Haarlem... Another enchanting location

Grote Kerk Cathedral, Haarlem, The Netherlands

On our first day of our tour, we met up with our tour group, got acquainted with our tour guides and had a nice, Indonesian family-style dinner with the whole gang. The folks in our group are fun and we enjoyed getting to know them during our social time.

Dinner was followed with a tour around the city of Haarlem, and it just so happened one of the waitresses at the restaurant we ate at gave us the Haarlem tour. She was a native Haarlem resident named Hodie and explained the many nuances of Haarlem's culture, the surrounding business, politics and Holland people.

This is Hodie. Not sure if I'm spelling her name correctly. (c;

What we learned:

• Holland could be viewed as the "tolerant country" because of the things they've allowed (they don't like to call it legalizing). Namely, prostitution and marijuana use in public coffee shops. What's refreshing to understand is their allowing these graces eliminates avenues for organized crime that we U.S. citizens are all too familiar with (crime in general). Prostitution is regulated, they have a union, benefit and the element of a pimp is non-existent. This approach provides safety to those in this profession and they video record every "session" for additional security. I like the Holland people's idealism of "it is what it is" so they let it be. They know it will happen with or without the allowance, so why not tax it? This approach makes it non-emotional as well.
• Hollanders look out for each other. It's just how they live. In the town of Haarlem for instance, the shops have living quarters above them. Tradition is to keep their windows uncovered (curtains remain open). They're not private people and trust one another. Leaving the curtains open facilitates keeping an eye on the shops around them and the shops have their stores lit a certain way so these residents can be the eyes for them. As a result, they have each other's back and there is no theft or vandalism.
• Bike riding is THE mode of transportation. They are simple people, so a quick trip via bike to the local market for a few odds and ends is all that is needed. Some of the bikes are cart-like to hold groceries, their 3 kids or bagged goods. The road system is built to accommodate riders and pedestrians must yield to them. Their flat landscape lends well to bicycling around and they ring their bells if you're in the lane their riding in. You have to look both ways at all times and watch out.
• They have a deep appreciation for history, art and architecture. Store owners, who wish to operate their business in town, and who are wanting to work out of the more historic areas cannot modify the storefront facade. The community wants to keep the integrity of the original construction. To help, the government will subsidize the cost of renovation using the proper standards, yet keeping the original design unchanged. In the olden days, storefronts were identified by a brick-tiled "floormat" outside of the store, as well as embellishments on the woodwork around the windows. For instance, a barber shop would have a scissors design at their door or a pharmacy may have a design of scales to indicate to customers what kind of store they were.

Storefront design elements in old Haarlem

Above, a resident uses pants to symbolize what the building used
to be a business for. A tailor. It so happens the resident is a relative
of the merchant who worked from this building long ago.

Haarlem was a city of great charm, beauty, and comfort. We were out of the traditional hustle and bustle Amsterdam demonstrates since it wasn't so much of a "tourist trap" and we loved it!

Amsterdam: A beautiful, bike-riding city

Active residents among Vondelpark in Amsterdam

Waiter offering insights & directions

After checking into our hotel, showering up for a recharge, we took on the city by foot and landed in what I called the "restaurant district." A charming, tight-nit part of town, bustling with locals and tourists alike. Our server at the restaurant we chose was wonderful and gave us, what I felt was "inside scoop" on a recommended must-see-do place we'll take his advice on this Saturday.

Amsterdam is a popular (understatement) bicycle riding city

Amsterdam impresses me. Everywhere you turn there are people riding bicycles. Whether it's a mom with her two kids, a business man or woman in his or her finest suit, or a pizza delivery person, biking is the mode of transportation in these parts. I've seen older folks doing this too, so age isn't a factor either. 

No one wears helmets either, and I haven't seen an accident yet, so what is it about these people that separates us from our helmet-toting riders? I also didn't see one person wearing skin-tight or brightly-colored  bike "garb" showing they're sponsored by some company and whatnot either. Just normal people getting to and from their destinations in a mode of transportation that is efficient, cost effective and really fitting for the city. Bikes were just bikes, too. Not fancy and some real clunkers. A key theme regardless, was that every single one was locked up when parked, which made it apparent to me they must be stolen from time to time. Scooters and motorcycles are also popular.

