Greetings from South Africa (Again)

I am back here for work. I just missed the nasty rain so it is sunny and beautiful (23 today). Luckily, I was able to spend the weekend with Derryth’s parents and they took me to a really nice private game reserve called Tala. We saw tons of animals;

• Blesbuck
• Buffalo
• Eland
• Giraffe
• Grey Crane (national bird of SA and apparently quite rare)
• Hippopotamus
• Impala
• Nyala
• Ostrich
  
• Reedbuck
• Rhinoceros (with a baby)
• Secretary Bird
• Warthog
  
• Waterbuck
• Wildebeest
• Zebra
• Numerous different Herons including one eating a snake
• Tons of other ducks and birds (Egyptian geese, swallow, kite, moorhen, cormorant, lark, weaver, bishop something or other, long tailed king whatsit)
• Pam and Jim saw a huge monitor lizard but I missed it as apparently I am blind!
• Oh and we pissed off a Rhino and almost got charged. His horn was about 3 feet long.

Here are a few pictures;

Hungry, Hungry Hippos
Father and Son
Baby Zebra
Arty Giraffe
Many Giraffes
Buffalo

Good Wine in Wein

Seth and I really enjoyed Vienna. The highlights included;

• Yummy potatoes at the restaurant above. We also had a lovely Austrian Reisling and a fantastic dessert wine that was made by the father in law of the waiter.
  
• The strangest and politest political protest I have ever seen. About 10 people were standing in a small cluster on one side of the street yelling and blowing whistles while 8 or so bored looking police officers stood on the other side of the street watching them, chatting to each other and smoking cigarettes.
• A very expensive but fun tour of town in a horse drawn carriage. Our driver was quite funny and took us for a glass of wine afterwards.
• An insane taxi driver who made many attempts to kill us by running red lights and weaving between lanes. Luckily he did not succeed.
• Speaking German. Well, I guess pointing at two danishes and saying 'Zwei bitte' does not really qualify as speaking German but we all have our delusions, right?
  

Don't Call Me Madam

Please don't. I have had 3 people call me that in the last two weeks. Does that mean I am/look officially old? Dom told me that maybe they didn't think I was old, maybe they thought I run a brothel. I am not sure that helps!

Crap Celebrity Spotting Texas Style

Linda Gray from Dallas. As I was walking him from the Racing Page this evening, I walked past back door of Richmond Theatre to find her surrounded by old men (they sounded German) outside the stage door.

Another Country Heard From

Just wanted to make a post from Austria so I can add to the 'international-ness' of my blog.

Will post pics from the NHL and NBA games I attended recently.

Later,
Me

Dad's Visit

Here are a few highlights (and I have left out tons) from Dad's visit so far.

Start off with a pint on the Thames.
Edinburgh CastleA real Heilin' Coo photographed in the Heilin's.

Glenfinnan
The Isle of Muck

Ben NevisYorkshire Moors
Eden Camp WW2 Museum. I am pretty sure this is a Spitfire. I am sure John can tell me if I am correct.

York Minster

Good Spot or Bad?

You decide. My latest celebrity spot is Jim Broadbent at Heathrow Airport. He got came through arrivals while I was waiting for Dad last Monday night.


I still think my Robert Townsend Heathrow spotting was better.