Friday, December 28, 2007
At Home for Christmas
My first trip back to the states since moving to London. Had a wonderful Christmas with Jason and the family. Went to visit the new lakehouse lodge up in Deep Creek. House looks great and is coming along nicely. Should be done by March 1. Cant wait to spend Christmas there next year. Looking forward to spending a few days in Charlotte next week before heading back to London.Felt great to be home - very comfortable and natural to be back!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Rome
Ahhh...Rome...the eternal city. What a magnificent place! Jason and I had another incredible weekend adventure in this Italian wonderland. Read on and enjoy the pictures!
traveling through Stanstead on Ryan air was another adventure - had to pay to check on bags and also pay to physically check in at the airport - so much for a cheap flight :) Once in Rome, we hopped in a cab and asked the driver to take us to a place where we could eat - nowhere in particular, just somewhere good. He dropped us in the middle of nowhere and with skeptical looks, we went into a local pizza shop. there, we ate delicious handmade pizza while all around us Italians gabbed away, no English anywhere, and we almost got kicked out because we dared to ask if we could pay with a credit card. A fun and "charming" way to start the weekend
Saturday we spent the day walking through the city visiting the Forum and the Coliseum. We took many pictures as the sun was shining and the sky was bright blue. Jason was most impressed with the Coliseum and we commented how similar it was to stadiums today - special "boxes" for the upper class, "locker rooms" underneath for competitors to get ready and tunnels to escort the victors through at the end of the match. We found a lovely Christmas shop and I treated myself to an ornament and a piece to a nativity scene, while J added to his magnet collection. We then made our way past other ruins and cathedrals, down side streets and alleyways to the Trevi Fountain - always spectacular and the Pantheon. Dinner at the Piazza Navona at an outdoor cafe (the food actually was relatively disappointing there, especially in comparison to the pizza the night before). We drank lots of red wine and then traversed the streets of Rome on our own pub crawl, chatting with many friendly Italians everywhere we went
Sunday we spent most of the day touring Vatican City and went to mass in the Vatican itself. Although the service was in Latin, we still enjoyed it and knew when to stand, kneel, etc. We visited the Vatican bookshop and post office, and I bought a little something special for Julie's new little girl - my new Goddaughter!! It is really a magnificent place and you can spend days just getting lost in its museums and side chapel's etc. In the evening we walked through the main shopping area and poked our head into a few of the nice stores - Gucci, Ferragamo, etc. Dinner split between a small place by the Spanish Steps and at a local place near the Trevi fountain.
Monday we rented a scooter and buzzed around town like real Italians. We were zipping in between cars and buses and even going the wrong way down one way streets - quite an adventure. We bought a beautiful Italian statue of the Roman God Atlas but neglected to think about how we would carry him home (had to persuade the ticket agent at the airport to let us check the luggage even though it was over the weight limit!) The weather again was perfect on Monday and it was fun to see the city again this time covering lots of ground on a scooter.
The magic of Rome to me is in the way the old mixes with the new. There are cars buzzing everywhere and people heading to and from work, and yet you look up and there are glorious ruins and statues, roman city walls, race tracks where chariots used to run and marble columns still standing. AND - there is much left to discover and explore - incredible. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
traveling through Stanstead on Ryan air was another adventure - had to pay to check on bags and also pay to physically check in at the airport - so much for a cheap flight :) Once in Rome, we hopped in a cab and asked the driver to take us to a place where we could eat - nowhere in particular, just somewhere good. He dropped us in the middle of nowhere and with skeptical looks, we went into a local pizza shop. there, we ate delicious handmade pizza while all around us Italians gabbed away, no English anywhere, and we almost got kicked out because we dared to ask if we could pay with a credit card. A fun and "charming" way to start the weekend
Saturday we spent the day walking through the city visiting the Forum and the Coliseum. We took many pictures as the sun was shining and the sky was bright blue. Jason was most impressed with the Coliseum and we commented how similar it was to stadiums today - special "boxes" for the upper class, "locker rooms" underneath for competitors to get ready and tunnels to escort the victors through at the end of the match. We found a lovely Christmas shop and I treated myself to an ornament and a piece to a nativity scene, while J added to his magnet collection. We then made our way past other ruins and cathedrals, down side streets and alleyways to the Trevi Fountain - always spectacular and the Pantheon. Dinner at the Piazza Navona at an outdoor cafe (the food actually was relatively disappointing there, especially in comparison to the pizza the night before). We drank lots of red wine and then traversed the streets of Rome on our own pub crawl, chatting with many friendly Italians everywhere we went
Sunday we spent most of the day touring Vatican City and went to mass in the Vatican itself. Although the service was in Latin, we still enjoyed it and knew when to stand, kneel, etc. We visited the Vatican bookshop and post office, and I bought a little something special for Julie's new little girl - my new Goddaughter!! It is really a magnificent place and you can spend days just getting lost in its museums and side chapel's etc. In the evening we walked through the main shopping area and poked our head into a few of the nice stores - Gucci, Ferragamo, etc. Dinner split between a small place by the Spanish Steps and at a local place near the Trevi fountain.
