Of Mice and Meat

(Prologue: have as of 15 minutes ago checked into the Orla Copacabana Hotel and am so deliriously happy with my stylish and clean accommodations that I did the whole `Hills are alive with the sound of music` twirl around the hotel room. Ahhh, all is well, all is very well. And funny enough, another notch on the small world scale, as I was checking in I overheard a woman talking and noticed her Canadian accent. I asked where she came from, and it turns out she is a woman I have been emailing about this conference for months and we were to meet up later today at the Congress centre. BIZARRE!)
Well, ladies and gents, Rio goes on and last night I had a real non-exhibition-sample dinner at a Brazilian Churruscuria, which I am probably spelling wrong but in essence is Brazilian barbecue, where the servers come around with giant hunks of meat on skewers and cut off whatever kind you want. ANY and all cuts of meat and some chicken and fish were circulating and it really is more meat than i have ever seen in one place at one time. Now, most know me as not a huge fan of such fare, and to tell you the honest truth the experience most proved to reinforce my disinterest if not distaste for the grilled mammal. But an experience it was, and I was happy to go with some good company where the laughs were abundant.
Today marks the last day of the conference and I am happy to see it end. It is an hour bus ride to the congress centre each way and this afternoon I just want to leave it all behind and enjoy the beautiful beach and sunshine. And view from my rooftop patio!
Three days left in Rio and I am anxious to experience the BEST of the city!

Hot Samba Nights

WELL it has been one dance filled night after another here in Rio and quite the spectacle I must say! They take their samba seriously here and an outsider can only hope to perform at some level of adequacy so as not to completely embarrass him/herself. I have yet to decide if I faced the challenge well.

On Monday evening we went on the first of 2 guided night tours and ended up at this cozy/trendy/hot samba club where there was dancing on 3 levels and the caipirinhas were flowing. It so reminded me of that scene in the Thomas Crown Affair when Pierce Brosnan is dancing with Rene Russo who is wearing that breathtaking dress. However there was no Pierce Brosnan and I was no Rene Russo but once i actually let someone lead I didn´t do to bad. Although there is something to that old adage about better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Could possibly be adapted here.

Last night was the second half of the night tour and we ended up in a very different place, at a Samba hall in a favela (slum) of Rio. Basically just a huge open warehouse-esque room with tables, with the performers dancing and singing at the front. Very `Folklorama` for all you Winnipeggers partaking in the Blog. But the costumes and dancing were incredible, I can´t wait to post the pics online upon my rerturn.

Tomorrow will mark my departure from this den of ill keep and words cannot express the elation I am feeling. There was a bug in my bed moments ago. A BUG. This means that yet another layer of protective clothing must be laid out in order to even contemplate sleeping. UGH.

Besides that I fulfilled the Myriah Travel Duty and purchased several pairs of smashing new shoes. Pink/purple RUBBER STILETTOS!! And some blue and yellow platform flip flops. LOVIN´ every minute of it! Feel the shoe love.

Alrighty, finally going to get some real food for dinner tonight. MMM maybe even that meat on a stick stuff....

Stockholm Syndrome?

There I was, after a fabulous night in Rio last night, falling asleep thinking that mayyyybe this place wasn´t SO bad (see title)...and then I woke up to ABSOLUTELY NO HOT WATER. NONE. NOT ONE DROP. Now, I enjoy a good shower. I enjoy a good HOT shower. In fact I enjoy several a day. Alas any idea in the way that I was actually accepting my surroundings was in that one instant swished down the drain with the rest of the cold soapy water that was my shower. Confirmed myself at the beach hotel for the end of the week minutes ago.

BUT I am leaving out the best part. Last night was incredibly fun. I had a wonderful time with my new friends Andre and LIdia and we sampled every kind of caipirinha available (maybe thats why I didn´t mind going back there all that much...) and I managed to meet plenty of newbies whom I hope to see again throughout the course of the week. The reception they had here last night was great (where said caipirinhas were served) and this whole exhibition hall is FILLED with drug companies catering lunches and snacks and pizza and I mean Nestle alone has a whole south wall dedicated to their cookies and meal replacements. I havent eaten a meal since I got here but have rather been grazing the exhibition pasture, if you will. Good times...

And tonight is SAMBA!!! CAN´T WAIT!! The last time I attempted such a dance was in Panama and just plain embarrassed myself with my lack of skill. Well, it was more that I wanted to lead and when you don´t know how to samba and are trying to lead someone who does....trouble ensues.

The Samba bus is about to embark....

