I am very pleased to announce the publication of my second book:
Flying Solo. A Woman on the Wings of Life
When I went travelling, I sent emails home so my family and friends knew what I was doing. When I moved to Thailand, I turned those emails into a blog and that’s how TalkingThailand was born.
This book covers a 14 year period of my life when I found the courage to step outside of my comfort zone and go in search of answers that would change my life. It recounts the chapters of my life from travelling to living in Thailand. You’ll also be introduced to some of the people I met and the lessons I learned about myself along the way.
Flying Solo. A Woman on the Wings of Life
Flying Solo. A Woman on the Wings of Life is available to buy on Amazon and Amazon Kindle.
Back in Amsterdam again in August last year, Chris & I had a grand day out. Here’s what we did – in photos.
Centraal Station architecture
Centraal Station, Black & White
Canal daytime views
Canal daytime views
Canal daytime views
Canal daytime views
Views from the SkyLounge @ DoubleTree by Hilton
People watching
Canal evening views
Shah Jahan Restaurant
Shah Jahan Restaurant
Canal evening views
Multatuli Statue
Centraal Station, Amsterdam
Centraal Station, Rotterdam
Schiphol Airport – flying home
Schiphol Airport
I know we can’t go much further than our front doors at the moment, so I hope that these photo walks are a welcome change from all the doom and gloom. Stay safe people! Much love and peace x
The Changing Seasons post, hosted by Su at Zimmerbitch.
What crazy times we are truly living in at the moment. Who knows what the next few weeks or months will hold for us, but I hope everyone of you is safe and healthy.
I had a quiet February, but I learned a few interesting things. The first of which was the date of the 2nd February 2020 is a Palindrome – a number which reads the same forwards as it does backwards. So, 02022020 – 02022020. 2nd February 2020 will be the only time a Palindrome appears this century.
Also, in February, storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge have made this the wettest February we’ve had for a while. Storm names go in alphabet order and alternative between male and female names. So, why did we have Jorge instead of Ellen after Dennis? Well, I learned that storm Jorge has affected a lot of Spain, so AEMET – the Spainish Met Office named it, so our Met Office decided to keep the name. This means that the next storm to hit the UK will be called Ellen.
I spent the last day of February being a tourist in Barcelona. It was my first time there and I had a fabulous time wandering around the city. I will write about my trip in more detail, but for now, here are a few of the places I visited.
Park Guell
Sagrada Familia
Sagrada Familia
Cathedral of Barcelona
La Rambla
Playa de la Barceloneta
About The Changing Seasons
The Changing Seasons is a monthly challenge where bloggers around the world share what’s been happening in their month.
If you would like to join me and the others in this challenge, here are the guidelines:
The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic)
Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them
The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):
Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.
The Changing Seasons post hosted by Su at Zimmerbitch.
Well, what a start to January 2020! The very first day of the new year, I got to spend a glorious day with my best friend and life partner – Chris! (He loves it when I call him my life partner! Hee hee)
Chris and me
We both used to live in Bangkok and saw each other all the time and now he lives in Rotterdam and I live in the UK we don’t get to see each other often, so when he came to meet me in Brussels, it was a very special day.
I met him at Gare du Midi train station just after 10 a.m. and we went for coffee to warm up.
Coffee at Maison de la Brouette. Photo credit: Chris Wotton
We spent the rest of the day walking around. We went to the Christmas market near St Nicholas church and had hot rum – not the nicest drink I have ever had. You could smell the fumes from the alcohol as you took a drink. I ended up throwing mine away, but Chris enjoyed his!
Saint Nicholas Church
After some more wandering, we settled in the lovely Cafe Metteko which reminded us of one of our favourite haunts in Bangkok – Cafe des Stagieres.
Drinks at Cafe Metteko. Photo credit: Chris Wotton
We stayed at Cafe Metteko until it was time for Chris to head back to Rotterdam on the train. We had such a lovely day together – reminiscing about the past, making new memories for the future, but more than that – we had a lot of fun, as always. You know when you just get on with someone – that’s Chris and I!
The next day, I took myself off to Bruges. I spent 4 hours wandering around, snapping away with my camera.
I walked around the city..
Sint-Salvatorskathedraal, Bruges
Markt, Bruges
Markt, Bruges
Burg Square, Bruges
I also made a bee-line for the canals and one of the prettiest streets in Bruges – according to the Rough Guide to Belgium!
Canal Spiegelrei, Bruges
Augustijnenrei – one of the prettiest streets in Bruges
I’ll write more of Bruges later, but, for now, if you would like to take part in the Changing Seasons, here are the guidelines..
About The Changing Seasons
The Changing Seasons is a monthly challenge where bloggers around the world share what’s been happening in their month.
If you would like to join me and the others in this challenge, here are the guidelines:
The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic)
Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them
The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):
Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.
On a sightseeing day around Rotterdam with my tour guide – Chris, we walked down to the river Nieuwe Maas (New Meuse) – a distributary of the Rhine River – which divides Rotterdam into north and south.
The north and south are connected by several bridges and the two that caught my attention were the Erasmusbrug and Willemsbrug.
The Erasmusbrug is a cable-stayed and bascule bridge which connects the north and south of Rotterdam. It is named after Desiderius Erasmus who was one of the greatest scholars of the Northern Renaissance (Wikipedia).
Erasmusbrug, Rotterdam
Erasmusbrug, Rotterdam
Erasmusbrug, Rotterdam
The Willemsbrug connects the north with Noordereiland and is another cable-stayed bridge. It was named after King Willem III of the Netherlands (Wikipedia).
Willemsbrug, Rotterdam
Willemsbrug, Rotterdam
Willemsbrug, Rotterdam
I’ve had a thing for bridges for a while now. I love the different styles of bridges and these two in Rotterdam make the grade! In my eyes anyway!
My first impression of Rotterdam was that it was a dreary, industrial city with not a lot to see and nowhere near as pretty as Amsterdam.
Having been there a second time, I have since changed my mind and it’s growing on me, but when I went to visit Chris in March last year, I was in two minds.
Having said that, I still managed to find lots of art and sculptures around the city.
Street Art, Rotterdam
Street statue, Bergweg, Rotterdam
Street art, Rotterdam
Street statue, Bergweg, Rotterdam
Statue on the Spoorsingel Canal, Rotterdam
Benches on Spoorsingel
Kruisplein, Rotterdam
Kruisplein, Rotterdam
Kruisplein, Rotterdam
Naughty Santa Claus – what’s he holding? Christmas tree or sex toy?
The Bow, Frederico Carusso (1957-1965)
Street creations near the Erasmus Bridge
Regentessebrug, Rotterdam
Painted celing – Markthal, Rotterdam
Ode to Marten Toonder – a cartoonist from Rotterdam
Have you been to Rotterdam? What did you think of it?
