After a wonderful two months in Europe I’m back in Australia. It’s lovely to be sleeping in my own bed. I could have done without the 40-degree temperature turnaround and the jetlag.
In terms of intent it was mission accomplished. I spent quality time with good friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen for over a decade. I read a lot and got some writing done. Europe also has quite good galleries, beer, architecture and culture – who knew? Continue reading Goodbye to Berlin
The penultimate leg of my European odyssey was involved catching up with good friends I made when I lived in the Czech Republic, back in 2004-05. Continue reading Vienna, Brno and Olomouc (January 2016)
On Tuesday 29 December I attended a lecture in the plenary hall of the German parliament – the Bundestag (the Reichstag is the name of the building – we’ll get to that later). These lectures are free, they happen on Tuesdays at 11.00am, and you really have to book ahead.
You won’t be disappointed. Visiting the Reichstag Building is a Berlin must. The two hours or so you spend here will give you an excellent sense of the history of Germany, from the days of the Holy Roman Empire up until today. Continue reading Germany’s Reichstag and Bundestag
After Amsterdam I got the train back to Berlin to spend the holiday period with the friends I stayed with in November when I arrived in Europe. Continue reading Berlin (Dec 15 – Jan 16)
Tucked between the Humboldt University of Berlin and the Zeughaus 17th Century German History Museum on Unter den Linden, Berlin’s Neue Wache (New Guardhouse) serves as the Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Victims of War and Tyranny. Continue reading Neue Wache Memorial to the Victims of War and Tyranny
I’m in Bar Bukowski, an Amsterdam watering hole in the hip Oost area, inspired by American author Henry Charles Bukowski.
Three nights in Amsterdam in early December 2015. I travelled there by boat from London and three days later got on the train to head back to Berlin. Continue reading Amsterdam, December 2015
Returning to London has been an interesting experience. I lived here from 2001 to 2004, mainly in SW1 around Westminster and Pimlico, but also in Wimbledon and Worcester Park for a time. This time I’ve stayed with some friends from Sydney who are living in E3, Bow, a part of London which i had never been to before. Continue reading London, December 2015
In Paris I’m staying at the place of an old uni friend of mine, using the time and opportunity to get some quality research and writing done. Having been here a decade ago, I didn’t feel the urgent need to run around and do absolutely everything. Of course, I had to take advantage of some of the amazing things that the city has to offer. Continue reading Paris 2015
On my way from Berlin to Paris I stayed overnight in Bonn, kindly hosted by a friend’s son and his partner. I flew from Berlin to Cologne, had a look around and then went down to Bonn for the evening before jumping on the train to Paris. Continue reading Köln (Cologne) & Bonn, November 2015