Litter

It seems that there is the typical amount of litter around, although some of it is a different type.  I do see many cigarette cartons, but rarely any fast food bags.  I see many bags from bakeries and candy wrappers, but rarely a water bottle.

The one thing that seems different is the number of banana peels.  They are predominantly on the bike path between our house and Risø, where many people ride to train and not just commute.  I also notice them at the school and on the sidewalks near town.

The odd thing is that I seldom see people eating and drinking.  No one shows up at school with a mug in hand and kids don't have breakfast bars.  When I am in town I may see people eating a bun from the bakery, but generally people sit down to eat.  So what is the source of those banana peels?

Door

Our back door looks unremarkable, but it took me a while to figure it out.  It opens and closes in the traditional manner and it unlocks in the usual way, but what is totally different is the way in which it locks.  Before locking the door the handle must be raised all the way to engage some sort of mechanism.  Then you can turn the key and lock the door.

not our door, but a good illustration

Turns out this a multi-point locking system, which allows the door to be locked in more than one place on the frame, providing added security.  It strikes me as odd since the most common thing in Danish homes is an enormous window.  Or maybe that is not how burglars enter homes?  Regardless of security, it took quite a while to adjust to something I had to do several times a day.

Danish banknotes

A great innovation here, which may exist in the U.S., is a choice of banknote denominations from the ATM.  If I have a big bill to pay I can withdraw 500 krone bills.  If I am going to the farmers' market I can choose to get more 100 krone bills.  It is one of the little pleasures of life here.

Even though Denmark has come out with new banknotes since we have arrived, we have no plans to collect them.  I realize they are significantly lighter than coins, but they are also significantly more expensive.  I do like to learn about the bridges and artifacts featured on them (no people!) and I find it useful that they increase in size as they increase in value.

For entertainment you can go to this site and make your own money, but I wouldn't tell Uncle Sam.

Jackpot!

kayak and umiak

License plate collecting is on hold because plates are for the lifetime of the car or are returned to the government.  Instead we have been having a great time looking for commemorative 10- and 20-kroner coins.  The current series consists of different ships, but also includes a kayak and a Faroese boat, an open wooden boat.

Other series have been towers of Denmark

Svaneke Water Tower

Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales

The Nightingale, 200th anniversary of the birth of H.C. Andersen

and coins celebrating The Polar Year.

Northern Lights

In addition to series, there are coins issued to commemorate royal weddings (no coins for royal divorces), Queen Margrethe's big birthdays, and her silver jubilee.

We could go to the coin store and buy these, but at a price greater than face value.  We do go to the store and look at them, along with all the other coins.  The shop owner seems to have infinite patience for showing us his unusual coins and notes and has stories about medals displayed in the shop.  When we asked if banks sold rolls of coins he thought we meant uncirculated coins (like a whole roll of California quarters).  He said we could possibly buy some at the National Bank, but that wasn't what we wanted.  We thought we would buy a roll of circulated coins and look through them, hoping to find coins from the series listed above.  He thought we could do that, so we headed to the bank.

We were lucky because my favorite teller was working.  In the past she has helped me with my Danish and made sure I understood the online banking.  When we told her our mission she showed us a roll of uncirculated kayak coins, which would have saved us a trip to Copenhagen if that is what we had been after.  When she understood what we wanted, she asked if we were looking for something specific.  She went to the safe, pulled out a box with about a dozen envelopes, and took one uncirculated coin out of each.  This was less expensive and faster than we had dreamed!  We now had twelve more coins for our collection, including a couple older (1995ish) ones we hadn't even see before.  We thanked her profusely and took our loot to the waiting area to exclaim over our good luck.

It gets even better!  She came over with some very old kroner and asked if we wanted them because they had been brought to the bank, which had no use for them (a little like the time we were at a U.S. bank and they gave A. a Euro that had been brought in).  The teller asked if we were interested in coins from other countries and there is only one answer to that question!  She brought over a whole bag of coins and I think we might have squealed!  The most unusual was a silver coin from Sweden marking the 500th anniversary of the Riksdagen or parliament.

The teller said she didn't want any U.S. coins because she doesn't collect anything, so maybe we'll bake something for her.  Any other ideas?

We now have coins from the bank safe, circulation, coin store, neighbors, and thrift store, where they sell coins buy the kilogram.  And they are all smaller than a license plate.

