What I like about Holland

Cheese, dutch beer, dykes, the Hendriks, very large barges on the Rhine, bikes, walks in the forest, Pepernoten and Van der Vaart.

oh I do like to be beside the seaside

Taking a few days off traveling around and have settled nicely into the country life of rural Kent with our friends Chris and Laura. Took a short trip to the picturesque channel coastal town of Rye and onto the wind swept expanse of Camber Sands...England's equivalent of Waimarama!
There's something very inspiring about being beside the sea even on a brisk autumn afternoon when even the gulls have retired to the pub.
We even had time for an album cover shot!!!!

Murder in Kent!

Shocking news...we arrived at our friends Chris and Laura in Kent, only to get caught up in a horrible and mysterious murder at their house that weekend!
Police are on the look out for two prime suspects Jimmy Open and Mandy Seever.

Midgets, fairy tales and elephants

It's all actually for real...who ever said Belgium was boring? Don't worry there's just one place left in the country that's worth a visit- Bruges. Ralph Fiennes was right 'It's a 'F****** Fairytale Place!'

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lXQP1plDIU&feature=related

New Zealanders retake Flers

Today has been a reflective highlight of our trip away. We have spent 2 nights staying in the village of Flers in the heart of the infamous Somme. Approx 94 years ago the village was liberated by the New Zealand forces as they slowly ground out victory over the Germans yard by yard, crater hole by crater hole. Nothing can prepare you for the immense sense of sadness yet respect, inspired by the hundreds of thousands of graves of the brave men who gave their lives for our freedom.
To see opposing trenches merely 80 meters apart makes you realise the intensity of the warfare at that time.
It is a sight I will never forget. I hope future generations will feel the same way.

Judi- a star is born

Leaving the French language school today so yesterday celebrated our new ability to fluently ask where the toilets are, by visiting one of the Loire Valley's most impressive Chateaux and gardens at Villandry. Arriving late in the afternoon we were almost the only ones there apart for a small group of Americans including an older lady with a big nose and a stupid white dog. The dog gave her away or was it the nose? I think Barbra Streisand recognised us too!