Wow, well yet again, it's been a while since I've posted a blog. But just so you all know, I have been working on a few blog posts so there will be plenty to come! I started writing this one over a month ago, so I guess I'll begin there...
The holiday season is an easy benchmark to step back and reflect on the previous year. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend the past year in Europe taking advantage of the opportunity I have been given. I’ve been in London for 19 months now and it’s beginning to feel like more of a home than a vacation. Regardless, it’s always important to take advantage of your surroundings instead of take it for granted. This last month has been an excellent time to explore what London has to offer. With that said, Nat and I planned to take a weekend break to Brugge before we went our separate ways for Christmas. Unfortunately, Eurostar (the train provider for all trains through the chunnel to Europe) had a different plan...
Pics Here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bribergey/Wales?feat=directlink
Amidst the constant barrage of mince pies and holiday parties, Nat and I spent some time in London during the past month exploring the Christmas festivities. Our stops included the lively Borough Market, a Cologne-style Christmas market on the Southbank, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, and the classy shopping district of Oxford Street. I could write a separate blog just about these, but have decided to focus this blog on the final weekend I spent in the UK during 2009.
To top the excitement we all had after our final Friday in the office, Nat and I had planned a 3 day trip to Belgium to see the sights of Brugge and Belgium. We hoped to explore the Christmas Markets and feast on endless amounts of chocolate, waffles, beer, and Brussel Sprouts. Unfortunately, for the first time in it's existence, Eurostar shut down for 4 days due to a number of trains that got stuck in the tunnel under the English Channel. Apparently the final cause was that the extreme contrast of the bitter cold above ground and the warmer temperatures in the chunnel caused an engineering malfunction, which at one point trapped a train and it's passengers in the tunnel for over 10 hours without food, water or decent air. Luckily we weren't on that train, but regardless we found out our trip was canceled only hours before we were supposed to leave. Therefore, we had three entire days to kill before I left for the States and Nat left for Wales to meet her family.
Nat's family rents a house in Wales for a week each Christmas so they all have a nice large place to spend some time together outside of London. Although Nat wasn't planning on arriving until Christmas Eve, her family was leaving the Sunday before. So we decided to do the same and stay for one night before heading back to London to catch my flight. Nat and I left Sunday morning and took a slight detour on our way through what's called the Cotswolds.
The Cotswolds is a large area of small, quaint villages. When you think of classic and traditional England, this is what you have in mind. Villages full of thatched roofs, small one-laned roads winding through the rolling countryside, and friendly people having an afternoon stroll. Getting out in the "wild" is a bit different in England than it would be in Colorado or Oregon, but it doesn't mean it's any worse. Here, it means that you wind through a country lane for 10 minutes before you run in to the next village, which may only consist of a few houses and a small stream. It means seeing sheep grazing on a hillside and a red telephone booth sitting in a turnout on the road. It means waving at the drivers who stop to make room on the road and smoking chimneys filling the cold air with winter. It's a really nice area to see and every turn brings in a new sight to see.
We made our way through a few villages highlighted in a book I had, and wound our way through the countryside between each of them, eventually making our way to the Welsh border and towards the house Nat's family had rented. We eventually made our way through a one-laned dirt track to the house after dark, and I was immediately impressed by the old, stone house that looked like it could have stood centuries ago. I didn't realize how amazing it was until the next morning. Surprisingly, we woke up to a few inches of snow which covered the countryside and the large valley that sat in full view in front of the house. There was a small, ancient church that incorporated itself into the view as if it were built for that purpose. The house itself was amazing; a large two story house framed and sided entirely with stone. We spent the morning walking around the small-laned roads and visiting the church and it's small grounds which is open at all times. It was really something to be in the true Welsh countryside where a church hundreds of years old is left open and neighbors wheel around gravel to shovel on the snowy roads. It's as if traditions from ages ago are still practiced today.
Since Nat and I had to head back to London, we left later that morning, picked up some food in the nearby town, and headed toward Brecon Beacons National Park nearby. I had read about the park in some of my hiking magazines and have been wanting to check it out for quite a while. Unfortunately, the daylight quickly slipped by us and the conditions in the "mountains" were very snowy, but we did get out and walk around the highest trailhead in the area. Although it was foggy and snowy, I was very impressed by the ruggedness and size of the beacons as they rise from the valleys below. Some of the pictures are quite impressive!
After dark we finally headed back to London, and what a journey it was! What should have been a drive under three hours took nearly 8 due to the snow along the way. To make matters worse, we tried our luck off of the motorway and soon learned it was a complete mistake. We passed roads that were impassable and traffic even worse than what was on the motorway. An hour later, we joined the highway only one exit past where we got off. We eventually made it in to London and my flight left the next morning for the States, although it was delayed.
We have rebooked our trip to Brugge for Valentines weekend, so stay tuned to hear about that!
12.04.2009
Another year, Another Holiday Season
That's right...my second Thanksgiving in the UK has now passed, and it was certainly one to remember. In similar fashion to last year, some American buddies and I cooked up a huge feast for our friends. We built on our theme last year of strictly traditional American food by stepping it up a bit. With a slightly smaller group, we were able to be less overwhelmed with the quantity of food and focused more on the recipes.
Pics Here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bribergey/Thanksgiving2009?feat=directlink
I decided to host the event this year, which was great as my flat has room to entertain and a large kitchen space to cook in. My colleague Ellen and I worked from home, which allowed us to start cooking around noon until the guests showed up around 6. Even though the dinner wasn't ready until after 8pm, everyone had a great time eating snacks and drinks that we asked everyone to bring. The night's menu consisted of the following:
- 22 lb Turkey roasted in sage, thyme & rosemary butter and root vegetables
- Big B's Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade Creamed Corn with fresh cream and parmesan cheese
- Candied Yam & Apple Bake
- Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing
- Green Bean Casserole with french fried onions
- Brussel Sprouts with cream and bacon
- Cranberry Sauce with fresh cranberries, pecans and peaches
- Turkey Gravy made from giblets
- Dinner Rolls
- 2 Pumpkin Pies
- 2 Pecan Pies
We had about 15 people to feed and the best part was that we didn't run out of anything!
Without the Thanksgiving holiday, there is really no boundary for Christmas cheer in Londontown. Street decorations, shops and commercials have been in full swing for weeks already. I'll be spending these last couple weeks trying to enjoy the sights and sounds that provide the Christmas cheer around London. Stay tuned to see them yourself!