Mystery partially solved

Remember the beautiful Haroldsborg house?

a friend did a great job of waiting for the wind to catch the flag for this photo

It is currently an assisted-living house for those with mild mental disabilities.  About fifty years ago it was used as a place to teach proper girls how to cook and keep house.

I also learned that while balder does mean buttocks, Baldersvej most definitely does NOT mean Buttocks Way (my Danish teacher was horrified, yes horrified, that I had posted that definition).  Balder was a Norse god.  Here is what I learned.

Balder was considered the god of light, joy, spring, and peace. He was a very popular and well-liked god and warrior. He was extremely strong and gentle-hearted, but was sometimes considered a bit slow in the head. He was actually killed by his own blind brother when Loki tricked Hodur into throwing a dart of mistletoe at him. Mistletoe was the only thing of nature that was not asked by Frigga to not harm her son.

Ice cubes

The Danes around here seem to have the opposite of American refrigerators with ice cube makers.  Not only do they drink their water warm, but most refrigerators I have seen do not have a freezer compartment.  The families have a chest freezer in a different part of house and ours came with only a little ice cube tray with heart-shaped cube openings.  I am not sure where I would put a traditional ice cube tray if I did have one.

A solution has been found!  You can buy one-use plastic bags that you fill with water and tie the knot (above).  Not so environmentally sound, but I had to try it so I could blog about it!

This is what it looked like after it was frozen.  I did not try to find a flat space, figuring the point was to make it convenient by just dropping it in.

Next the bag is twisted until the cubes come loose and you have a bag of ice cubes.  So entertaining and functional, too.

Israel, Day 10, 31 December

For our last day in Israel we were treated to a wonderful view of the Mediterranean Sea from the hotel.  One family was staying at a hotel right on the water and while we waited for them A. and I were able to run through the hordes of joggers and cyclists to the water's edge.  The breeze was fantastic and we even found a couple shells.  It was the first time I felt sad about leaving and A. said he would return for his honeymoon.

We had beautiful views of the water as we drove to Kiryat Gat for a hands-on archaeological experience.  First, those who were not claustrophobic took a tour through an underground town lit only by candles, which included squeezing though many small openings, one of which was called the toilet hole, much to the delight of the youngest kids.  D. said it wasn't as uncomfortable as visiting old mine sites, maybe because we weren't as far down (or maybe because you don't hear about people being stuck in old cities for weeks or months).

Next we all went down to significantly larger rooms where we were taught the basics of digging.  We were given tools and buckets and each child received help to find at least a bit of pottery or bone.  We weren't allowed to keep anything, but at the end of the tour there were crates of material that had been found but deemed unimportant, so we could take as much as we could carry.  A mad scramble to search for treasures followed that announcement.

We headed off to Rehovat, home to the Weizmann Institute, a potential future sabbatical site.  It is also the home of the Ayalon Institute, the site of a secret bullet factory hidden under a kibbutz.  It was in use from 1945-1948, but didn't become a historic site until 1986.  We were able to see the laundry area that served as the cover and to go below and imagine life for the people who worked there.  I was amazed they were able to acquire materials and keep it a secret.

under this laundry area was a bullet factory

And that was it!  A taxi was waiting for us so we said good-bye and headed to the airport.  Security was just as tight leaving as it was arriving.  Our checked bag was 0.4 kg under the maximum weight and they let us keep the hummus, pomelos, and lotion in our carry-ons - two pieces of good luck.  We found a working outlet, good food from a Kosher restaurant before it closed for Shabbat, and then spent our last shekels on Israeli dates and candy.  Stores closed early for Shabbat and El Al, the Israeli airline, does not fly on Shabbat so the airport was fairly empty.  The last bit of good luck was when we arrived at the Roskilde train station where there were no taxis, but the bus that stops one block from our house and for which we had a free transfer was scheduled to arrive in two minutes, which it did.  A wonderful finish to 2010!

Israel, Day 9, 30 December

After an even better swim and more creamy kasza manna (a quick aside - I forget to mention that all the breakfast buffets had several fish options, too), we said good-bye to the hotel and northern Israel and headed for the Mediterranean coast by riding on the eucalyptus-lined road by the Lebanese border.