Monday we rented a scooter and buzzed around town like real Italians. We were zipping in between cars and buses and even going the wrong way down one way streets - quite an adventure. We bought a beautiful Italian statue of the Roman God Atlas but neglected to think about how we would carry him home (had to persuade the ticket agent at the airport to let us check the luggage even though it was over the weight limit!) The weather again was perfect on Monday and it was fun to see the city again this time covering lots of ground on a scooter.
The magic of Rome to me is in the way the old mixes with the new. There are cars buzzing everywhere and people heading to and from work, and yet you look up and there are glorious ruins and statues, roman city walls, race tracks where chariots used to run and marble columns still standing. AND - there is much left to discover and explore - incredible. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Fall Weekend in London
I had a nice fall weekend here in London this weekend. The weather has turned chilly and there was a crisp fall breeze in the air all weekend. The sun was shining though so it made wandering through the city quite delightful. Saturday I ran along the river and did some shopping on Oxford Street. Saturday night I got together with some girlfriends from work to watch the Rugby World Cup final - England vs South Africa. It was my first official viewing of a rugby match, and a good one at that. Unfortunately England lost, but it was neat to watch the sport and learn the rules.
Sunday I found my way to Spittafields market, walked through the stalls as the vendors were just setting up shop and took in the scene of artsy clothing, organic food specialities, artwork, rugs, handmade candles, etc. I then took the tube to St Paul's and walked around the cathedral. I bought a few Christmas ornaments in the shop and vowed to come back to view the inside when services were not in session. I found my way across the Millennium Bridge, took a tour of the Globe Theatre (why not, i had no where else to be!) and then stopped for lunch at a pub along the Thames. The Sunday Roast of roast beef, gravy, roasted potatoes and fresh veggies filled me up for the afternoon. After the late lunch i made my way past the Tate Modern, along the river past the street vendors and performers ( a tin man, a gypsy reading palms, a few jugglers, a gold painted couple, a fairy, a Hitler impersonator in a tutu, some hip hop dancers, and many others) I popped in a few bookstores and art shops, mingled through the crowd waiting to go up into the London Eye and then walked along the south bank past Parliament back to my flat as the sun set behind Big Ben. Impressive!
Sunday I found my way to Spittafields market, walked through the stalls as the vendors were just setting up shop and took in the scene of artsy clothing, organic food specialities, artwork, rugs, handmade candles, etc. I then took the tube to St Paul's and walked around the cathedral. I bought a few Christmas ornaments in the shop and vowed to come back to view the inside when services were not in session. I found my way across the Millennium Bridge, took a tour of the Globe Theatre (why not, i had no where else to be!) and then stopped for lunch at a pub along the Thames. The Sunday Roast of roast beef, gravy, roasted potatoes and fresh veggies filled me up for the afternoon. After the late lunch i made my way past the Tate Modern, along the river past the street vendors and performers ( a tin man, a gypsy reading palms, a few jugglers, a gold painted couple, a fairy, a Hitler impersonator in a tutu, some hip hop dancers, and many others) I popped in a few bookstores and art shops, mingled through the crowd waiting to go up into the London Eye and then walked along the south bank past Parliament back to my flat as the sun set behind Big Ben. Impressive!
Monday, October 15, 2007
An Up and Down Weekend
A quick recap of my weekend which was a roller coaster of emotions to say the least. Friday night there were people here from BAC in Charlotte, so we got discount theatre tickets in Leicester Square and went to see the London performance of Wicked. What a fabulous show!
Dinner at an Italian place after the theater and a few glasses of wine made for a wonderful evening.