Finally, with the holidays approaching, I'll be doing some traveling to spend time with family and friends. First, I'll be heading to Brugge, Belgium for a long weekend with Nat. The day after our return to London, I'll leave for Oregon and will be there the 22nd until the 30th of December. Then I'll be in Amsterdam/Holland to celebrate the New Year with some of Nat's family. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season and eats a lot of food. Merry Christmas!
Pics Here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bribergey/Thanksgiving2009?feat=directlink
I decided to host the event this year, which was great as my flat has room to entertain and a large kitchen space to cook in. My colleague Ellen and I worked from home, which allowed us to start cooking around noon until the guests showed up around 6. Even though the dinner wasn't ready until after 8pm, everyone had a great time eating snacks and drinks that we asked everyone to bring. The night's menu consisted of the following:
- 22 lb Turkey roasted in sage, thyme & rosemary butter and root vegetables
- Big B's Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade Creamed Corn with fresh cream and parmesan cheese
- Candied Yam & Apple Bake
- Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing
- Green Bean Casserole with french fried onions
- Brussel Sprouts with cream and bacon
- Cranberry Sauce with fresh cranberries, pecans and peaches
- Turkey Gravy made from giblets
- Dinner Rolls
- 2 Pumpkin Pies
- 2 Pecan Pies
We had about 15 people to feed and the best part was that we didn't run out of anything!
Without the Thanksgiving holiday, there is really no boundary for Christmas cheer in Londontown. Street decorations, shops and commercials have been in full swing for weeks already. I'll be spending these last couple weeks trying to enjoy the sights and sounds that provide the Christmas cheer around London. Stay tuned to see them yourself!
Finally, with the holidays approaching, I'll be doing some traveling to spend time with family and friends. First, I'll be heading to Brugge, Belgium for a long weekend with Nat. The day after our return to London, I'll leave for Oregon and will be there the 22nd until the 30th of December. Then I'll be in Amsterdam/Holland to celebrate the New Year with some of Nat's family. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season and eats a lot of food. Merry Christmas!
11.13.2009
Bath, Somerset
Well hello there. It's been a while, a long while, and for that I apologize. I have missed writing in this blog and I am here to assure you that I have not dissapeared and that I will not stop. As I'm sure you're aware, it's been a busy summer. And I guess Summer is a pretty loose term because in reality I mean the last 6 months or so. I've set my expectations too high, I think, by planning on writing about each adventure I've had over the last few months. So in the interest of reviving this blog, and keeping it going with strength and vigor, I have decided to scrap that idea and start fresh. For those of you that have access to Facebook, you have at least seen pictures of everything I've been up to. And for those of you that don't, well then just ask if you'd like to hear more about it! So with all of that said...
Click here to see pics: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bribergey/Bath?feat=directlink
I recently took a surprise weekend trip to the town of Bath, located in the county of Somerset about 100 miles west of London. I say surprise, because I surprised my girlfriend for our 6 month anniversary. Bath is a beautiful town with history that goes back as far as 43AD. This is because it was originally settled by Romans who found it's natural hot springs, the only ones in the United Kingdom, to be something from the Gods. The town of 83k is nestled in a small valley surrounded by hills and is home to a World Heritage Site, the River Avon and a university.
We arrived in Bath on Saturday afternoon and checked in to our B&B which sat just across the river from the center of town. We dropped off our bags in the room and ventured out by foot to explore the city. We decided our first stop would be for some food, and I had read about a place that serves an excellent afternoon tea. Now for those of you that don't know, tea doesn't necessarily just mean tea. A traditional Cream Tea, for example, is a scone served with clotted cream and jam, often some fruit and a pot of tea. It can also consist of small sandwiches, a variety of scones, and cakes. The place I read about was the Jane Austen Center, which was a bit awkward at first. Most of you probably know who Jane Austen is (think Pride and Predjudice), so imagine the two of us walking into a tea shop on the top level of her museum. It was filled with a lot of ladies, most of them older than our combined ages. But I have to say the food, and tea, was excellent. I ordered the "Ladies Afternoon Tea" after Nat refused to order it for me. It consisted of small cheese and cucumber sandwiches and a scone with Strawberry jam and clotted cream. And a huge pot of Earl Gray.
We then spent the afternoon exploring the center. Bath is a city like no other in England. It's the first place I've been in England where with every corner I turned, I wanted to take another picture. It was as if I was somewhere abroad in Europe with it's unique architecture, winding cobblestone streets, and a history rich with a variety of influences. The high street shops were masked by a look and feel that matched the rest of the buildings and the streets were full of market stalls and tourists enjoying the rain-free afternoon. After an afternoon of sight-seeing and shopping, we decided to settle in for a snack and a drink before heading up to the University to watch the Bonfire Night fireworks. Bonfire night, or Guy Fawkes Night, is an annual celebration that marks the anniversary Guy Fawkes tried to blow up The Houses of Parliament (Big Ben). If you've seen V for Vendetta, that's pretty much the story. The tradition is to gather around a huge bonfire and light a bunch of fireworks. Personally, I'm not really sure if they are celebrating the fact that he should have blown up, or did not blow up Big Ben, but I love fireworks so I'm happy.
The next morning, we woke up to a wonderful full English breakfast at our B&B. The Full English never lets me down and always starts the day off right, even if it is the best part of your entire caloric intake for a normal day. After breakfast, we walked back to the center of town with our swimsuits in hand. Along with the historic Roman Baths, Bath offers a large spa that uses water from the natural springs. The Thermae spa includes a rooftop pool, a large indoor pool and 4 scented steam rooms. Both of the pools were quite warm and the steam rooms varied in temperature and "flavor." Surprisingly, my favorite part of the entire morning was the mint steamroom. It was like the Mint Room at the Celestial Seasonings Tea tour in Boulder, but hot and steamy. I didn't want to leave!
After our relaxing two hour spa session, we took a tour of the Roman Baths. I was amazed at how ancient and well preserved the baths were. Our audio guide told us (as we were shown) the progression of the baths over the several hundred years the Romans inhabited the area. We were also able to view all of the baths and see how they were connected by channels, tunnels and drainage ditches constructed by Roman engineers. Only a fraction of the entire Roman Baths complex has been excavated because the city was built on top a lot of it. It's amazing how intellegant the Romans were when building the vast system of pools, baths and heat/steam rooms. I found it very interesting how the current street level is an entire story above where the street level used to be when the baths were constructed.
