"When we were kids, the sun didn't kill ya!"

Are people really still getting a sunburn? I don't get it - what are they thinking? Have you not read anything in the last few years about the UV rays and the ozone layer?

I am not perfect - I love the sun - I really do - I even love a little color on my skin - I'm not against a tan at all. However, you can still get a tan without torching your skin! Yes, a sunburn turns into a tan - the melanin in your skin gives it color - but it is still possible to tan without burning. Sunscreen blocks UV light from entering your skin and therefore prevents the burn. It does not block all rays - SPF stands for Sunburn Protection Factor followed by the rating which is based on the sunblock's ability to suppress sunburn and lower the amount of DNA damage (yes, that's right, sunburns cause DNA damage).

A few weeks ago I visited my doctor and asked a few questions about the SPF ratings on sunblocks. I usually wear SPF 30, but my face cream only has an SPF 16 in it - so wanted to know exactly what those numbers meant.

She explained that the number is used to calculate your safe exposure time which means the amount of time you have in the sun without burning multiplied by the SPF number gives you the total amount of time protected. I burn easily since I have fair skin - I estimate about 8 minutes in the sun and I have a burn. Therefore, if I'm wearing SPF 30, if you multiply 8 by 30 which is equal to 240 mins or 4 hrs. Now, after hearing this, I thought about it and if I was in the sun for 4 hrs and only applied once, I would most likely have a slight burn. So, I looked it up online to find out what Wiki had to say....

I read that an SPF 10 protects against 90% of the rays, 20 against 95% and 30 against 100% and that you should reapply after 2-3 hrs. So this means that if you aren't wearing SPF 30, you aren't protected 100% and therefore, you will still get burnt.

I also read that some foods protect your skin against the UV light such as beta carotene and lycopene which are found in veggies such as carrots (duh!) and tomatoes. Also, flavonoids which is found in dark chocolate (eat your chocolate before being exposed to the sun, ladies!) helps protect your skin.

Ok, so I wear sunblock daily - I have made it part of my daily routine to apply it when I get out of the shower - I want to be protected (or risk turning into a huge freckle). It is also common knowledge that if you are swimming or sweating that the sunblock will need to be reapplied - even if the sunblock is considered 'water/sweatproof'.

So, on to my title:
"when we were kids, the sun didn't kill ya" says Dylan when I asked him his thoughts. He's French, so just turns dark brown and very rarely gets a burn - that still doesn't mean that he's not affected though. Your skin can be damaged even if you don't see the effect!

Ok, this is more like a vent than a blog entry, but I see people walking the streets with bright red skin and wonder what they are thinking. You may not make applying sunblock as part of your routine, but when you think of the damage that might be happening without you knowing, you might think twice. So....if you go out for a stroll in the hot sun, it should be something that crosses your mind. Another item that might convince you is the aging of the skin that is exposed to the sun - wrinkles are mostly caused by sun exposure - we've all seen the tanned sun worshiper that you know bowed down to the sun in the 70s and 80s and think that we never ever want to look like that....the time has come that we make sure we don't when we head into our middle age.

Ok, that's it for now - I hope that some of you have gained some knowledge about this and may make some changes to protect yourself. Enjoy the sun (protected)!

Summertime in Halifax and the living is good!

It's been 3 months since I've written here and feeling like it's time to get back into it. I was getting a little down after returning to Canada and on the job hunt for so long - but now that has changed and I start my new position on Wednesday with World Wildlife Fund - I can't wait!

The summer is just starting and it's July already. I heard that the weather in Belgium has been scorching - why is it that it rained for the six months I was there? The fog here is comparable to the rain there - it's a daily event!

So Canada celebrated it's 141st Birthday - fun times in the Maritimes! It is so nice to see such spirit among the city - it is really the first weekend of many to come as the summer is just starting. Now I have the JazzFest to look forward to. I volunteer for it every year and have a blast. I wouldn't call myself a huge Jazz fan - but chatting with the musicians, making some new friends volunteering, serving drinks to some fans and just having fun - it is fantastic!

Summertime also brings me a trip to the bungalow in Mira! My favorite place in the whole world. Now that I have a niece, it is especially exciting knowing that she lives to close. Now, I don't expect her to go tubing or jump off the float just yet - but that time will come!

Yah for summer!

Back in the Saddle...

Back in the city...
It's been over 3 weeks since returning to Canada and the differences are becoming clear the more time I spend here. On one hand, it is so nice to be home, but there are some things that I miss about being in Belgium.

One thing that I love about being home is having friends and family a phone call away! It is so nice to be able to hop in the car and meet up with friends, get together with them for supper, see new homes, renovations and paint jobs and just be all around more social. That was the hardest thing about living so far away - not being close to the people I care so much about.

