we can just focus on relaxing and settling in rather than wandering around aimlessly, trying to figure out where everything is in the new town.

With that said, I feel like I'm already losing some of the German I spent a few months learning. It looks like I'll have to keep current with it on my own since I won't have daily interactions with the language anymore. Dutch is very different and I know some of the basic words and greetings, but it seems like people here just prefer to speak English. And their English is excellent.

I'm looking forward to new adventures in Maastricht! Before my attention turns to all things Dutch, here is a list I compiled for a blog contest a few months ago about living in Germany.

Things Americans Should Know Before Moving to Deutschland

Forget about personal space. Get accustomed to strangers standing close enough to breathe down your neck and skip you in line before you can say, "Entschuldigung."

Be a good hausfrau. The sidewalk in front of your house is directly correlated to your social acceptance in the neighborhood. Shovel and salt it before 8am if it snows and make sure it's swept clean of miniscule dirt particles at all other times. And wash your windows, too.

The weather is completely unpredictable. When I first moved here I thought people were being rude when I asked for a description of typical German weather because they always replied with something like, "Well, who knows! Maybe this morning it's sunny, maybe this afternoon it snows!" Take their "advice." You should always have a jacket, an umbrella, a scarf, possibly gloves, and rainproof shoes.

Unless you are moving to a region time hasn't touched (which might seem the case but probably isn't), know that most people speak English and they are offended if you ask, "Sorry, sprechen sie Englisch?" Once I made this mistake and the man indignantly bellowed, "Of course I speak English! It is the international language!!!"

If you are American, people know it. I don't know how they know; they just do. You can stop wearing Nikes everywhere, throw your elastic-waisted pants in the garbage, and take off your baseball cap but they will still see you coming from a mile away. Inexplicably, after several months of living here you will also be able to distinguish other Americans in a crowded place before hearing them speak.

Learn to love recycling. Some villages actually weigh your Restmull/Restabfall (everything that can't be recycled/composted) and you can be fined if you go over your allotment. It's easy to get the hang of it. You'll live by your Waste Calendar and your days will be classified as Glass, Paper, Bio, Recycling, and Regular Trash. Before you know it you'll be happily recycling everything from wine bottles to toilet paper rolls. You're such a good German!

Water is served in tiny glass bottles with their own special designer cup, typically at room temperature. Don't ask for tap water unless you want to be forever shunned. The good news is that beer is usually either the same price or cheaper than a dainty little bottle of water. This results in guiltless day drinking.

Ice cubes are nonexistent here. I've read some theories as to why but haven't discovered any concrete reason for ice-less beverages. I suggest you purchase some old-fashioned plastic trays and munch on the nostalgia in the comfort of your own haus.

Carnival is as exciting as you imagine! It's like Mardis Gras and Halloween on steroids. There are endless parades with intricate floats, everyone wears painstakingly-crafted costumes, and all of the candy thrown from the floats is washed down with beer. Lots and lots of beer. There isn't a bad place to participate in the Carnival festivities. In fact, you can attend lots of different celebrations because there are so many villages and each has its own parade. Just be sure to use the right salutation: In and around Koln, it's, "Alaaf!" Almost everywhere else it's, "Helau!"

Driving is an adventure whether cars are whizzing past you on the Autobahn or you're zigzagging around haphazardly-parked cars on a one-way cobblestone street in a quaint village. Always yield to pedestrians and don't hit the cyclists. Don't worry; you'll become accustomed to the whiplash.

Don't leave home without your shopping bag/basket. German grocery stores do have bags available-- for purchase. If you want to avoid buying and amassing lots of oddly-sized plastic bags, just bring your own. And hone your bagging skills because there's no friendly teenager offering paper or plastic. German cashiers are extremely efficient so all of your purchases will already be waiting for you at the end of the conveyor belt while you're clumsily fumbling for money and everyone in line behind you is sighing and glancing at their watches. Move out of the next person's way as fast as possible, even if that means throwing all of your items into your bag, breaking your eggs and crushing your bread, and awkwardly yelling, "Tschus" to the cashier as you run out of the store. Grocery shopping will eventually become less traumatic.

