IMG_5012
Originally uploaded by TwoCrabs.

(Above: the Thalys high-speed bullet train, bound from Amsterdam to Paris)

We're back in drizzly but warm London. In a bit of a test, I flew to Amsterdam aboard Easyjet and took the Thalys train back to London. Though flying is faster by about 2 hours, it's not necessarily cheaper once you factor in the costs to get to-and-from the airport; whereas the train gets you from city center to city center. Plus it's nice just being able to stretch your legs, walk to the train cafe car, and enjoy a "Tasty B" as you cruise along the countryside at 150 mph.

Our next trip is a biggie: a week skiing in the Dolomities in Italy in February. After that, unfortunately, I'm heading back to Baghdad for a few weeks.

Pineapple Princess has become obsessed with learning to cook some fabulous new dishes. I've welcomed a new colleague from the states to my office, so I'm no longer trapped alone in the office.

Meanwhile, we've both become obsessed with what could be the dumbest, sleaziest, cheeziest reality show ever: "Celebrity Big Brother." We never watched this show back in the States. But now we can't take our eyes off of it. It's like CRACK! The only real celebrity on the show is Dennis Rodman and anti-war politician George Galloway (best known for being a Saddam Hussein's ass-kisser before the war). All the other contestants are loser nobodies, even by British celebrity standards. The latest Z-lister kicked off was a woman named Faria Alam who was famous for nothing except having shagged the coach of England's football team. She's the Monica Lewinsky of Britain -- famous (or infamous) only for being a mistress.

I'm also embarrased to say I played the European Lottery for the first time in my life. And no, we didn't win. But neither did anyone else. This Friday's jackpot is 85 million euro, or about $104 million! Woo hoo!