Sunday, 30 July 2006
Danes
According to a recent news article it seems like the Danes are the happiest people on the planet, not that one should put two much faith in such surveys. But being in Odense Denmark at the moment I can at least say that they are extremely polite and keep there cities a lot cleaner than the french do. Also today I did walk past 150 Danes line dancing in a park to awful yank country music. That has to require a fairly high sense of euphoria if nothing else.
Sunday, 9 July 2006
Changing of the Guard
A video of the changing of the guards at Buckingham palace.
It is a bit shaky at best but it does convey nicely the quality of the viewing location that we managed to get.
It is a bit shaky at best but it does convey nicely the quality of the viewing location that we managed to get.
Fire works
Here is a video of the fire works on last day of the Bordeaux wine festival.
It looked alot better in real life.
It looked alot better in real life.
Tuesday, 4 July 2006
Bordeaux gardens
One thing I can quite confidently say is that the Bordeaux botanic gardens are rather mediocre with most of the plants dead or dying not that I blame them with the high 30 degree temperature around here. Still some of the buildings in the gardens were rather nice.
A pretty water weed.
A pretty water weed.
Wine festival
The Bordeaux annual wine festival just happened to coincide with my work trip luckily enough.
For 12 euros you could get a glass and 12 free tastings which was more than enough to give anyone a scorching headache in the stifling heat.
The fire works at the end of the festival was by far the best that I have ever seen it went on for a good 20 minutes and was beautifully coreographed.
Ben and the festivals wine gods and godesses.
Enjoying the bounty.
For 12 euros you could get a glass and 12 free tastings which was more than enough to give anyone a scorching headache in the stifling heat.
The fire works at the end of the festival was by far the best that I have ever seen it went on for a good 20 minutes and was beautifully coreographed.
Ben and the festivals wine gods and godesses.
Enjoying the bounty.
St Emilion
Just when I thought I had seen one of the most beautiful places on earth we went on a wine tour to St Emilion. It has to be the most beautiful little village I have ever seen not that I have seen that many beautiful villages.
The main point of the visit was to tour a few vinyards which we did and I managed to find a nice sweet white at the last vinyard.
The village is surounded by endless vinyards.
Plenty of old stone relics to please the eye.
A tour of the old city led to this lovely sight.
Some lovely old windmills.
The main point of the visit was to tour a few vinyards which we did and I managed to find a nice sweet white at the last vinyard.
The village is surounded by endless vinyards.
Plenty of old stone relics to please the eye.
A tour of the old city led to this lovely sight.
Some lovely old windmills.
Group BBQ day
Despite the fact that I was yet too meet anyone in the CNRS research group we managed to get invited to the annual group BBQ.
It was very different to the average BBQ in Australia as it was a lot more relaxed affair with lunch spread across about two to three hours with a different wine served with every dish. Also there was no cricket although there was petanque. The one similarity was that one someone did rock up in there budgie smugglers.
The beach at the lake we went too, quite impressive for a man made lake.
Ben and Mark sampling the wine.
Some of the punters.
Always time too spot a critter or two.
Petanque the antipodean contingent was throughly thrashed.
It was very different to the average BBQ in Australia as it was a lot more relaxed affair with lunch spread across about two to three hours with a different wine served with every dish. Also there was no cricket although there was petanque. The one similarity was that one someone did rock up in there budgie smugglers.
The beach at the lake we went too, quite impressive for a man made lake.
Ben and Mark sampling the wine.
Some of the punters.
Always time too spot a critter or two.
Petanque the antipodean contingent was throughly thrashed.
Bordeaux
Arrived in Bordeaux on wednesday and have spent the last five days soaking up the culture of France. So far bordeaux has been fantastic with amasing architecture and glorious food apart from snails and frog legs, which I refuse to wast my taste buds on.
The only complaint would be that it is horrendously hot neerly as bad as Sydney with a 38 degree celcius day yesterday (sunday).
Here are some pictures of the sights around the streets.