Saturday morning I tried to plug in my home computer, with a converter that i had purchased at an electronics store, and was reassured would work, only to have my monitor flash white and my pc to explode with a loud bang. I burst into tears and spent all day Saturday back at the office trying to contact anyone who could help me figure out if i had just completely fried my computer or if there was some way to salvage it from being completely electrocuted due to the higher voltage used here. I will keep you posted on the progress.
I salvaged my evening by going for a great run at sunset along the River Thames, pausing a top the Waterloo bridge to see the Dome of St Paul's lit up in the evening, the lights of Canary Wharf in the distance, the strong towers of Tower Bridge reflecting over the water, the brightly lit London Eye highlighting the skyline and the buildings of Parliament lit softly along the water. It really was a spectacular site. Being in a better mood, i went home to shower and go out to watch some college football, only to have all games preempted by the London/France Rugby match. Which, i would have stayed to watch, except that the line of staggering, drunk England fans was long out the door at the sports cafe and i had no intention of watching the game by peering in through the glass windows. Ugh, frustrating
On Sunday, i decided i would not sulk all weekend, and made myself get up to take a train to Cambridge to walk through the University. It ended up being a tube, train, bus AND 1.5 mile walk to actually get to the campus itself, but it was well worth it as you will note in the photos. It was a lovely afternoon spent wandering through the many colleges of Cambridge, eating along the green, strolling through the market, and walking along the River Cam. It has a great college atmosphere throughout the town and would be a fabulous place to spend a semester.
I made it home and back into work safely today. Still no word from Dell on whether or not they can fix my PC so i ask all of you to send happy thoughts and keep your fingers crossed!
Dinner at an Italian place after the theater and a few glasses of wine made for a wonderful evening.
Saturday morning I tried to plug in my home computer, with a converter that i had purchased at an electronics store, and was reassured would work, only to have my monitor flash white and my pc to explode with a loud bang. I burst into tears and spent all day Saturday back at the office trying to contact anyone who could help me figure out if i had just completely fried my computer or if there was some way to salvage it from being completely electrocuted due to the higher voltage used here. I will keep you posted on the progress.
I salvaged my evening by going for a great run at sunset along the River Thames, pausing a top the Waterloo bridge to see the Dome of St Paul's lit up in the evening, the lights of Canary Wharf in the distance, the strong towers of Tower Bridge reflecting over the water, the brightly lit London Eye highlighting the skyline and the buildings of Parliament lit softly along the water. It really was a spectacular site. Being in a better mood, i went home to shower and go out to watch some college football, only to have all games preempted by the London/France Rugby match. Which, i would have stayed to watch, except that the line of staggering, drunk England fans was long out the door at the sports cafe and i had no intention of watching the game by peering in through the glass windows. Ugh, frustrating
On Sunday, i decided i would not sulk all weekend, and made myself get up to take a train to Cambridge to walk through the University. It ended up being a tube, train, bus AND 1.5 mile walk to actually get to the campus itself, but it was well worth it as you will note in the photos. It was a lovely afternoon spent wandering through the many colleges of Cambridge, eating along the green, strolling through the market, and walking along the River Cam. It has a great college atmosphere throughout the town and would be a fabulous place to spend a semester.
I made it home and back into work safely today. Still no word from Dell on whether or not they can fix my PC so i ask all of you to send happy thoughts and keep your fingers crossed!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
30th Birthday Weekend in Belgium
What an incredible weekend! I cant think of a better way to spend a 30th birthday - an adventure in Belgium including delicious Belgian beer, handmade chocolates and authentic waffles, not to mention amazing central squares, travel adventures and unique architecture everywhere we looked. This was all topped off with a night at the Theatre in London on Monday
Friday 28 Sept. - Planes, trains and automobiles (literally!)
