Euro trip 2009

Map of Europe1.JPG
Map of Europe1.JPG 2009-10-28

My luggage
Some people say it's not enough. They're just the ones who want me to bring home souvenirs.

Frederik & Kris (Kongsberg)
One is immature and likes playing with cars

My, err, cake...
DSC09123.JPG 2009-09-06

Kris's birthday dinner
Helle (far right) invited one of her PhD students to join us... Sadly, not being able to pronounce her name and my apparently-awful baking skills probably did for my already-slim hopes...

Big boys' toys
(and that's just Helle)

Oresund bridge
The Oresund bridge links Denmark and Sweden

Roller night in Copenhagen
The streets are closed for these guys

Zollverein
Fascinating industrial heritage in the Ruhrgebiet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zollverein_Coal_Mine_Industrial_Complex

Munster
Not an Orange Walk in sight...

More Munster
what's this doing here?

Munster munchies
Check those loaves!

Uwe, Sabine and I
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Tour of Berlin
The Jewish memorial

Stephen, me and Kyle
Stephen has a freakishly long right arm, which causes him to walk strangely but is useful for self-portrait photos

Berlin
Berlin TV tower. Such a triumph of East German engineering that they had to use Swedish architects...

Dresden
The less interesting of the two murals...

Baroque'n'roll excess
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Dresden
The better mural

My new friend
One day, I want to look like this
(fellow passenger on train from Dresden to Nuremberg).

Munich
Beginning of Oktoberfest (it starts in September, would you believe? Who said the Germans didn't have a sense of humour...?)

Adrian, Elena and I, Ljubljana
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Ljubljana billboard
Dunno what it's advertising but I'll take two

Uros, mayor of Tolmin, Slovenia
Boris, you ain't seen nuthin' yet.

Mija and her mayor
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Tomnin cheese festival
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Uros-the-mayor and I
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Lake Bohinj, Slovenia
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Lake Bohinj, Slovenia
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Petra & Matej, Lubljana
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Slovenian hay rack
This one's a double

Pag island
Looking over to Metanja, I think

Off-season weekend in Novalja
Hmmm....

Split old town
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Cool cat
Split-Hvar ferry

Hvar party people
In a quiet sort of way

Hvar town
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Hvar town
From the castle

'Carpe Diem' crew
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Hvar waterfront
Can you spot my yacht?

Lucca
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Lucca
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Lucca
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My Lucca barber
No pictures of the haircut though...

Lucca restaurant vision
With Glenn, Larissa and Marc (in whose holiday apartment I was scrounging a bed). They're usually from Cambridge (whose house I haven't yet scrounged a bed in. But I will...).

Bologna arcades
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Bologna arcades
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Faenza (Piazza del Popolo)
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Faenza railway station
C'mon hen, oot the road

Daniela, Samanta, Fabio (Faenza)
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Paola, Georgia, Catia (Faenza)
I do know them, you know

Firenze
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Firenze
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Firenze
The campanile

Firenze
View from the campanile (can you hear my knee clicking?)

Barga
Pure Toscano, by the way

Tim and Agus, Nice
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My shop, Nice
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Nice
Walkin' on the beaches...

Place Massena, Nice
Tram route artwork

Russian cathedral, Nice
Where the onion johnnies go to worship

Nice apartments
Lots of 'em

Nice breakdance
I SO want to learn that! Bust some moves muthafucka!

Modern art gallery roof terrace, Nice
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Robert Longo exhibition, Nice
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Nice sunset
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Nice-Entrevaux
Think he's French?

Entrevaux
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Entrevaux
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Old port, Marseilles
A brief (re)visit, between trains, to Glasgow's twin (in more ways than one

Place du Comedie, Montpellier
It wasn't that funny

Happiness is...
... steak-frites et un vin rouge at L'Assiette de Bouef, Montpellier.

The Millau viaduct
The tallest bridge in the world, and 2.5km long

The Millau viaduct
A GOOD photo (i.e. not one of mine)

Barcelona from Montjuic
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Carrer Argentina
Barcelona is teeming with street life

Ian and Jermi
On the funicular to Montjuic

Barcelona apartment block
El Raval district

Funny thing at the Forum
Is it a large photovoltaic panel? Who knows.

