A little bit of beer in Brugge, berecool.

I can now say, I was in Bruges. I've never seen the movie, though now, after going on an In Bruges walking tour I can point out places that Colin Farrell has been, actually, I left half way through, so I can only point out half of the places. A movie walking tour isn't my idea of a good walking tour - except maybe Harry Potter, which I haven't done yet. Yet, I say!

Bruges was good, there was beer

and there was chocolate

and the town was quaint and pretty.

Something a bit Nice

There was something nice in the air, or something lacking. Mainly cloud and coldness and instead there was this big glowing ball - I think it was the sun, its been so long since I've seen it!

Just two nights was very hard, just one day of full adventuring was even harder! So, I had to make it worth it.

Got up and went and found the bus stop that would take me to the little village of Eze, I'm so used to the buses talking to me that when they don't and I have to watch where I am, its disconcerting. There was enough people going there that I just followed the crowd, until I got off the bus.

Then I went off on my own, got a map from the information place and just walked around..





Almost missed the bus to Monaco, had to run across the road, which is hard when you look the wrong way for the cars!

So, I got off the bus in Monaco, not knowing where I was at all - just walked towards the sea..

Walked up to the casino, looked around the outside as the 10 euro entry fee was a bit much for me,
instead I paid 14 euro to go to a museum...

Don't forget the great hostel and lovely people.. but could have done with more than 2 hours sleep before the flight home!

I heart Berlin

In October I did a scary thing - I went on holiday by myself - which ended up being not scary at all.

I got on a plane and went to Berlin, I stayed in Wombats and met lots of wonderful people.

I went on a Sandemans walking tour, highly recommended, sadly all I had on me at the time was a 2 euro coin, I felt so cheap.



There seemed to be a copious amount of drinking during my trip but I mostly pushed on through, except for one day, which was a total disaster.

I did have a very good kebab and then went back for more... another day.

I went out to Potsdam, sadly got there a little late and only got into Sanssouci but still it was pretty amazing.

There was a light festival on and on my last evening I went out and actually saw some of the stuff...



But one thing I am now pretty sure of - there are more Australians around the world than anyone else... I think it's a bit of a takeover...

Ships

Left work late after an exhibition pack down, the light was quite pretty so I took some photos of our ships...

HMS Cavalier

HMS Ocelot

HMS Gannet

Dockyard back bits

Well, I'm a slacker. I've been told off too. So, I'll tell you a little bit about where I am working and do another entry soon with the more exciting front bits of the dockyard.

I work at the Historic Dockyard Chatham, it is a big site with all different types of buildings, Georgian terraces, a big wooden slip way, a rope walk that is still making rope, etc..

It is often used for a film location - one famous one is Amazing Grace, the church at the dockyard was used for parliament debating chamber.

So, a few shots from the back of the dockyard...

Whirlwind Europe

Twelve days - 6 countries (7 if you include England, which I don't or perhaps 7 if the Vatican is included).

A bus full of people makes an interesting twelve days. Its something I might do again, but with a little more independence, not relying on other people... sadly to say, I missed out on doing some things which I wanted to do.

Amsterdam

Rhine Valley

Munich

Kirchberg

Venice

Rome

Vatican

Florence

Lucerne

Paris

Botanical

On 9 April I went to the Royal Kew Botanical Gardens. Now, you see, one has to pay to enter these gardens and with the abundance of free parks around London, you might wonder why anyone bothers....

but..

oh my....

Pretty!!

There are 5 glasshouses!

Hmm - didn't get to all of them.

A pagoda.

A treetop walk - that actually made me feel a bit motion sick.

Fish?!

And flowers..





Probably going back - I like it a lot.