Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Cellar Restaurant, The Merrion Hotel, Dublin , Ireland

After returning from a weekend in Belfast, Northern Ireland, we wanted to stretch our good experience a little bit further and were looking for a fine dining option. Our mind settled on the Cellar Restaurant at the Merrion Hotel. The Merrion incorporates a number of Georgian Townhouses and a new wing. It is a hotel since 1997. We have visited different outlets of the hotel before, including the two bars Number 23 and the Cellar Bar and The Drawing Room, serving afternoon tea and light snacks.
The Cellar Bar and Restaurant have a street entrance. We thought we could use it, but it was closed. Even though the main entrance to the hotel is on one end and the Cellar Bar and Restaurant are at the other end of a row of town houses, there is no direct connection between them. Not knowing the way, we asked first the concierge for directions, then the female bartender of Number 23, I could remember both members of staff from previous visits. We had to pass the Drawing Room and use the covered walkway between the old wing and the new wing. We made a quick stop at the fantastic garden of the Merrion. It has changed over the years from an Asian design to a more Irish garden. There is a statue of James Joyce, a famous son of Dublin, in the middle. We also love the water feature.
At the new wing we had to take the elevator to the basement and from there follow the signs to the restaurant. It wasn't easy, but once you know the way it's no problem at all.
At the restaurant we were warmly welcomed by a waiter and asked for our name and room number. We hadn't reserved or didn't stay at the Merrion. Thank goodness it wasn't a problem and within seconds we were brought to our table. The waiter offered to take our jackets, but we were okay with keeping them. He also presented us with the a la carte and special menu and the wine list.
I had a look around. The walls were white washed and had high ceilings. The table cloths were also white, while the comfortable chairs brought in some color splashes in green and orange. At the same time we were asked, if we maybe wanted to have a bottle of still or sparkling water to start with. We don't like sparkling water especially, so there was no question of what to take.
While we studied the a la carte menu, we had a brief discussion, if we wanted wine or a cocktail or both. Drinking generally not much alcohol, we decided it was either going to be a glass of wine or a cocktail. We asked for the cocktail menu and it was promptly delivered. To our surprise it came from Number 23. We expected the cocktails would come from the Cellar Bar. We found out later the Cellar Bar wasn't open.
When we were ready, the attentive waiter took our order. The water had arrived earlier. It was served in an old fashioned glass bottle. When I studied the label, it stated the water was sourced and received UV and other treatments on the premises, so it could be served to patrons. There was no charge to the bill.
Soon after we had ordered, we received bread and butter. It was baked in house, fresh and tasted really good.
We were busy discussing the weekend, service standards and other things until the starters arrived. Corn Pancakes filled with leeks and cheese for him and Mackerel with gooseberry salad for me. My mackerels were an art work on a plate. The taste was excellent, too. The flavors were ranging from sour and salty to pungent and sweet. I tried EW's starter as well. The pancakes had good flavor and were very light.
After we had finished our starters, the waiter asked, if we wanted to keep the bread or if he could take it away. We wanted to keep it.
While waiting for our main courses, we spoke about the food and the interior design, Leading Hotels of the World, where the hotel is a member and hotels in general. Before we knew the fillet steak and cod arrived. Again the presentation was colorful. My fish melted in the mouth, and I loved the sundried tomatoes and green beans. His steak was excellent, too.
After that we still had space for a dessert. He had the exotic fruit soufflé, I the Mango Passion fruit Jelly. We were happy with our choices and enjoyed an Irish Coffee Cocktail and a French 75 with them. We didn't realize we spent nearly three hours at the Cellar Restaurant. It was time and money (The bill came in at 129.50 Euro / ca. 190 USD, excluding tip) well spent. The food was excellent, and the waiters were friendly and unobstructive. Just what I expect of a fine dining experience.









©2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

Forbidden Part 2

Sam has been naughty and now he is up to a little bit more mischief.

"Dad, have you seen my marching band uniform?" Maxwell Richards was puzzled. He was sure he had seen it only a couple of days earlier in the dirty laundry basket. "No, isn't it in your wardrobe?" Jack, Maxwell's father asked.
They looked together. To Maxwell's big surprise and Jack's amusement they found a bra of Maxwell's sister Brooke in his wardrobe and a boxer short of Dominic, Maxwell's older brother. There was no sign of Maxwell's uniform, though. "Are you sure you have put it into the laundry basket?" "Definitly." "Okay. I'll have a look. Maybe it's still in the washing machine, the dryer or the basket." On the way he met his youngest son Sam and asked him, if he might had seen Maxwell's uniform. The brothers were sharing a room after all. Sam denied it.
A check in the laundry room proved fruitless.
At the moment life was a little bit hectic. The new school year started soon and the family's preparation for it were running in high gear. Dominic was excited. He was going to start a new life as freshman at the University of Washington State, Seattle. Brooke was entering her last year in high school, Maxwell moving to tenth grade and Sam to the fourth. McKenzie and Ava were too young to go to school yet. They were only four and three.
Jack spoke with his oldest kids. They had been on laundry duty. Dominic remembered to have put the uniform into the washing machine, and Brooke was sure she had ironed it. Where could it have gone to? They decided to check all wardrobes. Maybe it had ended up in one of them by mistake. The search didn't come up with Maxwell's uniform. It was a mystery.
Jack, Madeleine, Jack's wife, and Maxwell discussed the issue. "Maxwell, we'd love to order you a new uniform, but unfortunately we can't right now. Our budget is a little bit strained at the moment as you know. We'll try to cover it within a few month, though." His mother broke the bad news gently. Two of the three cars, the family owned, had broken down nearly at the same time. The repair costs had burned a huge hole into the budget. The money left was enough to cover all bills, including the planned in school materials, food for the rest of the month and to set up Dominic in Seattle, but nothing else.
Maxwell had mixed feelings. He was glad his parents didn't hold him responsible for the loss of the uniform. He was disappointed nevertheless. He had another uniform, but this one was already starting to look a little bit faded and frayed at the edges.

