Ons hondje

Somedays I am so happy to be living here - today we woke up, and there is no point looking outside, because you cant see much, but when we stepped out of our front door to leave, we saw a lovely carpet of soft white snow. So, no white christmas, but a white new-years instead. I suppose I can settle for that! So, today is a lovely day. But other times, when it is so miserably cold, I long for the beach, and playing with Bessy. So at work, I use this picture as my desktop. I imagine the warmth that we felt in August in Australia, and know that's why we eventually will go back.

I do, I do

Well, I know I am jumping around a little, but here are some shots of our very brief (but worthwhile) trip back to Australia in August. My very dear friends, Kym and Ben married in so much style - all credit goes to you two! I think we will be lucky if we can throw together a beach barbecue!

The hens night was at a musical restaurant in a brazilian style with some extraordinary dances. We just sat there practically eating the meat off the bones from some poor animals while some ladies shook their tassles from their perfectly proportioned bodies and we could feel the fat adding to our wastelines. But, it was fun when the hen was forced to dance with a random stanger, and we briefly had her drinking out of a penis straw!

I am not sure what happened on the mens night out - something about the AFL and strippers, but that's Toms territory!

Male information

Hi everybody,

I just wanted to congratulate Ingi for this blog. In fact she put it all together so all credit goes to her. But I did want to write something because she is only sticking sappy pictures in here like me with a baby. So I will have to post some male pictures (anybody interested in Tom in his Tarzan outfit??). Anyway I hope you have fun reading of our "Tom and Ingrid do Europe" blog and don't be shy to write your comments.

What have we been up to lately? Here's the short version: gone to a lot of concerts: Bob Dylan, Starsailor, Bloc Party (absolutely awesome), The White stripes and I think I am forgetting some. We've gone to a couple of footballgames: Liverpool vs Wigan when we were visiting Tim and Tash: great atmosphere. KV Mechelen-Antwerp, was fun, nothing more nothing less. Been to Liverpool for Ingi's birthday and Barcelona. But still hadn't had the change to see a game of barca. Anyway been pretty busy partying as well and are looking forward to going skiing in January in Morzine. We'll keep you all posted. bye bye for now

Sweet Dreams are made of These

Before any of you get any ideas - no, we didnt escape to Belgium to start a family! This is a picture of Tom with baby Natalie Putri Flies - the baby of Tommeke and his wife, Nita. She was born on the 9th of December and was so tiny and cute - and the lucky little girl is going brown (like her mother) already. We do get clucky when we are around her, but lucky for us, we can still give her back. Give us a few more years yet!

Here comes the sun

Well one of those days where winter just takes your breath away (completely)! I think I am beginning to go crazy from the sun (or lack there of it). It snowed yesterday, and I didnt even notice. You get to work, and it's pitch black (well - black with a tinge of yucky red in the sky), and you leave at 4, and the sun is almost gone. I suppose, we could be living in Scandinavia, but there at least you see the snow! Here you get those lovely puddles which freeze, and you dont even notice them until your bum is sitting on top of one, with your feet nowhere to be seen, wondering what just happened.

Another strange Belgiumism... every morning, while sitting on the bus, I go past a cafè (actually, a pub which sells tea and coffee) which is open when i sail past at around 7:45am. Originally, I thought everyone there just had coffee on their way to work, but now at a closer glance, I can guarentee that there will be at least 10-15 people in there, every day, drinking pints. Now, while I am probing my eyes open with toothpicks so i dont miss my stop, these people are getting off their heads - dunno if its before work or after work, but maybe it is something i have to try!

Graçias!

Here is a small preview of our trip to Barcelona in November 2005. We stayed in a cute little appartment in the middle of Barri Gothic (5 minute walk to Ramblas) so we were stoked about that!. Basically, the four of us (Ingrid, Tom, Tim and Tash) hopped on a tourist bus for 2 days and just saw everything. The architecture absolutely blew me away! If I lived a hundred and 50 years ago, I wouldn't have minded if Gaudi designed my house. At least this is one city, where you remember the cathedral. Not all old and brown looking, but completely colourful and mosaic.

While we were here, we had to try the cuisine - first thing ordered - Sangria. We werent really expecting 600mL per person! But, it tasted fine!

Just like everybody else does...

Well, for some reason, I cannot read my blogs from my computer, but I have seen that they possibly work on others, so I will keep typing anyway!

It was probably a better idea to create this 18 months ago, but now we intend on filling in the gaps when there is a quiet week (which happens a lot now that winter has hit here!). Will start with most recent vacation to Liverpool. Probably not the most flattering shot I have ever seen of us - but it is probably the most honest! We went out for birthday drinks with our beautiful hosts - Tim and Tash (who we see more over here than we ever did in Australia - ironic!), and by the time the birthday dinner came around, we had already had 3 nights of drinking/going out! It quite clearly shows around the eyes once you hit 25!! But, it was nice all the same, and the chocolate fondue we had at the end of the meal was nice too!

This was our 2nd trip to the land of the Beatles - we went in January as well, and did all of the touristy business, but of course, as you can tell by this photo of Penny Lane - the weather could have been a little nicer! But, that's England (and Belgium and half of Europe I guess!!). The Beatles magical mystery tour was a lot of fun, and we saw the houses where they all grew up, Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, and the club they started off at.

As for this week - between christmas and new year 2005 - I am working - but preparing for our ski holiday on the 8th of January to Morzine in the French Alps. Christmas here was nice, but not home. No beach volleyball, no fight to get to the cold seafood pile on the middle of the table. No sweating, sitting around drinking beers. The traditional dish here is stew. I guess it keeps you warm when it is sub zero, but hmmm...! Dunno what we are doing for New Years yet!