tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406809017785841252024-03-06T11:43:33.296+10:00Weier HereChloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-1982155461978495042012-02-24T01:29:00.001+10:002012-02-24T01:29:13.537+10:00In fair Verona, where Shakespeare laid his scene...We found a quiet, pretty town with all the charm to inspire the most epic tragedy that Shakespeare could ever have wanted. To us, Verona was everything that Florence had been lacking. Tree-lined walking paths beside the fast-flowing river, making it one of the few rivers we've come across in Italy that is actually pleasant to stroll along. Thee are plenty of the interesting, winding alleys, usual to Italian cities, but there are also plenty of open squares with public seating and greenery - a rarity from what we've experienced.<br />
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The town is also surprisingly full of things to see, but without the massive crowds of bigger cities. Our visits to the roman theatre and arena were almost eerie as they were each practically deserted. The arena didn't seem much smaller than the Colosseum and it is in much better repair. It's actually used as a venue for opera in summer - I imagine the acoustics would be amazing for any kind of concert. <br />
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We also took a trip up the Lamberti Tower, a beautiful bell tower located within the centre of the old part of the town. The views of the town and distant hills and mountains were spectacular. <br />
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We also visited the (obviously fake) Juliet's house where we witnessed once again Italy's love of graffiti. The walls in the gateway of the house were absolutely covered in graffiti, and just inside the gate is a sign - 'penalty for defacing the walls - one year's imprisonment or over 1,000 euro fine. Obviously, it's well policed. The house itself was a bit of a let down. It was supposed to be set up like a house of that period but in reality it was almost empty. Also frustrating was that all of the information was in Italian. Of course, we're in Italy, and that's to be expected, but you would think that as the house was based on one of Shakespeare's greatest works, they would also provide information in English. <br />
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The church of Santa Anastasia was beautiful. I found it surprising that a church in a smaller town was decorated as spectacularly as the famous churches in much bigger cities. The inside of the church was actually more impressive the inside of the Duomo in Florence, which is much more famous. <br />
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Verona is a truly beautiful place, and no visitor to Italy should miss it.Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-43733300645890778642012-02-21T19:22:00.001+10:002012-02-21T19:28:50.185+10:00Venice CarnivaleVenice was amazing! It also helped that we were there during their Carnivale celebrations. Seeing as we were there during Carnivale we decided it would be good to join a tour to help make the most of our visit. We joined a 3-night TopDeck tour. Our accommodation was situated off the main island at a camping ground utilised by a lot of tour groups due to the difficulty of getting 50+ people to a hotel on the main island with all their luggage when no vehicles have access. It did mean that we had a twenty-minute ferry each way every day. We started off with a walking tour of the main island, which involved quite an early start for us. A few hours later it became apparent that this had been a necessity when the whole island became packed with people. Keeping track of 50 people in huge crowds in a place full of narrow alleys would have been a logistical nightmare. After our tour we spent most of the day just strolling around the island. It would have been impossible to try to get somewhere on time when it took triple the amount of time it would normally take you. Not that it bothered us. It was a people-watching paradise. Everywhere were people dressing in elaborate costumes. Some traditional, think Casanova, some were more contemporary. There were also shows on at the main square that could occupy a viewer for hours. We went on a gondola ride which was magical. Despite the massive crowds on the walking streets, the canals seemed quiet and it was almost like you'd stepped into a different world as you floated down a narrow canal with only brief glimpses of the partying going on.<br />
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On our second day, we took a trip to a couple of the outer islands. We visited Murano which is famous for its glass. We were able to see a glass blowing demonstration which was fascinating. They made it look so easy by making a vase in less than 10 minutes. I have no doubt that it is actually extremely difficult. This followed by a round of drooling over beautiful glassware that we could never get home without breaking. Our next stop was the island Burano (it took me a full day to realise our Italian guide was referring to two different islands when he said Murano and Burano) which is the home to lace making but also the prettiest fishing village. All the houses in the island are painted brightly, and all in different colours. As the story goes, the fishing wives were sick of the husbands using the excuse that they thought the house was theirs when they 'visited' another woman on returning to port in the night. There's no mistaking your house when it's bright magenta! <br />
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We finished our tour off with our own carnivale masked party, everyone dressed up in masks, capes and costumes. All I can say is the party was wild. I'm sure only Italian bartenders can get away with dancing on tables and the bar! <br />
