Captions Welcome

The long awaited photo...

Christmas

So, I don't even know if anyone reads this thing. I mean, it would make okay reading for those bored at work, but if anyone is investing any other of their spare time into reading it, I would feel bad, cause they aren't going to get that time back! But, even if no one is reading it, I think I will continue to blog when there is something to write about, because if nothing else, it will provide some kind of diary, and I don't want to forget the good times I have had here.

Most recent good time being Christmas. I was really dreading it. And as I received Christmas cards, packages and photo's from home, I cried and wished I hadn't picked such a gaylord time of year to come over (no family at christmas, jobs hard to come by, missing the beach, etc. etc.)

But I had a great Christmas anyway. I spent it with six people I had never met before, and one person I had known for like a month, but it was still all good. I spent the morning on the phone with my family and friends, opened presents from home, and then went for a walk on Hamstead Heath. It wasn't a traditional white christmas, it was blue skied and beautiful though. On the way back, we stopped for hot chocolates, cause there were heaps of shops open because the area around Aidans house has a big Jewish population...hooray!!And then we had a huge Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, courtesy of Aidans million Kiwi housemates.

So yeah, for all the people at home that I whinged and moaned to about being on my own at christmas, with a cheeseburger, and a card written by me, to me...it did not turn out that way, and I had a lovely time.

AND, to all those nay-sayers who told me it wouldn't snow in London...it snowed yesterday, three times!!! Spent a picturesque afternoon in a warm pub, next to the window (and heater) looking out at the snow falling. Sat there for hours eating the beef jerky Betty sent over to me (good one Betty), Christmas chocolates and chips in gravy. Also, got asked for ID at the pub when I went to order the chips...nice one.
OK, this is just rambling now, so I might cease and desist.

More stories soon, as Arun is arriving today!

Belgium Mini Break

(Note the top photo is my attempt at being arty...yeah, didn't really get there)

Just spent a lovely, relaxing, four day weekend in Brussels, Belgium. Stayed in the style of hotel which would have George shaking his head in disappointment. I'm sorry George, but it was a deal on lastminute.com, and you just can't argue with those kind of prices! I swear a pension or hostel would not have cost much less.
The Eurostar dropped us off smack bang in the middle of Brussels, I love the convenience of that thing, and recommend it to everyone. I then proceeded to guide us quickly and efficiently to our hotel, due to fantastic navigational skills which were not evident in Paris, but are now moving to the top of my CV.

That first day was a bit odd, as we wandered around the area of our hotel for hours...disappointed, as it was the business district (more interesting than most, as had NATO and EU centre...but still kind of crap as was mostly offices), but we kept looking, as I could always sense a 'hub' just outside of our view... navigational skills had not at that point been honed to their current high levels.

Big suprise that the first thing I ate in Brussels was a Croque Monsieur. It was so excessively lame compared to the ones I had in Paris, yet this didn't stop me from ordering it again the next day in a different restaurant 'just in cases'...lame. Don't eat croque monsieur in Brussels. Eat it as much as possible in Paris though.

The best thing I ate in Brussels were the waffles...not as good as Tina's woddles, but close. They sell them everywhere in Brussels, especially in little stalls on the streets. However, I didn't eat one until I found a cafe to sit down and eat it in. Did not think I had the skills to walk along and eat waffles balancing icecream on top, etc. etc.

We also had a nice meal in a Lygon-street style area in the downtown centre. We had our hearts set on eating in a restaurant with a roaring fire (plenty on offer), but crumbled to stupid overly enthusiastic spruikers out the front of this other restaurant. Got a good deal though, three courses for 18 euro, plus some wierd vodka thing that I didn't drink.

The thing that I was most excited about in going to Brussels was the Christmas Markets. They sound picturesque, romantic, rarara,...however, they turned out to be refugee-packed-sinking-boat-style overcrowded stalls selling the same kind of crap sold in all markets everywhere, but with fairy lights strung around...does that sound bitter? I always get fooled by 'markets', I always imagine myself strolling leisurely through stalls selling funky, original, but super cheap items, being run into by a hugh grant lookalike who spills their drink on me and takes me back to their house to help me clean up, and then...anyway...that it is never the case. (Although, I will say that the Portobello markets in london have excellent stuff, they are just a severe rip off...and also packed to uncomfortable levels.)

We went on a ferris wheel ride which gave us a fantastic view of Brussels, and was quite festive, as it was playing cheesy christmas carols. Poor Aidan had to listen to my singing along with Mariah Careys' 'All I want for Christmas'...why does she have to sing so bloody high? We were going to go skating at the open air ice skating rink as well, but by the time we got round to it, it was drizzly and horrible weather, so I will have to do that in London.

Good Times.

Paris photo's

...and no, I don't know how to flip that photo up the right way. Bredoir has heaps better photo's...maybe she will put them on some cool fandangled website, and I will just be able to insert a link here...hint hint Bredoir

Belated Hong Kong photo's

you know, that bottom thing is a surf life saving club!