Election

The US election here was very big news. Most people are very excited about President Obama. Everyone always asks who you are voting for and who we thought would win.

Truly Random Thoughts

Foods are less sweet here, but you can really taste the cream in your goodies.

Candy is called sweeties.

Halloween isn’t a very big holiday.

When driving on the motorway (a two lane freeway, 70 miles an hour and no shoulder) there are these little food stands. They are generally made of wood and look like old trailers. They are literally right off the road as though you would pull over on the shoulder. One recently had a large sign posted “Under New Management.” Apparently you can buy hamburgers and sausages at them. Some of the counties have recently passed rules saying they must serve healthy options like salad and yogurt. The controversy is that these items don’t sell and the shopkeepers are simply throwing away money. It does seem that sometimes they have more laws about “protecting” you. I think adults should be able to eat all the hamburgers and sausages they would like. It is their butt!

Issues with knife violence is big here. There are lots of TV and radio commercials right now, trying to educate and prevent the violence. (Probably because guns are banned.)

Beef tastes different. I can’t explain why or exactly how, but it is. We can’t wait to come home and have steak and hamburgers.

I still struggle with driving on occasion. I get lost and miss turns off of round abouts. (AK how did you do so well here so fast!)

High School Musical (HSM) is all the rage. On the Marks and Spence site (Dayton’s) there is a HSM clothes section.’

They use the florescent yellow in the way we use florescent orange: Police and worker vests, traffic cones, emergency vehicles, etc.

Cheers for that: is often used for thank you.

Another School Report

I often think of the many differences in the school system from the USA. And then I remind myself, that being that S would have been only a kindergartner, I am remembering some 30 years ago in the schools. (EEEEk!) So, I will really learn the differences when we get home and put X in school.

The schools have lots of staff. Not much spent on building and accessories. Yet fully fitted rooms with white board computer screens, computer labs, French class, music class, PE and lots of hands on activities. In years 2, 4 and 6 they have field trips and overnights. In year 6 they actually have a one week trip. Independence is really encouraged and emphasized. As is being quiet and orderly. There is a school wide assembly everyday with k-2 and 3-6 together. Here they are told stories, read too, see plays, learn songs, you name it. Even the head teacher (Principal) and assistant head teacher take turns leading it. Hot topics are the environment, exercise and healthy eating, various religious traditions (Christian, Jewish, Hindu, SIKH). S just learned and taught us all about Diwali.

Diwali (or Deepavali) is a major Hindu holiday, and a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. [3] Many legends are associated with Diwali. Today it is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs across the globe as the "Festival of Lights," where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within an individual. Diwali is celebrated on the new moon day (approx fifteenth day) of the month Kartika.[4]

The PTA has been working for two years to save enough money for a “dry” playground surface for the students to play on when it is wet. Currently the playground is just a big open grassy field. No fancy play equipment, etc. The new play area will be pretty simple by Minnesota standards. The parks tend to be much simpler as well. But kids are the same everywhere, they have fun where ever they are.

They have only a 6 week summer break, but a week in October, February and May and two weeks in December and April. I think this schedule would be a hard adjustment in the USA, but I really like it.

Cheers.

Random Cute Kid Pictures

A Holiday in Lanzarote, Canary Islands

I had never heard of Lanzarote before planning a trip there, so here is the scoop.

Lanzarote, a Spanish island, is the easternmost of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 125 km off the coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering 845.9 km², it stands as the fourth largest of the islands. The island's name means "the red mountains".

Ok, so I will start with, we left the camera in the trunk (or boot in Brit speak) of the car! We did buy a disposable camera, so I will post pictures as soon as we get them back (knowing me-sometime in 2010!)

Overall we had a great vacation. However, our accommodations were a bit disappointing and the pools were freezing!!!! We didn’t understand that the one bedroom kitchen unit for four meant only two single beds. Also, the kids club advertised as open until the end of October closed our second day (October 19th). They did have a kids disco which Sophia loved, followed by a show every night. “I am the music man, I come from Alowaya and I can play, I can play…..” The song will haunt me for months. Later review on wikipedia reveals the lyrics were actually "I am the music man, I come from down the way, and I can play...". It was some of the latest nights out VW and I have had in years! I see a future dancing queen in S.

I am so glad VW convinced me not to get the all inclusive. We had two grocery stores next door and a millions beachfront restaurants. We enjoyed some really great meals overlooking the ocean. Everyone at the resort complained about the all-inclusive meals. And the lack of things included in the “all-inclusive.” They even charged $6 a day to turn the TV on for example. Of course, who watches TV on vacation.

S made some wonderful friends at the pool and we even exchanged information with several families. One family we met at the beach (some distance from our hotel) turned out to be staying a few doors down from us at the hotel. The husband was in the same line of work as VW and had actually been to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Crazy. Most people have never heard of Minnesota of course.

Both kids got really into playing on the beach. They built castles and hunted for shells and made friends. The water is a truly different kind of blue. Most of the beaches are covered in black volcanic rock and white sand blown over from the Sahara Desert. We went to Papagayo Beach one day (I hope the pictures turn out.) You walk down a rather crazy cliff to the beach below. It looks like a scene from a movie.

We also visited Timanfaya National Park. It was really cool. You take a bus tour through the volcanic rock mountains and over some pretty terrifying terrain. Next time, I would have a drink or two! It was absolutely lovely though. We ate BBQ at the restaurant cooked over the heat from the volcano.

The parkland is entirely made up of volcanic soil. The greatest recorded eruptions occurred between 1730 and 1736. The volcanic activity continues as the surface temperature in the core ranges from 100 to 600 ºC at the depth of 13m, which is demonstrated by pouring water into the ground, resulting in a geyser of steam which is an attraction for tourists.

We also visited El Grifo Wine Museum. It was really nice to see the history and tools used. We tried the wines and I liked the champagne best.

We also visited Jameos del Agua. I think it was our favorite attraction, and I know it was VW’s (mine might have been the wine museum.)

It is long lava tube which formed about 3,000 years ago when the Montaña La Corona erupted.
Molten lava continued to flow as the surface hardened, which in turn led to the formation of the tubes, which run down under the Atlantic. You enter the Jameos by climbing down a stone-staircase into the first cave known as ‘Jameo Chico’, which has been turned into an unusual bar / restaurant, with views over a small lake.

This natural lake has extremely clear water — regulated by the Atlantic Ocean — and is home to a species of blind albino crabs known as ‘Jameitos’ which are only found on Lanzarote.
Crossing the lake, by a narrow footpath, we find ourselves in the ‘Jameo Grande’

There is also a crystal-clear, turquoise pool is truly paradise, even if you can’t actually use it, as swimming is forbidden.

From the far end of the ‘Jameo Grande’ you can access the auditorium which has been constructed in part of the volcanic tube running down to the Ocean.

The auditorium has unbelievable acoustics and has been the setting for some memorable concerts.

I even got to use a little of my Spanish, however it must be really bad, because the people would say, “I speak English.”

One other thought, the island was very windy. So, it was a bit cold at times, however I am sure in the heat of the summer, the wind would be welcomed.

We ended the trip with a 4 hour flight delay. We arrived home around 4:30 on Monday morning. VW had to be at work early and I brought S to school late.

Cheers.