After crossing one of many bridges, I call this area the "restaurant district"

Another observation. No pan handlers, and no smelling pot! Despite being in a city where marijuana is legalized in public shops, I have to say, I have smelled more pot in Seattle during my walks to my office building than I have in this fine city, here. The people of Amsterdam must be doing something right.

And traffic moves, too. Cars have to share the road with bicyclists, and among this, there isn't congestion like what we see back home. 

A quaint city of canals and beautifully-designed bridges, infused with wonderful charm and character, I have to say so far, I don't just "heart" this place, I "puffy" heart this place!

Residence among Vondelpark

We made it to Amsterdam!

After an oh, so long flight (the longest we've had thus far), we made it to Amsterdam! We are getting settled in our hotel and going to "freshen up" before we conquer the city. They say we shouldn't sleep and we certainly didn't much on the flight despite our attempts.

A shower will recharge us for sure and we'll take in some sights and probably retire for the evening earlier than the locals so we can get to it full charge tomorrow, which will be Friday since we're a day ahead.

Our bus ride was interesting... just reading the street signs and how the roads are constructed is very intriguing. Love the bikes everywhere too! Looking forward to photographing this fine city we're visiting!

Trying to believe

As much as I try to believe, it's still surreal that we're about to embark on this trip we have in store for us. We depart just a short few days from now, so we're making our final preparations.

I am ready to...

• Be adventurous
• Be curious
• Be open-minded
• Be inspired
• Be rejuvenated
• Be awed and...
• Just be!

It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing, doing this, and I am grateful for the opportunity. Our last sabbaticals were spent moving in one and sort of hanging out with the other (despite going on a cruise, but let's face it, Alaska isn't much different than Washington).

This time, we're doing things the way we want to, and it couldn't come at a better time!

Here's a brief rundown of our European adventure:

1. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2. Bacharach, Germany
3. Rothenburg, Germany
4. Reutte, Austria
5. Venice, Italy
6. Florence, Italy
7. Rome, Italy
8. Cinque Terre, Italy
9. Lauterbrunnen Valley, France
10. Beaune, France
11. Paris, France
12. London, England
13. Ireland — All around

We'll keep connected right here on the blog and share our experiences, insights and highlights along our adventure.

Life-altering experiences...

It has been so long since writing on our blog! Since the last posting made, we've launched a photography business, Jodi Morgan Photography (http://www.jodimorganphotography.com) which has kept us very busy lately.

I recently wrapped up all of my photography business obligations to focus on an amazing adventure with my family.

As I write this post, we are just a couple short weeks away from an amazing trip to Europe for the entire summer! It is finally becoming real, but I still can't believe it's really happening, although our bank account shows all the signs.

Coco, one of our two Cairn Terriers

We'll be taking a European tour, which begins in Amsterdam. We'll work our way through Germany and Austria, head down through Italy and Switzerland and France. Our plan is to remain a couple days with our free time to stay in Paris. From there, we'll stop into London for a few days of more free time and close the trip with a 14-day tour of all of Ireland. We've been studying up and reading and researching strategies for planning and hope what we've learned is going to pay off during the trip.

I am always asked what I want out of this trip. It's a hard question to answer, but I guess my goal is to explore new lands, take in the cultures, try new things (food and people) and reflect. As a photographer, I know I'll be in my glory photographing the places and faces while we're there.

While we're away, I feel incredibly lucky to have Patty & Dave staying at our home to watch our canine kids, Cooper & Coco. Our puppies have been a great source of entertainment and companionship for us and they'll love being with their grandma & grandpa!

What's next around the corner?

I have a great friend at work, who's photogenic, fun and accommodating... a wonderful subject to capture on camera.

She knows I love shooting and would do it any chance I can take, and didn't mind one bit having me take shots of her. She's a 'feed your soul' kinda gal and I love this about her! Happy for the sake of it and open to everyone -- so dang refreshing! (c;

I've finished my composition and light course at a local community college. I, admittedly can't say I've learned a ton from it, but I went every week more for the opportunity to talk about my favorite subject of photography. It's hard when something like that ends, you want to keep the momentum going, so I've decided I'm going to try doing a series and already have one planned. Now I just need to firm up the dates and make it happen.