Zaragoza Delicias
Luke Skywalker was about to dock his spacecraft (but he had to wait for the AVE high-speed train to clear platform 14 first)

Zaragoza procession
Whiteinch LOL 101 were just behind

Zaragoza
Battling with breadsticks

Zaragoza
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Zaragoza
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Madrid
In Plaza del Sol: the bear and the strawberry tree are the city's motif.

Madrid: El Parque del Retiro
Fabulous city centre park, with boating lake, galleries, cafes and lots of SUN to help enjoy it!

Madrid: Guardia Civil
And the prize for Europe's silliest hats passes from Italy to Spain. What's with the plastic potties on their heads? Didn't ask them though - they've got guns.

Madrid: palacio real
Another day, another palace. More vulgarly ostentatious rooms furnished by those who didn't earn their wealth (while most of those who did struggled to scrape a living)

Madrid: lottery queue at Estacion Ahora
Must be El Gordo tonight... roll another fat one!

Madrid: Palacio des Communications
I thought the former Post Office I used to work in was quite grand...

Madrid: La Latina
Typical city apartments

Madrid: lunchtime
Yum...

Paris, Simone de Beauvoir footbridge

Paris, Notre Dame

Paris, also, err, Notre Dame
I was just walking down the street when... and, unbelievably, I didn't hang around to see What Happened Next. I think that, in retrospect, I can guess.

Paris, Latin Quartier apartments

Paris, Rue des Gobelins
The view from my window. Well, not just my window.

Paris, sleeping Velibs
Seemed to a lot of these not doing much most of the time. Are Parisian fair-weather cyclists?

Paris at the pumps
Pertol pumps on the pavement, why not?

Paris, the Seine
Tour group at Pont Neuf

Paris
Makes me homesick...

London, baby
Will's birthday, Soho

London, shopping
Mo in the Camper store

London
My course group on the Build-Up sessions looking at open space in EC1.

London
One day, you might be wheely pleased to meet these ladies...

London
Pete'n'Dave in Masala Zone (Soho)

London
Tomato-stealing squirrel in EC1

Stockholm
This is Gustav. No crude jokes, please.

Stockholm
Gustav's food. And SEK10,000-worth of bevvy for Saturday night (Ulf & Catrin's wedding party).

Stockholm
My place

Stockholm
No time for cosmetic surgery, so Ulf makes do with a haircut... ; )

Stockholm
Ostermalm market hall, yum!

Stockholm
Joined by Kris & Helle of 135 pictures previously...

Stockholm
I'm going to get married just so I can have a party like this (and a wedding like this (http://tinyurl.com/mxhtlw).

Stockholm
Catrin looks happy to be married...

Stockholm
"Because the music that the constantly play..." Guess the song.

Stockholm (the day after the night before)
The kittens impersonate Ulf and Duncan 'watching' English football on Sunday afternoon. Quite a strong similarity... but the kittens didn't snore.

GHENT, Belgium
Central Ghent has lots of gorgeous ancient Flemish buildings... and canals. Bit like Bruges without the hordes of tourists and accompanying tat shops (although there are some of both, fortunately more of the former than the latter).

GHENT, Belgium
Reflections near Dampoort

GHENT, Belgium
Joanna (who has since let her hair grow) and Wouter (who has since had his hair cut). This picture was actually taken in May but they're still recognisable...

GHENT, Belgium
Stephan Vanfleteren exhibition in a former circus building (yes, they had a permanent building made of concrete'n'stuff - not a tent). Excellent venue, excellent exhibition, even if I didn't recognise any of the faces, and very few of the names.

GHENT, Belgium
Stephan Vanfleteren exhibition in a former circus building (yes, they had a permanent building made of concrete'n'stuff - not a tent). Excellent venue, excellent exhibition, even if I didn't recognise any of the faces, and very few of the names.

ANTWERP, Belgium
Antwerp(en) Centraal station (yes, two 'a's). Seemed much more impressive than when I was last here a few years ago. Did I miss something, or have they renovated it. It's going to be on the new high-speed link from Brussels to Amsterdam, I think, so maybe that's the reason.

