The Purple Pig and Labyrinth

A couple of quick notes about today:

I stopped at The Purple Pig after getting that suggestion from a friend of mine.  It’s right off Michigan Ave which seems to be in the heart of the shopping area and wow it didn’t disappoint.  The service was incredible (thank you for a great lunch, Ryan) and the food was stunning.  I got a fried deviled egg and pork shoulder.  Both were succulent (and yes, I needed to wait on iPhone’s autocomplete to kick in for that one).  

Before lunch and after Tilt at The John Hancock Building, I stepped in a church (4th Presbyterian Church to be exact) to take a look around like I like to do and was pleasantly surprised to find that they have a labyrinth. (Again.  Thank you autocomplete). I love walking labyrinths.  I have gotten into them within the last couple of years.  Walking it today provided some nice peace, quiet, feeling of feelings and a great time of connection. 

I’m Glad I Waited

During my time here in Chicago (which, by the way, feels like more like a week than 3 days....and that’s a good thing) I have been wanting to write about my Uber/Lyft drivers.  All four of them that I engaged in conversation were absolutely some of the most pleasant and genuine people I’ve talked to in a long time. But, maybe, just maybe people are just amazing if I’m actually looking for the good. 

Let me tell you about them:

Opening night it was Roberto picking me up from ORD.  Originally from Ecuador, this gentle man (yes, I separated them for a reason because he was very unique in my experience with his ability to speak in a calm, gentle manner about real things) explained his experience with learning to enjoy more time for himself.  I related a lot to him sharing about working all the time and missing out on things at home.  He also shared about his family back home and how it differs a lot from his wife’s side of the family.  She’s American and Roberto has a hard time understanding how little she sees her family. Back home for him, his family does everything together and many of them even live together.  I related a lot to that too.

This morning it was Nestor.  I didn’t catch where he was from but he was so excited to explain to me the different parts of Chicago and the things I needed to see.

This afternoon it was Alexander who is a born and bred Chicagoan.  What a great guy.  We shared travel stories and he told me about his neighborhood and the gentrification that was occurring.  Taxes in his area are now north of $10,000 per year.  Incredible.

And then, also this afternoon, was my ride with Aleksandra.  As I sit in O’Hare International Airport I’m in awe of the experiences I get to have.  For 50 minutes in the car with her I was transported to another world.  Aleksandra explained her journey from growing up in Serbia, to playing professional basketball, to coming to school in the states and then her work to become a citizen of the US.  She has been working on the process for a few years now.  It honestly sounds like a real headache and kudos to her for continuing the process and doing things the right way.  She explained that Chicago has a huge Serbian population so she has a home away from home.  We shared stories about European travel and the differences between the States and Europe.

I felt transported in that car because I felt like I was in Europe.  I absolutely had a blast talking with her about basketball and life in general.  It even turns out Tarence Kinsey plays for the team she used to play for (the women’s team of course) in Serbia.  What a small world.  But my point is, I could have ridden around Chicago with her for hours just talking.

I love talking.  Wait. I love conversations.  I’m learning that I like talking too. But I love interacting with people and listening to the things they share.  Listening to Aleksandra was such a pleasure for me.  I felt at ease.  I felt like I was having a conversation with a chill European.  And I was.

I told her at the end of the ride that I’m coming back to Chicago and I didn’t want to break any Uber rules, but I explained to her I’d love to hang out when I got back up here.  And, for those of you keeping score at home, no this is not a romantic type interest of hanging out.  This is pure and simple human connection at its finest.  That’s what I love.

And here’s the reality, I may never see Aleksandra again.  I hope I do.  But if I don’t, I can rest and be thankful that I met and interacted with another incredible human, one that is perfectly fine being herself and experiencing life.  That’s the lesson I’m taking from this ride:  I’m fine just the way I am. I don’t have to pretend to be anything.  I can sit in ORD, with my legs crossed, typing a blog post on my phone, and typing said blog post into an archaic website interface.....and that’s all just fine.

Chicago,

Thank you for an amazing three days.

Here’s to more today and in the future, both here and wherever I am.

