tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15975395743511380492024-02-19T14:50:46.793+00:00Mark and Ellie's adventuresThis is what we've been up to in LondonElliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-41481118684780440822007-08-07T06:03:00.000+01:002007-08-07T06:16:21.978+01:00I'm Feeling GreatI'm feeling great. Ellie and I are on a really good trip, and we are having a great time!<br /><br />Before we left, I had a little bit of trouble getting leave from work. I remember saying that I really wanted to go because our last trip was such a life changing experience and I couldn't pass up the opportunity - I wanted more life changing experiences!<br /><br />Well, this trip has been incredible, and life changing, but not in the way I imagined it. It's very difficult to explain in writing, so next time you see me make sure to ask.<br /><br />It's 6AM here in London right now. I'm on our couch watching the "Dance of the Airplanes" out the window. There is a constant stream of planes dancing in and out of my view through the window - it looks like they are performing ballet. Quite beautiful.<br /><br />It is not long now until we return to the Sun Burnt Country and I'm really looking forward to seeing you all again. It looks like we are off to France for our final week of holiday, to stay at a dairy farm in the country side. (Not quite a shearing shed Dad, but it's the best I could do!)<br /><br />See you all soon!<br />Mark<br /><br />Edit - PS: Weather here in London has been great the last few days. It even hit 30 degrees on Sunday!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-32366421929940337642007-08-06T19:55:00.000+01:002007-08-06T19:56:17.459+01:00FacebookWho's on facebook? Msg me if you are - I'm on there as Ellie Povey.Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-12304502567067341782007-08-06T19:36:00.000+01:002007-08-06T19:53:20.078+01:00KentWe spent a great weekend in Kent with <a href="http://danielandjody.blogspot.com/">Jody and Daniel </a>this weekend. They were housesitting and had a car, so we caught a train down there and went for a beautiful drive around the gorgeous Kent countryside, with a long chilled-out picnic for lunch, a cream tea outside a pub, and a bbq for dinner! It was so brilliant to get out of London and see some green for a while. We had our picnic at <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-knole/">Knole House, </a>which had a huge deer park surrounding it, so there were deer coming up to see if we had any food for them while we were eating. They were just lying down sleeping all around us (despite all the chavs with their shirts off...).<br /><br />And cream teas are so good! It's basically a devonshire tea, but I suppose since you get them all over and not just in Devon, they call them cream teas instead. And the clotted cream that comes with them is so good - so thick it's like spreading butter on your scones and jam. Like King Island cream but thicker... And yes, I do still reserve the right to bitch about the Heathrow Injection when I get home... :D<br /><br />But... we didn't get any photos of the weekend at all cos the batteries in the camera died! So no pics of deer or hedgerows, but instead here's another cheezcat:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/rocketcat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/rocketcat.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-23674940121318832122007-08-02T22:10:00.000+01:002007-08-02T22:13:34.360+01:00Skeptical cat...Nothing much, just the cutest kitty... skeptical cat:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/skeptical-cat-is-fraught-with-skepticism.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/skeptical-cat-is-fraught-with-skepticism.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Actually this fellow reminds us of our mate Ben...Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-81636654907475046252007-08-01T21:03:00.000+01:002007-08-01T21:48:51.639+01:00ReikiI had an awesome weekend - I did a reiki course! It was quite trippy in a way, just a little glimpse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1238/763850574_0ef59f93fd.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1238/763850574_0ef59f93fd.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a> at a whole different world, but it was a really fun thing to do and just a fascinating concept. So in theory I can now do reiki on people. In practice of course I probably should have a bit more practice... that's what Mark's for luckily ;)<br /><br />We had a cool night with Jody and Daniel the other night. They've just gotten back from volunteering in South America, and had so many awesome stories to tell and photos to see. So exciting! We're going to hang out on Saturday too and wander around some castles and stuff out in Kent.<br /><br />We've also been continuing our culinary tour of London - <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1034/763851030_a7f07e005a.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1034/763851030_a7f07e005a.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>we've had some awesome little wanders to work in the sunshine lately, followed by yummo coffee and croissants in Exmouth Market. There's this awesome little patisserie there that makes the best croissants... so good, and not bad coffee either.<br /><br />We also went to see the Transformers movie last night. I have to admit I wasn't expecting a lot at all, so I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't really watch the cartoons when I was a kid though, so didn't really know what to expect. I thought it was pretty good - awesome CGI stuff with the transformer robots, although some of the scale model scenes where buildings were wrecked etc were a bit dodgy. Mark wasn't too impressed though - he didn't think they did justice to Optimus Prime...<br /><br />Oh, and I didn't have any new pics to put up, so here are a couple that we took on the way back from Norway - a beautiful sunny shot over the sea, and a pic of the little patchwork fields coming down in England.Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-38856230094559140732007-07-26T17:18:00.000+01:002008-12-10T15:47:40.918+00:00Plymouth!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JlnPonxo5js/RqjMl_cVdeI/AAAAAAAAABE/RDpa7JXLxzM/s1600-h/Plymouth+062.