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Me and He Travel

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Me and He Travel

Category Archives: COUPLEDOM

My King Kong – Berlin Zoo

27 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by meandhetravel in Berlin, COUPLEDOM, Germany

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Berlin, Germany, Gorilla, Zoo

GORILLA“I love gorillas,” Me said.  “I know you do, He replied. The Ape House at the Berlin Zoo boasts, among other things an interior glass enclosure that brings you face to face with their remarkable residents. The orangatans tumbled, swung and gestured for their own amusement, wrapping themselves in burlap sacks, peeking out from their shawls to see who might be watching.

The great apes languidly inspected their toys, a variety of hanging and walking ropes, and each other with only an occasional glance at the two of us through the expansive panes of glass. Inexplicably there were more of them than people that day. We had the place to ourselves. “They’re beautiful,” He whispered.

The magnificent silverback moved slowly, gently, gracefully to the glass directly in front of me. He sat down. “I wonder if he can hear my heart beating?” Me asked.  “I can,” He said as he put an arm around my shoulders.

Face to face, our eyes met and the largest gorilla I’d ever seen puckered his lips and laid on his back without breaking our gaze. “He’s enormous,” Me whispered. Without thinking, I pressed my left hand to the glass. And then my gorilla, my King Kong, raised his right hand and spread his giant fingers against my own.

“I wonder what he’s thinking. He just keeps looking.” Me said.  “Maybe he’s never seen someone cry before,” He said, “This could take a while. I’m going to take a walk around and I’ll meet you back here.”

So there we stayed my Kong and I, hand to hand, without looking away, for a very long time. Suddenly the entire gorilla family was on the move, across the enclosure, down the ropes moving toward the back. I expect there was food involved. His hand was gone. He ambled away. He did not look back.

“Are you sure you’re ready to go?” He asked as I found him at the door to the Ape House.  “He left,” Me said, “They all left. I think it was feeding time.” “Ah, so he was smart and handsome,” He teased. “Not that smart,” Me said, “He didn’t offer to take me to lunch.”

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Local in Venice

20 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by meandhetravel in COUPLEDOM, Italy, Venice

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#Italy, #Venice, Espresso, Love, Travel

COFFEEOur last morning in Venice! Each day had started out in Campo Stefano with endless cups of double espresso and tiny pastries we never learned the name of. Our waiter smiled and asked, “so you will go home without getting lost in Venice?” We laughed because it seemed impossible to ever know  exactly where you were but we hadn’t gotten “lost” despite day long walks through the twisting, colorful streets, covered stone paths, bridges and alley ways. Blind Man’s Bluff without the blind fold, spun round and round, lazily breathless and happily dizzy. Suddenly, around the corner, over the bridge, a left, a right, turned around and eight paces that way, you were exactly where you wanted to be. It was fun.

We had rented what had once been the gardener’s cottage of a grand palazzo. It was a little two story house surrounded by a flowering walled garden with lemon trees and grand ancient  iron gates. A romantic idyll in one of the most romantic cities in the world. Locking the doors behind us we were Venetian or at least able to sustain the fantasy.

iRED WITH BLUE BOAT“I’d like to go for a walk by myself today,” Me said. “Really?” He asked, dropping his pastry. “Yes,” Me said “I have to believe that after eight days, I’ve learned something. I’m practically a local. I can do this.”  Our waiter smiled sympathetically at my husband.  (The waiter always smiled, probably raised from childhood on  incredible nameless  pastries.) “Signora, people live in Venice all their lives and sometimes even they can get lost.” “Well I’m not going to,” Me said. More sympathy, more smiles and He handed over the key to Me. “I’ll meet you back at the Palazzo in one hour,” He said with obvious reluctance, “One hour.”

CURVE STREETI walked without purpose to the next campo, turning left, perhaps toward the Rialto Bridge (or not), past the pink house with the white cat in the window, right at the blue shutters, straight past the window boxes with purple flowers. I wasn’t sure where I was but guessed that five winding turns in any direction could be someplace I’d recognize. With eight short minutes left on the agreed upon hour, I stopped trying to puzzle out “the best way back.”

A businessman in a apparent hurry was about to fly by me when he suddenly stopped and spoke to me in agitated in Italian. No idea what he was saying, I suddenly realized he was lost! Even better, he thought I was local! Unaccountably thrilled and empowered, I was able to decipher where he wanted to go. Somehow I was certain it was “the other way.”

alley houseThe heavy iron key to our front gates was the size of a carrot and I waved it enthusiastically at him for credibility. Before he could walk away, I took his elbow and started to walk him in the “right” direction.  A few minutes later, grateful that the white cat had not left the window in pink house, I was certain that he was only minutes away from his destination and our iron gates were a few short streets to the right. I walked him to the corner where he spotted someone in an outdoor cafe who waved at him.

