EUROPE 2023 - SINGAPORE - ATHENS - SANTORINI - BORDEAUX (River Cruise) - PARIS - TORRENUEVA - MALAGA
After an early dinner on board, we travelled to Château d'Agassac, a Chateau which dates back to the 13th century and is one of the oldest winemaking establishments in the region. We toured the winery and then had an hour long concert by a local quartet. As Scenic Tours calls it, and 'Enriching Experience'.
Lynton took on a full day tour of Cognac, including the famed Remy Martin Distillery while Wendy rested on board. Started with a tour of the town, a wander through the local market and a visit to a local Patisserie. The French really do this very well and of course a sample was required.
Cognac is renowned for its brandy and Remy Martin is one of the modt prestigious cognac producers. White wine is sourced from the region and double distilled, then blended to produce their famed Cognacs. We had a fantastic tour and tasting, but held in top secret conditions, security checked on entry and not allowed to take photos. Quite something. It's interesting to see the black buildings, which are a result of a black fungal growth the grows almost on the fumes of the brandy being stored within these stone buildings.
We had lunch in the Brasserie du Coo D'or before returning to the ship.
Today was a bus ride to Arcachon, a picturesque seaside
town in southwestern France known for its stunning sandy beaches and the
impressive Dune du Pilat, Europe's tallest sand dune. We are spoilt with our
beaches in Australia, but this is a charming waterfront promenade and town
square. Arcachon is also renowned for it's Oysters, which we will sample on
board tomorrow.
A very leisurely Sunday
morning, sleep in, late breakfast and a stroll through a local market near the
ship. So just some random photos of some of the things we've enjoyed
An afternoon bus trip to the Chateau de Roquetaillade was quite a treat. The site has been occupied by man since prehistoric times. The original castle was built in the 12th century with the current one built in the 14th century and restored in the mid 1800's. The castle is classified as a historical monument , in particular its remarkable decorations entirely designed by the architect Viollet-le-Duc . We had a private tour by the current owner who lives in the castle, which was a real treat.
The evening on board was an opportunity to celebrate our 48th wedding anniversary with Robert, Linda, Lindsay & Debbie in the L'amour Restaurant with a 5 course degustation, washed down with a wonderful magnum of wine the Lindsay & Deb kindly supplied.
A lazy morning on board. Cruised up the river to load supplies, MORE food and alcohol.
In the afternoon we cruised to the small port of Blaye.
The food on board continues to amaze. This dessert REALLY caught my attention, not just in the presentation but in the flavour. Dragos our chef and his team are simply awesome.
Our Cruise Director Mitch entertained again after dinner and the day ended with the usual array of cocktails, a bit of dancing and a reasonably early night to bed. We are getting old needless to say.
Went for a morning stroll through the picturesque village of Blaye. Explored the local market, purchased some wine at a local store to have on board later. Then wandered around the Citadel. The Citadel of Blaye which overlooks the Gironde estuary, is a military complex of 25 hectares built between 1685 and 1689. It is justifiably listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Cruised back in to Bordeaux for our last evening on board.
More delicious food, excellent wine and wonderful friends. What a celebration it has been.
I think if we'd continued on the boat, eating and drinking as we have, I'd end up looking like this guy 😊
It's been a wonderful 10 days, spent in a beautiful part of France, accompanied by very dear friends.
All good things must come to an end, Au Revoir Bordeaux.
An early start to the day, had to be packed and out of our room by 8:30am, so staff can do a complete clean and restock of the suites for the guests joining the next cruise later today. Left the boat at 9am, took the local tram to the Gare de St Jean Bordeaux (local train station) and as I type this, we're travelling to Paris at 315 km/hr. Checked in to the Hotel Tourisme Avenue. Not the smallest room we've ever had, but close 😊
A short walk around the corner to the Eiffel Tower, dinner
in one of the umpteen restaurants within 150m of the hotel, supermarket across
the road for supplies. Small, expensive but convenient.
An early start to the day, had to be packed and out of our room by 8:30am, so staff can do a complete clean and restock of the suites for the guests joining the next cruise later today. Left the boat at 9am, took the local tram to the Gare de St Jean Bordeaux (local train station) and as I type this, we're travelling to Paris at 315 km/hr. Checked in to the Hotel Tourisme Avenue. Not the smallest room we've ever had, but close 😊
A short walk around the corner to the Eiffel Tower, dinner
in one of the umpteen restaurants within 150m of the hotel, supermarket across
the road for supplies. Small, expensive but convenient.
Surfaced to a beautiful day in Paris. Had a light breakfast in the cafe/restaurant next door and headed out for a few hours.
In 2014, we tracked quite some distance to try to find the famous Helmut Newcake Sans Gluten shop. When we got there it was closed due to a family bereavement. So 9 years later we took the Metro to the shop only to find it was closed 3 years ago. What we didn't know, was that it has re-opened in a new, more convenient location. This we found out after we left Paris. So we'll just have to go back one day 😎
Bought a baguette at 'Merci Jerome', which is in the same building as our hotel. What a shop. We watched from the cafe/restaurant next door as literally dozens of people went through buying all sorts of treats.
Had a lazy afternoon, although did have to purchase a new suitcase. My well worn one that's been around the world a few times, finally gave up.
Had a lovely dinner in 'our local', chatted to a couple from Sydney. It was the guys birthday and of course Wendy's tomorrow, so we had a toast, a chat, some wine, and then waddled off to see the Eiffel Tower light up. With sunset at 9:40pm the lights don't start to come on until around 10:00pm. The photo shown here was taken at around 10:20pm.
Have loaded a few random photos below. The leadlight window was in the stairwell in our hotel. The paper clippings were on the roof of the cafe/restaurant we frequented. The reflection of the Eiffel Tower is in the window of the convention centre.
An early start to catch the Air France flight from Paris to Malaga. Ended up catching a taxi, just to be sure we'd get there on time. Had time for breakfast in the Air France lounge before departure.
Waited at the airport for Jan & Dirk to arrive, picked up our rental car and headed down to our time share at Torrenueva Park. Basic but lovely. Given it was Wendy's birthday, walked down to the beach to Merendero Papao, a fabulous beach restaurant. What a meal. Check out the photo below of the squid I was served. All 'Sin Gluten', gluten free. Win!
After a sleep in, and light breakfast, jumped in the car and headed south, just past Marbella to the marina at Puerto Banus. OMG!!!! The beautiful boats, the beautiful people, the expensive shops. We did have a coffee and snack, walked around in awe. Quite an experience.
Drove along the coast road, exploring some of the smaller beach side areas. What an awesome spot. Having watch many episodes of the U.K. series 'Place in the Sun', recognised many of the Urbanizations.
Got back to our apartment to be greeted by the next door neighbours (who we think are Spanish permanent residents) having a party. Great music, salsa dancing, they were having a blast. Mid evening the guy wandered over with a huge pastry dish they had just pulled out of the oven. Have no idea what it was, but was delicious. We've asked for the recipe, but not sure that translated correctly. Their English is very basic. We do have Dirk though, who whilst not fluent, can get by.
After another sleep in, we headed off to Ronda. Dramatic scenery as we drove over the Sierra de la Nievas. Dramatic scenery and met by 100's of goats crossing the road. Hilarious. Drove through a couple of small villages, where the locals seemed amused that 'foreigners' would head down their one car wide, dead end streets, but we did. Was fantastic.
