Wander: Photo

Familiar building?

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 03:54:36 +0000

Familiar building?

This building looks oddly familiar. Where could I be right now? ;)

cat=Photo

geo:lat=-27.402479

geo:long=153.109085

Nextage

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 06:47:21 +0000

Nextage

2nd largest department store in the world and the biggest in Asia: Nextage. It's really big. From what I could figure out, the fountain outside was timed to music by the Backstreet Boys.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=31.229675

geo:long=121.512146

The Bund at night

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 15:04:08 +0000

The Bund at night

One of the many spectacles of Shanghai one must see before they die, apparently. Admittedly, it's quite spectacular in person. This view is from M on the Bund - a slightly posh bar, but in "western" money it's not expensive at all. Dinner at People 7 was indeed puzzling.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=31.235004

geo:long=121.486954

Shanghai Museum

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 05:57:12 +0000

Shanghai Museum

An elaborate collection of jade, porcelain, furniture, calligraphy, and painting. Not bad. The building is very impressive from the inside and out.

Shanghai weather maintains its foul condition. This summer wandering seems to have rain as its theme.

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geo:lat=31.231302

geo:long=121.470383

Nanjing Lu (facing West)

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 05:17:49 +0000

Nanjing Lu (facing West)

Shanghai's pedestrian mall is damn big. All the Chinese are very interested in my Swear shoes. Anyway I'm in the shopping district looking for maybe some cheap clothes and shoes. Wish me luck.

(Oh, I did retrieve my bag and camera too, for those who were worried)

cat=Photo

geo:lat=31.238882

geo:long=121.480148

Compliments of the Shangri-La

Sun, 10 Sep 2006 05:40:40 +0000

Compliments of the Shangri-La

I left my camera (and bag) at a friend of a friend's place the other night in Shanghai, I think. Will retrieve it soon. Today I'm in Hangzhou. . 5-star accommodation overlooking the lake. It's a stretch for me to call it backpacking.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=30.254679

geo:long=120.158165

Shanghai 1

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 06:53:59 +0000

Shanghai 1

Welcome me to Shanghai! This is a view from the Australian Consulate Residences where my friends Jasmine & Mark live. The soccer field belongs to the USA, apparently.

The apartment is nothing short of palatial in my opinion, though, I have been staying in hostels for the past couple of weeks. The maid offered to iron my clothes! This feels more like I'm taking a break from travelling than actually still travelling. Local temp: 32.C Lovely.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=31.205410

geo:long=121.395615

Train to Shanghai

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 04:02:02 +0000

Train to Shanghai

This is the hallway of the train I caught last night. Lush, no?

I'm already in Shanghai with my hosts. More news when available. Sorry, the GPS location is for Beijing.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=39.904152

geo:long=116.391304

Lama Temple in Beijing

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:50:02 +0000

Lama Temple in Beijing

Site of Beijing's biggest buddha, which is unfortunately located in a building where photos are not permitted. This is a photo of the building. He's carved from a single giant sandalwood tree and totals 18m in height. Bloody big.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=39.947338

geo:long=116.411217

Tanning in Tian'anmen

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 05:48:56 +0000

Tanning in Tian'anmen

Just hanging out in Tian'anmen Square waiting for friends. It's bloody hot here, but you get used to it pretty quickly. The pollution is immense. Going to look at temples today, whether my friends arrive or not.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=39.904152

geo:long=116.391304

This keeps happening to me!

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 05:55:00 +0000

This keeps happening to me!

It would appear that Summer is the time for restorations of major landmarks. This happened to me in Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, St Petersburg, and Moscow, too.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=39.911888

geo:long=116.402542

Forbidden City

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 05:51:23 +0000

Forbidden City

Guess where I am?

I spent the entire evening in my hostel just relaxing and checking email. I'm hoping to hear from some friends from the train today, but I'm also not about to sit around waiting for them. I may be in this palace all day - it's quite big.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=39.911888

geo:long=116.402542

Not a joke

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 05:43:21 +0000

Not a joke

Starbucks Coffee inside the Forbidden Palace. Isn't this one of the signs of the Apocalypse? Shocking.