After grabbing a quick snack, we headed a quick mile out of town to Prior Park. The Park is a National Trust site that sits on a hill overlooking the entire valley and city. It displays beautiful gardens, woodlands and a small trail system through and around the park. It also has a small lake at the bottom of the park with a ornamental Palladian bridge, one of only four in the world. Although the weather was quite cold and cloudy, it was still a short side trip well worth a visit! But to warm up, we decided to head back into town for a hearty meal before going back to London. While waiting for the pub I had read about to open for dinner, we explored a different part of the center that included the Royal Crescent. It's a large row of flats built into a half-circle and faces a large park. It looks surprisingly quite impressive!
At 6pm, the Raven Pub finally opened and they are known for their amazing pies. And when I say pies, I mean the meat variety...not the dessert! I ordered a Steak & Ale pie with a unique addition of chorizo and butter beans. It was delicious and served with a nice helping of mashed potato. And of course the meal wasn't complete without a pint of beer brewed in-house and a Sticky Toffee Putting with ice cream for dessert!
Click here to see pics: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bribergey/Bath?feat=directlink
I recently took a surprise weekend trip to the town of Bath, located in the county of Somerset about 100 miles west of London. I say surprise, because I surprised my girlfriend for our 6 month anniversary. Bath is a beautiful town with history that goes back as far as 43AD. This is because it was originally settled by Romans who found it's natural hot springs, the only ones in the United Kingdom, to be something from the Gods. The town of 83k is nestled in a small valley surrounded by hills and is home to a World Heritage Site, the River Avon and a university.
We arrived in Bath on Saturday afternoon and checked in to our B&B which sat just across the river from the center of town. We dropped off our bags in the room and ventured out by foot to explore the city. We decided our first stop would be for some food, and I had read about a place that serves an excellent afternoon tea. Now for those of you that don't know, tea doesn't necessarily just mean tea. A traditional Cream Tea, for example, is a scone served with clotted cream and jam, often some fruit and a pot of tea. It can also consist of small sandwiches, a variety of scones, and cakes. The place I read about was the Jane Austen Center, which was a bit awkward at first. Most of you probably know who Jane Austen is (think Pride and Predjudice), so imagine the two of us walking into a tea shop on the top level of her museum. It was filled with a lot of ladies, most of them older than our combined ages. But I have to say the food, and tea, was excellent. I ordered the "Ladies Afternoon Tea" after Nat refused to order it for me. It consisted of small cheese and cucumber sandwiches and a scone with Strawberry jam and clotted cream. And a huge pot of Earl Gray.
We then spent the afternoon exploring the center. Bath is a city like no other in England. It's the first place I've been in England where with every corner I turned, I wanted to take another picture. It was as if I was somewhere abroad in Europe with it's unique architecture, winding cobblestone streets, and a history rich with a variety of influences. The high street shops were masked by a look and feel that matched the rest of the buildings and the streets were full of market stalls and tourists enjoying the rain-free afternoon. After an afternoon of sight-seeing and shopping, we decided to settle in for a snack and a drink before heading up to the University to watch the Bonfire Night fireworks. Bonfire night, or Guy Fawkes Night, is an annual celebration that marks the anniversary Guy Fawkes tried to blow up The Houses of Parliament (Big Ben). If you've seen V for Vendetta, that's pretty much the story. The tradition is to gather around a huge bonfire and light a bunch of fireworks. Personally, I'm not really sure if they are celebrating the fact that he should have blown up, or did not blow up Big Ben, but I love fireworks so I'm happy.
The next morning, we woke up to a wonderful full English breakfast at our B&B. The Full English never lets me down and always starts the day off right, even if it is the best part of your entire caloric intake for a normal day. After breakfast, we walked back to the center of town with our swimsuits in hand. Along with the historic Roman Baths, Bath offers a large spa that uses water from the natural springs. The Thermae spa includes a rooftop pool, a large indoor pool and 4 scented steam rooms. Both of the pools were quite warm and the steam rooms varied in temperature and "flavor." Surprisingly, my favorite part of the entire morning was the mint steamroom. It was like the Mint Room at the Celestial Seasonings Tea tour in Boulder, but hot and steamy. I didn't want to leave!
After our relaxing two hour spa session, we took a tour of the Roman Baths. I was amazed at how ancient and well preserved the baths were. Our audio guide told us (as we were shown) the progression of the baths over the several hundred years the Romans inhabited the area. We were also able to view all of the baths and see how they were connected by channels, tunnels and drainage ditches constructed by Roman engineers. Only a fraction of the entire Roman Baths complex has been excavated because the city was built on top a lot of it. It's amazing how intellegant the Romans were when building the vast system of pools, baths and heat/steam rooms. I found it very interesting how the current street level is an entire story above where the street level used to be when the baths were constructed.
After grabbing a quick snack, we headed a quick mile out of town to Prior Park. The Park is a National Trust site that sits on a hill overlooking the entire valley and city. It displays beautiful gardens, woodlands and a small trail system through and around the park. It also has a small lake at the bottom of the park with a ornamental Palladian bridge, one of only four in the world. Although the weather was quite cold and cloudy, it was still a short side trip well worth a visit! But to warm up, we decided to head back into town for a hearty meal before going back to London. While waiting for the pub I had read about to open for dinner, we explored a different part of the center that included the Royal Crescent. It's a large row of flats built into a half-circle and faces a large park. It looks surprisingly quite impressive!
At 6pm, the Raven Pub finally opened and they are known for their amazing pies. And when I say pies, I mean the meat variety...not the dessert! I ordered a Steak & Ale pie with a unique addition of chorizo and butter beans. It was delicious and served with a nice helping of mashed potato. And of course the meal wasn't complete without a pint of beer brewed in-house and a Sticky Toffee Putting with ice cream for dessert!
8.14.2009
An English Summer
Whoa, it's been a really long time since I've posted on here. My goal was to not turn into one of those distant bloggers that slowly disappeared off the face of the earth. But it looks like that happened. It's been a very busy summer and I do have a lot to post; trips and adventures dating all the way back to May. I promise that I will get everything posted, with pictures, eventually. First, I'd like to give everyone an update on what I've been up to!
