New Year's Resolutions

Like at least half of the Western world, I am going to make some resolutions for 2010.  I would like to make such lofty resolutions like working out everyday, find the love of my life, save enough to buy a house and so on.  But that is not realistic, so here is what I hope to do in 2010:

1. Learn How to Knit

Inspired by the first graders who learn how to knit at my Waldorf School, I have decided it is high time that I learn this age old craft.  Knitting was also something that my dear Grandma Amy tried many times to teach me.  So by learning, I feel like I am holding on to a little piece of her.  Below is what I have created so far.

The picture below is what I actually hope to create.

2. Adhere to the Gluten Free diet
Sticking to the Gluten Free diet over the holidays was ridiculously difficult!  Too many cookies and sweet rolls and candies.  So I sort of fell off the wagon.  However, now when I eat gluten I feel even worse.  So it makes sense, it is just difficult.  So far, the GF baked goods that I have sampled have paled in comparison to the standard wheat products.  Therefore, I am on the hunt for delicious baked goods and for recipes to reproduce those baked goods.  I LOVE cinnamon rolls, and that might be my first GF recipe adventure.  Below is a picture of the recipe I hope to try.

3. Save some money for big purchases
I believe everyone decides to save money and few people end up doing so.  However, I have decided that I want to become a homeowner, so I need to start saving for a down payment.  I need to cut out some of my discretionary spending like lattes, trips to get gelato and impulsive food purchases.  I will not save enough this year, but if I am diligent, perhaps in two years or so I will have enough to qualify for a more favorable mortgage.  In the meantime, I continue to catch online episodes of HGTV's "Property Virgins" and "My First House" and dream.  Of course, when I do purchase a house there many not be anything to put in it besides my bed.  My furniture is mostly on loan from good friends and my condo is too small for much of anything.  One thing at a time I guess. 

4. Continue my lifelong learning
About a month ago, my supervisor at work asked me to set some professional goals for the year.  At the top was a work-life balance.  Bearing that in mind, I am going to cultivate my other interests.  I used to be much better about this, but I feel into a cycle of email-checking and taking work home.  Some of the things that I really enjoy are photography, taking classes and various forms of exercise.  I have done all of these things at one point or another, but I plan on bringing them back this year.  Last year I took a French class and really enjoyed it.  The local community college offers classes in digital photo editing and languages so I am going to look into some classes for next summer when I will have more time.  I also took karate in college, so I might bring that back too.  It sure beats the treadmill at my complex. 

365 days is a long time, but cheers to 2010!  Let's hope I can stick with these resolutions.  I remember what I was doing in 2000, vaguely wondering if the apocalypse would occur as was forecast.  I did not really understand all the hype, but I guess people periodically have to panic about something.  I had no idea whatsoever what would have occurred in the last ten years.  I know that Boulder, Colorado was never on my radar!  But I think everything happens for a reason, and every fork in the road was taken to end up here.  I enjoy my job, love my condo, am thankful that I get to live in close proximity to mountains and a city.  I am also so thankful for the great people in my life and cannot imagine my life without them. 

Gluten Free and (sort of) loving it

So, just recently I was told that I need to eat a gluten free diet.  This is a lot more difficult than it sounds, as it is not as simple as avoiding bread.  Gluten free means eliminating wheat, barley and rye from one's diet.  Gluten is in everything from cereal to tortillas to beer to most artificial flavorings and processed foods.  I used to think that there was NO WAY that I could avoid gluten, it was just too difficult.  However, I have been impressed at the variety of options that exist.  Plus, having to prepare my food from scratch (canned foods contain additives with gluten and prepared meals do as well) forces me to eat a lot healthier.  I am also impressed at the general awareness surrounding gluten intolerance.  I am thankful for my friends Kylie and Bertrand at school who have provided recipes, advice and lists of restaurants.  I am exceptionally thankful for the wonderful surprise after our faculty meeting: Gluten-free chocolate cake!  I was not expecting to be able to eat Jan's birthday cake and was floored when I found out that it had been baked gluten-free! 

However, since eliminating gluten from my diet I am feeling infinitely better!  I had gotten to the point where I would do just about anything to stop the headaches and major stomach issues.  So, it has been interesting to find out what I CAN eat and what does not work out so well.  Below are pictures of some of my gluten free cooking adventures. 

