photostory friday: a sign of the times

i was browsing through my overseas trip photos from hong kong and rome, and though i'd share some of the more 'curious' and 'humorous' signs we came across in our travels

some make no sense at all, but i think that just adds to the fun...


i think this means don't stand idly by and watch your dog poop
or, no SMELLY dog poop allowed, but regular poop ok...

fairly self-explanatory 

if only it were that easy..... 

this was at one of the underground train stations

old news now!

...and no carrying MEAT on your BICYCLE either!

(i'm fairly sure that's implied)

does it say 'no fun'?

i'm sure they meant to include it

and all your libras - STAY AWAY TOO!!!

yeah, when they said fresh, i didn't quite have this in mind

this was taken in macau - maybe medicine in hong kong is more real?

this was a juice bar

it just made me want to run away fast from the scary fruit and vege head ladies!

 now where'd i leave the car?
oh, that's right - i parked it at the back of the mattress shop!!!

also in rome

i think the marketers would like you to believe that if you eat special K italian style, that this gorgeous man will appear and sweep you off your feet...

(preferably after you've got out of your dressing gown - sorry sandy!)

coz i ALWAYS want to wash my feet in a public toilet

and this one from POMPEII

i have no idea what it means, but i'm pretty sure that there's a LOT of stuff you can't do ANYWHERE near this construction site!

and this one from outside st peters basillica

no LEDERHOSEN allowed

no one-legged people

no swimming trunks

no one-armed lederhosen-wearing folks either

this was near a place we had lunch 

and no, i didn't go see the SEXY show!

so true...

and onto London at the Ace Cafe

*SIGH* i miss rome...

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

participating in supermom's finding friend fridays for the first time today

such a cool idea!

happy anniversary to us

this was mr scappy and i 26 years ago

oh so young, and oh so happy!

this time last year, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in rome

not so young, but still VERY happy

and today - before we headed out on our date night

love you hunny.

wordful wednesday - spanish steps

so this is me getting my portrait sketched at the spanish steps

i didn't think the chin was quite right until i looked at photos of myself and noticed that i actually DO hold my chin like that sometimes!

i think he did a great job with my hair, given that it hadn't seen a blowdryer in over 20 thousand miles and a week!

i don't remember how much it cost, but it did take a while and he didn't like me figetting (i'm a fidget)

i DID get it home in one piece and really should think about getting it mounted and/or framed!

i googled my heart out but couldn't find out why there are so many artists at the top of the steps, but i did discover the following:

the spanish steps are also known as 'the stairs of the trinity of the mountains' and were built in 1723, and rise from the piazza di spagna (spanish square)

in 1985, crowds thronged the piazza to protest the opening of italy's first mcdonalds
(and so they should, i mean - does maccers have to be EVERYWHERE? really?)

oh, and one more thing...

when a bunch of red roses is thrust into your hands and you're told they're free...

don't believe him...

COZ THEY'RE NOT!!!

for more wordful wednesday, go see angie over @ seven clown circus

wordful wednesday - my favourite column

so this is my favourite roman ruin. it's [what's left of] the temple of apollo sosianus at marcello's theatre in the jewish ghetto (just known as 'the ghetto').

the temple was built in 435 BC, restored in 179 BC and re-built in 32 BC by the consul sosianus.

the ghetto is a very cool part of rome where we stayed. we had breakfast most days right near here - a quick coffee and yummy custardy pastries and croissants.

we walked past these ruins countless times, and EVERY time i passed it, i snapped at least a couple of shots.

you could say i'm slightly obsessed with it.

for more wordful wednesday, go see angie over @ seven clown circus.

photostory friday: ace cafe, auntiegwen and other things we got wet seeing in london

we only had 2 nights and [effectively] one whole day in london, so we wanted to squeeze in as much as we could.

first on our list, was meeting this lovely blogger at london's ace cafe. as previously mentioned, auntiegwen made an almost 12 hour round-trip just to have dinner with us - AND she brought us an anniversary gift!

she complains that she never takes a good photo. i simply DON'T understand why...

see? luverley

i love this kind of diner. i remember going to one in downtown atlanta before a falcons game - it's something about the square plastic tiles on the floor i think
but behave or else! (click to enlarge)

lots of old stuff on display

it was italian car night - they have lots of themed nights, not just bike stuff, but definitely things with wheels that make lots of noise

then the next day we hit the ground running for a walking tour of london, care of my sister christine, who's been living there since 1991

me loves a peaceful protest, but wonders where they put the tent pegs

what is it about old style phone booths

that brings out the crazy

"i'll take one of everything please"

me and him indoors with the houses of parliament in the background

ah - the aussie, kiwi and south africa shop

pineapple lumps and pinky bars for everyone!

i took this pic for you mel!

getting a bit gloomy

so time for lunch!

gravy on my chips?
how very english (they were yummy btw)
we had lunch here at 'the punch and judy' at covent garden
click on the pic to read its history

this is as close to the tower bridge as we got, because by now the skies had opened and we were getting wet. uncomfortably wet

i want to live in this shop

how could you be unhappy in this shop?
it was in covent garden also

admiralty arch

deciding which half price show we'd see that night
toss up between lenny henry as othello and the one we actually saw

ok, this photo is out of order - however...
it was well and truly bucketing down by this stage and THE MALL is rather exposed, and we didn't really fit under my tiny cute umbrella
but we had to have a pic outside buck house didn't we!

and THIS is the show we ended up seeing that night at the west end

avenue Q
a cross between sesame street and the muppets
don't go if you're easily offended

it was freaking hysterical

(i'm not easily offended)


AND CHECK IT OUT!
it's my turn to co-host with utah's 2009 housewife of the year
CECILY!!!
go check out her gorgeous children
honestly, with the adorable things that come out of her mouth, she could write a book!

Hosted by Cecily and Sue

To play PhotoStory Friday, check this.
Copy this code into your post and sign Sir Linky:

<center><a href="http://whatworksforus.blogspot.com/2007/06/iphone.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/whatworksforus/pfw.jpg" border="0" alt="PhotoStory Friday" /></a><br/>Hosted by <a href="http://mychaosmybliss.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cecily</a> and <a href="" target="_blank"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sue</span></span></span></a><p/></center>