Saturday 28 June 2008

Today we had tickets to the outdoor festival concert in Hyde Park, Hard Rock Calling.

Since Amy is officially on the injured reserve list, I had to attend on my own, but did get to see John Mayer, Sheryl Crow and Eric Clapton, three performers, that until yesterday had never seen live.

Mayer and Clapton didn't disappoint with their bluesy offerings. Sheryl Crow... not so much.

Saturday through Sunday 14-22 June 2008

Almost forgot.

Did I mention the sunsets?

Saturday through Sunday 14-22 June 2008

Santorini

Known for its brilliant sunset views and blue domed churches, this collapsed volcanic caldera didn’t disappoint. Every turn was as if you were looking at a postcard. And let me answer this straight away. NO… Amy did NOT ride a donkey.

We visited traditional Santorini villages, got a panoramic view of the island from the monastery of Prophet Elias, sunned at the black sand beaches of Kamari, tasted wine at a local winery, and meandered our way through the labyrinth of narrow streets in search of the perfect beer.

We experienced the town of Oia, which some say has the best sunsets in the world, but it was its cliff-side townscape that struck us as the most beautiful.



Before visiting Oia, I had the opportunity to explore two small villages, Pyrgos and Megalochori where I was in my element armed with my camera and lots of free time.

Saturday through Sunday 14-22 June 2008

Mykonos:

In Greek means: This Doesn’t Suck.

Three of our days were spent on the aquamarine shores of the Aegean Sea at the cosmopolitan island of Mykonos. Beaches, sunsets and rum drinks were the order of the day. Although… there IS a rumour that one of us may have partook in just one too many of those rum drinks.

Two of Mykonos’ most recognizable landmarks are its windmills, that date back to the 16th century and Little Venice, where we enjoyed an excellent sunset dinner one evening.



Of course, there are the churches of Panagia Parapotiani and St. Nicholas, and who am I to pass up a photo opportunity?

While Amy became great friends with Lynda’s recommended jeweler, I took a ½ day excursion out to the sacred island of Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.

Saturday through Sunday 14-22 June 2008

Athens:

We toured some of the ancient sites of the Greek empire.

We shopped throughout the Plaka district.

We experienced the nightlife of the hidden gem that is the Psiri area.

Yes… we squeezed a LOT into our two days in Athens.



One can’t visit Athens without going to the Acropolis and the Parthenon. For those that are unaware: The Parthenon is the Athenean temple located ON the Acropolis, which is the high fortified area of many ancient Greek cities.

The temple to honor the city’s namesake, Athena overlooks the area and dates back to the 5th century BC. Truly one of those iconic sites I so enjoy visiting up close.

I also made a quick visit to the remains of the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch with a perfectly timed opportunity to see the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.


Amy and I also took a half day excursion out to Cape Sounion, which is the southernmost part of mainland Greece. Perched high on the headland overlooking the realm is the site of remains of the Temple of Poseidon.

Saturday through Sunday 14-22 June 2008

Greece is the word…

One of the “Top Three” places to visit (well… Amy has more than three) once we took this European assignment has always been Greece. We can now cross that off of our list as we decided to take an organized tour that included Athens and the islands of Mykonos and Santorini.

We had an outstanding tour director in Lynda, who not only led us to some historic and scenic sites, but also made sure we had several opportunities to sample Greek cuisine and… um… nightlife.

I've decided it best to break up our trip into separate posts as I DO have to sift through almost 600 pictures. Digital cameras are our friends.

Stay tuned for more Greecian updates coming to a blog near you.

Thursday 12 June 2008

I’ve been derelict in my duties of keeping my pub visits up to date. Only 27 more required to reach a total of 150 unique visits. Are 200 out of the question before our return? Is that a challenge?

Below are the most recent visits, and as always, the comprehensive list can be found by following the link on the right of the blog.

Cheers!!

114. The Bridge House: Canal-side pub near Paddington. Gastro-pubbish on the inside, but outside seating on a nice day has potential.
115. The Mitre: Wide open two bar Victorian pub with some nice cut glass panels. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it down to the “Cellar Bar”, but still an nice place.
116. The Victoria:Great Place!! Corner pub. Cool clock above a mirror backed bar dating back to 1864. Upstairs rooms are pretty cool as well. Mind the influx of roller bladers near closing time.
117. The Elgin:Large corner pub in Notting Hill. Built in 1860 most of its interior has unfortunately been “modernized”. BUT… go to the back saloon section where the original tiling and etched glass still remain.
118. The Anchor Inn:(Cowes, Isle of Wight) An 18th century coaches inn that still offers accommodations. Lovely bar area, but very modernized interior. Excellent food however, and the local ale (Fuddle De Dum) was SUPERB!!!
119. The Grapes:(Oxford) Very narrow traditional Victorian boozer with paneled booths. Dark wood walls were adorned with local theatre posters.
120. The Kings Arms:(Oxford) Another historic Oxford pub established as a coaching house in 1607. Rambling collection of odd shaped rooms and small bars added to the quirkiness of the obvious “Uni” atmosphere.
121. The Turf Tavern:(Oxford) Considered Oxford’s best know pub located down a winding alleyway. Pub itself dates back to 1200’s and is a tiny, TINY place that I could not allow me to stand upright. Surrounded by several beer gardens, it was a shame that the house ale was absolute CRAP.
122. The Bear:(Oxford) Reported to be the oldest pub in Oxford. Present building dates back to 1770. We sat outside as it was quite warm, but the inside displays several thousand ties on its walls. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed.
123. The Vines:(Liverpool) Built in 1867 and now a listed building. EXCELLENT paneled booths and ornate wood sculptures. Several different rooms including a full dining hall that included etched glass windows and plaster reliefs along the ceiling.
124. The Philharmonic:(Liverpool) Widely regarded as the most ornate pub in ALL of the U.K. and I just might have to agree. Grand rooms with detailed reliefs and stained glass windows highlight this extraordinary Victorian palace. One of the best pubs I’ve visited.
125. The Princess Louise: A must see!! A completely restored Victorian pub dating back to 1872, one could actually get lost in its unique maze of paneled enclosures and connecting rooms. Every wall is covered with intricate tiling and etched mirrors, and don’t forget to check out the gents’ toilets. If you’re a gent that is.
126. Cittie of Yorke : A very unique place. The rear bar resembles a Tudor style dining hall. A long bar traverses one wall as the other is occupied by small cubicles. Rebuilt in the 1920’s a pub has been on this sight since the 15th century.
127. The Lamb: Nothing special on the outside, but this traditional still maintains its original tiled walls. The bar still has the original “snob screens”. Not special, but still interesting.

Saturday 31 May 2008

Tonight we had tickets to see Bruce Springsteen at Emirates Stadium. The large stadium venue took away some of the intimacy his shows tend to have, but regardless it was a toe-tapping fun evening.

Ok…ok… I did sing… a little.

I was VERY happy with his ever changing playlist which included, “Growing Up”, “She’s the One” and, of course, “Jungleland”. “Because the Night” was a very welcomed added bonus. While Amy also enjoyed the show she left just a tad disappointed as her favourite, “Thunder Road” wasn’t included.

All in all it was a great show and it never hurts attending a concert where we don’t skew the age demographic.