Our first stop was Rosh Hanikra, where the salt water has worn caves into the limestone hills.  It was great to be outside and see the sea's stunning shade of blue and to go into the caves.  There was even a sign confirming what I had been told all my life.  Birds living in some of the small caves may drop a little something on you, which is good luck!

From a movie (unusual fact - on the other side of the movie screen was Lebanon) we learned that people used to go over the hills, but during WWII a railway was blasted into them.  The tracks were used until a bridge was blown up to stop the railway from being used to move troops and weapons into Israel from Lebanon in 1948.  Right by the entrance to the park is a border crossing and cease-fire area.

distance in kilometers

We headed south along the coast to Akko (Acre), which is said to be one of the oldest continuously habited towns, dating back about 3500 years.  It has been home to a variety of cultures, including the Crusaders, Ottoman, and the British and is one of the most important places for the Bha'i Faith.  We visited a British prison built above the remains of the old city, toured an enormous, well-preserved dining hall, and followed the escape tunnels, which were made for much smaller people than modern Americans.

random sewer cover I liked

 We had lunch in town (falafel made while we waited) and R. had her first haggling experience, although unintentionally.  She checked out the dessert cart displaying a variety of halva and honey-nut bars and asked the price, but when she walked away (to check with me) the guy called after her with a lower price!

Not much farther down the coast was our stop in Haifa, which felt crowded after the open areas of the previous days.  This used to be the largest port town in Israel, but has been overshadowed by Ashdod, which is closer to Tel Aviv.  We saw the Baha'i Temple and Gardens, but it is being renovated and is covered with scaffolding.

click on photo to enlarge

Another aside - Israel is a sunny place and does not want to depend on neighboring countries for oil.  All homes are required to use solar hot water systems.  Because older homes were not built with these originally you can see them on rooftops all over the place.  The temple is on a hill, as are the houses in the neighborhood, so we had a good view of one set-up.

Even though it was dark we made a quick stop at Caesarea, an old port town named after Caesar Augustus.  It has a reconstructed Roman city and many art shops.  We had fun visiting a store that exclusively sold dreidels made on the premises.

Off to Tel Aviv!  The city proper isn't so big, but including the suburbs it has 3.5 million people, which is only one of the ways it reminded me of San Francisco.  Our friends, who had recently moved from London, waited patiently while we checked in and then took us to a little cafe we would have never found on our own.  It was wonderful to see friendly, familiar faces to hear about life in a new country.

Israel, Day 8, 29 December

For the first time since 27 July 2010 I set my alarm so I could have an early morning swim.  The view of the hills in the morning (and the great smell of chlorine) made the loss of sleep well worth it.  The breakfast buffet was similar to that in Jerusalem, with the addictive addition of kasza manna, which is like the world's best cream of wheat.

Our tour started with a beautiful walk among olive and oak trees to arrive at the ancient Talmudic village of Qasrin/Katzrin.  Remains (partially reconstructed) include a synagogue with a mosaic floor, a restored house with agricultural tools, and an oil press.

While visiting a war memorial in the Golan Heights our guide shared a personal experience from his time with Israeli special forces.  The reality of the situation makes one appreciate the relative safety that exists today.

From there we crossed the street and piled into some old Jeeps for a stomach churning ride.  We decided next time we'll cycle the route.

art hanging on a door 

After lunch at the shopping mall (bypassing McDonalds for Israeli savory pastries) we headed to Safed (or Zefat, Zfat, Tzfat), which is known as being the center of Jewish mysticism.  We were told stories as we walked the narrow alleys (not so narrow that they were free from cars), saw a some art galleries, and visited an ancient synagogue where Lecha Dodi (song welcoming the Shabbat bride) was written in the 16th century.  The highlight was visiting an amazing candle store with a multi-colored traditional candles, but also candles that were entertainment and art (a chess set, wall-sized braided candles, a Noah's ark with animals from books, comic strips, and movies).

Time to head down the mountain (975m/3200 ft) and back to the hotel.  It was going to be hard to leave behind the free wifi, table tennis, early pool hours, and great meals!

Israel, Day 7, 28 December

Before leaving town to head north we stopped, along with many other groups, by the Knesset's Menorah, the official symbol of Israel, sculpted in bronze by Benno Elkan and given as a gift from Britain.  Each of the almost thirty images tells a little bit of Jewish history.

