Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Singapore Sling

Well we made it, 43 days after our Brisbane departure, we arrived at the Raffles Hotel Singapore for a Singapore Sling, marking the end of our trip, two more flights, two more trains and we will be home. What an adventure we have had. Not all went to plan we had some lovely surprises along the way.

Our much deserved Singapore Sling in the Long Bar of the Raffles Hotel is the perfect drink to celebrate a fantastic adventure.

Raffles Singapore Sling

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

The British Museum

I had never been to the British Museum and seeing as we had a day to spare in London before our flight to Singapore we decided to visit.

On my bucket list of things to see was one item - The Rosetta Stone, but the scale and scope of the collection was like nothing I have ever seen before. We decided to take a highlight tour which took a couple of hours, on our list was :

The Rosetta Stone

Ramses II (ancient Egyptian granite statue found at Luxor)

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (one of the seven wonders of the world)

Venus (Roman statue in marble)

The Lewis Chessman (walrus ivory chess set found on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland)

The Sutton Hoo helmet (iron cap, just one of four complete to survive from Anglo Saxon England)

The Astrolabe (brass Islamic astronomical device)

Shiva Nataraja (bronze cast of the Hindu God Shiva)

What a morning walking through a beautiful monumental building. The British Museum is open to all visitors for free, the exhibits are accessible to all and it is a collection of items that I have read about or not even known of - it was an amazing experience but one that I know I should read more about.

When a visit to a museum becomes an ethical dilemma

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

London Calling

A morning run in the park - what a lovely way to start the day.

From our accommodation in London the closest park to run in was Kensington Gardens which is just across the road from Hyde Park which is just down the road from Buckingham Palace.

What a run it was, starting out with the commuters, runners, cyclists and dog walkers, my route takes me past Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall, Marble Arch and the Australian War Memorial to the turn around point - Buckingham Palace, a distance of approximately 5km.

My return 5km is much faster than the first 5km as I am not stopping every kilometre to take photos of buildings, palaces, horses and statues. I follow the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk back through Kensington Gardens

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

All you need is love

Liverpool home of The Beatles, bubble and squeak, Jodie Comer and my family.

We arrived in Liverpool on Saturday night, the town is bustling with witches, skeletons, ghouls and the sound of drums from a street parade of the Dia de los Muertos type.

https://katumba.co.uk/halloween/

It is Halloween and it feels like the whole of Liverpool is in Lord Street to celebrate.

Liverpool sits on the river Mersey and is rich in history and historical buildings. According to the visit Liverpool website, Liverpool is home to the largest number of museums and galleries outside of London.

We weren’t here to visit all those museums and galleries but just walking around the city it was easy to see how many days could be filled.

Our time in Liverpool was spent with family, most days were spent at the hospital visiting Auntie Rose, spending time with Kevin, catching up with Auntie Vera and Uncle Michael and visiting the resting place of Uncle Jeff. The museums and galleries can wait for our next visit.

Our time in Liverpool showed me love and kindness is all around us, from family that we were born into and those that chose us, to caregivers.

As The Beatles say - all you need is love.



Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

East Coast Park parkrun

Singapore, 11-Nov-2023

Getting there: the meeting point for the start/finish of East Coast Park parkrun is a gazebo about 2.4 km by foot almost directly south of Dakota MRT station on Singapore’s Circle Line, and the simplest route is straight down Broadrick Road and under the pedestrian underpass behind the residential apartment complexes on Meyer Road.

That is however unless you (as we did) complacently and determinedly omit to negotiate a crossing of the Geylang River at the first opportunity (immediately outside the MRT station) and take the ‘scenic’ route along the northern bank to the place where it goes under Mountbatten Road, adding about 600 metres to your journey.

The Parkrun website actually contains some sage words: Tourists may find it easiest to take a taxi.

Consequently, we approached the assembly point with some relief to observe that we hadn’t missed the advertised 0730 start or indeed the pre-run briefing, which included the usual welcomes for first-timers and tourists, thanks to the vollies and a reminder that the finish tokens aren’t souvenirs. Unusually though was the trek to the start, which is about 300 metres displaced from the finish.