Do you love asparagus? You will during spargel season or you just might starve. Germans are obsessed with white asparagus and as soon as spargel season arrives (usually mid-May), roadside stands pop up and it dominates restaurant menus. Spargel soup. Steamed spargel. Spargel with Hollandaise sauce. And don't forget to peel it. I only made that mistake once but once was all it took.

The most important thing to know before moving here is that you'll become accustomed to everything. As long as you embrace your confusion and learn some common German phrases, people will be receptive. In no time, you'll be zooming down the Autobahn, cycling everywhere, and complaining about the weather like any good German. Viel gluck!

Sunset from our Apartment in Maastricht

See ya, Oia!

I took an unintended two-month hiatus from the blog. A lot has happened during the past two months but I'll get to that after I share our April trip to Santorini!

Last year we traveled to Mallorca to escape the never-ending German winter. This year we planned ahead for a sunny getaway in early spring. As we left Germany, snow was still on the ground and it was a dreary, misty day. You can imagine our anticipation to get to the ocean as fast as possible.

Andronis Luxury Suites

We arrived in Santorini at night and a car service from our hotel picked us up at the tiny airport. It was a 40-minute ride to Oia and the friendly driver zipped through narrow roads hugging cliffs hanging over the Aegean Sea. We couldn't see it of course, since it was dark, but he managed to inform us about the steep drops in between answering his cell phone and taking his hands off the wheel to gesticulate animatedly several times. I think we were pretty relieved to not be able to see how close we were to the edge.

Compliments of Andronis

We chose Andronis Luxury Suites for our stay in Oia. It's on the pricey side but we were able to save money because we went very early in the season when prices are lower, and we were also upgraded to a deluxe suite because the hotel wasn't full. The reception was first-class. With our glasses of champagne (Pommery-- how funny since we'd just been to that Champagne house in Reims), we were shown to our beautiful suite and given a complimentary bottle of wine served alongside little tastes from the kitchen. The room was sparse, but tastefully decorated; the circular white walls gave the impression of being in a cave inside a volcano.

The next morning we awoke to a fresh and delectable breakfast. The breakfast served at Andronis is one of its highlights. It's all made-to-order from a diverse selection of everything from eggs-your-way, breakfast meats, local delicacies, and the most scrumptious Greek yogurt served with honey and fresh fruit. Breakfast can be delivered and set up in your room's private balcony or taken outside on a small cliff jutting over the sea. The view from our balcony took our breaths away: panoramic sweeps of the caldera, mountains in the distance, and endless ocean. Sun was sparkling off  soft swells and we couldn't wait to apply sunscreen for the first time in months.

We spent the first glorious day lounging by the infinity pool and strolling through the white, marbled streets of Oia. There are lots of touristy shops (to be expected) and many cafes and restaurants, each with its own commanding view of the landscape.

Since we went so early in the season, some of the top-rated restaurants were still closed. The weather was also a little iffy at times. The days were hot and the nights became a little chilly after sunset. On the final night of our stay there was a terrible windstorm, reminiscent of  tropical storm or hurricane winds in Florida. Evidently this sort of thing does happen in Oia, though not usually in April. But it was no matter to us. We spent our final day inside the hotel reading, relaxing, and enjoying our in-room jacuzzi.

We also made use of the wonderful masseuses in the spa at Andronis and we were able to visit Sigalis Winery to sample the local flavors at an expansive tasting right beside the vineyards.

Tasting at Domaine Sigalis Winery

Oia was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime trip. It wasn't as affordable as we'd expected-- we noticed a big difference in pricing and value between Mallorca and Oia, but it was stunning. The blindingly white walls of the city are a unique contrast to the cerulean Aegean Sea. People are friendly and the cherry tomatoes and other local dishes are delicious. If we had it to do over again, I think we would have chosen to go later in the season. Though it gets extremely crowded then, the water is warmer and all of the restaurants and shops are open and ready to accept visitors.

