Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

Edinburgh, Scotland

Thursday, January 1st, 2009

We were in Edinburgh, Scotland for New Years.

Sarah booked a flash apartment for us to stay in with a few friends. It worked out cheaper than staying at a backpackers, and was a million times nicer. The view out our bedroom window was incredible.

Fantastic view from the bedroom window

Fantastic view from the bedroom window

We bought tickets to the massive block party on one of the main streets for New Years Eve. There was live music all night, and a good fireworks display at midnight.

The organisers had cleverly only put up 3 bars for 20 000 people, so there were many less drunk idiots than I expected. On the down side, people had to wait in line about an hour to buy an expensive beer, or wine in a glass, but I am starting to think that is what passes for a good time in the UK.

Trip to Cambridge

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

We went to Cambridge on a day trip.

The time eater

The time eater

We saw this crazy clock on one of the main street corners. The grasshopper demon on the top is a Chronophage, or time eater. The first link has a cool video of the clock in action.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2008/sep/18/corpus.clock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Clock

We also saw the university, many old buildings, a market, and the river, with people punting down it. Nothing else was as good as the clock though.

Victoria and Albert Museum

Friday, November 28th, 2008

We saw this cool glass sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is 8.1m high, and weighs 1724kg. It was made by Dale Chihuly and his team in 2001 in Seattle. How do I know? I also took a photo of the informational plaque.

http://www.chihuly.com/

Sculpture by Dale Chihuly

Sculpture by Dale Chihuly

It is hanging directly above the main information desk. I think I would be scared to work there, for fear of being crushed/impaled if the thing ever broke free.