Bloody Firewall Failure!

Sorry that I have been offline for the last week. My firewall shut down when I was on my trip to Casablanca (#*&#!) and I picked up a few "bugs" off the net. It has taken me the last few days to sort out the problems. I am off tonight to Bangkok and the kids are joining me on Monday. We are then flying to Penang Malaysia on Tuesday and will be there for about a week. We will be staying at the Sandy Beach Resort (http://www.geocities.com/~paradise_hotel/Sandy_Bay/) for the first few days and then moving to Jerejak Resort (http://www.jerejakresort.com/) for the last part of the stay. I should be back in Doha about the 6th or 7th of July and will then hopefully be able to post some pictures.

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace 

London

I went sightseeing in London I found the bus and tube (subway system) very user friendly and easy to use. We started out at Green Park next to Buckingham Palace. The Palace was smaller than I though it would be. We saw the changing of the guards and then walked down by the War Cabinet Rooms and 10 Downing Street (official residence of Tony Blair). I thought I got a picture of Tony walking out but when I zoom in on it…It doesn’t look like him (It was a failed attempt at becoming part of the paparazzi!). We then went by Big Bend Westminster Abbey, Parliament, The House of Commons, The London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral and The London Tower. I wish I would have paid a little bit more attention in history class… but I still enjoyed the day.
I find the flying on the A330 easier but more tiring (up most nights flying and lots of time zone changes).
I have the next few days off trying to organize the vacation with the kids.
My next flight is to Dhaka Bangladesh spending 24 hours on the ground then returning to Doha for 12 hours then off to Tripoli and then on to Casablanca.
I have not had any chance to kitesurf because the wind does not cooperate when I am in town (it is either less than 8 knots or more than 25 knots). Maybe better luck tomorrow.

Buckingham Palace 

Royal Gates to Green Park at Buckinham Palace 

Horse carriages outside of Buckingham Palace 

London Eye 

Entrance to Downing Street (Where Tony Blair lives) 

Not Tony Blair (thought it was until I zoomed in!) at 10 Downing Street 

Horse Guards 

Picture with a member of the Horse Guard (with an Iranian and Chinese flight attendent) 

Westminster Abbey 

Westminster Cathedral 

Outside of Parliament.. not supporting the Euro 

Protest banners outside of Parliament 

Big Bend 

Close up of Big Bend 

Parliament and Big Bend 

St. Paul's Cathedral 

Tower Bridge 

Tower of London 

Terracotta soldiers from Xian on the Great wall of China outside Beijing....which one is not real?
 

Beijing

Beijing was a great city! The city is clean, large and polite! I was expecting a bit more of a police (or military) presence but there was hardly any to be seen. The drivers all obey the speed limit and everything is very orderly. The day we went to the great wall was very hazy (smoggy) with visibility only about 5 km (3 miles). The great wall has been renovated in the part that we visited. It was more like a big stairway (with 5300 steps!). There were lots of people at the start but not many at the top. I found it an easy climb but the rest of my crew (only 3 out of 8 made it to the top) found it quite hard. We then visited the Forbidden City (where the past Emperors of China lived). It was a very large complex but I found it a bit sterile (very boring in fact). The next day I was going to visit an old section of the Great Wall (by myself- the other crew were too afraid of the climb!) which is in original condition and a bit harder of a climb… but when I woke up it was pouring down with rain. The last day the weather (and smog) had cleared up but I didn’t have enough time to do the climb… so the next time I will do it.
Tomorrow I go to London. If the weather is good I plan to do a bit of sightseeing.
I am going to Bali at the end of the month too see the kids and I think then to Australia for a few days. I am very excited.

Street fruit market in Beijing. 

The crew at the start of the wall. 

I am at the start of the wall...notice how many people are on the wall. 

Tower on the wall. 

Tower on the wall.