Jeff and Melissa's Honeymoon Blog

Honeymoon and Wedding Pictures

2008-01-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

It's nice to be back with friends and family, but dang, we sure wish we were still cavorting around Europe. Chamonix would be nice right now, I think.

Anyways, some folks have been asking about pictures of the wedding and honeymoon - here are a couple videos we put together. Thanks for checking them out!

Wedding and Honeymoon

Barcelona

2007-10-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

10-25-2007. Today we wandered Barcelona somewhat aimlessly. But in the process, saw some really cool stuff. We started with a walk to the harbor, to see the Mediterranean for one last time this trip. From there, we wandered the old fishing village of Barcelonetta, before jumping the metro to the Exiample district. We stopped briefly in the Placa de Cataluyna, the hub of Barcelona.

From there, we hit the Mercat de la Boqueria (open-air market). Seafood, veggies, fruits everywhere! Not to mention the candy...

After a quick bite and stocking up on some food for the plane ride home, we walked into the Old Town, past lots of cool old stuff.

Topped it off with a visit to the Picasso museum, where we saw not only the style he's most famous for, but also read up on and saw his early, formative works. A drink on the Placa de Reial, and now we're back at the hotel resting up before we head out again for dinner and to soak up the gritty Barcelona nightlife.

Sadly, this will be our last blog post from Europe. We leave tomorrow morning and arrive home around 9pm Portland time. Thanks everyone for checking in, it's been a fun way to chronicle our travels (for those reading, and ourselves as well)!

Gavarnie to Barcelona

2007-10-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

10-24-2007. In an effort to get towards Barcelona, but stick to the mountains for another day, we decided to head east over a few of the big Pyranean passes. After a short walk in the morning to try to loosen the legs up after the previous days hike, we rolled down the valley to the start of the Col de Tourmalet. Jeff took out the bike for a spin up and over. Allez!

View up to the top. Fifteen kilometers so far, five to go:

Next it was up and over the Col d'Aspin. Pretty views everywhere!

We spent the night in the little spa town of Luchon, partly so we had easy access to Barcelona, where we arrived this afternoon. Funky little city. We ate tapas. Tommorow we spend the day touring the town, then get packed up to head home :( But we're excited to see everyone soon!

Cirque de Gavarnie: 4 Valleys and a Sheep

2007-10-24T00:21:00.000-07:00

10-22-2007.

Took all of yesterday to drive from Provence deep into the Pyrenees, and ended up in the little town of Gavarnie. Hotel population, one. Beatiful place, and the weather forcast was due to hold so we started scheming a long long day hike for the following day. And that's what we got....

Awoke early and were on the trail by nine (it doesn't get light here until after eight). Headed up up up towards the main cirque - improbably steep cliffs surroundng a narrow valley, water and ice falls everywhere. Halfway up we took a side trip into the valley to the right until it turned into the most beautiful pastoral valley.

After a croissant break, we headed back down into the cirque, passing the colorful trees turning for the winter.

Went all the way to the "cirque" and had some lunch we had packed outside the (closed) Hotel Turon. Then it was up, up, up a fairly sketchy trail cut into the cliffs, with lots of exposure. But soon we were in yet another beautiful valley opposite the one we started the morning in.

After a long, gruelling hike up, we ended at a Col (pass) called Hourquette d'Alans with amazing views back down the the main valley and into a new as-yet-unseen valley on the other side.

From there, a long swichback down into town. A lost sheep thought we were its flock, and followed us all the way baaaaaa-ck. All told, probably a ten mile hike with 4500+ feet of elevation gain. We definitely earned our dinner :)

Last Days in Provence

2007-10-23T23:58:00.000-07:00

10-21-2007.

Friday: Headed to a little town nearby called Isle sur la Sorgue, the 'Venice' of Provence. Well, not quite, but the canals were nice and the town was really cute. The afternoon was lazy, then we headed to Rousillon for an evening stroll and dinner. Rousillon is known for the red ocre rock that they quary nearby and color their houses with. After a simple meal of pasta, we headed to the only bar in town to watch France play for the rugby Bronze; fun scene with lots of boisterous locals!

Saturday: Since the skies were perfectly clear, we decided to head back up to Mont Ventoux again. We had a semi-elaborate plan: Jeff would ride up the side he didn't last Monday, and Mel would drive over the other side to begin a hike all the way to the top. Once up, Jeff descended to the car and took it back to the top where we met for a coffee. Got the views we were looking for! Then Jeff bombed down to the bottom on bike, of course.