Brian

(I would like to point out that I rarely take selfies.  This selfie signifies for me that I’m perfectly ok with me at the moment)

Tilt-a-Whirl

First stop this morning was the John Hancock building downtown.   This building houses Chicago 360 which is one of the two major overlooks in the city.  It also boasts the “Tilt” experience which is exactly what it sounds like.  Ticket holders get tilted on a 30 degree angle out the side of the building and get to look down on the city.  And by “ticket holders,” I mean me.  This experience was absolutely exhilarating.  I knew the apparatus wasn’t going to fail.  But then, there’s still a part of my mind saying, “Yep.  It’s going to fail.”   But, fail it didn’t.  The top picture is from the ground showing the glass tilting out and looking down.  It’s an $8 add on to the $22 ticket to get to the top, but I recommend it.  

The ride up and the experience at the top is not quite as impressive as Top of the Rock or The Empire State Building, but it’s srill good.  The views are very nice.  

Now that I think about it, the experiences between the NYC overlooks and today’s overlook of Chicago fits with my experience of both cities.  I really like both cities, and there’s just something different about Chicago.  It’s a BIG city.  And it doesn’t feel like life is moving at break-neck speeds. The pace is differed.  Slower.  Calmer.  And I like that.  I’ll be interested to see if time here in the summer is the same or if more people will be out hustling.  

The “Caution Falling Ice” sign cracked me up.  Was this sign suggesting that I look up to avoid falling ice?  Do I really want to be looking up risking my eye being hit by falling ice?  Should I have worn a helmet?  And really....think about it:  If I did look up and see ice falling, how difficult would it be to avoid being hit?  I can only imagine that ice wouldn’t fall in a straight line especially in a city nicknamed “The Windy City.”  Just something for my readers to think about.  I know.  I know no one reads these. 

College Hoops

There’s nothing quite like watching college basketball for me.  And even though the game didn’t go the Sycamores way tonight, this is a talented group that will learn and grow from tonight’s game.  

Thanks to Brett for allowing me to come up this week to Chicago.  And thanks to Coach Lansing and the rest of the Indiana State staff for making me feel so welcome.  This is a first-class group that I am extremely thankful to know.  You can pull for ISU knowing that they do things the right way and are fantastic people.  

About Chi Town

A couple of things right off the bat (pun intended):
I like Chicago. 
I want to visit Chicago when it’s warmer. 
I want to see a Cubs game.  
I want to take a river tour.  
I want to walk around the city when I can feel my fingers, face and toes.  
The Cloud Gate (or Bean as locals have referred to as) is quite cool.  Pictures don’t do it justice. 

After breakfast this morning I ventured out into the city and began my journey at the L Station near Loyola-Chicago’s campus.  Rose, the CTA attendant on duty, was extremely helpful to me helping me navigate the different ticket options.  Once I finally got on a train (after mistakenly thinking the first train was not the one I needed to be on thusly putting my fingers and toes in a frozen state) I made my first stop at Addison Station which is right near Wrigley Field.   What a cool setting for a baseball stadium.  RIGHT in the middle of the neighborhood.  Seeing bleachers on top of buildings across the street was a real hoot.  I need to see a game there.  

The river area as well as Millenium Park are really cool.  Tons of people were at the park.  I can only imagine the setting and energy if it was warmer.  Oh, it was a high of 33 today I believe.  

The Cloud Gate is a must see.  I believe it’s 168 pieces of metal welded together but it looks like one solid, smooth piece.  

The energy in Chicago is a little different than I thought.  No one seems really to be in too much of a hurry.  It’s kind of chill to be honest.  I was expecting a little more hustle and bustle like NYC. 

Oh, and thank goodness for Argo Tea.  

It’s about game time here at the Gentile Center!

More to come later

Maybe. Just Maybe

Maybe there are amazing, genuine, loving, caring and incredible people all over the world. Maybe it's not "out of the ordinary" to meet someone that wants to talk about real things and share a laugh.

I was reminded last night that people are inherently good by Patrick at Bruno's in Chicago, Illinois. Patrick hosted us at his place (opened in 1956) and treated us like we were family. He is another in what I still consider a rare breed, but that I'm encountering more and more during my travels around the globe. Patrick loves people. He has a gift of making people feel at home. Like they are accepted and loved. He has a knack for keeping conversation going. He has opinions and allows others to share theirs. He stands up for what he believes in. Patrick is just plain awesome and an amazing human.