Quinoa with Black Beans and Curry Sauce

Black Bean Enchiladas with homemade sauce

Gluten-Free (rice) noodles with homemade tomato basil alfredo sauce. 

photos

Today I am pleased to announce that another artist on Etsy chose to feature one of my photos!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=94161

The very first photo, of a snow covered lantern is my work. If you have not checked out my photos yet, click on the link to the right of this post that says "Soleil's Photography".

Why I Love Living in Colorado...

I stumbled across an article today that talks about the "happiest" states in the country. Colorado is #4 and I have to agree with their assessment. This study was conducted by the independent company, Gallup. Behind Utah, Hawaii and Wyoming. Not so sure about Utah and Wyoming, but I could see how Hawaii would make you happy!

The link to the article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33830268/ns/health-mental_health/?GT1=43001/from/ET

The article has its theories about why it is so, but here are my reasons why I love Colorado and Boulder in particular:

1. People in Colorado are generally more committed to physical fitness and health promotion. We routinely place in the top of the "healthiest states" ratings. When you are healthier, you are happier.

2. The weather is wonderful. At least in the Front Range it is not too hot or not too cold. Having lived in both Montana and South Dakota, I appreciate this more than words can possibly express. The fact that I do not have to drive through several feet of snow on a daily basis (feet, plural!) makes me so happy. Plus, if we have a day with bad weather, the odds are that it will be completely different in a day or two. This makes it doubly hard when I return to Montana because I swear that my blood has thinned and I can no longer tolerate cold.

3. The scenery cannot be matched. We have an unbelievable variety of geography in Colorado, from soaring peaks to sandy deserts and expansive prairies. Every time I drive down the hill to get to my home and I see the snow-capped mountains of the front range, and Long's Peak I give thanks that I get to live here!

4. Boulder is fantastically eco-conscious. It has an unbelievable single-stream recycling program. I have cut my waste generation by over 50%. You can recycle just about anything, and if not from your home, there is a drop site for other items. I just recycled a broken hair dryer and some ancient floppy disks. In 2008, Coloradans reduced their trash by 35%.

6. Boulder is just plain fun. There are so many things to do. Some of my favorites: Duchanbe Tea House, Oskar Blues Brewery, Boulder County Open Space, Tokyo Joe's, Glacier Ice Cream, Boulder Creek Path, the Royal Arch hike, and Twin Lakes park. And just plain weird: in no particular order... The Naked Pumpkin Run, Frozen Dead Guy Days, and Pearl Street performers (including zip code guy, glass box guy, juggling fire guy and the woman who rolls her piano around and sings show tunes).

Five Weeks after surgery

Things are still improving in the right eye, I cannot seem to notice much of a change in the left eye. Granted, I am basing this on my own experiment: sitting on my couch and looking across the room into the kitchen at the digital stove clock. Not really that scientific. I go back to see Dr. A on December 3rd.

I got my post-PRK glasses made this week (new lenses put into my old glasses frames) and they really help with driving at night. Night vision is the last thing to improve, and I cannot wait to be able to see! Dryness continues to be a problem, and I am not as good with remembering to put in eye drops as I should be. It could take months before this will go away.

Four weeks after PRK surgery

It has been nearly four weeks since I had my PRK surgery. So far, things are moving right along on schedule. I am still using three different types of eye drops, Pred Forte (steroid), Xibrom (NSAID) and Restasis (for dryness). I need to be really careful to keep the eyes moisturized for the exact reason that I experienced this weekend. When the surface of the eye dries out, it adheres to the eyelid. Then when you blink, it tears away and causes an abrasion. In other words, a sharp pain that takes your breath away! It actually woke me up. The eye doctor could still see that abrasion today, and I really need to be more careful about using the drops.

My right eye is now corrected nearly to 20/20 and continues to improve. The left eye, not so much. Prior to the surgery, that eye had a much higher degree of astigmatism. I knew that it might be more difficult to fix. It is still at about 20/55 but the reason that I am able to see while reading and driving is that the right eye is doing so well.