In May, I have an upcoming safari I'm looking forward to attending as well as a photographer's seminar that will keep my appetite for this going.

The weather is starting to turn around and I don't feel so much like a mushroom as I have. It's amazing what inspiration comes with just a little sunshine. It's really too bad that the sun is bad for you (skin-wise), because it does a world of difference with your outlook on things. I hope it sticks around for us for a long time -- we sure need it!

Some hockey in Kent

:: Click here to view photos ::

I was lucky enough to be invited to a hockey game by a friend who managed to score some tickets from her employer with some nice seats at the arena in Kent, WA.

As a train rider, the Kent station has an old, abandoned grain shack that has some interesting effects as it's remained neglected. Photography stuff, like peeling paint, moss, and even grass. It has fascinated me every time we've stopped there, I took advantage of the location to arrive early to fire off some shots of this location as well as some of the people at the nearby mall.

Sometimes, a camera can be a funny thing. I've learned it can have a tendency to draw people to you unnecessarily. This was the case for me on this day, and unfortunate because I really wanted to be invisible in order to get the most candid shots possible. I let the 30-45 minute conversation I had with a stranger, cause me to retreat from the location earlier than I had wished. I am definitely going to look at strategies to keep me shooting so I can avoid these situations in the future.

The game was great and I really enjoyed it. The people-watching was at a premium, so I was in my glory being there! I will need to attend some more sporting events with the family; it's an experience I think we need to have from time to time when we live in such a closed-in little world as we do.

While in celebration from the goals, I was standing up and accidentally let my camera lens hit the head of an fan below and in front of me, that was sitting down. I was so embarrassed! I learned my lesson there and will make sure to hang onto it at all times!

Today's the first day of Spring and I couldn't be happier for it's arrival! I hope we have an awesome season and Summer as well!

Until next time...

Trying to get back into the swing of things...

For my love of photography, I am going to school at night. I'm currently taking a composition and light class and had the first class this past week. I really enjoyed it! I'm hoping it will get me back in the field out shooting because I've been in somewhat of a block. Just not sure what to take shots of, etc.

The creative ideas started flowing with just attending one class, so that's a great start, right?

One of the things I'm going to start doing first off, is shooting in black and white. In my usual post shoot process, I convert photos I think would look good to black and white within Photoshop. That's going to be a thing of the past now. It should be fun to experiment with since I really like the look of black and white exposure.

As luck would have it though, this morning I was all amped to go shooting and had some good ideas in mind for capturing but the closer I got to my destination, the more and more it was raining. I attempted several times to find another location where I could find cover or where it wasn't raining and it was impossible.

... so I retreated back home. What a disappointing day! I will get out again though. I am certain of that!

Spring is coming, thankfully and I can't wait for the weather to warm up and start cooperating more. Hope you have been enjoying 2011 so far! (c;

It's been way too long, I know!

« Click to view all the photos »

I've taken a sabbatical from blogging... I guess I needed a break. Part of it is because I'm not sure if anyone is even looking at this. If you are, I'm sorry for not keeping it updated with the latest! (c;

At any rate, we're still kicking and it's hard to believe it's almost March already. Yikes! The one positive thing about this is Spring will soon be here, because I certainly don't want my time flying by!

This past weekend, we went out to "the sticks" as they say. At the beginning of 2011, we bought ourselves a present: A permit to some great wilderness near Mount Rainier. We hadn't bought one since 2009 and realized we missed not being able to get out there. We are definitely taking advantage of it every possible way we can now.

As luck had it, the weather took a turn for the better. Albeit cold, it was clear and sunny so we loaded up the three dogs, bundled up and made our way out.

I'll try to get better about my motivation to blog more frequently. In the meantime, here's a quick list of what's occurred between the August post to current:

• We've become dog owners... we went from a family of 3 to a family of 5! Two puppies and an old dog keep us company and our lives crazy.
• Our jobs moved to Seattle and we've been managing the commute fine so far.
• Brett's moved to a different role at work and is enjoying the challenge.
• Connor's 12 now and almost as tall as me. He continues to enjoy playing video games with his friends, online.
• I've continued my quest with photography at every opportunity possible. I would really like to have MORE opportunities to photograph people other than my immediate family members. Contact me if you're interested! (c;

P.S. Happy Birthday wishes to Patty, who's 65 today! We love you! (c;

The Oregon Coast: Revisited...

