4 Apr 2010

ALMOST ONE.

Hard to imagine how I filled my time before I started blogging and met you all, my wonderful blogger buddies.

Even harder to believe is that in a fortnight's time 0n the 18th of April

PEN AND PAPER WILL BE ONE YEAR OLD.

And to help me celebrate I'm going to give one of you a present. Yes!!!! I'm having a birthday giveaway that is open to all.

Well when I say present and giveaway - there is a catch but only a small one.

To which country/attraction/event, would you take me in Europe for a short break and why?

My esteemed panel of judges will then read through all your entries on the 18th and a winner will be announced shortly afterwards.

Don't worry about leaving any e-mail addresses. Just keep visiting after the 18th, and I'll arrange all that with the winner then.

Anything else?

The present! I forgot to mention the present.

The winner will receive a hard back copy of NEW EUROPE by MICHAEL PALIN - a journey which takes him from Slovenia through to Germany.

Until the early 1990s, when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, travelling behind the iron curtain was never easy. In undertaking his new journey through Eastern Europe, breathing in its rich history, filming its exquisite sights and talking to its diverse peoples, Michael fills what has been a void in his own experience and that of very many of his own generation. As in all his series, Palin's New Europe takes the form of a journey through countries which have rich and complex cultures. Few have survived intact, as the ebb and flow of warring armies has continually changed the map of Europe. Starting in the mountains of Slovenia he travels down through Croatia and the former Yugoslavia to Albania before turning northwards to embrace Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, The Ukraine, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, the former East Germany, Poland, the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad (as Konigsberg originally home to the Teutonic Knights), Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, opening up a new and undiscovered world to millions of viewers and readers.

- AMAZON.

Good luck.

29 comments:

Heather said...

I don't know ;Europe, so I can't say where. But I would bring you to Canada and take you to Niagara Falls. Even though I have been there hundreds of times, I am still amazed to stand at a viewing location and watch the tons of water cascade over the brink. Truly amazing that the water just keeps coming.

No need to enter me in the contest. Want to wish you well on your blogoversary.

Sherrie said...

Hi!
Where I would take you isn't in Europe, but it's a place I've always wanted to visit. We could go on a camera safari together. Africa, The Serengeti. I have an award for you at my place. Have a great day!

Sherrie
Just Books

Kissed by an Angel said...

I'd take you to Venice! We could take a short tour, starting at St Marks Basilica, it's is the most gorgeous church, see the treasures inside and the gold alter with precious stones! Then outside into St Marks Square and to the top of the campanile (bell tower) for the most amazing view over the Venetian Lagoon to Lido (Venice's beach resort) right over to the mainland, over the terracotta rooftops of Venice! Then outside admire the beautiful clock tower: and Napoleon Bonepart's offices at the opposite end of St Marks Square. Then into the Doges Palace with it's magnificent wall paintings, leading through to cross the Bridge of Sighs (for a last look at Venice) before entering into the old prison!! After that a leasurely walk through the winding Calle's, and over bridges untill the Rialto Bridge, pausing at the top for a wonderful view of the Grand Canal. Stopping for some fresh fruit and a drink at the little market just the other side of the Rialto and to admire the astrological clock there. Continuing through the maze of streets and bridges until we reach Venice Santa Lucia station, where we will take a no.1 vaporetto travelling length of the Grand Canal passing the most amazing Palazzi, museums until we are back to San Marco. Alight the vaporetto and head into Harry's Bar for a delicious Bellini!!!
Do you fancy that???
xxxx

ccqdesigns said...

Oh so many places, so little time. I would take you to Tuscany for a cooking class as Brolio Castle and a weekend stay at Borgo Argenina, a wonderful old village turned bed and breakfast run by Elina. Tell her I said hi. http://www.borgoargenina.it/en/main.html here is her website. It is a lovely place, and Elina is a wonderful hostess. Rent a car and spend the day driving around Chianti, stopping in small villages and eating with the locals. You will have the best time of your life.

rebecca dot cox at charter dot net

Tina said...

I would take you to Italy. Florence, Umbria, Siena. I haven't been yet myself, but I want to wander in the narrow, rose coloured streets of my dreams and soak up the simple relaxed atmosphere that pervades the trip they take in A Room With a View. We'll have to bring the husbands because the romance will be overwhelming! Ah those cornfields! And wonderful Florence. We'll go to look at the Michelangelo's David and then eat in an outdoor cafe, the food and wine of the region.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Easy question for me. I'm headed to Paris this summer for my first visit to Europe....Where else would anyone else want to go?!

I found you via the Hop and I just became a follower.

BTW, I'm having a contest at my blog. Today is the last chance to become a follower at my blog and leave a comment to try to win one of two $10 Amazon gift certificates. Stop in today!

www.readerbuzz.blogspot.com

WordLover said...

Happy First Birthday! I hope your success continues :)

Jessica said...

London - because I live there (well 25minutes by train) so I know all the best bits.

Anonymous said...

I would have to say since I am a reader of books and so are you I would take you on that DaVinci Code tour I have read they have in Europe. We can visit all the places in the book and in the evening discuss what we saw over food and wine. That sounds like a blast to me.

Oddyoddyo13 said...

Sounds awesome-Happy Birthday Pen and Paper! It has been a good year.

Áine said...

Wow a year already?? That is a wonderful achievement :) well done! I look forward to reading your future posts

Kelly said...

Congratulations on the upcoming anniversary!! You are definitely one of my favorite blogging buddies!

I've been to Europe several times, but I'm certainly not familiar enough with anyplace to plan a fun excursion. Well....I did spend most of a summer in Oxford and knew (past tense) a few good places there, but I'll exempt myself from the contest. Good luck to the others, though!!