In May, a few friends and I took a camping trip to the Southwest corner of England, otherwise known as Cornwall. We enjoyed some excellent weather on the beach and I introduced everyone to the wonderful goodness of Smores. A few weeks later, my friends Ryan and Brianne came to visit. We took a trip to Amsterdam with some friends and then continued our adventure to Berlin where we spent a few days before returning to London. In June, another friend, Susie, came to visit. She spent a week in London before heading to France for 5 days. A few days after her departure from London, another friend, Julie, came to visit. We went to West Africa for two full weeks to visit our friend Kate and it was the adventure of a lifetime. It's going to take me some time to compile my journal and pictures of this trip, but you can expect a very detailed (and hopefully entertaining) reflection of the trip in the future. Finally, last weekend my girlfriend and I took a trip to Sardinia for a long week, an Italian island in the middle of the Mediterranean. Things will finally calm down for the next couple weeks before I leave for the States to attend my brother's wedding festivities and visit my friends in Colorado. By the way, yes, I said girlfriend.
I know that you were probably hoping to see some exciting pictures and read things about my summer. If you have facebook, I have kept the pictures a little more updated there. Otherwise, I have a selective variety of them below. But I do promise that more will follow shortly...a lot more.
Also, although my time will be short, I would love to see all of you when I'm home next month! Here are the dates I'll be around:
In Oregon September 2nd to 16th
In Colorado September 16th to 22nd
Pics here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bribergey/Randoms?feat=directlink
In May, a few friends and I took a camping trip to the Southwest corner of England, otherwise known as Cornwall. We enjoyed some excellent weather on the beach and I introduced everyone to the wonderful goodness of Smores. A few weeks later, my friends Ryan and Brianne came to visit. We took a trip to Amsterdam with some friends and then continued our adventure to Berlin where we spent a few days before returning to London. In June, another friend, Susie, came to visit. She spent a week in London before heading to France for 5 days. A few days after her departure from London, another friend, Julie, came to visit. We went to West Africa for two full weeks to visit our friend Kate and it was the adventure of a lifetime. It's going to take me some time to compile my journal and pictures of this trip, but you can expect a very detailed (and hopefully entertaining) reflection of the trip in the future. Finally, last weekend my girlfriend and I took a trip to Sardinia for a long week, an Italian island in the middle of the Mediterranean. Things will finally calm down for the next couple weeks before I leave for the States to attend my brother's wedding festivities and visit my friends in Colorado. By the way, yes, I said girlfriend.
I know that you were probably hoping to see some exciting pictures and read things about my summer. If you have facebook, I have kept the pictures a little more updated there. Otherwise, I have a selective variety of them below. But I do promise that more will follow shortly...a lot more.
Also, although my time will be short, I would love to see all of you when I'm home next month! Here are the dates I'll be around:
In Oregon September 2nd to 16th
In Colorado September 16th to 22nd
Pics here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bribergey/Randoms?feat=directlink
6.07.2009
Germany/Austria Part 2 - Munich and Salzburg
Welcome back! I last left you as we approached Munich by car from Dachau Concentration Camp. After dropping off the car, we made our way to Central Munich by underground to get our train tickets to Salzburg and spend a couple hours around town.
Pics Here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bbergey/SalzburgWithMom?feat=directlink
We strolled around central Munich for a short while, admiring the large cathedral and noticing that absolutely everything was closed for the Easter Holiday. We did manage to find the same brewhouse and beergarden that I had enjoyed the last time I was in Munich. No trip to Munich is complete without devouring the large meat and cheese platter served at Der Pschorr. We then boarded our train for a surprisingly quick ride to Salzburg.
The weather for our final few days of the trip couldn't have been better. We enjoyed endless sunshine and temperatures around 25-30 degrees (around 80). It couldn't have been more fitting for our final destination of Salzburg. If someone told me I had to move to Salzburg tomorrow, I would gladly pick up and move without hesitation. It is truly the only place I've visited so far in Europe where I could see myself living; and wanting to live. With a population of only 150,000, it is a stunning city that somehow feels unspoiled and easy to get around. It is known for it's alpine setting, surrounded by the Alps, and is the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for The Sound of Music. Salzburg's Old Town with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best preserved city centres north of the Alps. With all of that said, I could have easily spent weeks here rather than a couple days, and every turn provided another beautiful building, open square, a hilltop castle surrounding the city, or the majestic Alps. It really is a great place!
After catching a bus from the train station to our hotel, we set out to find some dinner. Our hotel had an excellent location in the Old Town and we had a great view from our room. We discussed the plan for the next two days over dinner. Since Munich had entirely been shut for Easter, we were worried that Salzburg would be the same. We were happily surprised to find all shops open and the streets crowded with people enjoying the sun and the beautiful city. We also read that there would be a large Easter Market set up in one of the open squares for the weekend which would provide all sorts of food, produce, and gifts.
The next morning, we woke up and strolled through the streets some more and visited the Easter Market where we checked out all of the stands and got some lunch. We then went to board our bus for the Sound of Music coach tour offered a few times each day. Before you make your judgments, the tour lasts 4 hours and spends most of it's time outside of the city. So although we were forced to listen to the soundtrack the entire time and were surrounded by too many people who knew way too much about the stupid movie, we saw a lot of the surrounding area. We were taken around the outskirts of Salzburg to see some of the filming locations and then taken up into the Lake District in the Alps to Hohensee, Lake Gilgen and Mondsee. All of the areas were absolutely beautiful and well worth a few hours of annoying music. I also realized that mom knows far more about the Sound of Music than any human being should ever know.
Our flight left the next day (Easter) in the evening, which meant we had another entire day to spend in the city. After breakfast, we visited the market again to grab some meats and cheeses for lunch, and then headed up to the Hohensalzburg castle nestled atop a large hill dominating the city. After construction began in 1077, it is now one of the biggest castles in Europe. It houses a couple museums and a great tour that takes you through many of the rooms and up one of the towers. The castle is part of a large hill that stretches along the entire length of the Old Town. We walked along the top of the hill enjoying views of the city, castle and the mountains and enjoyed our lunch in one of the parks. We then spent the rest of the afternoon strolling through the streets of Salzburg and chilling out on the banks of the River that flows directly through town.
Please take some time to take a look at the pics...and if you ever make a trip to Europe, make sure you include a visit to Salzburg!!
Pics Here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bbergey/SalzburgWithMom?feat=directlink
We strolled around central Munich for a short while, admiring the large cathedral and noticing that absolutely everything was closed for the Easter Holiday. We did manage to find the same brewhouse and beergarden that I had enjoyed the last time I was in Munich. No trip to Munich is complete without devouring the large meat and cheese platter served at Der Pschorr. We then boarded our train for a surprisingly quick ride to Salzburg.