:: View photos ::

Oh, and don't miss this video!

As a result of Spring Break's poor weather during our trip to the Oregon coast, we thought we'd try it again in August. Regrettably, the weather was still not on our side. It was cold and mostly cloudy.

So, we made the most of it.

This trip was Connor's first time to bring a friend along. Their constant giggling was great to hear! When we weren't at the beach, we were in town going through the tourist attractions. When we were back at camp, we enjoyed the fire and the kids playing tag and other games with the other camping kids.

The boys had their own tent to stay in with the dog, Jake. They were sandy and hairy by the end of the trip but we all had fun nonetheless. We will likely not return to Oregon for a very long time. We've been burned too many times with the weather and this was our last try. Next Spring we'll go to Arizona and who knows where 2011's summer will take us — I invite the opportunity for something new!

Birthdays this month

Happy Birthday, Jerry! -- August 21

Happy Birthday, Mom! -- August 28

♥♥ I love you! ♥♥

The launch of www.jodimorganphotos.com...

:: Visit the site ::

Well, I finally did it. Created my own website to showcase my work as an individual. Take a moment to view it, and if you're so inclined, provide your critique to help me improve on it. Thanks in advance!

An update on what we've been up to...

:: View the slideshow ::

It's been a while since I've posted to the blog and with that, I've become a little rusty... I actually managed to forget some of my steps — hopefully, you can't tell the difference!

A little announcement

Before I dive in to our Spring break adventure, I thought I should announce how proud we are that Connor will be taking his science fair project to district! What this means is the school was impressed enough with his presentation of his project that they have moved him to compete in the district. We'll find out the results of this later this month. His project was on which fruits produce the most volts of electricity and tested it against a grapefruit, lemon, lime and orange.

Our Spring break

Like the past couple of years, we headed to the Oregon coast. Despite the lousy weather, we did manage to get out on a few hikes. The days we weren't able to really get out, we were lucky enough to have internet access, which saved us. We had sleet, rain, hail and lots of wind... to the degree that we did lose internet access for a day.

Heceta Head Lighthouse

We dedicated one day to a picturesque drive to Heceta, and visited their lighthouse. It was a gorgeous day and it's funny how easily our spirits were lifted by just some sunshine being out. Complete mood change, it was great! The ocean waters was like watching fireworks. Waves crashing in, making these huge displays of spray in the air; thick sea foam barreled into the shallower areas... looked just a consistency of thick, soapy lather. We hung out for quite a while just watching it. Mesmerizing!

:: Some video segments ::

I think next year's Spring break will take us to a warmer, sunnier place. We'll plan to visit the Oregon coast in the summertime instead, so we'll have more cooperative weather.

We hope you've been enjoying your Spring! (c:

Happy Birthday to Patty!

Patty's birthday is here (February 21) and so I've gone through our photo archives and made this short video I hope you enjoy.

Happy Birthday, Mom (and Grandma) — We love you!
Brett, Jodi & Connor

♥♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥♥

:: ♥♥ View the short slideshow ♥♥ ::

It's a long weekend for us with President's Day being on Monday, so we've decided to remain home given the lousy weather we're experiencing. But today, it's Valentine's Day and my sweetheart bought me a lovely flower arrangement that is an art piece in of itself. While these pictures don't do it justice, I can't help but share them with you! I am such a lucky girl to be married to such a wonderful person and ♥♥ I love him ♥♥ dearly! To many more years together and for you as well!

The cute files... from the Morgan Chronicles archive

Over holiday break with the time off I had, I ported all of our old videos to DVD so I could digitize and tweak them. It was so fun for me to reflect back on the earlier years when Connor was little. Here's one I put together today. Brett and I had a hard time understanding what he was saying back then — it was so funny!

A ladylike affair...

:: View the slideshow ::

Today, I met up with some work friends at this great tea house called, The Secret Garden Tea Room & Gift Shop. It's set in a Victorian mansion in Sumner and it sort of felt fancy to be having tea in teacups and be in such a quaint place and setting.