Over the next few days with the warm weather, sunshine, and desert-like vegetation (and often a lack of vegetation) I felt like I was riding through California.  We saw citrus orchards, pomegranate trees, olive trees, and, later on, eucalyptus trees.

Bet She'an National Park  is an enormous site with ruins dating back well over 2000 years, but it wasn't too hard to imagine some parts of life there.  It made us grateful for the advances in plumbing.

on the cardo, the main shopping drag

Bet Alpha Synagogue was unusual in many ways, but especially for the zodiac mosaic floor, found in 1928 during the building of a kibbutz.  A movie re-enacting how the floor may have come to be made the visit more entertaining (along with counting almost ten more wild cats).  It wasn't that the places we visited were dull, but I think the accumulation of stories and facts was wearing people down.

Just in time was a visit to Gan Sahne, which has a spring-fed natural pool like Barton Springs, only warmer (28C, 82F).  The kids loved feeling the fish nibble on their toes and I think I could have swum forever.  Ahh.

The last drive of the day took us to a hotel run by Kfar Giladi Kibbutz.  We had been imagining something like a youth hostel or a farm with chores, but we were at the wrong end of the spectrum.  There were two enormous rooms for our family, free wifi, a 25m pool, table-tennis, and excellent dinner and breakfast buffets.  We had our second swim of the day and settled in for a good night's sleep.

Israel, Day 6, 27 December

3:30 a.m.?  The bus was scheduled to leave at 4:50 a.m. and I thought if I woke up at 4:30 a.m. that would have been sufficient.  Obviously the person who scheduled the wake-up calls did not agree.  One plus of leaving so early was that there was little traffic on the road out of Jerusalem to Masada and it was beautiful to drive along the Dead Sea during dawn.  It was a little strange not to see sea birds or other signs of life.

our group walking from the cable car to the Western Palace

 We were scheduled to take the first cable car of the morning and from there we headed to the Western Palace (click for a map) for the B'nai Mitzvah ceremony.  Nothing will take the place of the first ceremony last summer, but it was meaningful to be outside and at Masada, a symbol of Jewish resistance, and to hear our daughter chant Torah where it has been chanted for a couple thousand years.  A. was given a reading, but his highlight may have been the chance to shower his sister with sweets (throw candy!).

Because we had arrived so early we had plenty of time to look at models from different eras, hear stories, and learn about how water was brought to the people.  I wouldn't call it uplifting, but I am glad we had time to visit.

Swimming in the Dead Sea was something I have wanted to do for as long as can remember seeing pictures of people floating it in.  On the one hand it was the highlight of the day because it was a totally new experience.  I especially liked going where it was deep enough to stand, only to find out that it wasn't possible because my feet were being pushed to the surface.  On the other hand it was an enormous disappointment because you can't swim in it.  You walk out very carefully so you don't splash, you can't put your face in it, and it is strongly recommended that you get out after fifteen minutes.  I had imagined myself swimming at world record pace because of the buoyancy, but I was content to float.  Using tarps the beach we visited was divided into three sections, one for men, one for women, and one for a mix.  I was glad to know even the Orthodox can enjoy floating in the Dead Sea.

But wait, there is more!  We took a short ride to a permanent Bedouin village set up for tourists to learn about the traditions of the Bedouin people.  Before we entered we had an exciting and, thankfully, short camel ride.  They told us the noise that was like a growl was nothing to worry about and I think camels are vegetarians.  I was happy to move on to the tents where we learned about tea, coffee, hospitality, and the reality of the current situation in Israel.

The day ended with a meal like no other.  The Eucalyptus is known for preparing foods mentioned in the Bible and locally grown plants.  I am sorry I don't have a picture of the meal, but imagine fresh pita and hummus, small servings of many salads, chicken stuffed figs, stuffed cabbage and grape leaves, eggplant with tahini something and pomegranate seeds.  Later we could choose from lentil, pumpkin, or Jerusalem artichoke soup.  And I haven't even mentioned the main course!  I am proud that my kids tried lots of foods, even if they didn't like everything.

Today was our longest day, but I wouldn't have changed any part of it.