Ronda is a town renowned for its dramatic landscape and historical significance. Perched atop a deep gorge, Ronda offers stunning views of the El Tajo canyon, spanned by the iconic Puente Nuevo bridge. The bridge was built between 1751 & 1793, and at one time was the highest bridge in the world. Can't describe the tingle in the feet, looking over the edge down into the gorge.
We explored Ronda's charming old town, with its whitewashed buildings and narrow streets, had an 'OK' lunch before wending our way back to the apartment.
An interesting visit to the 'local' Carrefour, topped up our food & wine and cooked a lovely in house dinner.
Four weeks in to our trip. Where the hell did that time go. But then again, looking back at this blog, boy have we squeezed a lot in.
I could get used to sleeping in as we have been doing. It's not that we've been having late nights, think it's just the relaxation well settled in. We drove a little north along the coast line today to the areas of Fuengirola, Banalmadena and Torremolinos. We'd driven through Fuengirola the other day, but this morning took a short stroll along the beach front and enjoyed a coffee and cakes at a very local, beach front coffee shop. Then headed to the marina at Benalmadena.
Puerto Marina Benalmádena is understandably one of the most emblematic and visited places on the Costa del Sol and is characterised by its unique architecture. Had an expensive wander around the waterfront restaurants, shops etc. and eventually settled on an Italian restaurant for Pizza. Delicious Sin Gluten pizza.
Picked up some goodies on the way back to the apartment for a 'home cooked' salmon dinner.
Just along the road from our resort is a row of mainly restaurants and bars. As they say, go to where the locals are. Well, what a surprise. For several nights saw lots of Europeans sitting outside La Bodeguita. Turns out it's a sensational wine bar. So what does one do . . . . . . Might have to make another visit before we leave on Saturday.
Dirk drove us a just a little over an hour south today to Gibraltar. Thankfully remembered our passports, as of course we were entering the United Kingdom. Was extremely busy with guests off a large cruise ship crowding Main Street.
Was somewhat underwhelmed, but still enjoyed the different ambiance, which included lunch at an 'English Pub' called the Angry Friar.
Could have gone up to the summit on the cable car, but cost was high, and queue was long thanks to the cruise ship guests.
Hard to get a good shot of the rock, a 426m-high limestone ridge, so took this photo from the beach on the Spanish side as we were leaving.
Drove the relatively short distance up to Mijas Pueblo, the most picturesque town I think I've ever visited. Charming white-washed buildings, cobblestone streets, and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean, it is simply stunning. Enjoyed a very late morning coffee in the central square then wandered around this gorgeous village.
A mid afternoon 'lunch' was back at the Banalmadena Marina. Pasta and gluten free pizza for Wendy.
Sadly we left our apartment this morning after a wonderful week exploring the area North, South & West of Torrenueva Park. Visited a little cafe in Fuengirola for a coffee & sweet treat then explored the town and beach area of Torremolinos. Between Torremolinos and Malaga is Plaza Mayor, a large DFO type shopping mall that we simply had to visit on the way in to Malaga.
We were due to check in to the Malaga Apartment at 2pm, but let's just say we had a few hiccups, including driving through a walking only area of the Old Town. Not an easy task to find our next apartment with Google Maps not reflecting recent one way street changes. It was 5pm by the time Dirk & I returned from dropping of the rental car at Malaga Airport.
Our apartment is in the centre of Malaga's Old Town, where history, culture, stunning architecture, bars & restaurants combine to create an amazing atmosphere.. We have wandered through the narrow streets, soaked in the atmosphere, and visited ancient ruins. Being Saturday night the area was absolutely packed. Had dinner at l'experience next to the Cathedral.
Not easy for weary travellers to get a good nights sleep as it turned out.
Bit of a sleep in and then wandered into the Plaza de la Constitución for morning coffee and pastry at La Canasta. One of Jan & Dirks favourites. Walked down to the Malaga Port area, a wander through the markets stalls, a cool midday beer and then headed to Playa la Malagueta, the main beach area of Malaga. A huge lunch on the beach then waddled back through Parque de Málaga to the apartment. A lazy rest of the afternoon.
Went for a wander just after 10pm, could not believe the queue lines at that time of a Sunday night for the local bars & restaurants.
This magnificent vessel, La Saltana is in port. It's a former Soviet spy ship short on comfort but with a long and mysterious history. A seven-year, multi-million-pound refit later, the 65.4 metre La Sultana emerged as a majestic motor yacht that pays tribute to the golden age of grand and exotic travel.
Check it out HERE!
Dirk & Lynton found the Neil MacGregor, the 'Smallest Irish Pub in the World', (or so the owner claims) and enjoyed a Guinness or two while the girls went shopping.
After the girls successful shopping trip and the guys quiet drink, we chose La Gloria for dinner a lovely historic building, great food and ambiance. Then went to the San Juan Terrace roof top bar, Part of the Malaga premium Hotel. Bit of a contrast sitting on the rooftop of a modern hotel building with a cathedral tower right next to us built in the 1700's.
Given the sun is setting around 9:45pm, it's still quite light and very busy well into the evening. Wandered around a bit later last night and enjoyed the stunning buildings that are lit up at night.
Our last day in Malaga, and last real day of the holiday. A day for hair cuts, purchase of last minute souvenirs and generally lazing around in preparation for the trip home tomorrow.
Had lunch down near the port and saw the AZAMARA JOURNEY, the sister ship to the one Jan & Dirk just spent 12 nights on from Athens to Barcelona. Only 694 passengers, plus 390 crew members, would be tempted!
Our last night in Malaga, dinner at Pepa y Pepe II. Given Dirk is refered to as Pepe by his grandkids, seemed appropriate.
As guests of Jan & Dirk, we stayed in this 2nd Floor apartment in Malaga. It was a lovely 2 bed 2 bath apartment, whilst needing a little love, served us very well for the 4 nights.
Really enjoyed the Old Town area of Malaga. Loved every aspect of the visit, staggered by the volume of people, especially out late at night. So many bars and restaurants, read somewhere almost 300 in this small area. Málaga's history spans about 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe.
Said farewell to Jan & Dirk as they head off to Zaragoza this morning, with another three weeks of travel ahead of them.
We had a final coffee before heading to airport. Light drizzle, could have held off a little longer but only the 3rd day we've had any rain in the 5 weeks.
For a trip that had been in the planning for years, and delayed by COVID, it turned out to be fabulous. Not just because the the amazing places we visited, but because of our great friends who joined us for various parts of the journey.
EUROPE 2018 - MILAN - LYON - RIVER CRUISE (Chalon-sur-Saone to Tarascon) - NICE - MONACO - CINQUE TERRA - ROME - VATICAN CITY - SINGAPORE
Eventually we arrived in Milano Centrale. I guess like most major city train stations, inside was dirty and chaotic, but check out the outside of the building below.
It was a moderately short walk to Appartmento Settembrini. This is a small, studio apartment on the 5th floor of the building. The surrounds appear typically Milan, small stores, cafe's, restaurants and even a small supermarket right across the road.
After a bit of grocery shopping, we explored the area, researched the location of our departure train station for Sunday and eventually stopped in a sidewalk restaurant for dinner. Our concerns about eating Gluten Free were put to rest by an English speaking Waiter who's wife is a Coeliac.
So we had a lovely meal, washed down with local Italian Vino while watching the world go by. A pretty good start to our journey.
On our walk, we came across Bosco Verticale, an amazing twin tower residential complex, with over 900 trees. It won an award in 2015 for the best tall building in the world. It's hard to explain just how dominant this building looks, even though it's surrounded by some of the more modern architecture in Milan.