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JlnPonxo5js/RqjMl_cVdeI/AAAAAAAAABE/RDpa7JXLxzM/s320/Plymouth+062.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091544331799852514" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Trip to Plymouth!<br /><br />Due to the floods, it took us six hours to get to Plymouth on the train. We had to go through Bristol and then down to Plymouth. The direct train only takes three hours!!<br /><br />Plymouth was a a really interesting place. We Ellie's first house (when she was a baby!), had an Oggy (a devonshire pasty) together, walked around and saw the lighthouse and the waterfront.<br /><br />We stayed at a really nice B&B. It was great. The port and waterfront was nice, but really polluted!! It was really disgusting, and the English were fishing in it!! Right in the polution!<br /><br />We had an awesome dinner and evening at a really cool restaurant bar. The best service we've had in England! Just great!<br /><br />On Sunday we cruised around the town (away from the touristy bits) and saw where Ellie's Dad lived when he was a kid. We happened across a really cool cafe with great coffee, where we sat for a while and Ellie called her Dad to get his old address. It was there that Ellie realised (while speaking with her Dad on the phone) that we were right across the road from where he went to school as a kid.<br /><br />Here's Ellie eating a pasty!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JlnPonxo5js/RqjL4fcVddI/AAAAAAAAAA8/ayKfRcYrp38/s1600-h/Plymouth+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JlnPonxo5js/RqjL4fcVddI/AAAAAAAAAA8/ayKfRcYrp38/s320/Plymouth+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091543550115804626" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-32575289642733865212007-07-20T22:23:00.000+01:002007-07-20T22:39:55.125+01:00Plymouth tomorrowYay - we're finally off to Plymouth tomorrow. 3 hrs on the train tomorrow morning, then we're staying at a B&B a block down the road from the terrace house where I spent the first 3 yrs of my life - how cool is that?? Otherwise we'll just wander around Plymouth and check stuff out, and get a pastie from Ivor Dewdney's, which is evidently a famous local landmark now, but where Mum and Dad used to get their pastie fix when we lived there 25 years ago, and whose pastie recipe Mum patiently and faithfully ripped off. When I get back home, I'm making a batch of pasties! Yummo!<br /><br />And as an added gift for today's post, here is one of today's kitties from <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/">I Can Has Cheezburger</a>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/je-voudrais-une-royale-avec-frommage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/je-voudrais-une-royale-avec-frommage.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-72411857535290736642007-07-19T23:51:00.000+01:002007-07-20T02:03:31.611+01:00Stick a fork in me Jerry ...... I'm done!<br /><br />After claiming earlier in the trip that I was sick of museums etc. I've spent over 10 hours in the last two days in two museums. On Wednesday I went to the Imperial War Museum and today I spent six and a half hours at the British Museum.<br /><br />I went to the <a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/">Imperial War Museum</a> to see a few movies I'd seen scheduled the last time we were there. Saw an old film (news reel) describing how airfields were built in the English country-side to launch bombing raids on German positions in Europe. Then a short film produced by the British School of Infantry in 1943 on camouflage and field craft (if any one knows, it's soldiers in the middle of a war!). The second film was great (really great!!!) with some awesome stuff on the use of camouflage and field craft, using shade and terrain, range cards and the selection of fire positions, movement across country and section formations. Really cool stuff! (To me anyway!)<br /><br />Then I went upstairs and saw a 30 minute film titled <a href="http://london.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1425">Crimes Against Humanity</a>. It was not a pleasant film, but I do feel that it is a very important one. The film is "A specially-commissioned 30-minute film is the central element of this exhibition which examines the theme of genocide and ethnic conflict". More people need to see this film, and more importantly understand what is going on in the world around them. Once you know what is really going on you can take action. So stop watching Today Tonight and switch on SBS World News. Then write to your local politicians and tell them to do something about it. Don't let fear and mass media rule your life.<br /><br />Enough ranting. And I haven't even got to <a href="http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/">Collingwood</a> yet.<br /><br />After the Crimes Against Humanity film I went to the <a href="http://london.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.00b005">Holocaust exhibition</a>. It was an incredible exhibition. Phenomenal. Like a normal museum exhibit it has lots of physical exhibits you can look at and read about, but in addition to this, complementing and enhancing these pieces are images, diorama's, audio and video from Nazi propaganda films and Jewish holocaust survivors. I spent over two and half hours going through the exhibition. At one point I was almost cried reading letters, watching videos and listening to the stories of the few survivors as they were shipped off to Auswitch like cattle as part of the Nazi's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Solution">"Final Solution"</a>. I could not believe the horrors these people were forced to endure because of a belief system. And worse still is that it has been not only Nazi's but Christians and Muslims who have perpetrated and advanced anti-Semite beliefs for centuries.<br /><br />But worse still, and worst of all, is that we have learnt nothing. The parallels between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany">Nazi Germany</a> and the conflicts of today, portrayed in the Crimes Against Humnaity films were the most disturbing thing of all.