This was Den Haag on New Year's Eve. I think it was Russian champagne. Anyway, cheerski, comrades
This was taken in Jukkasjärvi . I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed saying, "Oh, I was just in the Arctic Circle a few weeks ago"
I loved Sweden, not least because the A tile was worth 4 points
I had five weeks of huskies, reindeer, moose (plural), gondolas, daleks, bells, rockets, Mickey Mouse waffles and it was (way, way) better than Dog Rock
Bad things that happened: we lost LittleSquib in Stockholm Airport, BigSquib left her bag in the Mona Lisa room and almost had the Louvre evacuated, a seagull pooped on me at Tuileries Garden (I plan to return and track it down Moby-Dick style), I slept on the tray table on the way home and now I have back problems
I'm a little bit sad to be home because, let's face it, this is Perth
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17 comments:
I'm glad to hear you had such a wonderful time (aside from the bad back and bird shit and stuff). For a bit there, I thought you must have sold your place and moved to Europe.
Questions and observations:
How cold was it?
Did you actually go to Russia? What's the atmosphere like? Did you get caught up in any anti-Putin rallies?
I didn't know Sweden had daleks. Maybe I would have known that if the local news media was capable of anything other than American political coverage and endless Rudd vs Gillard speculation. In any event, shouldn't someone alert The Doctor? Or at least Dolph Lundgren?
Once you track down that seagull, you can write a really long-winded book about it. I'll buy a copy.
Don't you live in Freo?
Isn't a bird pooing on you supposed to be lucky?
We are still thinking of moving to the UK, Alex. Although BigSquib is starting uni now so... tricky
It was mainly -18 to -25 with wind chill on top of that. We slept on ice one night and that was -5 all night. No, didn't go to Russia, bought the Russian champers in Holland. Journey went: Manchester, London (only one day to see Doctor Who Experience), Den Haag (& Amsterdam), Paris, Disneyland (which is a separate country),Jukkasjärvi,Florence, Venice). Yes, I live in Freo and I like to pretend it's not Perth but really I'm in denial
We spent our 10th wedding anniversary at the Esrange Space Centre awwwwww
This was some serious bird poo, Ramon. It was a KILO of shit and it happened right at that moment when I was thinking, ah, isn't everything beautiful, oh joy
That just means you've got a shitload of luck coming, Squib.
Did you manage to retrieve LittleSquib?
yes, although for ten long, long minutes I thought the world had ended
Crikey, too chilly for me. That is a pretty neat place to spend your anniversary though.
Disneyland (which is a separate country)
The Disney Corporation having its own sovereign nation. That's almost too horrible to consider.
had five weeks of huskies, reindeer, moose (plural)
Squib,
Surely the plural of "moose" is "mise".
What did you think of the Mona Lisa?
Personally, I've never been able to see what all the fuss was about.
My favorite Leonardo is a portrait of John the Baptist which is hung just to the left of the Mona lisa at about waist height. Mind blowing use of light. Did you see it? Its only a 300mm square but fucking awesome.
Losing a child at Arlanda is not a reason for concern cos nothing ever happens to anyone in Sweden, it's official government policy.
Alex, LittleSquib's favourite part of the holiday (Disneyworld didn't get a mention) was climbing Giotto's bell tower in Florence. She said she wants to climb every bell tower in the world. I guess she has my nerdy genes
Mr E, I didn't notice the Baptist but you know how big that place is, it's like Bunnings times one million. My favourite Leonardo was a wooden model in Italy of a warship he designed. It has this massive scythe on it and it's controlled like a digger
Ah Squibby, mar-vell-ous.
Now tell me, did you play Scrabble in Swedish or English?
PS, let me know when your first Arctic Circle poem is published.
English. No one speaks Swedish, Kettle, not even the Swedes
She said she wants to climb every bell tower in the world.
LittleSquib sounds very energetic. And I think the world could do a lot worse than having more people with nerdy genes.
No one speaks Swedish, Kettle, not even the Swedes
I wish someone would tell that to the hosts of the Swedish Eurovision selection competition.
And on Leonardo; I'm not saying I don't think he was a great painter or anything, but personally, I prefer his black and white sketches. I think he would have made a superb comic artist.
Being able to drop the 'arctic circle' line into conversation is my favourite part of your trip. Being able to say that is worth all manner of bad journeying, or sorrowful return.
And what did the possibly Russian champagne taste like?
Pretty rough. Like it had been sitting awhile in Anna Pavlova's shoe
Couldn't be worse than Hungarian gin.
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