Our vacation to Oia was incredibly relaxing and indulgent. It was the perfect way to take a break from the cold, dreary days in Germany. The sunshine was just what we needed and the sunsets were breathtaking. We were sad to put away our swimsuits and sandals and replace them with jackets and boots. Hopefully we'll be able to return some day. See ya, Oia!

Au Revoir, Paris

Our second day in Paris was Easter Sunday. The crowds were unimaginable. We walked along the Champs-Elysees along with hundreds of other tourists. Then we made our way to the Louvre. We opted not to go inside due to the crowds and our time restriction but we did see the Louvre Pyramid. Admittedly, all I really know about the Louvre is that it houses the Mona Lisa. What surprised me the most is how large the complex is. It seems to go on forever. It would take days to see everything!

The Paris I was really itching to see was the Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Not so many years ago, it was the haunt of Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dali, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce, and Ezra Pound. Just before our trip I read a book called The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter. The author is an expat who lives in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood and his commentary takes readers back to a time when Hemingway sat outside of Les Deux Magots cafe, sipping a cocktail while thinking about writing A Moveable Feast. The book is a good read but the travelers' tips at the end are priceless. They will save you money in Paris, to be sure.

Cafe di Flore is another famous cafe in the neighborhood. This cafe and Les Deux Magots are often considered rivals. Both boasted an impressive, elite clientele of literary geniuses and philosophers. They are

steps away from each other. I felt the need to go to both so we had lunch at Cafe di Flore and then sipped wine outside at Les Deux Magots. We managed to see Paris on the cheap, and this lunch and wine were the most expensive things we did. I knew that we were paying tourist prices but, like many others there, I was trying to soak up some literary genius by hopefully perching myself exactly where Fitzgerald or Hemingway once sat. My husband gamely complied and to his credit, didn't even blink when we were presented with the astronomical bill for two glasses of wine and some peanuts.

Next we decided to leave our mark on Paris at the Passerelle des Arts. This pedestrian bridge crosses the Seine River and thousands of padlocks with lovers' initials adorn the fence. You can purchase a cheap padlock from street vendors and then find an empty spot (difficult task) to attach your declaration of undying love. Again, a very touristy thing to do but also a perfect way to contribute to the whole "City of Love" vibe. It's a lot of fun to read the other padlocks and see names like Ludwig and Helga, knowing that people from all over the world have been standing right where you are, padlocking their names to a fence in Paris, vowing to return someday to see it still fixed there for all the world to see.

Our next stop was Notre Dame. Once again we were reminded how crazy it was to visit Paris on a holiday, and especially to visit Notre Dame on Easter Sunday. I don't know how many people were lined up outside of the cathedral but it really did appear to be thousands. We knew there was no chance of us going inside so we walked around the perimeter and commented about how beautiful and grand it all was.

Then we decided we'd had enough of our whirlwind tour. We felt as if we'd been almost everywhere worth seeing on your first trip to Paris, especially since we had only two days. We'd walked miles and miles, shouldering past throngs of tourists and bundling up against the cold. We both knew what time it was: pub time.

We consulted our guidebook and headed back to Saint Germain-des-Pres for a drink or two. I have already forgotten the name of the place we were going but it doesn't matter anyway because we never made it. When we reached the location, there was a sign indicating that it had moved. A crudely-drawn map showed us where to go and we found the "new and bigger" location about five minutes away-- closed for Easter Sunday. We didn't let our spirits sink too much because Le Pub beckoned to us from down the street. And I'm not joking about the name; it really is called Le Pub.

It was around 3pm so we were just about the only people there. We saddled up to the bar and ordered some fine Belgian beers (Grimbergen Blanche). Black and green olives and pretzels were complimentary and they were refilled every time our beers were... which was several times. My husband ordered some absinthe, just to clinch the experience. The bartender artfully prepared the absinthe and we felt truly hip. At one point my husband asked what time Happy Hour began and the bartender informed us we still had an hour. We shrugged and ordered more beers anyway. An hour hadn't passed by the time we needed the next rounds but the bartender plunked them down in front of us and with a wink and subtle smile as he said, "Now, it  is Happy Hour!" And you know what? He did give us Happy Hour prices for those beers. Who says the French are rude to tourists?!