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/Genocide/pol_pot.htm">Cambodia</a>. <a href="http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/Genocide/bosnia_genocide.htm">Yugoslavia</a>. <a href="http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/Genocide/genocide_in_rwanda.htm">Rwanda</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide#Darfur">Darfur</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide#Darfur">.</a><br /><br />I'm sorry for such a negative post. Well, negative or positive? It all depends on your <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_%28cognitive%29">point of view</a> and what you choose to do with the knowledge you've obtained (or been reminded of) by reading this Blog today.<br /><br />On to Thursday!! I have to make this part of the post upbeat; Ellie is insistent that the Mark and Ellie's Adventures Blog be entertaining so all our friends and family come back and read it and leave good comments! Ellie <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">loves</span> comments!! (If you can't read between the lines, leave some good comments, this means you! ;)(Hey Baby! xox)<br /><br />So Thursday, Ellie and I did what is becoming a bit of a morning habit. Headed down to the Italian Coffee Company (which is actually an Italian pizza restaurant) for a coffee and a croissant. If you buy a large coffee there (and they make pretty good coffee) before 12pm you get a free croissant (pretty good croissant's too, baked on the premises!). So we had a coffee and a croissant, and then I walked Ellie to work, which takes a little under 30 minutes.<br /><br />After dropping Ellie off, I wasn't sure what to do. I thought I might check out the <a href="http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/default.aspx">British Museum</a> which happens to be on the way, directly between our place and Ellie's work. I was keen to do an audio tour (self guided headphones type thing) of the <a href="http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/explore/galleries/themes/room_1_enlightenment.aspx">Enlightenment Room</a>. When I got there the exhibits were closed (they don't open before 10am, I've been to the museum a number of times after walking Ellie to work, so I knew this already) so I got a cappuccino and sat in the Great Court (see link for picture). The Great Court is amazing. The whole museum is worth looking at even if there was nothing in it. Amazing building. It's just awesome to sit in the Great Court and be in it. Sometimes I have a coffee there before everything opens to do just that.<br /><br />(Going early, before the exhibits open is awesome because everything is just slowly building up to speed. Staff are cleaning and preparing. Early birds are planning their days and preparing. It's like getting up really early and watching a town wake up, and slowly come to life, except you don't have to be there till 9.30am. Perfect really! (All of you who know me well enough, I know you've been missing my stories so that was a little bit of MarkWorld for you. Otherwise known as a delightful detour through the mind of a genius.))<br /><br />Onwards! So, the Enlightenment tour. I went to pick up the audio tour and decided to change my mind at the last moment and to the British Museum Self-Guided <span style="font-style: italic;">Highlights</span> Audio Tour! This is a self guided audio tour of the highlights of the British Museum. Much like it sounds really.<br /><br />So.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Six-and-a-half-hours later!!! </span>I finished the tour. I've come pretty darn close to seeing everything in the British Museum. Please note: Seeing. Not appreciating! I was traveling pretty fast through a lot of the museum, and about 3-4 rooms were closed for renovation. And keep in mind that I've been there a number of times previously so I've seen a lot of it before (I didn't even stop to breath at the huge Parthenon room).<br /><br />At the end of it all: Wow! Amazing museum. Amazing!! I saw so much that I hadn't even contemplated before today. The four major cultures of Central America throughout the last three thousand years. The migration of Greeks to southern Italy and their influence on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscans">Etruscans</a> (early native Italians). The different forms and development of money throughout the centuries. The enormity and grandeur of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persepolis">Persepolis</a> (capital of the ancient Persian empire). The <a href="http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=mausoleum+halicarnassus&spell=1">Mausoleum at Halicarnassus</a> (a wonder of the ancient world). The native Americans of British Columbia. I can't even think of what else. African bronze working. Korean artworks and the influence of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius">Confucius</a>. Buddhist statues. Ancient palace gates. Winged bulls. Stuff I can't even remember the name of. I can't keep it all in my head.<br /><br />I'm trying to think of more, but I just can't. So I'll name a tonne of other stuff that I saw that I did know about: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_stone">The Rosetta Stone</a>. Ramases II. Anglo-Saxon warriors. Greek mythology. Mummies. Swords. Scrolls. Pots. Pans. Spoons. Rocks. Ah, bugger I don't know. It's about 5 minutes to 1am. I can't think.<br /><br />I hardly looked at the Asian and Eastern stuff. A quick run through, that was it. I'm keen to go back and look at it in more detail, and Ellie said she was too, so we'll probably go together. Should be good. The run free 30 minute short tours as well, so I plan to go back and join a few of those to see those things that I was interested in again. You'd think I was sick of the place, but it is really amazing. And free entry. Did I mention that?<br /><br />(NB: <a href="http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/explore/online_tours.aspx">You can do a virtual tour of the British Museum, just click here</a>.)<br /><br />So, when I left it was about time for Ellie to finish work. I was dead set exhausted. I walked to meet El at her work, and had a quick <a href="http://www.pochendorfer.com/macchiato/macchiato.html">macchiato</a> while I waited for her. After Ellie showed up, I suggested we go out for dinner. To Strada (see Ellie's post below).<br /><br />Ellie and I went to Strada in <a href="http://www.wimbledon-village.com/">Wimbledon Village</a> last time we were here. It was awesome! This time, we had the exact same meal. The garlic bread was awesome, but I have to say the rest of the food was average. I'm writing it up as unimaginative and lacking soul.