tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58770615842533807192024-03-08T21:14:31.632+10:00KPPG travelsadventures through england, scotland and spain during august 2011zanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-86455544696458038322011-08-31T17:42:00.000+10:002011-08-31T17:42:01.778+10:00KPPG at homeThe Barcelona entry wraps up my travel blog. I have very much enjoyed converting our real life adventures into written word. We hope to have the opportunity (and funds!) to do some more overseas travel in the next few years so I will likely re-enliven the blog at that time. <br />
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I hope you have enjoyed following our journey. <br />
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xxxzanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-21824945660461109852011-08-31T17:31:00.001+10:002011-08-31T17:35:16.552+10:00boisterous and breathtaking barcelonaOur August adventures culminated in lively Barcelona. To travel from Valencia, we again took advantage of the high speed train service, this time, taking close to three hours. The additional travel time was quickly excused by the glorious scenery of the Mediterranean and beach villages to which we were treated for most of the journey.<br />
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By this stage of our four week trip, energy levels had dropped somewhat, and coupled with our leisurely downtime in Valencia, we were a little taken aback by the heaving Las Ramblas crowds which greeted us as we exited the metro tunnel. Fortunately, our accommodation was only a short walk away and once we arrived, we immediately appreciated the space, sunlight and amenities (kitchen and washing machine!) offered by the self-contained apartment we had selected - a welcome change from a hotel room. Once settled, we made a bee line for the Boqueria fresh food market on Las Ramblas to source provisions. Using our best pigeon Spanish (which had slightly improved since our arrival in Madrid), we successfully purchased some delicious produce for the next few days. A brief detour to the basement food hall in El Corte Ingles in Plaza Catalunya sorted us out in terms of non-perishable items (and also dashed Dave’s hopes of avoiding supermarkets for an entire month). <br />
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Visiting Gaudi’s major pieces of architecture was at the top of my list whilst in Barcelona so we set aside a day to take in these sights. We were left breathless by the enormity of La Sagrada Familia (which remains under construction) though after surveying the extremely long entry queue (including many World Youth Day pilgrims!), we elected to move onto two of Gaudi’s residential masterpieces, Casa Batllo and La Pedrera. The latter provided us with an extraordinary journey through a recreated apartment in period décor and a very detailed museum collection of Gaudi’s achievements. It was the museum tour which prompted us to also include a visit to Park Guell, originally designed by Gaudi for residential living and now a public art space comprising several unique pieces of his architecture. With a staircase to rival the climb up to Montmarte in Paris, Park Guell provides visitors with an exceptional view of Barcelona city and is well worth the climb! <br />
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The wonderfully long days and light nights of the European summer allowed us to take in the beach village of La Barceloneta in the evening. The water was cool and refreshing but much calmer than Australian waters – we both agreed it was more akin to swimming in a lake than the ocean. With the steady stream of food and drink vendors weaving through the crowd, there was little need for us to leave our plot of sand, so we enjoyed several hours gazing at the water, and people watching, until the sun went down at around 8pm. We were particularly amused that the drink vendors switched beverage offerings at sunset – in place of the esky full of cold beers, they now carried trays of freshly made icy mojitos to whet the palates of beachgoers. While tempted to indulge, we instead opted for a helado (gelati) at Vioko on Passage Joan di Borbas. I had been directed to this boutique chocolate shop by the Wallpaper Guide (this was about the only decent recommendation it gave - I am definitely a Lonely Planet girl) and while it seemed oddly placed among the strip of very touristy seafood restaurants, it was well worth the visit. No longer able to ignore our tightening waistbands, we shared a violet gelati which was silken in texture, delicately flavoured and coloured in the most vibrant shade of purple I’ve ever seen in an ice cream! <br />
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On the final night of our trip, we treated ourselves to an a la carte meal at a terrace restaurant overlooking one of the Gothic Quarter’s many plazas. Ordering entrée and main instead of fast-paced tapas gave us the opportunity to warmly reflect on all of the wonderful moments we had enjoyed over the past month. We chose summery options for entree - a plate of grilled prawns and a beetroot carpaccio with rocket and goats cheese. Mains were a more carnivorous affair with Dave ordering an old favourite - rib fillet with roast potatoes, and a champagne sauce. I was a little more adventurous and selected a pork fillet with foie gras encased in filo pastry, with a manchego cheese souffle and sour cherry sauce. All of the meals combined fresh ingredients in an uncomplicated way and were beautifully presented. A delicious crema catalana, the Spanish equivalent of a crème brulee, with a perfectly crackling top and ribbon like inner custard, was a particularly memorable way to end both the meal and our culinary journey through Spain. <br />
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xxx<br />
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zanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-65655698669571052392011-08-31T14:58:00.000+10:002011-08-31T14:58:08.163+10:00happy snapsFor those of you not on facebook, here are the links to our photo albums for your viewing pleasure: <br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150256285621432.325743.557106431&l=dfa49a45fe&type=1">London, Lakes District and some Scotland</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150270094201432.329605.557106431&l=de9f5ddf67&type=1">Ballater, Edinburgh and Celtic football game in Glasgow</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150270111696432.329609.557106431&l=d3a44e146c&type=1">Spain - the sights</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150270140141432.329618.557106431&l=06124cb9bc&type=1">Spain - the food!</a><br />