Absinthe

We finally decided to pull ourselves away (reluctantly) from Le Pub because we had a long walk back to the hotel. Un Dimanche a Paris (A Sunday in Paris) is a chocolate shop close to Le Pub. We purchased a sampler set of 12 delicious truffles for dessert. They were the best truffles I've ever tasted!

We walked through the Louvre once more, heading toward the towering Eiffel growing larger and larger as we made our way. We decided to stop off at a grocery store to buy bread, cheese, olives, meats, grapes, and wine for a dinner on the rooftop of our hotel. It was the perfect way to end our Paris vacation: sipping wine over the top of the city, with the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower sparkling in front of us. 

Eventually the cold became too much for us to ignore and we began clearing away our dinner to go back down to the room. As we reached the stairs, I looked back for one last glimpse at the tower and suddenly it began sparkling and the lights changed colors. I yelled for my husband to come back because I was worried it would stop as fast as it began. Luckily for us, the light show went on for a long time and we held hands, mesmerized by the beauty of it all. It was a perfect moment. 

Did I fall in love with Paris? Oui! I can't wait to return. Next time we'll be able to enter some of the museums and see things we missed. The city is HUGE! I don't know why that surprised me. I think we did a good job with the time we had and I wouldn't change anything about my first time in Paris. 

It is true that Paris is an expensive city but there are ways to make it affordable. We didn't dine at a Michelin restaurant but I doubt any of those restaurants have the views we enjoyed eating our pizza in Montmarte and our baguettes on our hotel's rooftop. Just keep that in mind.

So go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and everything else important we missed. But make sure to leave your love lock on the bridge, have a cheap picnic somewhere with a nice view, and definitely go to Le Pub and order one or four Grimbergen Blanches. And top it off with some chocolate from Un Dimanche a Paris. 

Au revoir, Paris. But hopefully not for long.

First Day in Paris

We just returned from a whirlwind tour of Paris! It was my first time in "The City of Light" and it was amazing. Our last-minute plans put us in a budget hotel, the Adagio Access Paris Tilsitt. It's across from the Belgian Embassy, 150 yards from the Arc de Ttriomphe and 300 yards from the Champs-Elysees. It was a

Arc de Triomphe

great choice because of the location and, most importantly, the rooftop terrace that provided superb views of the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower in the distance.

We arrived in the late afternoon on our first day. The drive from Reims wasn't long but we left the car at Disneyland Paris since the parking rates are much more reasonable than those within the city. It's an easy 40-minute train ride from Disneyland into Paris. We emerged from the Metro right under the Arc de Triomphe. In all honesty, it really took my breath away. It was a great moment and the perfect way to begin our weekend in Paris.

After we checked into the hotel we got right down to sightseeing. I'm sure you already know this, and I think I probably also knew this before I visited Paris, but it didn't really hit me until I was actually there; Paris is HUGE! Perhaps I thought the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur (and on, and on, and on....) would all be in a neat little row. They aren't. And we decided to walk to all of them. If you plan to do the same, allow me to assure you of this: Those delectable baguettes, croissants, and chocolates won't go anywhere near your thighs because you'll burn the calories off as fast as you eat them.

The first stop, of course, was the Eiffel Tower. It was still cold during Easter, so cold in fact that snow flurries were blowing around when we came out of the Metro. One of my top things to do in Paris was to have a picnic at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. I don't think this sort of thing really becomes popular until the weather is warmer but we did our best by grabbing some jambon et fromage baguettes and sitting on a park bench enjoying the tourists' cacophony from a distance. It was really nice, even though we were shivering.