Rio Grande

Well, here I am in Rio. Finally.You must excuse any spleling and grammar more misplaced than usual as its 5am and I am curretnly faced with a keyboard that has been so overused the letters have worn off and was originally in POrtuguese, double whammy.

Things here are....okay. The place we are staying in however, I would not subject my beloved golden retriever to which is omnipotently putting a damper on my further impressions of the city, much like Prague. (Case in point, the reason I am writing to you at 5am is so that I can get inline for the SHOWER for which I went out to purchse a bottle of disinfectant spray to kill lingering germs from the MILLIONS if drunk students who are here) I am now awaiting confirmation on the lovely 4 star beach hotel I am treating myself to on the last two nights. I will have suffered long enough.

The scenery around the city itself is very beautiful and copacabana beach is a wonderful stretch of sand that feels like sugar under your feet. AND the ocean is so warm and the water so blue. Okay, okay I know, what am I complaining about I should be happy to be here. ANd I AM - our conference starts today and Ill be conducting some working groups and all will be well. IF I can ever get into the shower and be assured Im not going to catch hepatitis.


THe person currently occupying the shower is taking forever..they~re worse than ME.....COME ON PEOPLE LETS GET MOVING. and take your germs with you.

A HEX ON THE HOUSE OF SCHIPHOL

SO...after all that yibbering from the taxi yokels about how I had to be picked up so early because I was sharing it turns out they are LIARS!! ALL OF THEM!! I was picked up in a wonderfully airconditioned Mercedes (+29 at 10am here) by a very lovely driver, and when asked where else we had to pick people up at he said I had the whole ride to myself. ARGHH!! Even he didn't know why I was being picked up so early. Alas, here I am, at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, with 4 hours to kill.

SO WHOSE fault is it if I am forced to buy overpriced magazines and Chanel lipgloss? NOT mine. At all. In the least.

However upon searching for an English-Portuguese dictionary in the book store (denied) I came across a wonderful discovery: John Irving, personally considered to be the best author of our time, has a brand new book out that I can't wait to read called Until I Found You. Looks like a typical mix of dry but harsh Irving humour (a la The World According to Garp) and is much focussed on travel. Had the hardcover not weighed approx 3 kilos I would have snapped it up in a second.

Alrighty. 3 hours left to go. Time to go investigate further shopping ventures and maybe hook myself up with some stroop wafels.

The Schiphol Travel Taxi - a curse disguised as a blessing

T-minus-20 until the "convenient" Schiphol travel taxi makes its stop at my door. You know, they have really figured out an ingenious way to make you have to DEPEND on this barrell bending service - it's cheaper than taking a taxi two ways to the train station to catch the train to the airport so logic dictates you sign up (trams to the train station are not an option with my, uh, "ample" luggage).

At any rate I have never once enjoyed a trouble-free experience with this service. Lost reservations. Late. Traffic. Drivers getting LOST en route to the airport (HELLO - isn't this where they GO???) Refusing my luggage. And now today. My flight leaves at 14:00. They are coming to get me at 09:00. SWEET ONION CHUTNEY. Now I have logged enough time at Schiphol to at least know where to go for some breakfast and internet, but still. Today it's because I have to share, and I am the first to be picked up. Such as it is with this "convenient" service.

BUT - WHATever! Because I am going to RIO where I am most optimistic its scenic vistas (I have always wanted to use that phrase in a sentence....) glittering beaches and hot weather will make it all worthwhile. I have already planned my trip to Sugarloaf on my day off.

Logging off for now. Adeus and see you in RIO!

Amanhã vou a Rio!

In the hours preceding my departure to a BRAND new country (well, brand new to me...from what I understand Brasil has been there quite some time...) I am becoming infected with the usual excitement that accompanies all new adventures. I am mostly packed and have made an extensive "DO NOT FORGET THESE THINGS" List so as not to arrive in Rio without my hair appliances and the appropriate power adaptors to make them functional. Must also not forget the Gilette Turbo Mach 3 Razor and Skintimate shave gel. With the non-existent swimwear there would not want to be left without a method for smooth skin.

WHY am I WRITING this??? And moreover why are you READING this???? Hehehehehe.

Speaking of swimwear, am seriously contemplating making use of the late night shopping tonight in The Hague and going in search of something new to wear to the beach. Talk about a horrible experience; I mean with those fluorescent lights in the changerooms and uneven tan lines it's the mental equivalent of force feeding yourself through a meat grinder. I think the plan will be to partake in a large glass of vodka followed by some recreational pharmaceuticals and THEN hit the shops. By that time no one will care, least of all me. (Editors Note: Have realised this process is far better done here where there are alternative options to the dental floss excuses they have for swimwear at the point of destination)

But I am looking forward to Rio, although the logistics of some of the meetings are causing a bit of strife and the interaction with a colleague who has proven to be a handful even though have just met online will also call on the utmost diplomacy (read: will most likely find it necessary to almost bite tongue off throughout the course of the week). Accommodations are also going to be interesting...our place is touted as the #1 Party Spot for visitors to Rio between the ages of 18-30. For the love of all things good on this Earth please just let the bathrooms be clean.

