NAMED!

So after some consideration and suggestions (some constructive, others curious) I've settled on a name for the bike. I've gone with my friends Ashley and Tom (S'Mat)'s suggestions and combined them. Going forward, her friends will know her as Jade, but to the rest of the world she'll be Lady Limerick.

It seems that those were the only suggestions that seemed to heed my asking to go along with the female theme, but it's not by default that those were the winners. As Ashley said, "JADE, DAMMIT, JADE. Asian hooker = sleek, sexy, fast. Typically cleaner than the North American variety. You may tell yourself it's not good for you or your bank account, but dammit, it's fun and you'll tell your friends about your experiences riding her. :D"

Tom justified his suggestion by adding, "one of the names i thought of briefly seems to be nicer for your baby: Limerick? its from the emerald isle and all... plus, adding a 'Lady' in front would feminize a charm... so how about Lady Limerick?"

Both of them seemed to key in on the fact that my baby is green, and though my bike friends call her the pickle and Steph lovingly wanted to call her Kermit, it'll be Lady Limerick, Jade. I just hope LL Cool J doesn't get wind of it and whine about identity infringements.

So it has been decided and it will be good.

P.S. Oh, and I swear I will get back to a "regular" blogging schedule now that the work month from hell is over and I don't have to work every weekend of the month. Next up, the long put off and hopefully eagerly anticipated blog entry about the first leg of the London experience from my June trip.

Name My Baby

Ok people. Indie needs your help with coming up with a name for my baby. As you can see she is sexy, has style and a little killer instinct. I've been trying to come up with a name for her, but as of yet, haven't found anything that has stuck. The facebook crowd have come up with Jade, which I kinda like, but my sister thinks that sounds too much like an Asian hooker's name... Some of the other facebookers have also taken to referring to her as the pickle... I see it, but don't like it.

So I leave it to you to come up with any suggestions for a name for HER. Yes, female names would be best, but then again, I can't control it if you come up with something that is clearly not, like the pickle...

Please don't support the pickle movement. I still have some faith in you people. :P

Like We Both Saw A Ghost

Ah, back to the world of the Blog...

I've been working on an entry for the London part of my trip but it's been slow coming. Instead, I left it be for a while hoping to get into the right groove to finish it. You'll understand when you read it... I figured that I'd maybe witness something interesting to write about in the mean time. Had I known what exactly would have unfolded for me to write about, I'm pretty sure I would have traded that experience for the tedium and skullduggery that usually inspires my prosaic literary endeavours... (j/k)

It's taken me the better part of my week to reconcile everything in my head and heart and seeing as how I tend to wear the latter on my sleeve, I needed to get some dry cleaning done before I resumed my type. Last Sunday was the last day of the International Jazz Festival that is held annually in the Beaches area of my division. We'd worked the previous 3 days and the day before, I'd played 2 full rugby games in the stifling heat and then worked a full 10 hour shift so needless to say, I was pretty ground down by the time Sunday had come around. Add into the mix that we had a short turn around from the end of shift 2AM earlier that morning to be back in again at 10AM and I was at the point where a teething infant could've taken me out. I'd have cried, but the press would've loved the photo op.

Most of the team was pretty wiped as well so we figured it'd be a good start to the day if we went out for a group breakfast. It was decided that we would meet up at Vi Vetha, a nice but not over-priced restaurant in the east end of our territory. After a healthy selection and a few jokes, many having me as the ass end of them, we attempted to settle our bill. We were politely told by our waitress that someone else who had been dining in the restaurant had already taken care of our bills and just wanted to say thanks and to keep up the good work. We all thought that was a grand gesture considering the venom that is at times directed our way. After leaving the waitress a massive tip we made our way out. As we exited via the front patio, I looked out to the last table before the exit. At first, I noticed a nice red top, and then long brown hair, and then a pair of very familiar and striking green eyes that looked like and OH MY GOD, they WERE Jeannie's...

