middle name 'adventure': February 2008

What can I say about Antwerp and Amsterdam that I haven’t said about 5 times before on the blog. Both places are our all time favourites. And it sure put on a show for us over our self made long weekend. This time there was a big group of us. My brother James, Chris, Sam, Neela, Sal and Me. Sam and Neela had been over from Aus to see Sam's brothers new baby girl in Leeds. Chris and James were still over from our ski trip.
We headed off from the new Eurostar terminal at St Pancreas. It looks really good. First stop was Brussels where we switched trains to the Intercity and then off we headed to Antwerpen.
A quick dump of our bags and fly through the square past one of my most favourite churches to you guessed it.. The Kulminator. It’s the same old story. Amazing beers, quirky owners and lots of fun. I really love that place!
The next day I did my ‘tour’ of Antwerp which consists the square, the docks up to the red light area back down into the old town, over to the antique area and then off the closest bar.
We jumped onto the train to Amsterdam mid afternoon on Friday and settled into to our really cool B&B that I had booked for everyone. It was run by a gay guy and the rooms were all themed, we were in Thailand and the location was awesome! Having somewhere good to stay can really make or break a trip. We had lots of fun. Hired bikes, went to the markets, peered into the windows of the most spectacular interiors of houses you have ever seen. Its quite funny..as obviously no one is home but still they leave all there curtains open, lights on and every home looks like a gallery. Some serious style! We ate Mexican at our favourite restaurant - Café Pacifico and drank beer at the La Chouff bar. All our favourite things! If you have read in the news lately they are getting rid of all the red light windows in the old area, and from just walking around over the weekend we couldn’t believe how many had gone. They are turning them into boutique shops. So you can see where Amsterdam is heading over the next few years. To top off a great weekend the weather was so beautiful. We have been so lucky nearly every time we go away.
Not long to go now before we head off around Europe in the camper!

The crew leaving North Sheen to meet us at Eurostar

Inside the new Terminal at St Pancreas

The Grand Antwerp Central

The Cathedral of Our Lady, One of my favourite Gothic Cathedrals

Getting started on some 1997 Leffe Triple at the Kulminator

Cheers to good beers

Do I have something in my teeth??!

Some cool pics down by the docks. The Maritime museum and the Castle

Our cool B&B, Barangay. They served us the yummiest breakfast in bed! That's service!

The only way to get around Amsterdam

What a beautiful winters day by the canals!

They were celebrating Chinese new year in Dam square

Tulips!! At the floating flower market

Its nice to hang out by the windmill and the canals. Its a brewery.

All of us having a ball of a time!

I have this weird longing for the Alps. Summer or winter, the towering mountains and quaint little towns that dots them. My brother James had just spent the last month doing the same Austrian ski instructors course that I had done 8 years before and he passed with flying colours. So I had organised to meet up with him after the course with a mate of mine from home, Chris and attack one of the best skiing areas in Europe, St Anton. The area consists of 7 or so ski towns all linked to make up the Arlberg Region. As far as the snow went we managed to get a few sunny days, a few cloudy days and 3 days of powder. The snow conditions didn’t give St Anton what its most world famous for, endless off piste and back country powder runs. The weather was just all over the place causing havoc with the ski base. The Apres made up for it though!! I just think the US and Canada has the best consistent skiing in the world. Meters of powder, endless tree runs and cold cold cold. This didn’t stop us one bit from having an awesome time and attacking those mountains hard.