ANTWERP, Belgium
The Grote Markt (main square) is mostly surrounded by these ornate, narrow guild-houses dating from when Flanders was one of the leading economies of Europe (in the 12th-14th century). We were still eating heather in those days.

ANTWERP, Belgium
The Grote Markt (main square) at night. It's (almost) as bonny as Brussels' Grand Place but without the tourist tat overload. Antwerp generally seems a pretty appealling place: feels pretty dynamic and vibrant but plenty medieval lanes to wander about too (and not too many others doing likewise).

BRUSSELS
St Gilles crossroads. St Gilles is quite a trendy area to the SE of central Brussels. Good bars, restaurants and shops selling stuff that looks nice but is far too expensive. The old house of esteemed local art nouveau architect, Victor Horta, is also here.

BRUSSELS
Cantillon, Brussels' oldest remaining brewery makes lambic in a very traditional way. It's used to make 'gueze' a whitish, sour beer that's one of the many wonderful beers of Belgium. Quite an interesting tour too, and samples afterwards. Of course.

BRUSSELS
The Grand Place at night. Nae bad...

BRUSSELS
My friend Adriana is never happier than when tinkering with a car. Preferably someone else's car...
June 2009

Flaming June!
It was sooo warm at the beginning of June that I had my first ever backcourt BBQ! And a very good time was had by all, I
![[Arran - northern half cycle trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548eafd84300000079101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Arran - northern half cycle trip]
The face that launched at least one ship. Michael wishes that Poland was blessed with someone like the marvellous Prince
![[Arran - northern half cycle trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548eac597000000079101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Arran - northern half cycle trip]
Speeeed bonnie boat... just get us out of Ardrossan!
![[Arran - northern half cycle trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548eadd84100000079101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Arran - northern half cycle trip]
Pause at Corrie, Goatfell in the background
![[Arran - northern half cycle trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548eaa597600000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Arran - northern half cycle trip]
Corrie harbour with silly girls
![[Arran - northern half cycle trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548eabd84700000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Arran - northern half cycle trip]
Lunch at Lochranza (well, lunch was really at Catacol but we probably ate as much and spent as much time here!)
![[Arran - northern half cycle trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548ea8597400000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Arran - northern half cycle trip]
A tame deer!
![[Glenelg, Glenshiel weekend]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548ea9d84500000079101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Glenelg, Glenshiel weekend]
Start of the 'Dirty 30' (miles) hike...
![[Glenelg, Glenshiel weekend]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e96594a00000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Glenelg, Glenshiel weekend]
At Ratagan, the Five Sisters of Kintail in the background.
![[Glenelg, Glenshiel weekend]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e97d87b00000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Glenelg, Glenshiel weekend]
The Forcan ridge, with Spike in the foreground. Can you see a wee Wullie in the distance...?
![[Glenelg, Glenshiel weekend]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e94594800000089101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Glenelg, Glenshiel weekend]
We just done that... (not realising (or caring) that there was a much easier path just to the East... That would have be

Moniker at The Halt, 16 June
Not sure what the Swedes actually thought of the band, or The Halt but I quite liked the fomer, less the latter...
http