Jason arrived on Friday late morning, and after a nice birthday lunch and cake with my new team here, we took 6, yes, 6 different modes of transportation to get ourselves to Brussels (Dockland Railway, London Tube, Stanstead Express Train, Ryanair, Airport City Bus, and Taxi). Ryanair is the main discount airline in Europe (with flights that cost as low as £1) which flies out of an airport on the north side of the city. Although the check-in process is a bit insane (imagine the cattle calls of Southwest, no seat assignments, and ticket agents that also serve as security monitors and gate agents), the price is well worth it and we made it through landing safely on the other side. Once in Brussels, our hotel was kind enough to find a local Italian restaurant that would stay open for a LATE birthday dinner. We ate, by candlelight at 11:30pm in a SMALL Italian place where the owner himself "whipped up" eggplant parmigiana and meat lasagna and served us a great bottle of wine. Quite an amazing way to end an exhausting travel experience
Saturday 29 Sept - Antwerp in the Rain and a Night Out in Brussels
Saturday morning Jason and I took the local Tram and the Belgian railway (#7 and #8 modes of transportation) to the city of Antwerp. Located about 60 min by train from Brussels, this city is filled with a trendy shopping district, unique architecture, a beautiful Gothic cathedral and a lovely Grand Marketplace or central square in the heart of the city. We walked quickly through the shopping district, popping in shops here and there to get coverage from the chilly rain, and then settled on a cute local place for a warm lunch. Much to our surprise we met a really nice Belgian woman who spoke English well enough to converse with us over lunch. She picked out the two specialities of the restaurant (beef stew for Jason and ham with potatoes and cheese for me - although we did not know what we were ordering until the dishes arrived) and recommended we try to local DeKonick beer. All the dishes, and the beer, were fabulous. We really enjoyed sitting at lunch and chatting with the locals before heading out to explore the rest of the city. We topped off lunch with a few stops to homemade chocolate shops where we ordered 1-2 pieces and each piece was unique and delightful - we asked for the store owners favorite at each location as well as a cherry flavored one to taste the different ways it was made. Wonderful! We then strolled past the cathedral and peaked inside, and then spent time in the grand square. I took loads of pictures and Jason got some great video. I loved the Town Hall building with the flags from every country in the EU hanging in front. We visited the Stein - a local fortress on the river that used to be the entry into the town, and caught a late afternoon train back to Brussels for our night out.
Back in Brussels we met up with Mike Pappas- one of Jason's friends - who is a frequent visitor to Brussels so we had our own tour guide. We took the local underground (#9 mode of transpo) to the heart of the city and came up from underground to see a spectacular Grand Palace (central market) lit up with green lasers in a light show. People everywhere, music playing, shops lining the edge....we strolled through the side streets that run into the Grand Palace attempting to find the Mannekin Pis (the little - VERY LITTLE- statue of a small boy peeing) which is very famous is Brussels. The little fountain itself is not overwhelming but what is, is the amount of hoopla and marketing the small statue gets - you would definitely think it was much bigger given its popularity. We ate dinner at an outdoor place along the street lined with cafes, then found chocolate shops and tourist traps to tickle our fancy. We then spent the rest of the night on our own little pub crawl, moving from bar to bar, trying new places and new flavors of Belgian beer along the way. Our favorite was the Kreik - a cherry flavored beer, that actually is served in a bottle with a cork inside and a metal cap. The bars themselves were very neat in the sense that they were all very well lit, art deco in style, long tables with people chatting away in Flemish or french, some German and English too. Instead of dark pubs, like you would see in the UK, these were like the foyer of a hotel or a train station where it looked like it was the middle of the day because of the bright light fixtures along the walls and the large chandeliers - very cool. We stayed out till about 1am, but knew we had an early train - so headed back to the hotel. It was a wonderful first day in Belgium!!
Sunday 30 Sept - Beautiful Brugges
The rain disappeared on Sunday as we made our way to Brugges. Known as the "Venice of north", Brugges is truly as romantic as it sounds. Before i get into the details of the city, first we need to tell you about our train adventure. Both Jason and I hopped on a late morning train (about 60 min) to Brugges. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the train and track in front of us, so we were stopped at the station in Ghent for a delay of 2 hours. Not wanting to waste time on the train in the delay, we agreed that Jason would get off the train to search out a possibility of taking a taxi or renting a car to continue our journey. Given we were to be stopped for 2 hours, we thought this would work out fine and i would wait for him on the train. About 15 minutes later, all of a sudden, the train doors slam shut and the engine begins to rumble ... I grab our bags and jackets and bolt for the door ...but, the doors are locked, i cant get out, and the train is now moving. Jason is somewhere in the station, i have no cell phone or anyway to get in touch with him, and I have his train ticket! The locals on the train with me, who spoke only broken English, were telling me not to worry and thankfully pulled the train attendant into our car to help me. With no way to stop the train, he told me i was out of luck and that all he could do was to call the Ghent train station and ask them to make an announcement over the loudspeaker. As I was on the train, Jason figured out we could take a taxi, came up the stairs to tell me and found an empty platform. He had missed the train by 2 minutes and was standing by himself on the platform as he heard some mumblings in French from the loudspeaker, and then his name, and then more mumbling in French. Laughing and assuming that announcement said that i was on the train, he waited for the next train, as I continued on the journey. Thankfully, he caught the next one, and we were reunited in at the Brugges train station. Quite a way to start the day!
