spookie

Ahhhh wow! During this summer’s Continental Trip, I’m stopping in Berlin for a week and my German friend Lizzie will be joining me because she loves the city. We’re hostelling for most of the week, but we can’t resist spending ONE night here ;)
If you look on the website, we’ll be in room 36. I imagine lots of drunken photos shall be taken…

We found it this time! I didn’t know entirely what to expect, but it seems much more organised that I had anticipated – more of an RSPCA than a drop-in soup kitchen for cats.
We spent quite a while there talking with the volunteers and petting those kitties who would let us do so.

...was in 2004. I was 18 and it was my first trip overseas sans parent.

I’m going again for 2 days in early September, after my exam results but before I go up to University. Despite this being a post-break-up trip,I’ll be somewhat well behaved, and I’ll be staying at the Flying Pig again!

I’m not entirely sure why I want to go here. Maybe it started when I was about 10 and read about Boulder’s Beach and the penguins there. Africa is one of those places that just seems a million miles away from my own sphere, and I have always been into exploration.
Last night, while out for dinner with friends, a friend whose family moved here from Umtata about 10yrs ago suggested that we should try and get a group of us out there next year. It would just be phenomenal if it could happen.

Poezenboot (literally “cat boat”) is a rather special boat located on the canal in Amsterdam. It’s somewhere for the city’s stray cats to go and get fed, and people can come in and play with the kitties for a small donation (namely a couple of tins of cat food!). They also organise neutering for street cats to prevent the number of stay kittens being born.
Last time I was in Amsterdam (2004) we tried to find it but we ran out of time. Next time I shall make it the first thing I do!

It all seemed a little pointless really. Juliet Capulet was not a real person, she never lived in this house, or called to her beloved Romeo from the balcony there… it smacked of tourist fodder.

Quite amusing, though, how you’re meant to rub the statue’s breast for luck in love (as my friend is doing in the picture). It sure worked out well for Juliet…

I went back to Tel Aviv last week, for 4 short days with my boyfriend who lives smack bang in the centre of the city. I do so love this city, and will keep coming back. It wouldn’t matter where A lived, but it helps that the city is wonderful.

I spent quite a lot of time documenting the street art, as usual, as well as hanging out at the graffiti shop. The street art is just fantastic there, and so vibrant.

I went back to Israel in December, having been in the Summer. The friend I was staying with in August turned out to be more than a friend, so I had extra incentive, and that’s why I’m going back yet again in April for just 4 days.

December was slightly strange, as A was working/studying the whole time so we only had the evenings together. I learnt to wander the city by myself and made some new friends though. I can’t wait for April!

Well it looks like I might be going to Barcelona in May for the Primavera Sound festival. Of course, I’ll sneak off and see the museums too…

June update: SOOOoo…. we didn’t go. A spent money coming out to see me in March, and I reciprocated in April. One day we’ll go look at the Gaudi with or without the music festivals!

I’m going back to Israel for the Christmas holidays. I think Christmas in Bethlehem would be amazing.. in current times, where commercialisation and greed have reduced Christmas to a holiday of materialism, it would be wonderful to see it celebrated as it was intended – a religious holiday – despite not being Christian myself.