As you can see, the weather is perfect, fine and 27C.
We walked extensively around Milan today. Over 12km in total. I have to say, that once you've seen 2 or 3 streets, you've got a fair idea of what the rest look like.
It's a city of: Smokers (almost everywhere, including outdoor dining areas), risk takers (on push bikes without helmets, which you can rent all over town), no parking rules (cars seem to be double parked, parked on footpaths, pretty much parked wherever their owner wants, and eateries (restaurants galore).
Of course Milan is also knows for the very high end shopping. We stumbled across Via della Spiga, with stores like Dolche & Gabbana, Michael Kors, Tiffany & Co., Prada and many more. I really wanted to go into one of them (in my shorts & tee shirt) wait until they looked at me sideways, and then buy something really expensive. I didn't though! Unless you're wearing a $800+ suit, (I'm talking about the men), you stand out a bit.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is perhaps the better known high end shopping precinct. We explored that area too.
The absolute highlight of the day, was our visit to the Milan Cathedral. Constructions began in 1386 and took several centuries to complete. The last details were finished only in the 20th century, with the last gate inaugurated in 1965.
As the weather was perfect, we were lucky enough to be able to climb literally onto the roof top. Stunning just doesn't do it justice, in fact, I'm not sure you can truly describe this building (inside & out) in words. So here are just a few of the photos I took (and a couple of inside that I've plagiarised).
An early start today, to catch the train from Milano Porta Garibal station to Chambery Challes and then on to Lyon.
We were a bit worried with train strikes happening in France that we might be impacted, however the trip went smoothly.
A smooth ride and beautiful views, especially through the Alps. Not easy to get good shots from a moving train.
Our accommodation problems in Lyon started a few days earlier. There had been a storm go through and ironically (given what we've just been through with our new home) the apartment we'd booked had water damage and couldn't accommodate us. Booking.com suggested an alternative in the same area so that's where we headed. Lift was out of order, so lugged 45kg+ of luggage up 3 flights of stairs to be met with the very strong smell of fresh paint. We simply couldn't stay there. A shame, as it was newly refurbished and looked great. So back on to Booking.com and found a place just around the corner. Called the owner and expected him to let us in, but he never showed, repeated phone calls and text messages failed. Got hold of Booking.com who eventually said he could no longer accommodate us. Aaaaaaaaagh!
In come our friends the Butler's who grab us the last room in their hotel and meet us half way to help with the bags. It's the College Hotel which was once a school. Notice the chairs on the side of the building and inside, you sat at old school tables in the dining area.
We stayed one night there (they were fully booked the 2nd night) and then moved to a funky apartment around the corner from them for the 2nd night.
With friends in town (including the Barber's) we just rolled with the punches and all got together for a lovely dinner.
LOVE Lyon. We walked 13km today. Climbed around 800 steps to the Basilica of Notrre-Dame de Fourviere. Another stunning historic church, built between 1872 and 1884.
The view from the top back over Lyon is stunning and inside, as is so often the case in these churches, is stunning.
We walked over 5km to go to the Institute Lumier. Cinematography was essentially invented by the Lumier brothers, so I was really looking forward to this, HOWEVER, it's closed on Mondays. So we hopped onto the Metro Underground and headed back to check in to our accommodation for the night.
Enjoyed a great dinner with Lindsay and Deb at LeNord. I just had to have the dessert. 3 scoops of 3 different gelati, sandwiched between pavlova, topped with cream and fruit. Tasted as good as it looks. At least there was a walk home afterwards, across the Saone River to our apartment for the night.
And here's where we stayed for the night. A very quirky, studio apartment with a 'cellar' bedroom and spa. Oh if only we'd had more time to relax in that spa.
We had booked train tickets to take us from Lyon to Chalon, but with the train strike, decided not to risk it. Took cabs to the airport, and Scenic Tours picked us up there and bused us to the boat.
SCENIC RIVER CRUISE - Chalon-sur-Saone to Tarascon - SOUTHERN FRANCE
DAY 7. CHALON-sur-SAONE
Chalon is in the Burgundy region of France, renowned worldwide for it's quality wine production. At one stage, Kodak was the largest employer here, manufacturing film.
Wendy decided to relax on board. She had a massage and then spent some time in the 'Salt Room'. The facilities on this boat are over the top. Wellness Centre (aka for massages), Hair Salon, Well equipped gym and a Salt Therapy Room.
Lynton went on a tour to the Chateau de Savigny. The owner has a simply amazing collection of some 80+ aircraft, 250+ motorbikes and a stunning collection of Abarth racing cars, many of which he has personally raced in. He also makes wine on the property, which we were able to taste.
Here are just a few of the many photos taken today.
Went for a walk around the town before we pulled out to cruise further down the river to Macon. Had a live band on board playing 60's & 70's music. Many stayed up dancing (and drinking)
Took a tour to the Chateau-de-Montmelas in the hills of the Beaujolais region. The Chateau has been in the hands of the same family since 1566. Tasted some of the local wines, quite different to the Burgundy we'd had just the day before. Quite getting used to drinking wine in the morning.
The afternoon was spent cruising to Lyon. Sat on the top deck for a while (sunny & warm). Wendy spent some time in the Spa, while Lynton had a massage.
Went for a wander again around Lyon, then caught the Metro to the Museum Lumiere
(Musée Lumière), once the home of the famous Lumiere brothers. It's now a museum, displaying the incredible work the Lumiere brothers did to develop early cinematography. The building is spectacular and the exhibition extremely well done.
We had dinner on board, then went to Cirque Imagine, a special dessert/dinner show just for guests on board the Scenic Sapphire. It was simply spectacular.
A quiet day on board today, a sleep in and late breakfast.
The rain started pelting down as we approached Tournon-sur-Rhone. What a gorgeous historic town of around 10,000 people. Despite the rain, we climbed to the Chateau de Tournon, braved the weather under a marquee for a wine and cocktail hour.
Woke to a cool but fine day, Wendy went off to a Chocolate Tour while Lynton went for a walk/climb, enjoying the spectacular views from a winery on the side of the hill.
Wandered around the village before getting back on board for a BBQ lunch and then an afternoon/evening cruise to Viviers.
The girls and Lindsay, right in his element!!!
Danced the night away to D.J. Nick (our Cruise Director), playing a mix of disco & rock & roll. Many of the crew were up dancing too.
Awoke to a drizzly morning but still went on a guided walk through this amazing historic town and up to the Viviers Cathedral
where we had an organ recital. So much of the original Roman architecture can still be seen. With a population only around 3,500, it's amazing to walk the cobble stone streets and wander through the local market.
While some went off on an afternoon tour, we've rested on board, with a glass or two of vino. I'd hate the bar bill on this boat!
The boat cruised along the river and stopped to pick up guests who had been on various tours at St Etienne. We went for a short walk through this small village. Tiny, quiet, quaint.
What an education today has been. We've learnt so much about the French wine making industry having traveled through the Burgundy and Beaujolais region, but the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region was a real eye opener.
We started our tour with a visit to the Castle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a ruined medieval castle that sits high above the village. It was built in the 14th century for Pope John XXII. This was our first introduction to the 'Mistral Wind' that blows from the south.
Vast areas of wineries (around 8,000 acres) cover the landscape as far as the eye can see. The vines grow in the river stones, with little soil visible. This was the first area to establish the 'Appellation Controlee' or AOC rules, which limit what you can grow, how you grow it and what volume you produce.
The small
historic village is wonderful, with restaurants and winery sales dominating the
retail space.