Once in Brugges, we took a walking tour on our own along the waters and canals of Brugges, through the cobblestone streets and around the brick buildings. Parts of the town have an old, ivy league university campus feel, some areas feel like Williamsburg, and other clearly like Venice. We ate roasted chicken and french fries outside in a courtyard, found a wonderful Christmas shop and took a glorious boat ride through the city. It was late afternoon, sun was shining, and beautiful colors and fall leaves overhead. We then walked through the streets (noticing that the fashion in Brugges was actually very cool - much better than in London , ie things i would actually wear) and finding more chocolate shops to tickle our fancy. We sat for a while in the main courtyard - the Market - took pictures and video, strolled along the side streets and over canals. We ate dinner by a fireplace looking out onto the square and walked back over the cobblestones stopping to buy a warm fresh Belgian waffle with cream and strawberries from a local vendor. We loved this city and would recommend it to any visitors - definitely worth a visit. Our train ride back to Brussels was uneventful (thankfully) and we fell asleep exhausted back in the hotel.
Monday 01 October - A Rainy Monday in London
Up early (5:30am) to catch our RyanAir flight home (and trains, tram, tube, etc), we made it back to my flat safely. It was rainy and cold in London yesterday, so we rested for a while, and then we managed to buy a TV for my flat, and carry it home along with a DVD player and a few movies. I am sure we were quite a sight walking down the road, in the rain, with 32" flatscreen on our shoulders! I am learning not to assume everything would be the same here, but yesterday we had quite a laugh, as we opened up the TV and DVD player and noted that any and all cables were sold separately - there was nothing in the box to hook up the DVD to the TV. unbelievable. So, instead of watching a movie, we took the tube to Piccadilly, bought discounted theatre tickets for that evening and ate a late lunch along Piccadilly Circus. Back home to shower and change, we got dressed up for our night at the Theatre and headed back up to Oxford Circus to see The Sound of Music at the Palladium. It was an old historic theatre in the heart of the West End and a great show to top off the evening. What a way to end a fantastic birthday weekend
Hope you all enjoy the photos!! Let me know what you think!
Hugs -
Carolyn
Friday 28 Sept. - Planes, trains and automobiles (literally!)
Jason arrived on Friday late morning, and after a nice birthday lunch and cake with my new team here, we took 6, yes, 6 different modes of transportation to get ourselves to Brussels (Dockland Railway, London Tube, Stanstead Express Train, Ryanair, Airport City Bus, and Taxi). Ryanair is the main discount airline in Europe (with flights that cost as low as £1) which flies out of an airport on the north side of the city. Although the check-in process is a bit insane (imagine the cattle calls of Southwest, no seat assignments, and ticket agents that also serve as security monitors and gate agents), the price is well worth it and we made it through landing safely on the other side. Once in Brussels, our hotel was kind enough to find a local Italian restaurant that would stay open for a LATE birthday dinner. We ate, by candlelight at 11:30pm in a SMALL Italian place where the owner himself "whipped up" eggplant parmigiana and meat lasagna and served us a great bottle of wine. Quite an amazing way to end an exhausting travel experience
Saturday 29 Sept - Antwerp in the Rain and a Night Out in Brussels
Saturday morning Jason and I took the local Tram and the Belgian railway (#7 and #8 modes of transportation) to the city of Antwerp. Located about 60 min by train from Brussels, this city is filled with a trendy shopping district, unique architecture, a beautiful Gothic cathedral and a lovely Grand Marketplace or central square in the heart of the city. We walked quickly through the shopping district, popping in shops here and there to get coverage from the chilly rain, and then settled on a cute local place for a warm lunch. Much to our surprise we met a really nice Belgian woman who spoke English well enough to converse with us over lunch. She picked out the two specialities of the restaurant (beef stew for Jason and ham with potatoes and cheese for me - although we did not know what we were ordering until the dishes arrived) and recommended we try to local DeKonick beer. All the dishes, and the beer, were fabulous. We really enjoyed sitting at lunch and chatting with the locals before heading out to explore the rest of the city. We topped off lunch with a few stops to homemade chocolate shops where we ordered 1-2 pieces and each piece was unique and delightful - we asked for the store owners favorite at each location as well as a cherry flavored one to taste the different ways it was made. Wonderful! We then strolled past the cathedral and peaked inside, and then spent time in the grand square. I took loads of pictures and Jason got some great video. I loved the Town Hall building with the flags from every country in the EU hanging in front. We visited the Stein - a local fortress on the river that used to be the entry into the town, and caught a late afternoon train back to Brussels for our night out.