I hadn't seen her in almost a year and a half since the night we broke up and this was NOT the way I thought our first meeting would go. Our eyes seemed to lock and I couldn't tell if that sensation coming over me was relief or a mild dose of cardiac arrest. Oh yes, and there was also the slight matter of the company she was in for breakfast. I had taken a quick look at the guy and immediately knew that he was the fortunate one who had started to see her after me. In case some of you are scratching your heads, refer to this before you continue reading. Caught up? Good. I figured this wasn't the place to get all tongue tied and goopy so I put my best face and foot forward and then proceeded to smile and say hi to her. I don't know what it was, but she had the complete deer in the head lights thing going on, like she had been caught doing something she shouldn't have been. I hadn't the slightest that she was in the area seeing as how her home was about an hour away but it didn't take me too long to figure out she had been visiting him. (Sign me up for rocket science class)

I should have had some clue that I would run into her in the near future after I had run into her friend and travel mate, Lauren. A few days earlier, Lauren was walking with her mother and had just said to her, "this is James' area, I wonder if we'll see him tonight" when I rode past them. I doubled back to talk and she had told me that Jeannie had mentioned that I had gone traveling and asked if the trip had been good. We chatted and caught up briefly and I left thinking, hmmm, it's nice to know that Jeannie still thought and talked about me even if just in passing. I just didn't know that I would see her that soon after seeing Lauren. Things coming in 3, I figure, it'll only be a matter of time until I run into their other roommate Katie, but I digress.

I stood there barely believing what was unfolding before me was actually going on. I can't remember for the worth of me, all of what I said, but I do remember her tripping over herself and asking me the same things twice. I made sure not to blither like an idiot or go all doe eyed on her lest I lose any foothold I had on the situation. She introduced the guy she was with just as Mike. I shook his hand and introduced myself all the while silently wishing to myself that he'd die a fiery death or at the very least develop leprosy somewhere in the groin region. After that, I had a quick silent chuckle to myself as I really don't think that she knows that I know who he is in her life and if he didn't know before who I was, he would know in very short order. I seized the opportunity and excused myself from the chance meet (and personal implosion) citing my intrusion on their meal and the need for me to get back to my duties. I told her that it was nice seeing her and said good bye.

I walked to the other side of the patio where our bikes had been locked up and said under my breath to my partner, "and now I'm going to hang myself"... :P He didn't quite understand why at the time and as he explained, just thought that she was someone I knew and might have been an ex. When I told him that was Jeannie, the "OOOOOOooooohhhh" he dropped said it all. As we geared up, another customer sitting on the patio engaged me in conversation. As it turned out, she was still in my line of sight, but I made it a point not to look obviously in her direction. I could see when he got up to either pay or relieve himself that she reached for her cell and feverishly typed out a text message to whom I can only assume was Lauren. I wonder what that message said... He came back and the two of them left, and I couldn't help but notice the distance or the lack of closeness there was between them.

The whole experience left me in a daze and I almost got into an accident riding away from the restaurant. I was shaken and visibly put off enough that the guys even stopped making jokes at my expense for the day. I had some time later to think and it was something that I can't really put in words, but the brief moment of silence where our eyes were the only connection being made, I knew there were unfinished matters between the two of us. I don't mean to say that I thought we were going to get back together; that would just be asinine. There was just something left wanting. As for the other guy, I honestly don't have any malice towards either of them, unless of course he is a royal douche bag and mis-treats her. Life is always about change and the chances you take or don't. Her plans to travel were constantly being delayed and in the mean time she started seeing him. I still believe she was right in her reasons for breaking up with me and can honestly find no reason to be upset other than pride. It will be interesting to see what if anything unfolds from here going forward. I'm still trying to process it, and from what some of my friends have opined, she most likely is doing the same, if not more so.

I guess if there was a way to run into her, despite my internal mashing, that was the best circumstance. Everything that is there to know is out there. There were no comfort blankets of guy and girl friends for either of us to wrap ourselves in. I'd like to think that I handled it well and having recently read a Cosmo article on what not to do when running into an ex, the chances of that are good. :P

There's Something New

Ok Ok Ok

If you look slightly to the right and up a bit, you will find something that you all have been dogging me about.

Enjoy.

