A Snapshot: A little of our journey here, so far

So, this is home. We'll be sharing what's inside as we continue to post new pictures and entries, and as we finish up more of the decorating. We are in pretty good shape, but it's still a work in progress.


Here we are at a local Irish pub: Kells. We were out to celebrate James' 29th birthday; it was our first night out on the town in our new city, and Maggie's last drink before finding out she was pregnant (at least she made it a good one ; ) ). Not only is Kells a great place to enjoy a pint, some great food, music and craic, but it also puts a fun twist on making charitable donations. You may notice the bills on the ceiling above James. Customers wrap a quarter up inside a bill, much like you would wrap a piece of candy, and then chuck the donation up where it sticks to the magnetized ceiling--a remnant of the building's industrial past. They scrape the money off once a year and give it to a local charity.

Another must see destination when you visit is Cannon Beach! Gorgeous, lots to do and see, and only about an hour drive from our house. This is was a great day this past summer that we enjoyed fantastic weather, sunshine, and some time with dear friends who live here and close-by in Spokane, Washington.



Here is a recent day spent at the beach. As you can see, the weather wasn't quite as hospitable, but the pictures do help catalog the journey we have been on since we arrived. Maggie is about 33 weeks pregnant here--boy has the baby done a lot of growing since then!





This picture was taken about two weeks ago, 36 weeks pregnant, more or less...

...and these last two were taken today, about 38 weeks and counting. As our due date nears we are becoming more and more excited and anxious! We can hardly wait to meet our little Aoife, and we have everything ready for when she finally does arrive, or so we like to think.

Portland: A new home and an expanded family

Hello all! This is the new home of los Stuhan. We have lived in Portland since August 2007 and are beginning to settle in here. We left the blogging world for some time as we transitioned into our new home and everything is going great, albeit a little wet. As everyone should already know, we are expecting a baby very soon (weeks, not months) and our life together will be changing once again. We've decided to take up blogging again as a way to share this new adventure with friends and family who want to keep up with us. It won't be pictures of European dream destinations, but instead we hope to post pictures of a beautiful little girl who will be all of our love, hopes, and dreams distilled into big-eyed stares and cooing--also some pooping, as results may vary.

So, as Spring begins to brighten up our corner of the world we hope to share the sights around our new town, as well as snapshots of our little Aoife (as soon as she comes) so that everyone out there can get a glimpse into our lives and maybe see some of the beauty of their own reflected back at them. We love you and wish everyone our best!

Festa dels Cors de la Barceloneta

Wow! It's festival time again, and now it's right outside our door!

















For those who are keeping track, we live in the Barceloneta. It's a little neighborhood on a peninsula that sticks out from the old city and into the Mediterranean. It's kind of primitive down here, serving as a guarantee that when something is going on it's bound to be authentic. The Festa dels Cors de la Barceloneta started in 1916 and it is a very local affair. There weren't many tourists out, but plenty of drinking, dancing, and otherwise celebrating Catalans, young and old. Roaming bands and dance troupes snaked their way through the area, gleefully banging drums and shaking what their mommas gave them. I'm not sure what time we got to sleep, but it was late.

This picture is the test run on the Saturday before the Monday festival. I think it was just an excuse to test the beer taps.

Paris ~ Worth the hype!

Bonjour!

We returned from Paris yesterday, and while it was nice to be home, we were definitely dissappointed at having to leave. As soon as we arrived in the heart of the city it became immediately apparent why Paris is one of the most popular European destinations.


Where to begin? Well, just walking through the most beautiful city that we have ever visited ranked high on our list of things to do. We set out on the first day and we were amazed at how the wide boulevards consistently gave way to tall trees and open green spaces. Barcelona is great, but it's claustrophobic by comparison--although I still prefer "cozy".

First, we wandered along the Seine and found our way to the Place de la Concorde, went up the stylish Champs-Élysées, and ended at the Arc d'Triumph. Later in the day we saw Notre Dame and criss-crossed the Quartier Latin. Then, as though we were just getting started, we went to the late opening of the Louvre and gazed on her holiness, the Mona Lisa. We stumbled along the museum corridors on sore feet for a few more hours until we couldn't take any more. It was now time for dinner.

We had a young Beaujolais to accompany our steak and salmon, which had been preceded by French onion soup and a warm goat cheese salad. We finished it off with a carmelized pear tart that would have been lovely with a cafe au lait, but James was falling asleep and Maggie had been breaking in new sandals that afternoon--we were exhausted!

Jour deux: We started the day at a little bakery around the corner from the hotel. Their pastries were amazing and by the end of the trip we were starting to think that Alexandre Eiffel's creation seemed a little less emblematic for the Paris that we had experienced; it had ceded this distinction to the almond croissant.

We continued on to the Musée d'Orsay, a railway station built in 1900 that has been converted into one of the city's premiere museums, showcasing 19th and 20th century artwork. This was a highlight of our trip and was the most aesthetically pleasing museum enclosure that we have seen. It's collection was fascinating and bereft of the 15th century religious artwork that most visitors to European museums tire of quite quickly. You know...crucifiction, crucifiction with gold-leaf border, resurrection, resurrection with gold-leaf border, angry-looking Mary suckling the baby Jesus, euphoric Mary suckling the gold-leafed-haloed Jesus...you get the point.


Afterwards, we headed up to the Montmartre district for sweeping views of the city and a close up view of the Sacré-Cœur. Bon chance! There was a gastronomic festival going on and we got to sample regional delicacies like Bordeaux wine and cheese that could gag the most daring turophile and that I am sure would put hair on your feet--which is where the stuff comes from anyway.


Some time after this came the crêpes, the 11.60€ pair of coffees, and before we knew it we were back at the hotel and changing for an evening meal. This time we sat opposite the Notre Dame cathedral, drank black beer served slightly below room temperature, and relished the end of a whirlwind weekend adventure on the occasion of our five-year anniversary. It seems like longer, but Maggie insists it doesn't. We have finally learned to agree to disagree. Congratulations to us!

Καλημέρα, to all our friends and family! Part 3 (Athens) Scroll down to Part 1 to start

After returning from our cruise we had two more days in Athens before returing home. What can we say? It was great! We got in to everything free because it was Easter weekend, so that meant the Parthenon, the National Archaeological Museum, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Gate, etc. Want to see some of it? Come a little closer for a peek...

We found some nice little restaurants to indulge our lamb cravings, wandered outdoor markets, and never even got lost. Oh well, there's always next time.

All in all, a nice trip. We're grateful to be home safe, and our missing luggage was delived as we were finishing this final entry. Take care everyone, and we look forward to talking again soon!