And they all lived happily ever after.
Europe 30 – Mr Nicholas Changes Trains
Yeah, look, there’s only one train in this story, but if you thought I was not going to follow up the Isherwood reference of a couple of days ago with another (on the flimsiest of bases) then you have badly
Europe 29 – Le XIIIe Siècle
A day in la Cité de Carcassonne. Some reading up on the Albigensian Crusade (C was a redoubt of the Cathars, I learn) and a short lecture is delivered in two versions for the boys on the feudal system and
Europe 28 – Goodbye to Berlin
I have left this too long, partly because it was such a waste of a day. Forewarned that Schönefeld Airport is a national joke and to be early to allow for inevitable delays, we were early, and were evitably processed
Europe 27 – Babylon
The way to do museums, with kids, is hit ’em early, while they’re still waking up. Also, audio guides. “That queue will be at least an hour,” said some bloke to some bloke I met in the queue, who relayed
Europe 26 – The Border
To travel by U-bahn is to be deceived. Overground, Berlin sprawls. I had promised the boys the day to do as they pleased, including to sleep in as long as they wanted. They took me at my word, and we
Europe 25 – The Holey Roaming Empire
I know the story. You know the story. Charles Babbage invented machine computing, but the technical sophistication of the time wasn’t up to realising his dream. Alan Turing worked out the theoretical basis for computing during the day; while cracking
Europe 24 – Everything is Awesome
A day for the boys, at least the first twelve hours of it. Their pick was Legoland at Postdamer Platz – which is exactly what you think: a Lego shop with a Lego exhibition and a café attached. Two full
Europe 23 – On ICE
And now it’s the boys’ time – Anna is off to the south of France while the merry men head east. Gare du Nord is surprisingly familiar – I had completely forgotten that we were there about 65 hours earlier
Europe 22 – Rain in the Marais
I don’t really remember the Place de la Concorde from my childhood visit, or if I do, it was filed under “incomprehensible”, because it’s enormous. I take one photo from one corner, and then flee. Up the Champs-Elysées to the