Have already signed up for the "Learn to Dance Samba" social event - move over Lola there's a NEW showgirl in town!

Will report from Copacabana upon arrival.

Must remember to study my Portuguese on the flight. It's not as if I won't have enough time...

"Good times...good times..."

Ahh, an oft used and oft undestood staple of the Myriah Vernacular. However, last night I had the utmost pleasure of explaining the origin and enjoyment of such a phrase, NPR Ladies and Allan Schweaty included. (Ahh Meghan I think of you now and hope you will pass along the myths and legends of pharmacy lore to the up and comer in the family. And of course Harris, us + good times + eyesclosedoverbite...classic.)

And so my new-found Portuguese friends were educated in some good North American Pop Culture while they in turn tried to broaden my Portuguese. I'm not proving to be a very good student however and I fear that they will give up on me soon. Perhaps I will come back from Brazil with a shwack load of new phrases.

The occasion marked Teresa's last night in The Hague until August, and because we will miss her and because she's just so super ultra fabulous we celebrated on the beach with a picnic under the sun. Well, I'm being a bit liberal here with my involvement as I was basically a last minute party crasher and was rescued from the purgatorious heat of the FIP Office en route. This is only one minor thing that I thank them for, as I had a (ooooh, wait for it...) GOOD TIME and am SO gibbled that such great people are willing to keep asking me to join them! Obrigado outra vez, outra vez, outra vez!! And SWEET ONION CHUTNEY the food rocked the casbah! (No actual chutney served...)

So we are now Teresa-less but I hope to keep up with the new troops during the time she is gone, for more good times and of course to keep on the unrelenting quest to secure some Portuguese into my mellon.

And now: BRAZIL, THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

Note from the editor: Have tried to use as many Myriah-isms as possible in this last post to educate the masses on the finer points of sharing a conversation with me, hehehehe.

The delight of coffee transcends all forms

Woke up to perfectly frozen mocha capp popsicles. YUMtastic might I say. Should figure that the perfect alternative to something hot and caffeinated is something frozen and caffeinated. ZING!

Already 19 degrees and fabulous. Some pre-relief to the rest of the rainy week.

Must go make hair pointy.

Cultivating the Base Tan

GLORIOUS DAY! GLORIOUS I TELL YOU! The whole weekend as a matter of fact! Two luscious days of 25+ weather and SUN!! NOT ONE CLOUD! A rarety in this global neck of the woods. As such my cumulative sunshine hours are approaching 12 this weekend, and have established a lovely tanned hue to take to Brazil.
Okay okay, I know it's bad for me. My skin will suffer. I have no answers for you, save that at least this time I used an SPF above 4.
I am very much wishing at the moment that the IPSF Welfare Flat had a BBQ. (On that note did you know you canNOT buy barbecue sauce in this godforesaken country?????? NONE!! I was hugely disappointed and yet not surprised. Was forced into making my own, a task I hope not to have to repeat as it was far from the Bullseye Combi Pack one gets from Costco. My chicken suffered dearly. As did I.)
Thoughts on the week ahead: Spinning spinning spinning. Have already commented on what work will be like - super prep time for the week off. The social calendar is also quite packed this week with a trip to Utrecht and a visit from the KNPSV kids to see the office and to grab a pizza. Then the packing begins. No sense in trying to decide what to bring: everything. Especially will not skimp on the shoe selection. It's what to wear on the 14 hour plane ride that will pose the challenge.
Need beverage. Maybe my mocha cappuccino popsicles are frozen...

Chamo-me Myriah! E es muito giro...

OLA!

Well, in my new found quest to learn Portuguese I made a great step forward by attending a hot international party at Scheveningen last night, The Hague's answer to the beach. Went with Teresa who as usual took utmost care to ensure my utmost enjoyment, and met some new people within her Portuguese circle of friends. Upon learning about my New Quest to expand my Portuguese vocabulary they were more than happy to provide oodles of phrases that may come in handy for my up and coming trip to Brazil. The were all fabulous and I have come to the conclusion I have never met a Portuguese I didn't like. BOM! If a party's success is measured by how late you get to bed and how glad you were you went, two thmubs up. If I knew how to say that in Portuguese, I would.