Afterwards, we toured a few small villages in the area, stopping for food for a light dinner. One the way back we came through the most amazing gorge that was right around the corner the whole time we were here.

We're a little sad to be moving on, since Provence seemed to suit us so well - awesome food and perfect October weather. But we still have a week left, so on to the Pyrenees and Barcelona!

Provence

2007-10-19T02:45:00.000-07:00

10-19-2007. We're having a great time in Provence. Our little gite is a great jumping off point for seeing the area.

Tuesday - Started the morning with croissants and cafe, of course, then meandered over to the crumbling town of Oppede le Vieux. Unlike many of the other hill towns in Provence which are being restored slowly as folks buy up property, Oppede is still mostly in ruins. There's an effort underway to restore the church, but the rest of the city inside the ramparts is as it was when the population died down in the mid 19th century. It was a bit surreal exploring old homes and the decaying castle on top of the hill. Hardly any tourists, sweet.

Wednesday - Rented a bike for Melissa in Bonneiux, and we pedaled over to the south side of the Luberon range. Stopped in Lourmarin for coffee, then continued riding through vineyard after vineyard. Almost Napa-like, without the fancy homes. Melissa was a trooper on her clunky rental bike; all told we covered about 40 kilometers over not-too-flat roads and saw many cool little hill towns.

Luckily, we had plans to gain back all the calories burned that day - 8pm reservation at Domaine des Andeols, one of renowned chef Alain Ducasse's restaurants (thanks for the tip Jon!!!). Most delicious, artfully prestented seven course meal we've ever had. Wow. And how nice, the fixed course menu was Melissa-friendly (fish and poulty). Words can't describe how amazing this dinner was - consisting of only what was local and freshest....but here's the summary: scallops in a cauliflower foam, fois served with a fig reduction, lobster tail with a lime and hoisin sauce, sole with many textures/preparations of butternut squash, tender chicken served with stuffed cabbage, chevre with micro greens, and a caramel-pineapple medley with contrasting textures that was to die for. Champagne to start, and a Cote du Luberon wine. Mmmmm.

Thursday - Exausted from the bike ride and hearty eating, finally we slept in a bit. The famous Provence Mistral Winds were in full force, blowing hard all day. Skies were clear and the temps not too bad though. Had a mellow but surprisingly good lunch at the internet cafe we've been frequenting. Quiches and salad with a tray of delicious little accompianments (radish gaspacho anyone?). Then we hit the road to the Pont du Gard near Avignon to marvel at the ancient roman aquaduct. Hardly anyone there, it made for a nice walk.

Having not been in a city for a while, we wandered Avignon for a few hours. Those Popes sure lived it up, in their fancy Pope Palace. We caught some views of the city and the ancient bridge across the Rhone, before the sun started to go down and we made our way back home.

Jeff "proposed for us" a light dinner of Provence inspired omlettes (with fresh truffles and cheese, of course).

We've got two more nights here (staying one extra) before heading towards the Pyrennes. We'll be in Barcelona for sure on Wednesday and Thursday night before we fly home on Friday. Where'd the time go?

Les Bouilladoires

2007-10-16T02:31:00.000-07:00

10-15-2007. After a long time on the go, we're psyched to check into a little "Gite" (guesthouse) in the heart of Provence, just south of the town of Gordes. Quiet and cozy, we'll be here through next Saturday (at least :^))

After visiting the local farmers market in Coustellet (puts all of our farmers markets to shame, btw), we added duck and prawns to our bounty of cheese, veggies, bread, and fresh truffles. We're kind of excited to cook for ourselves again. Pasta sauce:

Gordes is a cool little hill town, literally built into the rock. Explored for a few hours before tiring of the tourists and retreated to our little guesthouse haven.

Next day, we headed to Mount Ventoux. Jeff got on his bike and suffered for a couple hours while Melissa went for a pretty forested hike. This being the tallest peak in the area, it created its own weather, so views were sparse at the top. Beautiful nevertheless, and the ride down was a dream for Jeff.