We decided to forego the visit to the top of the tower this time. The line was insanely long. Very fortunately for us, we'll have at least one more opportunity to visit Paris again and  wait along with everyone else. And when I say everyone, I literally mean everyone in Paris (at least every tourist in Paris).

Lunch gave us the energy to continue our stroll/power-walk. We made it to Place de la Concorde, the largest square in Paris. During the French Revolution it was called Place de la Revolution. At a guillotine in the center, 1119 people were beheaded over just a few years. Notable victims of the guillotine include King Louis XVI and Marie-Antionette. The obelisk in the center of Place de la Concorde is called Cleopatra's Needle. It's from the temple of Ramses II and was installed in the 19th century.

Cleopatra's Needle

View from Montmartre

We continued on to our final destination of the day: Montmartre. A friend suggested that we grab a bottle of French wine, pizza from an outdoor vendor, and find a spot on the hill to have dinner atop Paris. We took the advice to heart and climbed the steps to the the top of the hill with our pizza and Beaujolais in hand. We watched as the sky darkened and the City of Light came to life. There was an older French couple on the bench beside us having the same dinner and that made us feel très Parisian.

Sacre Coeur

Sated and buzzed, we decided to get lost in the cobbled streets of Montmartre. There were so many shops, bars, and cozy restaurants tucked into small alleys. There were still a lot of tourists but it was a little quieter away from the hill. We could see the Basilica of Sacre Coeur from almost every spot and it was majestic, its stark white facade softly illuminated against the dark Parisian sky. We found a charming little piano bar off the beaten path. The Vin du Mois (Wine of the Month) went down smoothly and was an affordable surprise at only 5 Euros per glass.

Since it was late and cold we took the Metro back to the hotel. On the way, we detoured over to that most famous of cabarets, the Moulin Rouge. We didn't see any shows but we did stand outside long enough to snap some very touristy photos.

At the end of my first day in Paris, I had two important observations:

1.) It's filled with tourists! It's one of the world's most visited cities and it certainly feels that way. Granted, we were there on Easter weekend so we were vying for sidewalk space with spring breakers and other vacationers, but I can't imagine the crowds dwindling over the next few months and I don't think I would ever want to visit in the middle of summer.

2.) I'd heard so many horror stories about how rude the French are and that all of them are unwilling to speak anything other than French. I took three levels of French in college so I wasn't too concerned about being about to navigate, even if it was clumsily. Much to my surprise, we didn't come across one rude Frenchman. Or woman. They weren't only kind and accommodating; some even switched to English once they realized it was our native language. Maybe it was a fluke, or perhaps the Parisians have an unfair reputation.

The visit isn't over just yet...

Some Bubbly in Reims, France

Pommery Champagne House

We took advantage of the long Easter weekend by driving to Paris! We made a pit-stop in Reims, in the Champagne region. It was a nice way to break up the drive and sample some champagne. Because our trip was so last-minute, we didn't have time to make the reservations required for visiting some of the champagne houses. As a result, we ended up in one that was nice but felt really touristy.

Construction of the Pommery Champagne House was completed in 1888. The estate grounds encompass nearly 124 acres. This includes the house, cellars, and chalk pits. We took the one-hour cellar tour. It begins with a 124-step descent to the bowels of the estate. Our guide described the champagne-making process in detail and showed us store rooms filled with thousands of bottles of champagne earmarked for destinations all over the world. Interestingly, contemporary artwork is interspersed throughout the cellars. I found it a bit confusing.

The tasting happened at the very end of the tour in the lobby. It was crowded and sort of felt like a cattle call as we all lined up to collect our samples. You choose your champagne with the purchase of your tickets. Of course we wanted to try as much as possible so my husband selected the 30 Euros option with a tasting of the Cuvee Louise 1999, Pommery's signature, prestigious champagne, and I chose the 21 Euros option with a tasting of two champagnes of your choice (except the Cuvee Louise).

The champagne was good and the tour was interesting. If we had more time to plan, we would have made reservations at one of the smaller champagne houses (Ruinart was our first choice). It was a very decadent thing to do, considering we also each had an 8 Euro glass of champagne while we waiting for our tour to begin.