I can't tell you how thankful I am to have met Patrick and spent the time with these guys last night. Oftentimes when I approach a trip, I do my best to find the "perfect" places to go. Bruno's, more than likely, won't show up on any travel site as a must-see destination. However, I can't imagine a trip to Chicago now without a stop by Bruno's.

Patrick, thank you for an amazing evening. Thank you for your hospitality, generosity and kindness. I'll be back without a doubt.

A Little Flip

Interesting that there is such a big price difference at the moment for Lyft vs. Uber here in the Windy City.

Was my potential overpacking of pullovers and a jacket affected by Chicago's nickname? You betcha.

Comfort in the Bag

There is a sense of comfort I have packing a bag to board a plane.  How fortunate I am to get to do such things.  

Today I decided to fly to Chicago.....today.  It’s wheels up in about 30 minutes from CAE.  I get down on Columbia sometimes, but I’m thankful CAE has direct flights to ORD.  

This trip came together pretty late.  My plans for the week changed a bit.  Truthfully, I wasn’t interested in hanging around Columbia for the next few days.  I was certainly looking for a reason to get out of town and it just so happens that Brett’s team plays Wednesday night.  

Tomorrow I’ll be watching the Indiana State Sycamores open their conference schedule at Loyola-Chicago. 

I’m a fortunate guy.  I love basketball.  I love college basketball.  I’m thankful that Brett is gracious to let me hang around him, the ISU coaching staff and their guys.  

Hard To Describe - My Stop in Maybeury, WV

(Joanna and I in 1995)

(Johnny, Joanna and I today)

(Junetta and I today)

When I was 15 years old I was fortunate to be a part of a group from Trinity United Methodist in Sumter that traveled to Northfork, WV for a weeklong mission trip with Mustard Seeds and Mountains. Up until that point in my life, I was just a kid and a teenager doing kid and teenager things. Sleepovers, playing sports, going to school, etc. Little did I know that that week in southern West Virginia would set me on the path that leads me to where I am today.

That week my group worked on the house of Johnny, his wife Junetta and their three kids Andrea, Johnny and Joanna. Repairing their home and building a front porch was good experience for me. It taught me how to be selfless and give of myself to help another human. It was also great for me to learn how to work with my hands.  I enjoy building and repairing things, and I can’t help but wonder if that week helped spark that for me.

However, it was the relationships that were built with the family that really changed my life. I remember talking with Junetta for what seemed like hours on end about her life and sharing mine. It was an incredible connection that I never forgot. I remember Joanna, who was around 5 at the time, following me around the job site. I remember Johnny Sr. helping us with the porch. I remember playing with Johnny Jr. and Andrea. The time with the family was truly amazing. That week FLEW by and it was that week that showed me being of service to others was something I wanted for the rest of my life. I can't thank Mark and the rest of the adults from Trinity that made that trip happen.

I never forgot about the family. It was around 4 years ago that I went to Google and found a phone number that seemed like it might be Junetta and Johnny's number. I called it. And much to my surprise, Junetta answered. As I fumbled with my words to explain who I was she cut me off and said, "I remember you, Brian. I've never forgotten about you." We talked for a long time as she caught me up on life in WV and how her family was doing.....the highs and the lows. I ended the conversation telling her that I hoped to make it to WV one day again and when I did, I would stop by.

That day was today. Joanna and Johnny have grown up. Joanna's amazingly cute kids were running around the porch, Johnny stopped by with his girlfriend.....and then there was Junetta.....sweet Junetta was there to welcome me like it was just another day on the job site. Except this visit was 23 years after our first meeting.

I really can't describe how it felt being with this family again. I'm feeling so many emotions right now including joy, sadness, contentment, thankfulness. What a rich experience it was to be in the presence of this wonderfully loving family. We sat and talked for a couple of hours as I heard about family updates and I updated them on my life. We talked about real things: addiction, regrets, letting go, fears and more. I could have talked for hours and hours. As I got up to leave Junetta said, "Can we tie you to this bench? I don't want you to leave." I didn't want to leave either. Seeing Johnny and Joanna as beautiful 28 year olds absolutely blew me away. What a wonderful testament to the work of Johnny and Junetta. They have raised great kids. I hate I missed Andrea. Maybe one day I'll see her again. Johnny Sr., I'll see you sometime soon I hope my man.

