Monday, September 08, 2008

Europe: Easy Flight/ Tough Drive


Sharing the costs for a trip to London and Europe is a great way to travel.

Sure, the airfare price has soared and the seats are cramped sitting in steerage for 7 hours, but the beauty once you arrive is unsurpassed.

Did I mention the huge variety of tasty beer?

Splitting hotel costs was a big factor in deciding to go.

London was a natural first choice destination and roaming through the Netherlands and Belgium was a photographer's dream.

The real surprise was parked in front of our hotel one afternoon in Bruges, Belgium.

A car with Russian license plates. Yikes.

And it was a Mercedes "Viano." A gas-guzzling SUV.

Some quick Google research shows a drive across Europe from Russia would be about 3,489 miles - one way - and gas would average $7.62 a gallon.

In Belgium, gas was selling for $10.38 a gallon but it's cheaper in Russia.

In US Dollars, a pint of cask ale costs about $6.50.

That would be $44 a gallon. But, if you're trying to save money, just stay at home.

Hope the Russians had a few beers on the way back.

Labels: , , ,

Monday, February 25, 2008

She's Armed ..... and Legged!

Amy, my older daughter out in California, is a sworn police officer.

She has been serving and protecting the San Francisco Bay area for 8 years and wears a badge and has a Glock in her holster.

But long, long ago, before the Police Academy , she began as a stand-up comic, armed only with a microphone.

Today, somehow, she manages to keep both careers going.

In addition to finely-tuned and clever funny routines that have her crowds in stitches, she has developed quite a few characters over the years. Some REALLY strange ones.

Her energetic later years "Elvis" performance redefines impersonator.

And Helga, the Eastern Europe/Russian ballet dancer who pushes a motorcycle on stage, is quite engaging and has a different accented humor.

But I am still laughing at San Diego club owners who hired her in 1983 when she was only 17 and already drawing a crowd.

They did not have a clue of the irony when they booked her ...and billed her... as Boyd Where Prohibited.

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,