Last day at SE...
Most people thought the sombrero was a great laugh, even if it suited some better than me...
![[Borders road ride]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e93d87f00000079101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Borders road ride]
Shortly after starting out from Hawick, only another 70m to go...
![[Borders road ride]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e90594c00000089101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Borders road ride]
Eric (centre rider) is definitely not taking this cycling lark too seriously.
![[Borders road ride]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e91d87d00000079101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Borders road ride]
Only 10m to go, Bonchester Bridge just down the hill...
![[Cairn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise (Glenshee)]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e9e594200000089101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Cairn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise (Glenshee)]
DSC08715.JPG 2009-06-24
![[Cairn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise (Glenshee)]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e9fd87300000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Cairn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise (Glenshee)]
DSC08718.JPG 2009-06-24
![[Cairn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise (Glenshee)]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e9c594000000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Cairn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise (Glenshee)]
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![[Cairn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise (Glenshee)]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e9dd87100000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Cairn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise (Glenshee)]
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![[Oliver the puppy]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e9a594600000089101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Oliver the puppy]
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![[Oliver the puppy]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e9bd87700000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Oliver the puppy]
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![[Oliver the puppy]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9d804b3127cce98548e98594400000069101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Oliver the puppy]
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Crovie (pronounced "Crivie"!)
The far end of a long road cycle. Lovely village, along with neighbours Gardenstown and Pennan.
Bute, bicycles, bluebells, Belgium, a band and the Ben
![[Bute & Cowal trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e07cc0500000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Bute & Cowal trip]
After the train to Wemyss Bay and the ferry to Rothesay, this is the crossing of the Kyles of Bute from Rhubodach (Bute) to Colintraive (Cowal). A fine day for sailing!
![[Bute & Cowal trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e044d3600000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Bute & Cowal trip]
One of my favourite places, and not only because it's the top of a long and steep climb! The view over the Kyles of Bute on a sunny Spring afternoon.
![[Bute again]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e05cc0700000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Bute again]
Bluebell carpet at Mount Stuart (Bute). Never seen so many bonny bluebells as this year...![[Bute again]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e024d3000000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Bute again]
Don't commit crime in wet socks.
![[Bute again]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548efdccff00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Bute again]
"You think it's stopped raining? Haud oan, I'll take a photie..."
![[Bute again]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e03cc0100000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Bute again]
No sign of a pot of cold when we arrived back in Wemyss Bay, sadly. But a bonny end to a dreich day.![[Borders trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e004d3200000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Borders trip]
The joy of the open road (between Biggar and Broughton). A sunny Sunday trip around the Borders with the twa Johns and a Mark. Biggar-Broughton-Peebles-Traquair-St Mary's Loch-Tweedsmuir-Biggar-Broughton.
![[Borders trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e01cc0300000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Borders trip]
As has been pointed out elsewhere, this photo doesn't convey the impression of great speed. That's because...![[Borders trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e0e4d3c00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Borders trip]
B
y the Megget reservoir![[Borders trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e0fcc0d00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Borders trip]
Passing Talla reservoir
![[Borders trip]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e0c4d3e00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Borders trip]
A well-deserved ice cream (from a very good ice-cream shop) in Biggar. Another 67 sunny miles completed.![[Brussels, Ghent]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e0dcc0f00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Brussels, Ghent]
If I liked trains then this would be one of my favourite places: London St Pancras station. Save up before patronising the champagne bar though!![[Brussels, Ghent]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e0a4d3800000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Brussels, Ghent]
And here is my train... No, I don't know the number.![[Brussels, Ghent]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e0bcc0900000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Brussels, Ghent]
Grand Place/Grote Markt, Bruxelles/Brussel. OK, it might have two names, and it might be touristy (even at midnight on a Wednesday) but it's still pretty impressive..![[Brussels, Ghent]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e084d3a00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Brussels, Ghent]
… speaking of impressive... ![[Brussels, Ghent]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548e09cc0b00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Brussels, Ghent]
It's a race to the bottom...
![[Brussels, Ghent]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548ef64dc400000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Brussels, Ghent]
But it wasn't all sledgehammering... there was time for a pleasant Sunday afternoon walk...![[Brussels, Ghent]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548ef7ccf500000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Brussels, Ghent]
...and, of course, Belgian beer. Is that shirt too tight, would you say?![[Glasgow-Stewarton]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548ef44dc600000039101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Glasgow-Stewarton]
Naw, look at the camera, ye daft burdz... But they looked at the Ryat Linn reservoir instead.![[Glasgow-Stewarton]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548ef5ccf700000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Glasgow-Stewarton]
Is THIS the top? But you said...
![[East Lothian tour]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548ef24dc000000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[East Lothian tour]
A sunny day, great cycling roads, lovely countryside and villages, East Lothian is fine cycling country. Shame about the strong wind... but we didn't care on the way out...![[East Lothian tour]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548ef3ccf100000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[East Lothian tour]
Dave and John on the road, East of Gifford and heading for the hills (the Lammermuirs)![[East Lothian tour]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548ef04dc200000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[East Lothian tour]
Top of the world... or at least this part of it. Creating the summit of Redstone Rig (1400')
![[East Lothian tour]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548ef1ccf300000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[East Lothian tour]
It's just (yet) another wee hill... and round the corner there's a wee headwind. For the next two hours...![[TV21 gig, Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548efe4dcc00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[TV21 gig, Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh]
Norman Rodger. He's the leader of the pack. And I work (sometimes) with his wife. Who also once dated a professional footballer.![[TV21 gig]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548effccfd00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[TV21 gig]
More of the band. They supported the Stones, y'know. Check them (TV21, not the Stones) out at: www.myspace.com/tv21official
![[TV21 gig]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db04b3127cce98548efc4dce00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[TV21 gig]
And some of the audience. They don't have a MySpace. At least not as far as I know. And I'll bet they haven't supported the Stones either.![[Ben Lomond]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db10b3127cce98548efb270a00000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Ben Lomond]
Yes, that's the one
![[Ben [Lomond]](http://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47b9db10b3127cce98548ef9270800000049101IbtWLZs4Yw)
[Ben [Lomond]
Climbing...