We were then treated to a visit to Domaine Condorcet where we had what could only be described as a wine tasting master class.
The poppies were in full bloom on the banks of the river as we got back on board to cruise to Avignon.
Let me introduce the head waiter and sommelier, Agostinho. He soon learnt that we had a taste for nice wines, and has looked after us with a wide variety of bottles that appear to come from a secret stash he keeps somewhere on board the boat.
We got into Avignon mid afternoon, cruising up the river to the famous Pont d'avignon bridge, best know for the children's song Sur le Pon d'Avignon. Once we'd docked, we joined a walking tour of the township and then through the Popes Palace. The construction began in AD1252 and became the residence of the Popes in 1309. An amazing building with the Grand Tinel Hall a standout with the stunning, high arched ceiling.
Another introduction, this time to our Captain & amazing Cruise Director Nicholas (that's Nick (as in See Nic (Scenic) on the right wearing the captains hat).
We had a fun night on board, with a combination of guests and crew performing. We've got Judy Nunn & Bruce Venables on board. (Judy best known as Alf's wife in Home & Away and now a multi published author, as is Bruce). So there was some singing, poetry readings, and then the six of us got up and did some stupid slapstick piece that the onboard musician set us up for. Lots of laughs and I truly hope no photos were taken.
The highlight though, was Robert playing piano while one of the waitresses on board sang. It was an absolute treat!
An early start to the day as a small group of us were lucky enough to walk with Chef Jerome to the local market to taste and buy some treats. We returned to the ship and Jerome cooked for just 8 of us. Yummy and a real experience/treat!
In the evening, we returned to the Grand Tinel Hall in the Popes Palace for dinner and a classical concert. Transport was in the local tourist 'train', with the wind blowing, it was quite a trip. A real treat to be sitting in this great hall and enjoying stunning music.
The ship sailed a 5am this morning, leaving Avignon in the dark and docking at Tarascon around 9am. Many went on tours, but we have stayed on board for a more relaxed day. We did wander through the Chateau de Tarascon, a medieval castle right on the shore of the river and next to the township itself. The fact this has had very little restoration work done, allows you to really imagine what it must have been like to live in this amazing building.
Another lazy day on board while others went on tours. The evening highlight was an encore performance by Robert and Rosita (Rosie), one of our bar staff.
Time to pack sadly as we leave for Nice in the morning.
This beautiful ship has been our home for the last 12 days.
We left the ship just after 9am this morning. Including a 30min stop, it was a 4 hour journey. We were dropped off at Nice Airport, said our farewells, grabbed a taxi and headed to our apartment.
We're staying in this gorgeous old building, in the 2nd floor in a privately owned apartment. The lovely owner, Madina, met us and showed us around. She had lived for a while in Brisbane, so her English was very good.
It's a 'quirky' apartment as you can see below. They've added a mezzanine at some stage, but the rattling spiral staircase is a challenge, and we can't stand up in the bedroom without hitting our heads on the beams. That aside, it's in a great location, very clean, and well equipped with all we'll need for the next few days.
We walked around the area for a while, although the rain put a bit of a dampener on things. We were sitting in the apartment and heard the Hakka. Turns out it was a French Rugby promotion going on in the nearby square. Quite a few of the Kiwis play here.
We did grab a bite to eat late in the day. Just a drink and a light tapas plate we thought. Now I know the French like their cheese, but this was just ridiculous . . . . . as was the price. Nice is not cheap!
We rested well last night and walked around the boat harbour and old town district today. Climbed the 90m or so to the lookout by the Colline du Chateau. Pity the view was impacted by the weather. The day started with a bit of rain, but soon after lunch the clouds cleared and people flocked into the lane-ways and cafes. The narrow lane-ways in the old town district are fabulous. Clocked up over 7km.
I'm looking for a boat. Thought the blue one below would do me! We settled in at the Opera Plage, Restaurant & Bar (right on the pebbly beach) with a Chardonnay and enjoyed the view. This is the area near where the 2016 Terror attack happened. The bollards are noticeable, but so are the hoards of people who poured onto the streets and the beach as soon as the weather cleared.
A quiet night in the apartment as Lynton is battling a nasty head cold (aka Man Flu).
We took the local bus to Monte Carlo, missed our stop so got to see the next few towns as well. When we finally returned to the Casino, we jumped on the local 'Hop On Hop Off' bus and did the tour of this tiny country. The only one smaller is the Vatican. Preparations were underway for the F1 Grand Prix, but we still got to drive down the main straight. What a spectacle this place is, but ooooooh so expensive.
Note that if you drive up in a Porch, or Ferrari, you get to park right out front of the Casino.
The Hotel Paris de Monte Carlo stands out, right next to the Casino. It is sold out for the F1 GP, but the normal rate is around A$1,000 a night, I'd hate to think what it would cost to stay during the G.P.
We had 2 x Cups of Coffee & Lynton had a raspberry tart, 25Euro (approx. A$41). But worth the experience dining at the Casino Cafe.
Enjoyed a lovely dinner with Lindsay & Deb back in Nice and our final night in France.
CINQUE TERRA
Took the train today from Nice to Monterosso, one of the 5 villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. Because of the ongoing, rolling French train strikes, our first train from Nice to Ventimiglia was cancelled. Put us back about an hour, and we missed our connection. The Italian train folk were very kind though, transfered us to an alternative, not 1st class as we'd booked, but we got to Monterosso, via Genova in the late afternoon.
CINQUE TERRA
Took the train today from Nice to Monterosso, one of the 5 villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. Because of the ongoing, rolling French train strikes, our first train from Nice to Ventimiglia was cancelled. Put us back about an hour, and we missed our connection. The Italian train folk were very kind though, transfered us to an alternative, not 1st class as we'd booked, but we got to Monterosso, via Genova in the late afternoon.
Here's the view from the balcony of our hotel/motel room. Absolutely stunning when we arrived.
Had an amazing seafood risotto at the restaurant under our room, right on the foreshore (in fact, under one of those yellow umbrellas in the photo above). There was no way would could finish it.
We finished the night with a stroll to the old town part of Monterosso. Gorgeous by day and by night.
What a stunning day today. Had breakfast in a local cafe, then headed off to Riomaggiori
via train. Riomaggiori is the most southern of the Terre's. The Marina is breathtaking, with colourful houses built on the steep slopes and vineyards high above the town.
Really the photos do the talking. A stunning town and if you lived here you'd have to be fit to manage the steep climbs up and down the village and then even steeper to the houses and gardens beyond.
Back on the train and headed north to Vernazza. This village was founded on a small bay. You just get over the splendour of one village and then get hit with another.
We returned to Monterosso and a wonderful meal at a local restaurant, once again, right on the foreshore. Fish of the day for Wendy, Seared Tuna for Lynton with grilled local vegetables.
Followed by two different pannacotta, both of which were gluten free so we could share.
We continued our exploring of the Cinque Terre. Took the train again, this time to Manarola, the 4th of the Terre's. Another stunning village and marina area. A little overcast, with the sun breaking through from time to time. We found a little shop which was 100% Senza Glutine (Gluten Free), including crepes, gelato with gluten free waffle cones. Needless to say, had to try those.
Then back up the coast to Corniglia. It's the sole of the five villages perched up on the cliff face with very difficult sea access. At first we thought it wasn't much, until we found our way through a narrow lane way, past shops, restaurants etc.
Check out the 'roller coaster', which was actually a method for the farmer to travel quickly across the hillside. The cafe above had some wonderful signs.