As I am now mooching off of friends the last few weeks, I am most excited about moving into my new apartment. I move on May 2nd to a huge apartment that I deserve. After living in a shoebox the last 6 months, it is going to be overwhelming to live in such a huge place (3 bedroom in Clayton Park). It is going to be like Christmas opening all the boxes that I haven't seen in so long and now I wonder what I was thinking packing and keeping all my old belongings. There are a few things that I miss (hairdryer, curling iron, green tshirt), but I really don't remember the stuff that 6 months ago I felt I couldn't live without.

As for Brussels, I miss my good friend Alison, a girlfriend who was up for absolutley anything any day of the week, I miss the bakery (although I've been doing alot of baking since I've gotten home), the language and most of all, the subway. I see the Metro Transit busses chugging along through the city and wonder how I am going to adjust to waiting at a bus stop for a slow moving bus that runs on a schedule, ugh! When taking the subway, it ultimately runs on your schedule since it comes every 4 minutes or so. If you miss the first one, the next is very close behind!

Living away was a great experience that I am happy I have accomplished. Many people say "Happy to be home?" and I reply "yes, very happy"....in saying that, most people think I couldn't have lasted another day away - not necessarily. As being home for a bit now, I could go back in a second and make a life there comfortably (never permanently), but would still miss the same things as before - mostly friends and family. Therefore, I am in a place now that will make and keep me happy!

I advise anyone who has the opportunity to live in another country (even for a short period of time) to take advantage of that. It was so interesting to experience the day to day life of another culture. Perhaps I would have been happier in a place where it didn't rain everyday, but I enjoyed every moment of it and shed a tear when leaving. When we were packing, Dylan asked "Are you going to miss this apartment?" and I said "Nope, not even a little" and I was right, the apartment I will never miss, but the lifestyle, culture and experiences, I do miss. I also had a little cry saying goodbye to Alison (although she may not have noticed). It was sad saying goodbye to my 'partner in crime' for the last 6 months. Although I come back to some great friends, she made my overseas experience unforgettable!

It is a different life for me here and the biggest difference is having a car again (or the availability of a car). I never depended on a vehicle while being away - I walked everywhere and didn't think anything of it. I would put on my raincoat, grab my umbrella and purse and head out (even if it wasn't raining, best to take the umbrella anyway because chances are that it will rain in a very short period of time). Having a vehicle, I do what all the citizens of HRM do - hop in the car and get shit done. Drop into the superstore to pick up some extra things, head to the mall to browse, go to the bank - it is impossible to live without a vehicle here and now that I'm not living downtown, I can't imagine not having one. With the prices of gas (1.32/L now), it is so expensive to drive, and although it is suggested that people use public transportation, it is hard to imagine depending on it no matter what the cost of gas is.

So - to sum things up - I am definatley happy to be home and will be happier once I get my own space and unpack. I do miss Brussels and the whole European experience as a whole, but I think that I am better off on my own stomping grounds and start to make my life here. After spending two weeks at home in Sydney and a week in Halifax, I now know for sure that this is where I am supposed to be and am excited to get settled! Too bad it's raining today though...

My Love and Hate lists of Belgium

Well, the day has come that we are packing and leaving our European adventure behind us.....
It was a great 6 months, but we are both anxious to get home and continue on with our lives with our families and friends back in Nova Scotia. I have compiled a top ten list for all the best and worst things about my life here - hope you enjoy!
(the pic is of the monument at Parc Cinquentenaire which is right across the street from my apt)

Top Ten Worst Things about living in Belgium:

10. Not having a car and travelling underground on the subway - I've probably only seen about 20% of the city because I just pop up like a groundhog to the places I want to go.

9. Having to find things in a grocery store with no English (ex. when I couldn't find flour, I asked someone in French for "fleur" and they pointed me towards the plant section....flour is farine)

8. Belgian drivers - they are friggin nuts! Watch yourself in a crosswalk because you might get run over!

7. Dutch TV/subtitles/French TV - we only have 1 full English channel - BBC1

6. Belgian manners (they are lacking) - cutting lines, butting in front of you on the metro, rude salesclerks....etc.

5. People begging for money with baby's in their arms - women sit on the side of the road with their babies beggin all passersby for money "pour mon bebe"!

4. Shelf milk - yuck!

3. Living in a small apartment with no oven, no tub and no counterspace!

2. Dog poop everywhere - there is no law here requiring people to pick up dog poop...therefore, it is everywhere - on sidewalk, in metro, on road, on shoes....it is disgusting!

1. Rain - need I say more? (Slogan - "Belgium....where rain is typical")



Top 10 Best Things about living in Belgium:

10. Exploring the city - Brussels is quite large and around every corner is a place I've never seen before.

9. The laxidaisy attitude of europeans - no one is in a hurry or has any urgence to get things done (this can also make the 'worst' list and would if I lived here).

8. Fresh baked goods and pastry - the bakery around the corner has gotten alot of business from me over the past six months.

7. Making new friends and meeting new people and seeing a new culture! It was great to experience so many new things and really opened my eyes to new ideas!