Saint Paul de Vence

2007-10-16T02:07:00.000-07:00

10-13-2007. Stopped for the night in Vence en route from Cinque Terre to Provence...mostly so we could hit the tiny hilltown of Saint Paul de Vence in the morning. Vence itself turned out to be a great stopping point - the highlight being (of course) food! Had an amazing dinner in a tiny restaurant "Le Passe Muraille" including fois, some of the best snails in garlic butter to date, duck and boeuf (for Jeff of course).

So at the recommendation of NHdad and NHmom, we headed to St Paul in the morning. Arrived at just the right time to explore this quaint art-filled town as stores were opening....and got out just as the tourist busses began to swarm.

And in the interim, Melissa fell in love. No - not with the guy in the photo below - he's the artist/gallery owner. With his painting. And so now we have the perfect souvenir of our honeymoon, which will hang above the dining table in a spot that's been waiting for this exact painting for a long time.

After a lovely morning in St. Paul, we got on the (side) road toward our little cottage outside of Gordes. Along the way, we spotted a festival - so stopped to check it out. Turns out it was Rains' annual Fete de Courge. That's pumpkin-fest to you. A total blast to wander through - pumpkins everywhere, wine, cheese, a marching band....and more pumpkins.

Cinque Terre

2007-10-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

10-11-2007.

We were a little fearful that Cinque Terre was going to be "Rick Steved" - the phenomenon of noisy Americans with blue books. But this place is beautiful. Right on the Mediteranian, five little towns nestled into the rocks. Narrow streets, steep stairs, and no cars.

Yesterday we parked the car and hit the trail, skipping the train that runs between the towns. First stop, Vernazza.

We found a little room in an "Affita Camere", basically a room in someone's very old home. Cozy, clean, and the price was right, so we set up a home base for two nights. After sipping wine on the harbor we had a wonderful dinner, including the local 'anitpasti' - mixed yummy fresh seafood. Mmmmm.

Today we walked south to visit the other three towns. We stopped along the way for pizza, gelato, gorgeous views, and a naked dip in the Mediteranian. Sorry, no pictures :^)

We're back in Vernazza tonight, looking forward to more seafood. Tomorrow, sadly, we must leave these beautiful towns behind. But we're psyched to be heading back into France, and towards Provence where we'll settle into a cottage for a week starting this Saturday. It'll be nice to slow down a little... But we'll miss you Italy!

Tusacany...

2007-10-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

10-9-2007

...is awesome. Before rolling out of town, we went for a short hike to Lago di Santo and Lago Bacco. On the other side of the hill -- Tuscany.

Spent the day wandering toward Lucca. Jeff rode his bike part of the way while Mel drove, snapping pictures all the way. Note to honeymooners: If you separate - one on bike and one in car - and the road turns and becomes confusing....stop. Don't lose your spouse in Italy. :^)

Had done some internet searching from the road and found Dreamers B&B (they're film buffs) just outside of Lucca. http://www.bb-dreamers.toscanaviva.com/home.htm. It was awesome. Our hosts Alessandro and Barbara were incredibly gracious, dispite having come home that very day from hospital with their new baby Yael (or Ya Ya). Didn't get any pics of Ya Ya, but we did of Marguerite and Lola...two other VIPs at Dreamers.

On Alessandro's recommendation, we followed some very windy roads up to Ceru - a restaurant/albergo (tiny hotel) tucked away in the Tuscan hills. (Take a left at the fourth olive grove. If you get to the fifth vineyard, you've gone too far.) Amazing food. Amazing view. Some of the best of both we've had. Oh the porcinis!

Next day, Operation Florence. Beautiful with tons of history. But, yes, crowded with tourists. Yet we had a great day, including seeing the real David at the Academia. Which was surprisingly moving and amazing. Spent some 40 minutes staring at just that one sculpture. Totally worth the price of admission (not to mention the line) right there. Wandered to the Duomo and Mel walked to the top to catch some great views and pics.

After a pretty darn full day of non-stop touring in Florence, we headed back to (comparatively) quiet Lucca - our own "mini-Florence" - where we rented a couple bikes and rode the ramparts, the top of the giant wall encircling the city.

Lovely way to wind down the day...followed by another delicious dinner at Giulios, at the recommendation of our B&B hosts. Yum.

