trouble in the kitchen in Hitchin

so... here's the update that some of you heard about today (the abridged version): Around 4am this morning, at 'M'&''S's house, while we were sleeping, burglars somehow entered the house through the backdoor and stole a number of things including 'M's wallet, laptop, watch and my jacket (which had my wallet and, stolen for a second time, my digi camera!).
The good news is that we are all safe and that they probably got scared off when lil''K' (now a healthy and super cute 5 months old) needed a feed around 4 am and 'S' was walking around upstairs.
The bad news (besides the immediate loss of cash and valuables) is the feeling of invasion in a supposed 'safe' place that lingers. And it is heightened by having a young child at home. I have to say that 'M' & 'S' handled it very well and we tried to make the best of a long day waiting to talk to the police (who came home) and a C.S.I. styled investigator who came to take the shoe prints left behind! Me, ever being the tourist (and to lighten the mood a lil') got photos of 'em! :) It certainly is a crappy feeling to be robbed in your own house esp. while you're upstairs sleeping. Now every noise for the next while will provoke thoughts of danger and alarm.
I am now on my old trusty film-backup camera so photo updates will be a while... but I think there are enough to keep ya'll happy for a bit... luckily I posted all the photos the day I landed in Hitchen.We're also lucky that there was no physical harm to any of us and mostly we have is the hassle of dealing with the beaurocratic process of getting things replaced.
Am now in Uxbridge and totally stuffed (once again!!!) so will sign off... as always... Mr. Lucky (even if 'M', jokingly, says otherwise!) :)

in the kitchen in Hitchin (England)...

so, like the title says... I'm at a friend's place in Hitchin and thank God that my hour flight was just that! As I type, I'm uploading more photos to the German album. Included are the photos of "the wait"... and sorry boyz, the two beautiful blondes are spoken for! :P
So, now its time for some Inglish Curry.. innit? post more when I get some time :)

Longest shorthaul flight EVER

ok... will write more about this as soon as I get a chance to calm down and then coherently vent... but have FINALLY made it to northern Germany (countryside) but got a short story about an hour long flight that ended up taking about 20 hours!!! Itsa crazy adventure filled story involving hot (yet oh so German) tempers, Motha Nature (in her full glory), Jalapeno Chocolates, beautiful blondes (beer and others!), slick runways, fight sequences (snowball ones as boarding the plane), Red Cross intervention, plane changes, missing (possibly exploded luggage)and more!
----
all said and done... I am fine and getting fatter as am full of homemade Linzensuppe (german Lentil soup) :)

german mobi numbah 49-175-658-0034

So, the update is that I personally would NOT recommend T-mobile to anyone comin here!I havent checked if the others do the same in Germany but it costs ya to call their customer service!So, if you have a problem with their service, you have to call them and pay, by the minute, to speak to an automated service to solve your problem!Needless to say I needed help in doing the hardest of tasks... changing the number of rings before kicking into voicemail from 5 seconds to 30 seconds!Thanks to the ladies of The Phone House! :)
Ok... so now that the rant is done, the unusually warm weather here ends tomorrow morn and hopefully the snow wont cause a delay for me to get to Osnabruck/Munster!


This first foto is something you have to click on... and then try and pronounce!!!It essentially an egg cracker... or (say it fast in German 5 times!!!)EIERSCHALENSOLIBRUCHSTELLENVERURSACHER !!! Really!



For all ya'll Torontonians... here is the first... the Original TV tower. :)



For more photos, including those of the first smiling Gargoyle I've ever seen (Some of you know the fascination I have with these protruding architectural art thangs!), click here
------------------
got it today... ´tis 011 (or 00)49-175-658-0034 :) lets see how T-mobile is in deutschland.

first foto batch up....

first batch o´photos is ready... albums 16 and 17. Look under LINKS on right side of this blog... there´s a link for NEWEST photos :) its da last two albums.
Enjoy!
jup
good nite all!!