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Cairngorms 2009

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Stockholm (March 2009)

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USA, Vancouver: May 2008

The River Liffey
Rather than hang about Heathrow, we had an evening in Dublin (far preferable!)

Grafton Street
Plenty happening on the streets!

Il Baccaro
Great wee Italian restaurant in the Temple Bar. Pity about the other diners...

Pint of plain...
When in Dublin...

2814 North Troy, Chicago
Welcome to Sara's house...

Millennium Park
They go big on public art in Chicago...

They call it the "jelly bean"
I can't remember its real name... (but it's great!)

It's called Cloud Gate...
...and it cost $23m. That's a lot even with today's exchange rates! But worth it

View from the Hancock Tower
One of Chicago's highest buildings (you have to pay for the Sears Tower!).

Sex and the City
Nah, not really.

Chicago in May
It's like Glasgow in November (but not always (fortunately))

Yee-ha!
Flagstaff, Arizona. You want boots? You wanna hat? (Not like that thanks...)

Getting ready for the Canyon
Anna and Susan load up. Or unload, I can't remember.

On the way to the Canyon
I'm not driving that tank...

The long and (un)winding road
It goes and goes and goes on... Not much happening in the desert, as far as I can see.

The Grand Canyon
Spot the humans. It's 8 miles wide and a mile deep...

The Grand Canyon (2)
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The Grand Canyon (3)
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The Grand Canyon (Lees Ferry)
Warm enough to sleep outside, it seems. Rafting trips start here. But not for me

The Grand Canyon
Here come the rafters! But rafting doesn't float my boat... I'm off to Vegas!

Kingman, Arizona
Biggest flag I'd seen - little did I know... (rest stop on the Flagstaff-Vegas)

This is a bus
They said "don't go Greyhound: it's like the #62 after Glasgow Cross".Aye,right!

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Cable congestion!
SF's cable car system was invented by a Scotsman (as I told anyone who'd listen)

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Houses in Haight-Ashbury
Lots of well-loved houses in this district, and all over SF, it seems

My only souvenir of the trip
Had to bring myself back something and it might as well be practical (and cheap)

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Bay Bridge at night
Not as famous, not quite as pretty or old as the Golden Gate but not fogbound!

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Alcatraz cells
They paid by staying here. I've paid to stay in worse rooms...

Named after a range of bikes...
This is meant to annoy my mountain-biking chums...

Golden Gate bridge
It was foggy every day over the GG bridge. Is it a wee bit over-rated, really?

Boat from Sausilito
It's named after a bike too...

Pacific Highway
Beautiful coastal scenery, lots of sea stacks, wild sea, pretty beaches

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Me in Stanley Park
Right next to the city centre, walk, bike, blade or just pose (for the camera)

Looking over to North Vancouver
Hi Mum!

Downtown Vancouver
The combination of water, boats, shiny towers and mountains is pretty unbeatable

We're flying away on a seaplane...
Everyone does here - but only 6 of us can fit in this one

The mail run
That's the view from a 50-year old seaplane.

