ANN'S BIG ADVENTURE BEGINS!

UH OH, WHERE DID SAM GO?

DAD IS MISSING FOR FIVE HOURS - GINA ADDS THE DETAILS

-----Original Message-----
From: Gina Nelson
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 2:58 PM
Subject: Ann and Sam in Spain

Hi Rick,

Sam and Ann (Dad and Mom to me) are off for their summer of European globe-trotting.

I just wanted to fill you in on the first leg of their journey. 

On Friday, Mom and Dad made it to Madrid, Spain.  They stayed in Madrid Friday night and Saturday night. Mom called to say everything was going great and they they had plans for Saturday night to go to a Dinner / Flamenco Dance Show.

On Sunday they left Madrid to fly to Alicante where they are visiting Peter and Celia Downes.  Peter was Dad's roommate while Dad was going to college at Kingston Technical College in England (now known as Kingston College) where he received a degree in Civil Engineering.

Here's a good story for you.

On Sunday, I was at home and got a call from Mom. She was frantic! Apparently she and Celia (who was at the airport to pick them up) had lost Dad. Somehow, Celia and Mom (while riding in Celia's car from the airport) had lost Dad who was following behind in his rental car.

Luckily, Dad had Mom's purse in his car and that meant he had her cell phone as well.

The next thing you know, Mom is on the phone to me here in Houston frantically explaining that she couldn't get Celia's phones (house or cell) to call her cell phone and get Dad.  Mom wanted to see if I could get a hold of Dad myself.  

So there I was sitting on my bed with Mom calling from Alicante, Spain with the house phone to one ear and my cell phone trying to call Dad (on Mom's cell phone) at the other ear. Talk about a comedy of errors!

Luckily Dad answered the phone.  When I asked Dad "where are you?", he answered "somewhere in the middle of Spain! - where did your Mom go?"

Then I had Celia in the background trying to ask Mom to ask me to ask Dad where was he, what road was he on, did he see any landmarks?  Luckily, by then Dad had stopped at a gas station to get directions to the hotel. He told me to tell Mom to leave a message at the hotel with Celia's home phone and he would call them when he got there. Mom said "oh, don't worry."  Apparently Mom and Celia had already posted Missing Person bulletins with everyone from the manager to the bell hop to the check in counter that "they had lost SAM!!!"   They wanted to be sure every person working at that Hotel would know exactly who to call when Dad finally got there.

So then Dad hung up and I told Mom that if they have any more problems I would be around the house near the phone. Too funny huh?  Here I am two thousand miles away in a time zone at least 12 hours different trying to solve the mystery.

I did get a call later that evening and Mom said that everything was fine, Dad had made it to the hotel, they had dinner with Peter and Celia and that despite the day's mishaps, Alicante was just beautiful.

I told them before the trip they should take me and Brandon (my husband) along.  He and I have them convinced they can't go anywhere without us.  This incident is the perfect example.  I told Mom to send tickets.  Maybe Joy can feed the dogs while we are gone.

Ciao!

 

RICK'S NOTE: "Luckily, Dad had Mom's purse in his car and that meant he had her cell phone as well."
That statement makes no sense to me.  I have a question.  If this family is fortunate enough to afford this incredible European Vacation, why can't they buy Sam his own cell phone?

ISTANBUL, GREECE, and FRANCE

-----Original Message-----
From: Gina Nelson
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 10:21 PM
Subject:Message from Mom

Dear Rick,

On the Windstar cruise Mom and Dad are meeting up with 4 other couples from the Houston Area.

One such couple are Gina and Saib Saour.  Saib Saour was the best man at my parents wedding and Daddy was his best man too. Saib is also my "Godfather" and Gina is my namesake, so to say that they are near and dear to our hearts is an understatement. Anyway, Gina and Saib's oldest son - Jacob and their youngest son William are both on the cruise with Mom and Dad. So clearly Mom was able to sweet talk Jacob into setting her up on the computer using his e-mail account so she could send us an e-mail!

Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 08:02:47 -0700
From: Ann
Subject: Message from Mom
To: Gina

Dear Gina and Joy,

We're having a great time in the Greek Isles. Tomorrow we set sail to Rhodes. We have enjoyed the voyage thus far with all of our friends. They all ask about you and wish you could be here. Love to all, Mom

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Gina Nelson
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 6:02 PM
To: Rick Archer
Subject: Our happy vacation!

