Berlin Sept 2011

Well Berlin another visit, this time for 4 days,

Alexanderplatz tv tower was very good for the view and restaurant, the olympic stadium is amazing well worth the visit, the brandenburg gate climbing that statute that is in "far away so close" tested the hamstrings but worth it for the view.

This time I didn't hire a bike nor do the segway tour, due to my fractured hand, which took the polices' attention when we wandered into an SPD rally in Potsdamerplatz, where i had some top notch currywurst.

Museum Island, the Catherdral, humbolt univeristy, cool buildings on the eastern side, and funny pedestrian crossing lights...

Funny to see eamo get addicted to Currywurst, which I understand... Staying at checkpoint charlie, just near a Ubann station, and the 3 day pass was great value for such an efficient public transport system.. even our chase scene efforts to just make the flight were facilitated by german efficiency...

It is perhaps my favourite or second favourite city, and I didn't get to do all the things i had planned... so next time

Surfing in Bundoran

Went for a weekend trip with Ivan and gang to Bundoran, Co. Donegal for some attempts at surfing. I must say I was impressed by the surf n turf guys and the set up they had(good to have a cuppa and biscuit after a few hours out), if only my surfing was half as good.

The journey up we went via cavan and enniskillen, which seemed shorter even if the change from km/ph to mph was strange to adjust back and forth going through fermanagh.

Saturday weather was good, and rossnowlagh seemed a good spot, the rain on sunday initially dampened our spirits but once suited and out it was fine. The BBQ on saturday night was a bit of a laugh, and then the night in bally shannon was hectic, good to see Ireland win versus Macedonia.

looking forward to the next time.

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Ski Trip 2011 -Saalbach, Austria

Saalbach was so good last year we went again this year, again with Ivans crew. The quick summary of this trip is that it was excellent (even if not as good as the previous year). Three sunny days, then three snowy days, ok the hotel wasn't as good as last years Pension, and ok we didn't have the 2 days guided skiing but none the less it was brilliant.
The grumpy taxi driver initially dampened our expectations!
The first few days the sun was showing up the lack of snow so far this year, but on Wednesday they really piled it up with the cannons as well.

Thankfully no mishaps, the Hinterhaglm was again cringeworthily entertaining... a good laugh Josef und Josef...."allo", the Goat stall in hinterglem wasn't as good as i was led to believe. None the less the classic apres ski songs still invade your consciousness. My new blue ski jacket seemed to be the fashionable choice since i kept seeing similar ones, and the others kept mistaking people for me.
This year we made the tobaganning night going up on the piste maker, to a restaurant in the hills and tobaganning down, great fun an added bonus.
Meanwhile back at home the government was collapsing..
The cherry on top of the cake, was the last days skiing where we went to the far end of the resort, to the high point, and skied all the way back across to hinterglem, the skiing was excellent, and the posers we are meant we videoed some of it. Racing down as fast as we could to get one last gondola up as high as we could to drain the last bit of skiing out of the day and holiday as we could.
Always a pleasure to remove ski boots the final time on a holiday but a great one it was.
The classic apres ski songs were about again especially Peter Wackel - Joana