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enjoy!<br />
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xxxzanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-13681235721122430872011-08-30T18:22:00.005+10:002011-08-31T15:11:28.168+10:00viva valencia!When we discovered that Spain’s high speed trains operate between Madrid and Valencia, we opted for this form of transport to our next destination (the decision was also partly aided by my continued fear of flying). Departing from the centre of Madrid we were delivered to the centre of Valencia in under two hours. The trip brought with it a comparative ease, and far less stress, to European air travel. Happily, train travel also imposes less hand luggage restrictions – the volume of ours was noticeably starting to increase by this stage of the trip (and I had hardly even begun to hit the Spanish shops!). <br />
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Upon arrival in seaside Valencia, we immediately noticed a slight drop in temperature and a definite absence of pilgrim crowds! A short (and cheap) cab ride to our hotel, AdHoc Valencia, was the perfect way to introduce us to this picturesque city and its circular, one way roads that envelope the old town. A feature of the town which quickly caught my attention was the wide strip of lush gardens, sports fields and public spaces that occupy the space that was once the Turia riverbed. A tour on the ubiquitous hop-on hop-off bus a lfew days later taught us that due to frequent flooding the river was redirected many years ago and now, irrigation canals operate below the riverbed gardens. The Islamic inspired architecture throughout the city was also a noticeable feature to a new visitor, particularly the two sets of enormous city gates which sit at the north and south of the old town. <br />
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On recommendation of Lonely Planet, we dined at The Ginger Loft Café on our first night in Valencia. At 9pm, we were the first diners to arrive and remained so for most of the evening. After Madrid, this initially had me concerned about our choice but my worries were quickly quashed once our cuisine arrived. It later became apparent that a lack of patrons in Valencia, particularly during August, should not be taken as a reflection on the quality of a venue, it can simply be attributed to the reduced population at this time of year. The cuisine offered at Ginger Loft is modern Spanish with a Middle Eastern influence. We firstly embarked on a selection of Spanish cured meats, olives and hommous. The variety of meats was extensively described to us by our waiter, including the part of the pig from which it was sourced and the method of curing, but unfortunately my memory has not retained all of this information. Needless to say, we devoured every morsel of this delicious starter. We then shared a salad and a plate of lamb meatballs, with bourghul. The leafy salad with roast pumpkin and toasted sunflower seeds was exceptionally fresh and served with a tangy Valencian orange dressing. This was a perfect accompaniment to the rich and flavoursome meatballs. One surprising outcome of the meal was that Dave discovered he actually likes bourghul, thereby opening up another vegetarian meal opportunity for us back home :)<br />
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The day we spent at Las Arenas, the main beach area of Valencia, was one of our favourite days in Spain. After an educational morning on the tourist bus, we hopped off at the beach to enjoy some Mediterranean sunshine. The beach was filled with very bronzed beachgoers and a smattering of those with less active melanin – I am sure there is no need to tell you which category we fell into! After Dave had satisfied an urge to dip his toes into the Mediterranean, we strolled along the strip of seaside restaurants in search of a paella lunch – Valencia prides itself as the creator of this dish which is traditionally served as a lunchtime meal. As it neared 2pm, we noticed several restaurants starting to fill up so we settled upon La Pepica. We were very pleased to be seated at a front table so that we were able to gaze at the ocean during our long, leisurely lunch. After some helpful guidance from our waiter on portion sizes, we decided on a plate of calamari and salad for starters, a seafood paella and a bottle of Albarino (white wine – the only Spanish grape which I am familiar with as it is on the menu at Ortiga in Brisbane). The entire meal was fantastic – the calamari was thick and tender with a light, crisp coating and the paella was seafood laden, delicately flavoured and served with a perfect crust. We opted to eat our paella in the more traditional way – directly out of the pan – a very convivial way of dining!<br />
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Valencia offers an extensive range of cuisine beyond paella. During our many walks through the winding, narrow streets in the proximity of our hotel, we stumbled upon two very impressive tapas bars, Soliluna and El Rull Taberna. These venues offered a selection of traditional tapas served in rustic ceramic bowls and accompanied by crusty bread with olive oil. Judging by the quality of food we devoured, I would expect anything on the menus would have delighted the tastebuds, though if forced to choose, we were particularly impressed by the baby chorizo (<em>churichillos</em>), marinated chicken wings (<em>alitas de pollo</em>) and crispy roast potatoes with salsa (<em>patatas bravas</em>). Both venues also mixed up some mean mojitos, sangria and Agua de Valencia. The latter is a traditional Valencian summer sangria alternative which packs a super punch!<br />
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Our culinary journey through Valencia continued with a trip to the Mercado Central, the largest fresh food market in Europe. The market is housed in an enormous pavilion with soaring decorative ceilings. The majestic building is almost deserving of a visit in itself but what was inside was the real focus of our attentions. Rows upon rows of stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables, spices, cured meats, fresh seafood, wine, ore cured meats, cheese, deli items and bread lined the inside of the Mercado. Having not cooked in a few weeks by this stage of the trip and without a kitchen available to me, wandering past all the wonderfully fresh produce was near torture! I consolidated myself by remembering that come Barcelona, I would be able to unleash my cooking urges in the self-contained apartment we would be renting there. <br />
