http://www.bitwrathploob.com This bucktoothed rope-armed troll-haired pantsless wood bear gets around Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:33:25 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Before the 'Ploob heads off to pastures new I thought I'd take one last photo of him in front of a Belgian landmark, so off we headed to the Atomium, which had recently been spruced up in time for its 50th birthday.   After the obligatory snaps and a celebratory waffle, I suddenly ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/07/15/tour-deurope/ Yesterday I very generously sacrificed my lunch hour(s) to show 'Ploob a couple of the main tourist atractions in the centre of Brussels. First up was the Grand Place. Some say that this is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. It was hard to tell that day, as about ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/07/02/pis-and-mayonnaise/ I felt it only right and proper that the 'Ploob, during his time in "The Capital of Europe", should visit some of the institutions which represent him (born in Denmark, he's technically an EU citizen). Well, when I say "visit", of course I mean "stand outside", as inside they're a fairly uninspiring ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/06/18/political-ploob/ You know what wedding anniversaries are like. You take some time to plan it all out perfectly - grandparents visit and look after the kids while you slip away to a chic little guesthouse in a picturesque Flemish town, and an acclaimed restaurant in the evening. And of course, you bring ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/06/09/in-brugge/ Friday evening. I got home from work to find one of those "We tried to deliver a parcel while you were out" messages. The post office wouldn't be open again until Monday morning. Monday afternoon. My wife called to let me know that she'd picked up the parcel from the post ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/06/03/arrival-in-belgium/ No self-respecting visitor to the South Island of NZ can avoid a trip through the Southern Alps. I would've loved to take the BITWRATHPLOOB to Queenstown and the more exotic Lake Tekapo and Milford Sound but, alas! I had neither a car, nor a three-day holiday to spend driving south. What ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/06/02/the-ploob-is-off-to-the-mountains/ We all know what happens when the BITWRATHPLOOB flies in the cabin... so he made the short trip between islands in the cargo bay, tightly packed in a suitcase with all my possessions. I'd like to say the 'Ploob helped with the move, but really, it just stood there, hands ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/05/14/the-ploob-enjoys-the-garden-city/ The Ploob experiences the hot pools New Zealand is a very active place, volcanically speaking. This can be both dangerous – when Mt Ruapehu erupted last year, the ski field had to close for a couple days – and beneficial – there a number of geothermal areas where one can soak ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/05/12/black-sand-and-hot-pools/ Hamilton, though the 4th largest city in New Zealand (at close to 130 000 inhabitants!) is not the most exciting place. Still, the weather was glorious so the ‘Ploob & Friends headed out to visit the most popular* tourist destination in the Waikato – the Hamilton Gardens. It was a trip ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/05/08/a-stroll-through-the-gardens/ After much anticipation and one more inter-continental postal jump, in early February the BITWRATHPLOOB finally made it to the land where people, birds and fruits all share the same name. A series of inter-NZ travels, a new job, a move between islands, and a dying computer are my excuses for ... http://www.bitwrathploob.com/2008/05/07/the-wood-bear-goes-kiwi/