Sam sneaked into Dominic's room. He knew, if his brother would catch him, he would bite off his head. The risk was low, though, because Dominic was meeting friends. Sam didn't fear being found out by Maxwell. He was at his piano lesson.  Dad was painting in his studio. Mom was working. Brooke was entertaining Ava and McKenzie with stupid songs.
Sam was carrying a small bundle. Ah, there was Dominic's suitcase! It was already packed, but not closed yet. Sam removed a layer of clothing and flattened his bundle, he then put back Dominic's clothing as he had found it. Unnoticed he left the room.

In Seattle Dominic was unpacking. He looked surprised, when he held Maxwell's uniform in hands. Dominic hadn't a clue how it ended up there. He was happy, not only for his parents and brother, but also that Mom and Dad were still in Seattle, so he could save the transportation costs. When Dominic handed over the clothing, a light went off in Jack's head. He had a fair idea who was behind this prank and also why. He decided to have a serious talk with his youngest son, when Madeleine and he were home again. Maxwell was relieved, when he heard the uniform was found.

Jack kept a very close eye on Sam and how he reacted, when Madeleine gave Maxwell the uniform. Sam seemed to be pleased about the safe return of the uniform. Hm, maybe Jack had been wrong. Still, he wanted to talk to Sam.
Jack arranged, that he and Sam were alone in the living room. "Sam, did you lie to me, when I asked you about Maxwell's uniform?" Sam replied: "No, Dad." He looked Jack into the eyes and seemed hurt, Jack would suspect him. There was no sign he was lying now. "Are you sure, son? It's time to come clean." "Dad, I really didn't. You are totally unfair!" Jack didn't like Sam's angry tone, but overlooked it, because he suddenly had doubts, if his hunch was right. Still he pressed on. "Sam, you were angry with both of your brothers, and it was your way to get back at them."
Around a month earlier Sam had been punished for misbehaving big time. The Richards' invited a potential client and his family to dinner. Brooke had baked an Imperial Torte as dessert for the occassion. Sam stole it and a bottle of Coca Cola, even though, he knew he wasn't allowed any sweets before dinner or drinking coke. Dominic caught Sam reading Brooke's diary. The cake had been destroyed in the process of eating, and Sam's clothing was smeared with crumbs and cream. The trousers could be salvaged, but the shirt had to be replaced with an old one of Maxwell's. Another more immediate problem had been to serve a dessert to their guests. A solution was found. Sam was angry with Dominic, because he told Jack and Madeleine what had happened and forced Sam to tell Brooke the truth. Maxwell used the chance to tease Sam merciless, calling him a baby, stupid and other things. The worst had been for Sam, when Maxwell said: "Even Ava has better table manners than you, and she is only three." Jack had of course noticed some of the teasing. He didn't stop Maxwell. He had an hands off approach and only stepped into arguments, if he feared they were ending in a fight. Jack also knew Sam could fend for himself.
Jack gave Sam his reasons, why he thought, Sam had been responsible for the vanishing of Maxwell's uniform. Sam still denied any involvment. His body language didn't indicate he was lying. Jack let Sam off, because he didn't have any evidence of Sam's guilt.

Of course Sam had been behind it. Maxwell had gone too far with his teasing. Now he knew exactly what it felt like, when Sam was told he had to wear a hand me down. Smuggling the uniform into Dominic's suitcase had been a way of getting even with his oldest brother. He knew, it would drive Dominic mad, if he had packed something that didn't belong to him, and if he had to pay for the postage, it would have been a nuisance for Dominic. Sadly Dominic found the uniform too early. Sam hadn't been sure, if his parents were going to combine he had played a prank on his brothers. Because he didn't want to get punished for it, he imagined how he would react, if he was really innocent and trained his body language and facial expressions not to let him down. Sam had the last laugh.



©2011

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Chastity - The Spectator

As promised here is another story about sexy Chastity.

Chastity Shelton was supporting one of the golf players at the charity event. Chastity followed him from hole to hole. The player was in his mid twenties, not especially tall, dark haired and stocky. Chastity found him very attractive. Her imagination ran wild, what she wanted to do with him, when they were alone. Chastity didn't even consider he didn't want sex with her. She knew she was attractive; even so she was roughly ten years older than her love interest. Her best assets were her big boobs - they were watermelon sized, but not big enough in Chastity's opinion, and further enlargements were planned - , her well rounded behind and her dark silky skin. Some fans weren't concentrating on the game. Instead they were staring unashamed at Chastity. She was used to it.
One didn't simply leave it at staring. He tried to get a date with Chastity. She put him down with a smile and saying: "Maybe another time, honey."
Soon her golf player had finished his round. He was second placed. Chastity went to congratulate him immediately. He was more than happy, when she gave him a French kiss. His hands brushed her breasts discreetly. Nobody noticed. Her nipples reacted immediately. She was horny, even though she only had had sex in the morning. She flirted with the player and took up his invitation to follow him. "We must be quick, though, the prizes are going to be awarded soon." They went to the car park. The young man directed her to a luxurious Mercedes limousine. The windows were darkened, so nobody could look inside. The car wasn't his own. It had been provided by the charity and came with a driver. To have privacy with Chastity, he gave the driver fifty dollars and asked him to amuse himself for the next half hour or so somewhere else. They climbed into the back of the car. Chastity made herself comfortable on her companion's lap. Soon her top was flying to ground. Chastity wasn't wearing anything underneath. The man buried his face between her breasts and enjoyed playing with them. Chastity was playing with something else, and it made her lover steamier than he already was. He was ready to throw her onto the seat and have his way with her. He kept himself deliberately under control, kissing Chastity on the mouth, throat and her breasts. His long fingers moved slowly up Chastity's leg and reached her honey pot. She was wet, hot and ready for him. Not being able to wait longer, he opened his fly and got out his erected friend, rubbing it against Chastity's honey pot. She moaned with pleasure. From then on she was in control and gave the golf player a hard ride. He climaxed and collapsed with a groan on her melons. "Oh, Gio, I love you!" Chastity breathed into her lover’s ear.  "I love you, too, Chastity." He replied, giving each breast a soft kiss. Re-arranging their clothing, they left the car to take part in the award ceremony. Chastity clapped especially hard, when the golf player she had made love with, received his trophy. Co-incidentally he was her husband Giovanni.








©2011

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Travel Report Hyatt Regency Kiev

If you haven't done so, please read Travel Report Malev and look out for Kiev.