Ah Amsterdam... Part 3

The next day the American Crew saw the Anne Frank museum and it was incredibly simple, but completely moving. It's one thing to read about an event form history in a book but a completely different thing to be in right in the middle of it. Good on Amsterdam for keeping the house as it was and making sure her message was not silenced. I had seen the museum the day before yet somehow managed to forget to blog about it... I'm a dumbass.

In the mean time while the rest of them were checking Anne's house out. I wandered about and found a really vivid photo exhibit of wildlife. I don't know why it struck me as much as it did, but it must have been good for me to stand in the rain to look through it all. After that I went to the old town square and made friends with a horse. I don't know what its name was, but I assumed him to be my friend after I let him eat the apple I had previously been eating. Now I could be wrong, but how cool is it to have a horse as a friend, so leave me be.

After a couple of hours and the Texans managing to get lost around the corner from the brewery. : ), we all managed to meet up for the tour of the old Heineken Brewery. The cost of the tour is 11 Euros or $15.85 Cdn and $15.15 US for my southern readership. Included in the cost are tokens for 3 glasses of beer and 1 gift upon the conclusion of the tour. Upon entering the front door, we were greeted by a girl that was positively something wow. She had awesome wavey almost curly hair, really bright blue/green eyes and again had very natural and un-assuming good looks to her. So naturally I paid her a compliment and was quickly joined by one of the Texans, Kate who totally adored her hair. I think between the two of us, we made her freakin' year! I just figured we were off to a good start...

After going through some exhibits from the origins of the brewery to some of the advertising campaigns run throughout the decades, we came upon the first bar. It was rather normal and we had our one beer that our green token alloted us. After some interactive exhibits and a stop in the gift shop, we came to the last stop. Quite fittingly it was another bar, this one themed like a busy pub or club. The way it was SUPPOSED to work was that we had 2 orange tokens left for 2 more glasses of beer. Most of the other visitors had their 2 beers and left. We were not fully prepared to leave the cozy confines of our emerald chamber and were determined to mine more out of our 2 orange tokens. Cue the parade of good looking Texan women to the bar...

One round became two and eventually three. We came up with a simple system; When the guys had their rotation behind the bar, we sent in the women to do whatever they could (within the realm of decency) to get as much beer as they could with as little cost to the orange bank as possible. At its best, they would each come back with 4 beers in hand and still have their orange tokens. This day was progressing just swimmingly but it got just a touch better. The girl that was working the entrance when we arrived, paid us a visit when she finished her shift behind the bar. As she walked by, she very discreetly deposited a handful of orange tokens in one of the girls' hand. What was supposed to have been a 3 beer tour turned into a 9 beer blow out. Needless to say when the lot of us popped back out into the mid afternoon sun, some of us didn't exactly know what was going on. Not bad for 15 bucks and change.


After a well deserved siesta we caught dinner and wrapped the night up with a few more drinks in town. What you thought we'd stop there? C'mon. Though with the bars closing at midnight, I think we were spared a horrible next morning. We wrapped the night up and I think I arrived back in the room sometime after 2 AM. I had previously mentioned that I had 5 female roommates in my hostel room. I don't think any of them were happy to see me when I got back into the room. The girl on the top bunk closest to the door shot me a look that I can only compare to a vampire recoiling from the searing crack of the morning sun. I was mildly amused and scared at the same time. Or maybe I was just still swimming in it. I did feel bad though when I found out later the next morning that she had to be out the door by 6 in order to catch a plane to her next destination. That feeling didn't last too long. :)

Later that day, I said my goodbyes to the Texans. They were such a kick ass group and if any of you guys are reading this, I will be down to visit as promised. I met up with my friend Bryan who I had first met in China 6 years ago. As with my friend Christian in Stockholm, he was pretty much exactly the same as I had remembered him. The next couple of days were spent catching up and falling right back into the old ways. It's funny how time and distance can physically separate but purity in simplicity is the key to sustaining any friendship and the bond was just as strong now as it was back then. Bryan and I spent pretty much every day together in China and it was so nice to be able to see him again. Of course the conversation wasn't the only thing that was brought back en vogue from Beijing... We also reverted back to some of social habits that almost got me arrested in Tien An Men Square, but that's another story for another time. I'll just leave you with a photographic and typical goodbye from Amsterdam.