At the end of the day, I suppose I'm a true product of being raised in a tiny Southern town; champagne is champagne to me. I don't really taste the difference between a $50 bottle and a $35 bottle. Granted, I've never had premium champagnes like Dom Perignon or Veuve Clicquot so maybe there is a difference and angels sing as the cork pops. I'll let you know if I ever experience this. Before we moved here I didn't even realize there was a region in France called Champagne. I've learned a lot! And I've consumed some bubbly to go along with my education so I still feel high-class.


We'd arrived in Reims in the late afternoon and our hotel was on the outskirts of town, close to the highway. This left a limited amount of time for us to sight-see in the city but we did manage to make it to the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims. The first religious structure was built on the site at the beginning of the 5th century. It's a Gothic masterpiece filled with incredible stone sculptures illuminated by the light pouring in from breathtaking stained glass windows.


We spent a long time wandering through the cathedral, once the site of the coronation of French kings. It is also where General de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer set the seal on the reconciliation between France and Germany on July 8th, 1962. It is one of the most beautiful and interesting churches I've seen in Europe and definitely worth a visit if you're ever in Reims.

The City of Light is up next. Au revoir, mes amis!

Polo in the Vrijthof

As you can imagine from my last entry about TEFAF, Maastricht has earned a well-deserved reputation for being a little hoity-toity. A friend who lives in Maastricht just moved to a different apartment and their Dutch movers (who weren't from Maastricht) even commented about how "snobby" Maastricht is. I still love Maastricht despite the pretentiousness because every once in a while you can join in on the festivities-- for free!

We met some friends Sunday for brunch, tapas-style, at La Bodega. It had snowed over night so the streets were emptier than usual for an early Sunday afternoon in Maastricht. That suited us just fine because we were mainly in town to see polo in the Vrijthof and we wanted a good view. The "City Polo" event took place to coincide with the last weekend of TEFAF. Apparently it was the first time that a city center has ever hosted a polo match.

Being from a small, one-horse town (and believe me, that horse did not play polo), I am not familiar with the game. I don't know the rules and, before Sunday, I'd never seen a polo match. I wore a blazer because I thought that seemed equestrian-chic and I conjured images of Prince William bouncing along atop a galloping horse and I figured that was all the preparation I really needed.

Because of the snow and frigid, windy conditions, the Vrijthof wasn't crowded and we were able to stand right up against the arena for a close-up of the action. The commentary leading up to the match was in Dutch so we mostly just cheered and applauded when everyone else did. Finally the match was about to begin and all of a sudden a booming British voice echoed over the square.

"'allo Ladies and Gents, and welcome to the first-ever City Polo Maastricht! I'm your announcer, straight from the UK! Here we are in lovely Maastricht, the only town that builds two churches right next to each other. If you don't believe me, just listen to the bells!" The crowd's response to the boisterous emcee was a little lackluster so the emcee took it upon himself to provide one of the most colorful commentaries of a sporting event that I've ever heard. It was hilarious.

He christened a Belgian rider "The Muscles from Brussels." Any time he would score a point, the announcer would yell, "And here comes The Muscles from Brussels!" Then he would add something like, "He's from the country that brought us waffles, exquisite chocolate, and Jean-Claude Van Damme!"

I'm sure all of the Dutch people understood him perfectly well but it was our little group of Americans that
were guffawing and applauding whenever he would make a pun. I freely admit that I think I would have become bored rather quickly had it not been for his hilarious play-by-play.

Hilarious Commentator

After someone scored, he exclaimed, "And another score for the home team! The crowd is roaring!" The crowd definitely wasn't roaring and I'm pretty sure he was just amusing himself at this point because he then said, "Bras and panties everywhere!"

And his best line of the match was, "And now the horses are being prepared with some foreplay. The best kind of play is foreplay." I don't know who hired him but they're a genius.

Enjoy some photos of our posh (and slightly bawdy) afternoon at City Polo Maastricht!