 The run itself then, explicitly not a race, is a pancake flat out-and-back with a tear-drop turna round along East Coast Park and all the way along views of the masses of shipping clustered in the Singapore Strait.

Strava records that humidity was 87%, which (according to Strava) is about the same as London was experiencing a few days earlier when it was so humid that drops of water were actually falling from the sky. However, a parallel run report puts the humidity at 98%. Either way it was sweaty as. Anyway - a great course, run by super-friendly vollies. And importantly, it’s a third point (of four required) towards membership of the all-important Parkrun Compass Club.

Resources

Header photo from the Strava account of James Payne

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Euston we ‘ave a problem

The 2pm arrival of the Eurostar from Paris at St Pancreas station London was delayed due to a delay in departure from Gare du Nord.

Disembarking the Eurostar we headed directly to Euston station hoping to catch the 2:30pm train to Liverpool rather than 4:30pm train that we had booked.

Finding the Arriva information area we showed our ticket, the Arriva assistant told us we can board the earlier 2:30pm train but it will cost us an extra £80 per person, he advised us to wait, we agreed with his advise and found bag storage in the station for £15, so we were free of our packs for a couple of hours.

Feeling light as a feather we headed out onto the streets of London, to find a pub. You would think that would be an easy task in London - but little did we know - we were in the University College of London precinct, which has countless university buildings, a hospital and rows of terrace houses, but no pubs.

We walk down Gower Street, Gower Street became an alternative name for its most famous institution, the University of London, later UCL, being built at the north end of the street from 1827.

We continue walking past Waterstones where we come accross the Marlborough Arms, a lovely, inviting English pub, full of what appears to be university students. Nevertheless we enjoy the atmosphere and our beer (pint - Andy) and wine (glass - me).

I spend my time sipping my wine contemplating how on earth the toilet door design in the Ladies toilet was ever approved; in order to close the toilet door the options are; stand on the toilet, stand between the toilet and the far wall; or give up and leave the door open.

A brisk stroll back to Euston onwards and upwards to Liverpool we go.





Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Invader

On my return from 2.5km run in Paris I retrace my steps, up along Rue Damremont. Along this route I pass the Montmartre cemetery. On the walled perimeter of the cemetery I notice a tiled Pacman. It triggers a memory, Exit through the gift shop, the 2010 mockumentry filmed by Thierry Guetta a French immigrant living in Los Angeles who discovers his cousin is the famous street artist, Invader.

The film is actually about the street artist Banksy but the memory of Invader comes to front of mind when I see the tiled Pacman.

On return to our accommodation on Rue de Ordener. I am inspired, let’s go street art hunting I say, Andy agrees and I search for street art in our area the 18th arrondissement.

After some quick research I find three locations within walking distance, we are on the hunt for a Banksy and two Invaders.

We cannot find the Banksy and the one of the Invaders had been removed but we find success in our last location Rue du Guella, an Invader - we take our photos feeling quite satisfied.

Our search led us up to Sacre Coeur, then down through the small streets of Montmartre, tourists and street art are everywhere.

After the hustle and bustle of the back streets of Montmartre we escape to the wide boulevard of the Champs Élysées in the 8th arrondissement and walk from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde, the location of the World Cup village it is relatively quiet, but the French police are not taking any chances and are noticeabley visible.

The village pub and souvenir shop are the busiest areas in the village - maybe in preparation for tonight’s bronze cup final England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 v Argentina 🇦🇷 which happily we have tickets to. Back on the metro to Jules Joffrin, for a glass of wine and dinner before heading out to the Stade de France for a 9pm kick off.


References

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Rugby

Paris’ impressive 80,000 seater Stade de France on a dreary Friday night in late October was the scene for an entertaining game of rugby between Argentina and England for the prize that no-one ever wants: third place at the World Cup. While the BBC cleverly labelled it the bottom step of a podium that doesn’t exist, the in-ground announcers happily hotted it up as a competition for a bronze medal.