We are going to reevaluate it in a month, but there is a chance that they might have to go into the left eye again to fix the astigmatism. If the left eye has not improved, it will be necessary. At this point, it is about a 50/50 chance that I will need additional surgery. For the first year after surgery, subsequent "touch up" visits are included. Most people do not need them, but the option is there. In the meantime, to help that eye along, they are making "Post-PRK glasses" for me to use while driving because that is really my biggest issue. I will use my old frames with new lenses. The right lens will be uncorrected and the left will have the current prescription. All in the process of healing, I guess. PRK is not insignificant surgery. It is a much more involved procedure and recovery than I imagined.

However, I am still SO HAPPY that I had this procedure done. The constant dryness and irritation from contacts is gone and I no longer get headaches from wearing my glasses.

My Photography

As many of you know, amateur photography has long been a hobby of mine, even since high school. Granted, I studied photography before the dawn of digital cameras, but I appreciate the digital artistry as much as developing my own film.

Well, upon encouragement from my mother, I have decided to attempt to sell some of my photographs. I have amassed quite a collection from a couple trips to Europe in the last few years (six different countries!) and living in Colorado and Montana. There is a really excellent online marketplace called Etsy.com that allows independent artists to sell their work. I have created a profile on this site and the link appears below.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7033132

Creating an online portfolio is time consuming, so right now there are only a few photos posted. At the very least check them out, and as my dear friends and relatives, I will give you a 50% discount. I also hope to print notecards in the future and set up a blog dedicated to my photography.




Much love,
Amy

one week after PRK

Well, compared to the last post, I am feeling exponentially better. I ended up having to stay home from work on tuesday because I was still seeing everything in double. I worked a half day wednesday and worked my first full day in a week yesterday. I am no longer in much pain, rather discomfort. My eyes are still really sensitive to light, so I have the pupil constriction drops with me all the time. My eyes itch quite a bit as well, but that is just a part of the healing. I have been frustrated by the slowness of the healing process. They warned me that it would be slow, and would take weeks, but I just assumed that it would not happen to me! Even a week into my recovery, my eyes are still worse than they were before I had the surgery. On tuesday, my right eye was 20/100 and my left eye was 20/80. I can see distances for the most part, but have trouble with reading. Distinguishing light from dark can be difficult too, I had a terrible time in the parking garage at DIA today! My mom is visiting Colorado this weekend, and I have to do the driving for us because she is afraid of driving "in the big city". Eventually I will be thankful that I had this surgery, but for right now, I am just trying to be patient.

Curiously, and I am not sure if this is even connected, drinking caffeine seems to help with my vision. Maybe because it is a vasodilator, not sure. But at any rate, it is a great excuse to keep buying lattes!

Day Three

Day Three is by far the worst I have experienced yet. I might describe the pain as and 8 or 9 out of 10 on the pain scale. I woke up in the night with my protective goggles on the floor, and I assume that I had been rubbing and scratching my eyes for hours before that. I have only found temporary relief with the so called "911" drops, of which are allowing me to type. The relief lasts only about 20 minutes. But my computer is the only connection I have to the outside world and I am feeling like a caged animal right now. Many thanks to my friends in Niwot for having me over for dinner and distraction last night. Right now I am glad that I live alone (well, kind of) because presently I have my right eye patched with gauze because it is the most sensitive and painful. I am also wearing my old prescription glasses because they help me see out of my left eye. The vision in that eye is bad, but I can at least sort of see things. Becuase any light at all is intolerable, I have pupil constriction drops. These do not seem to be working today. I have to frequently clench my eyes chut to avoid the burning pain. Because the light in the living room and bedroom is too much to handle, I have taken up residence in the bathtub. I put my thermarest and blankets and pillows in there with all my other comforts like ice water, snacks and my iPod. Once late afternoon rolls around, it is much easier to handle the light. I have already finished one and a half audio books while resting on the futon.

Two Days after surgery

Compared to how I have felt since last night and into today, the day of the surgery was a picnic. My eyes are burning so much that I can hardly keep them open. Even the glow from my phone is hard to bear. I could actually use the vicodin, but I am refusing to fill it because of the side effects. I am still taking the Acular and Zymar, but I added a steroid, Pred Forte, a pupil constricting drop and a strong anesthetic drop. I have been using the strong anesthetic drop frequently. The only way I am comfortable is to keep my eyes covered, blocking out all the light, and ice them. I have some audio books, but because of the neurontin, I fall asleep as soon as I lay down, so I actually have no idea what the books are about.