The weather for our final few days of the trip couldn't have been better. We enjoyed endless sunshine and temperatures around 25-30 degrees (around 80). It couldn't have been more fitting for our final destination of Salzburg. If someone told me I had to move to Salzburg tomorrow, I would gladly pick up and move without hesitation. It is truly the only place I've visited so far in Europe where I could see myself living; and wanting to live. With a population of only 150,000, it is a stunning city that somehow feels unspoiled and easy to get around. It is known for it's alpine setting, surrounded by the Alps, and is the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for The Sound of Music. Salzburg's Old Town with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best preserved city centres north of the Alps. With all of that said, I could have easily spent weeks here rather than a couple days, and every turn provided another beautiful building, open square, a hilltop castle surrounding the city, or the majestic Alps. It really is a great place!
After catching a bus from the train station to our hotel, we set out to find some dinner. Our hotel had an excellent location in the Old Town and we had a great view from our room. We discussed the plan for the next two days over dinner. Since Munich had entirely been shut for Easter, we were worried that Salzburg would be the same. We were happily surprised to find all shops open and the streets crowded with people enjoying the sun and the beautiful city. We also read that there would be a large Easter Market set up in one of the open squares for the weekend which would provide all sorts of food, produce, and gifts.
The next morning, we woke up and strolled through the streets some more and visited the Easter Market where we checked out all of the stands and got some lunch. We then went to board our bus for the Sound of Music coach tour offered a few times each day. Before you make your judgments, the tour lasts 4 hours and spends most of it's time outside of the city. So although we were forced to listen to the soundtrack the entire time and were surrounded by too many people who knew way too much about the stupid movie, we saw a lot of the surrounding area. We were taken around the outskirts of Salzburg to see some of the filming locations and then taken up into the Lake District in the Alps to Hohensee, Lake Gilgen and Mondsee. All of the areas were absolutely beautiful and well worth a few hours of annoying music. I also realized that mom knows far more about the Sound of Music than any human being should ever know.
Our flight left the next day (Easter) in the evening, which meant we had another entire day to spend in the city. After breakfast, we visited the market again to grab some meats and cheeses for lunch, and then headed up to the Hohensalzburg castle nestled atop a large hill dominating the city. After construction began in 1077, it is now one of the biggest castles in Europe. It houses a couple museums and a great tour that takes you through many of the rooms and up one of the towers. The castle is part of a large hill that stretches along the entire length of the Old Town. We walked along the top of the hill enjoying views of the city, castle and the mountains and enjoyed our lunch in one of the parks. We then spent the rest of the afternoon strolling through the streets of Salzburg and chilling out on the banks of the River that flows directly through town.
Please take some time to take a look at the pics...and if you ever make a trip to Europe, make sure you include a visit to Salzburg!!
4.26.2009
Germany Part 1 - Cologne, Heidelberg and the Romantic Road
Gruss Gott! My mom recently visited me in London and we took an 8 day adventure through southern Germany and part of Austria. This post covers the first 3/4ths of our trip which includes Cologne, Heidelberg and a journey down Germany's beautiful Romantic Road into the Alps. Stay tuned to hear about Munich and Salzburg!
See Pics Here: Click Here
Facebook Pics (less formal) here:
Facebook Album 1 and
Facebook Album 2
Our journey began on an early Sunday morning as we made our way to Heathrow to catch our flight to Dusseldorf. After getting moved up in the enormously long and inefficient line, we made our flight which landed us approximately 30 miles from Cologne, our destination for the first night. We caught a train to Cologne and easily found our hotel which was located just a few blocks from the train station. The hotel was surprisingly nice and had an excellent location with only a 10 minute walk to the center of town, the Dom Cathedral and the Aldstadt (or old town).
Cologne is a large city that sprawls from the massive Rhine River which flows directly through it. The banks of the river provide nice running/walking/biking paths and excellent views. The main site to see in Cologne is the giant Dom Cathedral, one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany. Construction of the Gothic church began in 1248 and wasn't finished until 1880. It is 144.5 meters long, 86.5 m wide and its two towers are 157 m tall. It was hit 70 times by aerial bombs in WWII, yet never collapsed. It is an absolutely amazing site and definitely worth a visit both inside and out. The highlight was the climb up one of the giant towers; 533 steps up a steep spiral staircase that provided a close look at the gigantic church bells and excellent views of the city. After the climb, we picked up a snack at a nearby bakery and meandered through the shopping district before heading to dinner. Our host at the hotel told us about a local Brewhouse a bit out of the way, so we went there for dinner and it was absolutely incredible! I enjoyed pork with homemade sauerkraut and plenty of the in-house brewed beer!
The next morning, I went for a run along the Rhine before a huge breakfast at the hotel. After rushing to the train station, we then had to wait in line forever to buy our tickets which means we missed our planned train and had to wait a couple hours. We picked up some lunch and headed down to the river to enjoy the sunny day. We then took the 2+ hour train ride to Heidelberg which was a surprisingly beautiful journey that followed the Rhine valley. After our arrival in Heidelberg, we figured out the correct bus route to the Old City area to find our hotel. I was pleasantly surprised with the excellent location of our pension (hotel). In the heart of old town, it was basically on one of the main squares bordering a massive cathedral. We took the suggestion of our host for dinner and enjoyed an excellent dinner at another local brewhouse. A German couple also sat at our table outside during dinner and we talked to them for quite a while before leaving. It was a really nice evening and we were able to sit outside and enjoy the company.
Heidelberg is an amazing old city. The town spreads along the river with beautiful bridges that cross. A large castle is perched atop the hill overlooking the entire valley and city and every turn provides another narrow cobblestone road or an amazing view. Cars are generally not allowed anywhere in the old town which makes walking and sitting outside really pleasant. On our second day, we got an early start on a walk up to the castle. Unfortunately for mom, it meant more climbing, but the climb was definitely worth it. The grounds around the castle were absolutely amazing and the views of the city were unbeatable. We spent a few hours exploring the castle and it's grounds and enjoying the perfect weather. After our walk back down to the old town, we grabbed some lunch and then crossed the river to the Philosophers Way trail. The trail climbs from the river up along the other side of the valley and follows it above the old city. It is surrounded by gardens and forest and again provides amazing views of the city and the valley. After our long and active day, we grabbed a beer and pretzel at a local beergarden and then made our way to dinner.