Turning up earlyish as advised by the organisers we encountered a stadium perimeter going full boof-boof despite the persistent drizzle which made a misery of our trek through the backstreets of Saint-Denis from Front Populaire on Metro line 4. It was a trek we were glad of later on when made in the reverse direction so avoiding the post-match crush at Saint-Denis RER station. Conditions did soften during the pre-match entertainment, but generally damp and cold was rusted on for the night.

And those conditions would have a role to play in the match and the result.

The crowd though were not the obvious bipartite assembly that you might expect at a test match but rather an assortment of representation from al the rugby playing nations represented at the World Cup with a liberal seasoning of French. Consequently, the team announcements indicated where the loyalty might lie: every England player was roundly and soundly booed by all but the English, with especial effort saved for England’s sharpshooter Owen Farrell.

This leached across into the eighty.

Even under the slickest of conditions, England were always expected to play a conservative game of football, hoofing the ball into Argentinian territory and then relying on the South Americans to err consequently to be punished by the boot of Farrell. So in the greasy conditions, this was England’s approach, which of course aggravated the crowd who wanted to see some expansive running rugby. So when Argentina duly obliged by putting it through the hands, they won over any neutrals in the crowd and the jeers for England’s penalty machine amplified.

But Argentina’s intent to spread the ball was not without risk, and did result in some inevitable fumbles that may have cost them in the end. In case you missed it, the match ended Argentina 23 England 26, much to the disappointment of many inside the venue. Better conditions might have seen that result reversed.

Handy resources



Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Proost

A wet day in Amsterdam finds us with a free afternoon. We review our options : Anne Frank house - sold out, Van Gogh museum - sold out, Heineken experience - the more the merrier.

We find the old Heineken brewery at Stadhouderskade 78. Entering the building we are met with an up beat vibe. Lots of young, enthusiastic, multi lingual Heineken tour assistants ensuring we know where to buy tickets, where to wait and how our self guided tour of the Heineken experience will proceed.

The tour was an exercise in self promotion, but it was fun and informative and we had two free beers at the end of the tour. We learnt that the current brewery located in Zoeterwoude fills 770,000 beer bottles every hour; the fruity taste in beer is banana; and Heineken ads are very funny.

The tour took 90mins working our way through the building learning about the history of the brand, how the beer is made and bottled and how the logo evolved.

The Heineken logo uses its own font Heineken serif. The e in Heineken was changed to a smiley e in 1964. The colours used are ;

At the end of your we end up in the Heineken bar which feels more like a nightclub complete with hoards of people, loud music and sticky floor. We enjoy our free beers, exit through the gift shop and make our way back out onto the wet streets.

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Buildings, canals and bikes

A wet day in Amsterdam. On average there are 217 days per year.

Reference : Amsterdam weather

Our last day in Amsterdam was one of those days. As always we were not deterred. We headed out knowing that we wanted pancakes firstly and then after that it was anyone’s guess.

Our pancakes were, as last time, first class, we found our little dutch cafe on our first day. I think the main reason I like this cafe is not the pancakes which as I said are fantastic but the cool cat! I’m sure it is the boss, it certainly behaves as if it owns the place.

After carbo loading we hit the streets, and as we progress along the streets, canals, lanes I begin to notice some details in the buildings that look odd. facades that are not at perpendicular to the ground, and really do not look structurally sound, windows and doors that seem at a strange angles to the building they are fitted into, windows on the sides of buildings that appear at the top but there is no space for a window lower down on the same wall. Amsterdam has interesting architecture.

Oddly, the whole effect is overwhelmingly positive, the canals, tree lines streets and quirky buildings all make the whole of the old city very appealing. I note also the lack of car noise made the city noises less annoying.

My last observation is the bikes, they lined the streets when not being ridden, all shapes and sizes, colours and designs. I fell in love with bikes in this city; swapfiets with their interesting blue front tyres; cowboys looking sleek; gazelles in the loveliest of colours, to the good old black dutchies that look like they just keep going.