We contacted the Hyatt Regency Kiev a week before we arrived to arrange a pick up from the airport.
The driver of the limousine was already waiting, and the journey to the hotel took around forty-five minutes. The cost was 90 Euro / 130 USD. The price quoted was for a Mercedes E-Class, but we received an S-Class. It was a delightful surprise.
The driver spoke good English and showed us the most important sights on the way, like the Freedom Square, where the Orange Revolution took place, or St. Michael's of the Golden Domes and St. Sophia's Cathedral. More about that later.
When we entered the hotel, a very high atrium greeted us. It was sun filled, contemporary and inviting. The receptionist was friendly and efficient.
We had booked a Club Room and were located on the same floor as the club lounge (9th floor). It was held in dark colors and a mix between modern and classic style. There was a writing desk, suitable for two people, a king sized bed, a flat screen TV and a chair. The artwork was interesting. If one didn't look closely, you could think one was a painting, depicting Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. At nearer inspection it turned out to be a map. There was also an old map of Eastern Europe hanging on the wall. Transylvania anyone?
The bathroom was medium in size and had typical Hyatt Regency toiletries. The bathtub and shower were separate. The room was comfortable, and we enjoyed our stay. We had views over St. Michaels of the Golden Domes.
The hotel has one restaurant (Grill Asia), two bars (Bar on 8 and Brunello Bar) and one lounge (Lobby Lounge). Besides that there is also 24 hour in room dining available, offering regional and international dishes. We tried Boef Stroganoff and Chicken Kiev. All was very good and prices were slightly lower than in Western Europe.
Breakfast was served at Grill Asia. The first and the last morning my better half joined me for breakfast at the restaurant, the other two days I had to go alone. The breakfast selection was one of the largest I have seen so far. There was everything, fruits and vegetables, smoked fish, marinated fish, different yogurt, milk, juices, coffee, tea, an egg station, cold cuts, desserts and on and on...
I guess because I went alone, the staff, especially the manager was very attentive and warm.
The hotel also offers a money exchange service, a hair dresser, a business center, meeting facilities and a spa (Spa Naturel). I used the money exchange service and Spa Naturel. The exchange service is hidden away on the ground floor on the way to the business center. The signs are very discreet placed.
At the Spa Naturel I had a Holistic treatment, lasting two hours and costing 1690 Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH), around 150 Euros or 210 USD. Hotel guests can go in bathrobes and slippers from their room to the spa, because there is a separate lift that provides only access to the spa. The spa itself, as the name suggests, is kept in natural colors and wood, stone and marble are the main materials used.
My treatment included a honey scrub, mist to open the pores, a Hawaiian massage with Natura Bisse products and hot and cold clay wraps. Overall it was very relaxing, getting rid of any tensions I had, and I felt rejuvenated afterwards.
The club lounge doesn't serve breakfast. Soft drinks, fruits and cookies are available throughout the day. In the evening there is a wide range of appetizers, cheeses, desserts, wines, spirits and cocktails available. The lounge also offers some magazines and newspapers for free and a small meeting room.
Photography of the exterior or the lobby isn't allowed. This is a shame, because the hotel is very photogene.
Security is also high with security staff and CCTVs. To use the elevator guests need to swipe their key card before it moves.
A day or so before we had to return home, we requested again the limousine service. To our surprise we had the same driver as on the arrival day.

We liked the hotel, and it fulfilled what we wanted, so if we are returning to Kiev, this is definitely the place to stay.


©2011

Friday, August 12, 2011

Travel Report Malev

It was time to see a new city and country. My fiance and I love Eastern Europe. We have visited Hungary, Poland and Lithuania before, now we went to Kiev in Ukraine.

Our flight was with the Hungarian flag carrier Malev. We started in the morning from Dublin Terminal 1.
There were check in machines, and we tried to use them, but they didn't work, so we checked in with the efficient staff at the counter. We had a connection in Budapest and our boarding passes were printed out for both legs. Our hold baggage was checked through to the end destination, so we didn't have to worry about it. My better half likes sitting at the window, but on neither leg did we have a window seat.
Our first flight was to Budapest. Malev doesn't have any luggage charges for the first piece and a free snack and beverages during flight.
The seats were comfortable and the cabin overall clean. One of my pet peeves is, when the seats are dirty. Unfortunately we encounter this more often on our travels. The seat configuration was three on each side.
We liked the in-flight magazine and coincidently the cover story was about Kiev. The flight took around three hours and there was in-flight entertainment available.
The snack consisted of a large croissant, filled either with ham and cheese or cheese and was good.
There was a choice of tea, coffee, water, juices and soft drinks available.
Our flight arrived punctual at Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport.
At the airport we had to go through another security check before we could connect. We were surprised, because obviously we already had gone through one in Dublin.  It seems we weren't the only ones. A lot of full water bottles were confiscated, because of the liquid ban.
We reached the entrance to our gate quickly, but couldn't use it, because it wasn't open yet.
In the waiting lounge were a bar, duty free shop, Hungarian souvenir shop, a bookstore and a jeweler, specialized in amber. There weren't many seating spaces.
Soon it was time for our flight. After presenting our boarding passes and passports we took a seat at the gate. After a short wait we were allowed onto the plane.
Again a snack was offered - you guessed it already - ham and cheese or cheese sandwich. It was in a white bred roll
On this route the preferred juice was tomato.
Again the flight was comfortable and arrived on time at Kiev Borispol International Airport. It took around two hours.
German citizens don't require a visa to enter Ukraine. Immigration queues were long and it wasn't clear, if we had to fill out the forms provided in the area before approaching the counter. We did just in case. The immigration officer didn't even look at the forms and tried to speak Russian with us. She was a bit impatient, but after clarifying where we stayed she gave us a stamp into our passports, and we were free to go. We had arranged pick up by car and driver with the Hyatt Regency Kiev. The driver was already waiting.

