Sat in a hotel on the edge of the Centrum Gent, 10 yds from the cathedral, drinking Duvall on my own as some too tired and gone to bed...
A leisurely jaunt to Cheddar Gorge again today as the reccy last week didn't go too smoothly. Pastie, beans and chips for lunch before the run back through the gorge. A little over 200 miles round trip and only missed 1 turn, not bad for a run done from memory. Andy
Better go easy on the duvel, otherwise it will not be a good day tomorrow lol, try a tripple westmalle too while you are at it!
After picking up my Chinese visitor on Thursday night from the airport at 11.30pm and not getting home till 1am yesterday morning, I then had to pick up my translator at 8am, go to the hotel to pick up my potential client. So then followed a full on day of negotiations, seeing our production, lunch, visiting one of our installations, back to the office by 5pm, more negotiations, agreeing a deal to build the worlds largest synthetic ski slope (and fully guaranteed payments!), then off to dinner at a Michelin starred restaurant Finally took the interpreter home to the centre of Leeds, drove my client back to his hotel then flopped into my bed at midnight. I'm now wide awake, but have to get up soon anyway to go and pick him back up and take him to the airport again. Been a hectic 36 hours or so, but looks like it's been worthwhile (assuming the lawyers don't feck it all up!)
It's not as somber as I'd have expected. The audio guide is great, but none of the pictures and narrative are in English so you miss a lot of the smaller stuff. However, at the end they have a few images of this camp and others which adds scale and context. We discussed last night how different the setting is for simple prisoners in any prison of the day versus this camp. I'd expect less food and more abuse and of course people being executed but the surroundings and living conditions similar. And in a way, that detracts the horror that must have happened there
Was t on the plan. Is it local to Flanders? Did the Hooge museum today. That certainly added context. Like many (I'd guess) it's easy to assume the frontline was actually 2 lines probably a mile apart separated by a no mans land element. When you see the Allies frontline bunker and the German ones, within a football field distance, you can imagine why a general may have thought storming the opposition and 'going if the top' may get rewards. When gaining 50 metres is important to the war.
Took the Mistress to Ducati Manchester to have new horn fitted, then had little ride before heading home, quick detail spray & wipe over and tucked up in garage. Out on the town later, Manchester Northern quarter, Tikki Cocktail bar & Almost Famous for Cocktails & food
As I've had hardly any sleep since Thursday I've spent most of the afternoon knocking out zzzzzzz's on the sofa.
Was supposed to be going into hospital on Monday for yet another shoulder operation so was getting some thing's ready to take with me, at 1.00 hospital phoned cancelling the opp been waiting 3 months for OPP
About 2 hours from Antwerp , well worth it, near malmedy, google it! If you are near Antwerp, try to find a pub called the pelgrom 2 hrs from Antwerp , baugnez 44 near malmedy, wel worth it, google it. If in Antwerp go and find the pub named the pelgrom, in the pelgrim street, unique collection of cellars, all connected, very nice, part of it is restaurant too
Went for a beer with a mate at lunchtime that turned into several. He's just split up from the love of his live, all 3 months of her and was doing the old "no one wants me, what's wrong with me" routine when I learnt at that precise moment, that comedic timing was not my strong point. Apparently "You have the perfect face for anyone looking for a British passport" was not the thing he wanted to hear. I had to spend another hour listening to more "the world hates me" in recompense.