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There is no shortage of cultural offerings in Valencia and through my research I discovered that most museums and galleries offer <em>gratis entradas</em> (free entry) on Sundays. We took advantage of this saving and made our way to the Museo Bella Artes and Ceramics Museum for a day of air-conditioned culture. Again, the buildings themselves are magnificent, historic structures – the palace housing the Ceramics Museum was particularly impressive. We also visited the Science Museum which sits in the Turia riverbed, as part of the Arts and Sciences precinct. The buildings in this area are much more modern constructions, but still breathtaking. At night, the lighting on the buildings cleverly forms a fish skeleton sitting atop the Turia riverbed.<br />
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I discovered that shoppers are also well catered for in Valencia! For those (husbands) not so keen on this activity, Dave found the hire bikes (just like the yellow ones in Brisbane) to be a useful way to wile away the time. He managed to take in a few additional sights, and climb one of the many cathedral towers, while I engaged in some serious retail therapy. <br />
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As the gateway to the Baleariac Islands (including Ibiza), Valencia is often a stopover for partygoing travellers and locals. Dave toyed with the idea of a ferry trip to party central but we quickly discovered that in August, ferry travel and accommodation needs to be booked well in advance. After abandoning our dreams of partying like we were 22 again, on our penultimate night in Valencia we decided to see what the beach clubs had to offer. The mainland’s noctural offerings definitely did not disappoint! The Saturday night crowds were thick and full of life, but this didn’t seem to cause us any difficulty when moving between venues. Nor did we witness any of the alcohol fuelled aggression that seems to be so commonplace in Queensland entertainment precincts these days. When we pulled up stumps at 4am, the Valencian crowd was showing no signs of waning – it was clear that the majority of punters would carry through until closing time at 8am!<br />
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Valencia is an exceptionally likeable and liveable city. The 5 days we spent there immersed us in Spanish culture and lifestyle and provided us with some very fond memories, particularly of the culinary kind! I expect it may also have been the primary cause of our holiday weight gain :) If I have the opportunity to travel to Spain again, Valencia will be on the top of my list. <br />
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xxxzanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-38660576747914640432011-08-28T20:26:00.003+10:002011-08-31T15:06:34.690+10:00madrid maniaAs promised, the Spanish edition of KPPG travels has landed! It is a three part series, one for each city, here is part one on our brief stop in Madrid. <br />
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Our arrival in Madrid coincided with that of some 200,000 pilgrims for World Youth Day 2011. Combined with the searing 38 degree heat, this made finding the way to our hotel a little more challenging than we had anticipated! Dave however, was unphased and within minutes of arriving at our hotel, he was back on the road to retrieve pre-booked tickets for a bullfight and navigate his way to La Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in the east of Madrid. Defying all odds, he made it to the bullring with a few minutes to spare. His decision to book a sombra/sol ticket (half shade/half sun) proved to be a sensible one as the sun was still up when the event finished at 9pm. He was quickly befriended by a group of locals who happily shared their esky full of beers and dried sunflower seed snacks (pipas) with him. During the bullfight, they guided him through the order of proceedings, formalities and applauding etiquette. Curiously impressed by his solo attendance and enthusiasm, they presented him with a traditional straw sombrero as a souvenir. He later described the bullfight to me as an incredibly confronting experience which he will unlikely seek to experience again. It is however, steeped in tradition and maintains a strong local following in Madrid (thought it has been banned in some Spanish cities). As one of only a handful of foreigners in the crowd, it is without doubt an “off the tourist trail” experience he will not lightly forget. <br />
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Given my previous life as a vegetarian and generally weak stomach, I opted not to attend the bullfight. Instead, I spent a few hours enjoying our very well appointed hotel room, Room Mate Alicia, overlooking Plaza Santa Ana. I can highly recommend this new chain of Spanish boutique hotels (30-40 rooms) which specialises in minimalist, “no frills” luxury in superb locations. After the modest offerings of our Edinburgh B & B, I was very appreciative of a few creature comforts :)<br />
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I won’t go heavily into the details of our nocturnal adventures as I mostly covered these off in my previous entry. I must however mention the immense popularity of terrace dining during the Spanish summer. Whether it’s on a footpath, plaza or rooftop, outdoors is the place to be, and be seen. In our evening travels, we discovered that finding a highly coveted outdoor seat can be quite difficult as once secured, they are not surrendered lightly! I was also intrigued by the fierce competition between nightclubs for weeknight patronage – even on a Monday. In some of the busy nightclub districts, it is impossible to walk more than a few steps without numerous offers of free drinks/shots. I queried with Lupe whether this attention was reserved for tourists but she assured me that was not the case. Needless to say, we took advantage of the generosity of several establishments, but did not stay much beyond our free beverage! I expect many punters adopt the approach of moving between bars offering free/discounted beverages. One has to wonder how so many venues are able to survive.<br />
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With only one full day in Madrid, tens of thousands of pilgrims on the streets, searing temperatures and late night antics, we unfortunately didn’t make it to any of the galleries or museums this time around - I did do a very comprehensive tour of them when I visited with Anna and Camille five years ago. That said, we definitely left feeling as though we received a decent dose of the Madrid lifestyle. <br />