<br /><br />Then we cruised on home and watched <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rundown">"Welcome to the Jungle"</a> with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rock_%28entertainer%29">The Rock</a> (GO <span style="font-weight: bold;">THE <span style="font-style: italic;">ROCK!!!</span></span>). Heh heh. The British Museum followed by the Rock! What a<span style="font-style: italic;"></span> combination.<br /><br />NB I: This post is full of links to more information. Move your mouse over the text or click randomly for more information.<br /><br />NB II: As we were cruising home (like most other times really) Ellie and I had so much fun, laughing and playing around. Ellie is so awesome, we have so much fun together.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">"All that is needed for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:78%;">- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Burke">Edmund Burke</a><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">PPS. If you didn't know about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page">Wikipedia,</a> you sure as hell do now.<br /><br />PPPS. I really hope you enjoy this post. It's now 10 minutes to 2am. As I said, Stick A Fork In Me ...<br /></span><span style=""><b></b></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-64635890144577397862007-07-19T21:32:00.000+01:002007-07-19T21:41:03.126+01:00StradaWe had dinner at <a href="http://www.strada.co.uk/">Strada</a> tonight, for the first time since we've been back in London. That place is great. It's another chain of course, but they do some great food. We had the exact same thing as one of our last meals over here last time - some fantastic garlic and rosemary bread to start with, which was like pizza bread really but had some olive oil and sea salt on it too - so good!!! Then we had an appetiser of carpaccio, which is thin cured beef slices, with rocket, parmesan and olive oil. Also <span style="font-weight: bold;">brilliant</span>. Then we had a buffalo mozzarella pizza with tomato for the main course. I love buffalo mozzarella, it's the best thing ever. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Such </span>a good pizza... All washed down with a couple of glasses of Italian wine and beer for Mark. Oh yeah baby!Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-71367293221828565912007-07-17T20:35:00.000+01:002007-07-17T20:50:13.953+01:00the world's zaniest cafe stuffThe place we had our big breakfast at on Sunday had the most entertaining stuff ever. There were zany little signs everywhere (the 'closed' sign on the door said "shut happens"!), including on the saucers under the coffee cups - this is a pic of what it said.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1040/821643438_75bca84741.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1040/821643438_75bca84741.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />And here is their napkin and biscuit. Sorry, their Stupid Little Biscuit!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1126/821643092_d3aecf83d8.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1126/821643092_d3aecf83d8.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />OK, that's all, just thought these were cool...Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-51892168107602767792007-07-16T20:38:00.000+01:002007-07-16T22:06:28.068+01:00BrightonDucked down to Brighton on the weekend. We'd had very mixed reports of it beforehand - varying from 'super-cool' to 'super-tacky'. We got off the train there on Saturday morning and wandered down to the "beach". The "beach" was freezing cold, blusterily wind-swept, and made up of small boulders. There was a <a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1381/821638816_9893f157ae.jpg?v=0">crazy old rusted metal ruin </a>just off the beach - very<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1354/821642542_a7daaee243.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1354/821642542_a7daaee243.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a> picturesque - and the promenade thingy had a distinctly faded old-school tourist air about it.<br /><br />But then after lunch when we had a tiny bit of sunshine, we got the hell away from that crap "beach" and went back from the coast a bit into these cool old little windy streets which actually had a bit of atmosphere and were pretty funky. We also checked out the Brighton Pier, which was just a big amusement park thingy that went way out to sea (and had one of the scariest evil take-you-up-into-the-air-and-drop-you-down-and-spin-you-around rides ever - made scarier <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1439/821645536_08871e81c9.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1439/821645536_08871e81c9.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>by the fact that it's effectively out in the ocean...!), so that was kind of cool, but also a huge rip-off with all the total junk that you have to pay lots of money for. We also had a laugh at British surfing, which is apparently done in a 5 metre space between the pier and the jetty - <a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1267/821641098_eee5dd4b64.jpg?v=0">here's a pic</a>.<br /><br />The we went to check in at the ugliest hotel ever built - a huge concrete block with ugly dribbly stains going down the outside, which also seemed to have the rudest hotel staff ever. We sure know how to pick em! And of course it costs 2.4 times as much for the rude concrete block over here as it does back home...<br /><br />But after all this doom and gloom, we turned it around. It was a tough morning, so we had a fantastic nap for an hour or so. Yes, we do party hard. And <span style="font-weight: bold;">then</span>, we had a brilliant dinner and some drinks at Cafe Rouge (another restaurant chain, but pretty cool - cute little French vibe. The first pic above is from here.), and <span style="font-weight: bold;">then </span>we went to see Damien Rice, which was the whole point of coming to Brighton in the first place. And he was brilliant. I didn't take any photos, because (1) photography was banned, (2) stacks of other people were taking photos, despite (1), so I assume I will soon be able to find all their photos on flickr, and lastly (3) it was<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1008/820768609_417b1a958e.