After four nights at the Hyatt Regency it was time to return. We calculated in a lot of time to get to the airport, but the traffic was fluid, not the expected traffic jam. From the airport to the city center it was a different matter.
We arrived nearly three hours before our flight and had to wait (nearly an hour) until the check in counter opened. The check in was friendly and efficient. Again we didn't get a window seat.
Borispol International Airport is going through an enlargement and renovation at the moment. It didn't take anything away from our experience. We bought Ukrainian chocolate (very tasty) and clothing for me. They also have a good watch and fabulous wine, champagne and vodka selection.
On each leg we had the same food selection. The only difference was during the leg between Kiev and Budapest. The sandwich bread used was dark. It seems to be a Ukrainian specialty, because I've seen it at the breakfast buffet and at in room dining of the Hyatt Regency as well.
Another interesting observation was an Eastern European gentleman reading Playboy magazine during the flight. Otherwise the flights were eventless and pleasant.

We liked Malev, because the staff is efficient and friendly, the airline is punctual, reasonable priced (of course depending, when the flight is booked) tickets, comfortable seats, free luggage allowance, free drinks and snacks.
The snacks could get too one sided, when flying frequently with Malev.
Should travel take us places where Malev is flying to, we definitely will use them again.

Please also look out for the Hyatt Regency Kiev review.


©2011

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Quest for the truth

Sam is in trouble again. This time with his grandfather.

It was still dark, when ten year old McKenzie Richards woke up. She was thirsty, so she decided to go down to the kitchen and get a glass of milk.
To McKenzie's surprise the floor light was on. Then she saw her grandfather and her fifteen year old brother Samuel at the end of the corridor. McKenzie stopped in her tracks. She felt the tensions between Sam and Grandpa, something was odd. Both had their backs turned to McKenzie. Her grandfather held a thick belt in his right hand. It was folded a couple of times. Sam was re-arranging his clothing, pulling up his pants. What was going on? Ivan Richards said: "The grounding is still in place. You can go to your room now." Sam answered, his voice slightly thick: "Yes, sir." McKenzie decided to retreat and wait until her brother and grandfather were gone.

Five years later

It was McKenzie's chance to pounce on her brother. They were alone in the house. McKenzie was nervous, though.
Sam was sitting at the kitchen table, his dark head buried in the Los Angeles Times. Sam mumbled a good morning, but didn't look up from the newspaper. McKenzie made a cup of green tea for herself, then she returned to the table. Sam was grabbing blindly for his coffee mug. "Sam, why did Grandpa spank you?" Coffee splattered everywhere. It seemed Sam had not only a good arsenal of swear words in his mother tongue, but also added a few in Portuguese. McKenzie helped her brother clean up the mess. When he had recovered from his shock, he asked: "How do you know?" McKenzie explained, what she had seen. At first she couldn't make sense of it. A couple of month later, she had a eureka moment. She watched Little House on the Prairie with her mother and saw the scene, where Simon gets belting. Suddenly everything was clear. McKenzie couldn't imagine, though, why Grandpa would see it necessary to use the belt on Sam. McKenzie's and Sam's parents never used corporal punishment. Of course she didn't speak to Sam about it, because she thought he would be embarrassed, if she mentioned it.
"Why are you asking now?" Sam asked. McKenzie would have had the chance to ask much earlier. "I have to write an essay about the pro's and con's of corporal punishment. Well, I could have asked Dad about his experience, but I wanted somebody, who was spanked more recently. There is a difference, if the spanking was netted out thirty odd years ago or only five." Sam agreed with his sister. He was willing to discuss the matter with McKenzie. Sam was honest, and McKenzie liked the fact he was one of the few men, who spoke open about his feelings, so she trusted him and thought he was going to tell her the truth.

