Park Run, The Palm

#parkrun

We ran our first Park Run a little over a year ago.  My friend, Alison, used to participate in Brisbane when the children were babies although where she got the energy from in those days, I’ll never know.  Then, last year when we visited them in Bristol and thoroughly enjoyed the experience at the Kings Weston Junior Park Run (4-14 years).… Read the rest

Halloween

Crazy pumpkin doughnuts and coffin cakes

It’s Halloween.  The kids are excited and the ghosts and ghouls are out.  Despite the popularity of Halloween these days a couple of things strike me as rather ironic tonight.

Firstly, the fact that most people don’t even really know what Halloween is.… Read the rest

The Green Planet

#The Green Plant

It’s funny how we (I) can live our lives in such a bubble.  Opened in 2016, The Green Planet, like most things in Dubai, is relatively new.  However, it still surprises me that I didn’t know about it until a birthday party there a few weeks ago.… Read the rest

Bergen

Bryggen
On the harbour

After a morning exploring the Mostraumen Straight and the fjords around Bergen the boys are ready to stretch their legs and I am ready to explore the city. We disembark our Rødne Fjord Tour boat back at Zachariasbryggen wharf and walk around the Harbour past Bryggen to the Bergenhus Fortress.… Read the rest

The Flåmsbana

The Flåmsbana

We have spent the morning in Flåm followed by a cruise of The Fjords and now, after lunch, we board the Flåmsbana train to journey some more through this incredible Norwegian landscape.

On the train

The Flåmsbana is a railway journey that travels 20km from Flåm at the Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the Sognefjord that we have just explored, at least partly, this morning, and up along the line to Myrdal in the high mountains.… Read the rest

The Fjords

The Fjords

We board a bus in Flåm, headed for the Fjords. The bus terminal is just behind the comparatively large tourist centre for such a small town. We have spent the morning here, organizing our tours for the day and taking a walk up behind the town towards the hills.… Read the rest

Flåm

Flåm

Flåm has the greenest of greens. The bluest of blues. The whitest of whites. The horizon closes in, jagged against the most expansive of skies. The clouds drift in between, not willing to take sides.

There is a breathtaking beauty in nature that slips the mind when living in the city.… Read the rest

Copenhagen and the Round Tower

Copenhagen and the Round Tower

We have spent the morning at Christiansborg Palace a former royal palace on the island of Slotsholmen and today the seat of the Danish Parliament and the Supreme Court of Denmark. After exploring the delights of the palace, we head outside to explore the equally delightful streets of the city – Copenhagen and the Round Tower.… Read the rest

Christiansborg Palace

Christiansborg Palace

Christiansborg Palace is set on the islet of Slotsholmen (literally castle islet) right in the middle of Copenhagen. As we walk over the ages old stone bridge this morning our passage is uniterrupted. I’m sure when the castle was inhabited by the Royal Family, this bridge would have been suitably guarded.… Read the rest