Junetta and family, this won't be the last time I see you guys. I love each of you very much and, as always, only want the best for you. It was so wonderful to be around your family. I can't thank you enough for allowing me into your home and into your life again. I'm so thankful to have seen all of you. This won't be the last time I assure you. You always have a friend in SC and know that I'm you're biggest fan. I'll always answer when you call.

Trudy and Nate of Mustard Seeds and Mountains, thank you for your care and hospitality. You have provided me an avenue to re-light my service fire that was lit back in 1995. Thank you so much for providing this experience for me. God is doing some wonderful things here through your work.

When I look back on my life it's really incredible to see the experiences I've had. I'm in a thankful spot right now.

Europalooza 2018 - So Ends Another One....Or Is It A Beginning?

(I wrote most of this typed text on the flight home yesterday.....the handwritten portion was from this morning)

Mom and I are flying back from Shannon to Philadelphia at the moment.  We'll catch our connecting flight to Charlotte soon after landing and so will end another wonderful time of travel for me.  

Officially now I have traveled to 12 countries.  This trip added 5 more countries to this list:

Ireland (2009 and 2018)

Scotland (2009 and 2018)

England (2009 and 2015)

France (2009)

Spain (2009 and 2017)

Cuba (2017)

Switzerland (2018)

Wales (2015)

Germany(2018)

Austria (2018)

Poland (2018)

Czech Republic (2018)

There were so many highlights from this trip.  Here are a few that pop to mind.  Most, if not all of these, have individual posts associated with them so I'll be brief here:

- That first night in Copenhagen was so much fun.  I could have hopped back on the plane the next day and considered this a full trip.   It contained so many things that I look for when I travel and in life in general.  Things like:  Discovering a new place.  Challenging myself with navigating public transportation in a new place.  Meeting and talking with locals.  Meeting fellow travelers.  Enjoying local food and drink.  Deep conversation.....thank you Frederick and Frederick for talking with me.  So awesome. It also included dancing....something I usually shy away from.  I was able to enjoy the moment....there were many to enjoy that day and night.  Such great, clean fun.

- The Friday night in Prague was epic.  It was a true local experience as I got to do things tourists normally don't get to experience.  Robert, you're the man.  Thank you for your kindness and hospitality.  

- Auschwitz was incredible.  I'm glad I got to see it.  I thought Wally was right:  that I'd only want to see it once.  Honestly I would be open to going back after talking with Mom and telling her about it.  She has a desire to see it.  Plus after seeing the Documentation Centre in Munich I see that there is so, so much more to learn about the atrocities committed by the Nazis. 

- Seeing the scenery and experiencing the people of Germany and Austria was quite nice.  As referenced several times before, Michaela was awesome in Lindau.  Seeing the Alps and going to the top of the Zugspitze was a really fun experience.  It was also hilarious that I thought I was in Germany when I was really in Austria at one point.  Oops.

- Driving on the Autobahn was fantastic and exhilarating.  I'll leave it at that. 

- Walking the Highline 179 was really cool.  I'm very glad I did that.  

- FaceTiming with Alexandra while driving through Austria was a real treat!

- Experiencing the scenery in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was so peaceful.  

- Meeting Mom as she got off the plane in Edinburgh was hilarious and awesome.  Hearing her say, "We're in Scotland.  Can you believe it," instantly melted any amount of fear and anxiety I had about that part of the trip not being enjoyable for her.  

- Driving on the left side of the road was a real challenge and I ended up loving it.  Early on it was stressful.  Thankfully no pedestrians, cars, bicycles, motorcycles or sheep were injured as a result of my driving. Huge apologies to the cone I hit in Edinburgh.  

- Playing Turnberry was a dream come true. Flat out amazing. It was also my first experience with being in a place across the globe that I had been before.  The emotions that arose within me were unexpectedly and welcome. 

- The ferry ride from Cainryn to Belfast was a high level experience.  

- Landing and driving a few hours in Ireland that first day was really fun.  It cracks me up that the first meal we had in Ireland was Subway!  At least the guy working was wearing a green shirt. 