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xxxzanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-53206514294179544902011-08-25T21:54:00.002+10:002011-08-25T21:59:50.013+10:00a snapshot of spainThe absence of the next chapter in KPPG travels appears to be the subject of much inquiry! I apologise to my readers and can assure you that full details of our Spain trip will be conveyed in the coming days. While internet cafes have not been overly easy to come by, I have been meticulously recording all trip highlights (yes Dad, including detailed descriptions of the delicious Spanish cuisine!) so that I can easily convert these into blog form. Today is our last day in Barcelona and we are off to Park Guell shortly but I do have time for a few quick highlights while Dave is checking us in for our flight tomorrow morning. <br />
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Our stop in Madrid was only brief, though we did enjoy some sensational cuisine and definitely adopted the locals approach to late night dining - on both nights, we did not sit down to a meal until 10.30pm! A visit to a heaving taberna in the Chueca district treated us to pinxos of grilled pork fillet topped with caramelised onion which were complimentary with our first drinks. We were so impressed with the flavours that we decided to stay on for a more substantial meal - this proved to be an excellent decision! A plate of grilled oyster mushrooms and lashing of jamon on crusty bread drizzled with olive oil has without doubt been one of the food highlights of Spain. A chance meeting with an Aussie mechanic from the Blue Mountains who was visiting his girlfriend, Lupe, a Madrid local, allowed us to enjoy some nightclubbing Spanish style - they sure know how to party that´s for sure, even on a weeknight! This also gave me a chance to improve on my Spanish language skills and share some typically Australian phrases with Lupe - she was particularly intriqued by the concept of a ¨pub crawl¨ which I explained after seeing a group of travellers partaking in this very Australian past time. <br />
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After the mayhem of Madrid, we spent five glorious days in Valencia. This may be a hot contender for my favourite Spanish city, running a very close second to Granada which I visited on my trip to Spain five years ago. It is an amazingly picturesque city that runs at a much slower pace to Madrid and Barcelona. The locals are warm, the regional tapas is tasty and the nearby beach offers a wonderful escape from the city. The day we spent at the beach enjoying a seafood paella while gazing at the mediterranean was without doubt one of the most memorable parts of our time in Spain. In the short time I have to do this update, I cannot even begin to scratch the surface about my passion for this city - it deserves an entry of its own and I promise to provide that shortly. <br />
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Arriving in Barcelona was definitely a change in pace! We spent our first day immersed in all things Gaudi, moving between La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlla and La Pedrera. Exploring the recreated apartment and Gaudi museum housed within La Pedrera was an exceptionally enriching dose of art, history and culture. We opted to stay in a self contained apartment in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona and this has been a welcome change from a hotel environment. Visiting the fresh food markets in nearby Boqueria and the food hall in El Cortes Ingles, Plaza Catalunya and actually being able to buy and later cook the wonderfully fresh produce has been a real treat. <br />
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The above is only a small snapshot of all the culture, cuisine and special moments we have shared in the past two weeks. With only a few hours left in Barcelona, the comprehensive Spanish edition of KPPG travels may have to wait until I am back on home soil - I wouldn´t want to leave out any vital details! <br />
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xxxzanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-90451486887925920992011-08-20T23:55:00.002+10:002011-08-30T17:15:29.269+10:00fringetasticThe Edinburgh Fringe Festival has long been on my bucket list and after 3 days of fringe-filled fun, it completely surpassed all expectations. Selecting shows from the immense month long schedule was a task in itself which I tackled over several Sunday afternoons, prior to our trip, reading through the voluminous hard copy program which the organisers helpfully post to Australia. The first show we attended, <i>Cambridge Footlights</i>, was somewhat of a sketch-comedy performance with similarities to Tripod. The four male students from Cambridge University (whom we later discovered were not even drama students) had the audience in stitches for most of the 45 minute performance as they segwayed through a series of skits with cartoon like movements and facial expressions. The quality of the acting and level of talent displayed in this performance filled us with very positive feelings about the upcoming shows. <br />
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The Fringe organisers have done an excellent job of setting up areas to fill in the time between performances, whether it be indulging in some tasty cuisine (far better than your average festival fare), reading reviews of previous shows or simply sitting in one of the many outdoor beer gardens to people watch. Edinburgh is not known for its fabulous weather but even the intermittent (and sometimes consistent) showers do not dampen the high spirits of the festival punters, everyone simply has a poncho or umbrella at the ready to deal with the downpours. <br />
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Next up was one of my favourite comedians, Craig Hill, in his stand up comedy show <i>Blown by a Fan</i>. I truly don´t think I´ve ever laughed so hard in my life. His ascerbic wit and amazing ability to pick out a humorous element in any unsuspecting audience member he sets his sights on made us very thankful we had not chosen a seat in the front three rows! His show had a very Scottish theme and fortunately having spent the previous week in country Scotland, I was equipped with enough knowledge about the different regions to laugh along with all the locals. I will never tire of seeing this highly energetic and incredibly camp man bounce around the stage in his leather kilt and will be snapping up tickets the next time he visits down under.<br />