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geo:lat=39.911888

geo:long=116.402542

Trans-Siberian 5 - Gobi Desert

Sun, 03 Sep 2006 14:49:57 +0000

Trans-Siberian 5 - Gobi Desert

Now passing through the Gobi Desert. I've adjusted to Mongolian time now, which makes things easier on the train, which has adhered to Moscow time all this way.

Ulaanbataar was an interesting stop with a lot of people boarding and alighting.

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geo:lat=46.109428

geo:long=108.720451

Trans-Siberian 4 - Naushki

Sat, 02 Sep 2006 14:23:15 +0000

Trans-Siberian 4 - Naushki

Passport control point for exiting Russia. The locals have put a bit of a cook-out on with some kebabs and selling stuff for a bit cheaper in places (and more in others). This stop is long, a couple of hours, so we're all killing time.

The big question is where we can exchange Russian rubles to Mongolian money to spend in the Mongolian dining car.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=50.388645

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Trans-Siberian 3 - Lake Baikal

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:41:45 +0000

Trans-Siberian 3 - Lake Baikal

The train just passed the edge of Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the world. It looks like a sea as it stretches beyond the horizon.

Train life continues. Days go like this: wake up, have breakfast, play a game or read or something, have lunch, see friends in other carriage, have lunch, play games with friends, drink beer, go to bed. This is also spiced up a bit with train stops to buy stuff or pointing a camera at stuff out the window.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.487227

geo:long=104.312729

Train to Beijing - First night

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 21:52:10 +0000

Train to Beijing - First night

I was anxious about this train. I didn't really know what to expect, like who would be my roommate, or how many people would speak English, or would anyone be around my age? As it turns out, things seem perfectly okay.

This is a photo of my room. Note the wood panelling: lush. My bed is the one pictured which is the upper one of two.

Have made some friends in 2nd class from Germany and Britain, too, so it should be fine. My roommate is from America and seems fine so far. The man that looks after the carriage is great too. Mainly because he sells us beer at half the price of the dining car.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=56.129642

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View from the hostel

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 18:04:40 +0000

View from the hostel

This is the view from my hostel balcony in the east of Moscow. The tower in the distance is Leningradskaya, one of Stalin's Seven Sisters. The smog obscures it slightly.

I saw a man light himself on fire in Red Square. Naturally the police went nuts and bellowed at everyone nearby that there was nothing to see. It had little to no effect.

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geo:lat=55.778793

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St Basil's

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 13:20:28 +0000

St Basil's

Mum and Dad just called me while I was in Red Square so here's a photo for them of me outside St Basil's Cathedral.

If this is St Basil's, does that mean the Towers are Fawlty?

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geo:lat=55.753223

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Lenin's tomb

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 13:09:32 +0000

Lenin's tomb

Welcome to Moscow. This afternoon was spent just looking around instead of actually doing anything. The tomb is closed in the afternoon.

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geo:lat=55.753761

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Raphael loggia

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 10:47:16 +0000

Raphael loggia

Another famous scene from Russian Ark. The gallery is a copy of the one in the Vatican. It took 7 years to finish.

This place is enormous.

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geo:lat=59.940289

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Russian Ark

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 09:49:41 +0000

Russian Ark

The grand staircase from the end of Russian Ark. I'm taking more photos of the ceilings and architecture than the art itself (which is allowed).

cat=Photo

geo:lat=59.940289

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Morning breaks over the Hermitage.

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 08:44:15 +0000

Morning breaks over the Hermitage.

The morning queue for the Hermitage. Orderly chaos. Even if I'd woken up earlier, I'd still have to wait in it.

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geo:lat=59.940289

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Pass Go, Collect 200 rubles

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 22:54:35 +0000

Pass Go, Collect 200 rubles

A small bar, loud 50s music, and they're playing Russian Monopoly! My opinion of this place has improved greatly.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=59.932999

geo:long=30.327831

St Petersburg

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 13:50:25 +0000

St Petersburg

Well I made it safely into St Petersburg and found my hostel. I had a little trouble getting a token for the metro, but all is well.