Padova through Emilia-Romagna

2007-10-08T01:57:00.000-07:00

10-6-2007. Took the autostrada SW for a bit, then jumped off onto the backroads towards Tuscana. Meandered slowly, snapping pics of the beautiful countryside, past wheels and wheels of Parma cheese. Eventually decided to stop in Pievolago, a sleepy little town near a ski resort. Mel tried to go for a walk, Jeff a bike ride. Heavy thunderstorms shut us down after a beautiful day. So we headed back to the hotel to read for a bit and look out the window at the lovely valley.

Soon, hunger moved us, so we wandered away from the main drag and found a tiny restaurant where everyone spoke Italian. Amazing - Scallopine al aceto Basamico, pizza with Porchinis the size of your fist, spaghetti carbonara with gigantic regional parmesan flakes, veggies with lovely olive oil and more big parm flakes. And when it was all done and we couldn't eat one more bite, the friendly old gentleman proprietor brought over a bottle of limoncello and a peach-infused vodka to try. Mel's idea of heaven.

Oh - and did we mention the signed pictures of old school Italian cycling heros on the wall? Jeff's idea of heaven. :^)

Surgical Strike - Operation Venice

2007-10-08T01:41:00.001-07:00

10-5-2007.

10:00am: Board train in home base of Padova.

10:45am: Arrive Venice. Board slow boat #1 and cruise the grand canal. Dodge tourists. You'd think the Americans are the worst, but no, the Italians.

12:00pm: Walk St Marks square. Sip an expresso, look out for the pigeons (a tourist attraction in and of itself, apparently).

1:00pm: St Marks Basilica. Wow, amazing murals made of tiny ceramic tiles. Pay a few extra euros for the church museum to get to the top of the Basilica. Museum items dating back to the second century. Even bigger wow!

3:00pm: Walk the streets and over canals. A little shopping. Lots of pictures.

7:00pm: Settle into a quiet spot for some dinner away from the Rialto Bridge tourist traps. Yummy creamy seafood lasagna, seafood polenta. Sip Bellinis (apparently the official drink of Venice). Mmmmm.

8:30pm: It's dark. Board our gondola. Luckily, shadowed by another gondola complete with accordian and singer for ambience. Cuddled up for the romantic Venice experience. Awww.

9:45pm: Gelato. Some more walking.

10:30pm: Train back to home base in Padova. Operation Venice a success. Glad we did it, probably won't be back soon. We're countryfolk.

Rifugio Alpe de Tieres

2007-10-05T00:50:00.000-07:00

10-4-2007. Well, we went back to the rifugio. We stashed some luggage and headed up a different valley, another beautiful walk with some fresh views. Perfect weather, some lingering snow to coat the high elevations, cow and goat bells singing in the distance. We made it up by late afternoon in time to sip some wine and beer and read on the terrace. Dinner was again amazing. Met a cool couple from Wyoming on their umpteenth trip to Italy, and got some good pointers. We had to hike out in a little rain the next day, but we had our fill. Though it pains us to leave the countryside, we're off to try to make it into Venice...

I mean, "whaaaat"?

Dolomites

2007-10-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

10-2-2007. Wait a second, is this still Italy? Ask anyone here, and the answer is no. Tyrol all the way. Should have brought the German phrasebook. This place is a winner, removed from the hustle-bustle we've experienced so far (apart from the drive through Bolzano, craziness). The nightlife here is for the cows. Cuisine is decidedly Austrian - dumplings (three days in a row), salads full of marinted beans and cabbage, the richest porchini pasta dishes ever, and strudel. Mmmmm.

Our day started with a bus up to the gorgeous meadows of the Alp de Suise. Screw California, happy cows come from here. And the milk and cream and cheese proves it all.

Time for a day hike, and what a day it turned out to be. We decided on a quick lift ride to pass a few folks walking up, then headed up towards Rifugio Bolzano. Rifugios are semi-rustic huts scattered throughout the Dolomites, dinner and breakfast included. Too bad we weren't out for the night. A quick side trip to the top of Mt Pez gave us a 360 view of the Valley and the Northern Dolomites.

With still some time in the day, and a somewhat ill conceived (free) hiking map that made short sections look long and long sections look short, we took off accross the ridge to make it a loop. It turned out to be a long day of walking with lots of ups and downs and very exposed sections, but we kept our spirits with the help of the views.

After a while, we came upon Rifugio Alpe de Tieres, perfectly situated on a high pass. We wish we could have stayed, but instead had to make the long walk down. If only we could get back up here for a night... Turned out to be some 20+ kilometers and 1500 meters of elevation gain, but it was worth it.