Vancouver from the air
coming back on the seaplane (at 92mph, apparently). I'm the only passenger!

She kissed me...
... and look what happened. Can you see a turtle's head?

On the way home...
Pretty spectacular views over the Rockies btw Vancouver and Calgary

Where I went
Where I went
Fair Weekend 2008

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Breakfast at the House of Bruar

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Wester Ross

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Lairig Elide, Lairig Gartain

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Cove-Nigg cliff walk

Wave hello
Cove Bay harbour breakwater

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Wave goodbye
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Cove Bay harbour
(if it merits such a grand description)

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Black and white boats...
... moody or wot?

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Work trip on the seaplane

The seaplane
It leaves from the Glasgow Science Centre


The passengers...
... trying to stay out the rain (even Heathrow is better than this...)

Wot no security...
... they didn't even asked if I'd packed my own bag.

How did I get this seat?
The worst in the plane... gallantry made me take it, I'll have you know.

Doon the watter
We have to taxi quite some distance downriver before take-off


Safety boat
Would there be space enough for all of us?

My framed portraits
All my pics are through this window... the good ones are someone else's!

Up up and away!
Heading West into Dunbartonshire

Loch Humphrey
In the Kilpatrick Hills; good bike route up there

Coming into to land...
... well, water.

Loch Lomond

The Man
Hey Mr Pilot, can I have a go? And what happens if I press this one?

On the surface

Aloft again

Loch Lomond golf course
Probably the only way to get a look for free

Helensburgh

The Lower Clyde
It's surprisingly shallow

The curvy Clyde
And you thought the river was straight...?

Erskine Bridge
Never crossed it like this before...

Glasgow Airport
Most planes don't fly past it this way...

Final approach

Govan shipbuilders
This is a Type 45 destroyer

Glenlee again
It hasdn't moved since we left. It won't either.

We hope you enjoyed the flight..
... sure you don't want a scratchcard...?
AB/CD (20 Dec 2007)

The Where...
... if asked, I'll deny ever having been there...

The Who...
Ageing rockers, just like The Who... That's "metal juice" they're drinking.

The Why
AB/CD - sold out, two nights. And they don't even write their own stuff.

What you doing up there, Granda?
It seems that old metallers never die, well apart from Bon Scott, of course.

Whit the...?
If you get the sense I've a lot of pictures of this guy, its just coincidence...

... see what I mean...
It wasn't even that warm.

He has a face!
Nice legs, shame about the boat race.

Mild-mannered accountant by day
AB/CD bring out the beast in you...

I think he's a Hun...
... cos he looks like one.

Blurry long shot
(another one).

This is rock'n'roll...
"Groupies, meet us under the Hielan Man's umbrella"

I can put this on my Bebo site..
... or send it to the wife just to prove where I am.

Is that Zinedine Zidane...?
No, but they're both champion headbangers.

This one's for you...
... You never close your eyes, any mooore...

Does anyone heard this one b4?
"You'll be here tomorrow night, won't you? Do you have two black t-shirts?"

Get in the mood
I did a small amount of moshing, you know.

And the next night...
...Cookie shows off his new finger puppet. We were not impressed (or interested)

Which one of these...
...fine chaps looks almost 40 (this side of 40 that is). Don't look a day over...

Down a dark lane round midnight
... watch out for the one with red eyes. He's evil - has the number of the beast.
Justine@Loch Lomond

The Gruesome Twosome
That's the island of Inchcailloch in the background... stop blocking the view!

Loch Lomond-side path
The East side, that is

Wellies have their uses...
... as demonstrated here by hers'n'hers matching pairs

Aren't we pleased with ourselves
Yes

oi!
I take the pictures round here...

Moody black'n'white...

... and again

Contemplative colour

Canoe stay away from the kayaks?
(boom boom)

More puddling
They're like a pair of hippos..

Aren't they short...?
I wasn't even standing on a rock, no.
A wet weekend in November

Oi Va Voi!
King Tut's; 17 November 2007

"Yuri"
Quality dancing...