The hostel is immaculate, the staff friendly and so I cannot recommend Nordhostel enough.

If I take a few steps from my hostel front door, this is what I see! The Hermitage!

cat=Photo

geo:lat=59.938404

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Temppeliaukionkirkko

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 18:18:36 +0000

Temppeliaukionkirkko

The church of the rock, a church in a rock. Quite remarkable. Off to St Petersburg tomorrow.

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geo:lat=60.173428

geo:long=24.925235

Verkkokauppa

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 13:10:13 +0000

Verkkokauppa

Verkkokauppa is one of Finland's biggest electronics outlets. But they didn't have what I wanted in stock.

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geo:lat=60.163521

geo:long=24.911634

Bar Rotterdam

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:30:50 +0000

Bar Rotterdam

After an hour or two of playing Nintendo and having Chinese for dinner, Darren, Dave, Sean, Chris, Maren and I are now at Rotterdam Bar. Not a bad lazy afternoon and evening.

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geo:lat=60.169422

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Crazy cat lady!

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:06:54 +0000

Crazy cat lady!

And I thought I'd leave Helsinki without seeing the cat lady! Here she is performing cat tricks. One of the many things to see in helsinki.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=60.167973

geo:long=24.950531

Big white cathedral

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 12:42:40 +0000

Big white cathedral

The big white cathedral in the middle of Helsinki. I'm just having a wander around town with Maren today.

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geo:lat=60.169907

geo:long=24.951784

Sheep Thief

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 00:33:22 +0000

Sheep Thief

We didn't go in because it's rubbish, but the sign reads Aussie Bar. The advertising is clever around town though.

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geo:lat=60.170460

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Chocolate cake & chocolate tea

Sat, 19 Aug 2006 20:03:35 +0000

Chocolate cake & chocolate tea

We ate chocolate cake and chocolate tea at some Finnish chocolate

place that was doing chocolate-making lessons. Lots of chocolate.

(Apologies, but the geo-location is slightly wrong on this, but only

by a few city blocks...)

cat=Photo

geo:lat=60.161942

geo:long=24.940487

Explosions In The Sky

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 22:55:19 +0000

Explosions In The Sky

The annual Helsinki fireworks display! Quite big and spectacular.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=60.155102

geo:long=24.937628

Flow festival

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 17:05:13 +0000

Flow festival

Arrived in Helsinki and I've barely slept. Tonight it's Helsinki's Flow Festival, sort of electronics and rock and stuff.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=60.183979

geo:long=24.960485

Last sunset in Sweden

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 19:50:47 +0000

Last sunset in Sweden

Sitting on the Gabriella's sun deck, I enjoyed the sunset with Mary, a Norwegian living in Essex. Helsinki awaits in the morning, Åland Islands is the first stop, apparently.

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geo:lat=59.740432

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Set sail for Finland

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 15:53:17 +0000

Set sail for Finland

And I now bid Stockholm farewell. I knew you for only a few hours and wish I'd maybe spent a day with you instead.

Meanwhile, this ship is enormous! 16 hours from now I'll be in Helsinki. The ship is full of all kinds of people: families, travellers, couples on a cruise old and young, and a handful of people just here for a good cruise. Which one am I?

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geo:lat=59.317684

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Kafe Japan

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 20:34:53 +0000

Kafe Japan

My last night in Sweden, Jimmy and I have headed out for sushi. I've already tried traditional Swedish food: mackeral and potatoes, which was surprisingly good. Tomorrow I'm headed to Stockholm by train; tomorrow night, the ferry to Helsinki.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=57.697773

geo:long=11.964042

Tick-led

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 08:31:20 +0000

Tick-led

After an afternoon at Jimmy's stepdad's farm yesterday, I woke up this morning to discover a tick had found me simply irresistible.

Thankfully, Jimmy's sister is a nurse, so the divorce was sorted out quickly and efficiently.

This is a photo of my left hip, not my arse.