6. The metro/subway - I'm not sure how I'm going to adjust to waiting for a bus after using the subway for the past 6 months - it comes almost every 3 minutes and always gets me where I need to go with no traffic!

5. Drinking in public - the novelty has worn off, but I do love the fact that it is an option to stop in a corner store, pick up a can of Jupiler, continue on my way while sipping the golden bliss!

4. Mannekin Pis - my favorite peeing boy! (and all his costumes - here he is dressed like a peeing painter)

3. Belgian waffles - yum!

2. Travelling - Belgium is surrounded by 4 countries and many others are a very short distance away! Also love the cheap airlines (I will never forget that 2 of us flew to Dublin for 53 euro - I couldn't get to Dartmouth for that!)

1. Beer - Belgium has over 1000 brands of beer brewed locally!

A day at the spa...in Spa (the town)

There really is a place in Belgium called Spa! In Spa, we went to Thermes de Spa which was a blast. Now, this CB girl has never been to a spa before, ever...and I loved it! Thermes de Spa is located at the top of a steep cliff overlooking the town of Spa.

It has 800 square metres of indoor and outdoor pools with bubbles, pressure things and spouts that you can lean against. We arrived around noon and stayed until about 7:30 pm and enjoyed every moment. I spent most of the day in the outdoor pools (pictured here). The indoor pools were nice too, but breathing in the cool air while swimming around in the heated pools was so nice - I have never done anything like that before! In the evening the steam coming off the outdoor pool was really pretty.

There is a sauna and a steam room, but I don't like to breath in hot air, so that didn't interest me too much. I tried the relaxation room which where lounge chairs in a room with black light with calming music above, but that didn't really do it for me either....I just wanted to get back into the huge bathtub!

Another thing that I did love was the heat lamps. There were lounge chairs set up with your own heat lamp above so you could dry off under the warm red light after getting out of the pool. That was really nice. They also had a little canal that you could float through as the jets would push you along - I did this over and over - it was fun - would be more fun with an inner tube though!:)

I literally spent about 6 of the 7 hours we were there swimming around in the pools and was a complete prune by the time we left last night! Anyone who comes to Belgium, this is a must! Thanks to our friends Andrew and Alison for taking us there on our last weekend in Belgium!

Munich and Frankfurt, Germany

After exploring the Alps, Austria and the Black forest, our goal was to make it to Munich and find a hotel that night. Because the trip was kinda unplanned, we had no reservations. It was easy to find the hotel in Triberg the night before - we walked in to the first one we saw and got 2 rooms....in Munich, a huge city, it proved to be a little more difficult!

We arrived in the evening around 8pm and couldn't find anything that looked remotely in our price range. 'Donna' only knew how to take us to the city centre and that was it, so it wasn't easy to get around. We went to McDonalds and used the internet there and some of us (mainly me) may have gotten a little cranky when finding a hotel wasn't as easy as we'd planned!

After a few hours of roaming around and a little cursing (mainly from the bus driver that Dylan cut off while pullling into a gas station - the bus driver pulled over and started screaming at him in German), we arrived at our hotel at about 10pm, had a well deserved beer (I was craving a drink) and some supper and crashed!

The next morning we explored Munich and my favorite part was having a few beers at the local joint and listening to the Oompah Band....it was classic! We went to the Residence museum in the city square which was impressive and walked around the city.

Although I was dying to try some weiner schnitzel and other German specialties, it didn't happen. I did have the option at one point, but once I found out what they were, I opted for a salad!

We left early afternoon and headed home....well, the direction towards Belgium. We drove and drove and drove and stopped in Frankfurt that evening for a late supper before arriving in Brussels about midnight!

The Alps

Crossing the border from Germany to Austria, we got our first glimpse of the this spectacular mountaing range. The Alps stretch through 7 countries - from east to west - Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, and France (and yes, Liechtenstein is a country)!

I was in awe at my first glimpse and was so glad we decided to drive to Austria at the last minute to see this amazing sight! Kelly's Mountain is no comparison to what I witnessed here!

Once into the Alps, we drove through a ton of small communties that were totally based on ski tourism. In some spots, we'd be driving down a road with mountains surrounding us on all sides and looking at the mountains, all you could see were ski lifts....it was hard to tell where they started and where they stopped, but the mountains were filled with skiers at every angle. The most popular ski town we passed through was St. Anton where we read they have 600 hotels in the area....now this was a small town - we drove through in about 4 minutes, but it was scattered with hotels. We had to go about 25km/hr because people were everywhere carrying skis and walking around in their ski boots - I have a craving to go skiiing in St. Anton now and have made it one of my goals!

We spent alot of the day driving through the alps and through some snowy areas. I was much calmer driving through the snow at this point in time, since we were mostly at the base of the mountains and not at the top this time. I'm not sure of the elevation we reached while driving, but the highest mountain in Austia reaches almost 3800 metres. We stopped the car numerous times to get some pictures and spent most of the day gazing out the windows!