the blue blog archives: back in the usa... almost

As an American, however, it's sort of strange and sad to learn about the native peoples of your home country from another land that seems to appreciate them and their culture more than your own. Well, our country, right or wrong, was where we were headed next.

The boys refused to admit that they were simply too big for the Kiddieland rides next to the airport check-in. We'd saved extra ride tokens from our trip at Christmas and they insisted on using them.

Next, we stopped by the huge McDonalds playspace in the Terminal before going through the security check. Another odd America-in-Germany moment. We one and I were thrilled to find some Mexican-ish food in the food court there. McDonalds is easy to find in Germany, but don't hold your breath for burritos. After three weeks of German food and McDonalds, those crappy nachos tasted pretty damn good.

And then we flew home. Well, first to Iceland. We always fly with Icelandair, stopping to switch planes in Reykjavik. On our way this time, we got to fly with these guys:

It's the Icelandic handball team that won a silver medal at the Olympics in Beijing! This was only Iceland's fourth Olympic medal EVER and they were so excited. When it was time to board the plane, the crew announced that the Olympic handballers would be travelling home with us and they all filed in with their medals on. They got a huge round of applause and some champagne at the gate. The flight crew wore Icelandic team uniforms and there was free champagne on the plane for everyone and free movies on the new in-seat entertainment systems (wee one watched "Happy Feet").

When we arrived in Iceland, the plane took an extra turn so the airport fire crew could salute the Olympians with a waterworks display. It was cool to be a part of this special moment for them. But this actually isn't the first time we've flown home from Germany with an Olympic champion. Two years ago after the Winter Olympics in Turin, we flew back with one of the gold medal winners of the Swedish hockey team (he was a Boston Bruins player, flying back to return to the team). Our Olympic streak will probably end here though, since the games are in Canada in 2010 and London in 2012. Darn.

After the high of the Olympic flight, we were excited to finish our trip across the Atlantic and get home. Then there was a delay. We were so close (just a 4 1/2 hour flight away) and yet still so far away. We tried to keep the kids' spirits up while we waited and waited for them to get us a plane.

let's learn Icelandic: epla svali = apple juice
last year we learned koko mjölk = chocolate milk

After a two and a half hour wait, the Icelanders brought us home. Despite the delay, I still love flying Icelandair. It's just so nice to have that break in the middle of the long trip. The little airport is so quiet and pretty and the security and passport stuff is way less stressful. Plus, the place is full of lovely english-speaking Icelanders (oh, they're a good-looking folk) with such fun names (we had a blast watching that handball final and routing for Stefansson and Atlason and Petersson and Sigurdsson and figuring out what all our last names would be in the Icelandic patronymic naming system). Okay, I'll admit it, I'm starting to get a little crush on Iceland.

posted by alison at 11:15 pm | in vacation 2008

Comments

I remember when my mother and her then husband a "cowboy," came to visit us in Germany. It was a hoot. My step father always wore a cowboy hat and everywhere he went people called out to him, "Howdy!" There is somewhere in my photo album a picture of a monk from one of the churches there with his cowboy hat on.

I also have to mention that while we were there I was pregnant with my first born. And I craved Taco bell like you would not believe. My MIL sent a video to us of TV shows from the US and there was a Taco Bell commercial... I liertally wept. It was one of my most pathetic moments ever. But you are so right... it is hard to get your hands on a decent burrito over there!!

Welcome home! Sounds like the trip was fabulous. I personally have always wanted to see Iceland too!

Posted by: Amy at August 30, 2008 12:50 AM

Wow! You had quite an eventful flight home! ^_^ How neat that you were riding with Olympic medalists!

Posted by: Jolynn at August 30, 2008 1:39 AM

Your children are so beautiful and adorable, I can't get over it. So interesting too that Germans are so much into the American Wild West thing. Didn't know that.

Hmm ...

Posted by: firefly at August 30, 2008 4:05 AM

hi Alison! and welcome home after what seems to have been a lovely trip. if you´re interested you can see photos of how we welcomed our silver-boys home, on my blog.
best wishes from Iceland
Frida

Posted by: Fríða at August 30, 2008 4:22 AM

Cool, Frida! I searched for a photo of them getting off the plane. Thanks for sharing your pics. And congratulations to Iceland!

Posted by: ALISON at August 30, 2008 6:55 AM

I dated a Guttormsson for a couple years, when I was in high school. He was proud of his Icelandic heritage. I so much want to visit Iceland some day! Germany, I lived in for three years when I was young, so it's always fun for me to see your pictures, though I don't think Legoland was there when I was little, since I'm thinking I'm a bit older than you! But I remember a big miniature village (ooh, there's an oxymoron) elsewhere; I know it's well-known, but I'll have to ask my mother to remind me where it was, I was only 4 or 5!