All in all we have had a lovely time in the damming of the Amstel.

Fun fact : Swapfiets is composed of the English word "swap" and the Dutch word for bike, "fiets"

Reference : Swapfiels

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Fietsen in Amsterdam

It is perhaps apocryphal and in any case hackneyed but it is stated that Amsterdam is home to more bicycles than people.

Just browsing around Amsterdam city centre, which most tourists are wont to do, it’s easy to conjecture something similar, as wherever one looks - aside perhaps from along the frontage of the Anne Frank House - bicycles seem to line the roadsides and canals like some sort of makeshift fencing, mostly locked to themselves or locked to each other or locked to some element of fixed infrastructure, clearly outnumbering by a comfortable margin the visible human co-inhabitants.

At first the strings of bikes might seem to outsiders like visual clutter to an otherwise beautiful city: “why are they allowed to store their private property in the road … roads that are meant for cars?”.

And that’s the thing. In fact it’s two things.

First, wherever you’re reading this from, you’re probably quite accustomed to at least occasionally storing your private property in the road without even a jot of a thought. Maybe it’s never your piano or your aspidistra or your lawnmower, but aside from your house it’s likely the most valuable asset you own – your car. And it’s quite likely that you have some expectation that somewhere sometime again you will be permitted without question to store it in the public road next to the kerb near to your destination.

Second, in Amsterdam (and to some extent this likely applies where you live too, even if you don’t know it), roads are not meant simply for cars, nor ever were they. Sure, Amsterdamers can (and do) use their roads for their cars, and there is provision for on-street parking as well as some automated innovative parking solutions in evidence. But all but the most arterial of roads are shared by a multitude of transport modes with trams, bikes and pedestrians generally further up the food chain than cars. And drivers drive accordingly.

So it goes without saying that Amsterdam is up there on a podium with Copenhagen as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Provision for bikes is ubiquitous throughout, connected from the hub at Amsterdam Centraal and reaching far far out into the suburbs. And that’s the fundamental part – according to Chris Bruntlett at the Dutch Cycling Embassy:

"If you want cycling for the masses, then you have to make sure that it's not just possible, but it's actually delightful... that it's attractive to people. That there's a cycle path on virtually every street, connecting all the origins and destinations in your city".

Lastly it’s also a truism that there’s no such thing as bad weather – just wrong clothing. It couldn’t be more true for the population of Amsterdam, where around six in ten days (217 across a year) are expected to produce some form of precipitation. So when it rains, Amsterdamers ride their bikes anyway, generally in more appropriate clothing.

Although sometimes they just break out an umbrella.

***

P.S. In October 2023, not one electric scooter shared or otherwise did I see in Amsterdam, although I was overtaken in bike lanes by all manner of other micromobility: What the…

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Amsterdam cycling

Considering the bike (a dutchie) I was riding, cycling in Amsterdam should have been a walk in the park. Well it was and it wasn’t.

Starting out from Cityden Zuidas, Amstelveen we cycled out through Amstel park towards the river, yes you guessed it - Amstel river.

Cycling was easy and relaxing, we cycled along a bike path, along the river, lovely if a bit cold. Following the river for as far as we could, roadworks forced us to enter the roads of the outer area of Amsterdam city.

I knew from our time in Amsterdam yesterday, cars are considerate of cyclists and cyclists are considerate of pedestrians, but, being on the bike alongside trams cars, bikes and pedestrians was a bit daunting. It took me a little while to understand my heightened unease and then it occurred to me - I was riding without a bike helmet.

The ease in which people cycle here is a wonder, the confidence they have flying along on their dutchies - I think I spotted one road bike. All ages of people cycle, we saw boys heading off to play soccer, riding their bikes with football boots on, mums and dads with children front and back on their bikes, lots of older people confidently riding out with purpose.

It seems there is bike access everywhere, you cannot look down any street without seeing someone cycling and dozens if not hundreds of bikes parked along the street.

To an outsider it all seemed a little chaotic but from watching the locals there is a system and it works.

