As for why I was travelling this weekend, I attended the Vintage Toys of the Universe retro con in Lommel in Belgium. And Tiny Koala tagged along. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #VintageToysOfTheUniverse #Lommel #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

You can't travel to the Netherlands without visiting at least one windmill, so Tiny Koala pays a visit to windmill Adriaan in Veldhoven. #Veldhoven #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028 #Windmills

When in Belgium (well, almost): Tiny Koala is enjoying a Westmalle Trappist beer at the Abtijbar at Hotel Konimgshof in Veldhoven in the Netherlands about 20 kilometers from the Belgian border. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #Eindhoven #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Tiny Koala is enjoying a hearty lunch of egg benedict on avocado toast, curry soup and bitterballen on toast at Cafe de Paris in Venlo in the Netherlands. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Venlo #FoodSky #Aussiecon5 #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Tiny Koala poses with a more appropriately sized model of the Henrichenburg boat lift in the visitor center. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #Ruhrgebiet #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Tiny Koala continues his industrial history tour of the Ruhrgebiet and visit the very Steampunky Henrichenburg boat lift in Waltrop. Built in 1899 on the Dortmund Ems canal. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #Ruhrgebiet #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Industrial history is more than just mineshaft elevator towers. And so Tiny Koala visits the spoil tip Hohenward in Recklinghausen, now a park with an interesting artwork on top of the former spoil tip. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Ruhrgebiet #Aussiecon5 #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Tiny Koala continues his industrial history tour of the Ruhrgebiet by visiting the mineshaft elevator tower of Mine Klärchen in Recklinghausen. Built in 1967. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Ruhrgebiet #Aussiecon5 #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Tiny Koala visits the German Mining Museum in Bochum and admires the mineshaft elevator tower of the former Mine Germania that towers above the Museum. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #Ruhrgebiet #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Today, Tiny Koala is paying a visit to Toyplosion, Europe's biggest toy convention in Castrop-Rauxel. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028 #Toyplosion #Ruhrgebiet

Tiny Koala also paid a visit to the Havenwelten complex in Bremerhaven with the Mediterraneo Mall, the Sail City Hotel and the Climate House museum. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Bremerhaven #Aussiecon5 #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Tiny Koala visit Willy Brandt Platz in Bremerhaven with Lower Beacon Bremerhaven. Beyond the wall is Bremerhaven's famous Zoo by the Sea. Tiny Koalas wonders if they also have koalas. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #Bremerhaven #Brisbane2028 #Meanjin2028

Tiny Koala visits the historic semaphore in Bremerhaven and looks out across the river Weser just before it meets the North Sea. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Brisbane2028 #Aussiecon5 #Meanjin2028 #Bremerhaven

Tiny Koala pays a visit to the historic Simon Loschen lighthouse in Bremerhaven. Built in 1856, this is the oldest surviving lighthouse on the German North Sea coast. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Aussiecon5 #Brisbane2028 #Bremerhaven #Meanjin2028

Tiny Koala is enjoying a trip to Bremerhaven today and admires the former navy training vessel "Deutschland" in the New Harbour. #TinyKoalaAdventures #Brisbane2028 #Aussiecon5 #Meanjin2028 #Bremerhaven