Travelling Worm

A bookworm's travelogue

Tag: travel

  • Beauty and history in Groningen, Netherlands

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC spent a couple of days visiting friends in Smilde and Assen. We stayed overnight in the university city of Groningen. It’s another place where the TC and the “TC once removed” have lived in years gone by.

    My impressions? A place to keep coming back to. The northern city of Groningen is slightly more austere than Utrecht and Amsterdam, but beautiful and gezellig (welcoming) too.

    The book I’m in

    Poet’s Cottage, by Josephine Pennicott. A delightfully rambling tale of ghosts, heartbreaks and triumphs, set in rural Tasmania.

    Travel tip

    Buy a freshly-baked gevulde koek at the market and eat it on the spot. It’s a delicious, melt-in-the-mouth biscuit filled with almond paste. Ideally, the weather is cold and the koek is warm, soft on the inside and crisp on the outside.

    Recommended accommodation

    Hotel Corps de Garde, Oude Boteringestraat 74, Groningen. Get an attic room if you can, for the atmosphere, wooden beams and rooftop views. Photos below.

    Recommended restaurant

    Drie Gezusters, on the Grote Markt (big market square) in Groningen. Good food and great service in a lovely old building. We went up to the first floor. Photo of the building below.

    The photos

    Me in Groningen. Notice the window shutters on the building behind me, with their typical Groningen colours and design:

    A canal in Groningen, on the Lopendediep at the top of Oude Boteringestraat:

    More of the canal:

    Hotel Corps de Garde, also at the top of Oude Boteringestraat:

    The hotel is one of the oldest properties in Groningen. The current building was erected in 1634, to house military and city guards. It occupies the area where the thirteenth-century town wall once stood.

    This is an attic room in the hotel:

    Bicycles going down Oude Boteringestraat towards the city centre:

    An old court house in Oude Boteringestraat:

    The oldest part of the court house was built at the beginning of the fifteenth century. Here’s another view of it:

    Bikes parked in front the University of Groningen:

    The Martinitoren (Martini tower), on the central market square (Grote Markt) in Groningen, was built between 1469 and 1482:

    The Goudkantoor (Gold Office) on the Grote Markt was originally built for the tax collector of Groningen province, then later housed the office that authenticated gold and silver. It’s now a restaurant:

    Buildings on one side of the Grote Markt, including the Drie Gezusters restaurant and pub:

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Oudegracht and Dom in Utrecht, Netherlands

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC spent a few hours in Utrecht, seeing old friends and strolling along the Oudegracht. That’s the old canal that runs through the centre of the city.

    My impressions? Utrecht rivals Amsterdam in beauty and grace.

    The book I’m in

    Poet’s Cottage, by Josephine Pennicott. A delightfully rambling tale of ghosts, heartbreaks and triumphs, set in rural Tasmania.

    Travel tip

    Europe is the place to experience the precious variety of life. Visiting friends in Europe is a way to appreciate that variety fully.

    The photos

    Me in a café overlooking the Oudegracht:

    The Domtoren, or Dom Tower, was built between 1321 and 1382. It’s part of St Martin’s Cathedral, although the link between the church building and the tower was never completed. As a result, the Domtoren is a free standing tower:

    The TC and her companion (let’s call him the “TC once removed”) indulged in plenty of reminiscences about the days when they used to live near Utrecht. Walking around the base of the tower, they exclaimed repeatedly how cold and windy it was in this particular spot in the city, and that is was always thus. Yet how beautiful. It struck this worm that people have been making similar comments for more than 600 years.

    Buttresses on St Martin’s Cathedral, next to the Domtoren:

    A sobering sight – a statue of Anne Frank, with fresh flowers tucked into her elbow:

    The Oudegracht in Utrecht:

    Amsterdamned is a Dutch movie made in 1988 by Dick Maas. It’s about a serial killer who roams the canals of Amsterdam in a scuba diving suit, emerging from the water to drag his victims to a nasty, watery death. The Dutch are rather fond of their classic horror thriller. This worm would call it cheesy. But good.

    Why mention the movie in this post about Utrecht? The speedboat chase in Amsterdamned was filmed in the canals of  Utrecht, not Amsterdam. Utrecht is unique in having the lower-level promenade along the sides of the Oudegracht, making for a spectacular chase scene. The original purpose of the promenade, now lined with restaurants, was to provide wharves for unloading goods from boats into the warehouses along the banks.

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Bushwacker cocktails in Amsterdam, Netherlands

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC paid a flying visit to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, so that the TC could mix cocktails for her colleagues in Atlassian’s Amsterdam office. Atlassian is the collective name for a group of smart people who write software. Some of them write documentation too.

    My impressions? The TC says Amsterdam is the most beautiful city in the world. This worm is attempts to avoid such extravagances of praise, but has to concede that the TC may in this case be right. This worm must remark, however, that the TC is apt to say the same of Utrecht. More about Utrecht in a later post.