Back in Brussels we met up with Mike Pappas- one of Jason's friends - who is a frequent visitor to Brussels so we had our own tour guide. We took the local underground (#9 mode of transpo) to the heart of the city and came up from underground to see a spectacular Grand Palace (central market) lit up with green lasers in a light show. People everywhere, music playing, shops lining the edge....we strolled through the side streets that run into the Grand Palace attempting to find the Mannekin Pis (the little - VERY LITTLE- statue of a small boy peeing) which is very famous is Brussels. The little fountain itself is not overwhelming but what is, is the amount of hoopla and marketing the small statue gets - you would definitely think it was much bigger given its popularity. We ate dinner at an outdoor place along the street lined with cafes, then found chocolate shops and tourist traps to tickle our fancy. We then spent the rest of the night on our own little pub crawl, moving from bar to bar, trying new places and new flavors of Belgian beer along the way. Our favorite was the Kreik - a cherry flavored beer, that actually is served in a bottle with a cork inside and a metal cap. The bars themselves were very neat in the sense that they were all very well lit, art deco in style, long tables with people chatting away in Flemish or french, some German and English too. Instead of dark pubs, like you would see in the UK, these were like the foyer of a hotel or a train station where it looked like it was the middle of the day because of the bright light fixtures along the walls and the large chandeliers - very cool. We stayed out till about 1am, but knew we had an early train - so headed back to the hotel. It was a wonderful first day in Belgium!!
Sunday 30 Sept - Beautiful Brugges
The rain disappeared on Sunday as we made our way to Brugges. Known as the "Venice of north", Brugges is truly as romantic as it sounds. Before i get into the details of the city, first we need to tell you about our train adventure. Both Jason and I hopped on a late morning train (about 60 min) to Brugges. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the train and track in front of us, so we were stopped at the station in Ghent for a delay of 2 hours. Not wanting to waste time on the train in the delay, we agreed that Jason would get off the train to search out a possibility of taking a taxi or renting a car to continue our journey. Given we were to be stopped for 2 hours, we thought this would work out fine and i would wait for him on the train. About 15 minutes later, all of a sudden, the train doors slam shut and the engine begins to rumble ... I grab our bags and jackets and bolt for the door ...but, the doors are locked, i cant get out, and the train is now moving. Jason is somewhere in the station, i have no cell phone or anyway to get in touch with him, and I have his train ticket! The locals on the train with me, who spoke only broken English, were telling me not to worry and thankfully pulled the train attendant into our car to help me. With no way to stop the train, he told me i was out of luck and that all he could do was to call the Ghent train station and ask them to make an announcement over the loudspeaker. As I was on the train, Jason figured out we could take a taxi, came up the stairs to tell me and found an empty platform. He had missed the train by 2 minutes and was standing by himself on the platform as he heard some mumblings in French from the loudspeaker, and then his name, and then more mumbling in French. Laughing and assuming that announcement said that i was on the train, he waited for the next train, as I continued on the journey. Thankfully, he caught the next one, and we were reunited in at the Brugges train station. Quite a way to start the day!
