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Wilds of Europe
  • Gordon Wild
  • Gordon Wild

Wilds of Europe

Et 49-dagers eventyr av Gordon Les mer
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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    It was 1972, and yesterday.

    14. mai 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    It's only happened twice. The first time was 1972. I'm in the back yard at home in Greensborough. A thunderous roar breaks and rolls across the sky. I look up to see and wonder, for Concorde has come to Melbourne. Supersonic passenger flight had (almost) arrived.
    The second time was yesterday. The air and space museum outside Paris has TWO Concordes, the first and the last. I'm eight years old again, lost in wonder as we wander inside and out.
    That was even above the already awesome collection at the museum: whole satellites, rockets, helicopters, 100 years of planes.... A real treat.

    This was a stop as we headed out to northern France. The Air and Space Museum highlights many French achievements. Rocketry and satellites, aircraft, helicopters, as well as the starring Concordes.    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Lost and found.

    15. mai 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    This week we are in Northern France. I have three great uncles buried here from WW1. One I can't find. The other two were brothers (my dad's uncles Albert and Edgar Galloway). There's also the deep connection for Canterbury Baptist Church with this area as eight of it's young men were killed here. Time to dwell on what's happened here, and humanity's reason for being.
    A unique day; until tomorrow (Fromelles).

    We stopped in campsites here - the first night in Albert, and the second night further north just east of Arras.    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Honour and Resentment

    16. mai 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Such a tangled three days for us visiting WW1 sites. We stopped by ten gravesides or memorials and three museums. Two visits were to honour family members, others were to honour Canterbury Baptist Church veterans who never came home. They are present or remembered at Villers-Brettoneux, Tincourt, Louveral, Vis-en-Artois, VC Corner, Cobbers Corner, Pheasant Wood, Rue Petillon, Croix Du Bac, and Menin Gate. Every life a premature and violent loss. Every one of them a grief for family. Much to process about this.
    They were mostly optimistic and loyal young men. We honour such life as well as the other women, children, and men forever affected by this.
    Yet more than ever I feel the evil of war. I resent it. I resent war also because it only ever starts in people's minds. That is there the real battles are to be fought.
    A few days of this calls for something different; Bruges will do nicely....    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende
    12

    Brilliant Belgium.

    17. mai 2017, Belgia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    It is said the French think they've got life worked out. Well the Belgians actually have : they are just totally cool about it. *

    Brugge is a dine out feast for the eyes and tummy. Medieval architecture is abundant. It missed most of the world war destruction. (Many villages we saw in northern France were pulverised by WW1 artillery. Though well rebuilt, they look disturbingly 'un-old', built after 1918.)
    Canals beckon you toward their waiting boat rides. Green gardens welcome resting spirits. Belgian chocolate also awaits every 13 yards. Lace weaves its elegance. And now, waffles??? Ohh...

    It was a delightful restful day after the earlier emotional challenges of war sites.

    * only a slight overstatement. Their cultural challenges continue began their Dutch and French speaking communities.    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende
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    Belguim's sunshine coast

    18. mai 2017, Belgia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Here's a surprise. We start meandering to the edge of Europe, and behold: beach, classy shops, and apartments on the shoreline. A very familiar formula. The pic with four wheeler pushy is not our main transport : our van's that little white square up the main street. Thank you Belgium for one more lovely gift.Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende
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    1

    Welcome to Britain. Keep left.

    19. mai 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    ... And I do try to keep left in most ways. Ferry load and ride to get here from Calais is just like doing the Spirit of Tassie , just nine hours shorter. It took only a few hundred yards and some adrenaline to unlearn my advanced and seamless European driving skills. We called in on our namesake church this afternoon. Friendly welcome and a personal tour. Good to sense another lively congregation going and growing with the times.
    Tonight is a special treat for me. I bought the tickets months ago when I found the dates worked out. More on this next...    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    So good, I bought the t-shirt. Again.

    19. mai 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    It was a wonderful end to a long day. Yesterday started on Belgium, then through France to the ferry. (Total Europe RHS driving distance = 3466 kms) . Though back in the UK, it was the end of the day I was looking forward to.

    A concert. A concert I booked tix for in January. Jon Gomm on guitar, live. I last saw him in Melbourne April 2012 and never thought I'd see him again. Just getting there meant driving my 7.5m x 2.3m camper through inner London and through VERY SKINNY bridges to Shepherds Bush, and somehow park it. H was brave. I was laughing with excitement.