Israel, Day 5, 26 December

Hadassah Medical Center may be the only hospital anywhere that hosts tour groups (after going through security, of course).  The synagogue within the hospital has a series of nine stained-glass windows created by Marc Chagall that tell the story of Jacob's biblical blessings to his sons.  You can watch a little video here.  We were lucky to have the sanctuary to ourselves because as we were leaving we saw 80 people waiting to enter.

Next it was back to the Western Wall where we could leave notes.  Because it was Sunday we saw army battalions every historical place we visited.  As part of their training, the soldiers visit important sites to learn the history of their country.

From there we took a fascinating and mildly scary tour of the tunnels along the unexposed portion of the Western Wall, including the narrow portion where water used to run.  This is one of those places that would be much more meaningful to experience instead of just reading about it.  It was useful to have models to help us understand what the area looked like during different eras.

We came out of the tunnels at the Arab Quarter, heard some stories of the area, and returned, through security, to the Western Wall area.  From there we headed to the Jewish Quarter where we had savory pastries for lunch and did a little shopping.  A. found a few coins, an Israeli soccer outfit, and we did some wonderful window shopping, too.  During our down time we just enjoyed the sun, listened to conversations, and counted cats, which seem to be everywhere.

tombstone of Golda Meir (see soldiers in the background)

We returned to the military cemetery where we visited the gravesites of Herzl, former national leaders, and people killed in war.  With few exceptions, the tombstones are similar for each leader and people of different ranks are buried next to each other.  Again we saw many, many soldiers and it is hard to imagine what it was like for them to visit a place that makes them face the reality of their situation.

Initially I thought these bits of down time when the kids used the ipod or watched television were wasting our precious moments of time in Israel, but after full days like today I understood that we all needed a break from everything.  The intensity of the tour was super, but it was also good to tune out for a bit.

In the evening we met with Rabbi Maya Leibovitch in order to prepare for the next day's Torah service.  The two boys and R. had already read from the Torah in their hometowns so everyone was prepared.  We discussed readings, the rabbi heard the kids chant, and we were ready for dinner, bed, and a very early wake up call.

Israel, Day 4, Shabbat 25 December

Once difference between Shabbat services I am familiar with in the U.S. versus those in Israel is about ninety minutes.  Most services we considered started at 8:30 a.m., but we didn't make it there quite that early.  Shira Hadasha, an Orthodox feminist congregation, was just right for us.  I can only speak for the women's side, but they seemed happy to be there and were participating fully.  From the whispers around me I wondered if everyone was a U.S. expat, but it didn't seem the right time to ask.  Maybe we'll visit the Los Angeles congregation one day.

After lunch it was the perfect chance for a Shabbat nap to rest up for a three-hour walking tour past another non-functional windmill, through the Old City, Jewish Quarter, Cardo Market, and Christian Quarter before exiting through the Jaffa Gate.

Israel, Friday 24 December

Our first full day starts with a full breakfast and we are ready to go by 8 a.m.  I am relieved that the family by the almost one-way street walks over to meet us so I don't have to be horrified by the bus making a u-turn.

Chen and challah

We head off to the Wohl Rose Park between the Knesset and Supreme Court for a shehechianu ceremony to welcome us to Israel and express thanks.  We give the leftovers to a man whose tent is set up nearby.

Our first stop is the Herzl Museum (next to the military cemetery, which we will visit in a couple days).  We learn about Herzl, a secular Jew who was a visionary for the State of Isreael, through a multi-media presentation shown in several rooms, which was so well done that Arlo said he enjoyed it.

click to enlarge

We stick to the serious nature of the morning and visit Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the Holocaust, or Shoah.  Because it is not open to children under ten, two moms and three boys head off to the zoo.  The rest of us walk along the Avenue of the Righteous, where I am happy to see a marker honoring the people of Denmark.

The more difficult part of the visit was through the Children's Memorial and then the main museum, which is very thorough.  Toward the end I stop in the Hall of Names and check the database for my grandfather.  Chen, our guide, helps us make the transition, but it is jarring to go outside and see the city and the cranes and life going on. 

But life is going on full force and we join the crowds (mostly tourists? I can't tell) at Machane Yehuda Market as people shop for Shabbat.  We have more falafel and I use my limited Hebrew and even some Spanish to buy strawberries, persimmons, tomatoes, and crackers (because it reminds me of All-of-a-Kind Family).  It is great to be in the land of fresh fruit in season, but a bit tough to be with so many people, many of whom use their elbows.