Dolomiti via Passo de Stelvio

2007-10-04T09:46:00.001-07:00

10-1-2007. Took the high road from Lago di Como to the Dolomites, right over the Paso de Stelvio. Jeff cheated a bit to bypass the sketchy tunnels, then broke out the bike for the last 22 switchbacks and the descent down the other side. Beeeautiful!

Varenna, on Lago di Como

2007-10-01T01:34:00.001-07:00

Spent the night on beautiful Lake Como (will add more photos next time we post...Varner this first photo's for you!) ...

It was lovely, but quite crowded with touristas (stupid Americans...). So we're going to move on today, in seek of quieter pastures (literally) and head for the Dolomites via the "high road". More soon!

Chamonix

2007-09-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

29-9-07. Finally the clouds cleared and....damn. There are some hot mountains here.

Took the first tram of the day to the top of d'Auigile de Midi, to catch some incredible views of Mt Blanc and the Drus. Tres froid! (That's COLD for you non-Frenchies.) Minus 10 degrees celcius. Spent some time on the observation decks -- snapping photos, dodging tourists, and watching the skiers and climbers depart.

Warmed up in the cafe (can you believe there's a cafe at the top of the world?). Then trammed back down to the mid-station, where we began a 3 hour traverse hike to the Glacier de Mer.

Took the detour to Point de Signal for an amazing view of the glacier, other super cool mountains, and down to Chamonix.

Took the train back down to save our legs (and Jeff's hip) for the next hike; and so we could have time to get a move on. Jumped in the car and took the tunnel to Italy. Dude - we're in a whole new country now. And it's surprisingly different for 10K by the crow flies.... Spending the night in Courmayeur (mini-Cham) and moving on to Lago di Como tomorrow.

Beaune to Chamonix

2007-09-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

28-9-07. We left a rainy Beaune behind yesterday, and headed up towards the hills. What beautiful countryside. We think the cheese and meats are so good because the cows and goats are so dang happy.

We stopped over in Annecy for the afternoon. Quaint town with a beautiful lake, and yes, more canals. Despite the weather obscuring the views, Jeff unpacked the bike for the first time on the trip and had a nice ride along the western shore dodging raindrops. Melissa wandered the streets, checking out the architecture and shops for an hour until we regrouped for a late lunch of crepes.

It was then up-up-up to Chamonix, where we checked into the Hotel Albert. Hey, its our honeymoon, we had to spoil ourselves sooner or later :) We could just see the toe of the glacier coming off of Mont Blanc in between clouds, as we sipped our complimentary bottle of champagne and nibbled odd plums, dates, and strawberries. I guess it never hurts mentioning in your email resevation that you are on your honeymoon.

Dinner was in the rustic Maison Carrier next door, where we dined on pate de canard, wonderous pork medallions with a rhubarb sauce, potatoes gratinee, crayfish and avacado salad, and coq au vain. Mmmm. Actually too full for desert this time...

Unfortuantely, the weather continues to conspire against us, but we're making the best of it. This morning, Melissa had a hot stone massage, while Jeff darted out during a (short lived) rain break for a ride up the valley, passing a herd of goats each with its own bell. It was like being transported back in time a few centuries.

After, we toured the town, stopping to gawk at the cheese and meats. Lunch was pizza (not your Dominoes kind). Oh, the cheese, the cheese!

We're back at the hotel now, chilling in the salon by the fire. Hopefully the forcast will hold true and we'll do some walking tomorrow in the giant mountains that we hear surround us... :)

Paris to Beaune

2007-09-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

26-9-07. We had our last day in Paris yesterday. A blast, with lots to see. But we're kind of happy to be in the countryside now.

Yesterday we started with croissants and cafe, of course, then on to the Place de la Concorde. Marrie Antoinette lost her head here.

We decided to skip the Louvre and its crowds, and opted instead for le Musee de Orsay. Basically, it picks up where the Louvre left off - with the impressionists. Cool stuff, lots of Monet, Van Gogh, Gaugin, Talouse Letrec, etc.

After, we made a quick stop on the Left Bank for some shoes (oh, so many shoes....), then hopped the metro to Monmartre. Sacre Ceoure, and a quick pass by the Moulin Rouge.