Speaking of Brazil, in 6 days I will embark on a 14 hour flight to Rio, which I am getting ever more excited about besides living in fear that things at the office will crash and burn, or worse yet they will discover that my services are less then essential for the continued smooth operation of the Federation. Must not let THAT happen now shall we. However it is only for one week and if all continues as is then all will bode well. I hope. Greatly.

On the topic of the office it was another muy occupado couple of days that ended with Teresa's send away lunch at a swank Chinese place. Thai curry - bring it on. I love The Curry, however The Curry does not love me and my ulcer was complaining for the rest of the day. We were all very very sad to see Teresa go. Although if she thinks she's seen the last of us...WHATever!

I shall get back to basking in the sun as it is rare to have a warm cloudless day in The Hague. Must get a base tan for Brazil, regardless of the fact I will not in the least be donning the famous dental floss bathing suits that are of the norm on the body flashing beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana.

Drink Coffee: Do stupid things faster with more energy...

This quote from a recently purchased coffee mug. Kind of exemplifies the scenerio this week as have been living off of 4 hours sleep a night and therefore monumental amounts of caffeine, in all forms avaiable, in order to merely ATTEMPT to get things together here at the office.

Today marks DAY 1 of flying solo at the New Post. So far so good, have been quite productive today but am just waiting for the multitudes of things to pop up that I don't know how to do..ARGH!

I escape to memories of Portugal and upcoming thoughts of Brazil, although taking a week off from the office right now hardly seems feasible. However, have booked the non-refundable tix and it's 26 degrees and sunny there. Can't NOT go now...

Back at it...

Ketchup Tomorrow; Relish Today

I have returned once again from another fantastic trip. Sometimes I sit back and wonder, is this really my life? That I can be in a different country every two weeks and have come to think of anything less as a sacrifice? That I can sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and have NO idea where I am?? That one poses a problem sometimes.

However, as I have written a rather long email about it I will simply report on the trip to Portugal as amazing. I wish I could have stayed longer; I wish I could stay indefinitely. It was so beautiful, and I loved being with my new friends there - I hope to see them more, and I wish them the best of everything in their upcoming nuptials.

I returned to The Hague to mounds of stuff. Quel surprise. 105 IPSF emails. 68 FIP emails. It is Teresa's last day in the office tomorrow - how on EARTH am I going to know what to do NOW? Lord help my poor broken body when I feel the need to throw myself down the stairs at the end of the week.

Okay, just focus. It will all bode well. I have helpful colleagues and am now premitted to WORK AND LIVE in EUROPE! The dream incarnate, as I like to say. So not only can I live without fear that I will be deported but I can actually make a living.

SO, I will NOT feel bad about taking a couple days off for Portugal, or the conference in Rio, or to Scotland, or wherever. I'll catch up tomorrow, and relish today.

PORTUGAL E MUITO BONITA!!

Ahhhh, what happiness this is. Really, I was driving around in the car, along the coast of PORTUGAL, and was thinking to myself, what is this feeling I have? OH RIGHT, HAPPINESS!

This will be a very quick blog as we are off to dinner soon.

But I am getting ahead of myself. I have been having a wonderful time in Portugal. The weather hasnt been as hot as I had hoped but I did manage to get a little bit of a tan. I have been very very generously hosted by my friend Pedro and his wonderful fiancee Rita. Talk about Power Couple. Rita is in her last year of residence in medical school, and Pedro, all under the age of 30 has a M. Sci. Pharm, MBA, is a senior lecturer at his uni and has mastered 6 (YES SIX!!!) languages. I admire and aspire. (At this point I feel the confessional need to admit that I am SHAMROCKED with envy. CURSE my middle-Canadian closed-minded small-world education. CURSE IT! Oh to have been shipped to Boarding School....)

But this country is amazing. The scenery is breathtaking, the people are wonderful and the food leaves NOTHING to be desired.

Off to eat! Will return with a Portuguese Activity Report upon return to The Hague.

Beijinhos

The week made better with Lesley..and BILL, and Portugal!

Ahhh what a week it's been. Is it Thursday already? I guess that's what spending 10 hours a day at the office does to you. Complete and total loss of time. And day. And reality. I'm putting in what I hope is a valiant effort to get a firm grasp on expectations before my EXCEPTIONALLY WONDERFUL predecessor bids us all farewell next week, but whether I have made good impression enough to warrant an invite past January remains to be seen. Right now thoughts are tied up with the Cairo conference in September and how we are going to successfully turn the disco of the InterContinental City Stars Heliopolis Hotel into a functional Press Room. I pray they keep the mirror ball strung up, as Rodrigo will need sufficient atmosphere to carry out the Flight Attendant dance. Where is the cage from last year?

