My sister is about to embark on a break from her posting in Afghanistan and is heading off to Italy for two weeks with my niece. I am green with envy, because I have been to Italy and I know how many wonderful things await them over there.
Craig and I went on a five week trip to Europe about eight years ago, and it was the holiday of a lifetime. We left the children with the grandparents (much to the horror of many our friends and relatives) and set off to see the sights of the old world together. It's amazing how quickly you become best friends with your spouse all over again when you are the only English speaking people in strange and foreign territory. Together we traversed through France, England, Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece and Turkey; totally alone for most of the time since we chose to make our own way around.
This trip was a god send to our marriage of twelve years at that time, after having two children and working hard to pay off our first house, we really needed some alone time to rediscover ourselves and each other. And what adventures we had!
We did it all, lashing out and making the most of our time alone, indulging in everything imaginable from sleeping in a chateau in France and a castle in England, flying down the autobahn in Germany in a brand new BMW, scaling ancient ruin sites, walking amidst the skulls of the Parisian catacombs, sipping drinks at dusk by the light of the Parthenon in Athens and seeing unnameable antiquities, art and things of great beauty in every country that we visited; but most importantly, we were doing something that was just about us for the first time in a very long time, and that felt so good.
The children can barely recall the time without us, in fact Seth was so young that he has no recollection of us leaving at all, but Craig and I, we have some of the finest travel memories that no-one will ever fully understand but the two of us. Sometimes you have to be a little bit selfish to forge something everlasting, and now that the children are older we have also indulged them in the magic of travel with trips to Thailand and Indonesia - far more affordable than Europe on a family budget. And even though these holidays have been fantastic, those escapades that I shared with Craig in Europe will always have a special place in my heart.
Craig and I went on a five week trip to Europe about eight years ago, and it was the holiday of a lifetime. We left the children with the grandparents (much to the horror of many our friends and relatives) and set off to see the sights of the old world together. It's amazing how quickly you become best friends with your spouse all over again when you are the only English speaking people in strange and foreign territory. Together we traversed through France, England, Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece and Turkey; totally alone for most of the time since we chose to make our own way around.
This trip was a god send to our marriage of twelve years at that time, after having two children and working hard to pay off our first house, we really needed some alone time to rediscover ourselves and each other. And what adventures we had!
We did it all, lashing out and making the most of our time alone, indulging in everything imaginable from sleeping in a chateau in France and a castle in England, flying down the autobahn in Germany in a brand new BMW, scaling ancient ruin sites, walking amidst the skulls of the Parisian catacombs, sipping drinks at dusk by the light of the Parthenon in Athens and seeing unnameable antiquities, art and things of great beauty in every country that we visited; but most importantly, we were doing something that was just about us for the first time in a very long time, and that felt so good.
The children can barely recall the time without us, in fact Seth was so young that he has no recollection of us leaving at all, but Craig and I, we have some of the finest travel memories that no-one will ever fully understand but the two of us. Sometimes you have to be a little bit selfish to forge something everlasting, and now that the children are older we have also indulged them in the magic of travel with trips to Thailand and Indonesia - far more affordable than Europe on a family budget. And even though these holidays have been fantastic, those escapades that I shared with Craig in Europe will always have a special place in my heart.
IN BRUGES
Release Date: 2008
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 107 mins
A neo-noir black comedy written and directed by Martin McDonagh, that was filmed in the Belgian city of Bruges. Colin Farrell, who is absolutely at his best here, won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy off the steam of this hilarious script, and McDonagh deservingly won the BAFTA for Best Original Screen Play.
Two hit men (Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell) are sent to the medieval city of Bruge by their London boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) in an attempt to cool off after a particularly big hit. Together they struggle with the demons of their past and their strange new surroundings, as they await a call from Harry to return.
Filled with witty dark humour, amazingly serene landscapes and just enough psychological edge to keep things interesting, In Bruge rapidly became a cult classic and one of my all time favourite comedies. Gleeson and Farrell are fabulous together, their politically incorrect antics had me in stitches, as did Ralph Fienne's portrayal of the volatile and haphazard boss gangster, Harry. This is a wickedly funny film and one that you shouldn't miss.
FINAL SAY: It's an inanimate fucking object!
4.5 Chili Peppers
Release Date: 2008
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 107 mins
A neo-noir black comedy written and directed by Martin McDonagh, that was filmed in the Belgian city of Bruges. Colin Farrell, who is absolutely at his best here, won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy off the steam of this hilarious script, and McDonagh deservingly won the BAFTA for Best Original Screen Play.
Two hit men (Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell) are sent to the medieval city of Bruge by their London boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) in an attempt to cool off after a particularly big hit. Together they struggle with the demons of their past and their strange new surroundings, as they await a call from Harry to return.
Filled with witty dark humour, amazingly serene landscapes and just enough psychological edge to keep things interesting, In Bruge rapidly became a cult classic and one of my all time favourite comedies. Gleeson and Farrell are fabulous together, their politically incorrect antics had me in stitches, as did Ralph Fienne's portrayal of the volatile and haphazard boss gangster, Harry. This is a wickedly funny film and one that you shouldn't miss.
FINAL SAY: It's an inanimate fucking object!
4.5 Chili Peppers
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