Then, back to Marais, our favorite area of Paris - narrow streets instead of wide boulevards, quaint cafes and bistros. We stumbled upon a tiny little restaurant called Page 35. Wow. Amazing meal - Jeff had Bouef Bourguignon, Melissa the Confit de Canard. Beet Salad, Chevre Salad, Creme Brule, Ahhhhh. Must go back...

We called it an early night (back to the hotel by midnight) so we could get up this morning for the Renault Scenic that we rented for the rest of the trip. Driving out of Paris was a little crazy, but after a few kilometers we were in the beautiful Burgundy region. We pushed through to the heart of the region, Beaune, snapping picture after picture of Chateaus that we passed.

Beaune is a beautiful little walled town, narrow streets with gourmet markets and soooooo much wine. We settled into the Hotel de Rampart. Ancient exposed wood beams and crumbling brickwork. First stop, the wine cellars of Marche de Vin, where we toured the old caves with our own tastevins (little silver wine tasting cups) and tried no fewer than sixteen wines.

The rains came again, but we soldered on, wandering the town and its shops, eating cheese and baguette. After a nice dinner we were done for the day, and happy to settle in to our hotel for the night. Tomorrow, on to Annecy and then Chamonix for the night.

Ah, Paris

2007-09-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

24-9-07. The jetlag and nightlife conspired to give us a late start this morning. C'est la vie. A couple of croisants and rocket feul cafes quickly restored our energy.

The skies opened briefly, but with authority. Luckily, we were near Notre Dam and we had a great excuse to head in and dry off. We didn't think it'd be our cup of tea, but it turned out to be quite a beautiful and almost moving experience. The pictures just don't do the stained glass, vaulted ceilings, and sculptures justice. We did see a statue of Joan of Arc, but her burnt steak wasn't anywhere to be found (that was for you, nhdad :))

The clouds broke a little and so we wandered through the Latin Quarter admiring the shops and beautiful people. Aparently, in order to live in Paris you have to be happy, healthy, and beautiful. WTF! We decided to skip the crowds at the Eifel Tower and instead took a trip to the top of the Montparnesse tower to get a lay of the land. What a sight, quaint Parisian buildings in every direction.

After carefully locating all the sites, we headed back down to enjoy
the emerging sunlight in the Luxembourg Gardens. We watched some
boule, then found a bench to do our best kissy-face Parisian
impression.
After, we wandered back through Marais, getting a little lost along the way. Time to take the load off for a bit, and get ready to head back out for dinner - oh the choices. It's a bit overwhelming, but we're having a wonderful time!

On to Paris...

2007-09-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

Damn. That was a fast train...

In Paris now, just absorbing the ambience. We'll be taking in the sites tomorrow. Photos from our hotel window, in the Marais district. Very Paris :)

Goodbye Amsterdam

2007-09-23T01:02:00.000-07:00

It was fun. What an awesome town. Van Gogh museum, a self-guided bike tour (crazy), and the Saturday market.

Cheese and Mushrooms! On to Paris this morning by train.

First Day in Amsterdam

2007-09-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

So the plane ride kind of sucked. Long and much delayed - but we arrived in Amsterdam with our bags (and, remakably, ourselves) intact.

From Schiphol airport it was a train ride into Amsterdam, then a tram to our B&B. Too bad we decided to be smarter than the written directions, and got off two stops too late. By the way, in case you're wondering -- cobblestones and rollerbags don't mix. :^) Glad we packed mostly in backpacks...

The B&B couldn't be cuter or in a better location. Totally great part of town - short walking distance to the day attractions and night happenings, but on a sleepy sidestreet. After grabbing a nap (we were le tired!) we headed out in search of some sites and some dinner.

Got both. Great dinner at a place recommended by our B&B hosts (and Rick Steves). Had a blast checkig out the craziness of the red light district, as well as the calm beauty of the canals at night. Now, sleep.

We're at the airport...

2007-09-20T08:13:00.001-07:00

... and that's Melissa guiltily scarfing a bacon egg and cheese. Yes, we're on our honeymoon. See you in Amsterdam.

It's official...

2007-09-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

... we're married.

Our wedding was filled with more fun and emotion than we could have ever imagined. Thanks to everyone for your support, love and energy. We're off to Europe tomorrow morning, first stop Amsterdam. Our goal is to post updates along the way as often as possible, so check back soon! Much love, Jeff and Melissa.