I'm with ya, literally, visiting the Bethesda/Silver Spring area of DC metro. Snowed in since Saturday...

Leaving for Hong Kong at beginning of March. Got my visa for China. Will probably find a way to do the Great Wall, Terra gotta warriors, etc.

Gotta find a teenager to hire for that snow-shoveling !

So have you been to the Great Wall of China lately? I have never been and probably never will, it just is not in my vacation plans anytime soon. Right now I am in beautiful penguin weather, just South of Wash DC, with 2+ feet of snow on the ground and more accumulating as I type this!! I am SO tired of shoveling!!!

pass out some rosetta pamphlets along the trip we could use a few million computers for the cause

@Mikey: and a million pennies is how much...

@Rochester: hmmm, wonder if i'd get thrown in jail for spreading propaganda, and starting a new "cult"...

@Greg: whats the deal with brugge? heard its a cool place to visit...

I knew it, you were right Greg, he is a millionaire!!

@Mikey: and a million pennies is how much...

[quote]I knew it, you were right Greg, he is a millionaire!!

I do not think it is "pennies"! I have 3 water jugs full of pennies but I am certainly not capable of traveling like you do!!

And to answer your question....1 million pennies equals 10,000.00 dollars. Now if the pennies happen to be collectible or if the US Govt stops making pennies and makes them collectible, that is another kettle of fish entirely!

did someone say "kettle of fish" ?!

eh, i'm certainly not traveling 1st class, nor staying in 5-star hotels, lol ! (though that 24 hour airline trip to Oz was long-@$$, and that would have been worth some extra krill to upgrade)

dunno, think you probably could travel for three water jugs full of pennies...

just have to be flexible and watch the sales, iirc i got r/t to hkg from east coast for about $550. was told that was a fair deal...

did someone say "kettle of fish" ?!

eh, i'm certainly not traveling 1st class, nor staying in 5-star hotels, lol ! (though that 24 hour airline trip to Oz was long-@$$, and that would have been worth some extra krill to upgrade)

dunno, think you probably could travel for three water jugs full of pennies...

just have to be flexible and watch the sales, iirc i got r/t to hkg from east coast for about $550. was told that was a fair deal...

I think there is about $600.00 worth in each water jug, that is a pure guess but is based on me dropping 20 dollars worth I bought off a friend. I do it because I am collecting Wheat Pennies, but the level in the jug only went up an inch or so with the $20.00 worth of pennies I dropped in. No the jugs are NOT full of Wheat Pennies, they are full of non Wheat Pennies, I am separating the chaff from the Wheat!

And I do agree on watching for sales, I go to travel zoo all the time, I even get there emails of upcoming sales. But unfortunately right now I am not in the position where I can do any traveling. Work is taking all of my time and I am required to be there until this job is done.

---

Pengy,

Brugge is popular for the lace they produce.
It also contains one of the last "convents" of the Belgian Catholic church or possibley Europe. It's a small village within the city that has old and medium age nuns living in it.

Also it has canals that are nice to travel on in the summer.
Their website says they also do chocolate.

the "convent" I was speaking of: Beguinage and museum Top

The ‘Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde’ with its whitewashed housefronts, tranquil convent garden and beguinage museum was founded in 1245. Today the nuns of the Order of Saint Benedict inhabit the site. The Beguinage entrance gate closes without fail at 6.30 p.m

and

The Frietmuseum (museum dedicated to Belgian Fries) Top

The museum is located in the Saaihalle, one of Bruges’ oldest and best preserved historical buildings (1399).

The Frietmuseum is unique in the world. It is the first museum that shows the entire history, from the origin of the potato to the first fries.

more interesting places on their website:
http://www.brugge.be/internet/en/index.htm

Pengy,

Brugge is popular for the lace they produce.
It also contains one of the last "convents" of the Belgian Catholic church or possibley Europe. It's a small village within the city that has old and medium age nuns living in it.

Also it has canals that are nice to travel on in the summer.
Their website says they also do chocolate.

the "convent" I was speaking of: Beguinage and museum Top

The ‘Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde’ with its whitewashed housefronts, tranquil convent garden and beguinage museum was founded in 1245. Today the nuns of the Order of Saint Benedict inhabit the site. The Beguinage entrance gate closes without fail at 6.30 p.m

and

The Frietmuseum (museum dedicated to Belgian Fries) Top

The museum is located in the Saaihalle, one of Bruges’ oldest and best preserved historical buildings (1399).

The Frietmuseum is unique in the world. It is the first museum that shows the entire history, from the origin of the potato to the first fries.

more interesting places on their website:
http://www.brugge.be/internet/en/index.htm

Looks cool, I guess you will be leaving town in August during the beer festival?

Pengy,

Brugge is popular for the lace they produce.
It also contains one of the last "convents" of the Belgian Catholic church or possibley Europe. It's a small village within the city that has old and medium age nuns living in it.

Also it has canals that are nice to travel on in the summer.
Their website says they also do chocolate.

the "convent" I was speaking of: Beguinage and museum Top

The ‘Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde’ with its whitewashed housefronts, tranquil convent garden and beguinage museum was founded in 1245. Today the nuns of the Order of Saint Benedict inhabit the site. The Beguinage entrance gate closes without fail at 6.30 p.m

and

The Frietmuseum (museum dedicated to Belgian Fries) Top

The museum is located in the Saaihalle, one of Bruges’ oldest and best preserved historical buildings (1399).

The Frietmuseum is unique in the world. It is the first museum that shows the entire history, from the origin of the potato to the first fries.

more interesting places on their website:
http://www.brugge.be/internet/en/index.htm

Looks cool, I guess you will be leaving town in August during the beer festival?