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All in all, a great time in Venice. We didn't do a lot of the usual tourist things, but simply being a part of the celebrations was enough.Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-65734959454983193342012-02-17T18:09:00.001+10:002012-02-17T18:10:01.521+10:00Ancient ruins and their modern-day inhabitants.Ancient ruins are in no short supply in Rome! The Colosseum was incredible. Inside they have interesting exhibits explaining the use of the arena as well as the architecture and how it had eventually become unused. It was nice to see so much information available, and in English as well as Italian because a lot of other sites had very little information. The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill was a particularly impressive, and extensive area of ruins. They were very confusing though. We were given a map to follow but here was no signage to help guide people along the map route, and when we found a larger, stationary map along our walk, the numbering and map details actually differed to those on the map given to us at the ticket office. Between the two, it made it virtually impossible to follow the audio guide we had also paid for. This was pretty disappointing as it meant we didn't really know what we were looking at in the ruins - whether the remains of a building were a home or a temple. It was still an interesting and beautiful walk and still worth a visit. I just wouldn't expect an informative visit unless you take a guided tour.<br />
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During our visits to the different ruins we noticed that there seemed to be a lot of one particular animal living in ruins. Cats! Except for the Colosseum, every ruins we visited we saw at least one cat which started a bit of a tally for us. Roman Forum: 2, Terme di Caracalla (roman baths): 1, Largo di Torre Argentina: at least 20, and those are just the ruins I can remember the names of!<br />
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Something else there seems to be a huge amount of are fountains! Romans love big open piazzas, and what better to put in that space than a fountain! And they're never boring, plain fountains either. They're always different, featuring sea creatures, mermaids and and people. It's always an interesting experience finding yourself in a new piazza.<br />
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Unfortunately I still haven't found a new photo transfer device because I took lots of photos of fountains and cats!Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-24450175836256071332012-02-16T07:45:00.001+10:002012-02-16T08:10:59.816+10:00When in RomeRome is an impressive city. It combines the best bits of European cities. Winding, narrow streets galore, and wide open squares - most featuring fountains, statues or monuments. Romans seem to love fountains. While there is a strong touristy vibe in Rome, it doesn't overpower the feeling of culture and history throughout the city. I also love that there are actually trees and green areas in the city - something that Florence seemed to be lacking. I have come across the less reputable part of Rome - on a crowded bus I had some things stolen out of the bag on my back. Fortunately only some camera memory cards - all of which had already had all their photographs transferred onto my iPad - as well as my picture transfer device. Which sadly means that until I can find somewhere to buy a new one, no more pictures! <br />
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Despite this, I am really enjoying the city. A highlight has been our visit to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano. I know we seem rather morbid, having already visited catacombs in Paris but these were much different. The Catacombs of San Sebastiano are from ancient Rome, having been used between 100AD and 400AD! Unlike the catacombs we visited in Paris, these had specific family burial rooms, and no remains were actually in the chambers. They had all been removed in respect of the dead, seeing as the public tour through daily. We were taken down as part of a guided tour which gave us a much clearer picture as to how the catacombs were used and their history. They served as burial grounds for both Christians and Pagans of ancient Rome. Particularly cool was the ancient graffiti along the area that was used as space for funeral banquets. Ancient graffiti seemed to mostly comprise of requests to the dead. The most prominent names, repeated hundreds of times, are those of Saints Peter and Paul. Their remains were once moved here from the Vatican for safekeeping, though they were returned when Constantine legalised Christianity.<br />
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The guide also told us that the word 'catacomb' actually originated here. As the Latin words 'cata', meaning near, and 'cumbae', which is the name of the caves that are part of the underground complex. The name was eventually given to other underground burial sites.<br />
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This was only one of the interesting things we've seen in Rome. More to come! Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-83263011520504660042012-02-13T05:15:00.001+10:002012-02-13T05:15:34.366+10:00FlorenceFlorence was a nice place, but compared to other cities we've been to it was a bit underwhelming. That's not to say I didn't enjoy myself. I saw some beautiful artworks, including Michelangelo's David - which is a lot bigger than I imagined. We walked interesting streets and ate some great food. One particular street, Ponte (bridge) Vecchio, was originally lined with butcher shops. However, when the Medici family decided to put a tunnel through the bridge they ordered the butchers be replaced with goldsmiths because they did not like the smell. Today, the street is still lined with jewellery shop after jewellery shop.<br />
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The Duomo in Florence is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. Not just its sheer size but also the green, red and white marble facade, in an almost geometric design, make it a very impressive cathedral. The outside contrasted strongly with the austere inside which was relevant to the renaissance period it was built in. The church was quite different to ones we have visited in France and England. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sfmZfK1C8tZkqfkezPOZt23vK-EwCtEpIj2tJsZda0cZ1qt2OdvcuLnA6qPnYmFCioaFGIM_8qGDwQOJzUnmJOr7iJFl8xr8Zl8Z5m6R2xYd_1S06-kkGuGd_6ASDL8sjsq8pIdHq_E/s640/blogger-image--218121391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sfmZfK1C8tZkqfkezPOZt23vK-EwCtEpIj2tJsZda0cZ1qt2OdvcuLnA6qPnYmFCioaFGIM_8qGDwQOJzUnmJOr7iJFl8xr8Zl8Z5m6R2xYd_1S06-kkGuGd_6ASDL8sjsq8pIdHq_E/s640/blogger-image--218121391.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyd5yKT6y34E6gtD7KLBJ1GiSiXajgmxMh8wyd6kmwhgCFd7jFUj_dSs1gec8sjTVDY_9Zps94AWTf4sJP8dDL-XgAUkp3bg6iO1uwDGkFWSwAsyGvF7S8jVA_so8jJO_k7_u3Stdt8Fo/s640/blogger-image-1522447340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyd5yKT6y34E6gtD7KLBJ1GiSiXajgmxMh8wyd6kmwhgCFd7jFUj_dSs1gec8sjTVDY_9Zps94AWTf4sJP8dDL-XgAUkp3bg6iO1uwDGkFWSwAsyGvF7S8jVA_so8jJO_k7_u3Stdt8Fo/s640/blogger-image-1522447340.