    The book I’m in

    Poet’s Cottage, by Josephine Pennicott. A delightfully rambling tale of ghosts, heartbreaks and triumphs, set in rural Tasmania.

    Travel tip

    Even if you have only a few hours to spare, pay a visit to Amsterdam. Walk along the canals, admire the fearless cheek of the cyclists, and eat a freshly-baked stroopwafel.

    The photos

    This worm didn’t have time to pose for a photograph in Amsterdam. Instead, feast your eyes on this Bushwacker cocktail, one of many that the TC mixed for the Amsterdam Atlassians:

    Did you spot the canal? There are a few of those in Amsterdam.

    At night the bridge arches are lit with many small bulbs:

    Large windows glow in the grand buildings lining the canals:

    Aha, the TC succeeded in taking a photograph without a canal. Tram lines in an early morning street scene:

    Bikes on a boat on a canal – the red boats on the right offer a parking area for bikes (fietsenstalling):

    Boats, bikes and lamp posts, seen through the window of a breakfast café:

    Another three-arched bridge:

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Oberwesel and more on the Rhine in Germany

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC spent a few days in Wiesbaden, Germany, then drove up to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. We decided to spend a couple of hours driving along the Rhine before hitting the autobahn and high-tailing it to Amsterdam in time for a mid-afternoon meeting. That was the plan. It worked. Almost.

    My impressions? The Rhine is an intriguing mix of industrial and picturesque, ancient and modern.

    Recommended restaurant

    Weinhaus Weiler, in Oberwesel on the Rhine. Excellent food in a beautifully decorated historic room. (Pictures below.)

    The book I’m in

    Poet’s Cottage, by Josephine Pennicott. A delightfully rambling tale of ghosts, heartbreaks and triumphs, set in rural Tasmania.

    Travel tip

    Sometimes, the scale and perspective given in a book of printed maps are the only way to find out where in the world your GPS has brought you.

    The photos

    Me in the Weinhaus Weiler restaurant, in Oberwesel on the Rhine.

    We began our trip in Wiesbaden, then wended our way down to the industrious, industrial Rhine:

    A street view in Ruedesheim am Rhein:

    Crossing the river on a car ferry:

    Ancient and modern in Oberwesel. Pigeons on one of the old towers scattered around the town…

    … and a Dali clock just over the road:

    The market square in Oberwesel. It was starting up when the TC took this photo More stalls arrived later:

    The first picture in this post showed me inside the Weinhaus Weiler restaurant, in Oberwesel. Here’s a shot of the outside of the restaurant:

    A street in Oberwesel:

    We left the pretty town of Oberwesel and headed towards the motorway. Windmills, looming and futuristic, marked our passage from ancient to modern:

    We had a deadline. We needed to be in Amsterdam by 5pm, so that the TC could mix cocktails for her colleagues. The autobahn offered a fast and easy ride. Then our GPS device took it upon itself to divert us into the German countryside, because it had detected a traffic jam ahead. Trustingly, we swung off the motorway into the unknown:

    Did we find Amsterdam? Wait for my next post to find out!

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Autumn in Wiesbaden, Germany

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC are in Wiesbaden, Germany, where she will be attending a conference for the next few days. We took advantage of some free time before the conference started, to see this spa town in its autumn colours.

    My impressions? Quiet beauty and comfort.

    Recommended café

    L’Art Sucré, Am Römertor 7, Wiesbaden, for chocolate treats and other süßen Kleinigkeiten.

    The book I’m in

    The Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch. Funny, full of action, with a touch of darkness and not a little magic.

    Travel tip

    Dress in layers for an autumnal Wiesbaden. It’s surprisingly warm during the day.

    The photos

    Me at Kochbrunnen in Wiesbaden, German. This is one of the spas in the town. You can actually drink the water, from a couple of spouts in the little pavilion visible in this photograph. The TC, cautious as she is, did not try it.

    The Heidenmauer, a Roman wall built by the emperor Valentinian in 364 AD:

    Some architecture that’s slightly newer: Der Eimer (The Bucket) seems squished and skew amongst the other buildings:

    Autumn leaves on the walk towards the Nerobergbahn:

    The Nerobergbahn is a water-powered funicular railway that takes you up the Neroberg hill in the middle of Wiesbaden. It was opened in 1888. Here is the Nerobergbahn carriage at its top station:

    Before the carriage goes down the hill, its water tanks are filled with water to make sure it is heavier than the upward-bound carriage. It then pulls the other carriage up the hill on a steel cable. The water is discharged at the bottom of the hill, and pumped back up to the top.