Travelling with the Icelandic team, and all the special things done in their honor, is way cool. I hope the boys remember (they should be old enough). Too bad I didn't see the handball!

Posted by: Cathy-Cate at August 30, 2008 8:38 AM

It sounds like a great trip, and the kids are growing up so fast. The boys are beautiful and Wee One gets cuter everytime I see a picture of her.

I am amazed to learn about the Icelandic naming system! Thanks for sharing that interesting information.

Glad to have you home!

Posted by: Katherine at August 30, 2008 9:05 AM

Your trips are always so amazing. I keep telling myself that someday I'll get to go on a trip overseas, but I think I'd have to buy less yarn first!

Posted by: Seanna Lea at August 30, 2008 10:56 AM

That's so cool you were on the plane with the Icelandic handball team and the free champagne! What a wonderful moment. The world is a town sometimes.

Posted by: Kathode Ray Tube at August 30, 2008 11:16 AM

We loved landing in Iceland, too, on our first trip to Scotland. The Vancouver Olympics are only 3 hours north of Seattle. If everyone is coming here, I'd like to meet a few knitters.

Posted by: Angie at August 30, 2008 4:52 PM

You probably know that girls take their mother's name in Iceland, with "dottir" added on the end. If you didn't know, you do now! I hear that the phone books there are pretty confusing since all the names are so similar. And, Icelanders are deemed to be amongst the happiest, most content people in the whole world.

It's cool about the Olympic team

Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport at August 30, 2008 7:55 PM

Welcome home! Sounds like you had a good trip!

Germans are indeed obsessed with all kinds of 'native American' stuff!

Posted by: Kristin at August 31, 2008 4:16 AM

Sound like you had a great time. too bad it ended so soon. I'll have to try Iceland Air next trip.

Posted by: Patricia at August 31, 2008 8:24 AM

The picture of the boys smushed in the car ride remind me of a couple years ago when my brother, sister, and I crammed into/onto a similar gadget at Chuck E. Cheese's that took a picture so we could have a group shot. We were all over the age of 20. (Don't ask what we were doing at the kid's food place to begin with...)

Posted by: ruth at September 1, 2008 10:18 AM

Next time in Germany you will have to visit the "Karl-May-Festspiele": http://www.elspe.de/ !!!

Posted by: meike at September 2, 2008 11:57 AM

I enjoy your blog, but never comment. I felt compelled to comment today about your statements with respect to the German celebration of our American history. Your statement was not really accurate for many parts of the country. I live in Oklahoma and there are innumerable things in our state that recognize the beginnings of American culture. We have a Native American museum, many, many pieces of art works, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame (of which at least half is dedicated to the Native American culture and its artists) and many other things. Our State Capitol showcases murals of the famous Indian ballerinas, the founding of the Five Civilized Tribes and the sorrow of the Trail of Tears. I think that in many parts of the country, teepee and bows & arrows are not part of the culture due to political correctness. You can rest assured, that here in the land of the Red Man (a proper phrase) we know the history, preserve the history and are sometimes ashamed of the history. But we do recognize and celebrate that history.

Please don't take this as a critism. I just wanted you to know that there are places in America that understand the history and for which the history is an important daily lesson.

As I said before, I enjoy your blog and I look forward to future posts. Bev

Posted by: Bev at September 2, 2008 10:43 PM

OMG, that park looks like one I visited with my family back in 1983. My brother was stationed at Spangdalham AFB. I can't remember the name of the park, but I remember getting a t-shirt from there.

We also flew Icelandair, and had a great time. It was 90 degrees in Chicago when we left, and 40 when we landed in Rekyvik.

Posted by: Beth at September 3, 2008 9:26 AM

Thanks for the info Bev. I totally agree with you that political correctness is the culprit. It so often leads to us not talking about or learning about some things as much as we should. It is simply "safer" for the Germans to play at being Indians than for Americans.

I get the same sort of frustrated, disappointed feeling when we go to amusement parks and swimming pools in Germany. Everything is so relaxed there. I'm always thinking that the kids would NEVER be allowed to do that in America. Small, local amusement parks don't necessarily have people watching every kid get on and off of every little piddly ride. And the pools let you jump around, bring big beach balls, etc. Here it seems that the mere chance of injury and a lawsuit keeps things much stricter. I never see kids get injured in these places in Germany. I'm sure some do, just like some do at the places here. But their legal system and health care systems are so different, they can have fewer rules and more fun.

Posted by: ALISON at September 3, 2008 1:52 PM

I love mountain slides. went on one in Jacksonhole Wyoming. It was lots of fun.

Posted by: Orli at September 7, 2008 3:14 AM