Back to Göteborg today.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=57.493690

geo:long=12.888046

Family visits

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 16:57:54 +0000

Family visits

Blonde hair, blue eyes = nearly everyone in Sweden. Visiting Jimmy's family is interesting. It might take me a while to pick up Swedish as a language, but immersed in it certainly helps. The haunted cabin is cancelled due to weather, and John and Lisa have decided to do something else. I haven't had an internet connection since Denmark, so I'll have a bit to catch up on.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=57.492416

geo:long=13.126882

Staying in

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 11:28:38 +0000

Staying in

Last night we decided to take a break and spend the night at Jimmy's sister's flat eating pizza and watching videos. Later today we're headed to a cabin with John and Lisa as part of a sort of camping trip. The cabin is haunted, apparently, so it should be loads of fun...

cat=Photo

geo:lat=57.497517

geo:long=13.108289

Jimmy's grandparents' house

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 12:15:45 +0000

Jimmy's grandparents' house

This is where Jimmy's grandparents live and where we are staying. It's simply spectacular and comfortable and unlike anything I've experienced before.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=57.738815

geo:long=11.670977

Sweden 1

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 18:42:25 +0000

Sweden 1

Met Jimmy in Sweden. We're headed for Björkö, an island in Bohus on the Swedish west coast. Just waiting for a bus right now.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=57.709915

geo:long=11.972205

Conducting the church bells

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 12:24:16 +0000

Conducting the church bells

Looking across a canal in Christiania, the cells chime across town. Immediately, I notice a reed no longer behave as a reed, but transform into a hand. It conducted the bells like ao orchestra, indicating tempo, pitch and melody. And as the reed returned to being a reed so, too, the bells of Copenhagen ceased their hourly symphony.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=55.671478

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The Little Mermaid

Tue, 08 Aug 2006 21:40:05 +0000

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid. Impressive, no? ... Ahem. Checked it off the list.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=55.691959

geo:long=12.598723

12 Tónar in Denmark

Tue, 08 Aug 2006 17:15:29 +0000

12 Tónar in Denmark

Naturally, I'm quite chuffed. I found Iceland's new 12 Tónar store in Denmark. So I made the first purchases for this holiday: AOQ, Mugison, and the new Kitchen Motors Family Album compilation!

cat=Photo

geo:lat=55.680752

geo:long=12.572797

København 1

Tue, 08 Aug 2006 13:26:07 +0000

København 1

Welcome to Copenhagen. Apologies for the 2-day silence. It's difficult to find something that's typically Danish looking, so here's a quick photo of the Rådhus. Thanks to Janus for hosting me here.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=55.676003

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Glücklich am Park

Sat, 05 Aug 2006 21:55:47 +0000

Glücklich am Park

Eva and I sat for some hot chocolate and a crepe at this little cafe on Kastanienallee. After a late night for the last 2 nights, it's nice to just sit and have a quiet one. Don't get me wrong though ... The drink still has liquor in it.

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geo:lat=52.533463

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Deutsche Historische Museum

Sat, 05 Aug 2006 18:24:12 +0000

Deutsche Historische Museum

Went to the museum today when it started raining. Really well designed, and a nice layout inside.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=52.517677

geo:long=13.397105

In Eva's pub

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 00:47:38 +0000

In Eva's pub

(from left to right) Daniel, Alex & I in the Oscar Wilde pub in Berlin. We've enjoyed a few beers. ;)

cat=Photo

geo:lat=52.525253

geo:long=13.387383

Holocaust Memorial in Berlin

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 12:27:07 +0000

Holocaust Memorial in Berlin

Quite a cool memorial. The outside betrays its depth and complexity. Also, it's huge.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=52.513477

geo:long=13.379038

Berlin 1

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:38:50 +0000

Berlin 1

TV Tower in Berlin. Big innit?