    The driver carefully monitors the water meter on the way down the hill:

    Passing the other carriage:

    A view of Wiesbaden from the top of the Neroberg:

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Temples of Bangkok

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    One night in Bangkok… Well, to be exact, it was two halves of a night, separated by a full day. Me and the TC spent 24 hours in the city of angels, on our way from Australia to Germany.

    City of angels? That’s a translation of the first part of Bangkok’s real name, as it’s known to people in Thailand. Here is the full name of the city:

    กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์

    Me and the TC spent the day on a guided tour of three temples: Wat Traimit, Wat Pho, and the Marble Temple. The images of the Buddha in the temples are quite breathtaking. We saw a bit of the bustling city from the windows of the bus. Colour, food, smiles, and ramshackle poverty.

    My impressions? A merry mix of magnificence and mundanity.

    The book I’m in

    The Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch. Funny, full of action, with a touch of darkness and not a little magic.

    Travel tip

    When visiting temples, wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off. Especially if you have a few feet.

    The photos

    Me keeping a low profile at Wat Pho:

    Wat Traimit

    Wat Traimit is the home of the Golden Buddha statue:

    The image of the Golden Buddha is very beautiful and very impressive indeed. At a height of 3 metres, it towers over you. At 5.5 tonnes of solid gold, it is the biggest solid gold statue in the world, and the one with the highest intrinsic value: around $250 million. I was surprised at the low level of security around the statue. I suppose it would be hard to steal!

    When first built, 700 years ago, the statue was encased in a layer of plaster, presumably to hide the valuable gold. Only in 1955, when people were moving the statue to its new home at Wat Traimit, did they chip the casing by mistake and discover the pure gold underneath. “Wat Traimit is a lucky temple,” remarked our guide. This worm was rather taken with the statue’s noble profile:

    Wat Pho

    Wat Pho is a complex of temples, pagodas and galleries. It also houses the original college of Thai massage. Here is the entrance to Wat Pho:

    The image of the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho exudes serenity:

    All round the Reclining Buddha are murals depicting the life of Buddha. This is just a small part of one of the scenes, partly picked out in gold leaf:

    The feet of the Reclining Buddha image give an idea of its scale:

    The bottoms of the feet are inlaid with mother of pearl:

    Here is a close up view of one of the mother-of-pearl scenes on the feet:

    Another lovely image of the Buddha at Wat Pho:

    Wat Pho is a garden of pagodas:

    A closer look at some of the tiling on a pagoda:

    There’s so much to see, sometimes it’s hard to know which way to turn:

    Twirling rooftops:

    Dragons and flowers:

    At the school of Thai massage within the grounds of Wat Pho, murals depict the human anatomy demonstrating massage techniques:

    A closer look at a diagram for massage students:

    Small statues in the garden, also demonstrating Thai massage:

    Marble Temple

    The Marble Temple is made of Italian marble:

    This worm found the windows intriguing: they’re stained glass, in the Italian style, but depicting Thai scenes:

    Here is the gorgeous image of the Buddha in the Marble Temple:

    This statue is a copy of the image in Northern Thailand, the Phra Buddha Chinnarat, which our guide says is the most beautiful image of Buddha in the world. Here is a closer look at the image in the Marble Temple:

    Bringing us back to earth, the Marble Temple has more than 50 images of the Buddha, including this one of Buddha the aesthete:

    This worm is drawn by some of the statues’ eyes:

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Jazz in Harlem, NewYork

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC are staying in Harlem, New York. It’s a grand old neighbourhood that has had its ups and downs. The people are friendly, the streets are wide, the transport is good. If you are looking for somewhere to stay in New York that is a reasonable price, this worm recommends Harlem.

    My impressions? People are busy but make an art of taking things easy in Harlem.

    The book I’m in

    The Serbian Dane, by Leif Davidsen. Things are coming to a climax now.

    Travel tip

    The subway is good, but try the buses too. They are a bit slower, it’s true, but they are air conditioned and less crowded. The biggest advantage is that you can see the sights as you travel. Route M2 takes you all the way from Harlem to Greenwich Village in about 40 minutes, depending on traffic.

    Recommended accommodation

    Easy Living Harlem, 214 West 137th Street, NY NY 10030. It’s a grand old house run by a hospitable couple. You’ll get a lovely room with bathroom en suite, as well as the shared use of a kitchen, living room and garden. Photos below.

    Recommended restaurant

    Spend a couple of hours at the Shrine in Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard, soak up the jazz, then move next door for a meal at Yatenga.

