Mike departing Malaga for Zaragoza
The futuristic Expo 2008 site, Zaragoza
A Francisco Goya dome, Basilica de Pilar, Zaragoza
Mike at the Roman amphitheatre, Zaragoza
An extraordinary glass galleon in Zaragoza
A typical lunch
The river Ebro from atop the Basilica de Pilar
Some of the wonderful Moorish wall decoration on Zaragoza's Seo Cathedral
Arantxa, my guide in Zaragoza
A relaxing Sunday morning in the park
Cuban dancers 'happening by'
Lunch on the AVE between Zaragoza and Barcelona
Some of the futuristic architecture on the new AVE line between Zaragoza and Barcelona
At stations, a smart member of staff always welcomes you on board
Ipswich made buffers at Barcelona Franca station
Ipswich made buffers at Barcelona Sants station
Breakfast in Elipsos Gran Clase
Mke enjoying breakfast in Elipsos Gran Clase
Breakfast in the restaurant in Elipsos Gran Clase
A corridor in Elipsos Gran Clase. My room had its' own shower!
Elipsos is a collaboration between French and Spanish Railways
Automatic bottle turners at Berlucchi, one of Italy's two leading sparking wine makers. With five million bottles to turn, you can see why it can't be done by hand
Giovanni shows how the product should be poured
The veranda in Berlucchi's private home
The office entrance at Berlucchi, one of Italy's two leading sparking wine makers
The waterfront at Iseo, northern Italy
Enjoying an ice cream on Monte Isola, the largest island on a European lake
Monte Isola, the largest island on a European lake
Fishermen on the waterfront at Iseo, Lombardy
The front entrance of the Cappucchino Hotel du Charme in Franciacorta, Italy
Breakfast at the Cappucchino Hotel du Charme in Franciacorta, Italy
Marco Pelizzari at the Cappucchino Hotel du Charme in Franciacorta, Italy
Mike cycling through the il Mosnel vineyards in Franciacorta, Italy
Ripening vines at il Mosnel vineyard
Roberta picnicking during the il Mosnel vineyard trip
Elide, Mike and Lucia at il Mosnel winery in Franciacorta italy
Italian graffiti on a train at Verona
My private First Class carriage from Brenner to Innsbruck
The DB German Railways restaurant car between Verona and Innsbruck
Italian health and safety at work during a locomotive change at Brenner
Stylish Austrian Tyrol trains at Brenner
A new loco replaces the Trenitalia engine at Brenner
Innsbruck Parliament Building
A staircase inside Innsbruck Parliament Building
A view along Mariatheresienstrasse, one of Innsbruck's main shopping streets
Inside the Grassmayr bell casting foundry
Inside the Basilica Wilten
The view a ski jumper gets. Not for me!
The best place to be at a ski jump!
Klaus Plank's Weisses Rossl Restaurant is popular with locals
A wonderful staircase shown to me during my visit to 'Hidden Innsbruck'
A detail of the staircase decoration
The interior of Dom St. Jakob, one of Innsbruck's stunning churches
A view of the Hafelkar mountains from the town
A view of a station of Innsbruck's new 55 million Euro funicular railway
Riding the Nordkettenbahnen Cable Car
At the top of Hotelekarspitz
A view of Hotelekarspitze
Young tourist enjoying the view in the mountains
Anti avalanche barriers high above Innsbruck
Apfelstrudel and Toffenstrudel at an alpine restaurant
It looks worse than it is. I think.
A view of Innsbruck's new funicular railway
Another view of Innsbruck's new funicular railway, this time a station near the Zoo
Christof and Elisabeth Grassmayr's lovely Tyrolean home
Innsbruck Station
Wiener Schitzel on Austrian Railways
Writing a blog on the move
My room at the Ring Hotel, Vienna. 450 Euros a night. Breakfast extra.
A typical Viennese street scene
Reflections of Vienna Cathedral
Vienna Cathedral is just one example of the city's amazing architecture
On the beach in landlocked central Vienna
Breakfast is extra at the 450 Euro a night Ring Hotel
Vienna's iconic 1897 Ferris Wheel
The Naschmarkt has many specialist shops including vinegar!
The Naschmarkt has special mushrooms too!
Former drug addicts make useful things from waste material at Gabaraga
The Cafe Sperl is much loved by locals
The Museum Quarter has many trendy places to eat
Graffiti is a major problem in Vienna
The Glacis Beisl restaurant is tucked away, but well worth discovering
An Austrian Railways train about to depart for Warsaw
A rail departure board shows clearly how Vienna is very much at Europe's crossroads
The whole world waiting at Vienna Station
Coffee on the train from Vienna to Prague
The restaurant car from Vienna to Prague
Hearty soup in the restaurant car from Vienna to Prague
Arriving at Prague Station
Czech Railways most modern high speed train
The taxi rank at Holesovice Station. Beware!