One said:
We are free from wi-fi for our and your health. Look around, there is nature.
Log out and clear your mind . .
Another was: Discover a new way to chat in Hand Free and be seen in 3D. They
call it 'Go for a coffee with someone'.
A much needed lazy afternoon back wandering around Monterosso and resting in our room.
With the amazing weather we've had, we're able to just make out the other Terre's from our balcony in Monterosso.
We're on the 2nd floor of the two story building above the blue umbrellas. Couldn't be a better location.
On our
final night, went back to Lapo's, Italian Tapas, Pizza
Restaurant. They are soooooo understated. We had yet another wonderful
meal thanks to Mirco, our English speaking, Italian waiter who could not have
been more concerned about Wendy's gluten allergy.
Wendy had what we think is called Franata with pesto & shrimp. Can you tell by the look on her face how happy she is?!!
And thus ends our few spectacular days on the Cinque Terre. Loved it!
We caught the 9:12am train from Monterosso to La Spezia, then transferred to the train to Rome. Took us along the coast and through the edge of The Tuscany region.
We've been on the Saone, We've been on the Rhone. We're not yet home, but we have reached Rome. :-)
Arrived mid afternoon and got a taxi to the Trastevere Royal Suite. It's gorgeous. We're in the beautifully refurbished room shown below, and the rooms share a common lounge area for tea, coffee etc. Staff have been amazing and excellent coffee.
We went for a wander around the area before dinner. Did a little research and found a special gluten free restaurant just a few minutes walk away. Muma Eat was such a surprise. They are so coeliac conscious, that they have two separate kitchens and the entire menu is available either with our without gluten. The dishes even come out on entirely different styles of plates so that there can be no confusion. Very impressed, and in Italy!
What a day, walked 12km and saw so much. Here's just some of what we covered today.
First stop was the Teatro Marcello (Theatre of Marcellus), an ancient open-air theatre built in 13BC. Then the stunning Vittoriano, (circa 1885) the stunning monument built in honour of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy.
There are preserved Roman ruins in many places around Rome. This area is Trajan's Column, with the Catholic Church (Chiesa SS Nome di Maria) in the background. We really started to hit the crowds when we got to the Church of the Santissima (Trinia dei Monti). Built in the early 1500's. We chose not to go into every historic building, given the limited time and lots of exploring still to do.
Next stop was the Trevi Fountain, along with a few thousand other people. Hard to believe this was opened in 1732. Imagine how many coins have been thrown in since then. Amazingly, we ran in to a family from Australia that we'd first met in Riomaggiori last week. A small world as they say.
Our hosts, Livia & Davide had recommended we visit the Castel Sant'Angelo, and so glad we did. It was originally commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family, with construction commencing in 135AD. The dark old passageways give way some of the most spectacular ceilings.
And from the rooftop of the Castel Sant'Angelo,, we got our first real look at St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican. Final stop was at the Pantheon. It's a former Roman temple, now a church. It's an amazing building, first commissioned somewhere between 27 BC - 14 AD with the present building dedicated around 126 AD. Staggering.
NOTE: We did take a break during the day, visiting another well visited site. The Highlander Pub. Not as old as some places we visited during the day, but the beer was cold, the chicken wings tasted great and the Spanish F1 GP was being shown on multiple TV's in the venue. Thought we'd see more Ferrari fans being in Italy to be honest.
A quiet night in tonight. Exhausted.
As they say, 'Rome wasn't built in a day', and trying to visit it in just two days is no mean feat. Another huge 13km + day of walking. Headed off to the Colosseum.
first thing. And it is colossal.
We thankfully have purchased 'beat the queue' tickets on-line to the Vatican, where we joined around 20,000 other tourists. Yes, that's their typical number each day at this time of year. It's decadent, historic, spectacular and over the top in so many ways. The museum and art component would keep many occupied for weeks.
Like many, we meandered our way through the hallways and chambers, wondering at the artwork, ceilings and collections, eventually making it to the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's 'The Last Judgement', painted between 1535 - 1541. It is an awesome thing to see in person (along with the hundreds of others there with us). Most of the noise came from angry sounding security telling everyone to keep the noise down. Strictly no photos allowed, but many did anyway. You can see some here.
Will paste just a few of the many photos taken below.
Went back to Mama Eats for another very nice gluten free meal for Wendy (and normal pasta for me). This restaurant has been a real surprise and a real treat.
We wandered around some of the local piazza's after dinner. 9:45pm, quite dark but a chance to check out the low light capabilities of my new Sony camera. The restaurants are quite busy from as early as 7pm, well into the evening.
Rome has been a pleasant surprise. Loved it. Clearly made more enjoyable by our stay in the lovely Trastevere Royal Suite and being able to eat wonderful gluten free at Mama eats. We did feel like we took our lives into our own hands crossing the road at times. Tended to wait until the locals started crossing and followed the (when in Rome . . . . )
As they say, all good things must come to an end. 9:15am driver pick up from our hotel and a midday flight to Singapore. So thus ends our almost 4 week trip across parts of Italy and France.
Arrived just before 6am, exhausted. Didn't manage to get much sleep, despite being in Business Class. Were lucky enough to get into a room at our hotel early (for an extra S$150 but worth it).
The final leg home. A great trip, with special thanks to the Butlers & Barbers for joining us on our River Cruise.
Almost impossible to pick one highlight as there were so many. Cinque Terra is right up there, along with the River Cruise accompanied by great friends, and then little gems, like Muma Eat in Rome. Will have to start planning the next one!
EUROPE 2014 - SINGAPORE - ISTANBUL & GALLIPOLI - FRANCE - SPAIN - ENGLAND - RIVER CRUISE (Budapest to Amsterdam) - DUBAI
I flew to Singapore today for business. Note to self - never NEVER take an international flight out of Melbourne on Good Friday morning. Absolute chaos at the airport. Looked more like LAX.
A leisurely walk along the river tonight from the hotel to Clark Quay. Needed to offset all of the food eaten yesterday and today.
I'm not sure if people typically celebrate this, but it's 40 years today that we announced our engagement.
Our stopover here didn't go quite to plan. I've visited Singapore over 50 times, eaten at the hawker markets and street vendors and never been sick. This trip I ate at local Indian and Malay restaurants with my friends and business associates and was fine. Had chicken wings at the Hard Rock Cafe and was violently ill. Go figure.
So 36 hours of drinking hydralite type drinks and feeling miserable.
I do have a bet with a friend over an expensive bottle of wine, that I won't put on any weight over this 6 week trip. Figure I'm in credit to the tune of 2-3kg already.
Just started coming right before we flew out. Gave the stomach a good test over a great meal with Ross, Felicia, Wendy & Ben at Fatty's before heading to the airport.
We arrived safely after a wonderful flight with Singapore Airways. As it was an overnight trip, leaving Singapore at 1:45am, we treated ourselves to business class and it was well worth it just to be able to sleep horizontal. Seeing Wendy treated to a beautiful cooked gluten free airline meal was also a treat.
Our driver was quite the tour guide, pointing out all the things he thought we should know about Istanbul, what tourist sites to visit and even did a side detour to the local fish market.
The streets are lined with tulips. Now we always thought tulips were associated with the Netherlands, but now we've learnt they are in fact Turkish (well according to our driver).
Our apartment is down a small side street near Taksim Square. Amazing to see a two-way street with barely enough room for one car. Many of the buildings here are over 200 years old and protected because of their historical value. Many however remain empty and in a decrepid state. I assume because of the challenges to restore them.