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We broke up our Edinburgh experience with a trip to Glasgow on Saturday to see the Celtic vs Dundee soccer game. Jean still has some connections in Scotland and managed to score us all a seat in a corporate box with all the trimmings which was a real treat! Dave came excruciatingly close to winning a few bets but noone was able to pick the thrashing win of 5-1 to Celtic. It was an incredible experience to see the passion the Scots have for Celtic and for soccer generally. This was our last family event for the holiday and our last catch up with Cameron and Jimmy for sometime. I realise now that when your family is spread across two sides of the globe, as Dave´s is, times like these are incredibly special. We will treasure the memories from this holiday for a long time and hope we are able to return the hosting favour to the Armstrongs at some point in the future!<br />
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The train trip from Edinburgh to Glasgow takes under an hour which allowed us to make it back to Edinburgh for the evening in time to enjoy some further Fringe delights. A visit to the New Town was a very different experience to the maze of cobbled laneways and plethora of festival goers in the Old Town. On recommendation of a bartender Dave befriended the previous evening, we made a trip to Bramble, one of Edinburgh´s best cocktail bars. For Brisbane readers, this is Edinburgh´s version of Bowery with even tastier cocktails! If you ever find yourself there, I can highly recommend the Jam and Tonic for a tastebud sensation.<br />
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After a couple of drizzly grey days, we awoke on Sunday to a beautiful clear blue sky and decided it was a perfect opportunity to take in Edinburgh Castle. After battling through the lengthy queue, I realised just how lucky I was to experience it on such a glorious day as the views from the top were simply breathtaking. As any traveller well knows, sightseeing can work up a pretty decent hunger, so after our very historic morning, we ventured back into the Old Town to hunt down the much antcipated "hog roll" from an aptly named store, <i>Oink</i> on Victoria Street. I don´t think any description could do this delicious pulled pork sandwish justice so I will be sure to post photos on facebook shortly. Thanks for the tip Anna Marsden!! <br />
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On our last night in Edinburgh, we took in two shows, <i>Alvin and Sputnik</i> and Fiona O´Loughlin´s stand up comedy show. The first was a heartfelt tale of the puppet Alvin, who after losing his wife, embarks on a mission to save the world. It was performed by one man aided by a projector screen, computer imagery and amazing hand puppetry. The audience was enamoured with Alvin and the incredible skill displayed by the performer, which unquestionably deserved (and received) a lengthy standing ovation. This was without a doubt the pick of the shows. Fiona is another comedian who I have enjoyed on Australian television over the years and it was great to see an Aussie succeeding on the international comedy stage. She definitely delivered on laughs though the show was somewhat bittersweet as it was based around her recent battle with alcoholism and the impact this has had on her career and her family. From all accounts, she is on the road to recovery and still able to draw in the punters so I hope that continues for her.<br />
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Our three days on Edinburgh provided us with many laughs, rich history, a life-changing pulled pork sandwich and a definite desire to return for a longer stay in the future. I would love to spend two weeks there in a self contained apartment with a group of friends so if I can tempt anyone to join Dave and I in that plan in a few years time, do let me know!<br />
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Amazingly, our Easy Jet flight from Edinburgh to Madrid went off without a hitch (after seeing so many horror stories on that reality tv show I had my doubts!). We landed in Madrid last Monday and have been immensely enjoying our Spanish experience ever since. Despite being out of our comfort zone, we are managing to string together some pigeon Spanish and successfully order meals, board public transport and navigate our way around some very illogically mapped out streets! I will leave the tales of Espana for another day as we have a trip to Valencia beach planned this afternoon. These gloriously long hot days mean that even when you wake up at midday, there is still about 10 hours of sunlight to enjoy...it´s a tough life this holiday business :))<br />
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xxx<br />
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zanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-27661298456044141672011-08-18T00:39:00.002+10:002011-08-21T04:24:24.609+10:00ballater and beyondApologies to my avid readers (all four of you) for the delay since the last update - the mayhem and wonder of our recent travels has not allowed for leisurely internet time. Now that we have arrived in Valencia, a beautiful city which runs at a much slower pace than our previous encounters, I have hunted out a laundromat with an attached internet cafe - one of the benefits of holidaying in a university town. I am sure we will experience some wonderful history, sights and cuisine while we are in Valencia, but first, I will pick up where I last left off, with a few tales from Ballater, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.<br />
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Dave´s aunt Anne and her husband Jimmy Armstrong retired to the small country village of Ballater some four years ago. They live, together with their son Cameron, and cat Sydney, in a lovely spacious home which backs onto the village golf course. The previous use of the home as a bed and breakfast means that they can cater for many guests at the one time with each guest treated to a bedroom with golfcourse views and an ensuite - it was a very comfortable stay to say the least! On our arrival, we enjoyed a cheery few drinks with the Armstrongs and a delicious dose of north Scotland sunshine. Bill and Jean joined us for a delightful family dinner which was followed by an obligatory visit to one of the two Ballater pubs. Against my better judgment, I partook in a "turbo" shandy with Cam and Dave which is somewhat of a tradition for the cousins on the few occastions they catch up in the United Kingdom. I don´t expect Australian liquor licensing laws would allow these to be served! <br />