You just put your lips together
Check out www.myspace.com/oivavoi

A well-deserved encore
If you get the chance, check 'em out

Heading for the Menock...
A brief section of blacktop

Once more unto the breech...
Or is it "breach"?

Fresh off the catwalk...
... and pedals like a pussy...

Wait for the auld yin!
But they didn't... miserable sods

Whose idea was this....
... it's worth it for the views.

Derek doesn't trust the guide...
... but then he is a Top International Triathlete, apparently

JR keeps on going
"Why do they keep running off into the cloud?" he wonders...

Who needs bridges?
The first of many water crossings, just outside Wanlockhead

Anything you can do...
... Kenny is not for out-doing. He's a very competitive young man, you know

A poem for Kenny...
... "There was a young man from Sanquhar..."

Lovin' it
Despite - or perhaps because of - taking the Most Arse-Time Prize for the day

More splashing...
... there's a picture of just about everyone doing this. Except me, obviously.

And another one...
The metrosexual pin-up boy of city collaboration makes a splash.Laura'll love it

And he's off!
Must have hear me reciting that poem

Splash splash splah
Tis much more fun riding thro fords than taking photos of it.Unless they fall in

Rolling home
About 2m to go

We're home
Will Kenny have enough petrol to make it to the filling station...?
Radiance festival (Nov 2007)

Glasgow Cathedral (1)
Lit up by French artist, Xavier de Richemonte. This is just the start...

Glasgow Cathedral (2)
... it changed all the time over a 15 minute (ish) cycle, with music.

Glasgow Cathedral (3)
Shame I didn't have a video...

Glasgow Cathedral (4)
And more...

Provands Lordship (1)
Glasgow's oldest house...

Provands Lordship (2)
...was used as a projection screen for a short animation produced by local kids

Provands Lordship (3)
Wooh... scary!

Rottenrow Gardens
It was like the shower scene from Psycho... with extra nutters...

Strathclyde University campus
Finola found it all so amusing that she fell over laughing seconds after this...

Tritych (1)
At the back of the City Chambers

Tritych (2)
This was by United Visual Artists, fresh from Paris's Nuit Blanche, apparently

Tritych (3)
The passing neds weren't impressed...

Tritych (4)
... but many respectable citizens were quite engrossed. Myself included.

Sam Bates installation
This is like the film I could make on my bike... high-speed and back-to-front.

Doon the Briggait
This was a major piece by Speirs&Major. Wasn't sure what it was about...

'Made of Light'
... but it looked great.

'Made of Light' (2)
Plenty space for the punters...

Sno-Lite at the Briggait
... who got to look at Sno-Lite when they were queueing outside

Kim Tae Gon's thingy
Fibre optic dress:easy to find in dark nightclubs(if you weren't actually in it)

'New Moon' by Clair Morgan
Looks like a large lightbulb, paid for by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow.

Bough 2
This has been here since the last Radiance. If I'd known I'd have gone see it

Mitre Bar
Not part of Radiance but all that's left of a much-missed Merchant City boozer
October 2007

Tour of the Trossachs
Early October saw a lovely Sunday, so it was time to hit the road! Great day out

The Duke's Pass
One of the highlights of our Trossachs tour (note that I wasn't last)

Tea in the Trossachs
We've quite a few decent village delis - you get a fine espresso in Kippen!

Rolling home
50m/80km of good roads, fine company, warm sunshine, lovely views, can't beat it

Greenock and Kelly Cuts
Not quite such a fine day but good to be mtn biking again after a long lay-off

Real rough stuff
There's some sweet singletrack if you know where to go. Some of it's underwater

Industrial archaelogy...
It's not all wilderness, y'know...the wildest thing about Greenock is the locals

Dahn Lahndahn
A lovely day to stop for lunch in Hyde Park. Watch out for the pidgeons...

Is the wifie in...?
A's never been here - I make it my duty to visit every time I'm in London...

Handbags in Harrods
You should check this place out, just once (is enough). Look out for the sphinx

Big Ben...
... looks quite small in this photo

Our Westminster correspondent...
Well, not now she's left the BBC

Bike storage
This is one way to sove the problem of insufficient bike parking on the Thames

Thames-side sand scultpure
Here today, gone tomorrow...

