Month: December 2005

take your pic…

Run, Run for your life…


…but which way

I hope I never need to follw these signs


Skiing in Kranjska Gora


Lakes in Bled


Churches in Novo Mesto


Colourful thinks in Liechenstien


Princely things in Luxembourg


Clocks in Zurich

and the full collection in www.bearder.com/gallery

We leave here tomorrow, three quaters of the Bearder family head to Oxford and I’m heading to Brno in the Czech Republic. My Czech isn’t too good but I can say “Kiss my pink arse” “What?” “Mole” and “Doughnut” …so I should be fine.

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Snow Storms, Principalities and lots of train travel…

I’m back, back again in my second home and the sun is shining. It’s freezing but the sun is shining.

It’s actually nice to be here again because I can relax now. Since leaving Luxembourg on Thursday I’ve spent two days and one very long night in Zurich and two days in Vaduz (population 5000) the tiny capital of Liechenstien.

I’ve seen she chic, beautiful and expensive in Zurich, the even more I’ve seen she chic, beautiful and expensive in Liechenstien and lots and lots of snow! Leaving via Austria I’ve also enjoyed 5 long train journeys and numerous buses. However, learning from my last 9 hour trip to Slovenia with no food or entertainment I stocked up this time and managed to complete the day Vinci Code in just two days.

I’ve also met, a Norwegian student, a trainee Barrister, a Mexican, 3 Canadians, 4 Australian nurses, 2 Zurich party animals, an Australian, a Kiwi, 2 Chinese chefs,a Thai waitress and one American called Matt. Yesterday I brought the Financial Times from a miserable guy dressed in a complete traditional Austrian outfit. I also been asked (by a girl I should add) if I was a giggalo! Seriously, WTF? uh?

Anyway, If you are looking for a party town and you have a cool Million euros I recommend Zurich. If your looking for nothing, apart from mountains I recommend Liechenstien.

Many people ask if I ever get bored traveling alone and the last week has reminded me, in style why I always answer – No.

Put it more eloquently…

“Taking a solo trip around the world is like having a fresh, new start to your life every day. No one knows you. No one knows where you’ve been. No one knows where you are going. And no one cares.”

“The danger of an adventure is worth a thousand days of ease and comfort”

Time for lunch…

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Metro Surfing

OK, so I found a normal keyboard. Where were we…

Brussels.

My arrival in Brussels was somewhat challenging

Arriving in my classic disorganized and unprepared fashion that I like to call ‘Winging it’ meant jumping out of the car on the side of a main road with no Euros, nowhere to stay and no idea where I was. I also arrived with a mighty hangover and very little sleep from the night before. Given that first impressions really do count – I wasn’t exactly making it easy on Brussels! Ironic really as most of the above problems were exaggerated if not caused my copious amounts of the famous Belgian export – Stella Artoirs

Anyway, within an hour or so I had managed to get things back on track, had some Euros and booked myself into the closest hostel. For dinner I enjoyed a dirty chicken kebab which was basically raw, tasteless and overpriced. Despite my worst fears it hasn’t killed me yet.

Impressed with my achievements I had an early night and read a book.

In a break from my traditional walkabout I spent most of the day on Monday ‘Metro Surfing’ my way around Brussels. Much cheaper and less stressful than the Tube, the metro in Brussels makes seeing the city pretty dam easy and in just two days there I’ve managed to see almost all the main areas, the automation, the European commission, the European parliament, the very impressive central square, men with moustaches smoking huge cigars, kids running around doing that funny French kiss where you put both hands to your mouth and then blow a kiss, extending both your arms (when something is fantastique), the Belgian Soho (by mistake of course), the ‘Egyptian Passage’ and the most Italian restaurants I have ever seem on one road!

I’ve eaten Waffles with whipped cream and Belgian chocolate and enjoyed absolutely no Belgian beer.

On Tuesday I enjoyed a few more hops around the city before departing Luxembourg station for Luxembourg city.

Luxembourg, population 450,000 is small, clean, wealthy and picturesque. To avoid confusion the capital of Luxembourg is Luxembourg. Its a small city which is dramatically spread over a large valley. It’s covered in Churches, banks, expensive jewelry shops and very posh market stands. There is small band that plays Christmas carols whilst you shop and if you drink five local beers you wake up with a very sore head.

This is definitely a place to enjoy a romantic weekend break but I’d save it for the summer and start saving now.

I’m leaving now for Zurich via Basel

Eddy

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Celebrations

Mark makes it to 30

…and I make it to Brussels

Actually, thats the big Three Zero for me too! Thankfully im counting mine in europeqn countries 😉

Currently im in Luxembourg and have loads of news but im gonna save that until I find a normal keyboard. Keyboards should never start with AZERTY…

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Top tip. Always say you’ve lost your passport when you go for a renewal. It’s quicker, less painful and you get to keep all your stamps.

I quote “Next up is a manic week of passport renewing and visa applying…”

…if only I knew then just how bad this week would be. I’m not going to bore anyone with the details but it’s enough to say that I’m not on my flight to Brussels, I have no visa’s and I have a new contender for ‘most hated organisation of the year’ (still not close to Three though)My passport arrived just 1 hour too late to make my flight from Heathrow.

However, all is not lost! and it’s not as bad as all that. Firstly, I’ve not had a bad week – in fact it’s been quite fun, I can now attend Marks 30th tonight (I hope Mark isn’t reading this since it’s a surprise) and in the most jammy way ever – I’ve landed a free lift to Belgium tomorrow! Superb.

Still kind of on track,

Edd

…I guess I’d better book somewhere to stay! Antwerp or Brussels?

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It’s the day that America has executed it’s 1000th citizen since re-introducing the death penalty, the day the XBox 360 hits the shelf in England and exactly 10 years since rouge trader Nick Leeson was jailed in Singapore. It’s also my last day of work at Miele and most likely my last day at work this year!

Next up is a manic week of passport renewing and visa applying, before I hop 200 miles South East to Europes political brain – Brussels.

Posted from: www.bearder.com

Zeus

EUROPA – Overcome by the Phoenician woman’s beauty, but sensing her shy nature, Zeus changed himself into a white bull. Europa was attracted to this majestic animal, and was soon riding on the bull. At that point, Zeus started running over the waves, leaving Europa’s native Sidon and friends behind. The ride was smooth, as the sea nymphs created a waveless path for the travellers. The couple ended up on Crete, where Europa bore Zeus three sons: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon. Minos became king of Crete; Rhadamanthus a judge in the underworld.

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