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1008/820768609_417b1a958e.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a> too good a gig and I couldn't be bothered stuffing around with the camera. Then we had some more drinks on the way home, which was also brilliant, for itself but also because we confirmed that we're addicted to travelling.<br /><br />Then the next day we slept in (yes, we do party hard), went out for a long cruisy breakfast to read the paper delivered to our room that morning (note, NOT free despite the hefty price tag of the room!), which was pretty decent. Then we wandered around all the funky little shopping streets for a bit, revisited the "beach", which was actually a bit nicer in the sunshine and on a slightly warmer day (pics are from then, not yukky Saturday), and bummed around in a pub for a while. All of which was lovely and left us with much fuzzier feelings towards Brighton than the day before.Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-58940052163441946552007-07-13T19:09:00.000+01:002007-07-13T19:21:08.957+01:00Black google - Blackle!Check this out, it's cool! Some dude had an idea recently that because it takes (relatively) heaps more energy to display a white screen than it does a black screen, if Google had a black background instead of a white one it would save a fair whack of energy worldwide just because so many people use Google. So someone created Blackle - a custom search powered by Google but with a black background. Check it out - <a href="http://www.blackle.com">click here</a>. There's a little link at the bottom called '<a href="http://www.blackle.com/about/">About Blackle</a>' that explains it all too. The funny thing is that evidently someone's started the verb 'blackling' in the same way that there's a verb 'googling' already - eg "I'll blackle it and find out". Love it!! :)Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-23701660489144090322007-07-12T19:54:00.000+01:002007-07-12T20:11:51.201+01:00Hilarious Bergen street signs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1268/762980865_0620f54b5a.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1268/762980865_0620f54b5a.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Mark swears that he's going to post about Norway tonight, so I'll leave the serious post to him and put a zany post on - all the crazy street signs in Bergen!! Part of it is just bodgy translations (Norweglish??), and the rest is just that things are slightly different cos it's a different culture..<br /><br />Here's the sign for our local Bergen Now Age Shop - except by the time we got into the shop it wouldn't be Now anymore, so what's the point?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1296/763720000_26e9b3f7f1.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1296/763720000_26e9b3f7f1.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>This is the pedestrian crossing sign in Norway. I love it cos the little dude looks so shifty - like an old school spy with his trench coat and fedora. Mark was going to pose underneath the sign in the same shifty pose, but there were too many people around all the time...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1273/762866175_6a848036bf.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1273/762866175_6a848036bf.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>And here's our local Netty Undertoy store - this is an underwear store, in case you can't see through the reflections on the window, that's why Mark's looking so happy standing in front of it...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1316/762866639_c667da95bd.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1316/762866639_c667da95bd.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>This is technically not a crazy Bergen street sign, but it's still pretty funny - a travel agency ad.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And the last one is just for Ray...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1438/763725198_73c4237ad3.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1438/763725198_73c4237ad3.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And lastly, Mark's news of the moment is that he is anti-everything-i, except ipaqs. QED.Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-32837584588079993402007-07-09T21:58:00.000+01:002007-07-09T22:00:55.653+01:00Tons of photosOh, and here is a link to my flickr site, where I'm putting all these photos up too. There are <span style="font-weight: bold;">tons</span> more photos up there from Norway, although we'll put more posts up on the blog to explain them all soon.<br /><br />Here's the link: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/9255650@N06/">click here</a>.Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-42783997645795318572007-07-09T21:33:00.000+01:002007-07-09T21:58:22.995+01:00Bergen!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1251/762854653_01bf26f382.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1251/762854653_01bf26f382.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/9255650@N06/762854653/in/set-72157600734139956/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.flickr.com/photos/9255650@N06/762854653/in/set-72157600734139956/" alt="" border="0" /></a>Well that was a fantastic weekend!! Despite us both having colds at various times over the weekend, my hearing disappearing in one ear after the flight over, me twisting my ankle, me booking $300 worth of tours for the wrong week, Sunday raining cats and dogs, Norway being so expensive that a bowl of wedges costs $40 AUD, and Mark nearly getting stuck in no-mans-land because customs wouldn't let him back into the country, we ended up having a brilliant holiday.<br /><br />The fjords were <span style="font-weight: bold;">amazing</span>. Here are a couple of photos, but as usual they don't come anywhere near to capturing how stunning the place was when you're actually there.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1262/762856721_18bb8133e0.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1262/762856721_18bb8133e0.