Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!

Hello Family & Friends,
Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas with your loved ones & wonderful, joyous, fun, adventurous 2009!!
Over here in the UK, its cold and making adventuring outside a hard slog! We caught up with family members & had plenty of relaxing days as well.
Our 2008 has certainly been spectacularly adventurous & busy & here's hoping the same for 09!

In Belgium...12-15Dec

Was getting restless, so it was time for a short break & we decided to visit Belgium. Also a 1st time travelling by Eurostar, which was great! Relaxing & rather civilised compared to the mad rush of an international airport! An extremely pleasant journey..

Arrived on Fri eve in Brussels and checked into the Marriot, opposite the historic La Bourse (stock exchange) built in 1873 like a greek temple. Took a stroll around Christmas markets, eating hot crepes.

We spent all Saturday walking around Brussels, seeing the sights. The Grand Place (the square) holds the major architectural buildings. Originally the houses on the square were made of wood until the French bombarded it in 1695 & flattened everything except the Hotel de Ville (the town hall). Also in the square are other amazing building like the Maison du Roi, which is now a museum, Le Renard the guild house of the haberdashers, Le Cornet very ornate the guild house of the boatmen, Maison des Brasseurs guild house of the brewers, Le Cygne the swan first a house then the guild house of butchers, then a cafe where Karl Marx held meetings of the German workers party.
Also, strolled to see the famous Manneken Pis, the bronze statue of the boy peeing!! The beautiful Galeries Royale de Saint-Hubert built in 1847, the frst shopping arcade in Europe! Walked up the hill to Rue Royale & saw the Palais Royal (C17th).

After a very long day, time to relax by watching what other than the hilarous (yet violent, serious) movie "In Bruges"; ready for tomorrow.

Sunday we caught the train to Bruges and took a leisurely stroll around the town, with its cobble streets, little shops of chocalates, lace & tapestry. Walked thru Markt (a square), saw the Belfort which has 47 carillon bells that are rung by a mechanism built in 1748. Then onto the Burg (another square) where like the Grand Place has some amazing buildings. The Stadius (town hall), the Heilig Bloedbasiliek (Holy Blood church), which contains a phial of Jesus' blood. Its the oldest building on the square & the phial is the holiest relic in Europe. Its supposed to have been given to Thierry d'Alsace by the patriach of Jerusleum during the 2nd crusade. Legend has it that it liquified every Friday, but the miracle is to have said to stopped working in the C15th. We hadnt planned it, but amazingly was there at the exact hr, the phial was being displayed for veneration, so went to check it out!
Then it was a lovely meal in a restaurant in the Burg and a walk around the pretty canals around Bruges.

Unfortunately, Monday came around too soon & it was time to be heading back home...

Hi..

Howdy all! Its been awhile. November & most of December is planned with catching up with people & getting into the Christmas spirit. Helped celebrate my uncle's 71st bday, had a lovely Xmas meal with David's work colleagues, caught up with friends who have just relocated from Aus to the UK and had my cousins & fam over to our place for a Xmas meal!! That pretty much occupied our w/e's in Nov.

December is planning to be hectic as well, with lots of catch ups & hopefully a short holiday!
I have uploaded some photos in the "family & friends" album.

'Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she will give you a baby. If you give her a house, she will give you a home. If you give her groceries, she will give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she will give you her heart.
So, if you give her any crap, be ready.'


David would say only the last line is true!! Probably cant disagree!!