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZ2aI7F4s44c8zwUSrS1_XkupD7tkMLZ0RTCNOozm2e29GQWsMTx2F6N4btnmo2wZXCig1FTOjKZvD8mJE2wzRaU73Ce7JX53pFh8-W5tlC9PsRXhhW-iaAtPxhUu0UpmemcxyVS4eiA/s640/blogger-image-1367011481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZ2aI7F4s44c8zwUSrS1_XkupD7tkMLZ0RTCNOozm2e29GQWsMTx2F6N4btnmo2wZXCig1FTOjKZvD8mJE2wzRaU73Ce7JX53pFh8-W5tlC9PsRXhhW-iaAtPxhUu0UpmemcxyVS4eiA/s640/blogger-image-1367011481.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLM7TBIqM2J1E9h3tfo55yTUY37fSyxi2Ix4Ghr5AtNSxJcITd8-ekl0QjjZFRsiL55arPh3FRQEq_8sJmNKRrCHS6VKezgGzyzipUdnsND4XyDfdyBMd2Kuq9vycu6k2pJjzpNEogwc/s640/blogger-image--1772668972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLM7TBIqM2J1E9h3tfo55yTUY37fSyxi2Ix4Ghr5AtNSxJcITd8-ekl0QjjZFRsiL55arPh3FRQEq_8sJmNKRrCHS6VKezgGzyzipUdnsND4XyDfdyBMd2Kuq9vycu6k2pJjzpNEogwc/s640/blogger-image--1772668972.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40AcRLBvjHwbMRYQROK1yj2lKO1Z_dq3n2tTCEMD-mGXK_z8t4r7Y8ic7BoVpXZJ3UsiZl4o32BksjZY_9Ux7Of0IoqOM0hgdN0oYYvzTshg89GqPrIA781RnkBc_kfRJb7RdJGm-Wqk/s640/blogger-image-872079953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40AcRLBvjHwbMRYQROK1yj2lKO1Z_dq3n2tTCEMD-mGXK_z8t4r7Y8ic7BoVpXZJ3UsiZl4o32BksjZY_9Ux7Of0IoqOM0hgdN0oYYvzTshg89GqPrIA781RnkBc_kfRJb7RdJGm-Wqk/s640/blogger-image-872079953.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-69078037992930130432012-02-11T01:05:00.001+10:002012-02-11T01:05:54.725+10:00Cinque TerreWe spent three weeks seeing four countries and now we've reached Italy where we will spend the next two weeks. <br />
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Our first stop in Italy was the beautiful Cinque Terre, a national park on the north-western coast. Built into the sheer cliffs of the coast are five towns linked by train line. It is possible to drive between them, but the area is world heritage listed so traffic is restricted. There are also shuttle buses which go up the mountains, and saved our poor legs from some steep climbing! The towns are built in terraces and look as though they grow out of the cliffs in all their pastel shades. There are also citrus orchards, olive trees and grape vines planted on terraces all along the cliffs. It's definitely something different! <br />
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The national park is famous for the many walking trails it provides, which is the reason we visited. We started our walk on one of the coast trails beginning in the town we stayed in, Riomaggiore. The walk was literally on the edge of the cliff for the whole walk, with breathtaking views of the ocean, mountains and towns in the distance. When we reached the next town, Manarola, we had to take a shuttle bus to Volastra, a town further up the mountains, where we began another trail. The path meandered through vineyards, at times barely a foot wide, with a drop down to the next terrace right next to our feet. In places there was still snow from a previous fall so the walk was definitely not for the faint-hearted. The path went further up the mountain and into a forested area where the snow was still thick on the pine trees and the path. No matter what part of the walk we were on, the views were amazing. Every time we turned a bend, a view even greater than the last presented itself. The trail then wound its way back down the mountain towards the coast. Barely existing paths and stairs a hand span wide (with no safety railing) seemed to be the order of the day. We finally reached Corniglia and sat to rest our shaky legs, only to find that the train station for was another 365 stairs down the cliffs! But even a walk to the train station is well worth it when it sits parallel to the coast and you have a view of the ocean as you wait for the train.<br />
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The area is definitely worth the visit, and not all the trails are quite as hairy as the second one we took. In summer, there are a lot of water activities available if you'd prefer to stay clear of the steep climbs.<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfc5RS6g44Z3OY4gTuQWe3rN5aSinVd6RBti_Ox7CDxRjlEQA-C7kOnoFlAFaCDQj2-YUPj697XpLQlgS9cpUbYNVXka8nZ1Ehv1sEsjZDnFB8MHVVJC-O5Wvp_-Aecn2WSTNc6iVXrhY/s640/blogger-image-1034624469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfc5RS6g44Z3OY4gTuQWe3rN5aSinVd6RBti_Ox7CDxRjlEQA-C7kOnoFlAFaCDQj2-YUPj697XpLQlgS9cpUbYNVXka8nZ1Ehv1sEsjZDnFB8MHVVJC-O5Wvp_-Aecn2WSTNc6iVXrhY/s640/blogger-image-1034624469.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfWUc4tyVY6Hokck8O7mpxsp2MuCEPwC3CqWy5DyLnd5UCtG3Qos10KI7ECXBXewm5rbLFnMbCs6HtE-wcVVNM5eyz-Z8b8Asie3kXDZunWl6i44BAs-FHaxUDUdE-_FfiZtg55vlGng/s640/blogger-image--2047751885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfWUc4tyVY6Hokck8O7mpxsp2MuCEPwC3CqWy5DyLnd5UCtG3Qos10KI7ECXBXewm5rbLFnMbCs6HtE-wcVVNM5eyz-Z8b8Asie3kXDZunWl6i44BAs-FHaxUDUdE-_FfiZtg55vlGng/s640/blogger-image--2047751885.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx4gfUBwv62RHgLESoV9xtAqbHoPoicbyKQiQMtMdMweKGJ4BE09MjjipIZ8Hkg6UQahceSdvA6E89aqzfF7yrsszXD87OLIgVBTFwiPTkECzWXqiOTjGixV6uEAF-EwOCzu1fbKQ3ZM/s640/blogger-image--1385511587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx4gfUBwv62RHgLESoV9xtAqbHoPoicbyKQiQMtMdMweKGJ4BE09MjjipIZ8Hkg6UQahceSdvA6E89aqzfF7yrsszXD87OLIgVBTFwiPTkECzWXqiOTjGixV6uEAF-EwOCzu1fbKQ3ZM/s640/blogger-image--1385511587.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekiiB2CNxKLDYs1r58koqhOw6RJ8faNTg3zJFfURUaze1AQ15-Qa6jTFkuEY_LKx_ZBEGrNSWwk05OpOh6bjClu5P-xXXOABxj0VLjhlrNpwVHh-m5hFo85i1lv97gAgEflfhikLn6kM/s640/blogger-image-1522068382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekiiB2CNxKLDYs1r58koqhOw6RJ8faNTg3zJFfURUaze1AQ15-Qa6jTFkuEY_LKx_ZBEGrNSWwk05OpOh6bjClu5P-xXXOABxj0VLjhlrNpwVHh-m5hFo85i1lv97gAgEflfhikLn6kM/s640/blogger-image-1522068382.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeZvMI3P-pu2OW79dJo84dqCU4I0VoWzsuQn5l37XtSPqt5qtwyuSNuTF8SMkJsu3i4LOvl3HQwyhiKVILk97iZ4BMr0irFJMjKH3lb9jx8JO1cdJX5_U5Uxpuv1zhgDJAwRXFIxjC04/s640/blogger-image--1825116206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeZvMI3P-pu2OW79dJo84dqCU4I0VoWzsuQn5l37XtSPqt5qtwyuSNuTF8SMkJsu3i4LOvl3HQwyhiKVILk97iZ4BMr0irFJMjKH3lb9jx8JO1cdJX5_U5Uxpuv1zhgDJAwRXFIxjC04/s640/blogger-image--1825116206.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbOZEPFSyq9k5mqaZpBljs6htZzC_nz0_4VgtPat8n4V8ggE3pZqm8Q5VSQC0CAxNKvMjnVCwcXE2g3hDy_lnH_Gl6LJdsKB1SDZEAavGf7M4DTSsVkTm3fO0PiAh0GyE9YEGdspbLTo/s640/blogger-image--1774267447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbOZEPFSyq9k5mqaZpBljs6htZzC_nz0_4VgtPat8n4V8ggE3pZqm8Q5VSQC0CAxNKvMjnVCwcXE2g3hDy_lnH_Gl6LJdsKB1SDZEAavGf7M4DTSsVkTm3fO0PiAh0GyE9YEGdspbLTo/s640/blogger-image--1774267447.