Dear Rick,

Here is the latest e-mail from Mom and Dad...I think you and SSQQ have made it into every e-mail that she has sent!!!  :)

Carolyn Saour from the e-mail below is my Godfather Saib Saour's daughter. The people they are going to see next in Geneva Switzerland is my cousin Tamara and her husband Salim (Tamara is the daughter of my Aunt Samira who they were visiting in France). Mom also mentions Pam - who is the sister of Peter, the old college roommate that Mom and Dad were visiting in Spain. Are you confused yet???
 

From: Ann
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 3:48 AM
To: Joy and Gina
Subject: Our happy vacation!

11 Airports DOWN AND 11 TO GO !!!!

Sam and I are having a wonderful time with Samira and Uncle Bert in the beautiful Vidauban in the South of France.

Sam and I ARE DANCING our way across Europe. I learned the line form of the Greek Version “OPA” - MUST BE ALL THE TRAINING I HAVE HAD AT SSQQ DANCE STUDIO!

While in Turkey our entire group danced on stage at a beautiful Dinner Show. Carolyn Saour represented the United States on the dance Floor as one lovely young lady was picked from each country. There were 10 different countries that happened to be at the dinner Show that evening.

The highlight of the trip was ¨ Dining among the Ruins¨ under the Stars in Kusadasi, Turkey. It looked like a wedding reception with white table cloths, bows on the chairs and waiters in Tuxedos. Fantastic!!! In Didum, Turkey Windstar brought aboard Turkish Dancers AND a belly dancer! Of course, Sam was picked and he stole the show ¨BELLY DANCING¨!!!! Rick should hire him!!!

On the morning of our departure, Sam and I were at the pool on the ¨Windstar¨ and watched the Sun came up over Athens; That evening, we were having dinner on the Roof at the Hilton Athens Hotel and saw the Sunset over beautiful City of Athens¨!! This was a first for us¨

An earthquake in Greece occurred while Sam and I were taking an afternoon nap; I could have sworn I was on the Windstar experiencing rough seas; Several hours later we heard it was a 6.5 Earthquake 100 miles from Athens at Patras!!! Luckily, the Hotel was built to survive earthquakes…

Uncle Bert’s Computer is ALL in FRENCH!!!! The keyboard is ALL WRONG;;; The letters are as follows: qbcdefghijkl,noparstuvzxyw I am having a difficult time typing!!!! Once we arrive in London I am hoping Pam’s keyboard will be in ^American English^ not just ENGLISH!!!!

Must close for now as we are getting ready to go to the Mediterranean Sea and find a beautiful restaurant on our way with a Fantastic View!!! I will definitely need to take at least two classes a week at SSQQ to get ^back into shape^ after all this great cuisine in all these fabulous countries;

Love to all,

Ann & Sam
 

EMAIL ONE FROM GINA

-----Original Message-----
From: Gina Nelson
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 9:52 AM
To: Rick Archer
Subject: Ann and Sam

Dear Rick,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that Mom and Dad called this weekend.  They were at the Hilton Hotel in Athen's Greece having lunch...apparently the rooftop restaurant offers views of the Acropolis.

They Mom said that the cruise was wonderful, the tours they took were great and that she had poor Daddy walking, and walking and walking - everywhere!  Remember that he is  73 years old but Mom doesn't let that stop him.  :)

Anyway, today they will be flying through Rome into Nice, France to visit my Aunt - Dad's younger sister...Samira Waterdrinker (and of course my uncle - her husband Bert). 

Aunt Samira and Uncle Bert actually live on some property in Vidauban which is about 45 minutes from Nice.  They have a lovely house / property.   It is composed of 3 independent living quarters: my aunt and uncles house, an independent studio and an apartment that are rented to people traveling through the south of France.  (kind of like a bed and breakfast).  

I  have enclosed some links to a website about their house and property.

Uncle Bert and Aunt Samira are trying to sell so they can move to Switzerland to be closer to their daughter and grand kids. 

I thought you might like to see the architecture of the house / property.

House Exterior

House Interior

This is why I had 400+ people at my wedding!  Mom and Dad will drop everything to go to a wedding because they know what a special event it is for that family (they even go the 2nd weddings if the first one didn't work out).

So for them this trip is about who they see along the way. 

I realize that you want to see poor Mom kidnapped by Cyclops or have Dad seduced by a wicked Circe in the Aegean Sea, but I think what makes them happiest is to continue the wonderful relationships they have enjoyed all their lives.  :)

Gina

Welcome Home, Ann and Sam!