We went for a long walk down Siraselviler Cd this afternoon. We learnt about the local traffic laws. It seems he who has the courage to go first, whether in a car or on foot has the right of way. Stunning at night.
We caught the local tram to the main tourist district
this morning. $1.50 for as far as we wanted to go and no MiKi cards.
Visited the Blue Mosque which was quite gobsmacking. The combination of the age
(construction commenced in 1609) and the sheer size. It is an operational
Mosque so shoes off and women must wear head scarfs (which they supply if
needed).
We then wandered around the Topkapi Palace grounds. The
palace was the main residence of the Sultans for around 400 years from 1465.
There was a huge queue to get in, so we spent most of the time enjoying the
surrounding gardens which were simply stunning.
The final venue on today's list was the Grand Bazaar and grand it is indeed.
Construction started in 1455 and it now spans 61 streets and over 3,000 shops.
Up to 400,000 visitors can visit daily (yes daily) and I think there could have
been that many there today.
By the time we'd stopped a few times, it was a 6+ Hour bus ride from Istanbul to Gallipoli. We got to the site around 7pm and ours was the 75th bus to arrive. The very limited grassed area where one can lay out in a sleeping bag, was already a sea of people. We ended up in the second grand stand area, 2nd row and quite a good spot as it turned out. We settled in just before 8pm which was also the time that the entertainment began. Military bands, Maori cultural groups, a magnificent student choir from Brisbane and numerous documentaries about the Gallipoli battles ran pretty much non stop through the night.
I managed to sleep a little, curled up in my sleeping bag in the footwell of the row of seats. Wendy claimed several seats to herself and managed to lay out on them and slept a bit too. At 5am, the 'warm up acts' began. First, an Aboriginal performer on the didgeridoo then a Maori welcome. The official ceremony was at 5:30am, just as the morning light started to create an eerie glow. I caught a shot of what the soldiers called the Sphinx outlined with the early morning light, and a small sliver of the moon. It was cold but breathtaking.
My earliest recollections of ANZAC Day are of my marching
along the footpath in my home town of Waiuku, next to my Great Uncle (Garnett
Victor Williams), a WWI veteran. This was long before it was acceptable for
non-military personnel to march on ANZAC Day. Garnett joined the New Zealand Rifle Brigade in December 1915 and was medically
discharged in April 1918 after being wounded in Messines, France. I remember
him marching proudly with his medals with me trying to keep pace.
I can’t explain the connection I have today with ANZAC Day. Perhaps it’s my
age, but I find myself reflecting more and more on the sacrifices made by so
many. Perhaps it’s the spirit of the ANZACs, their courage, mate-ship, and
sacrifice that continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of
national identity.
Thanks to my father's tenacity in retrieving them from the museum, I was able
to wear my Great Uncle Garnet's WWWI medals at Gallipoli.
We then took on the 2.5km walk up the hill to Lone Pine, the area for the Australian commemorative service. Unfortunately it's not possible because of the schedule and distances, to attend both the Australian & New Zealand services. As we had Uncle Garnett's medals, we decided to attend the New Zealand service.
This meant a further 3km walk to Chunuk Bair. In total, the 5.5km walk also saw us climb some 250m vertically. Quite a trek and quite meaningful to see the red poppies in flower on the side of the track.
We've arrived safely in Paris after an excellent flight with Turkish Airlines. I've not flown with them before, but they did a great job. We took the airport bus to the city and caught the metro to near our apartment. Got caught in a heavy downpour between the bus stop and the metro, but funny how it didn't matter because we were in Paris.
The apartment is FANTASTIC with a lovely balcony overlooking the street. We walked just 100m to a restaurant recommended by our host and had a lovely meal, then a reasonably early night.
We were close to the metro, restaurants & markets near by, 15 - 20min walk to the Arc de Triomphe yet you feel like you're immersed in the local culture.
We headed out in light drizzle and walked around 20min to the Arc de Triomphe. Had a wonderful breakfast near by and once the rain lifted, began our exploring.
There had obviously been an ANZAC day ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, as the flowers were still on show.
We soon realised that around every corner was another WOW!. It's the architecture, the ambiance, well it's Paris! We walked down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, then crossed the Seine to visit the Eiffel Tower. It may not be one of the tallest towers in the world, but it is still a stunning experience.
Here are just a few of our favourite photos of Paris so far, including a couple taken from one of the observation platforms on the Eiffel Tower.
Another longish walk (and climb) to Sacre Coeur this morning. Construction began in 1875, An amazing structure. Wish I were allowed to take photos inside as it's simply stunning.
We had a very enjoyable lunch in the centre of Paris and once again, they catered for Wendy's Gluten Free diet (thank goodness wine doesn't contain gluten). The little coeliac cards we made in every language needed on our trip, seem to be working.
We then went to the Louvre. I'm not sure how long you'd need to see all of the works on display. The Louvre says that about 80 percent of its visitors come to see the painting of Mona Lisa, so like many, that's where we headed first. Yes it's as small as it looks, just 77 cm × 53 cm and yes, her eyes follow you.
The Mona Lisa may be on the small size, but the Louvre itself is massive.
Nous avons adoré paris. (We've loved Paris.) The school boy/girl French has been severely tested, but we've done our best and when retailers have realised we're struggling, they simply speak English (most of the time).
Very impressed with the Metro. €1.70 (A$2.50) gets you anywhere on the network and it's so easy to navigate. The longest time we've waited for a train was 7min, but typically it's 2 - 3 min. Impressive.
We explored the local market this morning. Some things incredibly cheap, but others soooo expensive. Massive scallops in their shell €7.50 ea. (yes A$10ea) and oysters in their shell €5.00.
We then traveled across town to Helmet newcake gluten free patisserie
. I was so looking forward to seeing Wendy tuck in to his famous treats. Sadly when we got there, he was closed for the day. Not sure why. We could peak in to the shop but that just made it worse to see the amazing array of treats, all gluten free. Bugger!
We then walked down to Notre Dame Cathedral. It now holds the title of the oldest building we've been in so far. Construction began in 1163 and took almost 200 years to complete. It really is yet another stunning building amongst so many here in Paris.
We took the high speed train from
Paris to Barcelona via Perpignan. Quite an experience traveling at up to
300km/hr through the French countryside (check out he monitor behind Wendy).
Hardly put a ripple on the glass of red. Taking photos out of the train window
was fun, trying to capture the movement of the train, whilst still getting
sharp images of the countryside. (see below)
Took a leisurely walk this morning. What a stunning day!
The city was quiet as it's Labor Day here. Well quiet until we got to the
Sagrada Familia. I think everyone in Barcelona was trying to get in. This
amazing structure (designed by the famous local architect Gaudi) commenced
construction in 1882. Modern technology is now being used to complete it, and
to some degree, I think that's a shame. We are certainly not seeing it at its
best. They hope to complete work by 2026. The queue lines were massive, but with
some convincing, one of the staff took me to the front of the line where I
purchased tickets for tomorrow.
So our leisurely walk continued down La Rambla, the famous eating/entertainment centre of Barcelona. A lovely lunch watching the world go by, before a walk around the marina area. A splendid day!
Here are a few random photos taken today.
A glass of red on La Rumbla before bed.
Another stunning day in Barcelona. We've been so lucky
with the weather so far.
We walked through the streets of Barcelona this morning, passing some of the
famous buildings designed by Gaudi. We fluked a nice restaurant near the
Sagrada Familia which understood gluten free and made us a fabulous seafood
paella. Yum!
