Backpack summer vacation - Mol

Next stop in our Europe round-trip was Belgium, meeting up with friends turned family in their new home. We took the Euro-Star from London to Brussels. Smooth ride under the English Channel and in just about 2h we set foot on Belgium ground. We met a conductor speaking at least 3 languages fluently. The public transportation travel idea worked so far quite well and we arrived in Mol as planned. It was wonderful to catch up and spent a day geocaching throughout the town of Mol. Thank you Izas, Miguel, Mario, and Simon - we had a fantastic time!

Leaving London on the Euro-Star.

Belgium in world cup fever. 

Life is drinking champagne with friends!

Belgium waffles and chocolate - they are really, really good!

Geocaching in Mol.

Learning about the history of Mol.

More historic places.

The waymarkers.

Cemetery turned park and playground.

In the chocolate factory - 't Soete - Excellent!!!!

Coffee time!

Just a little snack ;)

 

Backpack summer vacation-London

London was an awesome experience! We walked the city, took the tube and traveled the Thames with the boat.  London is a wonderfully vibrant, diverse city. I will not write much more. Except that we had excellent food and drinks and no rain ;)! 

One of so many bridge pics.

Walking the city jet-lagged after dinner. 

Tube pic.

The British phone booth.

F taking a nap in Hyde Park.

Our home subway station.

HMS Belfast.

Bridge pic!

A very British Underground map near Shakespeare's theatre.

ICE CREAM! We came back for seconds.

Old and new, mix and match.

Greenwich 1. 

Greenwich meridian.

Greenwich 2.

Painted Hall with Hardheads.

Waiting for meat pies.

Meat Pies.

Inside one of the most amazing museums I ever visited.

Darwin!

Natural History Museum.

Very British.

Tea time!

And of course - G&T.

Just keep on walking!

Backpack summer vacation - Vancouver in 1 day

Let's start by saying that 1 day is not enough to enjoy all that Vancouver has to offer, but we tried our best ...
The first leg of our trip brought us to Vancouver in mid June. Instead of waiting 4 hours at the airport for the next flight, we decided to stay a day and check out Canada's most populous city on the Pacific.

Water droplets on a rose outside our hotel

The morning was overcast and with a tiny bit of rain but that was expected. Didn't stop us from going on a bicycle tour in Stanley Park (Google Maps).

Totem Poles

Girl in a wetsuit statue (no joke)

Lions Gate Bridge

Lions Gate Bridge

Yep palm trees at 49°15′N 123°6′W

Yum

Many dragon boats and yachts

Lots of glass and steel

Cute water taxis

So many ducklings

And finally, I get my Poutine

Vancouver, we'll be back!