- Stopping in Tralee and seeing Stephen at Castle Hostel was a real treat. 

- Dingle, the Connor Pass and the Slea Head Drive were all beautiful.  Seeing Fungi the Dolphin and taking that boat ride was a great way to start our second and last day on the Dingle Peninsula. 

- Seeing places my Dad and Brother saw in Ireland like Ballybunion and Lahinch was neat.  Their trip to Ireland was almost 30 years ago.  

- Stepping back into McDermott's Pub was another flood of emotions in Doolin as that was one of the first places I visited outside of the US back in 2009.  It was yet another place that I learned that God will take care of me. 

- And last but not least:  The conversations with Mom(that I'm not going to post here) around all sorts of topics including family history, memories of my childhood and much more were a real blessing and I can't thank her enough for being willing to travel together and for her showing up in a real way during this trip.  The time I had with her was something that was needed and something that I will never forget. 

And for a few more logistics:

Things Mom and I Did:

- Picked up the rental car from Scott the friendly Scotsman at Easirent. 

- Walked through Edinburgh stopping in St. Mary's Cathedral.  Walked around the base of Edinburgh Castle and through the gardens there.  

- Drove to Inverness stopping in the roadside rest area.

- Tour of Isle of Skye from Inverness during he first full day Mom was here.  Walked through Donan Eilan Castle on this tour.  Saw Loch Ness.  

- Drove to Turnberry and Mom followed along as I played the Ailsa Course there. 

- Drove through Stranraer and saw The Old Manse where I stayed back in 2009.  Grabbed sandwiches at Morrison's grocery store on the way to the ferry.  Was asked if we had a loyalty card and promptly responded with a polite "no."

- Ferried from Cainryn, Scotland to Belfast, Ireland.  

- Drove to Nenagh, Ireland. Had Subway on the way.  

- Stopped in Adare, Ireland on the way to Dingle. 

- Stopped for lunch in Tralee and also to talk with Stephen at Castle Hostel where I stayed back in 2009.  Also walked through the rose garden in Tralee and stopped at a sporting goods store. 

- Drove the Connor Pass to Dingle stopping along the way for pictures and I took a brief hike up one of the hills. Saw sheep up close for the first time. 

- Listened to Traditional Irish Music in Dingle at O'Sullivan's.

- Fungi Dolphin Tour in Dingle.

- Slea Head Drive stopping for pictures and a picnic with really good Egg Salad sandwiches and crisps.  Fed the sheep and pony along the way.  Swung through the Blasket Island Visitor Center briefly.  This drive started and ended in Dingle. 

- Stayed in Ballybunion.  Walked across the golf course to the ocean.  Ate at McGann's Pub which was really good after quite a wait. 

- Visited Bromore Cliffs outside of Ballybunion.  Petted Bart the horse here. 

- Stopped in Targert at Swanky's Pub.  Then ferried across on our way to Doolin.  20 minute ferry ride. 

- Arrived in rainy Doolin and had dinner and listened to Irish Music At O'Connor's Pub. 

- Visited The Cliffs of Moher Visitor's Center outside of Doolin.

- Took a boat ride out to the Cliffs of Moher and lived to tell about it.  

- Drove to Shannon and stayed near the airport.

- Rode to the airport with Bob the taxi driver. 

- Duty Free Shop in Shannon airport. 

- Airport Lounge in Shannon airport. 

And here are my thoughts from this morning.  I was flooded with a huge amount of gratitude when I wrote this morning.  I wanted to place it here:

Readers, thanks so much for following along throughout this journey.  It's been a real pleasure to share with you(and me for my memory's sake) the thoughts, feelings and experiences from Europalooza 2018. 

And here's a map of locations visited:

Cliff

I'm reminded that one of the MAJOR things I love about travel is meeting new people and having the most fun conversations with people.

Tonight's reminder is Cliff. Cliff works for Easirent which is a European rental car company. If one Googles Easirent one would find negative reviews galore. However my experience with Easirent both in Edinburgh and here in Shannon was amazing.

Cliff was hilarious to me. From the moment I called him when I couldn't locate the office (correct. I couldn't find the Easirent office....more on that in a moment) to the moments he said the following:

"We're actually in the Shannon Springs Hotel."
"So you're close eh?"
"I'll be out in the back in a pink shirt."
"No. It's a salmon shirt." (This was the line that cracked me up the most. Once he said this, I knew I had found a like-minded Irishman)

.....Cliff was, as I said, hilarious.