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Car sharing

It exists, and has for quite awhile it seems - even in Australia (though I haven’t seen one, or maybe I wasn’t looking)

Car sharing is a type of car rental aimed at replacing car ownership, where people rent cars for short periods of time - typically by the hour or by the day - from car sharing companies, and the transaction is done via an app. 

Source: carsguide.com.au

I have seen an abundance car sharing cars in Berlin, Hamburg and even some in Amsterdam. They have been parked on the street both residential and city areas. Miles, Share now and Green wheels are the share cars I have spotted so far on our trip.


According to Movemnt - mobility reimagined - by far the largest European market for free-floating carsharing is Germany, with 18,500 vehicles in 34 cities.

I also noted quite a few of these vehicles are electric. Germany, for example, more than 20 percent of the total carsharing fleet is comprised of e-cars, while only 3.3 percent of the total number of vehicles registered in Germany are electric.

Source: movement.net

The concept is the same as bike and scooter share riding. An app on your phone is the way to start.

Just look at the Miles website - The app is your key to carsharing: Find, reserve, open and close your car - all via the app!

Next time I’m in Brisbane I’ll be on the look out!

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Downsizing in Hamburg

Nothing at all to do with Heidi Klum, but if modelling is at all your thing, then Hamburg possesses (at least) two attractions that will surely tickle your tiny fancy.

First up, open until very very late, is the Miniatur Wunderland, which, according to Guinness World Records, is the largest model train set (scale length) in the world.

And while this might seem like something that would appeal only to kids, gricers and anoraks, the scale (over 16 km of track at the standard 1:87 HO) is spectacular.

Interwoven across two levels of a warehouse in the Speicherstadt district of Hamburg, we visited, in the space of about two hours and about 1500 square metres of modelled area, destinations in Scandinavia, Bavaria, Switzerland, the Wild West, Venice and Rome, as well as the fabuluos Hamburg and (fictitious) Knuffingen layouts complete with functioning airport. It’s not only a trainset but an extraordinary exhibition of modelling in miniature with some occasional real-life drama thrown in: for example a couple can be observed engaged in a congress of some sort in among a sea of sunflowers; there’s a fight (albeit apparently a one-sided interaction) on one of the station platforms; there are at least three road traffic crashes including two single vehicle roadway departure events into respectively a tree and a streetlight pole; and more seriously perhaps a police investigation of a car into a bicycle at a signalised crossing. We left after midnight, and were far from the last to leave.

But apparently unfulfilled by this, we subsequently spent the following afternoon in the nearby Maritime Museum, which houses nine floors of exhibits including art, weaponry, uniforms and many many many models of boats, altogether fathoming the full depth and breadth of maritime endeavour. We began, as suggested by the museum’s security officer, up on the top floor where hundreds and thousands of ships from various navies around the world are modelled and on display at 1:1200 (one inch to 100 feet) or more latterly post-metrification 1:1250 in a spectrum of different media, including wood, metal, plastic and paper. The craftspersonship and patience and steadiness of hand required to create these models is incomprehensible.

Not all the vessels are so small though. As we descended through the building (which in itself is noteworthy - do your own research), we came across a 6.9 metre long lego Queen Mary II weighing in at 870 kg and comprising 780,000 lego parts.

But whereas Miniatur Wunderland had a focus on fun, the maritime museum and model shipbuilding is (lego aside) much more serious business. I joked earlier on in this series about the world championship of club sandwiches. But there is a world championship for model shipbuilding, which in 2023 was held in the Czech Republic. Who ever knew?

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Alstervorland Parkrun

Helfer (volles) at the fabulous Alstervorland Parkrun in Hamburg

Our second park run is in Hamburg, Germany. Alster Park is located on the shore of the Alster - a tributary of the Elbe river.

Parkrun started at 9am which gave us plenty of time for the slow 2.3km jog to the start. The weather was overcast with light showers and cold! I have never run in a beanie before - there is a first time for everything.