"It had a lot to do with Richards’s male stubbornness." Sam explained.
Sam had been leaving the house without telling his grandfather where to or whom he was meeting. The reason was Sam knew his grandfather didn't approve of the kids, living down two blocks the road. Ivan Richards would have preferred, if Sam was hanging out with their direct neighbors. Sam found them boring. In order to avoid lying or being forbidden to see his friends, he simply left. Of course it didn't go down well with Grandpa, who confronted him. It ended in a huge fight. Ivan Richards told Sam he should move in his own circles and avoid the middle class kids, because they were only taking advantage of him. Sam lost his temper and accused  his grandfather of being a snob, forgetting his own roots completely. Ivan Richanovitch - the name was later changed to Richards to make it sound more American - had arrived aged eight with his parents David and Anna and his younger brother Kolya at Staten Island without a penny. He grew up poor. Ivan Richards turned the leaf, when a new  legislation came into place, allowing World War Second veterans to study for free. Because Ivan had to support a family, he worked during the day at a corner store and visited evening classes. Besides this Sam's grandfather managed to gain wealth through intelligence, luck and hard work.
After the accusation Ivan wasn't open to Sam's suggestion to meet the people Sam had been hanging out with, because he was angry, hurt and upset. Both of them felt they were in the right. "Okay, Samuel Andrew, if you go out again without telling me, you are grounded, instead of getting the spanking you deserve." Sam had been punished unfairly two years earlier. At the time they had agreed Sam had a spanking for free. The tidbit came as a surprise to McKenzie.
Sam disobeyed again. His grandfather kept to his word and grounded him for the weekend. It seemed Grandpa was able to read Sam's mind.  "And don't think about sneaking out. If you do, I promise you get spanked where ever I'll catch you."
The grounding didn't fit into Sam's plan. He wanted to go to a party on Saturday evening. He had given his word to be there. Sam kept to the punishment until the time of the party arrived. Sam felt he should take the risk. Keeping promises was important to him as well as loyalty, so he climbed through the window on the first floor and slid down the rain pipe.
Sam hadn't calculated that his grandfather wanted to make peace. Ivan realized soon, that the music, playing in Sam's room was a diversion. Ivan was angry and worried. He checked with McKenzie and her younger sister Ava, if they had seen Sam. They shook their heads. Ivan combed through the whole house, the garden and the garage, unable to find Sam. He hoped nothing had happened to his grandson. A neighbor had seen Sam earlier walking down the street. Ivan didn't know exactly where Sam had went to, but was pretty sure he was somewhere in the neighborhood. Ivan came to a decision. He brought Ava and McKenzie to bed at their usual time. Then he went to his home office, removing  his father's belt from the cupboard, where he kept it. The belt was worn, no wonder it was very old. Ivan smiled, remembering his own escapades and finding himself bent over for them. Discipline and correction of misbehavior was the right way to raise children. He didn't like spanking Sam, but what had to be done, had to be done. Ivan had seen the open window beside Sam's room, so he combined Sam had to return the same way he left....
Sam had sneaked in through the window again and was suddenly blinded by light. He felt sick, when he saw his grandfather with the belt in hand. "Um, hi Grandpa." Sam said guilty. His expression showed it as well. "Samuel Andrew, before we get down to business, explain, why you are going to be punished." Ivan said stern. "For disobeying you." "Right. How many strokes do you think I should give you?" Sam was stunned. How should he know? None was obviously not the answer his grandfather was expecting. Okay, so Sam didn't want to get too many strokes, but didn't want to give a too low number either. It would make Grandpa think he tried to escape easy. Sam's brain was working feverishly. He thought five was too low, ten too high. So maybe seven. It was in the middle. He quoted the number. "I'm feeling generous today, Sam. Please count the six strokes out loud for me." Sam's face flushed. He was angry and felt humiliated. He had learned from the last spanking to better not protest, it would only garner him more lashes. He replied: "Yes, sir." "Okay, Sam, drop your pants and bend over the window sill." "But..." "What is it, Sam?" "I don't want to make any fuss, but can't we go to your office or my room." "Do you remember what I told you would happen, when I caught you going out?" "Yes, you said you would spank me where ever you caught me." "Right, so where did I find you?" Sam stared to the ground. It was so embarrassing! "Sam?" Ivan prodded, when Sam didn't want to give an answer. "Here." "I think that answers your question." Sam gave in. He hoped, he could keep quiet. With the window still open the neighbors had chances to hear him getting it, or maybe his sisters were waking up and saw what was going on. Sam didn't want any witnesses. He resented his grandfather and swore, he wouldn't cry. At least not in Ivan's presence. With a sigh Sam unbuttoned his jeans and let it slide down to his ankles, then he bent over. It was difficult for him, knowing how much the belt was going to hurt.
Ivan didn't dally. Sam felt his grandfather's hands pulling down his underpants and pushing up his shirt, so nothing was protecting his bare backside. Sam hated it.
He tensed, expecting the first lash. When it came, it took Sam still by surprise and was so painful Sam was tempted to get up and clutch his behind. Instead he took a deep breath and counted, which took courage, because it indicated the continuination of the punishment. Sam decided he wanted it over quickly, so as soon as he felt ready, he would count.  The next crack caused Sam to bite hard on his lower lip, before breathing a little bit ragged and getting out: "Two." The following strokes were lighter. They hurt nonetheless. When he received the last two lashes, he cried out. Tears were nearly overflowing. Somehow Sam kept them at bay and counted with a relatively stable voice. It surprised him. Sam's skin felt hot to the touch, and he thought he could fry an egg on it.
"Okay, Sam, that's it. You have been very brave. I'm proud of you, and never forget I love you. You can get dressed, and tomorrow I'd like to talk to you about your friends." Ivan knew Sam didn't want to be touched after getting spanked, so he simply tried to comfort him with words. "Well, you know the rest." Sam finished his story.
McKenzie had her own questions. "Did you cry?" "Of course I did. I was glad my room was just a few steps away. As soon as I closed the door, I burst into tears and bawled like a baby for a few minutes." "Did you have any marks?" "No, this time around he was light on me. My bottom was very sore and red, but when I woke up the next morning I didn't have any bruises and the redness was reduced. Sitting hurt pretty much. In the afternoon the pain had lessened considerable. Another night’s sleep and no trace was left." "What was the worst for you?" McKenzie asked. Sam answered promptly: "Having no privacy, being not in control of my body, having to count and presenting my buttocks to get walloped." "Would you say you deserved being spanked?" "Let's put it that way: I hatched my bet and lost." "How did the spanking make you feel?" "Well, besides being angry with Grandpa, hating and resenting him, I was ashamed, humiliated and sad. I felt unloved, no matter when Grandpa told me the opposite. I simply thought getting spanked was barbaric and there should have been another solution, but on the other side we know Grandpa is old fashioned." "Did it change your relationship with him?" "Well, I was unforgiving for a long time, like when he walloped me a couple of years earlier. As long as we stayed with him I was withdrawn." "I must say I'm puzzled Mom and Dad gave permission to use corporal punishment on you." "They didn't." "What do you mean?" "They didn't know. Grandpa acted on his own." It left McKenzie speechless. "Have you ever told them?" "Yes. Normally I wouldn't have lost a word about it. Dad was pissed off with me for something I had done and he asked me what he should do with me. I felt really bad about the whole affair and offered the Richards Treatment. Well, he was shocked I knew the code name Grandpa gave a spanking, when they were in public. Dad had never mentioned it, when he told us about his experiences, so he combined, what must have happened. He questioned me later about it." A smile played around Sam's lips. "I guess he wasn't impressed with Grandpa." "Do you know, what he did?" "I was confined to my room, so I haven't got a clue. I assume they had a serious talk." Sam's eyes were sparkling with amusement. He thought his grandfather got what he deserved. "One last question: Looking back, would you do the same?" "Well, I would sneak out again, even if I knew was thrashed for it later. What I would make different, though, is being less confrontational and honest from the beginning, trying to convince Grandpa my friends weren't so bad."

McKenzie contacted Ivan later to have the story confirmed and to find out why he was pro spanking.
"When you use groundings or taking away privileges, your son or daughter forgets why he/she was punished in the first place. A spanking is over quickly, but a sharp reminder to behave. It's effective and a good deterrent. Only the threat of getting one was enough for me to stay in line. It wasn't much different for my kids, or look at Sam. I spanked him twice, and he didn't repeat the offences again. It must have worked."
What Ivan didn't admit was that Sam had been correct in the first place. The next day Sam told him what he liked about his friends, and in the end Ivan agreed to meet them. At the BBQ he was introduced to the parents of one of Sam's friends and found out what his grandson and the neighbor's children had been up to.
Alice Gold was twelve and a wheelchair user, thanks to an accident she had when she was very small. She was outgrowing the wheelchair. The parents weren't insured and generally life was difficult for them, so the finances to buy a new wheelchair weren't there. The neighbor’s kids and Sam decided something had to be done about it. They saved their pocket money and did odd jobs, for example mowing lawns, washing cars and selling lemonade and cookies. They managed to achieve their target shortly before Alice's birthday. There was enough cash left to organize a party, where the wheelchair was going to be presented. Sam hadn't worked towards the goal to miss it. That and giving his word to be there were the reasons why he sneaked out.
Ivan used the BBQ to learn more about the kids. They were all well behaved and intelligent. They told him about the library and wished it would be nicer looking and had newer books, video tapes and so on. A year later the Penina Richards Foundation, named in honor of Ivan's deceased wife, gave a grant to renovate the public library and to buy new books. The grant was renewed every year and soon the library was one of the best in the state.