We then spent around 2 hours exploring the Sagrada Familia. It really is quite stunning inside, although once again, I'm not convinced that the modern construction methods and materials are doing the building justice. The polished stainless steel spiral staircase for example, or the lift that took us up into one of the towers. Large T.V. monitors and bose speakers on the pillars, and horrible metal chairs for the congregation. But when you look past all those things, you see such amazing shapes, sculptured pillars, and lead light windows. The main central pillar of the building is now being built and this limits the areas you can visit. We'll have to return after 2026 to see it all finished.
It was quite a long walk from there to the Park Guell but well worth it. A really nice stroll around the gardens, listening to buskers playing all types of music and wondering at the stonework.
We finished the day back in La Rumbla with a Sangria. A perfect end to our couple of days in Barcelona.
We've arrived in London and are
already shocked with the price of some things and the trash in the streets. As
an example, the Heathrow Express train was £34 return (over A$30 each way).
We are in the world's smallest apartment. Truly, our R.V. is significantly larger than our 'studio apartment'. But we're loving it.
Went for a walk mid afternoon trying to locate a gluten free bakery we'd read about. Turned out it was in the middle of Camden Market. WELL!!!!!! what an experience. It was chaos, but we found some great gluten free stuff for Wendy, enjoyed a beer in The Elephants Head and watched a long boat move through the lock system. The sun was out and so was half of the population of London.
How lucky are we to wake to yet another sunny day in
London? After a good breakfast in a nearby hotel, decided to go visit her Maj.
Seems she was otherwise occupied, but we did get to see the formal changing of
the guard.
It was then more walking as we attacked the sites of London - Big Ben - The
London Eye - Downing Street - St Pauls Cathedral - Tower Bridge and all points
in between.
Our day finished with a Sunday roast at a local pub, the 'Famous Euston flyer'.
Here's a random selection of photos from our last day in London.
So thus ends the first sector of our trip. What have we
learnt so far?
ISTANDBUL - The city of Tooting Horns, Cats & Touters
GALLIPOLI - LEST WE FORGET
PARIS - The city of Art, Bread Sticks & Sidewalk Cafes
BARCELONA - The city of Architecture, Paella & Sangria
LONDON - The city of Foreigners, Litter & Local Pubs
We flew in to Budapest and were greeted by the Scenic reps and joined other travellers on a bus to the Ship. We boarded the Scenic Diamond in the afternoon and it's everything the brochures say. From the greeting on board, to the decor to the food, top notch. We were greeted with a cocktail when we boarded and then all of the ladies were presented with a rose as part of the check in process.
Wendy was even given a special copy of the menu with all of the gluten free food marked and we had a wonderful first meal as a result. Already starting to doubt the ability to keep the weight under control.
The Captain then made an unscheduled short journey down the river so all on board could enjoy Budapest at night.
The famous Hungarian Parliament building at night is simply stunning.
During the evening we were entertained by local Hungarian musicians and dancers (lots of boot slapping). One of the guys played the Cimbalom, a musical instrument for the Hungarian Gypsies. It's played by striking the strings, much like you might a xylophone.
We danced until around 11:30pm
We woke to a beautiful day, which was largely spent cruising along the Danube towards Vienna, passing through Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Just short of Vienna we went through one of the many locks we'll navigate over the coming days. Somehow, we squeezed in next to the boat you can see in the left channel. Literally millimetres to spare.
After another sumptuous meal on board, we were transported to the Palais Liechtenstein. The palace was built during the period of 1692 to 1705 and is spectacular, particularly inside. We were treated to a private Viennese concert (just for those on board the cruise) of Strauss & Mozart. Simply stunning (how often can I say that on this trip?).
An early rise today for a city tour and then to attend the practice session of the famous Spanish Riding School. We were not allowed to take photos (which I respected), so I've pulled an image off the web to at least give an idea of how splendid this venue is and how spectacular the horses are.
Wendy & I then broke away from the tour group and did our own exploring of the beautiful city. We even visited Viennese Prater, the theme park here in Vienna (I wonder if that makes my trip tax deductible), said to be the oldest theme park in the world. The giant wheel was build in 1897 and is one of the landmarks of the Vienna skyline.
As you can see from the photos we've posted so far, the weather has been almost perfect.
Just as a little side note, our cabin Steward Angelo has now made us a couple of special 'towel' decorations. On Tuesday it was a Swan, today when we got back to our room, we were greeted with this cuddly dog. Note the iMac keyboard, mouse and T.V. remote. Very cute.
We woke in Durnstein, which is described as the scenic
gem of the Wachau Valley and I can see why. What an incredible old town, with
the ruins of the Kuenringer Castle high on the hill behind the village. It was
here that Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192.
We wandered through the town and once back on ship, cruised through the Wachau
valley, with very steep, terraced vinyards. We pass many villages, churches
& castles and the crew delivered everyone a glass of the local Wachau
Winery Riesling (very nice). The Schonbuhel Castle was just one of many
structures that caught our eye.
We cruised in to Melk to visit the amazing Benedictine Abbey, first built over 900 years ago. It is still a working monastery and school and has one of the most amazingly impressive churches I've ever seen
Today was a full day bus trip to Salzburg, perhaps best know as the setting for the Sound Of Music, but also the birthplace of Mozart. It was the actual home of the Von Trapp Family and was the setting for many parts of the 1965 Julie Andrews film.
Rain threatened early, but we ended up once again having a great day.
We visited the Hellbrunn Castle where the Sound Of Music Pavilion now sits. It was used in the scene where Liesl sings 'I am 16 going on 17'. Our tour guide (the amazing Eva) played the soundtrack and most on the tour joined in.
The city is dominated by the Hohensalzburg Castle which was
built in 1047.
We had lunch in the St Peters Restaurant. This restaurant is said to be the
oldest in the world. It was established in 805AD! It has been serving customers
for over 1200 years. Our bus ride started in Linz in Austria but we met the
boat in Passau, Germany.
We cruised in to Regensburg this morning. We did a short guided city tour, which finished with an organ recital in the Church of Ulrich. The town was quite quiet as the shops don't open on a Sunday. This is such an historic town with significant sections of original ancient Roman building still obvious.
Back on board the ship, we were treated to a Bavarian lunch, all sorts of sausages, Sauerkraut and of course copious amounts of beer.
A lazy afternoon reading and updating this blog. Wendy enjoyed a massage too.
As we cruised towards Nuremberg, we were entertained by a local band. Great fun and Wendy seemed to get singled out.
We had decided to have a rest day and not visit Nuremberg. As it turns out, we docked quite late because of some lock issues and those that went on the tour were rushed. So we spent the day relaxing on board and catching up on some sleep.
Some of the locks we've gone through are HUGE. The ship
lifts around 25m. It's staggering to think of the volume of water needed for
this. Pretty impressive to see a 135m long ship manouvered through the locks
with around 25cm of clearance.
In the evening, we learnt a bit about the beer industry in this part of Bavaria
from a local expert. It's the highest consuming region in the world and Bamberg
alone has 21 breweries. We got to taste some very unusual beers, including a
smoked beer. Let me just say, it's an acquired taste.
We then dined in the Italian Restaurant on board, Portobello. A stunning 6 course meal.
The day started with a light drizzle, but this soon lifted and we toured the old, historic town. It's unique as the whole Old City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much of the original 900+ year old buildings remain as Bamberg was not bombed during the war.
We were the only ones to brave the 40min walk back to the ship. Felt like we were in Melbourne, taking layers off because the sun was out and we were getting warm and the next minute we were sheltering from a hail storm.