At the post op, the doctor said that my eyes are healing well, but that it will get worse for a day or two more before it gets better. My vision swims in and out of clarity, and I cannot focus on anything close-up. Looking at this computer is like plasma rays burning my eyes, even with the sunglasses, so I need to go back to sleep now.

Surgery Day

Not sure how clear this post will be, but I had the surgery this afternoon. For the first few hours, you have usable vision, then you are pretty much blind for a few days.

I got to the surgery center and after filling out all my consent paperwork, they started sedating me and putting about six different types of drops into my eyes. They were mostly antibiotic and anesthetic. As I was waiting in the pre-op area, dressed up in my hair net, shoe covers and smock (to avoid bringing in germs) I asked the nurse for another Valium because I was not sure the first kicked in. She laughed and said that it had taken effect and she wished that I could hear myself speak. Because of my body weight, anymore than what they already gave me would be dangerous. I have never taken Valium before, but the effect is similar to nitrous oxide. You are aware of what is going on, feel like you are a part of it (you actually are not) and do not really care what happens. After all these drops, my eyes were sufficiently numb and I could not keep them open. The most unusual thing about these drops is that they get into your tear ducts, then flow into your sinuses and irritate your throat. The nurse used betadine to cleanse my eyelids and all away around my eyes. I would have liked to have seen that (betadine is a horrible yellow color) but they would not let me. I had to keep them closed.

They took me into the surgical suite and into a reclining chair. The chair had a headpiece that would not allow me to move my head. Totally necessary if there is a laser involved. Wouldn't want to slip! I was surprised at the number of people present for this surgery. Dr. A, a tech that ran the machine and two nurses. When the chair rolls under the machine, you look up at a flashing red light. At this point, they bandaged one of my eyes and put this horrible suction device around my eye. I wanted nothing more than to clench my eyes shut. No pain, just unbelievable pressure. There were more drops and rinsing of the eye with cold fluids. Horribly uncomfortable. Dr. A used some sort of tool to scrape off my top epilethial cells, then more rinsing.

The laser itself came after this, which was surprisingly loud. I had to keep focused on the blinking red light, which at this point looked like I was being sucked into a vortex from a cheap science fiction movie. Lots of flashing lights, looking down a tunnel. The worst part of this experience was smelling the tissue burn. I used my years of yoga and meditation to breathe and send myself somewhere else. Then it was onto eye number two. Not quite as bad because I sort of knew what was coming. I guess the valium really did kick-in because I laid there, rigid on the operating table and did not really care that I was smelling my cornea being cauterized. Funny. Both eyes got protective contact lenses and now I get to wear really HOT goggles. I have to sleep in them for a week.

Nicole took me Qdoba for dinner, then home where I crashed. I cannot tolerate light, so I am sitting in my dark condo wearing my sunglasses with my screen resolution as low as possible. I am not in pain yet, although I can feel it beginning. The anesthesia is wearing off. I am hoping I can make it through the night without any pain pills. There is always an eye surgeon on 24 hour call on surgery days, so if I have an issue, they can take care of it.

My eyes are really swollen right now, but I have been given steroid drops, Pred Forte, to keep that in check. I hope that my night will go okay and I am headed to bed to rest my eyes.

two days until PRK surgery

The eye surgeon told me to take Neurontin in preparation for surgery this week. Because this medication is a nerve blocker, the theory is that it will lessen the pain after the surgery. I am supposed to be taking these three times a day. I took my first dose last night and it is not going to work for me to continue. Evidently one of the side effects is extreme drowsiness. I would say so! Twelve hours later I was still so out of it I could hardly get up for work. Think taking five benadryl instead of the recommended dose. So the surgeon told me to take two pills on the day of the surgery and the day after. Hopefully that will be enough. The particular combination of Acular and Zymar stings a lot, but I hear that probably comes from eye dryness related to wearing contacts. Which is one of the reasons that I am having this surgery.

Laser Eye Surgery

So, over the last couple years I have gone back and forth with deciding whether or not to have laser vision correction. Contacts were fine, and I wore glasses only when I really needed to do so. However, in the last two years wearing contacts has become nearly impossible. Whether a function of the Colorado climate, allergies or staring at a computer 10 hours a day, my eyes reject the contacts after only a few hours. They become so dry that I cannot see. So I pushed back my fear of having my eyeballs operated upon and ignored all the horror stories that I hear and sought out some LASIK consultations. In my research about vision correction, I have heard many things about the surgery itself and the recovery. Reading other people's blogs has helped me to get a better picture, so I decided to share my experience.

