CONTINUING OUR JOURNEY

still at Kaliningrad, outside the coffee shop near the station, lovely cappuccino and cakes there, western prices though.
the dockland development and a chance to meet some elderly locals
weddings galore at the church and photos in the park by the rustic bridge
another bridge nearby, quite Dutch don't you think
reality I suppose, this is where most folk still live

busy catching up with all ebay orders dispatched and trade orders ready to go as well as normal post. Garden tidied, plants fed, lawns mowed, arms aching and legs tired. Next trips, well Black Country museum for trolleys Saturday, Totally transport at Blackpool Sunday, then the next weekends its Nice, France for the new tramway and a break.

CONTINUING OUR EASTERN EUROPEAN TRIP

although not 100% sunny Kaliningrad was mainly fine and gave us an opportunity to study a system which is surely on the decline, the Friday afternoon when we arrived services were very sparse but were better Saturday.
park near our hotel the Moscow, a strange almost modern yet soviet design, noisy neighbours watching tv into night, dinners ok, helpful staff, pleasant enough but the bed was rock hard and lumpy.
in front of the church which featured in Palins new Europe show, handy back drop for trams and trolleys, pretty well the centre of town, weddings galore, like Ukraine the bride lays her flower bouquet at the war memorial
the evolution of the Russian trolleybus!
a few newer examples otherwise ZIUs of course.

SAFELY HOME AT LAST

starting at the end on a lighter note, last night at the Moscow Hotel in Kaliningrad, Russia, with David Packer, myself, John Bishop and Martin Rickitt.
Dave Packer toasts his extended stay in the Russian enclave city
John and Martin obviously had a good week
service was friendly and relatively efficient at times
what another beer, who ordered this?

too tired to launch into great detail on the trip, suffice to say all targets achieved, more tomorrow!

ANTWERP YESTERDAY AFTERNOON

Another helping of Belgium, some shots of Antwerp trams yesterday afternoon.



remember i'll be away until 16th June, so no blogs for a few days

BELGIUM TO POLAND TO RUSSIA VIA UKRAINE

it seemed to be market day everywhere I went which made navigation around some small towns fun to say the least, this is Geel where I stayed near the Irish pub ( and church)
round the back of the church waiting for estate agents to open just before 9am the school bus services bolstered the bus scene and kept me occupied for a few minutes.
Mol is another smallish town, the sun came out after business in town a few shots at rush hour as I headed back to my hire car I'd parked( for free) at the station.
another Mol shot
A very Flemish mixture of transport, all this outside the rail station.

Just getting all my documents ready for the eastern European trip , I've already checked in for tomorrow afternoon which should save a bit of time. Tidied up garden and managed to pop down and tend family graves at Chorlton.

VERY WET CLAMMY BELGIUM

recalling Preston as seen last Saturday morning, I'll try and bring you some Belgian shots tomorrow when I have downloaded the pictures



Fokker 50 VLM flight ( a prop job) from Manchester to Antwerp, landed in the middle of a storm and the whole airport was like an island in a lake, poorly signposted it takes some getting out and back into. The trip to Geel was lit up by an electric storm, at first I though it was traffic cameras flashing me, arrived at the hotel about nearly midnight local time. was woken by even more late arrivals and the pillows were worse than useless, like filled with polystyrene chippings only more upmarket, otherwise fine and was quiet by second night. Did my business reasonably effectively and had time to loom at Antwerp before return, also had trip in evening over in Netherlands.
Now i am getting ready to write report for work and then getting packed for the polish Ukraine and Russian trip next week

WAR ON BLACKBIRDS

another nice selection from sunny Blackburn taken Saturday afternoon, starting with a Versa.



well its all dash tonight, just home from work, car dropped for repairs, getting ready to go to airport, flying Manchester to Antwerp for business. Hope to get back blogging later this week before the East European trip.

Blessed black birds have made a mess of the front flower beds scratching plants out, if its not moles its something else.

Hope book cover is ready by the time I'm back!

Sale on our Ebay shop for those that are interested and reading from book on Youtube

PRESTON FOR BUS WARS

we start with scenes at Burnley yesterday afternoon, a few loonies around , usually we are there on a working day when the yobs are in their institutions or schools.


next Blackburn where we met Warren of model bus fame, sun was shining, friendly crews, all was well with the world, so much changed since my last visit
another sale on Ebay id the interests you. This morning up early and recorded my book reading sessions for Youtube promoting A Smudge on My Lens. Then some repairs and decorating in the bathroom which needs completing later on. Outdoor painting thwarted by rain but I'll do a bit in the garden, Yesterdays filming all edited, still working on the cine. Getting ready to head off to Belgium tomorrow night.

LANCASHIRE TODAY

well its cheers from Sean ( and Guido) at their home near Chahir lasy weekend and our last selection from Ireland this week
Cork last Saturday

Mandy selecting some of our favourite West Cork cheeses at the English Market in Cork.
One for the Emergency Services fans in Cork again last Saturday.

Today we visited Preston, Chorley,Blackburn and Burnley. The weather was bright to sunny in Preston, loads of activity new buses on park and ride, photos tomorrow. Chorley was brief, friendly and bright to sunny. Blackburn was exquisite met friend Warren there, sunny all the time, wow hasn't the bus scene changed there, great. Burnley, it went cloudy, finished filming picked up paper at village shop with ice creams and sat in garden then washed cars. The rush towards the next trips is inexorable. We spoke to an author in Preston doing signings at Waterstones, got some tips. The cover should be ready soon. Hoping to put a reading from it on Youtube tomorrow.

ITS A CORKER

Hil and Seans latest cat just loves playing with water, taken last weekend in Ireland

Ellie dropping her ring, couldn't have taken that one if I tried, just lucky Sean puts the finishing touches to a bridle in his workshop
A lucky passing shot on the way back from Cork Decorated for the EU referendum campaign, I asked if they could move so I could get a photo of the bus, they all moved to pose in front, duurr.. I waited till it moved of, Michelstown.

Well off to Belgium next week, car in for repair while I'm away. Proof reading on book finished, cover nearly ready I'm told. Gardening jobs included tying up rambling rose between us and whinging neighbour, also got herbs planted plus tended to growing tomatoes. Nearly there but of course the weeds are growing on the bits i did first.

Not sure about tomorrow, must catch forecast tonight, Sunday I have more jobs about house to complete, it never ends.