The next day, we took the bus to the rental car office where we picked up our car for the next few days. We received a sweet Audi SLine 6 speed, and it went fast. Very fast. At one point I reached around 110mph on the Autobahn, but then mom noticed and I had to slow down. From Heidelberg, we drove toward Rothenberg ob der Tauer, an old fortress town well known for it's well-preserved medieval old town. We stayed at a very nice B&B just outside the city wall with a quick 10 minute walk to the center of the old town. We spent the afternoon exploring the shops, which included a few famous German Christmas shops, and I climbed a sketchy clock tower in the middle of town. We also walked around the majority of the fortress wall that surrounds the old town and provides excellent views of the town and nearby countryside. Rothenberg truly is an amazing place and you could walk the winding streets and explore the nooks and crannys for days. We rested for a quick beer and then went to dinner at a restaurant recommended to us by our host. Dinner was quite an experience! As we entered, we realized that all of the tables were either taken or reserved with the exception of one large table in the corner. We were told by the waitress that there was an "English Conversation" table available if we'd like to sit there. Having no idea what that meant, we decided to take a seat next to a couple from Florida and a few older men/locals. We learned that every Wednesday, the conversation club meets at the same table to speak English. They welcome anyone to join them and different members of the club show up each week. We were joined by a few other tourists that came and went throughout the night along with 4 old German war veterans. They had some excellent stories, newspaper clippings and pictures about their lives and it was a really cool experience. The food was also excellent and it was very nice having someone help us order and recommend items.
The next morning, I went for a run around the entire fortress before eating breakfast and packing up the car to our next destination. We traveled down the Romantic Road through small villages and winding countryside until eventually the massive Alps emerged along the German/Austrian border. We arrived at the southern end of the scenic route at Neuschwanstein Castle, a 19th century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill. We were able to get tickets to the last tour of the day, but it also meant a 30 minute walk up the rugged hill for mom. We did make it and it was well worth it. The castle is enormous and surrounded by snow-capped peaks and alpine waterfalls. It was also the inspiration for the main Disney castle seen in their parks. The drive to Garmisch, our destination for the evening, was spectacular. We drove through snowy mountains and quaint, mountain villages, finally arriving after dark. Our host for the evening, Frau Lily, was a rather old woman who I'm not sure actually expected us regardless of my reservation. After we arrived, she showed us through the dining room and kitchen and began walking us to our room. As she reached for the light switch in the dark hallway, she tripped over a lip on the floor and began falling forward. It felt like her fall lasted about 15 seconds as I saw the start of it out of the corner of my eye, but suddenly she was on the floor moaning weird noises and German words. Since her fall seemed to have happened so slowly, I didn't think it would be very serious, but to my surprise there was an immediate puddle of blood on the floor. As she turned her head toward my mom and I, awkwardly standing in the hallway wondering if what really occurred actually just happened, blood streamed down her forehead and face. She remained on the floor moaning German things as I ran to the kitchen trying to find a rag, which I never found. She eventually got up and we helped her to the kitchen where she cleaned her wound and asked mom to put a large bandage on her head. After asking many times if she needed a doctor or anything else, we hopped over the blood as she showed us to our room and that was that. Holding a laugh the entire time, I began laughing the minute our door closed. My mom and I looked at each other, both secretly thinking that we wanted to go somewhere else but we ended up staying the night and had a nice meal in town. My biggest worry is that she wouldn't live through the night and we wouldn't get breakfast. But she was up before us, making a fresh Easter Bunny cake and an omelet for breakfast! Along with rolls heated on the radiator and some meat that had probably been in her fridge for approximately 8 days. I ate it though.
Needing to return the car by noon in Munich, we got an early start on our 1.5 hour drive and headed toward Dachau Concentration Camp before going into the city. Opened in March 1933, Dachau was the first regular concentration camp established by the Nazi party. Over 200,000 prisoners from more than 30 countries were housed in Dachau and 25,613 prisoners are believed to have died in the camp. I found the camp oddly surreal. Overall, it just seemed like a shut-down prison. However, I was very surprised by how blunt and descriptive many of the museum and informative exhibits were. They were not shy at all about describing what happened in the camp in a very detailed and straight-forward way. I was also surprised to find how well the American Army was regarded when referring to the liberation of the camp by US army forces on 29 April 1945. The most disturbing part of the visit were the gas chambers and crematorium. It is incredible to think that a group of people could even think to do such cruel things, let alone build facilities that can carry it out so efficiently and blatantly. It was definitely an eye-opener and a good experience to have.
The remainer of our trip includes a short afternoon in Munich before spending our final days in Salzburg. Stay tuned for the next post!
See Pics Here: Click Here
Facebook Pics (less formal) here:
Facebook Album 1 and
Facebook Album 2
Our journey began on an early Sunday morning as we made our way to Heathrow to catch our flight to Dusseldorf. After getting moved up in the enormously long and inefficient line, we made our flight which landed us approximately 30 miles from Cologne, our destination for the first night. We caught a train to Cologne and easily found our hotel which was located just a few blocks from the train station. The hotel was surprisingly nice and had an excellent location with only a 10 minute walk to the center of town, the Dom Cathedral and the Aldstadt (or old town).
Cologne is a large city that sprawls from the massive Rhine River which flows directly through it. The banks of the river provide nice running/walking/biking paths and excellent views. The main site to see in Cologne is the giant Dom Cathedral, one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany. Construction of the Gothic church began in 1248 and wasn't finished until 1880. It is 144.5 meters long, 86.5 m wide and its two towers are 157 m tall. It was hit 70 times by aerial bombs in WWII, yet never collapsed. It is an absolutely amazing site and definitely worth a visit both inside and out. The highlight was the climb up one of the giant towers; 533 steps up a steep spiral staircase that provided a close look at the gigantic church bells and excellent views of the city. After the climb, we picked up a snack at a nearby bakery and meandered through the shopping district before heading to dinner. Our host at the hotel told us about a local Brewhouse a bit out of the way, so we went there for dinner and it was absolutely incredible! I enjoyed pork with homemade sauerkraut and plenty of the in-house brewed beer!
