Thursday, 6 June 2024

London - June 2024

Flew in from Berlin and caught the Elizabeth Line to Paddington. Close walk to Chilworth House for one night before heading home. Hotel room is very small, but fine, and location is great.

I stayed at Paddington to be near the Heathrow Express, but the Elizabeth line is half the price and only five minutes longer.

I was starving so went a nice Italian place for lasagne, then went to a cafe for coffee.

Checked in then caught the tube to Aldgate and picked up my big bag from the office and headed back to Paddington.

I had dinner in a pub nearby...

The venison was good...

Walked around the local area which is very nice...


And found some boats on canals...



Then back to hotel and to bed.

The next morning I had breakfast at a cafe overlooking the canal. It's a beautiful day...


I went into Picadilly Circus and walked down Jermyn Street looking for shirts. Didn't buy anything. It's a nice area...


Found a new Australian restuarant a short walk away and had prawn toast and a flat white...


Caught the tube back to Kensington Gardens and had a walk around. It was then a quick walk back to Paddington.

I had a massage and then caught the Elizabeth line to Heathrow. Easy check-in and found the Qantas Lounge. They have a gin bar and I was early so...



Easy fight to Singapore.





Berlin, Germany - 4 June to 6 June 2024

Today we have a tour of the Reichstag. I had a work call so went to a cafe near the Brandenburg Gate and did that. Passed a cake shop on the way...

We joined the tour and were led into the Reichstag Building from the back. Took a lift to the base of the dome and then walked to the top via a circular path...



Looking back down...



Caught the lift back down and exited this way. The German people...

Close by is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. I didn't go in, just walked around street level...


I then went for a long walk and then caught the train back. This is crossing the bridge we had walked over on the first day...


Then I went had a late lunch at a bar near the apartment. How to ruin a perfectly good BMW!


That night we went to a rooftop bar that Alex had recommended called Klunkerkrnich. All ready to go!

The bar is on top of a car park and a bit tricky to find. There was a EUR5 cover charge as they had a DJ. Great views and lovely sunset...


We left after a couple of drinks and went to find some dinner. This is walking out...

And this is from the carpark level...

On our final day we first went to a dinosaur thing that Eliza wanted to go to about a 20 minute tram ride away...

Alex and I on the tram...

In the afternoon we went to Museum Island. Random graffiti on our way to the station...

There are many impressive buildings on the island and they are mostly museums of some kind...






Afterwards, I used my coffee app to find a cafe close by...





Then we caught the train back to the apartment.

We had a nice dinner in our local area...

The next morning we got a Bolt to the airport. I was going to London on Easyjet, and the family were heading back to Sydney on Qatar. Goodbye Berlin!


 

Cheung Chau, Hong Kong - September 2026

 One day we caught the ferry to Cheung Chau. It's pretty hot. The boats in the harbour look great... It was pretty early so the cafe...