Arriving in Ye Olde Inne Boxxe:

Amsterdam would be Choice Nommer Een, and Madrid Numero Dos. Nothing against the Spaniardists, but both New Wife and I love Amsterdam.



In a heartbeat, baby.
Arriving in Ye Olde Inne Boxxe:

Amsterdam would be Choice Nommer Een, and Madrid Numero Dos. Nothing against the Spaniardists, but both New Wife and I love Amsterdam.



In a heartbeat, baby.
I normally look at these travel articles with a jaundiced eye, as most are just crap. But here’s one I’ll get behind, in spades:
One lake, four countries: Lake Constance is the perfect way to sample the delights of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein
…and indeed it is. We stayed in Konstanz (at the Hoel Petershof), caught the ferry over to Meersburg, and later drove along the Bodensee’s southern shore to get to Bregenz. We loved it so much that we went back to Meersburg on a later trip, and stayed here:

Here was the view:

…which you may remember as the header for someone else’s blog.
As for the streets:







Yes, that’s the family grunting its way up the steep street from the lake shore.
Come to think of it, I’d love to do a week-long tour of the Lake Constance shoreline, staying in Meersburg, Konstanz and Bregenz along the way. In one of these:

Just do it in spring or summer, because it gets pretty damn cold around the Bodensee* when the sun doesn’t shine.
*by the way, the Germans don’t call it a “sea” (as the idiot writer of the article claims). The German word “see” (pronounced zay ) means “lake”.
This is my current screen backdrop. It’s the Scottish town of Inverary, with its castle in the foreground. (right-click to embiggen)

It will come as some surprise, perhaps, to learn that because of the whole hereditary thing, some childlessness and tangled family trees, the current (and next) Duke of Argyll is South African.
Sent to me by Fiend Bastard Mr. Free Market, comes this gentle exploration of the land around The Englishman’s farm.


I need to get back there, very badly.
This arrived in my email a couple days back:

Cheap, direct flight, what’s not to like?
March in Helsinki, is what:

Pass, but thanks for the offer.
Just got back late last night from a trip out of town. Details to follow.
