LTG the pyramid scheme? Will QF LTG (Lift Their Game) ?? Europe 2024 for tipping over LIFE TIME GOLD

[CaptJCool]

22 July adjacent Checkpoint Charlie
Detour to browse for my next Trabant
And onward to Potsdam Platz
Spy museum and the old closed tower

 

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First time I got to see where the Bunker was actually located !




Brandenburg Tor
The river Spree and mod architecture

 

[OZDUCK]

Really good to see some photos of Berlin again. Over three visits we have spent just under three weeks in Berlin and have barely scratched the surface.

 

[CaptJCool]

Really good to see some photos of Berlin again. Over three visits we have spent just under three weeks in Berlin and have barely scratched the surface.

Yes it’s a joy

Because of the Wall there’s a green ring around the city now

There was also considerable effort to limit the population volume

I also had an interesting chat with a barista who’s a migrant in a coffee shop steps away from checkpoint Charlie - despite the checkpoint being inundated with people it was empty (aside me and a few IT Hub workers).
That’s privilege that people visitors don’t have to look past the end of their noses - of course none of that applies to the illustrious crew of AFFers who make the effort to step outside their comfort zone and see the world as it really is. To walk one street back opens up an entire vista of exploration and adventure and seeing how others people actually live and experience disadvantage and challenges

 

[CaptJCool]

23 July
It’s early morning for the reward points flight from Berlin down to the far west side of Spain
It’s something like 2,600 kms - a distance I didn’t really expect in Europe but there we go



There was something else I didn’t expect at Berlin Flughafen - a very closed Lounge scheduled to open at 5 am with a queue of people waiting waiting waiting. So it was a dawdle round the wing discovering the most useless perambulator serving just one gate - but wait is that a smoking room ? Perhaps those folk don’t wish to walk so far


Madrid airport for a fast rush to the cute Iberia Lounge
Vigo and it’s model 747

 

[CaptJCool]

Vigo airport
The main reason to arrive here was cause I could book rewards tics with Iberia to/from here (for some reason SCQ Bombed out
Fortunately the reward tics include checked baggage but food is a “paid for item” hence the race to the Lounge as the connections like 45 minutes (and the extra food stop before the train trip)


Vigo station


A walkabout

The new Halo


Saves a huge uphill walk seeing this city is built up the side of a rather steep incline. Opened recently and makes it a short walk between the two stations (slow trains at the bottom). High speed trains to Madrid at the top station

 

[CaptJCool]

On the train north to SCQ
Beautiful scenery
Grand bridges
And a train leaving the station …

 

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Milling
Well, Nestles, village life and town events

 

[CaptJCool]

24 July




The beach life
Hot out and the water is freezing. Brrr


The night life

 

[CaptJCool]

We AFFers are everywhere
(And tonnes of gumtrees in this part of Spain too)


Churros. 10 for One Euro. I don’t think I’ll be buying them in Australia ever again …


High on the hill. Gosh it was ashort steep hike to the Pulperia Festival


Ah there’s the gumtrees. Apparently introduced to help manage soil erosion. “Feels like home to me…. “

Pulperia

Two ways of doing octopus
Most of us know calamari rings but the authentic way is like that

 

[CaptJCool]

Quick spin around town & churches

Handy to know where the local pharmac_ is located - of course down a narrow alley which is par for the course in towns and villages


A very old stair balustrade

 

[CaptJCool]

Some Thursday 25 July fun

 

[CaptJCool]

Friday 26 July and it’s Cathedral day



Now available at your nearest department store. Each sold separately. Given our Western predilection for “Shopping around” that was my take Orf on worship at the Cathedral Of Shopping - irreverent humour

 

[CaptJCool]

The other SCQ
Where the Camino ends


The Pilgrim Blues
An achievement without going anywhere near consumerism

 

[CaptJCool]

Looking through the lens of life


Stained simple

 

[CaptJCool]

And this
Parallels of simple

So here’s a lil ménage for those sleepy nights in village life

Australia you’re standing innit
Youth filled hope & aspiration
Paris
outrageous glory
2024 Opening Ceremony

 

[CaptJCool]

Sat 27th July
And normal decadence of village life vill resume. Coffee for 1 Euro 40!

 

[CaptJCool]

The halo really slipped
Late night boozing
Music was decent
Most the pop music is with English lyrics
This photo is of plastic bags
WHY? They are filled with alcoholic drinks brought along mainly it seems by the teenagers… alcoholic drinks are relatively cheap but nevertheless not sold to those yet to turn 18.

It also meant a 4km walk at 4am in the morning ….
We wanted the full experience
The ‘fool’ dark night walking experience

 

[CaptJCool]

28th July
Bit of a carousel dropping junior who was out with me to 5am! Orf at SCQ for his 4 weeks party round Europe



Village life


Someone got stroppy at the local council and wrote a Graf on the Town Hall

 

[CaptJCool]

28 July late evening
This part of the world is Galicia (also turns out General Franco came from this region and was the last man standing of the leaders from the Spanish Civil war so became right-wing dictator - the palace became home and the Catholic Church strong)
He also believed in the monarchy (after his reign) so anointed Juan Carlos as Prince in 1977? Who became King upon Francis death.). The world we live in



Galicians speak their own language and commonality of music with Scotland Celts Gallic so here’s a band alongside the grand cathedral in SCQ