Once in Brugges, we took a walking tour on our own along the waters and canals of Brugges, through the cobblestone streets and around the brick buildings. Parts of the town have an old, ivy league university campus feel, some areas feel like Williamsburg, and other clearly like Venice. We ate roasted chicken and french fries outside in a courtyard, found a wonderful Christmas shop and took a glorious boat ride through the city. It was late afternoon, sun was shining, and beautiful colors and fall leaves overhead. We then walked through the streets (noticing that the fashion in Brugges was actually very cool - much better than in London , ie things i would actually wear) and finding more chocolate shops to tickle our fancy. We sat for a while in the main courtyard - the Market - took pictures and video, strolled along the side streets and over canals. We ate dinner by a fireplace looking out onto the square and walked back over the cobblestones stopping to buy a warm fresh Belgian waffle with cream and strawberries from a local vendor. We loved this city and would recommend it to any visitors - definitely worth a visit. Our train ride back to Brussels was uneventful (thankfully) and we fell asleep exhausted back in the hotel.
Monday 01 October - A Rainy Monday in London
Up early (5:30am) to catch our RyanAir flight home (and trains, tram, tube, etc), we made it back to my flat safely. It was rainy and cold in London yesterday, so we rested for a while, and then we managed to buy a TV for my flat, and carry it home along with a DVD player and a few movies. I am sure we were quite a sight walking down the road, in the rain, with 32" flatscreen on our shoulders! I am learning not to assume everything would be the same here, but yesterday we had quite a laugh, as we opened up the TV and DVD player and noted that any and all cables were sold separately - there was nothing in the box to hook up the DVD to the TV. unbelievable. So, instead of watching a movie, we took the tube to Piccadilly, bought discounted theatre tickets for that evening and ate a late lunch along Piccadilly Circus. Back home to shower and change, we got dressed up for our night at the Theatre and headed back up to Oxford Circus to see The Sound of Music at the Palladium. It was an old historic theatre in the heart of the West End and a great show to top off the evening. What a way to end a fantastic birthday weekend
Hope you all enjoy the photos!! Let me know what you think!
Hugs -
Carolyn
Monday, September 24, 2007
Paddington Station
Carolyn, Dan, Helen and Monte standing next to the statue of Paddington Bear in Paddington Station, London
Touristy London Weekend
Another week has flown by and another London weekend to write about. This Saturday I took a train ride with my friend Helen and two other BAC colleagues and we traveled to Bath, England. This town is famous for the presence of Roman Baths in the middle of the town and the architecture which is heavily influenced by times when Romans were settling in England. We toured the city, shopped in the stores along the cobblestone streets, ate lunch in a pub, viewed the baths from the outside and took pictures near the bridge that was lined with stores on both sides (only 3 in the world like this). See pictures above!
On Sunday there were more visitors in town from Charlotte here for work and I went with them on an all day double decker tour bus ride around London. It would have only taken us about 2 hours to see the city, but because of a large cycling event in downtown, many streets were closed and so we lasted ALL DAY on the bus in order to see all the landmarks. we got off and walked around Piccadilly and Buckingham Palace, then ventured home where i fell into bed, exhausted from the weekend
My stuff from the US arrived this week so i have unpacked almost everything and the flat is beginning to feel like my own. I can not fit everything into the small closets so i might have to go buy some additional storage units but all in all, it is starting to come together.
it is my birthday week this week and i am looking forward to celebrating it next weekend. Jason arrives on Friday and then we head to Belgium!
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying college football season. It is definitely really strange not to watch Gameday on Saturday mornings!!
On Sunday there were more visitors in town from Charlotte here for work and I went with them on an all day double decker tour bus ride around London. It would have only taken us about 2 hours to see the city, but because of a large cycling event in downtown, many streets were closed and so we lasted ALL DAY on the bus in order to see all the landmarks. we got off and walked around Piccadilly and Buckingham Palace, then ventured home where i fell into bed, exhausted from the weekend
My stuff from the US arrived this week so i have unpacked almost everything and the flat is beginning to feel like my own. I can not fit everything into the small closets so i might have to go buy some additional storage units but all in all, it is starting to come together.
it is my birthday week this week and i am looking forward to celebrating it next weekend. Jason arrives on Friday and then we head to Belgium!
