County Cork

We have just returned from a very pleasant long weekend in Cork. Although it drizzled a bit on and off, and on Saturday night we experienced ridiculous gale force winds, there were some really nice patches of blue sky and sunshine. Saturday we spent exploring Cork, ducking into a fair few pubs to take shelter from the rain, wind and cold, as it was the worst day weather-wise. We also visited the English Market, a big hall that is like a farmers market with all the fresh food you could ever want. We spent a good hour drooling over all the cuts of meat and poultry, fresh fish, sushi, cheeses, fruit, fresh breads, salad rolls, pastries and chocolates, and grabbed a quick bite to eat at the cafe (our first taste of black pudding). Sunday we took a bus out to a place called Kinsale, a very pretty port town. We took a very nice 45 minute walk out to Charles Fort, a defense fortification used in the 17th and 18th centuries, and visited a couple of bookshops and lovely pubs. (Dave's shining moment was mistaking a post office for a pub...seems to be a bit of a recurring theme lately!) Monday we returned like magnets to the Farmers Market for brunch, before flying back to London. Some photos below.
Our next trip is a while away – 20th April, after I finish up at work. It will be a longer one, though, as we will be gone for about 5 weeks. We will spend that time travelling through Eastern Europe and Norway! Very excited. More on that later.
Meanwhile we are frantically trying to see a little more of England before we leave for good. We have a day trip booked to the Cotswolds in March, and may attempt to squeeze in a day in Brighton, depending on costs. We are also planning a few days in Yorkshire in June just before leaving. In London news we have scored some Premier League tickets (yay!) We will be attending Fulham v Portsmouth on the 31st January at Craven Cottage. We are also leaving Earl's Court and returning to Angel!!! We move out on 1st February and in with Jo, Daisy and Laura in rooms above the York, which is great for us as we will save on rent and travel to work. (And we get to return to an area we both love). Dave is also excited as (apparently) it is his dream come true to live above a pub and I am excited to be living with people again!
We are both well and, although we are looking forward to coming home, are still enjoying London very much, especially now the temperature has begun to creep up (sloooowly). We no longer need the heater on at home and some days the mercury reaches double figures!
So that’s about it for now. No doubt we will be doing something for Australia Day, with celebrations at the Aussie bars here planned for the Sunday and the Monday, so will update again soon. Much love to all.

At Charles Fort outside of Kinsale

Kinsale

Charles Fort

Charles Fort

Looking across to James Fort opposite

On our walk, looking back towards Kinsale

Views on the walk

Fresh fish at the English Market

On arrival in Cork, about 8am Saturday morning

Cold Enough for You?! Innit!!

Our flight landed in Copenhagen, Denmark, at about 10 on Tuesday morning. Dumping our bags, we took a walk to orientate ourselves with the city (where Blue mistook the art museum for the Carlsberg brewery, much to my amusement). We spent that evening at the Christmas markets in the Tivoli amusement park - very pretty with some great mulled wine and burning coal fires to warm us in the minus 2 degree temperature. We did think, however, that the 12 pound equivalent entry fee would entitle us to some rides as well - wrong!! Each ride was about 40 kroner (6 quid), with an unlimited pass 20 quid! Copenhagen, as we found out a number of times, is not an inexpensive city.
The next day, New Years Eve, we continued our exploring of the city with the King's Garden, and the adjoining Rosenborg Slot (17th century castle). As we were walking in the gardens, music reached our ears on the wind, so we followed it to see what was happening and stumbled upon the changing of the guards ceremony (we think, or something like that). Think Buckingham Palace with a handful of people instead of massive crowds. It turned out to be much much better than that, though, as the guards and the band marched through the city, before returning to the castle. For a moment we did think we were in with a chance of sighting Mary, and got excited, but no luck. Following that, we went over to Slotsholmen, an island separated from the city centre by a canal, but being NYE most of the museums and the palace there were closed for visitors, so we retired to our room for a few beers before venturing out later. Our first stop was a pub for a few more beers, then we made our way to the lakes at the edge of the city to watch some fireworks. Copenhagen doesn't have one official fireworks display; people let off their own fireworks all night long. Often you are surrounded by noise, at times it can sound like a heap of bombs are hitting the city. All those fireworks are quite spectacular though, and we heard them going off till 2 in the morning (could have been longer, but we fell asleep).
New Years Day we slept in, and then stopped at the outdoor ice rink for some skating. Dave, however, opted out after his last experience in London, so I skated on my own. The rink was fantastic - like a massive roundabout - and at 1pm on New Years Day there was only a handful of people; plenty of room to skate and pick up some serious speed! Afterwards we headed down to check out the Little Mermaid Statue, perched on a rock looking out to sea towards Sweden.
Our final day we had our fill of Danish food - Danishes (called wienerbrod in Denmark) and smorrebrod (little open sandwiches that are just delicious). We also visited the Hans Christian Anderson museum (delightfully nostalgic) and the Carlsberg brewery, before catching our late flight back to London.
A very pleasant, although REALLY cold, New Years break. We are still excitedly planning the first half of this year and are at the point now where we are both really looking forward to coming home! Work starts back again tomorrow (boooo). Next trip will be Ireland in a few weeks time.
Hope all are having a great start to 2009.