The next morning, I went for a run along the Rhine before a huge breakfast at the hotel. After rushing to the train station, we then had to wait in line forever to buy our tickets which means we missed our planned train and had to wait a couple hours. We picked up some lunch and headed down to the river to enjoy the sunny day. We then took the 2+ hour train ride to Heidelberg which was a surprisingly beautiful journey that followed the Rhine valley. After our arrival in Heidelberg, we figured out the correct bus route to the Old City area to find our hotel. I was pleasantly surprised with the excellent location of our pension (hotel). In the heart of old town, it was basically on one of the main squares bordering a massive cathedral. We took the suggestion of our host for dinner and enjoyed an excellent dinner at another local brewhouse. A German couple also sat at our table outside during dinner and we talked to them for quite a while before leaving. It was a really nice evening and we were able to sit outside and enjoy the company.
Heidelberg is an amazing old city. The town spreads along the river with beautiful bridges that cross. A large castle is perched atop the hill overlooking the entire valley and city and every turn provides another narrow cobblestone road or an amazing view. Cars are generally not allowed anywhere in the old town which makes walking and sitting outside really pleasant. On our second day, we got an early start on a walk up to the castle. Unfortunately for mom, it meant more climbing, but the climb was definitely worth it. The grounds around the castle were absolutely amazing and the views of the city were unbeatable. We spent a few hours exploring the castle and it's grounds and enjoying the perfect weather. After our walk back down to the old town, we grabbed some lunch and then crossed the river to the Philosophers Way trail. The trail climbs from the river up along the other side of the valley and follows it above the old city. It is surrounded by gardens and forest and again provides amazing views of the city and the valley. After our long and active day, we grabbed a beer and pretzel at a local beergarden and then made our way to dinner.
The next day, we took the bus to the rental car office where we picked up our car for the next few days. We received a sweet Audi SLine 6 speed, and it went fast. Very fast. At one point I reached around 110mph on the Autobahn, but then mom noticed and I had to slow down. From Heidelberg, we drove toward Rothenberg ob der Tauer, an old fortress town well known for it's well-preserved medieval old town. We stayed at a very nice B&B just outside the city wall with a quick 10 minute walk to the center of the old town. We spent the afternoon exploring the shops, which included a few famous German Christmas shops, and I climbed a sketchy clock tower in the middle of town. We also walked around the majority of the fortress wall that surrounds the old town and provides excellent views of the town and nearby countryside. Rothenberg truly is an amazing place and you could walk the winding streets and explore the nooks and crannys for days. We rested for a quick beer and then went to dinner at a restaurant recommended to us by our host. Dinner was quite an experience! As we entered, we realized that all of the tables were either taken or reserved with the exception of one large table in the corner. We were told by the waitress that there was an "English Conversation" table available if we'd like to sit there. Having no idea what that meant, we decided to take a seat next to a couple from Florida and a few older men/locals. We learned that every Wednesday, the conversation club meets at the same table to speak English. They welcome anyone to join them and different members of the club show up each week. We were joined by a few other tourists that came and went throughout the night along with 4 old German war veterans. They had some excellent stories, newspaper clippings and pictures about their lives and it was a really cool experience. The food was also excellent and it was very nice having someone help us order and recommend items.
The next morning, I went for a run around the entire fortress before eating breakfast and packing up the car to our next destination. We traveled down the Romantic Road through small villages and winding countryside until eventually the massive Alps emerged along the German/Austrian border. We arrived at the southern end of the scenic route at Neuschwanstein Castle, a 19th century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill. We were able to get tickets to the last tour of the day, but it also meant a 30 minute walk up the rugged hill for mom. We did make it and it was well worth it. The castle is enormous and surrounded by snow-capped peaks and alpine waterfalls. It was also the inspiration for the main Disney castle seen in their parks. The drive to Garmisch, our destination for the evening, was spectacular. We drove through snowy mountains and quaint, mountain villages, finally arriving after dark. Our host for the evening, Frau Lily, was a rather old woman who I'm not sure actually expected us regardless of my reservation. After we arrived, she showed us through the dining room and kitchen and began walking us to our room. As she reached for the light switch in the dark hallway, she tripped over a lip on the floor and began falling forward. It felt like her fall lasted about 15 seconds as I saw the start of it out of the corner of my eye, but suddenly she was on the floor moaning weird noises and German words. Since her fall seemed to have happened so slowly, I didn't think it would be very serious, but to my surprise there was an immediate puddle of blood on the floor. As she turned her head toward my mom and I, awkwardly standing in the hallway wondering if what really occurred actually just happened, blood streamed down her forehead and face. She remained on the floor moaning German things as I ran to the kitchen trying to find a rag, which I never found. She eventually got up and we helped her to the kitchen where she cleaned her wound and asked mom to put a large bandage on her head. After asking many times if she needed a doctor or anything else, we hopped over the blood as she showed us to our room and that was that. Holding a laugh the entire time, I began laughing the minute our door closed. My mom and I looked at each other, both secretly thinking that we wanted to go somewhere else but we ended up staying the night and had a nice meal in town. My biggest worry is that she wouldn't live through the night and we wouldn't get breakfast. But she was up before us, making a fresh Easter Bunny cake and an omelet for breakfast! Along with rolls heated on the radiator and some meat that had probably been in her fridge for approximately 8 days. I ate it though.
Needing to return the car by noon in Munich, we got an early start on our 1.5 hour drive and headed toward Dachau Concentration Camp before going into the city. Opened in March 1933, Dachau was the first regular concentration camp established by the Nazi party. Over 200,000 prisoners from more than 30 countries were housed in Dachau and 25,613 prisoners are believed to have died in the camp. I found the camp oddly surreal. Overall, it just seemed like a shut-down prison. However, I was very surprised by how blunt and descriptive many of the museum and informative exhibits were. They were not shy at all about describing what happened in the camp in a very detailed and straight-forward way. I was also surprised to find how well the American Army was regarded when referring to the liberation of the camp by US army forces on 29 April 1945. The most disturbing part of the visit were the gas chambers and crematorium. It is incredible to think that a group of people could even think to do such cruel things, let alone build facilities that can carry it out so efficiently and blatantly. It was definitely an eye-opener and a good experience to have.
The remainer of our trip includes a short afternoon in Munich before spending our final days in Salzburg. Stay tuned for the next post!
4.14.2009
Run Brian, Run!
Well it's been a long and drawn out road full of highs & lows, injuries & personal bests, and health kicks and nights on the town, but I finally completed my first half marathon. As many of you know, I started training for one over a year ago and did very well until I injured my knee. I slowly nursed it back to health and started training again in January. I recently traveled to Northern Ireland for a long weekend to run the Larne Half Marathon, a small coastal town approximately 20 miles northeast of Belfast and ran a great race!
