Markus and Brian's Excellent European Adventure

Europe? Isn't that near Asia or something?

Hey there peoples,

In case you were wondering, I was abducted by aliens and subjected to some very uncomfortable "tests" before being whisked away to their home planet. It's not such a bad place, but you have no idea how hard it is to get a decent Internet connection from there.

Actually, I only wish I had an excuse this good for not posting to the website in so long. In reality I've been working at my co-op job in London (Ontario... ) and the first thing I decided to do at this new job of mine is promptly forget about the website ever existing. You would think that hearing Brian talk about updates on the weekends would have re-ignited my interest to check out the website, but if there's one thing I learned from Europe it's that igniting anything is not a good idea while Brian is giving me the Nth drink of the evening. Those of us who have seen us since our trip know that we've brought back some great European traditions with us (wine=France, Beer=Germany, Ouzo=... Let's just forget about Ouzo).

Seriously, though, there's not a whole lot I can contribute to this site except some ranting and raving and general disclosure of opinion. Brian has the real goods (aka: camera, pictures, fully stocked bar) whereas I can do little more than point at the pictures he posts and say, "Hey, I remember that! You promised you wouldn't show anyone that picture!" I guess I did promise to sum up my feelings for the trip, and since I'm not very creative I'll quote some famous dead guy by saying, "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." That's exactly how I feel about this trip, and if reading this website has in any way sparked that adventurer within you, if reading these postings has left you wishing and wanting, then I have only these words for you. Do you have any idea how much a trip like this costs! No, no wait! I meant just throw caution to the wind and do it. Yeah, that's it.

In the end life is what we make and if you really want something then the time to do it is tomorrow, because right now you should be saving every spare dime you have. Yes the trip is costly, yes living out of a backpack gets annoying, yes you'll end up in some frustrating situations, but if you asked me whether I have any regrets whatsoever about this trip, then there's only one answer and by now I'm sure you all know what it is.

Markus

Harry Potter & King's Cross Station

When in London, I made a stop at King's Cross station in north-central London so I could find Platform 9 & 3/4 and board the Hogwart's Express train to Harry Potter's school; you see, university in Canada's getting pretty dull.

The station actually exists, though there is no barrier between platforms 9 and 10 -- the two tracks are simply side by side. Apparently, J.K. Rowling made a mistake when she wrote the first book, and has since gone on the record as saying that she was actually thinking about the platforms at nearby Euston station (though again, apparently there's no barrier between 9 and 10 there either).

But, before you enter the small building enclosing platforms 9 and 10 (and up), you'll come across a sign the station people created to appease Potter fans. My hopes were pretty high at the time and I tried to get in, thinking it might be the real deal:

  

Foiled! But then I found the place where they actually filmed the movie: the barrier between platforms 4 and 5. Very sneaky! I was sure they'd admit me to the school after I figured out their crafty puzzle:

  

A cruel hoax! I banged my fist on the wall in frustration. And no one gave me a second look -- I think they're quite used to seeing people walk headfirst into a brick wall around there. (Oh, and yes, I've put some weight back on since the summer. Please, stop giving my number out to eating disorder specialists.)

Here's a picture partially showing the platform in the movie:

Tomorrow, the remaining England photos!

Sources: thesnitch.co.uk & plum.cream.org

Where Legos Come From

Off-topic: Wonder how Legos are made? Check out this slick Flash applet, which makes the whole process look like a video game. (Remember to move the mouse over each number.)

The efficiency in the factory is amazing. Humans aren't needed in the working world anymore. I think I want to be a robot when I grow up.

Jacob's Wheelchair

I think I'll aim for a daily update now so I can get the remaining pictures out of the way ASAP.

Here's a short movie of Markus horsing around with his little cousin Jacob at his grandparents' place in Germany. No, the poor kid's not normally in a wheelchair.

Sounds stupid, but it always amazed me to hear little kids speaking different languages wherever we went. "Markus! That kid is SPEAKING ITALIAN! That's weird!"

London Calling

Hi all.

Quick photo update, all from England. I still have more England shots to post (including a few Harry Potter-themed shots); this is just a random selection. Looking back, I'd say London was one of my favourite stops; theater, nightlife, history & culture I knew something about beforehand, slick infrastructure (the Tube kicks ass), and people that actually speak English (or, at least, a version of it that I could usually comprehend). Very vibrant place.

Pictures:

1) One of the stops on the Tube was Waterloo. Made me a little homesick, it did.
2) On a rainy, dreary day, we visited Stonehenge. Fitting weather, but it wasn't enough to wipe the smarm from my face as I listened to the automated audio guide.
3) Stonehenge. Captured at a high resolution for my future desktop background needs. Feel free to bogart it for your own personal use.
4) Markus climbs on top of a massive bronze lion in Trafalgar Square. I think he has a slight ego problem.
5) Big Ben from nearby...
6) ...and from faraway Buckingham Palace.
7) Met some London skateboarding kids near London Bridge. Almost no one actually managed to land anything, but that didn't stop them from trying.