It seemed there were quite a few visitors to this park run I heard England and Singapore in the countries being named. The run director started her introduction with the question - what language will we use? She decided on English and completed her introduction and instructions in English with some German thrown in.

The run was two laps of the course which was mostly on a gravel path, except for the section where I thought running on the grass would be a better idea than negotiate if a puddle on the path - I was wrong - I had to run the rest of the course with very wet feet and muddy runners.

I really enjoy this cold weather running, no PB but it was a lovely parkrun and my coldest to date.

But most of all, thanks to the volunteers. Parkrun doesn't happen without you.

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Berlin, 8 degrees, rain

Our day of exploring Berlin started out cold and wet and finished the same way. We were not deterred, this was the weather we were expecting and we came prepared.

Rugging up we made our way to the Olympia Station (S Bahn) disembarking at Ostbahmhof and walked to the East side gallery.

The East Side Gallery memorial is a permanent open-air gallery on the longest surviving 1.3km section of the Berlin Wall in Mühlenstraße between the Berlin Ostbahnhof and the Oberbaumbrücke along the River Spree.

The famous paintings that I have seen in photos I now view first hand alongside just as moving and memorable less famous works.

Our journey through Berlin continues to Alexanderplatz, Andy had a sense of déjà vous - had he been here before? Slowly looking around it all started to fall into place, the trams, the Plaza and underground station - we were in Jason Bourne territory - Jason Bourne Supremacy to be exact.

source: https://www.recenzent.org.ua/bourne-supremacy-locations-berlin/

Our next destination Checkpoint Charlie - the famous border crossing between East and West Berlin during the Cold War, which features in James Bond, Octopussy. The checkpoint is located on Friedrichstraße, the wall, watchtowers and turnpikes are gone and all that is left is a replica, souvenir shops and bus loads of tourists.

Onwards we walk and pass the Volkswagen showroom situated at the corner of Friedrichstrasse and Unter den Linden, to our surprise and my delight the showroom has an Exhibition "Driven by Dreams - 75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars" all those beautiful cars on show - we couldn’t resist but to go in.

We continue through the city along Unter den Linden feeling dwarfed by the oversized stately buildings.

We notice a lot of police activity the closer we get to Brandenburg Gate, we pass hoardings showing support to Ukraine 🇺🇦 and look across the road to see the Russian embassy isolated by barriers.

Further on we pass the British and US embassies both behind barricades, both with high police presence. In fact we note there is high level of police activity all over the city which, we later realise when we are at the Reichstag is more than likely due to protests as there were large numbers of people dispersing.

We escape the crowds and the black unmarked vans driving around filming the crowds to the relative quiet of the Berlin Hauftbahn - maybe we were in a Jasón Bourne film after all.


Post script : On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel with a barrage of rockets and an incursion into Israeli territory, 1400 people were killed and 212 people taken hostage. Israel began retaliatory strikes into Gaza before formally declaring war on Hamas. Israel has urged the 1.1 million Gazans to evacuate to Northern Gaza. The Israeli airstrikes have killed 4,651 Palestinians with more than a million of the territories 2.3million people displaced. Since that date there have been worldwide protests in support of both Palestinians and Israelis. Source: ABC news.

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Berlin läuft

It’s that streak thing. I have completed a Strava activity in every city we have been to so far. Today was our last day in Berlin so it was now or never, I woke before dawn and looked out into the darkness - maybe it is not raining?

An hour later past astronomical and nautical but before civil twilight I could see it was raining. Undeterred and spurred on by Andy, who was dressed and ready to head out on a 20km run to Brandenburg Gate - he is amazing, if that were me I would be carrying water, food, I would have to know where the toilets are on the route. Andy heads off into the pre dawn light with his Garmin.

I am warm and the rain is more a drizzle, I know I am going to run 5km but I don’t know where - part of me wants to run where I know there will be people around so I think I will set off towards the town but - of course - I change my mind and make my way to the Olympic Stadium - I want to to see it again - I run along tree lined streets, people walking to the railway station to start work, past the stadium it’s lights still and into the Olympic Park.