Zurich... clean... cool... cash....

the subject is my description of Zurich. Now that that is outta the way... I've been mulling over life and timing... (and my traveling nick 'Mr.Lucky', which still holds true as described below... should I feel egotistically inclined to state so,which I do!)
ETA bombing at Madrid Airport a few days before arriving there
Catching and landing in Germany literally hours before the start of the BIG storm
Getting off the autobahn as news of the winds causing a truck on our section of the autobahn acting like a sail and toppling over causing serious issues!
Couple of hours here or there and things would/could be very different.I guess I'm stating the obvious and have no answers for the 27 people who didnt make it through yesterday's storm.Maybe its something I'm pondering as I'm not in the percieved safety of my home or once again witnessing and realizing the frailty of our 'normal' routine-oriented life.
I am passing my (wishing for) siesta time in a local Technology Institute called ETH and not paying the insane amount of approx CAD10/hour at an internet cafe thanks to some nice students of the Institute whom I was asking directions & travel advice for spending my afternoon whilst waitin' for 'P's girlfriend, 'B' who is working in downtown Zurich.
-----------------



only in Zurich have I ever seen a sign where the SALE price is HIGHER than the regular price. :)

on the way to swtzerland

so am on the way to zurich after arriving late last night to stuttgart and stayin with 'P' in scenic Esslingen.they are expectin a serious storm here today so am Mr.Lucky again as am not in a plane/airport today.had my first frankfurter here after searchin for them in TWO gas stations (which btw are are second in taste only to the ones in train stations).Hopefully this gets posted directly to the blog as have caved and borrowed 'P's CRACKberry.so,for now TSCHUSS!

---

This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you
are not the intended recipient (or have received this e-mail in error)
please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any
unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this
e-mail is strictly forbidden.

UK mobi: 44-7952239218

so my old uk mobi works... but I wont have it on till I return to London Jan 29th :)
Gotta get back to the Madrid sunday morn :)

Madrid phone: 34-617553691

uppdate from Zurich 19 Jan 2007
so, I never made it to 'Angel Caido' in El Retiro. But I did see many old friends, had many many types of tapas, vinos y vermut, napolitana de chocolate inside Metro Alonso Martinez, Chinese food near the underground parking in Plaza Espana and late night coffee an old haunt in Lavapies (with Ella & Louis singin' in the background... yes, not authentic spanish but neither is my memory or uncalled for cravings of VIPS burgers!)
I should be posting some photos soon!

----------------------
Madrid phone: 34-617553691
so my old mobi # doesn´t work anymore. Interestingly, my 2 year old unused chip from London seems to work here! Crazy crazy... So... sofar so good... its Sunday morning... I didn´t have a chance in hell of making it to El Rastro as Carlos and me were making early morn sandwiches at 7!
Well,gotta go and catch up with some old friends... hopefully make it to another afternoon goin' down memory lane in el retiro and see my favourite 'fallen angel' :) ciao!
-------------

London part 1

So, I arrived safely in London last night... just enough time to come home (c/o M & fam) eat, nap, wake up, have dinner, great conversations and sleep again... which brings me to now. I'm off to Madrid in a few hours.Coming back to London felt great... drizzly eve, the distinctive smell of the London underground and the walk from the bus stop... goin' down memory lane... which apparently has been renovated in my decade away!The two pubs at the corner have been replaced by 4 multi-million dollar/pound houses!Anyways, I digress (as usual).
alls good... post from spain next... yay!!!

test post

hi everyone... this is a test post from email to blog.
I'm still trying to see if there is a phone text to
blog option! :)
cheers!
Jup

departing dearly...

so... everything is as usual... last minute... I leave tonight for approx. 3 months and I'm still trying to find one of the suitcases I'll be using to pack (which I still have to start!). A few odd things cover the basement floor... and a realization (while typing) that packing for visiting friends & family in Europe, Wedding in India and strawbale work in Pakistan all require totally different attire and somehow have to fit into the now lowered international baggage limits! Well, what would be a trip without some challenges! On the upside, we finally have snow! :) Maybe... just maybe, I'll sneak out taboganning (post-packing ofcourse!)
So, if all goes to plan, I'll be outta here at 1055 and arriving in London tomorrow at 11:15am (AC 858) and off the next day to Spain. I'll try and keep posting regularly... and more importantly will keep posting #'s I can be reached at etc.
BIG hugs to all ya'll and hope to see you soon (sooner if I'm visiting ya and are here to figure out when the heck am I arriving!!!)
:)
Jup
p.s. anyone know how to send a blog posting via a text message? :)