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOiSI_TkAmkg2LET3vcnfoKoI2kuyQjuWjCciuaHMiSAQztrnnfhSXm1JBqEHqxLRmmp3GriHXscOjD26RJxZbdhwftPrApgIHSP-SKbrlNibavrDeOvkd3uVST3c9DqaUTWg90iUhJk/s640/blogger-image-1332583212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOiSI_TkAmkg2LET3vcnfoKoI2kuyQjuWjCciuaHMiSAQztrnnfhSXm1JBqEHqxLRmmp3GriHXscOjD26RJxZbdhwftPrApgIHSP-SKbrlNibavrDeOvkd3uVST3c9DqaUTWg90iUhJk/s640/blogger-image-1332583212.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK3HR7Smy1f-7p3qH9-m5JkMzioxSU_JuS-JceISkzivRAEylcth7N073rp8QIyEzTFOu6PeLRCkxkNYyISKhiYKOt-Z8dBjcC07CfijQGqga4JwALB4Jm5pXxBo4KVeK4C3tX1g_3uo/s640/blogger-image--1670628698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK3HR7Smy1f-7p3qH9-m5JkMzioxSU_JuS-JceISkzivRAEylcth7N073rp8QIyEzTFOu6PeLRCkxkNYyISKhiYKOt-Z8dBjcC07CfijQGqga4JwALB4Jm5pXxBo4KVeK4C3tX1g_3uo/s640/blogger-image--1670628698.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-58709115984113141912012-02-11T00:58:00.001+10:002012-02-11T00:58:35.361+10:00A few photos from Bruges<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqET3PyzMOijXW_EpQSZWTKavoJzWmfLwmhBbPGUXsxlEeWh73smzgRD-c7yiUBwyHulXOlAHN9ZmelW3jFOdA-83zJg0OeV-QfQm0ZkX80FPfC75I6ycF7EtMhMEaSKUR9o9vYVISV20/s640/blogger-image-990106341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqET3PyzMOijXW_EpQSZWTKavoJzWmfLwmhBbPGUXsxlEeWh73smzgRD-c7yiUBwyHulXOlAHN9ZmelW3jFOdA-83zJg0OeV-QfQm0ZkX80FPfC75I6ycF7EtMhMEaSKUR9o9vYVISV20/s640/blogger-image-990106341.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcNWAYqhWKEMa-kbshLyYAs4WGNv9qClhNDsL4Xhifnz6bCrk1RTn5ChcP6fxDSBmZXiWDeBKoOz_CJk7ghLPgsYF4oXNMb9CNWtQKZASTF_Qmq4oZcTFGrc9YlApNVDbZTlnSm-AIe8/s640/blogger-image--1049076661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcNWAYqhWKEMa-kbshLyYAs4WGNv9qClhNDsL4Xhifnz6bCrk1RTn5ChcP6fxDSBmZXiWDeBKoOz_CJk7ghLPgsYF4oXNMb9CNWtQKZASTF_Qmq4oZcTFGrc9YlApNVDbZTlnSm-AIe8/s640/blogger-image--1049076661.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mzXmekHQUm512UfX_wjJvQvOPV5x93qWsHP1lVDmuYpA6zAWFXB35wzmL6o658GsUmjfu2Ia9gnG3tA644FDOu9GrUEQLznO6lQNz6h9FM_yqKsWMU4QRk04ohvgEBLuzqSvnvge88k/s640/blogger-image--1547806334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mzXmekHQUm512UfX_wjJvQvOPV5x93qWsHP1lVDmuYpA6zAWFXB35wzmL6o658GsUmjfu2Ia9gnG3tA644FDOu9GrUEQLznO6lQNz6h9FM_yqKsWMU4QRk04ohvgEBLuzqSvnvge88k/s640/blogger-image--1547806334.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViETYtqBgECK-phV_C9684PCC-pdevQdWUZeh3-wa4o-7MpgS5eOejCbLlrPUdEfEBuR3f6MV9ZZj9GH1q2MEl8GQa71ACuJQPqkTuL36ukRdJDhuyZ8qaF1naGlH4Yqu-NDuixkXulA/s640/blogger-image--1213147920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViETYtqBgECK-phV_C9684PCC-pdevQdWUZeh3-wa4o-7MpgS5eOejCbLlrPUdEfEBuR3f6MV9ZZj9GH1q2MEl8GQa71ACuJQPqkTuL36ukRdJDhuyZ8qaF1naGlH4Yqu-NDuixkXulA/s640/blogger-image--1213147920.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmZabGRxtoC84J6hOuoPFzIA7wqUsVwaBs6LJ2pTfkTOHm1yYX-7EZ2cZAfneNwnDbYGxzkvR0O1JLDZzAQPJOh2WOoQGIlB7-xsAKIQ81NS25p6KTpensyUp8uwc5tKmjC0exD6W3Hw/s640/blogger-image--2063785347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmZabGRxtoC84J6hOuoPFzIA7wqUsVwaBs6LJ2pTfkTOHm1yYX-7EZ2cZAfneNwnDbYGxzkvR0O1JLDZzAQPJOh2WOoQGIlB7-xsAKIQ81NS25p6KTpensyUp8uwc5tKmjC0exD6W3Hw/s640/blogger-image--2063785347.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-68342023483625353742012-02-07T23:58:00.001+10:002012-02-07T23:58:18.511+10:00In BrugesBruges is a beautiful town. Touristy and busy yes, but somehow it doesn't seem to matter. The place must be packed in summer but it wasn't so bad for us. On the afternoon we arrived we went on a walking tour that was free through the backpackers we stayed in and just as we began, it started to snow! For a couple of queenslander's it was pretty damn exciting! It didn't matter that it was freezing cold and every time you looked up at something the guide pointed at you got snow in your eyes. And of course, the snow just made the town more beautiful. We walked through the town for hours in the snow, stopping for a break in the middle for a nice, warm drink. The tour probably wasn't the most informative tours you could go on, not that we didn't learn a thing or two about the towns history as well as see places from the film 'In Bruges', but the guides were funny which made it a great afternoon. <br />
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Of course, the snow inspired us and with a fellow Aussie in tow we made the best snowman in Bruges (even if I do say so myself). <br />
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Seeing as Belgium is the place for beer, we were also talked into attending a beer tasting evening also run by one of the tour guides - the guy seemed to run half the things in Bruges as well as know most the people! Fortunately the evening was a little more informative than the tour although tasting seemed to imply a full glass of each beer. It was a loooong night. <br />
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Bruges has probably been one of my favorite places so far, though we have a lot more places to see. It's the epitome of what you think of as an old European town and Belgium people are so friendly. Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-63099889543858568532012-02-04T03:01:00.001+10:002012-02-04T03:01:24.403+10:00YpresYpres in Belgium is a lovely medieval looking town which in actual fact is less than 100 years old. The massive cloth hall, towering gothic cathedral and similarly impressive town hall were in all destroyed in WW1 along with the surrounding villages. During the war, hundreds of shells rained down on Ypres as battles were fought in an arc around the town. After the war, it was suggested that the site of Ypres become a memorial to those lost in the war, but the people of Ypres who had fled the war wished to return and rebuild. As a result, the town is built almost exactly as it had been, in memory of its former self.<br />
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To make the most of the small amount of time we had in Ypres we joined a small tour run by Flanders Battlefield Tours. During the tour we visited a number of trenches still remaining from the war, a scary reminder of the terrifying battles fought throughout the countryside. We learned that much of the countryside is also riddled with tunnels, mined by both armies in an effort to reach each other without being shot at every step they took. We also visited Hill 60, one of such locations tunneled under, where over 70,000 pounds of explosives were laid by Australian miners under the hill occupied by the Germans, and then set off. Even after all this time has passed, the crater is massive. <br />