The turtle, some one grafittied it after France beat Brasil in the soccer.
Inside the main cathedral.
The outside of the main cathedral.
Random archway.
Fountain with no water due to the hot weather.
Another fountain.
Self explanitory.
The only complaint would be that it is horrendously hot neerly as bad as Sydney with a 38 degree celcius day yesterday (sunday).
Here are some pictures of the sights around the streets.
The turtle, some one grafittied it after France beat Brasil in the soccer.
Inside the main cathedral.
The outside of the main cathedral.
Random archway.
Fountain with no water due to the hot weather.
Another fountain.
Self explanitory.
Saturday, 1 July 2006
Last day in London
On the last full day I had in London I decided to set out and see a few Museums. The three that I got to were the Hunterian Museum, the Science museum and the Natural History Museum. The Hunterian Museum contans lots of disected human body parts and the skeletons of a lot of people with physical disorders and isn't too bad as long as you have a relatively robust stomach. The science museum on the other hand was quite awful mainly because it was full of horrible screaming little children and most of the displays were designed to cater to that clientelle although I still learnt quite a bit during my brief visit. However, the best museum by far was the Natural History museum.
Natural History Museum.
Here a few more random photos from London.
Bird
A nice monument.
A lovely statue.
Natural History Museum.
Here a few more random photos from London.
Bird
A nice monument.
A lovely statue.
Petworth
A day trip was made to Petworth to see some of the English countryside and also Petworth House, which is an old english manor with an impressive art collection.
Petworth house, with Timi and Mark in the fore ground.
The servants kitchen which was in a different building to the main kitchen. I didn't take any photos inside the main house as photographs were not allowed but just imagine the most amasingly opulent building you have ever been in and you would not be to far off.
A pheasant that was enoying the rainy weather.
There were thousands of little frogs around one of the lakes, they were so numerous that is was a challenge to avoid crushing them.
Some fallow deer that were in the park next to the house.
Other highlights in Petworth included going to the local pub and getting a beer and beef pie and chatting to the local barmaid about the manor. It turned out that despite entry being only a few pounds she had never visited in her 30 years of living in the village, which seems to be a fairly common phenomenon among the English peasantry.
Petworth house, with Timi and Mark in the fore ground.
The servants kitchen which was in a different building to the main kitchen. I didn't take any photos inside the main house as photographs were not allowed but just imagine the most amasingly opulent building you have ever been in and you would not be to far off.
A pheasant that was enoying the rainy weather.
There were thousands of little frogs around one of the lakes, they were so numerous that is was a challenge to avoid crushing them.
Some fallow deer that were in the park next to the house.
Other highlights in Petworth included going to the local pub and getting a beer and beef pie and chatting to the local barmaid about the manor. It turned out that despite entry being only a few pounds she had never visited in her 30 years of living in the village, which seems to be a fairly common phenomenon among the English peasantry.
Wildlife in England
Managed to take a few photos while wandering around some of the parks in London. The pictures are all of birds that were seen during the week and sadly I don't know the names of most of them but I'm sure Iain will be happy to tell you what they are if need be.
Some random tern that was flying around the Princess Dianna memorial, it had a black head and white body although that would be difficult to tell from this photo.
A great crested grebe swimming in the serpentine, which is a glorified puddle in Hyde park.
Moorhen enjoying the pristine natural environment of Hyde park.
Pond scum
There were lots of ducklings and goslings about.
Action shot.
Not enough zoom.
More ducks and a swan, therewas even a black swan cruising about on the lakes near Buckingham palace.
Pretty duck.
Some random tern that was flying around the Princess Dianna memorial, it had a black head and white body although that would be difficult to tell from this photo.
A great crested grebe swimming in the serpentine, which is a glorified puddle in Hyde park.
Moorhen enjoying the pristine natural environment of Hyde park.
Pond scum
There were lots of ducklings and goslings about.
Action shot.
Not enough zoom.
More ducks and a swan, therewas even a black swan cruising about on the lakes near Buckingham palace.
Pretty duck.
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