I don't get out of the area that much.
For the moment not much money to spend on getting away.
Been a crap year for work.
Now I have severe tendinitis to add to the insult of things.

Pengy,

Brugge is popular for the lace they produce.
It also contains one of the last "convents" of the Belgian Catholic church or possibley Europe. It's a small village within the city that has old and medium age nuns living in it.

Also it has canals that are nice to travel on in the summer.
Their website says they also do chocolate.

the "convent" I was speaking of: Beguinage and museum Top

The ‘Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaarde’ with its whitewashed housefronts, tranquil convent garden and beguinage museum was founded in 1245. Today the nuns of the Order of Saint Benedict inhabit the site. The Beguinage entrance gate closes without fail at 6.30 p.m

and

The Frietmuseum (museum dedicated to Belgian Fries) Top

The museum is located in the Saaihalle, one of Bruges’ oldest and best preserved historical buildings (1399).

The Frietmuseum is unique in the world. It is the first museum that shows the entire history, from the origin of the potato to the first fries.

more interesting places on their website:
http://www.brugge.be/internet/en/index.htm

Looks cool, I guess you will be leaving town in August during the beer festival?

I don't get out of the area that much.
For the moment not much money to spend on getting away.
Been a crap year for work.
Now I have severe tendinitis to add to the insult of things.

I hope the train crash was not near you!

@Greg: Ditto, condolences... hope tendinitis isn't too serious that it can't be treated/managed... yeah, things slow here too, one of the reasons i have time on my hands...

Still trying to work out details for potential europe trip may-ish... now approximately in general, where are you in relation to those Belgian cities we've bandied about?

@Mikey: Know you're tied-up for a bit, but just as fyi (and maybe if europe doesn't work out for me)...

Japan $499~ + TAX roudtrip one-day sale 2/20/2010 YMMV

Pengy, go from Brussels to Antwerp and then catch another train from Antwerp to Beveren. Total time if things go well and planned good about 1hr 15 or so.

http://maps.google.be/maps?q=beveren,+belgium&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beveren,+East+Flanders,+Flemish+Region&gl=be&ei=GMh6S_2cMYb24Aat07CqCg&ved=0CAsQ8gEwAA&ll=51.033622,4.345093&spn=0.638206,1.783905&t=h&z=10

Mayish..ok. I should be here. The other half is off to Orlando and Vegas with oldest nephew in the middle of May.

Not much in the way of hotels here close in.
Antwerp has the best selection and is central to any rail destination you need.
You can catch a train to Amsterdam from there or go back to Brussels and get the ICE train to Germany. TGV from Paris is at Brussels and Eurostart chunnel service is there as well. Thalys highspeed service is available in Antwerp Central.

Belgian train trip planning is available here: http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/

@Greg: Ditto, condolences... hope tendinitis isn't too serious that it can't be treated/managed... yeah, things slow here too, one of the reasons i have time on my hands...

Still trying to work out details for potential europe trip may-ish... now approximately in general, where are you in relation to those Belgian cities we've bandied about?

@Mikey: Know you're tied-up for a bit, but just as fyi (and maybe if europe doesn't work out for me)...

Japan $499~ + TAX roudtrip one-day sale 2/20/2010 YMMV

I have forwarded your link to several people that may be interested but i personally can not travel at all until mid April at the earliest. Thanks for the link though!! I would love to be able to travel like you do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Greg: Cool! Still trying to find dates/airfare that works.

@Mikey: Understood; fwiw, the sale airfare is good for departures through May 15...

Pengy, just make sure it is before June. Airfares jump up real high then.
Don't forget baggage fees. Also there is a restriction from TSA for going back to the states with carry on bags. You can only have 1 standard size bag going back from Brussels. All other locations vary in rules. I think in AMS they have the backscatter machines you are required to go through. In BRU they are waiting for an official EU ruling due to State concerns and rules over privacy. It all fun and games.

@Greg: Cool! Still trying to find dates/airfare that works.

@Mikey: Understood; fwiw, the sale airfare is good for departures through May 15...

Definitely before June...

Looking at flying into Paris, and flying out of London.

I know I can take Eurostar, without "doubling back", from Brussels to London.

Can't take Eurostar from Paris to Brussels without "doubling back" (via Lille).

Are there other trains to get from Paris to Brussels? (reasonable schedules/prices)?

Still looking at late April / early May...

Need to be in London by May 8 (preferrably no later than the 7th).

Definitely before June...

Looking at flying into Paris, and flying out of London.

I know I can take Eurostar, without "doubling back", from Brussels to London.

Can't take Eurostar from Paris to Brussels without "doubling back" (via Lille).

Are there other trains to get from Paris to Brussels? (reasonable schedules/prices)?

Still looking at late April / early May...

Need to be in London by May 8 (preferrably no later than the 7th).

Don't bother with Eurostar unless your doing chunnel.
Paris and Brussels have 2 ways of doing things.

You can do Thalys (the tri country train set)
or you can run with TGV from Brussels south to Paris.
But looking at TGV you have to switch to a local train at some point for the ride in. Thalys is direct.

For TGV stuff, have a look here tomorrow.

Otherwise for Thalys, look here.

Then you can figure out Eurostar from Paris to London.

Where did our "old friend" Tiger@Switzerland ever wind up?

We should have ourselves a good 'ole "animals vs humans" reunion, lol !!!

Where did our "old friend" Tiger@Switzerland ever wind up?

We should have ourselves a good 'ole "animals vs humans" reunion, lol !!!

he's probably hibernating or got distracted by some lady tiger.

tflops dropping must be having problems

i'd hate to have something like that happen in public...