I'm going to try and make this post fairly short so you will all look at these pictures: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bbergey/HalfMarathonTrip?feat=directlink
Let me start first with my thoughts on Northern Ireland. WOW! Definitely one of the most beautiful areas I have seen so far in Europe. Breathtaking scenery, rugged coastlines, rolling countryside, green farmlands, alpine peaks, deep forests, winding roads that are steeper and curvier than should be allowed. And that just gets us started. After landing in Belfast, I got my rental car and started driving up the coast toward Larne. My destination for the day was a small town on the Northern tip of Ireland called Bushmills. On my way, I drove the Coastal Causeway Scenic Route which followed the amazing coastline and often gave options for sidetrips into the Glens (or mountains) of the area. The highlight of the drive was a lesser driven section of the highway to Torr Head. It was a small, one-lane road that climbed at amazing steepness and curved around constant corners. It climbed to provide amazing views of the coastline and countryside, and dropped to small harbour villages. The weather over my entire trip provided strong winds which made the water rough and the waves wild and and huge. I also visited the famous Giant's Causeway; a wonderful area of beauty that I'm sure many of you have heard of and scene pictures of. I stayed at a nice hostel in Bushmills, home to the oldest whiskey distillery in the world (apparently).
My 2nd day included a visit to the best ruined castle I have ever seen: Dunlace Castle. I then visited nearby White Rocks Beach and also drove inland a bit to the Glens and Forest Park. It was raining off and on and there were still very strong winds, so I didn't get out as much. I also visited an amazing area along the coast that had a rope suspension bridge from a clifftop to a small island just across a chasm of the sea. Due to winds, I was not able to cross the bridge, but it still allowed for some amazing views and photo opportunities. I ended the day in Larne, where I had booked a bed and breakfast for the night so I could get some good rest before my race. Of course, I had to drive into town to get a nice big pasta dinner to prepare for the run the next day!
Day 3 was the race. It wasn't until 1pm, so it gave me plenty of time to eat the full Irish breakfast provided for me at the B&B and get into town to warm up and prepare. The course followed one of the most scenic coastal routes in the world. Fortunately, it was one of the flatter sections. It left Larne and followed the road about 5 miles up the coast to Ballygally where it turned inland and climbed gently for a mile or so. This provided close-up views of the local Glens and also sweeping views of the countryside and sea. The we went back down into Ballygally and followed the same route back. I started very well and kept my pace, fighting the gale force winds head on and finishing mile four at under 32 minutes. I even tackled the hills well and used the downhill sections as some active recovery. However, the last 2ish miles are a blur. I remember looking at my watch but don't remember what it said. All I know is that I slowed down. Way down! I had to force myself to keep going the last mile, but I made it. My final time was 1 hour and 49 minutes, so I definitely have some room for improvement. I would love to beat that by 10 minutes as I increase my training and try again.
I spent the evening eating a couple dinners, a load of candy and went to a movie since i was pretty beat. I stayed in a Belfast hostel that night and explored the city the next day before my flight left. Unfortunately, I got really sick on Sunday during my travels home which wiped me out the following week. Better training and better recovery next time should help me out.
Please take an opportunity to look at the pictures this time...they are great!
I'm going to try and make this post fairly short so you will all look at these pictures: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bbergey/HalfMarathonTrip?feat=directlink
Let me start first with my thoughts on Northern Ireland. WOW! Definitely one of the most beautiful areas I have seen so far in Europe. Breathtaking scenery, rugged coastlines, rolling countryside, green farmlands, alpine peaks, deep forests, winding roads that are steeper and curvier than should be allowed. And that just gets us started. After landing in Belfast, I got my rental car and started driving up the coast toward Larne. My destination for the day was a small town on the Northern tip of Ireland called Bushmills. On my way, I drove the Coastal Causeway Scenic Route which followed the amazing coastline and often gave options for sidetrips into the Glens (or mountains) of the area. The highlight of the drive was a lesser driven section of the highway to Torr Head. It was a small, one-lane road that climbed at amazing steepness and curved around constant corners. It climbed to provide amazing views of the coastline and countryside, and dropped to small harbour villages. The weather over my entire trip provided strong winds which made the water rough and the waves wild and and huge. I also visited the famous Giant's Causeway; a wonderful area of beauty that I'm sure many of you have heard of and scene pictures of. I stayed at a nice hostel in Bushmills, home to the oldest whiskey distillery in the world (apparently).
My 2nd day included a visit to the best ruined castle I have ever seen: Dunlace Castle. I then visited nearby White Rocks Beach and also drove inland a bit to the Glens and Forest Park. It was raining off and on and there were still very strong winds, so I didn't get out as much. I also visited an amazing area along the coast that had a rope suspension bridge from a clifftop to a small island just across a chasm of the sea. Due to winds, I was not able to cross the bridge, but it still allowed for some amazing views and photo opportunities. I ended the day in Larne, where I had booked a bed and breakfast for the night so I could get some good rest before my race. Of course, I had to drive into town to get a nice big pasta dinner to prepare for the run the next day!
Day 3 was the race. It wasn't until 1pm, so it gave me plenty of time to eat the full Irish breakfast provided for me at the B&B and get into town to warm up and prepare. The course followed one of the most scenic coastal routes in the world. Fortunately, it was one of the flatter sections. It left Larne and followed the road about 5 miles up the coast to Ballygally where it turned inland and climbed gently for a mile or so. This provided close-up views of the local Glens and also sweeping views of the countryside and sea. The we went back down into Ballygally and followed the same route back. I started very well and kept my pace, fighting the gale force winds head on and finishing mile four at under 32 minutes. I even tackled the hills well and used the downhill sections as some active recovery. However, the last 2ish miles are a blur. I remember looking at my watch but don't remember what it said. All I know is that I slowed down. Way down! I had to force myself to keep going the last mile, but I made it. My final time was 1 hour and 49 minutes, so I definitely have some room for improvement. I would love to beat that by 10 minutes as I increase my training and try again.
I spent the evening eating a couple dinners, a load of candy and went to a movie since i was pretty beat. I stayed in a Belfast hostel that night and explored the city the next day before my flight left. Unfortunately, I got really sick on Sunday during my travels home which wiped me out the following week. Better training and better recovery next time should help me out.
Please take an opportunity to look at the pictures this time...they are great!
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