http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/eims/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from eims en-us Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:30:16 +0000 Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:30:16 +0000 Journey beginning... http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-354701.html Just photos. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/blog-263634.html And then as if New York wasn't perfect already it snowed tbc http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-257451.html Can't get enough New York tbc http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-257463.html Hey lady it's free don't be shy now said the dreadlocked BobMarleyalike leaning at the top of the 14th Street subway entrance a newspaper in his outstretched hand. A yellow taxi whizzed past then an NYPD car. I clutched my paper bag of danish pastries and my cup of strong smelling coffee. It was 6am in NYC and the only thing missing was Al Pacino. If I squinted I could almost see him http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-253769.html Vacances avec Armelle et Gilbert http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-244917.html Spent a perfect bank holiday weekend in the tiniest palace in all of Paris. Evenings watching the moon over Sacre Coeur across the roofs of Montmartre days walking through back streets and main drags of this most beautiful of cities. What can you say about Paris that hasn't already been said So here it is in a few of its own words... http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-197475.html It took us a while to realise that there are in fact no sign posts in the county of Donegal unless of course you are prepared to hack your way through 3 foot of hedge to get at them. Our third accidental detour of the day took us nearly into the Atlantic on one side with only 1 half a mile of lake to swim across to get us to Maura Toomey's wedding starting in approximately 15 minutes on the oth http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Donegal/Donegal/blog-194403.html Hurray http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Camden-Town/blog-147511.html Finished the Paris marathon Managed to keep running for over 5 hours The socalled 'winner' only lasted 2hrs07. Lightweight. Brilliant day really enjoyed the run yes really. Temperature was nearly 30degrees but unbelievably felt fine with the heat. Water stations running out of water was a bit rubbish and I think 10 loos at the race start on the ChampsElysee for a field of 35000 was a bit http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-151320.html Best day ever. Just had time to add a few photos before heading off on honeymoon... http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/blog-151323.html Our arrival in Riga is met by frozen winds and a warm memory tinged with regret of the coats which we abandoned in London. D'oh. We clamber onto a jampacked bus which whizzes us into Riga old town nearly to the frontdoor of Franks Friendly Backpackers where a free can of fine Lativian beer greets us as we come in the door proper welcome Slight confusion when English barman becomes convince http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Latvia/Riga-Region/Riga/blog-153845.html Arrive in Moscow after 18 hour train journey exactly on time. Shocked at the lack of delays would just not be acceptable in England. Again the weather is fantastic. We successful negotiate the metro with me speaking Russian like a native paddy drop off the bags in Sweet Arbat hostel v nice great welcome fab location on Moscows main street and dash across the city to complete my world http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Northwest/Moscow/blog-153848.html Yaroslavsky station is crazy seems like millions of people streaming on trains off trains across platforms with every type of baggage and boxes piled everywhere. Children running around under drunk mens feet much singing shouting fighting running. Chaos. I love it. We sit ourselves down opposite the departure timetable and in an attempt to blend in allegedly Nico buys some bottles of bee http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Urals/Yekaterinburg/blog-156600.html Evgeny's friend Vitaly a retired airforce colonel and former MIG pilot now working as a nightwatch man in Evgeny's research institute such is the state of the Russian pension system drives us to our home for the next 2 days. Vitaly started learning English at the age of 70 and tries out a few phrases on us. V impressive. We say goodbye and climb up 4 flights of stairs in the soviet style apar http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Urals/Yekaterinburg/blog-156604.html Being just the 2 of us lasts oh about a minute. We find the platform watch as our filthy dirty wagon is attached to the otherwise pristine train and pile into our 4 berth cabin to meet our travelling companions for the 24 hour journey to Novosibirsk. Rodzal is a tartarski soldier in his early twenties from Kazan travelling alone back to work in Ulan Ude after holidays back home. He is blonde http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Urals/Yekaterinburg/blog-156612.html After elaborate early morning birthday celebrations for Nico doughnut with candle in Novosibirsk train station we take the bus to Tomsk where we are spending a few days with Grigory couchsurfing again and his family. We entertain ourselves on the 4 hour journey by singing crap '80s songs and eating. Nico's incredible effect on the average Russian girl is again in evidence as while I am buying http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/blog-156618.html Arrive back in Novosibirsk around 5pm. Get some travellers cheques changed no thanks to evil lady in bank no 1 who is as helpful and friendly as a cobra only without the charm. Head into downtown Novosibirsk and are a bit surprised to see what seems to be the entire Russian army marching into the main square from all sides to stand under the watchful gaze of the omnipresent flapping coat Lenin st http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Siberia/Novosibirsk/blog-156624.html Walking in taiga full of Siberian spring flowers and blooming azaleas. View through trees to sparkling lake. Picnic at the top of the hill. Blissfull apart from slightly fear of being torn apart by unseen bears. Back to hotel disaster Covered in ticks well 1 anyway. Read the guidebook no worries only japaneseencephalitiscarrying ticks in these forests. AaaarghghghWake up next morning http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Siberia/Lake-Baikal/blog-156627.html A couple of days roaming round Irkutsk eating cabbage and chasing marshrutky russian minibuses pass by pleasantly enough. The town is nice and fairly relaxed has some nice treelined streets with wooden lace architecture a couple of madlooking Russian Orthodox churches a lively market and a lot of kamikaze maniac drivers. That last also includes our bus driver from Listvyanka to Irkutsk a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Siberia/Irkutsk/blog-158325.html