I feel funny driving through an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood as though they are another tourist site, but it is eye-opening.  If this were a different type of blog I would start a discussion about the unemployment rate of the ultra-Orthodox along with the rate of service in the Army, but it is not the right place.


One of the highlights of the day is visiting the Jerusalem Archeological Park, our first chance to be among ruins that are thousands of years old.  Rabbi David Wilfond joins us to share some history of the area and lead a brief Kabbalat Shabbat service, welcomed by blowing the shofar.  It was an awesome moment.

We go through security at the Western Wall and join more Jews than I have ever been with in my whole life.  Some people are dancing and singing and it feels like an enthusiastic Hillel service, some ultra-Orthodox in Shabbat hats (huge fur things) are rushing around, and some of us are just observing.  Cameras are not used now and people do not leave notes during Shabbat, but just being there to see what I have only heard about before makes me feel connected.

After time at the hotel to rest, we have dinner at Beit Shmuel dining hall overlooking the Old City with the almost-full moon looming above.  An amazing start to Shabbat.

Israel, Day 2, 23 December

Because we had arrived before the rest of the group we were on our own.  The day started with the hotel breakfast, which could have fed us for the day.  Here is a fairly complete list -
cold cereals, dried fruit, stewed fruit, canned fruit, hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, a chef making eggs to order, blintzes, potatoes, hot cereal, halva, sliced bread, loaves you could slice yourself, rolls, jams, yogurt, granola, cottage cheese, four or five different white cheeses, hard cheeses, pudding, sweet rolls, and a full salad bar including the ingredients to make your own green salad, several prepared salads, and Israeli breakfast salad.  No bacon and absolutely no bringing your own food into the dining room.

Our first stop was to track down the windmill we could see from our window.  David had read that they were developed in England and were never functional in Israel because of the different weather conditions.  We didn't get lost, but we took the less direct route to get there, which was fine because it gave us a view of the neighborhood.  There are plastic bottle recycling bins on many corners just as there are glass bins in Denmark.  The road signs and license plates also look more European than American.

Our next stop was Ben Yehuda Street, which is the main tourist pedestrian street.  We loved seeing the stores filled with kippot and hannukiah and everything Jewish.  As we got closer we found stores that sold kippot exclusively, including those made with team logos, college logos, brand (Twitter, Blackberry) logos and those made with complex patterns, multi-colored, etc.  More choices than at breakfast.  Nothing is labeled with a price, which means haggling.  We bought a few souvenirs - a kippah with the rainbow Apple logo for Robin, a key chain for Arlo, and a magnet for the family.  What we really wanted was fresh falafel and we found that, too.

This was the first and certainly not the last place we saw soldiers, with and without large guns.  Service is mandatory for all regardless of sex, sexual orientation, or physical capabilities.

David went off to find a bus to visit a colleague and the kids and I made our way to the library.  The children's room didn't open up for another hour so we sunbathed, used ipods, and relaxed for a while.  We had our bags examined by security and headed upstairs.  The English collection was old, but the selection was fine.  The librarian was busy filling what looked to be new shelves or I would have asked her about programs.  I had no way of deciphering the signs, but I enjoyed browsing and checking out the artwork.

We met up with David (who didn't make it to the campus near Tel Aviv) and prepared for our 8 p.m. dinner.  I was a bit worried since by this time we are usually well done eating and onto the bedtime routine, but part of taking a trip is to do things differently.  I always tell this to the kids so it was time for me take my own advice.

The guide, an native Israeli who has had many jobs and traveled many parts of the world, met us in the lobby.  Also there were the other two families staying our hotel (one family from IL with 13- and 6-year-old boys and one family from NJ with 13- and 6-year-old boys and an 11-year-old girl).  We drove to the other hotel to pick up the third family (grandparents from FL, parents, 15-year-old girl and 11-year-old boy from DC/Baltimore area).

It was an amazing thing to watch our driver take a full-size touring bus down what looked like a one-lane road and deal with people parking illegally for a wedding?  bar mitzvah? and then turn the bus around.  I oscillated between watching in awe and covering my eyes in horror, as happened many, many times this tour.  Moti (for Mordechai) never hit anything!

We had to be dressed, fed, and ready for a full day at 8 a.m. so it was off to bed!