Life in Europe Update

April 24, 2013

Here's some long-overdue photos of my time in London and elsewhere since I last sent a big update. Rather than write a long spiel, the photos will count for 1,000 words each.

Dinner with friends early on at CTLS.  (London, England.) — Dinner with friends early on at CTLS. (London, England.)

Cha visits. (Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, London, England.)

The view from my window. (London, England.)

Taking a break in Regents Park with friends.  (London, England.) — Taking a break in Regents Park with friends. (London, England.)

The full English.  (Cambridge, England.) — The full English. (Cambridge, England.)

Fantastic market.  (London, England.) — Fantastic market. (London, England.)

Lunch with friends at Duck & Waffle, a restaurant on the fortieth floor of Heron Tower.  (London, England.) — Lunch with friends at Duck & Waffle, a restaurant on the fortieth floor of Heron Tower. (London, England.)

Sampling some liqueurs at Wynand Fockink.  (Amsterdam, The Netherlands.) — Sampling some liqueurs at Wynand Fockink. (Amsterdam, The Netherlands.)

A big unofficial group dinner at a Belgian restaurant called Lieve. (Amsterdam, The Netherlands.)

A big vat at "The Heineken Experience."  ("The Heineken Experience" is essentially paying for a 45 minute advertisement for a mediocre beer followed by two small glasses of said mediocre beer.)  (Amsterdam, The Netherlands.) — A big vat at "The Heineken Experience." ("The Heineken Experience" is essentially paying for a 45 minute advertisement for a mediocre beer followed by two small glasses of said mediocre beer.) (Amsterdam, The Netherlands.)

A bagpiper.  (Edinburgh, Scotland.) — A bagpiper. (Edinburgh, Scotland.)

A random street.  (Edinburgh, Scotland.) — A random street. (Edinburgh, Scotland.)

An example of fisticuffs at a war museum.  (Edinburgh, Scotland.) — An example of fisticuffs at a war museum. (Edinburgh, Scotland.)

My buddy David in Edinburgh Castle.  (Edinburgh, Scotland.) — My buddy David in Edinburgh Castle. (Edinburgh, Scotland.)

The National Museum of Scotland.  (Edinburgh, Scotland.) — The National Museum of Scotland. (Edinburgh, Scotland.)

A closeup of the cool giant "sculpture" made of tied-together balloons.  (The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.) — A closeup of the cool giant "sculpture" made of tied-together balloons. (The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.)

A wedding party walks along the Royal Mile.  (Edinburgh, Scotland.) — A wedding party walks along the Royal Mile. (Edinburgh, Scotland.)

A Scottish delicacy: the deep-fried Mars Bar.  I do not like Mars Bars, which proved an obstacle to enjoying this treat.  (Edinburgh, Scotland.) — A Scottish delicacy: the deep-fried Mars Bar. I do not like Mars Bars, which proved an obstacle to enjoying this treat. (Edinburgh, Scotland.)

A cake waiting for me at the hotel when I met my mom in Dublin.  (Dublin, Ireland.) — A cake waiting for me at the hotel when I met my mom in Dublin. (Dublin, Ireland.)

Kilmainham Gaol, a prison used from the 18th century until the early part of the 20th century.  (Dublin, Ireland.) — Kilmainham Gaol, a prison used from the 18th century until the early part of the 20th century. (Dublin, Ireland.)

Inside Kilmainham Gaol, "BEWARE OF THE RISEN PEOPLE THAT HAVE HARRIED AND HELD[,] YE THAT HAVE BULLIED AND BRIBED."  (Dublin, Ireland.) — Inside Kilmainham Gaol, "BEWARE OF THE RISEN PEOPLE THAT HAVE HARRIED AND HELD[,] YE THAT HAVE BULLIED AND BRIBED." (Dublin, Ireland.)

The newer wing of Kilmainham Gaol, filming-site of "In the Name of the Father," a fantastic movie.  (Dublin, Ireland.) — The newer wing of Kilmainham Gaol, filming-site of "In the Name of the Father," a fantastic movie. (Dublin, Ireland.)

An alcoholic chandelier at the Jameson whiskey distillery.  (Dublin, Ireland.) — An alcoholic chandelier at the Jameson whiskey distillery. (Dublin, Ireland.)

Somewhere on the road from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher.  (Ireland.) — Somewhere on the road from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher. (Ireland.)

Old graveyard/church somewhere on the road from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher.  (Ireland.) — Old graveyard/church somewhere on the road from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher. (Ireland.)

Old graveyard/church somewhere on the road from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher.  (Ireland.) — Old graveyard/church somewhere on the road from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher. (Ireland.)

The Cliffs of Moher.  (Ireland.) — The Cliffs of Moher. (Ireland.)

Me at the Cliffs of Moher.  (Ireland.) — Me at the Cliffs of Moher. (Ireland.)

Above the Cliffs of Moher.  (Ireland.) — Above the Cliffs of Moher. (Ireland.)

A rocky beach.  (Ireland.) — A rocky beach. (Ireland.)

More rocky beach.  (Ireland.) — More rocky beach. (Ireland.)

Graveyard by The Rock of Cashel.  (Cashel, Ireland.) — Graveyard by The Rock of Cashel. (Cashel, Ireland.)

By The Rock of Cashel.  (Cashel, Ireland.) — By The Rock of Cashel. (Cashel, Ireland.)