    The photos

    Me at a Harlem subway station, West 135th Street:

    We stayed at Easy Living Harlem, in 137th Street:

    A closer look at the house where we stayed – it’s the dark red one in the centre:

    The view from our window. The neighbours are getting ready for a Memorial Day barbecue:

    A general view of Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard in Harlem. It’s generously wide – this is just the right-hand side of the street:

    Flowers, a fire hydrant, and the NYPD:

    When in Harlem, jazz is a must. Our landlady recommended the Shrine. She was right, it’s the place to chill out and soak up some vibes. This picture shows Yatenga French Bistro (yellow) and the Shrine (white awning) on Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard:

    Jamming at the Shrine with Lu Reid and guests:

    The band in action:

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Times Square, New York

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC hit New York a couple of days ago. On our first evening, we wandered into Times Square quite by chance. It was that magic time when day is just about to yield to night. If you’re ever in the neighbourhood, make sure you catch the square at that time. It was perfect.

    My impressions? This is where it’s all at.

    The book I’m in

    The Serbian Dane, by Leif Davidsen. Yes, still here. There’s been so much happnin (see, I’m picking up the lingo) in New York and Chicago, so the TC hasn’t had much time to move me to a different book.

    The photos

    Me in Times Square, junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue:

    Elmo was there too:

    So was this mime artist:

    The square got its name in 1904, when the New York Times took up residence in one of the buildings on the square.

    Click the play button for a full 360-degree view of Times Square:

    This M&M saw us out of the square:

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Chicago at dusk

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC have just left Chicago,sometimes  fondly called Chitown or the Windy City. It was a bit draughty at times, but this worm hails from Cape Town in South Africa. Chicago’s breezes pale in comparison to the infamous Cape South Easter.

    In farewell to the beautiful city of Chicago, I’ll show you some scenes of the streets and pubs at dusk.

    My impressions? Twinkling lights, glowing water, translucent sky.

    The book I’m in

    The Serbian Dane, by Leif Davidsen. Engaging characters, good story.

    Recommended restaurants

    Have a drink and a pub meal at Monk’s Pub, corner of Lake and Wells, for great atmosphere and great beer. Eat the peanuts and throw the shells on the floor. The soft crunching underfoot adds to the atmosphere.

    The photos

    Me at Monk’s Pub, Lake Street in downtown Chicago:

    As you can see in the above picture, the walls of the pub are lined with books. A haven for folk like me. What’s more, someone has cut the books in half. They must have used a circular saw. This is good for worms who want to finish a book in half the usual time.

    The Chicago river at dusk:

    A city with its name in lights:

    The House of Blues:

    Inside the House of Blues, the decor is richly beautiful:

    Although the sound quality was not good (booming and warped) the singer created a great atmosphere:

    That’s all for today, dudes.

  • Downtown Chicago, a train runs through it

    This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

    Today’s travel notes

    Me and the TC are in downtown Chicago. “Downtown” just means the city centre. Did you know that? This worm did not, until quite recently. I assumed it meant the more grungy areas of the city, even though “the lights are so much brighter there, you can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares…”

    Faithful readers of my blog will notice that this is the second post in a row in which this humble worm admits to a mistake. Is the end of the world nigh?

    Chicago is lovely, and quite different from any other city I’ve been in. Clean, tranquil, packed full of architectural splendour. And through it runs a bizarre railway line on a no-nonsense iron and wooden track, elevated some few metres above the ground.

    My impressions? Magnificent architecture, with a train running through it.

    The book I’m in

    The Serbian Dane, by Leif Davidsen. I’ve just started this one. It’s promising, so far. Good fast action.

    Recommended restaurants

    Drop into one of the Chipotle Mexican Grills for good quality, delicious food, and fast service.

    The photos

    Me at a Chipotle restaurant, with a Mexican meal in front of me and the elevated Chicago railway track visible through the window behind me:

    Press the play button to see and hear a train rumbling over the track:

    The track is made of very solid and utilitarian iron and wood. Just like any other railway track, really, except that it’s above ground. They’re normal trains, and it’s not a monorail.

    The TC and I walked around under the railway struts, feeling as if murder and mayhem should be breaking out all round us. The locals just take it in their stride.

    The track winds its way through the gorgeous buildings, and even between people’s houses, at rooftop level, almost scraping the verandah rails. This worm found it very very odd. Here is the view from our hotel window, looking down on the railway as it disappears into a station amongst the skyscrapers:

    The Wrigley Building, white with clock tower, and the Gothic-style Tribune Tower with its flying buttresses:

    Reflections wriggling in the blue glass of a Chicago building:

    A train crossing the Chicago river:

    The gold-capped Carbide and Carbon building, surrounded by other blocks:

    Zooming in close to the Carbide and Carbon building:

    The designer of this tower took pains to make the roof the same colour as the Chicago sky. It makes for an interesting effect, even more noticeable in real life than in the picture:

    A water taxi and one of the bridges over the Chicago river:

    Underneath a Chicago bridge, showing the typical brown iron colouring, also reflected in the window of the building next door:

    The John Hancock building:

    A view of the city from the top of the John Hancock tower:

    The shores of Lake Michigan, seen from the top of the John Hancock tower:

    That’s all for today, dudes.