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geo:lat=52.521645

geo:long=13.410505

Le petit julien

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:09:41 +0000

Le petit julien

Apparently one of the landmarks to see in Brussels (yes, I'm back in Brussels) is the Manneken Pis. It's a fountain statue of a 5-year-old boy taking a leak. Why do all the tourists find it so amazing? I'm sure i've seen these in people's backyards...

cat=Photo

geo:lat=50.844936

geo:long=4.349975

Never forgotten

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 10:49:25 +0000

Never forgotten

Bless you little red umbrella. When I was lost trying to get from the train station into Gent proper, you were with me in the torrential downpour. You proved yourself unequivocably. R.I.P. 01/08/2006. You will be missed by many and replaced by none.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.053265

geo:long=3.725900

Gravensteen, Gent

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 10:42:43 +0000

Gravensteen, Gent

Weather-wise, a miserable day at Gent's Gravensteen. Lovely old building though.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.053265

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Dijf Sanders

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:32:56 +0000

Dijf Sanders

Dijf Sanders rocks the Cafe Republic in Brugge.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.210369

geo:long=3.221535

Anne and the 1302 statue

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 11:48:08 +0000

Anne and the 1302 statue

We just ate lunch in Markt in Brugge. Next the Chocolate Museum!

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.208889

geo:long=3.224337

A church with an organ

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 16:10:12 +0000

A church with an organ

Sint-Quintinuskathedraal in Hasselt.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=50.929844

geo:long=5.338908

Chatting at Plomblom

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 23:17:49 +0000

Chatting at Plomblom

Ilse and Freddie in conversation at Plomblom in Ninove. It's late.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=50.835892

geo:long=4.023545

Lunch in Kortrijk.

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 12:50:10 +0000

lunch in Kortrijk.

Anne, Freddie and i have stopped for lunch in Kortrijk. We're waiting for pizza.

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geo:lat=50.827492

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Freddie battles Mario

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 11:40:15 +0000

Freddie battles Mario

We're on a train to Kortrijk, where our friend Anne lives. To pass the time, Freddie is wrestling with my Nintendo DS Lite. Just outside Kortrijk.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=50.845379

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Brussels 1

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 12:01:32 +0000

Brussels 1

A large building in Brussels. The Royal Palace, I'm told. Anyway, i'm in Brussels. :)

cat=Photo

geo:lat=50.843079

geo:long=4.363145

Koen in Domburg

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 16:59:06 +0000

Koen in Domburg

Have met Koen in Domburg. Coming to a seaside town was a great idea.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.561310

geo:long=3.498983

Train to Roosendaal

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:12:28 +0000

Train to Roosendaal

After several days of sun in Amsterdam, the cloud cover has returned as I head to the coastal town of Domburg by train. Everything is a light shade of grey and my GPS doesn't work too well with clouds.

I was misdirected by the station staff to the wrong platform and watched my train depart without me on it. I'm on a different train instead but i found my way, thanks to my friend in Domburg, Koen.

Interestingly, no one has yet asked for my ticket.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.583027

geo:long=4.533100

Nearly 6 years

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:19:55 +0000

Nearly 6 years

I sat here and took a photo of my girlfriend 6 years ago. When we broke up a couple of years later, we did briefly argue over who should get to keep that photo. In the end, i kept it. But here i am again in that same spot.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=52.358467

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Grey seas

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:02:47 +0000

Grey seas

Crossing the channel, the weather became very grey and cold. Visibility is terrible in every direction. Even out the back of the ferry.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.958870

geo:long=3.516568

Christchurch Gardens

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 16:06:35 +0000

Christchurch Gardens

I'd passed this garden for years but never bothered to visit until now. The church was bombed in 1940. The hedges represent the locations of the pews.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.515217

geo:long=-0.099622

Shannon, photogeek

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 17:36:01 +0000

Shannon, photogeek

Sitting outside the Tate Modern gallery having a bite to eat.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.508118

geo:long=-0.099920

Long hair

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 12:01:43 +0000

Long hair

My hair is getting rather long, don't you think? The wallpaper is in my room. It's like living with Tim Burton.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.525967

geo:long=-0.072800

Jimmy in Soho Square

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 19:54:38 +0000

Jimmy in Soho Square

Jimmy in soho square just hanging out having lunch.

cat=Photo

geo:lat=51.515423

geo:long=-0.132598