My aim i realised as I was running was to find the tennis courts so I followed the signs - not a difficult task - tennis is the same spelling in English and German. Go straight, turn left and as I’m running a gate to my left is open and the royal blue of the running track catches my eye. The Olympic running track colours were changed from red to blue reflecting the colours of Hertha BSC.

So I enter the track area and see in the distance someone warming up on the track - it is too tempting - I make my way to lane 5 and start running, two laps of the track it feels great and even though I’m into inside the stadium it’s feels special to be running on an Olympic running track. I didn’t break any world records or get a PB but it was definitely fun!

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Berlin bear

Question : What do you call a Bear from Berlin ?

Answer : Lin

Source : Andrew Burbridge

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Olympiastadion

We disembark from the night train from Budapest at Berlin-Charlottenburg, and knowing that our accommodation at the Westlife Apart Hotel on Heerstraße is just a few hundred metres from the stadium that housed the 1936 Olympics, manage to find our way onto the U-Bahn via Wilmersdorfer Straße on the light blue U7 line and Bismarck-straße on the red U2 line to Olympia-Stadion. It’s only later on that we realise we could have simply changed platforms at Berlin-Charlottenburg, and travelled directly to Olympiastadion on the Spandau bound S-Bahn service.

You live and you learn. We don’t.

Obviously neither of us, nor our parents to boot, were yet born in 1936, but seeing the iconic structure – an almighty concrete modernist behemoth counterpointed with neoclassical notions of theatre and amphitheatre conjures up a venue that screeches imperialism and strength – in real life with its pair of tall slender rectangular columns symmetrically situated about the venue entrance with the Olympic Rings strung between them might easily whisk you back in time to scenes of ugly paramilitary displays of order, power, and supremacy.

But thanks to Jesse Owens, we all know how that turned out.

The stadium is, without question, in some respects a monument to the past, but a visit inside (€11 per person for the most basic entry) reveals that it is as well a modern, functional 76,000 capacity sporting arena, home (since 1963, and we weren’t born then either) to Hertha Berlin and also host from time to time of top tier football matches including the FIFA Men’s World Cup Final in 2006 and matches for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2011. The football field is contained within a bright blue athletics track, on (a part of) which Usain Bolt set a new world record for the men’s 100 metres in 2009.

Taking cues from Messrs. Owens, and Bolt, we used our time wisely in Berlin. I did a couple of circuits of the stadium outer, which seemed largely devoted to football, with heaps of soccer families turning up hoping their little Jörgen might turn out to be the next (Hamburg legend) Uwe Seeler, and did manage to set a couple of segment times on Jesse Owens Way. Kerrie went on step beyond, and turned over a couple of laps on the unoccupied athletics track. No-one from Hertha Berlin seemed to mind.

Read More
Andrew Burbridge Andrew Burbridge

Night train to Berlin

The night train to Berlin was an adventure. On boarding we made our way to our cabin, bunks beds prepared. We boarded the train just after five pm, the train departed Nyugati at 5:29.

The night porter instructed us how our wash basin worked, where the toilets are and how to lock our door. Breakfast was included in fare and we had a choice of 7 items.

The evening went by quickly, we had purchased our dinner prior to boarding the train - baguettes and we had a plenty supply of chips and chocolates thanks to Spar - the main sponsor of the Budapest Marathon.

On departure at Bratislava around 9pm we called it a night, tucked up in our bunks and turned out the lights. Our sleep, as it has been throughout our trip was intermittent, whilst the train was moving I slept soundly but stopping at stations and the change in rhythm of train woke me, or so I thought until Andy advised me we had passed through the very large station of Wrocław, which I knew nothing of.

I was woken by my alarm at 6am, feeling refreshed, it was still dark outside and we were still in Poland 🇵🇱, we had arrived at Zielona Gora Glowna, only 3 stops left, another 3 1/2hrs.

Our final stop before Berlin, Frankfurt an der Oder, brings blue skies and breakfast.

Onwards to Berlin we go, rested and fed.


Read More