Notting Hill Movie Tour

The travel bookshop in the Notting Hill movie was based on this shop. Business at the shop has apparently improved because of the movie. The little travel bookshop was packed when we were there.

The blue door in the movie! Apparently the blue door was sold at a charity auction and was replaced with this black door. The movie was definitely filmed here. Some people had obviously tried to verify this by scratching the white paint off the columns and uncovering the blue paint underneath.


At the intersection where Hugh Grant bumped into Julia Roberts after buying coffee at the small coffee shop (where the blue door is).


No, this is not in the movie though the Portobello markets was featured in the scene where Hugh Grant walked along Portobello Road with the changing seasons. Stopped at the markets to have some paella for lunch (which Garry claims was cooked by Aussies).

The travel bookshop in the movie was actually filmed here at 142 Portobello Road, now an antique shop.

The Hummingbird Bakery on Portobello Road, an American home bakery in London. Its signature cake is the Red Velvet cake - red-colouring choc sponge cake with thick cream frosting.


Saturday lunchtime at the Portobello markets is the busiest time. Was Garry taking me or the Mercedes station wagon? Anyway, I will be happy with one of these and one of the houses below... simple pleasures!


Pretty houses in Notting Hill.

Year of the Golden Pig at Trafalgar Square

Sat (17-02-07)- Chinese New Year "Reunion Dinner" cooked by Garry. Spot the little peanut sugar puffs (in plastic packets) that Ah-Mah used to love making for Chinese New Year. Garry bought them so it would remind us more of CNY at Uncle Lin's house.

Shaz, we took this picture specially for you! I know, nothing like your mum's sharks fin soup and lou hei...(sigh)...you'll have to get your mum to cook up a storm for us when we're back in Perth for Ah-Mah's 80th! Garry will have to put in his special food requests again! Thanks for the New Year card too, making us miss you guys even more! btw...got the card but not the box of goodies yet...hope the customs officers are not tucking into our New Year goodies.
Picture of Casey, Jas, Jenny, Soo, me, Gerald and the happy chef (taken by Adrian).

Chocolate Devil's Food Cake for dessert - the only thing I can take credit for! No, I didn't bake it but I had to queue up for ages to buy it (hehehe).

Sun (18-02-07) - Police van in Trafalgar Square dressed up as a dragon. Chinese New Year was really popular with the locals too! Crowds of people came out to see the dragons, lions, firecrackers, etc.

Crowds queuing up to buy paper dragons, pop crackers and lanterns. We should import stuff from Chan Bros next year and cash in on this next year (hehehe).

Spot the dragon! Where's the golden pig?

Cath, Caroline and us in Chinatown.

A Perfect End to Bruges - Sunshine and Blue Skies!

Bruges has got to be one of my favourite spots (not that I've been to that many places yet). It has a really nice feel to it. Definitely lives up to its name "The Venice of the North"!

Church of Our Lady and Lake of Love

Church of Our Lady - see the tallest brick spire in the world! We saw Michaelangelo's "Madonna and Child" inside the Church, one of the few works by Michaelangelo outside Italy.



On our way to the Minnewater (Lake of Love), I saw these miserable looking lawyers who must be thinking: "surely there is more to life than doing this for a living........"

"......surely it's better off being a well-fed swan enjoying life by the Lake of Love"
Swans in Bruges are so much bigger than the ones in Perth. Better life in Bruges, no need to fight for food, they are fed regularly....eat, sleep, eat, sleep...my choice of lifestyle too! Garry's choice: "Wouldn't mind being the pet dog of a wealthy Chinese family, guaranteed nice dinner scraps!"

At the Beginhof, a complex of 13th century white-washed houses. We saw lots of daffodil buds in the grass. A lot nicer in Spring when the grass is splashed with daffodils.


Rewarded ourselves with waffles after a long walk in Bruges. This tea room was somebody's house in the 16th century.

Bruges - Belfry Bell Tower and Market Place

Climbed up 366 steps to get to the top of the Belfry Tower at the Market Square in Bruges.

View of Market Square from the top of the Belfry Tower

View of the canal from the top of the Belfry Tower

Giant music rotating wheel with the notches for the bell ringing tune.

Lots of bells up at the top of the tower, including this giant one. We were stuck right at the top when the bells started ringing on the hour. We had to block our ears but luckily it was 1 o'clock so the bells didn't ring for too long.


366 steps down the Belfry Tower and back at the Market Place.


The Burg - gothic town hall - with a surprisingly ultra-modern pavilion (designed by a Japanese architect) opposite, built for the city's stint as European Capital of Culture in 2002. Garry and the pavilion.

Canal shot

Another canal shot with the 13th century Church of Our Lady in the background.

The Manneken Pis (or the peeing boy)

Wonder how Brussels' smallest tourist attraction has become so famous! He's often decked out in costumes donated by visiting dignatories (including Elvis!)

Galeries St Hubert - one of the world's first covered shopping arcades, a cool airy glass structure from 1847

Inside the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula - we were stuck right at the back because of a wedding...spot the bride!

Palais Royale - the Belgian royal family used to live here.

Palais de Justice

A pretty biscuit and chocolate shop

The Grand Place, Brussels

Sat morning (10 Feb 07) - Making our way to the Grand Place. Spot Leonidas chocolate store in the background. Lots of chocolate shops all along the same street! We were so sick of chocolate and waffles (another Belgian favourite) by the end of the weekend.

Brussels Town Hall in the morning.



Victor Hugo (famous for writing Les Miserables and Hunchback of Notre Dame) lived in this building during his exile from France.


Inside the Brussels Town Hall. Our first sight of flowers in Brussels.