camping out

a wee while ago me and andrew had a conversation about us taking amelia camping and tramping and skiing and the likes. what transpired was that he HATES the thought of such things, so is not keen.
therefore, we decided that I will be responsible for that part of her education (he will be supportive tho - i.e. sitting in a chalet drinking hot chocolate and reading nitschze while we are shutzen down the piste), and HE will train her to stay in hotels and travel on planes and to eat with a knife and fork . . .
FYI, this is a link to the hotel we are staying at in edinburgh this weekend . . .
http://www.edinburgh-bookings.net/rooms/gb/salisbury-green
(needless to say, i am EQUALLY supportive of HIS educational endeavours)

in stark contrast, amelia has been causing some people a lot of consternation on the streets of brussels this past week. she HATES wearing shoes (and clothes), so takes them off whenever she can. i knew something was amiss with this concept when we kept getting horrified looks from people passing us on the main street of brussels. however, when a beggar woman threw her hands up in despair as amelia jogged past in urchin mode, sans shoes, hair streaming wildly out behind her, and looked at me as if i was a total beast, i knew something was up. apparently being without shoes is a sign of the most abject poverty, and NO-ONE lets their kids go out without them.
ahem.
i have to say though, that i thought the beggar woman was in no position to comment, because her small blind daughter was at that time kneeling on the cobblestones, singing for money from passers by. professional begging is a big thing here, and kids are used most cynically to maximum effect.