He was mesmerized by the Volvo we had been driving:

"Did you get the R Design because of the specs or the performance? This is nice. I haven't seen one of these yet." (If you're keeping score at home: I needed whatever car was an automatic. It turns out the Volvo was super sleek and cool. And fast.)

So, straight up, the Easirent office was in the hotel. And not just an office in the hotel....an old room in the hotel converted to "an office." No pictures of this beauty, I'm afraid.

Cliff offered to give me a ride back to the hotel which was really cool of him. He mentioned earlier that he drove a Fiat after I told him I drove a pickup.

When it came time to take me back(after a thorough 18 second check of the vehicle and a 19 second check out process) he decided to take me back in the Volvo. My only regret is that the hotel wasn't further away....only a half mile.

He shared that he used to work with autistic children but needed to do something different. He is from Limerick and been in Shannon for five weeks. He likes working at Easirent because the people are nice and he gets to drive a bunch of different vehicles.

It was just a fun conversation with a cool Irishman that looked more like a grunge era American.

Final Night Blues

I've been in Europe since June 27, 2018.  Today is July 15, 2018.  This marks the longest I've ever been away from my home.  

I fly back to the United States tomorrow with mixed emotions.  I've come to expect a mixture of sadness, excitement, fear, joy and thankfulness to come to the surface around the time a trip is ending.  To date, the strongest feelings I had were when I was sitting in the Havana airport last June.  Maybe I'll post that link here by the time I finish writing this.  (Incase you're wondering, I typically type these out using the Notes app on an iPhone......thanks Steve Jobs)

Tonight is different.  When I look back on this trip, I think back to the absolutely fun and challenging times I had in Copenhagen, Prague, Zurich, Austria and Germany by myself.  Those times are hugely important and valuable to me as I try to grow to be better everyday and put myself in situations that are challenging and a little risky and DEFINITELY outside of my comfort zone(which is fairly small on my worst days). 

I also think back to meeting my mother in Edinburgh one week ago today.  First of all, I can't believe that it's been 7 days since she arrived.  Time didn't stand still, it didn't go fast, it just simply didn't exist while we toured Scotland and Ireland together.  

The conversations we had, the laughs we shared, the sites we saw, the people we met, the food we ate, and the experiences we went through were other-worldly.  I truly can't put into words how I feel about the time we got to share, so right now I'm simply going to feel it in my body and enjoy it.  Maybe I can write more about it later.  

I'm hoping I'll do one final write up on this trip, but I wanted to get a few thoughts out on paper as I wait on our food at the hotel in Shannon.  It's just really hard to believe this trip is almost over.  

I'm terribly thankful to have been able to experience the things I've been able to experience the last 20 days or so.  

Oh and here's that post-Cuba link:  http://roseoverexposed.blogspot.com/2017/06/thank-you.html?m=0

Pictured are some Irish Cattle hanging out outside of Doolin today.  Truly, this is as beautiful as any town square in Europe to me.

The Cliffs of Moher

....are always great to see. It was quite a misty day out there but these are not worth missing on a trip to Ireland in my opinion. Yes. It is touristy. But I really don't care. It's quite beautiful.

Ferry From Tarbert, Google You Sly Dog You, Music In Doolin!

We took the ferry from Tarbert today as we headed north along the western coast of Ireland.  The ferry saved us a good amount of driving and provided us with a cool(literally!) 20 minute ride.  

Once we got across the water I decided to follow Google Maps directions to Doolin and, boy, I must have checked the "Narrowest Roads Possible" setting, but I tell you what, it provided us with some amazing scenery. 

And no trip to Ireland would be complete without some Irish music!  Doolin is the spot where I spent my first night abroad back in 2009 so being back here is a bit surreal.  The town has grown for sure and the hostel I stayed in is now a hotel.  

But, back to the Google Maps thing again for a second, we drove in on the road that I stumbled upon back in 2009 so that was really cool.  Here's that post for those keeping score at home:  http://roseoverexposed.blogspot.com/2009/07/another-mistake.html?m=0