It is a few days before my surgery, but I will back up and describe how I got to this point. The squeamish may want to stop reading.

Consultations:

I sought out three different eye surgeons and learned way more about eye surgery than I ever thought possible. Or wanted. Perhaps most importantly, I learned that I am not a candidate for LASIK surgery. LASIK is a procedure through which a flap is created on the cornea, opened, and the surface of the eye is altered. Just a few minutes later, the flap is replaced and the cells begin to heal almost immediately. It is this minimal cutting to the eye that makes LASIK relatively uncomplicated with a quick recovery time.

I cannot have LASIK for three reasons:
1. My corneas are too thin
2. The degree of my astigmatism is too high to make traditional LASIK successful
3. Evidently I have abnormally large pupils. Most people have normal pupils of about 5-6mm. Mine are 8.5 and 9 mm respectively. For some reason this makes correcting vision more difficult.

So, my option is PRK, otherwise known as Photoreactive Keratectomy. This does not involve the creation of a corneal flap (I do not have enough cornea to do so), but rather, the actual surface of the eye is modified.

The top layer of epithelial cells in the eye is removed by the surgeon (I believe the terminology is "delicately scraped". We will see about that...), then the laser reshapes the surface of the cornea. To protect the eye, a large "bandage" contact lens is placed into each eye and must stay in for 3-5 days. PRK has a lower risk of complications, but the recovery is significantly more painful because more nerves are impacted.

I am having a hard time imagining what this will be like. A few years ago I scratched my cornea with a bit of sand, and that was pain like I have never felt before. I cannot fathom what deliberately abrading a significant area of BOTH eyes will feel like. This is where people like to tell their horror stories.

Preparation:

In preparation, the surgeon is having me take three medications in advance of the surgery. An anesthetic eye drop (Acular), an antibiotic eye drop (Zymar), and most significantly, a nerve-blocking agent called Neurontin. Taking these in preparation apparently cuts down on the pain in recovery. I have a prescription for Vicodin, but I absolutely do not want to fill it. I think I will take pain over the side effects of narcotics. But I also know where the nearest 24 hour Walgreen's is.

I have also lined up an army of people to help me because I live alone. Including my friend Nicole who actually gets to witness the surgery and its immediate aftermath, a couple friends who are on 24 hour call and some coworkers that live only minutes away. I have been told that my vision immediately following the surgery will be improved, but within the next few hours, as the cells began to heal, it is nearly impossible to see. It is necessary to keep the eyes completely covered in the beginning because bright light can hinder healing. Which means I will need help with some things. I hate cooking on a good day and it will not be fun blindfolded. I will not be able to drive for at least three or four days and am not allowed to stare at a computer for extended periods of time, so I will be out of work for a few days. I stocked up on audio books because there is not much else I will be able to do.

What is Taize?

Taize is a tiny village in the Bourgogne region of France. This village has an incredible story to tell. In 1940, a young protestant monk by the name of Roger rode his bike through the French countryside with the aim of finding a house to start an intentional community. This community would be composed of other monks seeking God through word, silence and meditation. This region of France was not occupied by German forces and saw a number of refugees. Brother Roger never turned away any person in need and gradually the community began to define itself as a place to serve the poor and act for peace and justice. In 1949 a group of seven brothers took their vows and formed the world's first order of Protestant monks. This order continues to grow, and is particularly interesting because each brother retains his denomination. The brother that led my time of study was Han Yol from the Philippines.

Taize is known as "a pilgrimage of trust on earth". Its particular style of worship has spawned a worldwide movement of ecumenism characterized not only by tolerance but by reconciliation. By sharing joy, and music and hope. This is most evident in the tragic death of Brother Roger. In August 2005, at 90 years old, Brother Roger was murdered during evening prayers by a mentally ill woman. The community immediately responded with compassion and forgiveness for this troubled person, who knew not what she was doing.