Watching fireworks in the cold on NYE

The guards and band march through the streets

The Tivoli Xmas markets - Xmas scenes

The Tivoli Xmas markets - Xmas scenes

Entrance to the Xmas markets

The roundabout ice rink

One of the canals

Smorrebrod

The Carlsberg Visitors Centre houses the world's largest collection of beer bottles - 18,000 at last count

With the Little Mermaid statue in the background

Down at the harbour

Merry Christmas from London Town!

So as you can see from the title, Christmas this year was a relaxed affair at home in London. Christmas Eve, after treating ourselves to a sleep in, we took the tube to Leicester Square and walked down to Trafalgar Square to check out the Norwegian Christmas tree. After a few photos and a visit to Waterstones for some browsing, we made our way to Hyde Park, via a few cute little pubs. We then spent time browsing the Christmas markets, fuelled by hot mulled wine and a chocolate banana on a stick. Being 4pm, it was already dark (London in winter; the sun goes down at 3pm), so all the Christmas lights were on and it made a pretty sight.
Christmas Day we spoke to our families at home, had porridge for breakfast, and watched some films (Mary Poppins and A Muppets Christmas Carol - nostalgic choices.) Dave cooked a fantastic Christmas dinner of pork, crackling, roast potatoes and veggies and Yorkshire Pudding, with Christmas Pudding and custard for after.
Tonight we are off to the ballet - the English National Ballet production of The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House (very excited). Tuesday we fly to Copenhagen!! We make it in time for the final day of the Tivoli Christmas markets, and stay for New Years celebrations, returning to London on the 2nd.
A happy new year to everyone.

Christmas dinner (tablecloth and placemats courtesy of my mum)

At the Christmas markets in Hyde Park (with mulled wine)

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Christmas Eve drinks

With the tree in Trafalgar Square

Shakespeare-Upon-Avon

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life
Prologue, 'Romeo and Juliet'

Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.
Act 1, Scene V

Yea, noise,then I'll be brief;
O, happy dagger!
This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die.
Act V, Scene III

Last weekend we made our way by coach to Stratford-Upon-Avon, town of all things Shakespeare. It was bright and sunny, but absolutely freezing. Upon arrival on Saturday at 11, we checked into our nice, cosy B&B (after getting into the English spirit and sharing a pot of tea), and went to see the sights. We saw the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare's grave is, Shakespeare's birthplace, the Great Garden of New Place, and numerous statues and sculptures depicting the scenes and characters from his works. The play was our main reason for being there however, and after dinner and a few drinks at the Dirty Duck, we took our seats at the Courtyard Theatre for the RSC production of 'Romeo and Juliet'. I can't use enough superlatives here, so just let me say that it was absolutely BRILLIANT. Worth every penny. The actors were amazing, favourites being the portrayals of Mercutio and Benvolio by, respectively, Gyuri Sarossy and Daniel Percival.
In other London news, we had a great day/night yesterday at our 'Orphans Christmas' (thanks guys). Today, while Dave has been at work, I have done a themed walking tour, Shakespeare's and Dickens' London - very interesting and worthwhile.
A few photos below. Hope all is well.

At The Dirty Duck before seeing 'Romeo and Juliet'