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />And happy birthday to gorgeous Mark!! :) Although his birthday is on hold today until he's feeling better, then we're going out to celebrate :) Love you tons beautiful! :)Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-77346704623712091142007-07-04T21:06:00.000+01:002008-12-10T15:47:41.437+00:00United Grand Lodge of England<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JlnPonxo5js/RowL4GcpKhI/AAAAAAAAAAs/1vey1IELJp4/s1600-h/Symbols.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JlnPonxo5js/RowL4GcpKhI/AAAAAAAAAAs/1vey1IELJp4/s320/Symbols.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083451137825778194" border="0" /></a><br />Woke up this morning. Ellie was feeling sick. She said she was feeling ill last night, thought she might be coming down with the flu or a cold.<br /><br />I went down to the super-market to buy Ellie some orange juice, and then past the chemist for some cold and flu tablets.<br /><br />Ellie went back to bed, so I had a few cups of coffee, checked the papers (they are still trying to crucify Didak - tall poppy syndrome still at the forefront of the Australian psyche) and watched some tennis on the TV. I might do a poor-mans Wimbledon next week if it's still going. I don't know when it's supposed to finish.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JlnPonxo5js/RowMEmcpKiI/AAAAAAAAAA0/pRz3tOSsoN4/s1600-h/481px-Freemasons.hall.london.arp.750pix.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JlnPonxo5js/RowMEmcpKiI/AAAAAAAAAA0/pRz3tOSsoN4/s320/481px-Freemasons.hall.london.arp.750pix.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083451352574143010" border="0" /></a>After some lunch, I went out to visit the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Grand_Lodge_of_England">United Grand Lodge of England</a> (the Freemasons Grand Lodge in England). Went into the museum and library. The building is quite spectacular, but there was lot of ... ah, decorative type stuff in the museum. As luch would have it I was just in time for the free guided tour. It was really good. The Grand Temple is AMAZING! It is massive inside. The entrance to the Grand Temple inside the lodge is through two one-and-a-half tonne bronze doors. The guide said they have not moved a mil since they were hung 70 years ago. Really amazing. And they open with just the push of a finger. Really amazing.<br /><br />Inside the temple is full of all kinds of symbols and designs, all with allegorical meaning (hope that's proper english). So the temple/lodge was a big surprise. I just happened across it the other day, noticed it was free and thought I'd check it out. It was really good. I'm hoping I can take Ellie along for the tour soon.<br /><br />After that, wandered down to the gym. Did some stuff. And wandered home.<br />Cooked dinner. And that's about all she wrote for today.<br /><br />Tomorrow, if Ellie goes to work, I might go see Die Hard 4.0 and get a burger for lunch in a pre-birthday celebration. Then tomorrow night, <span style="font-weight: bold;">We Fly To Bergen!!</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-23439712364301721002007-07-04T18:29:00.000+01:002007-07-04T18:39:49.972+01:00Sick :PWell somehow I've managed to get a cold - that's the second one since I left Australia less than 2 months ago - what's going on?? I'm blaming (1) the dodgy unhealthy food options over here, that <span style="font-weight: bold;">force </span>me to eat curry, pizza and burgers at the pub every night so my vitamin intake isn't up to scratch, and (2) crowded public transport in London, combined with (3) the appalling personal hygiene of Londoners, where they think covering their faces when they cough or sneeze is optional. And of course it happens right before we're flying over to Norway tomorrow, so I'll be nice and stuffed up when the plane goes up and comes down :PElliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-6827701070134582652007-06-28T21:40:00.001+01:002007-06-28T22:14:55.315+01:00Great food, coffee... and chain storesWe had the best dinner last night. There's this Italian restaurant near our place called <a href="http://www.zizzi.co.uk/index.html">Zizzi</a>, and we've eaten there a few times now. They do the best garlic pizza bread - it comes with just a bit of olive oil brushed over the top, and fresh rosemary leaves scattered over it. It is <span style="font-style: italic;">so </span>good. Then I had this brilliant goat's cheese crostini with caremelised onion on top - it was such a strong taste, almost blue-cheese strong, but so good. Admittedly it did come with a lame, overdressed little salad thing, but I can overlook that. All washed down with some yummy Trebbiano, which I've never really had before but which isn't bad. Then for desert, I had vanilla bean and pistachio ice cream (shouldn't that be gelato at an Italian restaurant?). And Mark had an affogatto, although I had to tell them how to make it?! They did do a brilliant job in the end though - I love affogatto...<br /><br />So that was great. But then when I just looked it up online to put a link to it above, I found out that it's a huge chain... not surprising really, everything that's good in London turns out to be a chain. I don't know why that takes some of the gloss off, but it does. It just seems less authentic and less loved somehow, like the owners don't really give a poo about the food but are just out to make a buck. But I guess if they make good food then nothing changes that - enjoy it for what it is right...<br /><br />Like this great coffee place I went to yesterday morning near my work, that I'd read about online. It was called <a href="http://www.benugo.com/s-Index.htm">Benugo</a>, and they made me a great coffee to start the morning with. Lucky, cos it also made me 15 minutes late to work. But then this evening I saw another one a few blocks away from our place! Bloody chain stores...<br /><br />One place that kicks bum and that I know is <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>a chain store is this little place near work called Brill. It's a funny little blend of CD shop and cafe, and it prides itself on being independent. There was this guy who opened up on Monday morning, and he made me, without exaggeration, the best coffee I've had in London ever. So I had another one. The owner, who normally works there, makes an OK coffee but not as good as this other dude. He's good value though - he very clearly absolutely loves his music and talks loudly and enthusiastically to anyone who goes into the shop about whatever CD is playing or whatever type of music they happen to be looking for.Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-71112960549481501912007-06-27T09:18:00.000+01:002007-06-27T09:25:03.094+01:00NoGo MotoDidn't go up to the MotoGP. Went down the to train station to buy a ticket. 95 pounds return. "Cheers mate. No thanks." That's almost $250 before I'm even in the door. Oh well. Watched it on TV, the start of the race was good. Wet day though. We had a pretty good weekend in London as well. Just doing not that much.<br /><br />We went to see Oceans 13 at the movies last night. That was pretty good! We are big fans of the previous two movies, and this one was good. We both enjoyed it, although we don't get a lot of the jokes! (I think you have to be American to understand some of them). They've left the door open for a fourth movie, but I don't think it will ever happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-52910323305278124062007-06-25T22:14:00.000+01:002007-06-25T22:24:09.139+01:00Bergen, here we come...We just booked Mark's birthday weekend away - on the west coast of Norway in the midst of the fjords!! It looks absolutely stunning! Here's us when we get there (and die our hair blonde...):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.visitnorway.com/ImageVault/Images/id_19099/scope_128/webSafe_1/ImageVaultHandler.aspx?%7E19099%7EThe%20Lysefjord.%20Photo:%20Terje%20Rakke/Nordic%20Life/IN"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 91px;" src="http://www.visitnorway.com/ImageVault/Images/id_19099/scope_128/webSafe_1/ImageVaultHandler.aspx?%7E19099%7EThe%20Lysefjord.%20Photo:%20Terje%20Rakke/Nordic%20Life/IN" alt="" border="0" /></a>We're going to this little (??) place called Bergen, which has direct flights from London and is apparently a great place to go to check out the fjords. I did also read somewhere that they do these crazy viking tours, where at the end they dress everyone up like a viking and you go out on a viking ship. That just sold it for Mark, so off we go... :)<br /><br />This is Bergen:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.visitnorway.com/ImageVault/Images/id_14048/conversionFormat_0/scope_128/ImageVaultHandler.aspx?%7E14048%7EPhoto:%20Bergen%20Harbour%20at%20sunset.%20%20Photo:%20Bergen%20Tourist%20Board/Willy%20Haraldsen"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.visitnorway.com/ImageVault/Images/id_14048/conversionFormat_0/scope_128/ImageVaultHandler.aspx?%7E14048%7EPhoto:%20Bergen%20Harbour%20at%20sunset.%20%20Photo:%20Bergen%20Tourist%20Board/Willy%20Haraldsen" alt="" border="0" /></a>Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-21103836841679456172007-06-24T12:09:00.001+01:002008-12-10T15:47:42.062+00:00Land of odd shop signs...We seem to be in the midst of a whole stack of crazy zany shop signs here. Not only do we have a local BoConcept store, but a local Mr Topper's hair salon, a cryptic farting dog store, and also a local Spearmint Rhino gentleman's club. How have I ever lived without these??<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbToruuc1_xiWKNG1_ddz7jVvICVAl0KLLlGMRi5krodbwrqVSDkBp8-nOQIrwjqnSDQP40h_lLK1X1N0rz8v0pRI9vCL_utHHIqUnbvDXtqWPEkVfgzPkWOQ_k2i9puouRPFh4dwNxUs/s1600-h/Funny+signs+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbToruuc1_xiWKNG1_ddz7jVvICVAl0KLLlGMRi5krodbwrqVSDkBp8-nOQIrwjqnSDQP40h_lLK1X1N0rz8v0pRI9vCL_utHHIqUnbvDXtqWPEkVfgzPkWOQ_k2i9puouRPFh4dwNxUs/s400/Funny+signs+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079588229473617586" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2Yi5dd0dfyKpwJqki6LAz123QIpe9TsIeEpm5CWtuHo0aIzdvwBeDQFXqJjqyki9UkSTGGKG55T93KY8I9cxVzXDOBXCqPFTkLE_KruhSCckNIbBuoHDg2TqXIOwf3lyylkQFI2S0LtP/s1600-h/Funny+signs+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2Yi5dd0dfyKpwJqki6LAz123QIpe9TsIeEpm5CWtuHo0aIzdvwBeDQFXqJjqyki9UkSTGGKG55T93KY8I9cxVzXDOBXCqPFTkLE_KruhSCckNIbBuoHDg2TqXIOwf3lyylkQFI2S0LtP/s400/Funny+signs+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079586773479704210" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktGTjPWAVG6n-OjBgYnzJvKS8GgHQdqxmEH8_fqYRwJaVeIcxwj2pixnnB8X3BnEurPrABayaEP0337QN6CbzB3M7yRHNfE2CMPWyQ1NWl5D3QF5_9o3XzbRo0vmqnpkYlkiwFHIIbtsN/s1600-h/Funny+signs+011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktGTjPWAVG6n-OjBgYnzJvKS8GgHQdqxmEH8_fqYRwJaVeIcxwj2pixnnB8X3BnEurPrABayaEP0337QN6CbzB3M7yRHNfE2CMPWyQ1NWl5D3QF5_9o3XzbRo0vmqnpkYlkiwFHIIbtsN/s400/Funny+signs+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079587061242513058" border="0" /></a>Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-82738262386187546202007-06-24T12:01:00.000+01:002008-12-10T15:47:42.306+00:00BoConcept storeThis one's just for Ray - our local BoConcept store on Tottenham Court Road. Now we've at least got proof for one of our Bo's...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeWhlJzibuFpy6Ed3TeBU_sqzBG59xNfXlgHXHIGAaZOCHpEFDW98-G3SKNjGfL2Ehcav-_7Q8H-7VCsZpXMDpjxPFClJP4UAYBzjA6bUVOW-tVnKjMGWwrNifub8nl841icvBBQUAN66/s1600-h/Funny+signs+007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeWhlJzibuFpy6Ed3TeBU_sqzBG59xNfXlgHXHIGAaZOCHpEFDW98-G3SKNjGfL2Ehcav-_7Q8H-7VCsZpXMDpjxPFClJP4UAYBzjA6bUVOW-tVnKjMGWwrNifub8nl841icvBBQUAN66/s400/Funny+signs+007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079588895193548482" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XYjfbDMQ_AImAXRolsQqrDjVk9s2hyphenhyphenHdBUDhL50rc3ke1q1BJkevLuCxXWm2tgm0ag6H44BXtcIadxHomh_9mHOQhpxU3dLIIpaSJCHEkoODWLH0j-M2f5aMjIot93zdH-m0TNFYaMpf/s1600-h/Funny+signs+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XYjfbDMQ_AImAXRolsQqrDjVk9s2hyphenhyphenHdBUDhL50rc3ke1q1BJkevLuCxXWm2tgm0ag6H44BXtcIadxHomh_9mHOQhpxU3dLIIpaSJCHEkoODWLH0j-M2f5aMjIot93zdH-m0TNFYaMpf/s400/Funny+signs+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079585897306375810" border="0" /></a>Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-348915112740633322007-06-23T19:16:00.000+01:002007-06-23T19:34:39.381+01:00Cloud Gate DanceWe went to see the <a href="http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/Wild-Cursive">Cloud Gate Dance Theatre</a> from Taiwan the other night at <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.ballet.co.uk/albums/jr_cloud_gate_wild_cursive_0607/jr_cloudgate_backbend_500.