Overdosing on culture...
... whatever that is. Tate Modern is open 'til 10 Fri+Sat, which is pretty neat

What does this make you think of
Not what the artist intended anyway...

View over the Thames
One of the best things about Tate Modern...

... esp. as you get a drink too

St Paul's at night
All sorts of dodgy characters to be found hanging about

It boy
Do you know this man? We do, although we don't like to admit it.

Jedburgh half marathon
Whose stupid idea was this...?

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And they're off!
Some runners have the wrong attitude...

The final stretch
13-and-a-bit-miles with no safety pins to hold my number on.

I won!
Naw, I didnae, I didn't even beat myself

Don't they look good...
All the pain was on the inside

Jedburgh Abbey
Lovely wee town, one of quite a few in the Scottish Borders. Wanna go back.
More from Faenza

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Euro-odyssey

Here we go...
First stop Newcastle... the buildings (e.g. Sage) look better than the people...

First night's accommodation
Onboard the Queen of Scandinavia - not bad for 6! Prob the best bed all trip...

Preikestolen...
.. or Pulpit Rock, nr Stavanger. 2000' straight down to the fjord. Spectacular!

Bergen
The army has rainjackets called Bergens; now I know why! Wetter than the Weej!

Bergen cruisers
Don't know why their cars don't rust in this climate... nice city all the same

Fjord-ward
No-one does 'em quite like Norway. Pity bout the weather but it's more dramatic!

First continental rails...
Flamsbana is a pretty spectacular trip - and quite an engineering feat too...

Kris & Helle lost again...
...somewhere near Kongsberg. I stayed 3days with them: they loved it, by the way

Brings a tear to the eye...
Next time someone mentions our binging or says bevvy's too dear in Norway...

Rail and sail
From Norway to Gothenburg, Malmo and then on train and boat overnight to Berlin

The rainy Reichstag
This is my new chum, Josh. He used to be in a band. 6hrs isn't enough4Berlin!

On my way again
A brief pause in Dresden Hauptbahnhof. City looks good from the train...

The Leisurely Traveller
Me, in characteristic pose...

Night in Prague
V. pretty, although overrun by tourists, too many of them drunk English-speakers

Not everything in old...
Looks a bit like the Scottish Parliament... but surely cost less?

On the rails again...
Prague to Vienna (Wien)

Oh Vienna!
Quite a place for monumental architecture. Would make a good imperial capital...

And again
Quite a long trip today, all the way to Verona, via the Alps

Innsbruck
"The hills are alive"...oh no, that was Salzburg. Didn't have time to stop there

Into Italy
Over the Brenner Pass. Some spectular bridges on the shadowing road, btw

Verona
Lovely place. Even if I couldn't find somewhere showing Francesi-v-Scozia...

Through Italy
Heading for Firenza, a familiar Italian landscape

Firenze
Would be great if the tourists *&^$ OFF! Talk about swamped... didnae hing aboot

In Rome for a wedding
People take pictures. I take pictures of them....

The real subjects
Kate's one of Anna's oldest friends (tho not that old). She married the tall one

All the adults were happy...
... with the help of plentiful prosecco and sunshine

... but the weans were ragin'...

Gelato e caffe stop
After a hard day lazing by the lake, a quick coffee and ice cream in Bracciano

North to Daniela+Fabio in Faenza
... and their friend Paola, whose family owns a vineyard! Good friend to have!

Night spot
Going out for milk...

Here we go again...
We got on this train to go to Milan and Lake Como. Shame it didn't go there...

Lake Como
Nice place for a nap...

Menaggio bicycle
Very patriotic...

We are sailing
Crossign Lake Como to Bellagio...

Homeward bound
Friday 21/9, and through the Alps to Paris

Sacre Coeur
Looks better at night - can't see the swarm of tourists

Dinner in Ghent...
... with Wouter, Joke, Anna, and me

Gwab the wabbit!
Travel is always good for making the acquaintance of those different to yourself

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Yorkshire Dales (May07)

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Tanzania 2007

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