Chapter 2

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England would not be England without snow, so on the eve of my departure (and despite it not being winter) the temps dropped suddenly to 0 (from around 8 during the day) and a snow storm swept through birmingham depositing around 2 inches of snow on the ground.

I was very lucky to get out of England. I heeded the warnings of my family who told of the horror that is the English motorways.. The trip frp, Birmingham to London should have taken 1 1/2 hours (and did on the way up) but thankfully i left 5 hours before my flight left and barely made it to the check in counter before the flight left!
English motorways are great. Once you are on them there is no getting off or turning around. So when i hit the taffic backd up because of a truck accident i sat barely moving for over 3 hours before being diverted off the motor way onto the country roads..

So chapter one of the trip was over, I left England and the cold weather behind and arrived a few hours later in freezing cold Amsterdam. Who´s idea was it to travel this close to winter? doh!

It's a beautiful city, full of historical buildings but it is very tourtist focused (aka trying to rip off the tourists).
The first thing you notice is that every second shop is full of cakes and lollies. Any guess as to why?
The second thing u notice is the smokey smells that waft everywhere, especially in the hostel rooms.
Good job i do not partake in the smoking side, i know a few friends who are envious at the moment! sorry, i can not get any for you..

I spent my first day taking an 1 1/2 cruise around the city canals and then walked around most of it. It is not very large and very few cars around.
The narrow streets make navigating by car very difficult (some end up in the canals as there no barriers between the street and the water. Unfortunatley i did not see any :-(. But everyone there ride bikes (over 1 million of them!). It can be hazzardous to walk around if you are not careful, the bikes have right of way and thier own lanes plus they do not stop of anything.

My second day was much the same, walking walking and more walking.
It was quite an experience to have gone to Amsterdam. The only place i know of that men actually enjoy window shopping!
There is no off season there, the weed flows all the time and the girls are always freindly..

I arrived in Madrid next to spend 2 days before meeting a friend in Malaga..
Madrid... I am not overly impressed with this city. It is like any major city with graffiti everywhere, beggers on every corner and the cost is huge to buy anything.
It certainly has alot of history for sure.. the old building have mostly been restored, the plazas are magnificiant from an enginering point of view.
I did the royal palace tour (photo below) which even the guide the books say that the current royals here are embarissed at the opulense that is this palace...
The royals live elsewhere in more modest accomodation and the palace is just a momunent to the extravegance of the previous rulers.
I did the tours around old Madrid, yes it has alot of history pitty we livin a time which there is not much to be remembered for!..
Was very glad to get out of there!

I just arrived here in Malaga in the south of Spain. I have only been here a few hours and i am sooo glad to get out the cities. The prices here are reasonable and i am meeting an old friend in a few hours to catch up. A timeout from exploring for a few days.
Love the place so far. No crowds, only the older generation who have retired here or the families from England who are getting a few days away from the god awful English weather.. the weather is slightly warmer but this definatley is the off season. I would hate to see it in summer! fabulous time too come.

More to come shortly as i hit Itally to start the 20 day sprint from Rome to Paris..

(did not have time to orgainize the photos, so they are abit of a mess.. still learning how to do all this bloging!)

Adios!

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Photos

White England
English weather, Bbrrrrr..

Amsterdam
RL

Madrid
Palace

Madrid
River