The UK has been in the grip of a cold spell for the last couple of days. We were stuck in Staffordshire at the weekend, although we managed to get some walks over the chase with the dogs which they loved of course...
I've also got the week off work this week so today I thought I'd do the 9 mile route through Radlett & Aldenham. It was pretty slippy when I started out but was melting by the time I came back.
12.96 Km's = 2hours & 10 minutes, 607 calories
This week I've been in the Czech Republic undergoing some technical training from one of our channel partners. I flew out of Heathrow on Tuesday, catching a BA flight to Prague airport. A quick taxi ride to the hotel - the Diplomat and I was settled.
Training was intensive then for the next three days. On the first evening we went on a historic tram (1915) ride into the city centre. We then ate at the Pilsner restaurant in the old Municipal House. This was a really typical Czech meal - dumplings, pork etc.
The second night we stayed in the hotel, but the third (and last night) we ate out again...unfortunately I can't remember the name...I'll add it if it comes to me...this was a really nice place with hors d'oeuvres, champagne, gas heaters and a beautiful meal.
The following day, I travelled back to the UK around lunch time, arriving in Heathrow about 13:00.
This year's New Years Eve we were invited to Matt & Alex's flat in Borough, London. We headed over there ar ound 18:30 and spent a very pleasant (and drunk) evening watching 2009 in with the aid of Boris and his fireworks.
We were worried about returning but there was loads of trains...most of them full of very tired people like SJ and I!
Pizza from Domino's for tea...perfect day really!
We broke up from work on Xmas Eve and then...10 days off! Yay!
We cooked dinner for 10 on Xmas Day...very stressful, particularly for SJ, however we battle through. It was really nice, salmon starter, soup, turkey (obviously), veggies, potatoes, loads of desserts and enough alcohol to sink a battleship!
SJ and I decided to buy each other a Nintendo Wii - its's fantastic! Really good fun. We bought the Wii Fit to go with it as well so let's see if we can get fitter!
Did the usual stuff over Xmas - saw family, walked dogs etc, etc. We came back down to Radlett a couple of days before New Years Eve as we were heading into London for NYE.
We went to watch Oliver on Friday night. This was the opening Friday as it was cancelled the week before. It stars Rowan Atkinson as Fagan and Nancy was decided via a public vote on a talent show. It was pretty good, the sets were amazing, however the real star of the show was The Artful Dodger - fantastic performance!!
We had a meal out at one of the West End restaurants beforehand (can't remember which one) but it was OK...nothing special but OK...
We have a travel restriction on with work at the moment which means we're having to be a little creative in terms of how we get around. I had to travel up to Scotland this week and normally I would fly. This time however, I thought I'd try the train and was really pleasantly surprised! I caught the National Express train from King Cross to Edinburgh which took about 4 hours or so. We then went up to Aberdeen, did our talk and then stayed over in Inverrurie. The following day, we headed north to Elgin. Diageo are building a new distillery at Roseisle in whch some of our equipment was being used. Impressive site I must say very hi-tech.
So, for SJ's birthday, I booked the Eurostar to Bruges for a couple of nights. This was somewhere we'd both wanted to go since seeing the film - In Bruges. The trip itself was really simple, train to St Pancras, change on to Eurostar, then change at Brussels to a local train to Bruges and that was it!
Bruges is a beautiful city...just like being in a fairytale...we stayed in the Hotel de Tuilerieen and what a hotel! Its rated as one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and was the place Colin Farrell et al stayed in when they were filming In Bruges!
The first night we ate at the No. 1 rated restaurant in Bruges - Rock Fort...absolutely fantastic...second night was Pieter Pourbus, again a fantastic meal and the second highest rated restaurant in Bruges. We ate Turbot for the first time and it was amazing...
We had to do an exhibition this week in Teeside - I won't name the hotel other than to say it was worse than Hi-de-Hi! A terrible place with even a "Sun Lounge"...dreadful, truly dreadful...