McKenzie wrote her essay, citing studies and Sam's experience that corporal punishment had adverse effects and shouldn't be used.
 

©2011

Friday, August 5, 2011

Health Care in South Korea

As promised here is what happened to my better half, when he got sick in South Korea. You can also read all our travel experiences in this blog, if you haven't done so. 

It all started with a cough in Hong Kong. The coughing improved and was nearly unnoticeable in Taipei. After a few days in Jeju EW was struck down with a cold and a light fever. The Hyatt Regency staff was great and gave us Tylenol and recommended to drink hot tea. Unfortunately the situation didn't improve, so I went to the local health care center and described the symptoms to the doctor there. He gave me tablets against the pain and the fever free of charge. I was very grateful and hadn't expected the gesture at all. For a short time the medicine seemed to work. Still EW was hampered at the Park Hyatt in Seoul and the sickness broke out fully at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. Good timing, because it was EW's birthday, too. During the night he developed a cough. It didn't stop and caused him to vomit, which gave me a great deal of concern, because I feared he had bird flu or something else serious. When I alerted the hotel staff they were worried about EW's condition, too, sent up free tea and when I asked them, if they could send us a doctor, they advised they could do that, but it would cost at least 400.000 South Korean Won (KRW), around 260 Euro or 380 USD and if we would prefer to take a taxi to the nearest hospital. It would cost less. I told them, I would discuss it with my fiancé and come back to them. EW decided he was fit enough for a taxi ride. A taxi was already waiting as well as the manager on duty, Mr. Lee. He gave us his business card and wrote his personal cell phone number on it, in case we needed help. We appreciated it and felt well taken care of.
The taxi ride was quick. Having experience with A&E in Dublin's Mater Hospital we expected a huge queue and a long waiting time. Instead we were ushered to the reception area, where we had to fill out a form. It was in Korean and English, so we had no problems. Next we were asked to take a seat. There were no other people waiting. It took only a few minutes, before a young female doctor arrived. She asked about symptoms and made some checks. We were then invited to the open plan emergency room. There were maybe twenty beds and definitely made for the average Korean person. When EW was asked to lie down, his feet were hanging over. It was just right for two other people waiting, an old lady, where we didn't know, what the problem was and an older gentleman. He had abdominal pain and was accompanied by his wife. Later another younger Korean man in a suit joined us. He seemed to have fever and maybe was in pain, too.
Again we didn't have to wait long. The blood pressure was taken and the temperature measured. It was slightly higher than usual, but no fever, which was positive. Soon the doctor returned and said, she thought it was a throat infection and if we wanted further tests or simply a prescription. EW wanted to be on the safe side and decided to go for a thorough check up. He had to give a urine sample. Later blood was taken. Normally it's a difficult and painful process for him. In this case the nurse gave my better half an injection on the hip against the pain. To our amusement he asked, when she would start. It had already happened, and he hadn't felt a thing. Very funny. To take the blood the nurse boxed really hard against EW's hand a couple of times and found promptly a vein, which normally is problematic with my better half. After waiting some more time EW was given an x-ray scan. EW told me that the man working in the department was interesting. When the scan was successfully taken he said: "Success, guys and dolls!" Or something along the line.
We were told to go to the emergency room again, where we were waiting for all of the test results to come in. It took a little bit longer, but we were relaxed and EW seemed to feel better. The doctor arrived and told us everything was okay, beside the inflammation of the throat. She gave us a prescription and released EW. We went to the reception again, where I paid the bill for the visit by credit card. It came to 260.000 KRW or ca. 170 Euros/245 USD. The bill included already the prescription. We were advised where we could find the pharmacy of the hospital and received EW's pills there. The pharmacist's English wasn't that good, but with body language and talking we got there, how EW had to take the medicine.
Back at reception we asked, if the receptionist could call us a taxi, which wasn't a problem at all. When we left, the doctor and the nurse, who had treated EW, came out to say good bye. We were very happy about the services and friendliness received and thought the money had been well spent. The whole procedure took around 2 hours. Comparing that against twelve hours waiting at the Mater Hospital, being treated like second class citizens, even though we had to pay for the treatment, and encountered absolutely insensitive and rude staff, the visit to the University Hospital in Seoul was a breeze. EW complained that none of the pills did work. EW's body is probably used to stronger medicine. It seems South Koreans normally receive a lower dosage. The doctor in Jeju told me, that EW had to take two pills, because that would be what a normal prescription in Western countries contains.
Of course EW recovered, but it was a long way thanks to a general weak immune system.




©2011

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Rei's and Nico's selected poems

If you did wonder what poems Rei and Nico read to each other and gave Sam as a present in the Impact, here they are. They are sorted alphabetical by poet and has nothing to do with preference. Maybe you tell me which one(s) you liked.


Wystan Hugh Auden
- Funeral Blues

William Barnes
- The Broken Heart

William Blake
- A Poison Tree

Emily Dickinson
- If those I loved were lost
- There is another sky

Langston Hughes
- Life is fine
- Dream deferred

Ogden Nash
- A word to husbands

Edgar Allan Poe
- A dream within a dream
- Romance

Jack Prelutsky
- As soon as Fred goes out of bed

William Shakespeare
- All the world's a stage

Shel Silverstein
- Bear in there
- Messy Room
- Where the sidewalk ends

Mark Strand
- The new poetry handbook

Walt Whitman
- O Captain! My Captain

Oscar Wilde
- To my wife - with a copy of my poems

William Wordsworth
- I wandered lonely as a cloud



©2011

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Impact

This is the second part of Adrianna's destiny. Thank you to SL, who inspired Maria Isadora's near death experience and EW, who agreed with me, the original Impact had to be improved. The edited version found his approval.