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As we drove through the countryside, we never went far before yet another cemetery appeared. There are 150 cemeteries located in the area - and the area is not very big at all. We visited Tyne Cot, the biggest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world. Over 13,000 soldiers are buried there, along with a wall engraved with the names of almost 30,000 whose remains were never found. The rows and rows of white tombstones, many of which have no name, are an incredibly sad and lonely sight. <br />
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Most humbling of all was the Menin Gate, a memorial to those missing in action. Close to 55,000 names of men never found are engraved on its arches. We visited the gate on a freezing cold night with hoards of others to witness the playing of the Last Post and the laying of wreaths. This ceremony has taken place every evening since 1928 except for a period during WW2 when the town was occupied by Germans. It was an emotional moment, and it must really bring home to many how truly lucky we are. So many people sacrificed their lives during that war, and others, and it is great to see that the memory of all those people lost will endure on through the memorials and ceremonies that live on in Ypres. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmJ69qIVPS2eG1HUE9tMQvSrJUWFL-G3YJnmxHV2-QcQSRRbbjW1umzuruBEw9C2_zviaPSvTZqSRGTqeCUxetAKEPcKlPEP4n6D_UjFcBRJ2FzDYFY5L9iGTexjPuXveRLPIIgczuUc/s640/blogger-image-617909125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmJ69qIVPS2eG1HUE9tMQvSrJUWFL-G3YJnmxHV2-QcQSRRbbjW1umzuruBEw9C2_zviaPSvTZqSRGTqeCUxetAKEPcKlPEP4n6D_UjFcBRJ2FzDYFY5L9iGTexjPuXveRLPIIgczuUc/s640/blogger-image-617909125.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_p58zbi1ni9lhIjFoiHQr-cOa8zR3U9zWgO0xTTGM03X2mTVfqi0-5S-1rFboWrtx0iVl5G7TaKAobNY8Mbo-M6MBw3vBrnDQwym9MWk0mAUEjfSjmi501n_1WYtKw-IP7U2hmqI3Z8/s640/blogger-image-585220465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_p58zbi1ni9lhIjFoiHQr-cOa8zR3U9zWgO0xTTGM03X2mTVfqi0-5S-1rFboWrtx0iVl5G7TaKAobNY8Mbo-M6MBw3vBrnDQwym9MWk0mAUEjfSjmi501n_1WYtKw-IP7U2hmqI3Z8/s640/blogger-image-585220465.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfTdfFnzhcdS6un1a2HXqnM8fRfEWeKM2AUA5zQ8SUlXjxR30xtfbpPRae4i30My9gAGLPanTyGzXxRSXSiiiDRCAer8kxd-gb9X3Inld6cKRWc8KGsu8HXd0pV6e-r7D6P8C_2n-IM0/s640/blogger-image-2133077132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfTdfFnzhcdS6un1a2HXqnM8fRfEWeKM2AUA5zQ8SUlXjxR30xtfbpPRae4i30My9gAGLPanTyGzXxRSXSiiiDRCAer8kxd-gb9X3Inld6cKRWc8KGsu8HXd0pV6e-r7D6P8C_2n-IM0/s640/blogger-image-2133077132.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6V4fKfr7gppYLu26kRMJGEkGllF1_5FwJsYM-hzaBmRQTGSYQKplfGXNV50UXCjdItkwRESKjagRA-BbUOH42S3tnV171rcdO5fcn3HqkjZbDLWBL4hEUW_wsQqCYpGvbr1FfaoqKdHM/s640/blogger-image-162273060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbwbMPjWChlebS8rlOAnICEc-QRWfBkSHVKY0Sh224EFFmdvelt13wdrlVy8V2WpX3bpNFI3UpvS2wz6tMhFaa7m59c9Wxhe7-VExoZo6OIYQKCOJ6yFQ01kOVNMqdXXU9OV9Uvu-GUM/s640/blogger-image--928063688.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNXrR2ONNY2xMBBjmC1EdLtNfzO5JZCc0DbEUEQHbIkBWpcRimvzMk4m4HiysTh0zRfxS47GZPg0G0yTO2T6dhNUFq8aQ1qFBt8MXbwyw-zw2nK2ZfR3adwh399wmsUrfdSxRr8uZ2hI/s640/blogger-image-1047905696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNXrR2ONNY2xMBBjmC1EdLtNfzO5JZCc0DbEUEQHbIkBWpcRimvzMk4m4HiysTh0zRfxS47GZPg0G0yTO2T6dhNUFq8aQ1qFBt8MXbwyw-zw2nK2ZfR3adwh399wmsUrfdSxRr8uZ2hI/s640/blogger-image-1047905696.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-53629201422254819052012-02-02T07:17:00.001+10:002012-02-02T16:03:48.775+10:00Brussels, the city of...food?Brussels is a lovely city, particularly in the old town but definitely doesn't have as much to see or do and some other places. But when you consider they have beer, chocolate, waffles and fries it doesn't really matter if it was the most boring place on the planet, you could just eat and drink yourself silly. We got at least a little silly. <br />
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At the Mannekin Pis (which is way way way smaller than all the pictures make it look) we ate delicious fresh waffles drowned in hot chocolate sauce and topped with banana. <br />
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At the Cantillon brewery, one of the last breweries using traditional brewing methods to make Lambic beer, we did a very interesting tour of the family owned business and finished it off by sampling a couple of their products.<br />
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We also tried a very small percentage of the beers stocked by Delirium Cafe which, at any time, stocks over 2000 different varieties. <br />
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We sampled mouth-watering chocolates at the chocolate shop where pralines were originally invented - by a chemist trying to make the taking of medicines more palatable. <br />
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And we ate crispy frites (fries) topped with mayonnaise in a paper cone standing in the freezing Grand Place. I don't know what made those fries so special, but they're definitely the best i've ever eaten. Grand Place is one of the prettiest squares I've ever seen, made even more magical by the light frosting of snow over the cobble stones.<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBatWnnL0dsM0RPJBg35Pt_tV96ovRbgLMz9jLrR-W5wVhzdugYHYOaJ0NLUn_SyKjEJJE8iAfetqyuIJaxGmj_QmsDLn3vETy5E8wt6c3aRkJPem9NeGR86uTDTV3fB5SSYxA1lQmjW8/s640/blogger-image-1000069824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBatWnnL0dsM0RPJBg35Pt_tV96ovRbgLMz9jLrR-W5wVhzdugYHYOaJ0NLUn_SyKjEJJE8iAfetqyuIJaxGmj_QmsDLn3vETy5E8wt6c3aRkJPem9NeGR86uTDTV3fB5SSYxA1lQmjW8/s640/blogger-image-1000069824.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiWStV63z5xn1gfCIgjnRXeb8q7L2_U7YMCnosJhaVFubZLaPzfl6Gqh-uyAhDoo6lgUVqU3kHxckKPgH8FNMzKSs1BNdYfwErn9T59h6lpFFi40qxOjDrmJXbEvSKnjBcDWAV3uDRyc/s640/blogger-image-1020366320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiWStV63z5xn1gfCIgjnRXeb8q7L2_U7YMCnosJhaVFubZLaPzfl6Gqh-uyAhDoo6lgUVqU3kHxckKPgH8FNMzKSs1BNdYfwErn9T59h6lpFFi40qxOjDrmJXbEvSKnjBcDWAV3uDRyc/s640/blogger-image-1020366320.