    Last night WAS SO satisfying, and even better than hoped. I'm so glad I was encouraged to go. Thanks. Search youtube for Jon Gomm Passionflower to get an idea of what we saw. (Yes I did buy the t-shirt. Like last time).    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Waking in Windsor. Didn't expect that...

    20. mai 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    It was already well after 10 pm as we set off in the camper from the Jon Gomm concert. Only the voice of Ms GPS to lead us to one of only two camper parking sites this side of Greater London. Forty minutes of darkness, rain and 267 roundabouts later we park at our mystery destination. Where are we, it's too dark to tell.
    Morning breaks to reveal our new neighbour is HRH in Windsor Castle (this is her weekender). We are smack in the centre of Windsor, beside the Thames. So we have spent an unexpected day visiting her (castle), Eton College, the odd shop or 86, and walking the banks of the Thames. Quite nice. Tomorrow, Yorkshire to see family. I may be bit quiet in coming days as we spend time with them. Ciao.    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende
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    In family footsteps...

    23. mai 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    All my days I've heard of these people. Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Iris... Now we share meal, lounge, heart.
    All my days I've heard of these place names: Bradford, Halifax, Hebden Bridge, the Moors. Now they rise and fall before me, literally up hill and down dale.
    We have visited birthplaces for parents and family, playsites of children now past, gravesides of young and old.
    It's very full of heartfelt wandering and wondering.

    We stayed at a small campsite beside the Cock O The North pub. We ended up staying a whole week here as we gently recovered from all the frenzy of Europe. Jimmy drove us to see lots of family sites. We also hired a car for three days to see Haworth and York and revisit Hebden Bridge.    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Haworth, where Gordon learns something.

    24. mai 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    It seems my government school education may not have been complete. Around the 1800s Patrick and Alice Bronte had six kids while he also pumped out sermons to deliver as vicar of the church next door.

    Turns out that literally on the dining table in the next room Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte were pumping out absolute literary classics of the English language: Charlotte's Jane Eyre, Emily's Wuthering Heights and Anne's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

    No literary seclusion for them though. Along the way they buried three siblings and their mother. In the end Dad Patrick outlived his wife and ALL SIX of his kids.
    What a life in Haworth, this little corner of Yorkshire. I'm learning....    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    York. (Its in Yorkshire, funny that.)

    25. mai 2017, England ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    How to cover 3000 years of history in a ten minute walk: visit York. Ancient Britains, Romans, Vikings, and any other shaped head you care to name, they've all called York home. The first 'Christian' roman emperor was proclaimed right here in the 300s. Now the honour continues through a smashing minster and very cosy tearooms. Weather has been brill too, even the shorts saw sunlight.Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende
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    Making Yorkshire + Yorkshire making me

    27. mai 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    How to make a Yorkshire city. Take Melbourne's Hawthorn with all its narrow wriggly streets and dense housing. Put it on top of Mt Dandenong. Add all 'Footascrays' factories down below. Leave it all out in the rain for 400 years. It's green and sandstone and chimneys and shopfronts all around.
    The countryside though, well that's entirely God's sweeping hand, lightly decorated by our ancient stonewall fences and some bemused sheep.

    Yorkshire making me: that's God's particular way in my story, in the forming and loving that flowed to me through many generations of Yorkshire folk. Here both my mum and dad learned simplicity, generosity, and striving. From here dad and five of his eight siblings stretched their wings globally through action in WW2 . That ultimately led to emigrating to Australia, which led to me.
    Here mum and dad also learned faith in God's vast grace. That gift continues now as well.

    I do so wish I could tell mum and dad what I'm doing and seeing and feeling. That opportunity has passed, as now they have both died. Yet for now I can still share with my dad's brother and mum's sister. The looks and mannerisms and values have all prevailed across the decades. I can still sense this distinctive Yorkshire life in them as we listen laugh and wander. And I sense this Yorkshire life in me, making me still.
    Thanks mum. Thanks dad. Thanks God.    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Winning the war, one byte at a time.

    28. mai 2017, England ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    It was early in World War 2.
    The problem : break the code that communicates Hitler's strategic plans to his generals. These messages were coded AND encrypted by an unknown machine. This code was so hard it made the usual German Enigma code seem easy as a paper bag.

