The historical city of Tallinn is pretty much untouched (bar the odd renovation or paint-job) since the middle-ages. As a result, the medieval buildings, misshapen cobble-stones, houses bunched one upon the other, impressive town-halls and churches that appear half western, half eastern, are most evocative and intriguing. To describe it as Disney is to do exactly the wrong thing, undermining its authenticity with a commercial brand, so I’m sorry, yet it is like something from the pages of a fairy story, down to the old well in a street off the main square where you can imagine Cinderella going about her [View Full Entry]

---

---

We had decided that our mission was to get to Tallinn keeping to our overland plan, but getting there as quickly as possible. However waking up to the thought of getting on a 24 hour bus journey from Berlin, after the highs of the Nachtzug and Trenhotel, I was a little unenthusiastic. I shouldn't have worried, Alan was at work on the wi-fi and had discovered an alternative route over sea - as he put it, 'if we can just make our way to Rostock in Germany, there should be a boat every evening boarding at midnight and setting sail at [View Full Entry]

---

---

Refreshed by Paris, and vowing to return again to a city that guards its secrets closely, we headed to Gare du Nord and boarded the 8:40 pm Nachtzug to that other Grande Dame of Europe, Berlin. Our cabin was shared by Claire, a friendly French architecture student on her way to Berlin and an anonymous French man who spent most of his time in the corridor alone, listening to his ipod. After the obligatory cervesas (and €7.50 glass of wine ...not looking at anyone in particular...she knows who she is) in the rolling bar in our socks ('tis the fashion round [View Full Entry]

---

---

When I was sixteen, all I wanted was to study at the Sorbonne, and Austin Bourke, a very kind friend of our family gave me a book called Paris Qui J'aime. Well thirteen years later, and not enough points in the leaving certificate later, I got to show Paris to Alan, who had never been here before. In his words, '...fascinating, beguiling...'. We had a most fantastic few days staying in Montmartre, with the Foliés Bergére visible from our window. Traipsed around the Louvre, Musée Quai Branly with its amazing architecture (merging nature with the modern to great effect). Dined on [View Full Entry]

---

---

Travelling to Madrid by Trenhotel was everything a ten year old Aoife wished it to be. We had our very own cabin with lots of bits and bobs hidden in secret compartments. Alan also enjoyed the cabin although he spent his time standing precariously on seat handles trying to get a better view. After ten minutes of rummaging around the cabin, we set off up and down the train in the manner of giddy twelve year olds before finding ourselves exhausted in the train bar under the kind stewardship of Fernando, the helpful barman. Fernando dispensed cerveza and information about the [View Full Entry]

---

---

On a fusty Monday morning we were driven to Dublin airport by Aoife's dad, who kindly got out of bed extra early and braved the busy traffic. The night before had been a beautiful goodbye party with the family and it was great to see all the relatives before heading off (thanks Aoife's mum for a lovely shindig and to Benny and Mum for the speeches!). At Dublin airport, Alan's parents dropped by to wave us off, and with that, after months and years of talking, planning and daydreaming our days in work away, we were finally off. Our ambition is [View Full Entry]

---

---