Luizia opened her eyes and closed them again. Her head hurt. It felt like it was bursting. Then she realized what had happened. A SUV had crashed into their little Scion. Panic was threatening to overwhelm Luizia. Her hands were flying to the door handle. She tried to open the door without results, no matter how strong or how often she pushed at the door. Her father Roger had gained consciousness as well and swallowed hard, when he saw the SUV and a small figure lying on top of the Scion's motor hood. He saw his oldest daughter Adrianna slumped over the steering wheel and his wife Maria Isadora motionless in the front passenger seat. After taking in the damage, his attention turned to Luizia's futile attempts to escape. His own door didn't budge either. "Luizia, stay calm. We might escape through the windows." Roger tried to make the best of the situation. He didn't feel any pain. His window was broken, so he managed to pull it out. Roger was glad he was still thin, aged fifty three, and could squeeze through the window. It was a close call. Luizia followed his example and wriggled her way out. Soon she was standing at the driver's side and hammering against the window. Neither Adrianna nor Maria Isadora reacted. There was so much blood! Somehow Roger and Luizia managed to open the doors. When Luizia felt for any life signs on Adrianna's neck, there weren't any. Luizia was crying and shouting Adrianna's name. Her sister didn't react.
Roger felt a weak pulse, when he checked on Maria Isadora's wrist. He tried to free her, but she was trapped. Maria Isadora had a few open wounds on her legs. They were oozing with blood. Roger was in shock. He was inconsolable, because he heard Luizia's wailing and knew what it meant. He feared loosing his own wife too.
Suddenly an ambulance, police and fire fighters were at the scene of the accident.
Neither Luizia nor Roger remembered later who had called emergency services.
Roger didn't want to leave, but had to make space, so that the fire fighters could cut out Maria Isadora and Adrianna's body. Roger had believed he hadn't been injured, but suddenly he was aware of different places that hurt, especially his abdomen and lost consciousness.


Maria Isadora de Reinaldo Cruz

I don't like to talk about it, but okay, I'll tell you. What do I remember about the accident? Not a lot. I think I screamed, when the other car suddenly emerged on our side of the road. Adrianna, my daughter, tried to avoid the collision. It was too late. I remember the glare of lights in my eyes, the impact, then darkness...

While I was trapped in the car I had - I'm not sure, how I should describe it - a nightmare or a dream ... I was bathed in a white-golden light and felt utterly peaceful. Before my eyes my life replayed, and there was a tunnel with a light at the end. My daughter Adrianna was already walking towards it. I felt drawn to it, too and followed her. I had nearly reached the end, when I saw my mother Fernanda. She told me, it wasn't my time yet and I had to go back. I was so disappointed and wanted to protest. I found myself in the car again and was in pain. The next time I woke up was at the hospital. My legs were broken in numerous places; one of the bones had pierced the skin and had been sticking out. I had lost a lot of blood and been unconscious for two days. Doctors weren't sure, if they were able to save my right leg. It had been badly damaged. In total I spent three month in hospital and had to undergo more operations. Afterwards I needed to learn walking again. It was a very painful experience, not made easier by the loss of our daughter. Somehow I sensed she was dead, even before I was told. I fell into a deep depression. My future looked bleak, and I grieved for Adrianna. I pitied myself. My husband and I feared our son in law Sam wanted Adrianna buried in Portland, Maine, refusing us the chance to visit her grave regular, because we live in Sao Paulo. We didn't dare to mention the subject. He raised it on his own, one of the few occasions he started a conversation by himself. Since Adrianna's death he only talked, when he was addressed. "I have come to a decision regarding Adrianna's resting place. I think she should be buried in Sao Paulo. You need it to heal, I need something else. To allow you, Maria Isadora, to go to the funeral, I suggest we cremate Adrianna's body. Is that okay with you all?" We hadn't a problem with it and were relieved.
Sam was attentive, even if it didn't look like it. He knew how low I felt, and one day during a visit brought Adrianna's bible with him. He allowed me to keep it. The psalms were a great comfort to me, helping me in my darkest hours. Sam also asked the priest of the church, where Adrianna had worshiped to visit me once a week while I was in the hospital. The discussions and prayers with Father Angelini gave me a positive outlook, wanting me to live and get healthy.
It was still a struggle, and sometimes I wanted to give up. Of course I could rely on my husband Roger and my son Luiz to support me, so after a while the physical and emotional pain lessened.
I am over loosing Adrianna, but sometimes I'm sad and find it unfair she was taken from us.


Roger de Reinaldo Cruz

I was brought up not to show my emotions, so people, who didn't know me, could have thought I wasn't affected by my daughter's death.
Not being used to being helpless, not in control of a situation and dependent on others, made me difficult.
After the accident I had to come to terms with Adrianna's death, my own limitations, fear of loosing my wife and where Adrianna was going to be buried and worries about my other daughter Luizia and my son in law Sam. If my wife Maria Isadora had also died, I don't think I would have recovered.
My injury was serious. I had an internal bleeding and needed a lifesaving operation. I was kept in hospital for ten days. I hated the dependency on nurses and doctors. Being fit and sporty, I wasn't used to feeling weak either. The first week or so I was psychological numb and couldn't believe Adrianna had died. Slowly it sunk in. The emotional turmoil I found myself in was worse than the pain caused by the accident and it's aftermath.
I didn't want to work until I felt reasonable healthy and emotional stable. I am lucky, because as CEO of a company I could do it and delegate my work to my right hand. I felt fit to return to work after Adrianna's funeral. It was like a closure to me. Two month had passed since the accident. Work also helped taking my mind off Adrianna's death. I tried to be strong for my family and gave only into my tears, when I was alone.
As the saying goes: Time is a great healer. It was for me.


Luizia de Reinaldo Cruz

The accident and Adrianna's death destroyed my life. It wasn't a physical issue. The many bruises and the cut above my left eye healed within weeks.  I was an emotional wreck, and it took years, many mistakes and regular visits to a psychologist to re-emerge as a similar person to the one I was before the incident.

Before I was lively and the center of every party. Afterwards I was a reclusive. I started to fear travelling by car or leaving the house. I only felt safe driving, when I knew the car had received high safety marks. I had nightmares and trouble sleeping too. Adrianna meant the world to me and besides being my older sister, she was my best friend. We often chatted on the phone for hours. She always had an open ear for me. I wished I could be like her and when the accident happened, wished I was dead instead of her.