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Ballater is a quintessential country Scotland village with a small main street, lots of lush green spaces, old stone buildings and a exceptionally friendly atmosphere. Though with the Queen´s Balmoral estate in the neighbouring village, there are quite a few luxuries available for the locals as well. The butcher caters for the Queen when she is residing at Balmoral and consequently offers an extensive range of designer meats. The deli and bakery offerings were quite impressive too. I managed to sniff out the sole vintage shop in the village and picked up a gorgeous Beswick salt, pepper and mustard pot set which is just too cute for words! Anne tells me that Duchess Camilla recently dropped into that store on one of her recent visits to Ballater. Despite the prevalence of the Queen´s regiment around the streets during our visit, I am sorry to say Mum that I do not have any royal sightings to report. We did however, take a drive (in Jimmy´s brand new Jaguar if you don´t mind) to the surrounding villages to observe Crathie Church, Balmoral Castle and Prince Charles´ summer hideaway near South Deeside. <br />
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Unbenown to us, our vist to Ballater was exceptionally well timed as it coincided with the highland games on the Thursday. These traditional games are held at the local football fields and offer locals and visitors (from all over the globe) an entertaining day of highland dancing, pipe bands, track and field events, market stalls and LOTS of good cheer! I was most taken with the tossing of the caber which basically involved some very robust men throwing a power pole equivalent with the winner being determined by furherest distance and proximity to a 12 o´clock position. The tug of war between Scottish solidiers wasn´t bad viewing either :)<br />
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Cam, Dave and I were joined at the games by Cam´s friend Fraser (who Jimmy describes as being able to cause mayhem in an empty room) for the afternoon and evening frivolities. Needless to say, the evening turned out to be quite festive indeed! The pubs were heaving with highland games spectators and participants and throughout the night we were treated to several impromptu pipe band demonstrations in the main street. The wonderfully long nights during summer allowed us to enjoy light until almost 10pm, at which point, I pulled up stumps and allowed the boys to continue their mischief for a few more hours. The highlight of Dave´s evening was a <i>ceilah</i>, an Scottish dancing tradition, held in a local hall. I was sorry to have missed this tradition but was able to experience it, albeit in the virtual sense, the next day through Dave´s iPhone. <br />
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We farewelled the Burgh of Ballater on Friday (taking our sore heads with us) and safely navigated our way into central Edinburgh. Fortunately, the traffic was nowhere near as chaotic as that of London so we were easily able to find our very centrally located bed and breakfast down a cobbled street off the Royal Mile. After depositing the hire car (I was quite pleased to be hanging up my motorway navigating hat!) we stumbled upon a great cafe, Treacle, in the Leith area, and enjoyed a well-earned beer and some modern Scottish cafe fare. Bracing ourselves for the festival crowds we embarked on a walk down the Royal Mile which was abuzz with atmosphere and hoards of drama students touting their upcoming shows and street performers. I had been reliably informed to book a few shows in advance which proved to be a very good decision when we viewed the box office line ups! Instead, we shot straight to the pre booked tickets area, swiped our credit card and collected our tickets in a matter of minutes. It was at that point that we realised the Fringe Festival is on another level of festival coordination. To describe it as a well-oiled machine would not be giving the organisers enough credit! <br />
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The festival venues themselves, all 300 plus of them, are situated mainly in the Old Town with a smattering of venues in the more modern New Town and inner city suburbs such as Leith. We attended four stage shows and one jazz performance and really only scratched the surface - I think you would need at least a week, if not two, to completely immerse yourself in all the amazing cultural offerings of the festival.<br />
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With my washing about to finish, I will sign off here and leave the tales of our Edinburgh experience for another day. <br />
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xxx<br />
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zanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-69180526564984416402011-08-11T07:06:00.001+10:002011-08-11T07:11:24.394+10:00ayrshire adventuresThe Shepherds have a large connection with the county of Ayrshire in the Scotland lowlands - Dave's parents both grew up here, as did his grandparents. His Gran, Claire Carroll, lives in Auchinleck, once a thriving mining town, and now a quiet country town which maintains a strong village feel but sadly lacks a dominant industry which has resulted in several generations of unemployment in the area. We did notice however that the locals are endeavouring to heighten the profile of the area with the Auchinleck "alive and kicking" festival coming up in late August. It was wonderful to meet Gran and to see the brightness in her eyes when she saw Dave walk through the door after not seeing him in nearly five years - one of her first comments to him was "oh you're still gorgeous".<br />
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We stayed for two nights in the neighbouring village of Sorn, in none other than the Sorn Inn. We were the only guests at this lovely B and B and were warmly welcomed by the owners during our stay and cooked some superb food by their son, the resident chef. The restaurant itself has been the recipient of many awards and accolades and the dinner we enjoyed on Sunday night definitely lived up to expectations. Dave and his dad shared a 600g chargrilled rib eye, with homemade thrice cooked chips, which was the subject of rave reviews. My more delicate meal of poached guinea fowl with black pudding quinnelles, pea and pancetta risotto and mint foam also greatly impressed. Gran particularly enjoyed the selection of homemade icecreams and we also indulged in a treacle tart with bee pollen icecream. It was a wonderful meal with honest food, local flavours and great family company.<br />
