Brussels City Hall…. above by night, and below by day….

Spent last weekend in Brussels from Saturday afternoon until Monday evening.
My first visit there, and I enjoyed it very much.
The Christmas Fair was lovely. The Belgian Beer did flow. I can recommend the local Beef Carbonnade. Mussels and frites were also tasty. The chocolate goes without saying.
What I really liked was the atmosphere of Christmas all over the place. The Grand Place is the focus with the light show on the city hall, which I think was built in the 1600s. As you can see above it is quite spectacular, by day or night.
I definitely want to go back, and at 1 hour 51 minutes via Eurostar from London’s St Pancras international station, I think it’s a distict possibility.

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- Click to enlarge.

I may have miscalculated slightly.
The plan was to stay for a few drinks at Ali’s work leaving bash (all the best Ali), but somehow I seem to have started drinking at 1730 and continued until approaching 2130 - Oops!
Yet something tells me I will not be as rough in the morning as many of my colleagues that I left partying.
A good job, me thinks, as I have to be up, washed, and travelled to Kings Cross Station in time to board an 0930 train to Newcastle.
I’m off to Northumberland (coat of arms above for some reason) to visit my folks for a long weekend. It will be our family Christmas, as these days I spend actual Christmas in London with friends who have become my surrogate family, in lieu of a family of my own.
It will be great to see my Mum, Dad and Sis, and also my parents house which I love for both it’s cosiness and windy remoteness.
London gets to reclaim me on Sunday evening.

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….but at least it is humpday.
3rd day back at work - normality sucks.
I keep looking at my holiday snaps to cheer myself up, or is that making it worse? D’oh!
Anyways, here is a sample of the glorious weather and beaches I am missing.

Me and the beach at Carmel, CA.
More pics to follow when I have edited them down.

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Well, I got home yesterday afternoon, and have pretty much been in a daze ever since.
The jet lag has got me bad this time for some reason, hence no post last night - my brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders, and still isn’t to a certain extent.
Had THE BEST time!
A little sad to be home.
I somehow have managed to take about 240 pictures, so will edit the best down and post them on flickr or something when I get the chance - or maybe on here directly - watch this space!
In the meantime, here is one the Bears Gone Wild boys took of us at Hairrison Street Fair.

Met some great people while we were away, some of whom we hope to keep in touch with.

Brent and Erik from Bears Gone Wild - Great guys that know how to throw a great party, and how to drink some beers.

Victor, Don, Joey and the boys from The GoalDiggers Ice Hockey team. Cheeky guys, but know a great place for brunch when they find it.
Also, Vern at the Eagle Tavern - mixes a mighty mean cocktail shot, but get a decent logo dammit!
Cheers guys for being part of our trip.
I may well post some more info about some of the places we visited if the mood takes me, but that will do for now.

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Well, I’m still loving SF - it is as laid back as they say (whoever ‘they’ are).
So far I have wandered around the Castro, seen Union Square and China Town, shopped downtown, been to see the SF Giants baseball team win at home, taken a boat trip around the bay and sailed under the Golden Gate bridge in the fog, been to Alcatraz, more shopping, taken the cable car over the steep hills of the city out to Fishermans Wharf, seen sea lions, eaten ice-cream from Ghirardelli Square, been out to Ocean beach and paddled in the Pacific, seen nude sunbathers, been out to the Golden Gate Bridge and got some great photos from the Presidio, visited the Palace of the Legion of Honour and seen Rodin’s The Thinker, been to the Martin Luther King memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens, Eaten lots of great food, and had beers with the bears (more of that to come over this weekend).
Not bad going for 1 week me thinks.
It’s so nice to explore this city - the people are friendly and it’s easy to get around with the regular Muni transport (about 12 quid for a 7 day pass).
1 week done - and another full week to go! yay!

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Well, I have been in San Francisco for just under a day, and I like it!
We got into town Saturday afternoon after a very early start in London, followed by a very long flight. After a rather huge burger and a couple of beers on the Castro, we were pretty much done for the day.
An early night and a nice lie in has done wonders.
After late morning coffee and picking up travel passes for the week, we headed back up to the Castro for brunch. I’m liking the trams/trolleys/streetcars/whatever I’m supposed to call them.
I was recommended a place called Luna by somebody online, and it was worth the wait for a table.
Huge orange juice and bottomless coffee, with a tasty eggs benedict has set us up for the day. The place is very California: outdoor eating area in a courtyard with canapies and space heaters, and the most comfortable outdoor eating chairs I have had the pleasure to sit in anywhere.
NOTE TO SELF: Return again before the end of our trip to sample the bucket sized mimosas!
More soon no doubt….

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