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  • Day 3 – Norway in a Nutshell

    Day 3, Thursday, we did “Norway in a Nutshell”, a standard tour encompassing a train into the snowy mountains and then down the mountain on the Flam railway to Flam. From there we took a boat for a 2 hour fiord cruise to Gudvangen followed by a scary coach ride down a narrow, winding mountain road to Voss, finally returning to Bergen by train. At £100 each it was money well spent and a wonderful experience. I abandoned using the Pentax DSLR camera because all images were coming out madly marked, so today I went back to the Canon point-and-shoot.

    In Bergen we shared a pizza at Peppe’s Pizza!

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  • Day 2 – Bergen and funicular

    Day 2, Wednesday, I stuffed myself at breakfast with fish, meat, cheese, fruit, bread, cereal and coffee! A very relaxing breakfast. Jill was not feeling too good so had a tasty crisp-bread!! Exploring the town (we were wrong about a jazz festival!), we did the parks and took the funicular up the mountain, intending to walk down, but there was no straightforward path down so we cheated.

    In the evening we had a very nice but expensive tapas meal in the town. All drinks are expensive except tap water – £8 for a small glass of wine.
      

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  • Day 1 – Arrived in Bergen, Norway!

    Day 1, Tuesday, we arrived in Bergen, Norway late afternoon and checked in to the Best Western Hotel Hordaheimen. The hotel seems ok and our room is modern, a bit basic, compact but not small!  We have a corner room, with a balcony and view of the water (just!). Glorious warm weather even at 9pm, Bergen is busy with tourists in summer clothes.  We had a beer in a bar and had the free hotel supper of salty fish soup and bread. It’s going to get dark a lot later that it does in London. Tomorrow will be a day for exploring the town and, with the beginning of a jazz festival, enjoying some live music.

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  • Weekend away in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant

    I have arrived for a long weekend in the quiet village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant. This North Wales village is halfway between Bala and Oswestry and is famous for the Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall, which at 80m high is the UK’s tallest single drop waterfall.

    I am staying in the delightful B&B Eiriafa which is in the heart of the village. After a short walk and having taken some pictures, I am now off to the pub!

    What’s happened to the Plough?  Screeching girls doing karaoke plus I got there too late for food.

    It’s now the second day and I have done a 9 mile circular walk which included stunning panoramic views.  The Plough in the evening was back to its usual self. Food excellent and the locals entertaining!

    It’s now the third day and I walked the 8 miles there and back to the famous Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall. Tonight I shall be eating and drinking in the Plough!

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  • Grey day in London

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  • Le Havre

    I hated the film Le Havre! I slept through some of the first half hour – did I miss anything? Hated it. Hated the acting, the story, the pacing. Puzzlingly 99% of reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes (link) rated it highly.
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  • Books


    I can highly recommend:

    • Ghost Town – Patrick McGrath
      The book consists of three wonderfully different stories set in New York during the 18th century, 19th century and post 9/11.

    Currently reading:

    • The New New Thing – Michael Lewis
    • Stories to get you through the Night – Vintage Classics
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  • Books


    I can highly recommend:

    • Moonwalking with Einstein – Joshua Foer
    • The Psychopath Test – Jon Ronson
    • The Lost Art of Walking – Geoff Nicholson
    • A Human Being Died That Night – Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

    I enjoyed reading Headhunters – Jo Nesbo, but it is trash!
    I gave up on King of the Badgers – Philip Hensher

    Currently reading:

    • Ghost Town – Patrick McGrath
    • Physics of the Future – Michio Kaku
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  • Inspector Montalbano

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    Inspector Montalbano was the highlight of our Saturday nights, and has come to an end. Gorgeous to look at (beautiful scenery, beautiful women, beautiful men), brilliantly acted and absolutely hilarious. Bleak Nordic thrillers to look forward to and then hopefully another series of the joyous Inspector Montalbano.

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  • 40 years!

    What a great day in London to celebrate 40 years of wedded bliss. Noises Off at the Novello Theatre, Aldwych was classic farce. Acts 1 & 3 were to die for! A wonderful meal at the Palm Court Brasserie in Covent Garden rounded off a wonderful day. Thank you wife and family.

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