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Bill and Jean (Dave's parents) showed us around the sights of Auchinleck on Monday, including Dumfries House and the Barony A-frame. Dumfries House, a palatial establishment, is about five minutes walk from Dave's Gran's house. It was once home to a local Baron and Baronness, but had been left derelict for years until Prince Charles put in an eleventh hour rescue bid to save the antique furniture and fittings which had been marked for sale for an auction house. It is now exceptionally well maintained by the National Trust and is one of the tourist drawcards in the Auchinleck area. The Barony A-frame marked the sight of what was previously an underground coal mine, the dominant industry of the area for several decades, and where Dave's grandfather worked in the mine rescue team for many years. <br />
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We travelled to a nearby village, Gatehead for a traditional Scottish pub dinner at the Cochrane Inn on Monday night. Dave enlived his inner Scot and enjoyed Cullen Skink for entree and Haggis Neeps and Tatties for main. In laymans' terms: smoked fish, potato and leek soup followed by spiced mince, turnips and mashed potato. <br />
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Breakfast on Tuesday at the Sorn Inn treated us to another tastebud sensation - a full Scottish breakfast for Dave including black pudding, bacon, eggs, cumberland sausages, fried bread and wild mushrooms. I opted for the porridge with Drambuie glaze which came presented with almost a creme brulee type crust, and while it was almost too decadent for a morning meal, I didn't seem to have any trouble demolishing every mouthful!<br />
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Saying farewell to Gran wasn't easy by any stretch. She looks strong and bright for age 88 but the distance between Brisbane and Auchinleck does mean the time between visits is not short. That said, phone contact will be somewhat easier now as Dave helpfully updated her speed dial telephone so we, and Dave's parents, are just a click away. <br />
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With a warm belly and a tear in the eye, we hit the road to head up to the Scottish highlands to meet up with Dave's family in Ballater. The beauty of the Burgh of Ballater will feature in the next update. <br />
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xxxzanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-65661715359869461712011-08-10T20:59:00.000+10:002011-08-10T20:59:41.267+10:00lovely lakesWe've been treated to some pretty spectacular country scenery (and cuisine!) since my last update. After we successfully navigated our way out of central London and onto the M25 (with only a few minor disagreements over eachother's sense of direction!), we had a night's stopover in Worcester to visit Dave's cousin Kirsty and her family. A home cooked meal, family company and a drink at the local pub were just what we needed after our few hectic days in London and motorway travels!<br />
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The weekend saw us head up into the Lakes District, which is even more picturesque than I expected. We reunited with Dave's parents in Kendal, one of the larger towns in the Lakes District, and thoroughly enjoyed a few catch up drinks in the very sunny hotel beer garden. I was nominated as chief itinerary planner for our weekend in the Lakes and with Bill as designated driver on Saturday, we headed into Windermere and Bowness for a ferry tour on Lake Windermere. While the clouds appeared threatening, we were fortunate enough to have the rain hold off for this very scenic tour. A few hours of sightseeing always seems to work up a good hunger so we stopped into another village, Cartmel, for lunch. This has been one of my favourite places on the trip so far, with wonderfully old stone buildings, hidden laneways and potted colour hanging baskets at the entrance to every shop. The Royal Arms Hotel cooked us up some traditional english pub fare - steak and kidney pie for Dave, game pie for KPPG - finished off with a pint in the beer garden out the back with river views. Something which continually amazes me is all the fantastic outdoor spaces at pubs and restaurants, and while we've been lucky to be here at a time of the year to take full advantage of them, there is so much of the year that would simply be too cold and miserable to use them. <br />
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Dave and his Dad required some coaxing to the next stop in the Lakes District itinerary - Beatrix Potter's house at Hawkeshead, known as Hill Top. This is where she did most of her writings and many aspects of it feature in her stories. The house itself has been incredibly well maintained by the National Trust and welcomes thousands of visitors each year. As an avid Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddleduck fan, I thoroughly enjoyed wandering around the beautifully kept gardens and exploring the rooms in the country house. Apparently, when Beatrix married she deemed the house far too small for two people (nb. it was about 3 times the size of Dave and my flat!) and they had to move to a larger abode in a nearby village.<br />
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With our trusty road atlas at the ready, we departed the Lakes District on Sunday and headed up to Scotland - Shepherd heartland! The scenery quickly changed from the leafy narrow country roads of the Lakes District to vast expanses of rolling hills of the Scottish lowlands. Much of it reminded me of scenes out of Braveheart, with the odd derelict castle dotted throughout the countryside. It appears our Scotland travels will have to be conveyed in the next instalment as Dave is hurrying me along to finish up this entry!<br />
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xxxxzanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-40573084394538785932011-08-04T20:06:00.000+10:002011-08-04T20:06:35.160+10:00hot in hoxtonLondon really turned it on for our arrival - we arrived to a 28 degree sunny day on Monday and the following two days were filled with gorgeous clear skies and summer temps. This did however mean that all the clothes i buried at the bottom of my bag in preparation for Spain's hot weather had to be retrieved a little earlier than planned! I may have also had some help from Zara and Top Shop in kitting myself out for the balmy days that ensued.<br />