Ah Amsterdam... Part 2

So after having met a porn goddess, an earth dwelling angel and then being punch lined to death by a store-front hooker, I found myself wandering back to the hostel from the train station as all sensible forms of public transportation ceased to operate after 12:30 AM... For a city that has such a good public transport system, I found it odd that it all seemed to shut down, leave a few buses which I had no plans on boarding lest I end up in some remote part of town to be captured and enslaved in an underground clog finishing factory. Lost among all of that excitement, I even forgot to tell you that I had visited a sex museum. Seriously...

Upon my return to the hostel, I ended up meeting a couple of guys who were from the States and had been back packing throughout Eastern Europe before arriving in Amsterdam. They suggested I join them to check out the area around the hostel and partake in some of the allowances afforded by the liberal culture... I figured it would be a good way to meet and get to know some new people so I figured why not. As a testament to the quality of the Canadian product, I would have to say from what I remember from those hazier days that our homegrown is a spot better than the local fare sampled to me on that night. At any rate they were a couple of cool cats and we made plans to hit up a few sites later the next day.

As it turns out I ended up spending the first part of the day exploring the museums on my own as the other two had already seen what I was planning to the day before. Eventually I ended up at the Van Gogh Museum. I had hatched a plan well before hand to see the exhibit in an enhanced sensory mode. I figured when in Rome... So in due time a fungal fantasy became an artistic reality where colours melded and images entranced and almost 4 hours passed by. The Van Gogh collection itself was spell binding, but there was also an additional exhibit by an artist surnamed Maxwell. His style, dark carnivalesque images with dark coloured bases, accented with sharp, bright colours and that only added to the entrancement.

After a nap back at the hostel, my body having seemed to have been returned to me in my sleep, I set about trying to find Pete and Jay. Forward thinking would have seen us exchange room numbers the night before so we could find each other at the agreed upon meeting time. As it was though, that wasn't the case. To make things even better, the hostel had 5 floors with about 5 rooms on each floor. I didn't exactly feel like knocking on each door to find them. I picked the forth floor and ran into a big group of people, who from some of their t-shirts, were from Texas A&M University. We exchanged the typical hostel questions of where we were from and where we had been and how long we were staying. Then I explained that I was looking for 2 other Americans, but had no idea which room they were in.

Normally this would have been rather awkward, but one girl, Megan volunteered herself to find them for me and went about knocking on the door she guessed Pete and Jay were staying behind. As it turns out there were two American guys in that room, but not the two I was looking for. In the end, I gave up looking for them and was quickly adopted as an honourary Texan and pseudo Long Horn for the night. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as this lot was a laugh a second pretty much. We ended up across the road at an Italian restaurant and I don't know how the waiter didn't lose his mind serving us. We were easily the loudest group in the joint and even broke a few decorations during the course of our dining. The destruction wasn't limited to inanimate objects as a couple of the girls actually managed to injure themselves while eating and telling stories. I swear, it was one of those things you just had to be there to witness.

We eventually met up with Pete and Jay and had a few beers in the main square of the bar district. I was shocked to find out though that the bars in Amsterdam all closed up around midnight. I figured that was a touch odd for a city with the reputation it did. It was suggested that most people are so stoned / spent that there really isn't any point for the bars to stay open past midnight. As it turned out, there were clubs still open into the wee hours, but seeing as how none of us were club people, that did us no good. We ended up calling it an early night having consumed a reasonable enough amount of alcohol during the course of dinner and in the square to see us off to dreamland in a happy state.

Ok, this is getting a bit long so I guess there will a part 3 coming up shortly.

HOME

So it would seem that I've arrived home and have already gone through 4 days back at work. The trip was a blur and I will update the rest of Amsterdam and get onto London, Dresden, and Geneva in due time.

At this moment, I am working on uploading the photos and figuring out how the hell I am going to show them all to you.