Prague's Nadrazi Station is undergoing redevelopment
Prague is a photographers' dream
A view across the River to Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral
Hordes at the Charles Bridge
A view from the Old Town Bridge Tower
The Towers and Spires of Old Prague
Fight your way through this lot!
A detail of the Old Town Bridge Tower
Another view across the River to Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral
Prague´s Metro looks a bit like a Doctor Who Dalek!
Escaping from the crowds, Prague is a photographers´dream
Prague has a cheap and efficient public transport system
There are many lovely open spaces
A detail - of house numbers!
A disappointing sign at the National Technical Museum
An excellent lunch at the Kovarne Restaurant
Another architectural jewel in old town
Havelska Market is not what is was
One of Prague´s many lovely arcades
This is the taxi.....
...owned by the rip-off bastard in the blue T shirt. Rest assured, I am on his case!
The restaurant car on the Prague to Warsaw train
An unscheduled stop in Olomouc in the Czech Republic
This is the road bridge that collapsed, killing seven rail passengers a few days before I passed by
A new first class carriage and Polish locomotive join us at Bohumin
The open-plan first class carriage
The newly-arrived first class compartment carriage
The first class compartment corridor
Lord Muck in his private compartment
Dinner in Warsaw old town
One of Warsaw Old Town´s wonderfully restored buildings at night
The Pod Messalka restaurant in Warsaw
An old Russian vodka factory, on the right bank of the Vistula River in Praga District
The old Gestapo Prison in the former ghetto and a memorial to the 30,000 who died while incarcerated
Stalin´s 1955 gift to the city of Warsaw, his ´Palace of Culture´
Warsaw University Library´s extraordinary roof-top garden
The interior of Warsaw University Library
The Royal Palace is just one example of the meticulous restoration in Warsaw Old Town
The market place in Warsaw Old Town, again less than 70 years old
Another view of the market place in Warsaw Old Town, again less than 70 years old
An assorted platter of tasty Polish dumplings in the Pierrogeria Restaurant in Old Town
The Polish Versailles in Lazienski Park
Escape from the ´Horrible´Harenda. SAS Radisson to the rescue!
A glimpse into a typical SAS Radisson bathroom
My compartment on Polish Railways' Warsaw to Berlin service
The endless iron rails!
Polish Railways' lunch
Final stop in Poland
Countryside on the Poland Germany border
The amazing Berlin Central Station
Berlin Urban Insider Tour at Gorilla
The TV Tower is one of Berlin´s best-known landmarks
A typically busy Berlin street scene at Alexanderplatz
Slightly bizarre to find the excellent Vivolo Spanish restaurant in the centre of Berlin
Hackescher Markt, Berlin
A detail of the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn Station
Trains entering the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn Station
The Hackescher Markt S-Bahn Station
Don´t bother with Checkpoint Charlie
This tethered ballon is a great way to see the city
Souvenir sellers in Berlin tout the Soviet past
Simone´s recommendations for coffee and souvenirs. The cobbles mark the line of the Berlin wall
The last remaining section of the Berlin Wall
At the wheel of a Trabant in front of the Reichstag
The Reichstag with its´ Norman Foster designed dome
The Quadriga statue atop the famous Brandenburg Gate
The new German parliament buildings are architecturally stunning
Berlin´s exciting central station from the riverbank
Bringing the seaside to the land-locked city
Berlin's stunning Hauptbanhof, the main railway station
Inside the Hauptbahnhof
A very useful train formation board at Berlin main station
About to board the Hamburg train in Berlin
A German Railways' First Class carriage
Hamburg Station
A German Railways' ICE at Hamburg Station
My bag is suffering a little!
Heading north from Hamburg
Waiting to cross the Baltic on the ferry
A German Railways' ICE train on a Scandlines Ferry
A Scandlines ferry crosses the Baltic
Lunch aboard the Scandlines ferry
Writng features on a German Railways' ICE train
The view during Copenhagen afternoon tea
The Danes like their bikes!
Copenhagen Station
Copenhagen Town Hall
Looks like Amsterdam - but it´s Copenhagen
Christianshavn, Copenhagen
Danish students prepare for fun!