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzFuqEpP3hS0kAR2qE24LR-EHAVGAJspxgsWSNTnz4SoAd0FHqe-uS37tW1ZF0Y67WSiijF6Ubw5FFB5-flRDCMz_yHVNhRVBi-NDsgNc7EZPoi1agqD1ebuSI8eOFaH7m5EFXHb2Uds/s640/blogger-image-681939813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzFuqEpP3hS0kAR2qE24LR-EHAVGAJspxgsWSNTnz4SoAd0FHqe-uS37tW1ZF0Y67WSiijF6Ubw5FFB5-flRDCMz_yHVNhRVBi-NDsgNc7EZPoi1agqD1ebuSI8eOFaH7m5EFXHb2Uds/s640/blogger-image-681939813.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoiSoaq69_hTXS5LFiQV83hCer507qMJkyITow2CGI4mSClyEKDKrCvrpsZvBGkt_dCWBacWf1jgvjeJwjOy-fFzDubipZnA8eActTHNNMonz4mXzqArIx67q3qwX-0_qCQWOYtC3n88/s640/blogger-image--570572989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoiSoaq69_hTXS5LFiQV83hCer507qMJkyITow2CGI4mSClyEKDKrCvrpsZvBGkt_dCWBacWf1jgvjeJwjOy-fFzDubipZnA8eActTHNNMonz4mXzqArIx67q3qwX-0_qCQWOYtC3n88/s640/blogger-image--570572989.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-80424874687651046042012-01-31T19:27:00.001+10:002012-01-31T19:53:26.387+10:00MarketsThere's nothing like a market to get you in a spending mood. And there seems to be a fair few markets in London. We visited the famous Portobello Road markets first off but were disappointed with it. Despite having a fairly reliable source say it opened at about 8 in the morning at almost 10 in the morning half the stalls were either empty or only half set up. Not really the kind of market you feel like strolling through. After a bit of a walk through we decided to head to the Camden markets to try our luck there. This time we weren't disappointed. The markets seemed endless. They're set along Camden High Street and Chalk Farm Road in a number of different areas, some inside and some through narrow winding alleys that just made the whole place cooler. You could become completely lost, but not be bored by the different things and people to see at every turn. If you're after the kind of market that is only second hand clothes and goods, you're much better off at the Portobello Road market, but the Camden market sold clothes, jewellery, accessories and all kinds of bits and pieces as well as great food! Even Dave enjoyed the hours we spent there which is really the biggest recommendation I can give to the place considering he's a bit of a shopping-and-crowded-places-phobe. And it was crowded! By the time we left in the early afternoon, solid masses of people spread out of all the market areas on to the footpath of the street and well up the road. In all, a good day out!<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt22ECDLpZnXCj7rPAsQ8Hc6Hrk4dwAD2RXh76_j1jOnvUP6wvNBOgnhl1ng2E7lVDwCDwdo0eUGHRbtoH2LUqy8dcnFpKMH9rwwZreAhpfTaDQ1DpXjZ9ro_Hza6KCSsJ_A0I27YTrfU/s640/blogger-image--2091731778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt22ECDLpZnXCj7rPAsQ8Hc6Hrk4dwAD2RXh76_j1jOnvUP6wvNBOgnhl1ng2E7lVDwCDwdo0eUGHRbtoH2LUqy8dcnFpKMH9rwwZreAhpfTaDQ1DpXjZ9ro_Hza6KCSsJ_A0I27YTrfU/s640/blogger-image--2091731778.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcp3lBlU33pWvhcEhKzrtfkj5M0APCDN2R6_-GF5_rxqoKHlOlgqXxLV9mIZPsJ8WtpTpO7DbGIGurF0pdqAmzdlagV1PEvYom9Zwdjjo2OMeEZwS_6x-3Sx5HL_CEf-KN2L3tfSM0fI/s640/blogger-image-1928653293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcp3lBlU33pWvhcEhKzrtfkj5M0APCDN2R6_-GF5_rxqoKHlOlgqXxLV9mIZPsJ8WtpTpO7DbGIGurF0pdqAmzdlagV1PEvYom9Zwdjjo2OMeEZwS_6x-3Sx5HL_CEf-KN2L3tfSM0fI/s640/blogger-image-1928653293.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1QxnT9BIE9P8Dp2sCt7FZv_FNBYqwKitrhGbQcTMtoZ7DS9bTw_mWTYXdr3ojuzA1N3SwnT5hPoBBjAAZPH4fFu-OD9nUmcqRKYyCQrQQUwNlZz-zOak79uod-NnLT7pHQfzKtx44Ng/s640/blogger-image-942695218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1QxnT9BIE9P8Dp2sCt7FZv_FNBYqwKitrhGbQcTMtoZ7DS9bTw_mWTYXdr3ojuzA1N3SwnT5hPoBBjAAZPH4fFu-OD9nUmcqRKYyCQrQQUwNlZz-zOak79uod-NnLT7pHQfzKtx44Ng/s640/blogger-image-942695218.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEe7Y2vUf4R-oNs9qfSnc2Xw05ogFT8BtAXbIMO7IYbL_tGUv1AdHmxn4SpOCykuKHjm9KMU-t6Cwdgpg6UUZvCUhi8B9fBLeRiLgqm9_hfaMy2VwBA2eigdC9MW1Cla5FqChdChvuG5U/s640/blogger-image--1058999230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEe7Y2vUf4R-oNs9qfSnc2Xw05ogFT8BtAXbIMO7IYbL_tGUv1AdHmxn4SpOCykuKHjm9KMU-t6Cwdgpg6UUZvCUhi8B9fBLeRiLgqm9_hfaMy2VwBA2eigdC9MW1Cla5FqChdChvuG5U/s640/blogger-image--1058999230.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-59607532196904715692012-01-29T19:08:00.001+10:002012-01-29T19:08:13.805+10:00Beefeaters and beheadingsIf there is one historical site you visit in London, make sure it is the Tower of London. The most enjoyable day I had visiting such a place so far! <br />
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The Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in the 1070s after he invaded and defeated the English and became their new king. The White tower in the centre of the complex was the original building, given its name because the stone walls were white-washed to give a more imposing look. Over the next couple of hundred years the tower fortifications were expanded by medieval kings. <br />
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The tower's history is chock full of murder, power-hungry royals, beheadings and hangings. Never have I seen so much drama within one place outside the TV when grey's anatomy is on. And the thing that I loved most about the place was that, despite all the deaths and sinister goings on, the tour guides and visual displays somehow seemed to make the history almost relatable, as strange as that sounds. The exhibits weren't just dry bits of information but rather an insight into the lives of the royals, peasants and prisoners alike.<br />
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Most enjoyable was one of the beefeater tours which are operated all day by current Yeoman Warders (nicknamed, for uncertain reasons, 'beefeaters'). The beefeaters themselves are impressive when you consider the qualifications needed to even apply for the job include 20-odd years in Her Majesty's military service along with reaching certain ranks and receiving certain awards while in that service. So it's not easy to become one! Their job is to guard the tower and whatever may be residing inside, whether it is prisoners, royalty or the crown jewels which are on display there today. They still participate in many of the rituals from past times. The warder that took our tour had an amazing store of information about the tower's history and present and past yeoman warders. The tour run within the white tower by a staff member was equally as riveting, as he explained the daily uses of many rooms - including a medieval toilet chamber. I think it was those personal touches that separates the tour of London from many other historical attractions. