Adventure of the month

Donald, our free walking tour guide Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe The French Cathedral, which sits opposite its twin, the German Cathedral in Gendarmenmarkt The Berliner Dom The Neue Synagogue Remaining piece of the Berlin Wall Site of Checkpoint Charlie The Jewish Museum View of the Brandenburg Gate taken from the top of the Reichstag On the 19th of this month, I found myself (1) still in Europe (2) with another block of days off (tough life, I know) and (3) with a last-minute opportunity to realize a long standing goal of mine. For what feels like forever, I have been trying to get to the city of Berlin. I have been packed, ready and on my way no less than four times, but fate has always managed to cruelly poo- poo my plans and send me reeling somewhere else. Based on this track record, when my friend, Diana, called to tell me that there was a cheap flight heading to Berlin in a few hours, I jumped at the chance, but inside I was cringing, awaiting the ...

The birthplace of Pablo Picasso Calle Larios: Malaga's main shopping street The Alcazaba of Malaga Roman Ampitheater dating back to the 1st century AD Lookout post from the Castle of Gibralfaro La Casa del Guardia: a wine cellar founded in 1840 and still going strong. The Episcopal Palace, now an exhibition hall With two days off, a willingness to go anywhere and a method for choosing a destination that was about as well thought out as any involving a globe and a dart, my three friends and I found ourselves bound for Malaga, Spain, the gateway for the Costa del Sol. As with most places referred to as "gateway" cities, the idea is that you enter through this um, let's just call it a gate, and promptly shut it behind you as rush on to some more exiting, more glamourous destination. Had we actually had anything that resembled a plan, I have no doubt that this would have been ours, as well. I had repeatedly been told that there was nothing to do...

Just one of hundred of photos I took of the Grand Place, the main square And yet another.. A theater known for its puppet shows I couldn't leave without seeing this guy. The Sablon church Detail from the exterior of the Sablon church The Atomium The two Belgian specialties: Chocolate and Beer, all in one bottle Busy circumstances and an infuriatingly spotty internet connection have kept me from sharing my latest adventures, but the stars have aligned just so tonight, my connection is looking strong and I am jumping at the chance to try to catch up on this blogging thing. So.....on Wednesday, June 4th, I took a bus over to Brussels. It was only 3 1/2 hours from Amsterdam and it was crazy cheap (18 euro round-trip!!), so even though I had talked to some people who were not too impressed with the city, I felt I had to see it for myself. To cut to the proverbial chase, I don't know if it was a case of low expections, randon luck, or what, but I ha...