Christmas lights in Stratford-Upon-Avon

Stratford-Upon-Avon

Dave tries his best on the ice at Somerset House

Somerset House ice rink

Staying Alive In SW5

Well, we are at the end of our first (and mercifully last) November in London. I think it has been grey, cold and drizzling EVERY single day. (We have been trying, not too successfully, not to have wistful thoughts of where we were this time last year.) Sightseeing-wise, we have used the yucky weather to knock off a couple of museums, have visited St Paul's Cathedral (almost being blown away when we emerged at the top for the views over London) and earlier in the month attended the annual Lord Mayor's Parade. Dave has also attended a Tottenham v Liverpool Carling Cup football game with Jarratt, and we have been to see Dylan Moran (very very funny). Otherwise life has been fairly quiet, and Dave has been putting in the hours at the York. So we are both happy to see the end of the month tomorrow!
December promises to have more to amuse us. Tomorrow night, we are ice skating at Somerset House, and Saturday we are off to Stratford-Upon-Avon for the weekend. Also coming up we have a couple of excursions planned to the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, a couple of trips to the ballet, and are planning to get down to Trafalgar Square to see the lighting of the big Christmas tree and to hear a few carols. I also have a Christmas lunch coming up at work - a yummy three course meal (turkey, Xmas pudding, the works) and wine for 10 quid!
We have also just booked our first trip for next year!! We will be off to Cork for two nights to celebrate our anniversary in January. We are quite excited about our plans for next year – not least a return home!! As soon as we find out, in early January, if we have been lucky enough to score Ashes tickets in the Lords ballot, we will be able to confirm a date for our return, somewhere between late June and early August.
We will update you again shortly after our weekend away.

Tottenham v Liverpool

At the top of St Paul's Cathedral

Who put my ear muffs on a cookie?

The past three weeks we have had the company of Ophelia, one of my friends from home. Saturday three weeks ago I flew to Vienna to meet her at the end of a month long Europe trip (for her not me...I wish!!) We spent 5 pleasant nights in a delightful (well apart from one 'incident' that led to us getting one of those nights for free!) apartment, or should I say apartments. Both of us having been to Vienna before, we took our time, drinking lots of coffee, eating cakes, catching up on a year's worth of goss, shopping and doing some sightseeing, such as the lovely Schonbrunn Palace. We also managed to squeeze in a day trip to the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, only an hour by train from Vienna, which I have to say we were both a little underwhelmed by. But the food was great.
The sixth day we hopped a train to Budapest, where we were joined by David, flying in from London. We spent three days exploring the city (and its' pubs), including Castle Hill in Buda (lovely views) and the streets of Pest. Also of note was our introducing the sometimes fussy Ophie to the world of hostels, dorm rooms and (oh shock horror) shared bathrooms! We took a day trip to a little place called Szentendre on the Danube Bend on our last day.
Ophie has been staying with us in Earl's Court up til today. We have been trudging off to work while she got to do all the fun stuff in London! Friday night was Halloween and we visited Dave's place of work, The York at Islington, where the theme was pink for breast cancer. We were both impressed at Blues' outfit! Saturday we had breakfast at my favourite London cafe, The Breakfast Club, at Angel, followed by some retail therepy on Oxford Street on what was a drizzly Saturday afternoon. That night the three of us were off to see Avenue Q, which had us laughing nonstop, at some things more than others.... (what do you do with a BA in English?...yes VERY hilarious Ophie.) So with the internet song in our heads (that we may or may not have been singing on the tube..hehe) we headed home with every intention of getting up early to go to Greenwich...
...which didn't happen. We did head down to Brick Lane in the afternoon though, for a curry and some shopping at the markets (namely DVDs, pretty dresses, and FCUK rip offs).
The rest of November looks a bit quiet, I think we are supposed to be saving some dosh! But Saturday night we are heading out to watch fireworks and picnic with J and Bec, and later in the month we have tickets to Dylan Moran!! Yay!! The next trip though will be Stratford-Upon-Avon in December - just for the weekend - where we are seeing some Shakespeare (of course). We are also starting to plan for next year, although a lot depends on the work situation, which is a bit more uncertain for me than Dave at this point. But everything will sort itself out.
Hope everyone is well, and enjoying the hot weather, cos we are freezing!

Dave in his Halloween costume at the York

Budapest

Budapest

Bratislava

Vienna

Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna

Szentendre in Hungary

Prost!

Our 4 days in Germany at Oktoberfest were great - sooo much fun. Oktoberfest is nuts, but fantastic. We drank lots of beer, ate yummy German food, met brilliant new people from all around the world, sung songs, dressed up as beer wenches (not the boys), christened ourselves with new German names, and generally had a blast. We visited three beer tents all up over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday - the Hofbrauhaus, the Paulaner and the Lowenbrau. Sunday was the biggest day, when we got to the tent bright and early at 10am to grab a table (sharing with our Brit lad friends), and arrived back at the hostel around midnight after dancing and partying the night away. We also found time to visit a beer hall in the city on the Saturday for some pork knuckle and potato dumplings, and a quick meal at the Hofbrauhaus in the city before departing on the Monday. Photos below (in no particular order).
Next trip is when I fly to Vienna all on my lonesome to meet one of my best mates from home, before Dave joins us in Budapest. We are also currently booking our new years trip - we will be ringing in 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark (after discarding Lapland and Russia as, sadly, too expensive). Will update again soon.
Love to all.