However busy this week was, I am automatically happy as my fabulous friend/colleague/Gong Show Co-Host Lesley is visiting from Halifax to put in some good IPSF time before Congress. She's a superstar, one of my Top 10 for SURE. I laugh with no one like I laugh with Lesley (save maybe Meghan!) and the general consensus is that we Canadians are a wacky bunch. Move over Mike Meyers and Jim Carrey, there are some new Canadians on the block. A weekly cabaret show is planned in the foyer of our soon to be opening Starbucks in The Hague; the first in The Netherlands. Considering there is no take-out coffee establishment in a city filled with Expats we consider our 'Bucks a licence to print money, provided the million dollar start up investment materializes somehow. May have to discuss it over a tall non-fat half-sweet no-whip double-shot extra-hot caramel macchiato. And hey thanks to my Roca's experience if this FIP thing doesn't pan out I can revert to frothing milk behind the 'Bucks counter.

AND not only Lesley popped over to visit, but the always popular yet visibly elusive Luis/Bill has graced us with his presence! Finally we meet in person and I am smitten with yet another charming chap from Portugal. Bill - es muito giro! Spent an UBER fun night with the crew laughing till our guts ached and illegally piling into Teresa's car with Tana's fingers stuck in the car door. Good times...

I am sorry I will miss them all tomorrow, and yet am comforted with the prospect of seeing a new country as I am off to Portugal where it has been 35 DEGREES CELSIUS ALL WEEK! I am so FREAKING EXCITED to feel that kind of heat!! Not to mention catch up with Pedro and see what is reputed to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world. And what is also reputed to be one of the best shoe shopping meccas in the world. Bring it on.

And now it is 1:30am and I must be up in just over 4 hours. Hope to report on a memorable weekend all ways round.

SA-TUR-DAY *clap* NIGHT...in Amsterdam

Just spent the night in Amsterdam, a city I have never had a fondness for but that once again drew me back to guide yet another visiting Winnipegger through the debaucherous streets of the Red Light District.

Amsterdam is a city of irony and paradox. Where else would you find a Christian Youth Hostel in the throws of the most famous district of liberal (immoral?) philosophy in the world. And not only a Christian Youth Hostel but the XXX Christian Youth Hostel. Upon trying to take a photo of the sign advertising just this, was met by one said Christian Youth who emerged from his Den of Moral Refuge (XXX) to verbally accost my soul for "defaming the name of God". And His hostel. The Youth then proceeded to throw a pack of rolling papers at me.

And where else would you find a Prostitute Information Centre in the shadow of the oldest church in the city, half way between the vagrant shooting heroin on the street and a fruit and vegetable market? Even the diamonds are loose and mounted in the Red Light District.

The RLD is a strange spot. Sex shops beside kebab stands beside "coffee shops" beside pizza take-out beside prostitutes beside churches beside dealers amidst the absolute freedom to purchase pleasure in all its forms, some you have yet to image exist (and that challenge one to re-evaluate what might fall under the category of enjoyable....). But this is but one area of the city and tonight I even managed to enjoy it, as did my companion I believe. This opinion could have been arrived upon, however, after a foray into The Bulldog Cafe to get some "special space" hot chocolate. Can't remember. Don't care either, hehehehe.

That's okay. According to the chap at the XXX Christian Youth Hostel I will be saved.

Until we meet again...

The First Post

At the persuasion of a very good friend and fellow Blogger, I have thus embarked on my own personal journey to Bloghood, hoping to capture for all those who peruse these hallowed pages the pure boiled down bits of the absolute FABULOUSNESS of living in Europe.

OH where to begin. I began these European adventures 4 years ago on my first Pharmacy Student Exchange to Barcelona. Ahhhhh.....the memories. The story that leads us to today, however rich in adventure, excitement, and gloriousness, is long, and I will not expand now. But here I am, garnished with 2 University Degrees, a veteran traveller of more than 20 countries, and now a young Pharmacist taking up a new post in The Netherlands, with my eye on the prize of MORE travel, MORE adventure, and the coveted corner-office-expense-account career (OH look, it's on the way!).

Those on the Myriah Travel Email list have been keeping up with my adventures since the beginning. I only wish I had saved all those emails....running with the Bulls in Pamplona was especially memorable. However here we are now, LIVE and ALIVE online, and I plan to use this Blog as my own personal record keeping system.

As my new job is calling me to task, I must go. The coming weeks will provide OODLES of stuff to write about, and I look forward to bringing the zeal of it all to the masses.

Until next time....or until I win more KEANE tickets!

Myr.