I Miss my Nerd Friends

Well, at least the friends I had before that title. Work life is very different here than back home. The people are very nice, but they aren’t technical. Being the only engineer in an office is challenging. Most of the time nobody has a clue what I’m talking about. I haven’t seen so many glazed over looks since I went to conventions in high school.

Another thing that’s strange is that almost nobody goes out for lunch. Granted there aren’t many options that are close by, but for the most part no one has time. I guess it’s the mark of a growing company that you have to work harder and have less time for things like lunch, but at some point it becomes counter productive because morale drops.

If you think I’m on about food again, you’re wrong. Back in the US lunch was always a time to have a little social interaction to break up the day. It gave me a chance to vent frustrations to friends/coworkers who had similar frustrations. While we all like our jobs it was nice to be able to discuss what we really thought of situations without being diplomatic.

I have a coworker here that Wife and I hang out with fairly regularly. Her husband and Wife normally get bored because we’ll take the discussion on a work tangent because we don’t have that outlet during the day. That outlet is definitely something that I miss.

Or maybe I’m just depressed because the police force here in the UK seems to think that being politically correct and making sure no one is offended is more important than making sure no one gets blown up: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2372471.html

Time for another sandwich at my desk. I miss Chipotle!

Frog

Borfesztival

Didn't get much of an impression of Budapest. Nothing stood out, but still a fun trip. Lots of beautiful buildings and a very fun wine festival. Hungarian red wines tasted like rubbing alcohol to me, but liked the whites.

Are you ready for some football?

I sure am. Could someone please send me a DVD of a taped game? I’m dying over here. And anyone that asks what I’m talking about because they have “real” football over here would be advised to not say this to my face. I miss my Chiefs. I miss my Saturday afternoons at Memorial stadium. I need football!

Listening to the first half of the Chiefs game last night was nice. I even got Bob Gretz shilling for Price Chopper. Of course it wasn’t the most exciting game to listen to, but I guess that’s what Herm brings to the table.

Wife has said we could get Sky with their Sports package since they show two NFL games a week, but I’m more tempted to get ESPN’s GamePlan on-line. I’d get more games and a wider selection. Plus then I could get GamePlan for college basketball, which is even more important.

Haven’t done another for and against so I think it’s about time to bring that back:

For: Multiple varieties of sausages at butchers.

Against: Chicken and beef stock is the equivalent of $5 for a 15 oz. can.

For: Being able to walk to the grocery store.

Against: The grocery store we like moving too far away to walk to.

For: The TV shows Top Gear and Saxondale.

Against: Almost every other British TV show.

For: Guy Fawkes Day (Nobody seems to know whether they’re celebrating an attempt to blow up Parliament or the prevention of that attempt).

Against: Christmas items appearing in stores already.

For: Beautiful, Welsh countryside.

Against: Slow, winding roads through Welsh countryside.

For: Friends and family coming to visit us.

Against: Going to Stonehenge innumerable times.

For: Hungarian white and sparkling wines.

Against: Hungarian red wine (aka, rubbing alcohol).

Hope everyone is doing well. Sorry I haven’t been keeping things up to date.

Cheers,
Frog

Budapest

Little late on the post. Budapest was fun. Lots of food and drinks. Guess that's what happens at a buisness meeting.


Hungarian Parliament


St. Stephen's Basilica

View of Basilica from across Danube


State Opera House

Inside Opera House (wan't supposed to take pictures, so no flash)


Bridge that links pest with buda. Buda Castle up on the hill.


Matyas Church. Really cool church. Rebuilt several times, so get a lot of different styles.


Statue Park. Took some of the communist statues from around the city and put them in a park. Really surreal walking around giant statues in the middle of nowhere.

Copenhagen Part 2

Radhuspladsen. Big square next to City Hall. Lots of tour groups.

Another view of the Radhuspladsen from Tivoli Gardens.



Tivoli Gardens. Roller coasters, cafes, ballet, and open air concerts.



Square along the Stroget. Long pedestrian street with shopping (lots of shopping).



Right side of canal is part of Slotsholmen (Danish Parliment).



Carlsberg Brewery.


Not quite sure where I took this picture.

Copenhagen

Seemed like there was a palace around every corner. Lots of history, that I know nothing about. Too much mayonnaise on food. Fear of missing something (FMS) kicked in big time. Think we saw most of the city on Saturday.


Rosenborg Slot


Little Mermaid. Family tradition to take picture of the back side of statues.



St. Alban's Church


Nyhavn. Bars and cafes along a canal. Great place to stop for a Carlsberg.


Aaron took this while enjoying a pint. Bikes ridden everywhere and no locks.



Amalienborg Palace

Flatter than Kansas

Yes, it's true. I've now visited someplace that's flatter than Kansas. Wife and I got a chance to go to Copenhagen over the weekend since I needed to be there for work on Monday. We had a really good time, but I missed one thing I wanted to see: Legoland!

Denmark is the home of Legos, one of the best toys that has ever been invented. Unfortunately Legoland is about a three hour one way trip from Copenhagen. Not really feasible with just a weekend for our visit. But wife did get me a set of Legos while I was in meetings on Monday. They were even similar to the old sets that I grew up with. There are a lot of different projects you can build, and even some of the simpler designs can remain built at the same time. Let's just say I've been enjoying reliving a bit of my childhood.

Couch Potatoes

Can only handle so much british TV. No more Big Brother!! Jumped in the car and drove to Bath. Georgian buildings, Jane Austen and lots of shopping...



River Avon


Royal Crescent


The City