    The Solution: boffins + machines*

    The boffins (engineers, code breakers, linguists etc) invent the computer to reverse the encryption. They do it without EVER seeing the original machine (the Lorenz SZ 42).

    In the process they invent the electric powered computer in the first dedicated computer facility.
    The movie doesn't tell you half of it...

    All this is now rebuilt on site at Bletchley Park where the secret allied intelligence work happened.
    It has become the national museum of computing. Computers of all eras are there, including the old school retro stuff I've used over 20 years... XT computers Palm pilots, Segas...

    My inner nerd, which isnt so inner, had a ball.

    *(which we now know is the long standing formula for making nerds)    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Leaving our home away from home.

    30. mai 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    It had to happen. After almost forty days we handed back our camper van. We (mostly) enjoyed 4000kms and almost 80 hours of driving. We've been quite comfy with soft beds, hot water, shower, kitchen, separate toilet, fridge, even central heating.
    The camper gave us the freedom to make our plans as we went, stay longer or move on as we wish. The continent loves campervans and with lots of free campsite options we paid about $20AUD per night on average at campsites.
    Now staying in London: that's a different story...    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende
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    Back where we began. London.

    30. mai 2017, England ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Lots to love in London. Up high and down low, inside and out.

    We stayed in Citadines in Holborn for three nights, then at an Air BNB in Pimlico for four nights. Oyster cards meant travelling on the tube or the busses was easy enough. One afternoon we walked from Holborn to Leicester Square to St Pauls and back.
    Next day was mostly with our niece Jess, strolling through Covent Garden and Oxford St. I then shot through to the Imperial War Museum. Nowdays this summarises conflicts across the 20th century, including the cold war and recent conflict in Afghanistan and Syria. A large Holocaust in IWM display presses home that tragic reality.
    Thursday saw us head to the Shard via London Bridge [soon to be touched by tragedy]. We walked the south bank and dropped into Tate Modern.
    Then I tried to buy some concert tickets, which made fresh plans for the rest of the day...    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Creative beauty - God's, and St-Martin's

    31. mai 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We saw PLENTY of churches. St Martin-in-the-Fields could have been easily overlooked amidst busy Trafalgar Square. So glad I was encouraged to look harder. Transformation lives here - creative sculpture, public art, buzzing cafe for hospitality, and meaningful engaging faith. We lingered nine times longer than I anticipated.Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    I wasn't planning to dance, but...

    1. juni 2017, England ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    That's exactly what happens when special moments come around, like my absolute favourite singer songwriter does an impromptu acoustic concert. Jon Foreman of Switchfoot. In London. Ten minutes away from our unit.
    The concert was on his day off before a gig in Northern England. It was only organised four days earlier. Maybe 300 people there...

    There wasn't even a set list of songs . Jon literally asks people to write requests and pass them forwards on to the stage. That leads to a stage of concert passes, bus tickets, store receipts, letters to others, whatever people had to write on...
    It was highlight on highlight, celebration on celebration. Time to live life forwards, for delighting in life's song.    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Praying for peace and people

    4. juni 2017, England ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Hi. Just a moment to say we are ok but praying with, for, and in this city again. We happen to have been to all three eventful places within this city in recent days.
    G+H xx
    P.S. A terrorist attack here has left at least eight lives, many wounded, and a city stirred and steeled. We were in the area two days beforehand; here's my photos from nearby. Picaso's weeping woman seemed fitting too- she is in Tate Modern gallery, ten minutes walk away.Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Still enjoying London...

    4. juni 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Sunday. Hours after, the terror ripples on through the city. But it does not stop us. We all go quietly, gently, respectful of the pain felt across this community.
    For us it meant worship and lunch at City Temple ( Norwood's old church). Then we headed up to Camden. Funky markets, winding canals, ancient churches, and sprawling Regent's Park all in a few hours.
    We also had dinner and a delightful catchup with some old friends... Thanks Edi and Raff for a wonderful evening.

    Just a day to go now.    Les mer

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  • Gordon WildWilds of EuropeReisende

    Uncle Fred

    5. juni 2017, England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    I reckon many people have an uncle Fred, but you don't have mine. A character all his days, he now lives quietly on the edge of London. This was our first chance ever to see him in his own home, town, and of course pub. The bonus: discovering a family tartan; Galloway, my grandmother's name and heritage. Thanks Fred.Les mer

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  • Reisens slutt
    6. juni 2017
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