Tuesday 26 October 2010

Belgium and Beer!



Last weekend Anni, her friend Amy and I went to Belgium, specifically to go to the Diksmuide Beer Festival, but of course, for the chocolate and the waffles and the fries, and more beer.... mmm.
So it all started on early Saturday morning, which was disgustingly cold and wet, and basically was the same the whole weekend. The ferry over from Dover to Calais left everyone's stomachs quite weak, and the rain in Belgium turned to hail so heavy it looked like snow when it had settled. But who ever let rain, hail or weak stomachs stop them from trying as many different types of beer?!
In Belgium there are over 800 different types of beer (according to our tour guide and wikipedia)! I am glad to say that Anni made it to six, where as I tried about ten (I kept sneaking other peoples). In the end I turned into a beer! (hahaha, the picture tells it all)
So Oostende was a lovely seaside town, but Brugge was even prettier! Chocolate shops, fries, waffles, chocolate shops, Christmas decorations, tourist shops, beer shops, chocolate shops... Anni ended up buying 1kg of chocolate for 12 Euro!
The weekend was great, the tour company was a good choice and overall, the Diksmuide Beer Festival and Belgium weekend trip was a success!
Not sure when the next trip is, possibly Bristol? But Anni still needs to catch you up on some of the summer trip, so keep posted!

Sunday 17 October 2010

Varese


Varese is a region north of Milano and south of the Swiss border, near Lago di Lugano (Lake Lugano). This is where Anni, Cam and I went off the Busabout track and spent a week with Anni's relatives. Anni's Grandfather came from Varese to Australia and that's where he met Anni's Oma, who migrated to Australia from Holland.
So during our time in Varese we went up Sacre Monte, across to Lugano, to Lago di Como, into actual Milano where we did a tour of the San Siro (for Cam's benefit), around Varese itself and up to Venegono Superiore.
We had a great time! So much FOOD! Zia Carla spoilt us rotten, and Zio Luigi was a great tour guide. Anni's Biz Nonna (Great-Grandma) is still as mucha crazy Italian grandma as always.
Every day we had fresh panne, and each meal was at least two courses. Zia Carla's cooking is simple, only a few ingredients in each dish, but incredibly indescribable.
The San Siro was amazing. I got to sit in the chair in the changing rooms of AC Milan where David Beckham sat when he was playing for them. The stadium was pretty big too. Milan itself was pretty, but not somewhere I would plan on staying for too long. We spent a day there and that was enough.
It was mine and Cam's birthdays whilst we were in Varese! Zia Carla made Cam this really yummy apricot tart, and I got to have some delicious dark chocolate gelato, which managed to go through my shirt and stain my tummy.
OH! The nasty Sydney boys I told you about from Cseky Krumlov? Well they managed to split my bum open, and so in Varese Anni got to stitch my back up. That was not cool. What was cool is that Anni stole Cam's signed football guernsey...
So from Milano we got back on the Busabout track to Lauterbrunnen. Will tell you all about it later!

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Train to Milan



So I don't know if you heard about Cam, Anni's friend that she went travelling with this summer... He is this funny Aussie guy who likes to drink beer and doesn't really like me, but hey, you can't be friends with everyone, can you?
Anyways, Anni and Cam caught the overnight train from Salzburg to Milan. You would think being a chivalrous gentlemen Cam would over to sleep on the top bunk, but alas no, Anni had to risk falling out of bed everytime the train stopped.
At least I had a sweet ride in the backpack. Or so you would think... CAM TRIED TO ATTACK ME! But don't worry, later on Anni gets him back! Stay tuned for more adventures, next stop, Varese!

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Salzburg


I don't know about you, but when I think of Salzburg I automatically think of the "Sound of Music". So does Anni. So of course, when in Salzburg we went on the Sound of Music tour! It was hmmm. I guess because I got really wet in the ran, or insulted by the weird tour guide who was atleast 60 and tried to flirt with Anni, or just because it was such an anticlimax, especially to the amount of money she paid. But, in saying that, it was well worth it, and you couldn't go to Salzburg without doing it.
Salzburg in itself is an amazing city. So many windy roads and amazing views and fantastic food! And the tricky water place? Well, Anni and Cam decided they weren't going to pay for the entrance, so they snuck into the gardens out the back instead. OH MY! I would recommend this place. So big, so amazing. Definitely a must. If it's nice and sunny take a bike too.

Saturday 9 October 2010

Hillsong Conference Europe


My life has been a bit quite full of staying at home time of late, and Anni has been very lazy in updating my blog, so you will have to forgive her and allow her to backdate with the blog entries of the fantastic cities we've visited.
But to keep this current, I just got back from attending the Hillsong Conference Europe at the 02 arena here in London. It was huge!
Anni was volunteering at the conference this year (our home church is Hillsong London, which meets at the Dominion Theatre every Sunday and I have actually been to a few services!). Her team of "welcomers" were really friendly people and willing to go that extra step to make people feel... welcome! It was amazing to have my photo taken with people from so many different countries and see so many people in love with God.
So keep coming back, Anni will get around to posting some blogs about the rest of our Europe jaunts post Vienna, and in two weeks we're going to the Diksmuide Beer Festival... mmmm, beer!