The rhythm of the day is set with three worship services, morning prayer with communion before breakfast, afternoon prayer before lunch and evening prayer at the end of the day. Each service has a different tone, with the evening services being the most contemplative. Worship at Taize is characterized by repetitive, simple chants in many languages. Silence is kept with only brief readings of text. One of the closest things I have felt to the peace of heaven on earth is the singing of many voices in many languages into the night. Eventually the organist will take his leave, and the chants continue and fade into waves in the echoing space.

There is so much more to say about the richness of Taize. My history is from the book,
A Community Called Taize: A Story of Prayer, Worship and Reconciliation by Jason Brian Santos, one of the few people ever invited to write a history of this remarkable place.

Europe 2009: Taize

This is the church in the village of Taize. My favorite part of my time in the village was an Anglican service held in this church. After a week of being surrounded by thousands of people and services in many other languages, a simple protestant service was like coming home. The Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists and Presbyterians shared our common liturgy and communion.

This glass window is also in the Taize village church. It depicts St. Francis of Assisi.
Meals at Taize were simple, but filling. Breakfast was the same everyday, bread, butter, chocolate and tea. Yes, chocolate. I have no idea why, but it tasted great! Lunches and dinners were also very simple, usually some variation on noodles or rice with vegetables and beans.
The picture below is from a place at Taize called St. Ettienne, or The Source. It is a place for rest and meditation. I was struck by the beauty of these water lilies and how similar they were to Monet's Waterlilies that I saw at L'Orangerie.

Europe 2009: Cluny

The village of Cluny is an ancient medieval pilgrimage site. It was the sight of a massive Abbey that was destroyed during this time, and townspeople used the rubble to build the present-day town.

We went out for a four course dinner while in Cluny. The food was lovely, but the greater accomplishment was ordering in French for the entire group.

This is a terrible picture of me, but the pistachio chocolate dessert looks fantastic!

I purchased wine for friends and carried it all the way back to Colorado. I was terrified that I would find vin rouge dripping from my luggage when I claimed it Washington, DC after clearing customs.

Europe 2009: Bourgogne

Bourgogne, otherwise known as Burgandy, is the countryside in East Central France. Many wonderful wines come from this region, and I have to say that I sampled many of them. The following pictures are taken in the village of Ameugny. Off in the distance you can see the vineyards.

Europe 2009: Eiffel Tower

I think everyone should visit the Eiffel Tower at sundown at least once in their life. It was one of the most magnificant things I have ever seen. At 9:00 and 10:00pm each night, hundreds of thousands of lights make the tower sparkle.

Looking up from the base of the tower just as it is lit.

The tower at sunset as we approach from the Parc du Champ de Mars.

Europe 2009: St Chapelle

St. Chapelle has the most photographed stained glass windows in the world. These photos really do not do it justice. There are over 1300 panes of glass, depicting scenes from the Bible. On the left is the Old Testament, in the center is the Resurrection and the right is the New Testament. This cathedral was built to house the Crown of Thorns, with the crown specifically located inside this altar. The crown is now with the relics at Notre Dame.

Europe 2009: Paris

Looking across the Place de la Concorde from the Musee de l'Orangerie at the Eiffel Tower Arc de Triomphe.

Drinking wine on the Seine in the middle of the day.

Europe 2009: Notre Dame

Europe 2009: Notre Dame

Notre Dame is just as magnificent as you could ever dream. It was tremendously crowded, but Mass was being celebrated at the same time we were visiting. The interior photos were taken from a side chapel, where Matt and I sat and contemplated the history we were immersed in.

Paris 2009: City sights

During a trip in 2007 my friend Kaija described traveling in Europe as "everywhere you turn there is something cool to see, something that is old or unique." I am drawn to old cathedrals, the stained glass and soaring ceilings and light filtering through the space. When you wander through the churches, you can feel the history, and feel as if you are in communion with the saints. The Palais de Luxembourg at the Jardin du Luxembourg.

This is the fountain at the St. Sulpice Cathedral in Paris. This is my dear friend from College, Matt, who was a part of the travel group.

The Charles de Gaulle airport is the 5th biggest in the world (Denver is #10), and there is no argument there from me. This airport is the most confusing and counterintuitive building I have ever visited. There are three, count them, three train stations in this airport. The morning I left Paris for Denver I took four different trains to get from my hotel to the airport. Here I am in the TGV station waiting to board the bullet train to Brussels, then on to Amsterdam after having flown all night from Denver.