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeQG-18t0cUFkCR7IdZr7pWZNXGKMSTwT9e6OsCrraEMG6b5a7DsTaqYGtOaZubP0dbhVpqOddMyBJclK46ctM5J0uIgkPlORmHAIAt_ZqlYeqdrLCe0ufnPsJVmlcfuCjI1WgqTwd30/s640/blogger-image--1503809764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeQG-18t0cUFkCR7IdZr7pWZNXGKMSTwT9e6OsCrraEMG6b5a7DsTaqYGtOaZubP0dbhVpqOddMyBJclK46ctM5J0uIgkPlORmHAIAt_ZqlYeqdrLCe0ufnPsJVmlcfuCjI1WgqTwd30/s640/blogger-image--1503809764.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRAOd8LL7wGutJYqK9iGRBpNKEdLLfsxMiI8eqA1c5jo_8_w2hFPMZba6tKhLtgYlG6aG7FAkriR-TnRTTXmBU_5GG73TrvTKrjG7zpcmY0Azg1ETBokNrQv_6YEOuDvieQp6x_ZayCo/s640/blogger-image-881354362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRAOd8LL7wGutJYqK9iGRBpNKEdLLfsxMiI8eqA1c5jo_8_w2hFPMZba6tKhLtgYlG6aG7FAkriR-TnRTTXmBU_5GG73TrvTKrjG7zpcmY0Azg1ETBokNrQv_6YEOuDvieQp6x_ZayCo/s640/blogger-image-881354362.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-52640836107998917422012-01-28T17:27:00.001+10:002012-01-28T17:29:39.180+10:00Bread and cheeseEven though we've been in London for a couple of days now, I just wanted to write one last thing about Paris. And that is about the greatest toasted ham and cheese sandwich in my life. I know, you're probably thinking 'out of all the awesome things she could eat in Paris, why on earth did she choose a toasted cheese sandwich? In my defense, it was lunch time, and there weren't too many light meal options at the Brasserie we were at. The sandwich came out with home made chips - because nobody buys ready made chips in Paris, except for McDonald's anyway. The toastie itself (known in France as a Croque-monsieur) was sprinkled with grated cheese on top and put under the grill until it was brown and crispy, but the bread itself was still soft and fresh. Inside there was more gooey melted cheese and thin slices of ham. Of course it would have been pretty hard to make a bad sandwich when your country makes some of the most amazing cheeses and there's a bakery with the freshest of breads on every corner.<br />
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Speaking of which, we had a dinner worthy of a heart foundation blacklisting on another night in Paris. We weren't after much and were tired after a long day of sight seeing so on our way back to the hostel we picked up a baguette and camembert from their respective specialty shops. We had no knives or plates, so just had to pull chunks of bread and cheese off to eat. Regardless, it was one of the best French meals I had. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWN7_5OYPZ-WFBYelxeUBoSPiZcxkODFDexTc3V8CujAdufIeNcoQ_mUNndaik8RXfHfSVMlRUXsI591tvSVc5lSJlfV7J3hs35hIvpLXUaSnkLNe59Aeh1oDDA8yhvOryXrqiPPYWZ4/s640/blogger-image--1482514907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWN7_5OYPZ-WFBYelxeUBoSPiZcxkODFDexTc3V8CujAdufIeNcoQ_mUNndaik8RXfHfSVMlRUXsI591tvSVc5lSJlfV7J3hs35hIvpLXUaSnkLNe59Aeh1oDDA8yhvOryXrqiPPYWZ4/s640/blogger-image--1482514907.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRHdesPfSpazhJeZ6QPRuj4fAU90yjtOa2UUNxfvEwuwoAAvh-hq4r8UdZu9qP2XdxM64GU_kDNGabeV0xjmOaWeXT2VQTFuR_em8P_rt5m2vZtirV-NDt6yjzdhjXBr6DYzHm9FVkTo/s640/blogger-image-1149195848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRHdesPfSpazhJeZ6QPRuj4fAU90yjtOa2UUNxfvEwuwoAAvh-hq4r8UdZu9qP2XdxM64GU_kDNGabeV0xjmOaWeXT2VQTFuR_em8P_rt5m2vZtirV-NDt6yjzdhjXBr6DYzHm9FVkTo/s640/blogger-image-1149195848.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-60246423558171983422012-01-26T06:33:00.001+10:002012-01-26T07:08:04.559+10:00Dancing the CancanWhen you walk through colourful Montmartre, it's immediately obvious that the French are far more open to the risqué side of life. The streets are lined with lingerie shops, generally of the leather and tasseled variety, also specialising in a range of latex goods. But that was not the reason we were visiting Montmartre at night. We were off to see a show at the Moulin Rouge!<br />
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On first sight, the Moulin Rouge was somewhat disappointing. I guess I had preconceived ideas of what to expect from the film, but in reality, the Moulin Rouge is quite a simple, but distinctive building. Inside, the theatre is beautifully decorated, but as many tables as possible have been crammed in to seat guests.<br />
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We had a three-course dinner, one of the set menus. Entree was stuffed Dover sole, my least favourite of the three, though that is just personal preference. My main was veal with mushroom and onion sauce, on a bed of rice. Dessert was a chocolate and coffee layered slice, topped with a tempered chocolate Moulin Rouge windmill. All delicious, and accompanied with a bottled of Jacquart champagne.<br />
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With dinner finished, it was time for the show. The last guests entered the theatre (it's possible to buy tickets only for the show and skip dinner), and the show began. I didnt't have much of an idea of what the show would involve - only vague images of the cancan. In reality, the show is so much more - singing, dancing, clowns, mimes, even live snakes and ponies. There were many costume changes, though they can't have taken long seeing as the costumes were little more than a few feathers, beads, and a g-string!<br />
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Overall, the dinner was delicious and the show was spectacular. Well worth the money, even for those on a backpacker's budget. After all, how often do you get the chance to visit the Moulin Rouge?Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-8926193744079859092012-01-26T02:37:00.000+10:002012-01-26T02:37:00.384+10:00Snaps from Paris<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKE2E4kOGsgzd51t0VOzsClUBwehMALHE-rapeWqbqh_lxVX9cLd1yk-w-spXwn5UDGa2roJBKdNOfrjniPut7pW12r7-xEua6L5IaxQVrjvQmkd3k8tc_dlDsW-_mWoqjFM75FOQ0KM/s640/blogger-image--292968533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKE2E4kOGsgzd51t0VOzsClUBwehMALHE-rapeWqbqh_lxVX9cLd1yk-w-spXwn5UDGa2roJBKdNOfrjniPut7pW12r7-xEua6L5IaxQVrjvQmkd3k8tc_dlDsW-_mWoqjFM75FOQ0KM/s640/blogger-image--292968533.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3Vs54em3zTcSUo4rgTM3_y9Yp9echvYp0FtTvynvpNeEmj67ZPSotrN4LewxdMTcC16koC-RkaDumHL-a8JLbKDdVSsnSeQXPM0hNUZ287mpwZFDM9bzE8a56Z2jmRm8POL4DmZXStU/s640/blogger-image--1327732703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3Vs54em3zTcSUo4rgTM3_y9Yp9echvYp0FtTvynvpNeEmj67ZPSotrN4LewxdMTcC16koC-RkaDumHL-a8JLbKDdVSsnSeQXPM0hNUZ287mpwZFDM9bzE8a56Z2jmRm8POL4DmZXStU/s640/blogger-image--1327732703.