Aboard Copenhagen´s new Metro
Copenhagen´s new Metro
Fields Shopping Centre, Copenhagen
Sun sets over the Bella Centre, Copenhagen
Copenhagen Station Exterior
The Copenhagen to Kolding train
Lake Slotso in Kolding
The 15th Century Koldinghus Castle
Litter is a real problem in the Castle grounds
Koldinghus Castle
Saxildhus Hotel, Kolding
Kolding to Esbjerg Train
Aboard the Kolding to Esbjerg Train
Train at Esbjerg
A shrink-wrapped King Christian IX
Esbjerg´s 1897 Water Tower
View of Esbjerg Port from the water tower
Denmarks longest pedestrian street,, Kongensgade
Reminders of East Anglia in Esbjerg
Danish Railways´ Silence Carriage
Graffiti at Kolding Station
Happy to find a German Railways´ICE to take me to Vejle
Inside the ICE between Kolding and Vejle
The ICE at Vejle
A pile of logs at Vejle!
Evidence of the Danes´love of cycling
A pretty riverside walkway in Vejle
The Bryggen Shopping Centre in Vejle
Another view of the Bryggen Shopping Centre
Torvegade, Vejle
Vejle Town Hall
Supermarket Banner
Vejle Station
Aboard the ICE back to Kolding
Another view of the ICE back to Kolding
View from the top of Kolding Castle
Mike on the top of Kolding Castle
One of the beautiful pieces of silver in Kolding Castle
The fountain inside Kolding Castle
Lego weekend at Kolding Castle
Danish design at work inside the ´Ruined hall´ of Kolding Castle
A view of Koldinghus Castle
Danish 'See Through' houses
Saxildhus Hotel Sign
DB, German Railways Bar Bistro
Thalys at Cologne
The Salon Car on Thalys
First Class on Thalys
Bedroom at the Hotel Amigo, Brussels
The other half of the room at the Hotel Amigo
Appetiser and Sicilian Red at the Hotel Amigo
The plaster cast gallery at Brussels´Royal Museum of Art and History
My guide, Benoit Hellings from Brussels Tourism pays for a cycle rental
The obligatory Mannekin Pis
Mike on his rented Brussels bike
A picturesque restaurant menu
An interesting starter from L´Achepot restaurant in Place Sainte Catherine
Belgian fans gather in Grand Place for the Olympic football semi finals
A detail of Brussels Town Hall
The great view from my room at the Hotel Amigo
A detail of the architecture at the Flemish theatre
Different types of chocolate on display at Laurent Gerbaud´s chocolate factory
A detail of the Bourse
The excellent and popular ´Le Platt´Restaurant
Broccoli soup and local beer at ´Le Platt´Restaurant
Outside ´Le Platt´restaurant
A detail of the architecture at Grand Place
The exterior of the classy Hotel Amigo
Brussels to Lille TGV
Brussels to Lille TGV First Class Interior
Two TGV´s join at Lille Europe
L'Atelier des Chefs, Lille
A self produced luncheon at L'Atelier des Chefs, Lille
On a tour of Lille by Segway
Andreas in the salon of Lille Flottante B and B barge
Breakfast on Lille Flottante B and B barge
Planning the day on Lille Flottante
Lille Flottante B and B barge
Quai du Wault, Lille
Meert Patisserie, Lille
Baking bread at Paul
Lille Opera
Grand Place, Lille
Grand Place Lille from rue Nationale
Taking tea and waffles at Meert Patisserie
Maryse, Mike and Laurent at Le Champlain Restaurant
Dessert at Le Champlain Restaurant
Mike and Andreas on Lille Flottante
Lille Flandres Station
Beer at Les 3 Brasseurs
Checking the brew at Les 3 Brasseurs
TGV Lille to Paris
Bedroom at Sait James & Albany Hotel
A typical Parisien Square
Mike in Geraldine, the 2CV
Vincent, my excellent Paris Authentic guide and driver
The Parisien Sky from Geraldine!
Notre Dame and the River Seine
Place des Vosges
Paris Gare d'Austerlitz
Departing on Elipsos from Paris
Elipsos Logo
Elipsos Bar Car
In my Gran Clase cabin on Elipsos, approaching Madrid
Arriving Madrid Chamartin station
At Madrid Atocha Station
The Club Class lounge at Atocha Station
Club Class Madrid to Malaga
Club Class Lunch Madrid to Malaga
View from seat during my Club Class Lunch Madrid to Malaga
Bar Car AVE, Madrid to Malaga
Journey's End, Malaga
RENFE AVE Logo
RENFE AVE's at Malaga
Malaga Maria Zambrano Station