“You leef here?” my businessman asked. “Yes,” Me replied, “for today, I do.”

bridge

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Heist at Harrod’s

10 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by meandhetravel in COUPLEDOM, London, United Kingdom

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#London, Harrod's

Harrod's Sunglasses“But do you think they’re very special?” Me asked “because in the world of sunglasses I think they are amazing!”  “I think you’re special,” He replied, “but do you really need another pair of sunglasses?” Hmm, he was just being silly. Does anyone need another spoon of caviar or more truffles? We were standing in Harrod’s with too many pairs of sunglasses put out on the counter for my perusal but I did fancy these.  We would be in London for the week. I could come back. Given the grey rainy day and the three pairs of sunglasses I had packed for this December trip, perhaps I was being silly.

The next morning, He in the shower and Me curling the hair and painting the face, a news item on the telly caught my attention. Apparently, the dramatic rise in tourist shoplifting was being met with stringent arrest policies, no exceptions made.  “Did you hear that?” Me asked.  “Tourists are stealing and being arrested!”  “Can’t hear you!”,  He replied.  He always says that when he’s in the shower.  “Terrible!” Me said, “who would do that?”  “Can’t hear you!” He replied.

Hair done, primping complete, I rooted through my handbag for I-don’t-know-what and found a beautiful sunglass case very clearly not mine. Inside, the “special” sunglasses from Harrod’s. “Oh my God!” Me cried.  “What’s up,” He said, all pink, damp and adorably toweled.  “I must have stolen them!” Me wailed, crying very real tears.  “I could have been arrested! And I’ve never stolen anything in my life!  How could that have happened?”  “When I went out for that walk yesterday I went back and bought them,” He said “As a surprise.”  It was a bright sunny morning in London and I was no longer wanted by the police.  “You’re very special,” Me said.

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List of Things to Do – 2014

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by meandhetravel in COUPLEDOM

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FIREWORKSGo someplace you love. Go someplace you’ve never been. Lick your plate. Make a stranger smile. Keep your promises. Laugh before breakfast. Aim higher. Know when to say “no.”  Don’t disappoint yourself.  Laugh over lunch. Wear what you want to. Listen with your heart. Edit your circle.  Enjoy today.  Ask questions. Have patience. Put the light in someone’s eyes. Sleep well and often.  Be brave. Think happy thoughts. Laugh after dinner. Welcome change. Most importantly, make your own list!

With all good wishes to you and yours for a wonderful, memorable year!

Me and He

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Ah, Venice!

29 Friday Nov 2013

Posted by meandhetravel in COUPLEDOM, Italy, Venice

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#Italy, #Venice, #Water Taxi, Grand Canal

VW01

He never really wanted to go. Venice was on his someday list. But Me was curious and believing whoever has the most passion wins, we flew off for an eight night stay. People said and continue to ask, “eight nights?  What in the world did you do all that time? For many, Venice is a two, three, okay maybe four night stop. But we were really tired, really burned out and needed a vacation, the kind of R&R you go to the beach or sanitarium for.

Nothing prepares you for the boat trip from the airport into the Grand Canal. Forget the movies and what you may have seen in magazines. If you are going to only do one extravagant thing in Venice, hire a private motor launch to speed you into the city.  It’s a vista, experience, and memory that will stay with you for a lifetime. As the city comes into view across the lagoon, you feel transported to another world and life previously not imagined.  It is beautiful, timeless, inexpressibly romantic and something you will never forget. Ah, Venice!

BLOG ART

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London Taxi

29 Friday Nov 2013

Posted by meandhetravel in COUPLEDOM, London, United Kingdom

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#London, #Taxi

Taxi in London in front of a shopping centerMe said, “how far is it”?  He said, “Not that far”. Our first night in London having finished a quick dinner on our way to the theater, it was dark, a little damp and we didn’t have that much time to make the curtain.  “But how much farther is it?” Me asked, a little breathless trying not to break an ankle on the slippery cobblestone streets in 4″ heels.  “Hmm, pretty soon, I think.” was what He said.  It was starting to rain. We’d been walking for 20 minutes and my hair (enough said) was starting to look as bad as my feet hurt. Pretty bad.  Very bad. Bad enough to make me mad. “I want a taxi!” Me wailed.  “But we’re almost there!” said He. “I want a taxi now!” Me cried. So we climbed into a taxi, told the driver the address and he said in a gravely serious voice, “Are you certain, Madam?”  Very well then, he drove rather slowly to the end of the very short street, rolled around the corner, stopped and said, “Here you are then, Madam” and gave He a sympathetic look and wink. Alright for the two of them with their short hair and flat shoes. When putting vanity first, you should take a taxi.

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