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVr43_zUFE7yHSJLAAdNMSEFT7k6cR6lWvrjZS0SFv5vTXwjDPeRzJ_ia5qn95rNKXEMxVl4wJxo7mjeU4V8pYm-jl60wVVeKMFF4R94djKH0sdKaP_ql7yfVG4uIjhNXpdJ7TIpPacc/s640/blogger-image--1409253180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVr43_zUFE7yHSJLAAdNMSEFT7k6cR6lWvrjZS0SFv5vTXwjDPeRzJ_ia5qn95rNKXEMxVl4wJxo7mjeU4V8pYm-jl60wVVeKMFF4R94djKH0sdKaP_ql7yfVG4uIjhNXpdJ7TIpPacc/s640/blogger-image--1409253180.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgeiLy3ZCNa0cQnUY0JMhYKE6nAHZ-HGJCFx-GFilhzi63j37bUBZ4QqzIhizY0wjXg6Eq73Nl0xlfBARg8dbJVbP0oj2bn8vLY00hghiXxpbxGw9Z8ZNmuxQcwIJUtajndy-s3QZNOY/s640/blogger-image--1306325301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgeiLy3ZCNa0cQnUY0JMhYKE6nAHZ-HGJCFx-GFilhzi63j37bUBZ4QqzIhizY0wjXg6Eq73Nl0xlfBARg8dbJVbP0oj2bn8vLY00hghiXxpbxGw9Z8ZNmuxQcwIJUtajndy-s3QZNOY/s640/blogger-image--1306325301.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuL4PiP7_DWKm_CDbbufCusntP9LSV_IwSnVIRiRxEO6vW3bH_-UGPykg6JLxjGN-oC_-4u2enrvBgwqKm4W9YERoRA2Mb_Lhn_Snkqt3HgYdixZX3H2b-4kEWGcXXFXcNqUJeWrVNkmc/s640/blogger-image--1050047945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuL4PiP7_DWKm_CDbbufCusntP9LSV_IwSnVIRiRxEO6vW3bH_-UGPykg6JLxjGN-oC_-4u2enrvBgwqKm4W9YERoRA2Mb_Lhn_Snkqt3HgYdixZX3H2b-4kEWGcXXFXcNqUJeWrVNkmc/s640/blogger-image--1050047945.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-41237553934438804242012-01-25T02:24:00.001+10:002012-01-25T02:27:00.085+10:00Creepy old bones in ParisBonjour! Having been in Paris for a few days already I thought I'd write briefly about a few of the standouts for me in this beautiful city. <br />
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On our first day we walked our feet off through the Louvre. We easily spent the majority of the day wandering through the vast halls which, even without the paintings, are a sight worthy of attention just as much as any of the artworks. You can almost imagine the princes and princesses of long ago walking the halls and it's simply astounding to think you're in a building that is hundreds of years old. <br />
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The catacombes were a creepy experience. Situated approximately 20 metres under Paris are a series of tunnels, originally built as a quarry. In the late 1700s complaints were made regarding outbreaks of diseases originating from nearby cemeteries, and authorities decided to move remains to the old quarry. Since their creation people have visited them out of curiosity. It certainly was a disturbing experience wandering down dark narrow tunnels lined floor to ceiling with tightly packed human bones. <br />
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Saint-chapelle was simply awe-inspiring. As you step into the lower chapel, the vibrant colours of the walls and paintings grab you. Built in 1248, the church was used by the France's royalty and their servants, the lower chapel being used by the servants. When you climb the stairs to the upper chapel and see the massive stained glass windows surrounding it, the lower chapel immediately seems insignificant. Despite being so old they clearly depict 1,113 scenes from the Bible over 15 windows. Whether or not you have an understanding of these stories, you'll be blown away by the beauty and artistry of these windows. Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-44295063857256918752012-01-23T01:11:00.001+10:002012-01-23T01:11:08.816+10:00Welcome to ParisWe arrived in Paris after 43 hours in transit exhausted but ridiculously excited to finally be in France. Being the transport buff he is, Dave insisted we try out the trains. We hopped onto the train at the airport with much huffing and puffing (I regret that extra pair of jeans and jumper I crammed into my already loaded bag), to catch it to the Gare du Nord station near the backpackers we are staying at. To our delight, a man jumped onto the train with an accordion and proceeded to serenade the carriage. It was like we'd landed in an old-school Parisian movie. Our awe and excitement was short-lived, however, as at the next stop the number of people in the carriage was doubled as people literally forced their way into the train. People crammed themselves just inside the door with their arms spread wide to balance as the doors shut a centimetre from their nose. And at the next stop more people boarded! I'm not one to feel claustrophobic but I was starting to feel short of breath when our stop finally came along. It was an interesting first experience in Paris but certainly not enough to put me off. I'll be avoiding peak hour trains from now on though!Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-66436365233971725112012-01-18T21:48:00.001+10:002012-01-18T21:51:23.981+10:00To much??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmOWguVHwVDl76au_CRfSKIH-dETX6NEELet3PF1_Mf1kFHIVfKLFL0vqSV_pjIDi0BC0feKFNu17dxjZl1yT0Dz2Y1mDrmf7MxMaMfYSR9_4H0LvtpqM744xbSIl4F1NGFajBgJfZUc/s640/blogger-image--1471156709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmOWguVHwVDl76au_CRfSKIH-dETX6NEELet3PF1_Mf1kFHIVfKLFL0vqSV_pjIDi0BC0feKFNu17dxjZl1yT0Dz2Y1mDrmf7MxMaMfYSR9_4H0LvtpqM744xbSIl4F1NGFajBgJfZUc/s640/blogger-image--1471156709.jpg" /></a></div>Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-640680901778584125.post-73914259281406109222012-01-18T21:34:00.000+10:002012-01-18T21:37:03.219+10:00About MeBefore I head off on our European adventure I thought I'd better start by telling you a little bit about myself. So...<br />
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I am 20 something, engaged to a lovely man, and work as the housekeeping coordinator of a 5 star hotel.<br />
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I like reading books that create new worlds and visiting real places that are just as fantastic.<br />
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I have a degree in tourism management.<br />
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I want to experience as many different places and cultures as I can.<br />
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And with that small taster of who I am and what I'm all about, we will shortly begin our long awaited trip to Europe. Where we intend to backpack on train our way through France, England, Belgium, The Netherlands and Italy.Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07997362246055641473noreply@blogger.com0