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying college football season. It is definitely really strange not to watch Gameday on Saturday mornings!!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Summary of Week 2
How fast time flies by ... 2 weeks completed at work already and 3 weeks in the UK and it feels as though I just left Charlotte yesterday. Nothing too exciting to write about from last week really, just me trying to get into a routine and start to make an impact at work. I spent a good amount of time last week at work conducting meet and greet meetings with my teammates and clients and spent the evenings working out and figuring out how to turn on my stove and dishwasher at home - all the kitchen appliances are very modern with touch sensors. Julie, my best friend from school, had her second baby this week - a healthy baby girl named Payton so that was exciting news!! Also, the landlord delivered the bed to the flat (there had been a temporary one for the last week and a half) and i was very disappointed. Its a platform bed, VERY low to the ground and now i can not see out my bedroom window - I am not happy about it and hope they can raise it with risers of some sort. more to come on this
This past weekend I went to a birthday party for a woman from work on Friday night, and went out to dinner with friends I had met a few weeks ago on Saturday night. I managed to find the ND game on television at the Sports Cafe on Saturday after dinner. The bar was packed with Americans watching various college games that were televised. The game, obviously for those who follow ND, was the worst yet, and it confirmed my feeling that i am glad i picked this year to go abroad. The social outings here on the weekends are interesting because most pubs close down around 11:30, so many then travel to 'clubs' to continue the evening. I am definitely not used to having to stand outside in a line or having to have your name on a list to get in to a venue. The tube shuts down at 12:30, so the last trains are packed with people - rush hour style - or you get a bus which often run 24 hours. Taxi's are really difficult to flag down and very expensive
I've learned to take the bus around the city as well as the tube, to get to my destinations. Its actually a nice way to 'see' where you are going vs being underground and then just appearing at the next location. Although ... Mom, Debbie, Grammy Jo - this means that i am a BUS person!! I made my way to Oxford street on Saturday - crazy amounts of people everywhere - think Michigan Avenue with many, many more people. Then on Sunday i made my way to the Sloan Square and Knightbridge shopping district and spent 45 on the first floor of Harrods - wow. I have never seen a food court, or food halls as they are called, that was so amazing. I truly felt that i was in Charlie and the Chocolate factory.
Sunday there was a festival along the south side of the Thames so i strolled along the water for a little while as well. Again, loads of people everywhere. And then on Sunday night, the entire sky was lit up with fireworks right out my window and in the shadow of the London Eye to celebrate the end of the Thames Festival. I got some neat pictures of the fireworks so i will post those as soon as i can.
Jason will be here in less than 2 weeks for my 30th birthday and our visit to Belgium - so looking forward to it! My 'stuff' from Charlotte has arrived and is scheduled for delivery this week so that should keep me busy in the evenings. Still no TV or Internet at home, so i have been reading a lot. Almost done with the Harry Potter series!
Miss you all - much love - CJP
This past weekend I went to a birthday party for a woman from work on Friday night, and went out to dinner with friends I had met a few weeks ago on Saturday night. I managed to find the ND game on television at the Sports Cafe on Saturday after dinner. The bar was packed with Americans watching various college games that were televised. The game, obviously for those who follow ND, was the worst yet, and it confirmed my feeling that i am glad i picked this year to go abroad. The social outings here on the weekends are interesting because most pubs close down around 11:30, so many then travel to 'clubs' to continue the evening. I am definitely not used to having to stand outside in a line or having to have your name on a list to get in to a venue. The tube shuts down at 12:30, so the last trains are packed with people - rush hour style - or you get a bus which often run 24 hours. Taxi's are really difficult to flag down and very expensive
I've learned to take the bus around the city as well as the tube, to get to my destinations. Its actually a nice way to 'see' where you are going vs being underground and then just appearing at the next location. Although ... Mom, Debbie, Grammy Jo - this means that i am a BUS person!! I made my way to Oxford street on Saturday - crazy amounts of people everywhere - think Michigan Avenue with many, many more people. Then on Sunday i made my way to the Sloan Square and Knightbridge shopping district and spent 45 on the first floor of Harrods - wow. I have never seen a food court, or food halls as they are called, that was so amazing. I truly felt that i was in Charlie and the Chocolate factory.
Sunday there was a festival along the south side of the Thames so i strolled along the water for a little while as well. Again, loads of people everywhere. And then on Sunday night, the entire sky was lit up with fireworks right out my window and in the shadow of the London Eye to celebrate the end of the Thames Festival. I got some neat pictures of the fireworks so i will post those as soon as i can.
Jason will be here in less than 2 weeks for my 30th birthday and our visit to Belgium - so looking forward to it! My 'stuff' from Charlotte has arrived and is scheduled for delivery this week so that should keep me busy in the evenings. Still no TV or Internet at home, so i have been reading a lot. Almost done with the Harry Potter series!
Miss you all - much love - CJP
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