Alexia561 said...

Happy Blogoversary!

What a lovely idea for a contest! I've never been to Croatia, so maybe we could explore Dubrovnik together?

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...

Well, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Glad to hear your blog will be a year old.

Dorte H said...

One year! I think it is so amazing how short a blogging year is.

But where to go together with you? Well, no exhausting world tour for me so why don´t we just pop over to Dublin?

I would love to show you that there is ONE capital where I know my whereabouts, a cosy little town where people are kind and humorous, and when you ask the bus driver if this is the bus to Kilmainham jail, he´ll say "near enough" and have plenty of time to tell you how to get there. And when the cook with the uneven teeth serves your breakfist, you will ask for anything but baked beans and he will say, "the beans, the whole beans, and nothing but the beans."

In short, I love Dublin and Ireland - probably because they are so down-to-earth!

Arti said...

Happy birthday to you for completing one year of blogging..one year ..nice...must be a great feeling!!

kathryn said...

No fair. Why can you only visit an attraction in Europe? I do believe this may be discrimination! I'm contacting my attorney! Is this legal? Are you allowed to discriminate against those of us in the good 'ole U.S. of A.??

We have exciting stuff too. We have Canyons...and tall buildings...and oceans and stuff.

Yep. Exciting as hell over here...

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...

Petty Witter, I wanted to stop back by to let you know I have an award for you. :)

Nina said...

Happy 1st blogoversary! :) Wow, that went fast.

To which country/attraction/event, would you take me in Europe for a short break and why?
I would take you to The Netherlands, Amsterdam!
You would go see the canals on a boat, ride a bycicle trough the city, eat 'haring', go shop in the street where only famous people go (it's way too expensive to buy anything, but anyway, walk at the Albert Cuypmarkt (a famous market where you can get everything you want) and at night we'll dance at Paradiso! :) Woohoo.

Nina said...

Happy 1st blogoversary! :) Wow, that went fast.

To which country/attraction/event, would you take me in Europe for a short break and why?
I would take you to The Netherlands, Amsterdam!
You would go see the canals on a boat, ride a bycicle trough the city, eat 'haring', go shop in the street where only famous people go (it's way too expensive to buy anything, but anyway, walk at the Albert Cuypmarkt (a famous market where you can get everything you want) and at night we'll dance at Paradiso! :) Woohoo.

Betty Manousos said...

HAPPPY BLOGOVERSARY and Congrats my sweet friend!!
What a great achievement!
And I 'd take you to Barcelona, the capital of culture nowadays!
I just happen to know how much you love books and literature!LOL!
lots of love
Big Hugs!
Betty

Valerie said...

Happy Blogiversary! Being American, the only part of Europe I've been to was London, with a side trip to Bath. I wouldn't mind visiting there again! Or, somewhere on the coast where it is warm right now? One of the Mediterranean countries?

Mary (Bookfan) said...

Lets go to Capri, sit in the warm sun, sip beverages brought by handsome men and blog on our netbooks! (Do they have wifi in Capri???).

serendipity_viv said...

Happy blogiversary. I would take you to Sweden and treat you to a stay in the Ice Hotel, as well as watch the Northern Lights.

Have a fun anniversary.

Jennifer McLean said...

Congratulations Tracy! Wow, my blog's only like 3 months old, I want mine to be as old as yours. :o)
If I were to take you to some fun place in Europe, YOU'D do the picking, since you know it ever so much better than I. Besides, it's your blogoversary celebration, so we should do something you really, really, really want to do. My plan, though, would be to use the hotel kitchen and bundle up a terrific picnic for everyone. I'd fill the basket with every yummy thing I could think of and I would have brought you some maple candy and some Nanaimo Bars from Canada. (I would have also found out what kind of chocolate bars you DON"T have there and filled a grocery bag full of them, hehehe. )
~Jenn

chitra said...

PW
I would love to take you Switzerland. It is my dream to visit that country. Now the opportunity has come, so why not travel with my beautiful friend. We would spend about 3 days there , We would just enjoy the Alps, the beautiful and serene atmosphere and we would just gorge on fresh swiss chocolates.

We would also go for skiing and mountaneering.... we would just watch and enjoy these things from a distance :). So pack your bags and be ready for take off. See you soon.
love
chitra

Traci said...

Okay, my friend. I am going to embarass myself as an American and demonstrate the stereotype of vast ignorance of the many, many delights of Europe. That said, I would take you anywhere that we could sit quietly over a drink and talk for hours. I am tempted by the Italian countryside but yet again in American tradition, I don't speak the language. I can muddle through high school French so how about Nice? Whatever floats your boat just so I can toast your good health and listen to all the wonderful things going on in that mind of yours...
:-)
Traci

brizmus said...

Ohhh, it's your blog's birthday, not your birthday. I somehow misunderstood that last time I was here.
Anyhow, what a fun question! I would totally take you to Croatia! We'd go kayaking in old town Dubrovnik and then take a nice leisurely car ride up the coast, stopping at the occasional beach along the way. We would stop at the healing muds and cover ourselves with mud (!! :-), and then we would head on over to Plitvice Lakes, aka THE most beautiful place in the world. We would spend two days exploring the lakes, and your mind would be blown.

quid said...

Happy Blogoversary! I've been on blogger/blogspot for nearly 2 years, and had a Yahoo blog for a year and a half before that. I confess, I do it more for me than to get followers! If you came to America, I'd have to make sure that you saw the desert beauty around Sedona, Arizona. If I could treat you to anyplace in Europe, I'd want you to visit the unique city of Copenhagen. I've only been there once, but my ancestors come from there and I've always wanted to see the castle where my great-grandmother worked as a seamstress.

quid