Note: Don't be too judgmental about their poor website. I did at first, but realize they're not in the website business, and they focus on what they're good at—Tea and good food!

I had never been to a place like this before. As you could imagine, they have every kind of tea you can think of. Great sandwiches and soups and salads too. For lunch, I had a vegetarian quiche with Gorgonzola cheese (a recent favorite of mine) and Orzo Pea Salad with a delicious scone, accompanied by caramel toffee tea. It was all delicious. They have a "Frosty Cranberry Salad," which is slightly frozen and is a sweet and tart concoction some of the ladies who ordered it seemed to enjoy. I might have to try it the next time I go. (c:

Dessert (which I didn't need but couldn't resist). I had their Chocolate Tea Cup. As the name implies it's a chocolate teacup filled with coffee mousse—it was decadent.

Good conversation and good company; it was nice to regroup to catch up. The venue was spot-on and I will definitely have to revisit it again!

Northwest outdoors in the winter...

:: View our slideshow ::

It's 2010 and before we venture back into the corporate world again, we've been out and about despite the cool temperatures, and taking in some of the sights around the northwest outdoors. Above is a photo from our visit today to Flaming Geyser State Park which runs along the Green River. As the name would imply, we didn't see any "flaming" geysers, but we did see some bubbling ones. I think in the summertime you see the flaming ones, but it's wetter here so this is understandable. We've also taken in some great views of our grand Mount Rainier for you to enjoy from a trip we made just after Christmas.

Wishing you all a prosperous and successful new year!

Good times... circa 2000

We were at the Puyallup Fair back in 2000. Dave and I decided to ride this ride called the "Ejector Seat." I did the favor of screaming for the two of us while Dave tried to collect himself. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Christmas is just a couple days from now, can you believe it? We certainly can't! Please tell me where this year went?

Well, I just finished wrapping the last gift today, and we have one work day remaining—a half day at that—and then we're off until the new year!

We have so many things to be grateful for that we should acknowledge; and at a time when others do not.

1. A job
2. Loved ones to share the holidays with
3. A roof over our heads
4. Clothes on our backs
5. Food in our pantry

This year has certainly had its trials and tribulations, and I'd like to wish they never happened in many, many instances. But it's never good to focus on the negative. And for that, we must move forward because it's good for us to do.

So, what does the year ahead have in store for us Morgans?
We'll strive to get out and about more than we did in 2009; I can promise you that! Perhaps sell our home? (We're not sure... we're thinking about it though). We have some camping trips planned for 2010 and I'd love to go in search of waterfalls. I want to expand my photography experience to start working with shutter speed and see where that takes me. I also want to get more into the video parts as well and serve them up here on the blog. But it's about content and it has to be entertaining, so I'll try to make sure to produce something that has substance. (c:

What's the deal with this RedBubble site?
Well, if you can tell, I've started working with a website called RedBubble. I've done this because I have heard comments from friends that I should sell my work. I was so flattered to hear their feedback and thought, well others do it, why not give it a try?

So, I set out to find a way to do this in an electronic format, so my relationship with RedBubble began. Here, I have some of my more "prouder" shots that I can showcase and the site provides the opportunity for people to buy my work in a variety of prints to choose from—from cards to canvas, to framed prints, to posters, etc. It has been fun getting familiar with the online community, as well as inspirational to view others works. It has taught me a few things and I'm looking forward to experimenting further!

My gallery is located at this web address: http://photogyrl.redbubble.com

Feel free to post a comment here to share your well-wishes to those who view this blog, or if you have a comment regarding this post; we'd love to hear from you!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to each of you!
We hope for a peaceful and brighter year ahead!

« Jodi, Brett & Connor

Remembering heroes...

:: View the photos ::

These photos were taken prior to the large funeral procession to take place from McChord Air Force Base to the Tacoma Dome. The motorcade arrived to pick up the family members of fallen Officer, Mark Renninger, who lived in our neighborhood. Once this motorcade met up with the rest of those participating, the entire procession took 4 hours to drive the approximate 9-mile route to their destination in downtown Tacoma. Clearly, the turnout for the memorial was enormous.

It was a hard day that I hope brought closure and peace to everyone. A lot of hurting and sadness for the heroes we lost on November 29, 2009, who are gone but not forgotten.