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.ballet.co.uk/albums/jr_cloud_gate_wild_cursive_0607/jr_cloudgate_backbend_500.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sadlers Wells, to see a performance of their Wild Cursive piece. I thought it was stunning. It was based on Chinese calligraphy, so the dancers were representing the calligraphy brushes and the ink, and their costumes and movements were based on this. The dance was the most amazing thing - a kind of alternating between these beautiful fluid movements and quite strong, harsh martial arts-style stances. It was really like tai chi turned into a dance. Here's a picture from one of the reviews of the performance over here, at Sadlers Wells in Islington, which is just up the road from where I'm working. Funnily enough, they were also doing this performance in Sydney at the end of May, which obviously I missed, so I'm really glad I had the chance to see this over here, it was amazing.<br /><br />We just went for a wander around London today, cos Mark had to watch the Moto-GP thing on this afternoon. I had a good old shop at Covent Garden, got a few cool pits and pieces and a <span style="font-style: italic;">present for someone</span>... you'll have to wait until we get back to find out who though... ;)<br /><br />We're having a night in tonight, with some cheese and biscuits, red wine and steak and mushroom pie later for dinner, and then I think a nice long hot bath is in order... with some more red wine of course... :)Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-26171169300072184422007-06-20T21:43:00.000+01:002008-12-10T15:47:42.642+00:00Slapstick and carnie boats!Here's something else for a bit of a laugh - a bit of slapstick to bring a grin to your face :) This is a couple of pics from when we went up to Oxford and went for a wander along the river. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2KWVpuFJod4REJg2TdOH7akZYGWF6FRUByKZlihq2ds2l83Hp-6Vgxc5Ex8HBW1k-Niozs8-x3Va16dAxX17A6bM0enpDSuTk-N1mlNAXq5vjWZ_7FR7dFHt7fqo1PdqTC0CLQ3pgoeD/s1600-h/Bicycling+row+coach.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2KWVpuFJod4REJg2TdOH7akZYGWF6FRUByKZlihq2ds2l83Hp-6Vgxc5Ex8HBW1k-Niozs8-x3Va16dAxX17A6bM0enpDSuTk-N1mlNAXq5vjWZ_7FR7dFHt7fqo1PdqTC0CLQ3pgoeD/s320/Bicycling+row+coach.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078249062965692002" border="0" /></a>I loved it - all this hilarious stuff just kept presenting itself, and boating on the river just seemed like a laugh a minute. For starters you've got all these rowers practicing their rowing up and down the river. It's funny enough watching them go by when they've got their instructor sitting way down in the front of the boat talking on a loudspeaker thing to them. But it's hilarious when the instructor is riding a bicycle along the path by the side of the river and yelling out at them as he rides. It just seems inevitable that there's a rock on the path or someone steps out in front of him and he goes head-over-heels into the river!!! :D<br /><br />And lo and behold, just up from the crazy rowing trainers <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-CE8yHMxAA1MeuksO68ke7XkpCC0yDqVOFudUpNmEeMlugIEPz8Zi1CNZvu4PpPuOSVqNfKpYWOlC4PsUH0yceSAjktXgZwuZhBd_ZN6YSMNPu-mWat6uSXIhyphenhyphenw_fGvnqtaQk748euKK/s1600-h/Oxford+013.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-CE8yHMxAA1MeuksO68ke7XkpCC0yDqVOFudUpNmEeMlugIEPz8Zi1CNZvu4PpPuOSVqNfKpYWOlC4PsUH0yceSAjktXgZwuZhBd_ZN6YSMNPu-mWat6uSXIhyphenhyphenw_fGvnqtaQk748euKK/s320/Oxford+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078249844649739890" border="0" /></a>were these stunning little beauties - carnie boats! What a sight hey? I was just imagining dodgy-looking, squinty people who hadn't bathed in 6 months and who ate kippers for breakfast while their scrawny bratty kids ran round screaming at each other peering through the windows suspiciously at us. Disappointingly we didn't really see anyone around the carnie boats though, except for the bicycling rower trainers, although they did seem to try to get past the carnie boats as fast as they could. Probably scared of being tripped over by one of the screaming kids and being pitched into the river...Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840304481046931387noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539574351138049.post-11099481114815832562007-06-20T19:32:00.000+01:002007-06-20T19:49:04.225+01:00London Mk2It's been different visiting London the second time around.<br /><br />I've seen all the big tourist attractions, and I haven't been that keen to go back and see them all again. I'm over museums and art galleries. So this trip has a very different feel to the last one.<br /><br />Last time I'd head out in the morning and see London, all the sights and sounds, and it was great! This time, I'm not really sure what to do with myself. I've been on holiday so far. I haven't started my study for the CISA exam I'll be taking in December. I've just been doing whatever. I had planned to do some Krav Maga and some boxing while I was here, but that's not really worked out. I didn't like the teaching method or sylabus of the Krav Maga, and the boxing is really expensive. Also, with the boxing, I'm so unfit right now due to a few months of drinking, eating and not much else. I'm going to get fit while I'm here. I've gone on a few jogs, and I've joined a gym, which has also given me some things to do. I've also signed up for a rock climbing course, so I can do some indoor rock climbing while Ellie is at work.<br /><br />Ellie and I have been going to a few pubs which has been good. We have a great local pub which has Fruli (strawberry cider which tastes like daiquiri) and a nice wine on tap for Ellie, and beer for me. Good pub, and they have good food too.<br /><br />Things coming up: I'm off to Donnington on Friday to watch the MotoGP practice sessions ahead of Sunday's race. Just going up for the day. Then at the start of August I'm going to go to all three days of practice / qualifying / racing of the World Superbike round at Brands Hatch. That will be awesome!<br /><br />I might also see some movies during the day. I'm keen to see Zodiac, and Ellie isn't, so I'll head down while she's at work.<br /><br />I will have to start studying soon too!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2