Braving All Weather

Suddenly, there the noise abates.  Rather than the droning sound of traffic along this main artery, there is nothing more to disturb the night except for the clicking sound that the Soul Soother’s heels make.

Customer Care

People laugh and talk, hold each other tight and hurry to and from their destinations.  The few trees around us are slim shadows of their former selves, naked except for a few brown leaves desperately clinging on.  I continue my walk through Place De Brouckere in Brussels and head straight for my favourite cafe.

Male Merge

Brussels Airport has recently realised that it does not have an irritating and pointless security procedure so it made things a little worse just so the average traveller will remember that s/he is in an airport. How kind of them.

The Bleeding Obvious – Part II

A true sign of getting used to Belgium is not merely my penchant for indulging in chocolates or frites.  I have become a lot more tolerant of cooler temperatures and find myself wandering about in shirt sleeves where in previous years I may have sported a jacket. Or perhaps life in the Mediterranean does make you used to warmer weather.

Tonsorial Choices

I yawn and stretch.  It is a little windy here in St Julians, which is a sea-side town on the east coast of Malta.  We didn’t think that it made sense to try and fight the dust and wind while having a coffee so the Soul Soother and I are having breakfast inside one of the local places, not on their veranda.

What’s in a Name?

In Malta again this week.  One thing which I never fail to notice on the island is that everyone names his or her house.  It is considered odd if you do not and official forms all have a little box within which you can insert a name for the house when including your address.

Spanish Practices

At home this week.  The Grand Place, Brussels’ main square is alive with the sound of camera shutters, eager talk and the noise made by a dozen or so rowdy scouts.

Hidden Symbols

The Soul-Soother and I are in Cologne.  We deposit our luggage in the hotel and catch a tram to head straight into the centre of town.  Outside the main train station, the cathedral looms high above us, its spires piercing the clouds and fog on this cold November day.

November Update

Writing the blog and making sure that you get a couple of posts ready every week is not a simple task.  There is a reward at the end of the tunnel though, mainly from your comments and ratings which show that you appreciate the posts and stories.

I’m happy to announce that October was a bumper month for ratings – 500+ hits in a single week (a new record) and an average of 50 or so hits per day means that more and more people are signing in and reading – welcome folks!

Stepford Vikings

I step off the tram in Oslo and take a look around.  The town is coming to life and most people are, like me, on their way to work.  I am a bit anxious today as I am about to deliver a course that is new.  I hope that all has been planned for but I feel Murphy’s ghost hovering around me.