That Was Like So Two Years Ago!

Really, it was. This is the last of my back(b)log of photos I wanted to put on here, and it's Europe from two years ago, which is kind of fitting, because I'll be there again within two weeks – only this time for a lot longer than 12 days.

I think the best, and most funnest way to get there is with a forced stopover in Japan. I adore Japan, since spending two months working there, years ago, and I was stoked that my budget ticket with JAL included overnighting in Narita (Tokyo's airport town) at the airline's expense.

After checking in at the hotel I headed straight for the bus into Narita town, not knowing what to expect, just that I would get myself some udon soup and a dash of sake.

Contrary to popular belief, I am a very shy person and I hate approaching people, but I was alone and saw one other 'gaijin' girl on the bus, on her lonesome, so I asked her if she wanted to get a bite to eat, which she did.

Narita was really quiet. No-one on the streets.

Little did we know…

Canadian Kiah and I headed to a bar for a quick drink after the noodles, which was pretty empty, too, but you know how it goes, the only two guys in the place came to talk to us…

…they were airline boys, and it was two years ago so I can't remember their names, but they dragged us to a very busy place, filled with hosties (flight attendants for you PC lot) from the world over. Let me tell you, those guys go pretty crazy.

Called The Cage. Obvious reasons. Karaoke.

Stumbled back out onto the deserted street having missed the last bus, and unsure of whether a taxi would even pick us up, we had a quick 7Eleven pitstop.

No tetra-pack collagen for me, just a coke some biscuits and…

… a pic from the photo booth we jumped in with some of the guys who were wandering down the street with flashy hair, wearing snappy suits.

Crazy night! Cool way to travel long-haul!

And so to Europe.

First stop, Belgium.

I was dubious. People say things, you know, like "Why do you want to go there?"

But, I find it hard to fault a place that is famous for it's chocolate and diamonds, where I can be served a breakfast of fetta wrapped in bacon (Oh sooo good) and champagne to wash it down. Mmmmmm.

Summertime on the beach at showusyour Knokke s.

Bruges is pretty…

How cool would it be to have your bed in this window! The white building. That's someone's bedroom. Love it.

Tourist.

Then Spain.

Cuidad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) Valencia

Mmmmm. Chorizo beach BBQ

Mmmmmm. Jamon

My first brave foray into the world of snorkel…

Not quite Ursula Andress in Dr No

Yay yay yay. Kerstin came down from Sweden to see me. She even bought me Cheez Doodles – it was almost my birthday, after all. I'm so excited about seeing her again, in Sweden, soon.

Market

Buying postcards to send to the kids, with Sonny's mum, Leen.

Then hiding behind a barricade with her, why?…

It was safer than where Sonny was…

A different kind of red flag at Casa Pinet in Tarbena

With the hammer and the sickle

and, mmmmmm, paella

For my birthday, we were in the beautiful town of Guadelest

Guadalest had a really nice feel to it. So much so, I'm planning to be there for my birthday this year.

But this year I won't cover myself in clay from the dam, thinking it may have some fantastic beauty powers

because it actually feels like you have covered yourself with fibreglass

to the point where I had to go to the public swimming pool for a 'wash off', which, to be honest, didn't help at all.

My birthday was spent in a kind of weird skin-torment parallel universe that was only sated when we got back to Sonny's parents' and were presented with the Jacqui-duet-of-palate-pleasure…

and

mmmmmmmm!

Paris!

On yer bike!

When I was in New York last year, I was very proud of myself, riding around the streets on a pushy – I loved it! Since then, I've picked one up in council cleanup and been riding it around home, but that day in Paris, when Sonny surprised me with his plan for a great time out, that involved me riding a pushy through Paris, there was only fear. For, my friends, I had not rode a pushy since I was a child, and then my experience had been limited to the footpath, and my balance skills have always been scant at best.

So here I am, hovering along…

Just a shame I was concentrating so hard on staying upright that I didn't even see what I was riding past until I saw the photos!

But I made it to the Louvre

heheheh. Yes. I had to do it.

I love these girls and their subject matter! Clearly before certain French rulings about attire had come into force

Then, there was the Mona Lisa – but you don't need to see that, you know what it looks like. These people don't think that though..

I've always had a thing for the 'Raft of the Medusa', since school art..

Then to a cafe for a pit stop, and I could not resist this scene, as the occupant of the table went for a toilet break..

Coffee? check. Camel cigarettes? check. Writing pad? check. Serious demenour? yep, check that too.

Then my turn. Slightly different cafe story. This one went a little like, "Let's wait for sunset, to go to the top of the tower. Let's just stop here for a coffee". I wasn't sure, but I agreed

That's me. My old SLR loaded with transparency film.