Phew - here I am at home on a Saturday night for the first time since the 9th of February! Maybe that will go some way to explaining my woeful record of posting over the past six weeks or so - every time I think I'm getting into my stride, I leave on another trip or another batch of visitors arrive. Not that I'm complaining. But I do feel compelled to explain to you what I've been up to and why I've been neglecting you!
First up, to keep you amused, here's a little guessing game. No prizes I'm afraid, just the prestige of being the first person who can tell me where I have been over the past five weekends (hint: only one weekend was spent in London):
Countries will be fairly obvious - but the more specific your answers the more impressed I will be ;-)
And in other not-entirely-unrelated news, I have been too busy with travelling and a sick husband to put anything together for my own event - Waiter, There's Something in My... Pulses. Mea culpa. For this reason, I'm extending the deadline to Monday 31 March, giving you two whole more days to get creative with lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas and the like.
What's the point of hosting your own events if you can't bend the rules once in a while?!
**UPDATE** To put you out of your misery, below you will find the detailed info on where these pics were taken. The closest to guessing everything correctly with astonishing detail was Herschelian, and hot on her heels was Hande. Top marks for creativity go to Andrew and Elizabeth (who's not jealous at all!).
Pic 1 - the Beacon Island Hotel in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa (23 Feb 08)
Pic 2 - Lion's Head and Mouille Point, Cape Town, South Africa, as seen from the Robben Island Ferry in Table Bay (1 March 08)
Pic 3 - the lovely Petersham Nurseries restaurant in Richmond, UK (lunch with my sister-in-law on 8 March 08)
Pic 4 - Parma hams hanging in a butcher in Zibello, Italy - it's near Parma and is the village where my sister-in-law's family comes from (15 March 08)
Pic 5 - the roof of Gaudi's Casa Mila (a.k.a. La Pedrera) in Barcelona, Spain (24 March 08)
Thanks to all who played along and took a guess!
I can't speak intelligently about specific locations, but I can say I would love to be in each and every picture! :) See you in the round up.
Posted by: Chris | March 29, 2008 at 08:49 PM
I think its Siberia, Rockall, Hackney Dog Track, 4th floor restaurant at Selfridges and Marbella. Am I right??
Posted by: Andrew | March 29, 2008 at 09:32 PM
The first is the view of the Robberg from that hotel on Central Beach (what's it called?!) at Plettenberg Bay. The second is Cape Town harbour and Signal Hill.
I'm confused by the other three. Are those Tuscan hams?
Posted by: Charlotte | March 30, 2008 at 06:21 AM
The third is in La Paz Bolivia ??
Posted by: Vonk | March 30, 2008 at 02:53 PM
I agree with Charlotte, #1 is definetly Plett,and I think it is the Beacon Island Hotel; #2 is Table Bay looking towards Signal Hill; # 3 is the restaurant at Petersham Nurseries; #4 is Spain ...don't know where though;
#5 is Barcelona, Casa Mila La Pridrera by Gaudi to be precise.
Anyway, seems like you've been having a lekker time. Hope husband is well again.
Posted by: Herschelian | March 30, 2008 at 05:20 PM
ok... i'm goin' to take a wild guest... gorgeous pics by the way :) ummm... New Zealand?
Posted by: maika | March 30, 2008 at 05:58 PM
Hmm, I guess the first 2 are from around SA which I can't further, the 3rd looks somehow british to me (don't ask), the 4th must be somewhere in Emiglia Romana, and the 5th is definitely Barcelona! Envy! Did you have the charcoal-grill-charred young green onions, I don't remember the name but it is the time...
Posted by: Hande | March 31, 2008 at 11:08 AM
1. A place without a mountain of greying snow in the front garden
2. A place without hazardous ice floes on a murky lake
3. A restaurant that does not require patrons to wear parkas indoors and out.
4. A deli that can be reached without slogging through slush.
5. A place without grey skies.
Who me?? Jealous??? Impossible.
-Elizabeth
P.S. I'm so provincial that the countries aren't actually obvious to me.
P.P.S. I exaggerate. Our snow is actually mostly melted now. No slush. Still pretty cold though.
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 02, 2008 at 05:32 PM
i hope u got my chana masala entry!!!plz mail and let me know if u got it.thanks!!
Posted by: Ranji | April 03, 2008 at 03:45 PM
Hi Chris
Ditto - I wish I could STILL be in every picture! Roundup is a slow and steady process (!) but should be forthcoming soon...
Hi Andrew
Very interesting interpretation. The complete lack of dogs didn't give you a clue that one of the photos was NOT the Hackney dog track?! :o)
Hi Charlotte
Well spotted on the first two! As Herschelian points out below, the hotel is indeed the Beacon Island in Plettenberg Bay and #2 is Lion's Head/Signal Hill and Sea Point/Mouille Point from the Robben Island Ferry so very, very close! And the hams are... Parma hams :)
Hi Vonk
Astonishingly, no! The third photo is in fact the only one taken in England! See the update to the post to see where it actuall was.
Hi Hershelian
Very impressive! Correct on #1, #2 and #3. Picture #4 is in fact in Italy, and spot on with pic #5!
Hi Maika
Actually, there are 4 different countries represented in these pics - but if you reckon all four of those could be taken in NZ, then clearly it's the place I need to live!!
Hi Hande
Your intuition serves you well - #1 and #2 are indeed both in SA and #3 is indeed in England! As for #4, you are 100% correct - it's in a village outside Parma :) and for #5 you are also right - it's Casa Mila in Barcelona and we had a FAB time. Don't recall seeing the onions though - damn!
Hi Elizabeth
Jealousy? Noooo, I didn't get that from your comment, not at all :o)! Sorry to hear you are still snowed and slushed in - surely the end must be nearly in sight? Let's hold thumbs...
Posted by: Jeanne | April 04, 2008 at 04:38 PM