Anzac Day 2012

'They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old
 Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
 At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
 We will remember them'

Lest we forget


(more about the poem here . photo taken by me after the Dawn Service at Gallipoli, Anzac Day 2011)

Story behind the photo - Cliffs of Moher

While I was doing some research for my trip to Dublin, I was looking into day trips that I could do. It came down to a couple of options: Belfast & The Giants' Causeway, or the Cliffs of Moher. I ended up deciding to go to Belfast separately (which I did earlier this year), so the Cliffs of Moher it was. And I'm glad I chose it. You can find the cliffs on the west coast of Ireland, in County Clare. They are between 100 and 200 metres tall, and, in my opinion, and absolutely stunning place to visit. Its a popular tourist destination in Ireland, but, if you go wandering off on your own, you can just soak in the view. Just one word of advice - make sure you've got warm clothing with you - I went in springtime, and it was a pretty windy day!

Story behind the photo- Dublin

While my mum and sister were visiting last year, they went to Berlin for a few days. As I had already been there (and loved it), I decided I would go somewhere else by myself for those few days - and decided on Dublin. This photo is of part of the collection of Guinness bottles inside the Guinness Storehouse, which is the most visited tourist destination in Dublin. The building has loads of interesting exhibits about the making of Guinness (at least I found them interesting), and you get to sample a pint of the stuff as part of the admission price. Now, I'm not a drinker, but I have to confess I quite liked my pint - and the view from the bar on the top floor of the storehouse (where you get your pint) was pretty impressive too.

Story behind the photo - Glasgow and Edinburgh

When my mum and sister came to visit about 18 months ago, the first stop on our travels was Glasgow, where we have family. We also made a day trip to Edinburgh - it takes less than an hour on the train between the two cities, and trains leave on a very regular basis. Glasgow is a city which, for me, is more about the overall feel of the place, rather than visiting to seek out specific buildings/attractions. There's actually not a lot I can say about this photo, except that it was a detail on a building in Glasgow that caught my eye. When I'm taking photos, I often try to look for details or something slightly unusual, and I guess this photo reflects that. You can also see the Saltire (St Andrew's Cross - the Scottish flag) in the crest in the middle.

Foodie travels - Portugal

What:         Pastel de nata (custard tarts)
Where:       Lisbon, Portugal - any bakery
How much: depends on where you go - the bakeries near my hostel sold these for 90 euro
                  cents each, or 6 for 5 euros
Taste:         the custard part tastes like the filling in a vanilla slice, only not as sweet (and
                  much nicer, in my opinion)
Verdict:      yum! I had at least one of these every day I was in Lisbon. If I could have
                  worked out a way to post some home to my family for them to try, I definitely
                  would have.


(PS the burnt bits you can see in the photo had no impact on how tasty these were - at least they didn't for me)

Story behind the photo - London (Greenwich)

Short and sweet today - this is a photo of yours truly with one foot on either side of the Prime Meridian (zero degrees longitude) at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Can't put it any simpler than that.

Story behind the photo - London (Imperial War Museum and Cabinet War Rooms/Churchill Museum)

The Imperial War Museum is a collection of 5 museums, which are focused on remembering and learning from war. They cover conflicts from WWI right up to the present day. Having been to the main branch of the museum in London - which is where this photo is taken - a couple of times now, I can thoroughly recommend a visit. Personally, I've found the exhibitions to be both interesting and thought-provoking, and in no way 'glorifying' war. For me, the main branch of the museum is a great place to spend a few hours - maybe even the whole day. The main branch of the Imperial War Museum is free, apart from one temporary exhibition (which is clearly signed), so it is great for those watching their pennies when travelling. (the other three branches of the museum that I've visited - 2 in London and 1 in Duxford - have an entrance charge).

For more information about the Imperial War Museum, visit their website here