The Rock of Cashel.  (Cashel, Ireland.) — The Rock of Cashel. (Cashel, Ireland.)

Sheep somewhere along The Ring of Kerry.  (Ireland.) — Sheep somewhere along The Ring of Kerry. (Ireland.)

Cars on a beach.  (Ireland.) — Cars on a beach. (Ireland.)

The town of Dingle, where we had some lunch.  (Dingle, Ireland.) — The town of Dingle, where we had some lunch. (Dingle, Ireland.)

A colorful place along The Ring of Kerry.  (Ireland.) — A colorful place along The Ring of Kerry. (Ireland.)

Staigue Fort.  (Ireland.) — Staigue Fort. (Ireland.)

Along the Ring of Kerry.  (Ireland.) — Along the Ring of Kerry. (Ireland.)

Inside Adare Manor, a beautiful place.  (Adare, Ireland.) — Inside Adare Manor, a beautiful place. (Adare, Ireland.)

Adare Manor.  (Adare, Ireland.) — Adare Manor. (Adare, Ireland.)

Vines growing on Adare Manor.  (Adare, Ireland.) — Vines growing on Adare Manor. (Adare, Ireland.)

Trees on the Adare Manor grounds.  (Adare, Ireland.) — Trees on the Adare Manor grounds. (Adare, Ireland.)

Blarney Castle.  (Blarney, Ireland.) — Blarney Castle. (Blarney, Ireland.)

Me kissing the Blarney Stone.  (Blarney Castle, Blarney, Ireland.) — Me kissing the Blarney Stone. (Blarney Castle, Blarney, Ireland.)

At a BBC Radio 4 taping of "The Unbelievable Truth with David Mitchell," a comedy show I like.  (London, England.) — At a BBC Radio 4 taping of "The Unbelievable Truth with David Mitchell," a comedy show I like. (London, England.)

More at the BBC Radio 4 taping of "The Unbelievable Truth with David Mitchell."  (London, England.) — More at the BBC Radio 4 taping of "The Unbelievable Truth with David Mitchell." (London, England.)

Somewhere in the Highlands.  (Scotland.) — Somewhere in the Highlands. (Scotland.)

Eilean Donan Castle.  (Near Dornie, Scotland.) — Eilean Donan Castle. (Near Dornie, Scotland.)

A "Butler's Bell Pull" in Eilean Donan Castle.  (Near Dornie, Scotland.) — A "Butler's Bell Pull" in Eilean Donan Castle. (Near Dornie, Scotland.)

The harbor of Ullapool, Scotland, from which a lot of my maternal ancestors hail.  (Ullapool, Scotland.) — The harbor of Ullapool, Scotland, from which a lot of my maternal ancestors hail. (Ullapool, Scotland.)

Some good seafood at The Ceilidh Place.  (Ullapool, Scotland.) — Some good seafood at The Ceilidh Place. (Ullapool, Scotland.)

Post-demolition seafood.  (The Ceilidh Place, Ullapool, Scotland.) — Post-demolition seafood. (The Ceilidh Place, Ullapool, Scotland.)

A pretty vista somewhere on the drive from Ullapool to John O'Groats.  (Scotland.) — A pretty vista somewhere on the drive from Ullapool to John O'Groats. (Scotland.)

A conspicuous phone booth on the drive from Ullapool to John O'Groats.  (Scotland.) — A conspicuous phone booth on the drive from Ullapool to John O'Groats. (Scotland.)

Part of a friendly clydesdale family on the drive from Ullapool to John O'Groats.  (Scotland.) — Part of a friendly clydesdale family on the drive from Ullapool to John O'Groats. (Scotland.)

Me at John O'Groats.  (Scotland.) — Me at John O'Groats. (Scotland.)

A family photo between John O'Groats and Dunnet Head.  (Scotland.) — A family photo between John O'Groats and Dunnet Head. (Scotland.)

A worthwhile warning at Dunnet Head.  (Scotland.) — A worthwhile warning at Dunnet Head. (Scotland.)

Signs for various unpopular destinations on the way back to Ullapool.  (Scotland.) — Signs for various unpopular destinations on the way back to Ullapool. (Scotland.)

A sheep on the wrong side of the fence on the drive back to Ullapool.  (Scotland.) — A sheep on the wrong side of the fence on the drive back to Ullapool. (Scotland.)

Roadside view on the drive back to Ullapool.  (Scotland.) — Roadside view on the drive back to Ullapool. (Scotland.)

Another sheep on the drive back to Ullapool.  (Scotland.) — Another sheep on the drive back to Ullapool. (Scotland.)

Still another sheep on the drive back to Ullapool.  (Scotland.) — Still another sheep on the drive back to Ullapool. (Scotland.)

Not something I expected to see.  (Vaguely near Ullapool, Scotland.) — Not something I expected to see. (Vaguely near Ullapool, Scotland.)

A large animal with a bad hair day.  (Vaguely near Ullapool, Scotland.) — A large animal with a bad hair day. (Vaguely near Ullapool, Scotland.)

Stonehenge.  (England.) — Stonehenge. (England.)

Friends and me at Stonehenge.  (England.) — Friends and me at Stonehenge. (England.)

A BBC taping of "QI," maybe my favorite TV show, yesterday.  (London, England.) — A BBC taping of "QI," maybe my favorite TV show, yesterday. (London, England.)