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We arrived at our hotel - The Hoxton, located in the awesomely edgy area of Shoreditch, at about 5pm on Monday afternoon. A walk around the surrounding streets revealed some great bars, pubs and restaurants, with people literally spilling out onto the streets enjoying the extra hours of sunshine. I was impressed with the form of Londoners for a Monday night! On recommendation of our hotel, we stopped into a nearby restaurant, Yard, for delicious pizza (served by the yard, half yard or quarter yard) before jetlag got the better of us and we had to call it a night. <br />
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Tuesday saw us waking up refreshed and ready to explore some of London's wonderful offerings, but not before Dave had satisfied a bacon sandwich urge at the Hoxton Grill downstairs. After a very warm tube ride to Hyde Park, we decided to take in some museums. We basked in the sunshine of the inner courtyard area of the Victoria and Albert museum before moving onto the National History museum. Despite my reservations, I decided to accompany Dave to the latter and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. The Cocoon area which allows visitors view the scientists' laboratories and observe them at work and the Butterfly Garden exhibition were two highlights for me. Dave was just happy to have met his idol, Charles Darwin (albeit in marble form). <br />
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Sightseeing was followed by some retail therapy, in which Dave and I both indulged and have been trotting out our new threads ever since. There is definitely no retail crisis here! Clothes are cheap, good quality and available by the truckload. Australian outlets might need to look over here for answers before blaming the online shopping craze...<br />
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We caught up with some friends from home on Tuesday night, Shasta and Angus. We enjoyed a jug of Pimms (the quintessential London summer beverage) at Electricity Showrooms in Hoxton Square Garden, followed by dinner at a local vietnamese restaurant. It was lovely to spend time with some familiar faces after feeling very much like a tourist for the few days prior.<br />
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Maybe it was the £4 cocktails Dave and I indulged in after dinner or maybe jetlag was setting in, but we woke up a little dusty on Wednesday morning! I was determined not to let a little hangover get in the way of another gorgeously sunny day in London so we made our way to the Albion Cafe, part of the Boundary Hotel complex, in Shoreditch - its other features are a French restaurant and rooftop bar which sadly we did not get time to enjoy this time around. The tried and true remedy of bacon and egg roll and some caffeine did the trick (temporarily at least) and so we made our way onto the tube again and travelled into the Tate Modern. It truly is one of my favourite spots in London with its riverside setting and view of the millennium bridge and city centre. After taking in a few hours at the Tate, we made our way across the bridge into Covent Garden in preparation for the matinee of Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre. It was a wonderful production with some spine tingling moments, though it's hard for a sequel to live up to the enormity of an original like Phantom. <br />
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We were treated to another night out with familiar faces - some of my friends from Duchesne - Kate McFadden, Alannah Barry and Siobhan Doherty. We did what most Londoners seem to do after work and dropped into a pub and then went out for a deliciously modern Indian tapas dinner in Soho. It was fantastic to catch up with some more Brisbanites and see how much they are loving life over here<br />
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The holiday is off to a cracking start and we feel pretty lucky to have experienced the buzz of London summer over these past few days. While we could easily spend another week here (particularly at this hotel and checking out all the nooks and crannies of shoreditch) the weather has returned to its normal self, dreary and rainy, so it seems a fitting time to be moving on to our next stop. We are off to pick up the hire car and will make our way to Worcester, the Lakes District and then Scotland to see Dave's family.zanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877061584253380719.post-15502306194408725242011-07-30T19:50:00.007+10:002011-08-30T14:35:09.579+10:00the journey begins<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The much anticipated departure is nearly upon us - we fly out at 11pm tomorrow (thanks for the lift Doylie!). Hopefully Singapore Airlines lives up to all the rave reviews I've been hearing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Had to farewell Raves this morning which was a bit traumatic for all involved (or maybe just me) hopefully she enjoys her holiday at Imparra Pet Motel and does not punish me for too long when we return!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We arrive in London on Monday afternoon and have 3 nights staying at the Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch. I have heard the area is super cool so am pretty excited to check it all out. Think we'll just hang in the area after we arrive on Monday night and check out the Albion Cafe, Boundary Hotel and surrounds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bit of sightseeing is probably on the agenda while we're in old London town. Dave is desperate to see the National History Museum...we may have to part ways for a few hours while he indulges his inner-nerd! I have been given a hot shopping tip from an authoratitive source - Primark in Oxford Street so I will be definitely be hitting that up for some cheap threads along with an obligatory Zara trip. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We'll catch up with some girlfriends I went to college with on Wednesday night after spending the arvo seeing Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre in Covent Garden. A girlfriend has told me I have to check out Polpo and/or Randall & Aubin in Soho for eats and drinks so we'll try to squeeze one, if not both of them in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm hoping to have a further instalment for you before we embark on our drive up to Scotland next Thursday (don't be alarmed, Dave will be doing all the driving).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">xox</span>zanussikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043330585360400800noreply@blogger.com0