I regret I hurt Sam, made his life difficult and tried to ruin his good reputation. You see, I retaliated for the crimes, I thought he had committed. The first time was around four weeks after Adrianna's death. Papa and I were staying with Sam, because Mama was still recovering in hospital and the doctors hadn’t given the all clear for her to move to another hospital in Sao Paulo.
Sam had started to sort out Adrianna's stuff. I thought it was way too early and a betrayal of my sister. Sam tried to forget her already in my opinion. Of course he hadn't, and it was simply in preparation for his trip. At the time nobody knew about his plans, so I said to him: "It's your entire fault." He didn't understand and asked: "What?" "That Adrianna died." Sam looked at me as if I had slapped him. He left the room abruptly. I felt guilty immediately and went to look for him. I found him in his bedroom, clinging to Adrianna's pajamas, and crying. Sam had his own problems. He felt guilty, because he hadn't been in the car, when the accident happened. He had a meeting with his publisher on the day, so he couldn't make it like he had previously. I apologized, he accepted and never mentioned it again, even though, I made his life miserable later on.

The next incidents were around two years after Adrianna's death. Sam had a new girl friend. He didn't mention it, when he was in Sao Paulo for Adrianna's memorial service. He called me a month later to tell me about Hue.
I wanted to avenge Adrianna. In my opinion Sam should have stayed single, so I sent him an anonymous email with a little animation. It showed the poisoning and death of his beloved cat Dante. I've studied animation and computer programming, so creating it was easy. Somehow he found out I was behind it and called. It was one of the most unpleasant conversations I've ever had. Sam told me in no uncertain terms, should I ever pull such a stunt again, he would go to the police and wouldn't give a damn if I was his sister in law or not. I promised to behave. Sam forgave me.
Not very much later Sam told Papa something he had kept a secret for quite a long time. He claimed he did it to protect us. I thought he had been lying all the time and felt cheated. We had a right to know, because it concerned Adrianna.
To get my revenge I called a journalist, Christopher Bergamo, claiming Sam had abused Adrianna. That was not all. I phoned Nhat and Brilliant Alexander, Hue's parents, the manager of the charity Sam was volunteering at and mutual friends, again saying Sam had beaten Adrianna, which was a lie. This time around Sam came personally to Sao Paulo to speak face to face with me. I think I have never seen him so angry. It was understandable, though, and I got what I deserved. In the end I saw it was very wrong and damaging, what I had done. I offered Sam to call all the people, I've lied to and admit it. I went through with it. Sam recognized it had taken guts, but he was still angry and hurt. I had lost Sam's trust. It made me sad and ashamed. I realized Adrianna wouldn't approve how I was leading my life, so I decided to change. I started living again.


Luiz de Reinaldo Cruz

The death of my oldest sister was a horrible shock. We were always a tight knit family and even Adrianna's move to the United States didn't change that.
I was serving at the military, when I heard the news from Luizia. My superiors were understanding and gave me off until my personal issues were solved. My first concern was joining my family. They were going to need me. I soon found out getting a visa was difficult, even though, the situation was an emergency. Sam's grandfather had connections with the Department of State, while Papa knew a few key persons at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who knew their American counterparts. Sam and I hoped the combined pressure would ease the visa process. After a week I was on the way to Portland, Maine.
My job was to keep everything together.
When Sam told us Adrianna was going to be buried in Sao Paulo, my favorite - okay, he is the only one - brother in law and I organized everything, from the cremation to the transportation,  from the hymns sung at the church to the restaurant and the meal.
It was hard, but the job took our minds off from the real issue. I was over Adrianna's death quickly, though. Seeing the rest of the family in distress was heart breaking for me. It was interesting how they overcame their grief: Mama through religion, Papa through work, Luizia with the help of a psychologist and Sam by renting out the apartment in Portland and going on a road trip through the United States for nearly a year.


Madeleine and Jack Richards

We loved Adrianna like she was our own daughter, so when she died, it was a hard knock for us. We were also worried how our son changed. He was withdrawn and very thin. His sister Brooke confirmed later Sam barely ate. She found out, when Sam visited her during his road trip. I was against Sam going on travel, especially alone, still grieving for Adrianna, and I didn't like which conditions came attached to it. Sam didn't want that we contacted him. We had to wait until he either wrote or called. I found it unacceptable, because I was going to worry even more, if Sam was alright or not. Jack shushed me, though, and said: "Do that, Sam. You are always welcome. If you need somebody to talk to or if you want to meet us, you know how you can get in touch." I was angry with both of them, not taking into consideration, what I wanted. Jack and Sam had been right, though. Sam returned being nearly his old self. The only difference was that Sam was more quiet and seemed sometimes still sad. We were glad about the improvement and even happier, when Sam settled in Baltimore near his sister Ava, who lives in Washington D.C.


Reimondo "Rei" Santiago O'Reilly and Nicolo "Nico" Montegiordano

When we heard the news of Adrianna's death, our world came crushing down. I knew Adrianna since we were both very little. Nico and I wouldn't be together, if Sam and Adrianna hadn't introduced us. They thought Sam's friend would be just right for me. Well, they hadn't been wrong. There was an immediate chemistry between Nico and me.
To deal with our emotional pain, Nico and I didn't go out for a while. Instead we spent the evenings in, if business allowed it, and read poems to each other. Adrianna loved English literature, so we choose poems she liked, but also poetry dealing with death. It brought us nearer to each other and to Adrianna, because we discussed what the words stirred in us and remembered her. We thought it might help Sam, too, so we wrote the poems and memories of Adrianna in a notebook, decorated everything and sticked in photographs of her. When we heard he planned to go on a long journey, we weren't surprised. Adrianna and Sam had been working on a route through the United States. They wanted to be ready, when the summer vacation arrived. Sam was going through with their vacation plan, only earlier and without Adrianna.
Our book came in handy, because it made sure Sam never forgot we cared for him and missed Adrianna as much as he did. Of course we still think about her and it's sometimes painful, but the grief has gone and the positive memories stay with us as long as we live.




©2011