We departed mid afternoon.
We had a lazy morning on board as we sailed towards
Wurzburg. They constantly provide entertainment of one sort or another. This
morning the Chef did a cooking demonstration for the guests on board.
After an early lunch, we did a tour of Prince Bishop's Residence. This has to
be the most decadent place we've visited. We weren't allowed to take photos
inside, so I've posted a couple I found on the web below to give you some idea
of the opulence.
We were then able to go into the underground cellars and tasted several of the
local wines, whilst being educated by one of the local wine experts. The
underground cellars were amazing, what a great experience.
We walked around the village before returning to the ship
for the most amazing Sea Food buffet. Sushi, freshly chucked oysters they'd
brought in from France, scallops, crab, and I lost count of the number of
lobsters they dished out.
After dinner we were entertained by one of apparently only 7 professional
Zither players. They set up a video on his hands so we could see how this 46
string instrument is actually played. An wonderful ending to the day.
We walked around the village before returning to the ship for the most amazing Sea Food buffet. Sushi, freshly chucked oysters they'd brought in from France, scallops, crab, and I lost count of the number of lobsters they dished out.
After dinner we were entertained by one of apparently only 7 professional Zither players. They set up a video on his hands so we could see how this 46 string instrument is actually played. A wonderful ending to the day.
There's been a sore throat & cold bug going around the ship and this morning Wendy succumbed. I got to visit one of the local artists with just a few of the fellow guests. He's a painter who spends a lot of his time doing restoration work, including painting one off fresco's. We had a painting lesson and then got to try to paint a small canvas ourselves. You can see the results, but not sure I want to own up to which one is mine. I can tell you it has a blue background and it WON'T be finding its way onto one of our walls.
We had lunch in the old cellars of the mayors building.
The local entertainer tried (and emphasis on tried) to teach us to yodel.
When we got back on board, they had a glass blowing demonstration by one of the
regions top craftsman. Yet another example of surprise entertainment
In the early hours of the morning, we passed through Frankfurt. We've now left the Danube and are sailing on the Rhine. We cruised into Rudesheim this morning. Went for a walk around the village and had a tour of Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Museum. As the name suggests, all of the instruments are mechanically driven in some way.
One even had 6 violins. Found this clip on youtube to
give you some idea of what it was like. CLICK HERE
Once we left Rudesheim, the cruise through the Lorelei was all we expected and more. Castle after castle!
We were treated to a medieval feast at the Marksburgh Castle. It sits high atop the hill at Braubach and the oldest section dates back to 1200.
We were entertained by performers. Lynton got called up at one stage, as did our Cruise Director J.J. Great fun.
The shot of the ship is one of my favourite photos from the cruise. What a view when we got back to the ship last night.
The crew put on a show this evening. A series of skits, but finishing with the head of housekeeping, a wonderful Filipino girl singing. Oh my, why she is cleaning hotel rooms and not singing for a living I'll never know. That's her brother and our Steward in the silver dress.
We arrived in Amsterdam in the morning and did a tour to
the windmills of Zaanse Schans. This beautiful historic museum with fully
working wind mills was lovely. There are still well over 1,000 operational wind
mills in the area, many of which are used for grinding of chalk rather than
pumping of water. If you have a wind mill on your property, you must have it
functioning and they can be called upon to help pump water if there are floods.
We got to see inside one of the wind mills and see the mechanics behind them.
We also had a clog making demonstration and also visited a cheese farm.
We had a lazy afternoon, a short walk around town to get our bearings and our last evening on board.
These are not all my photos, but I wanted to accurately represent what an amazing vessel and amazing experience this is.
At 135M in length and 14.5M in width, it really is quite a ship. What staggers me is the maneuverability the captain has. With side thrust, he can move the ship sideways into a dock (which we saw him do a few times). To squeeze through the canals with only 30cm or so either side of the ship is quite something to witness.
There are 10 suites and 74 cabins on board with up to 167 passengers. There are also 28 crew cabins. 43 hotel staff looked after our every need and there were 8 nautical crew as well.
In this photo, you may be able to see that the canopies, tables, chairs etc on the back top deck have been folded down. This is so the ship can pass under the low bridges. Even the 'pilots bridge' itself drops down to pass under the low bridges and the captain has a small manhole to peak through to guide us under these bridges. When passing under these low bridges, the top deck is closed for passenger safety.
Wendy was greeted on board with a long stem rose, and we were both presented with a welcome cocktail. Our room was just as we expected. Snug but comfortable and the sun decks are a brilliant idea. Our own balcony which we could open to the elements or close off as we desired.
The service on board is 5 star. The staff were fantastic, the food wonderful and the wine plentiful. A large buffet Breakfast was served daily with a-la-cart options including eggs Benedict, pancakes, waffles and omelets. And as promised, plentiful Moet Chandon was served daily with breakfast. Amazing how quickly one becomes blasé about that though.
All day 'grazing' was available in the River Cafe. Late breakfast, pastries, macarons, sandwiches, light lunches, soups etc. A large buffet lunch was served daily, once again with a-la-cart options . . . and oh the desserts
The evening meals were quite something. Full a-la-cart dining for some 160+ passengers. You name it, we had it, from pastas to steaks, from lobsters to swordfish. Magnificent food and service you'd only expect from 5 star restaurants. The dining experience in the Italian Portobello restaurant on board was nothing short of sensational. We had a tour of the galley and can not believe what they delivered from this very small facility. 10 chefs/cooks on board. One did all the breads, cakes and pastries working overnight. The main meals were prepared by just 6. Staggering!
We met some wonderful people on board.
Roger & Glen from Healesville (they have a 38 Ford 10 Prefect very similar
to my old car)
Keith & Kookie from
central/western NSW
Gwyn & Andrea from Perth
Jane & her mother Maureen from the U.K.
Selwyn from Melbourne
Brian & Nerida from Brisbane
Dave & Karly from Nelson Bay (pity he supports the Swans)
Jim, Gill from Perth and their daughter Claire from Richmond. (and not to
forget Penny, Jim's sister from the U.K.)
Lester & Beverley from New Orleans.
Steve & Tammy (veterinarians) from the U.K. (although Tammy originated from
Perth) . . hated Steve, he's 2 years younger than me and looked 12 years
younger.
And the special members of the crew. Hard to single some out, but our Cruise Director J.J. was fantastic, our Steward Angelo (who made so many special towel decorations and sang Wendy Happy Birthday), Daniel our Butler but most of all, the very VERY special Erica.
We left the ship this morning. How depressing!!!!!
We left our luggage at the Hilton (a day room was supplied by Scenic which was
great) and off we went on our own tour of Amsterdam.
Our main goal was to visit the Rijksmuseum. An amazing building with an even
more amazing collection of art and artifacts, including Rembrandt's 'The Night
Watch' and Van Gogh's famous self portrait. Another wonderful thing about the
museum, is that the restaurant server gluten free meals.
I've posted this photo to show the size of this piece (circa 1642). I wish I knew what makes this piece of art better than some others we saw in the museum. There's no doubt it's amazing, detailed, colourful, but so are so many of the others.
We explored some of the local markets, including the floating flower market. We could have bought a marijuana starter kit, but figured we didn't want to end up on Channel 7 border control. We checked into our apartment late in the day. It's in a lovely area near the water (but most of Amsterdam is). We're only here for a couple of nights and it will serve us well. The only problem was that we thought it would have a washing machine but doesn't. So we had to wander around the area to find the local laundromat to catch up on our washing. Laundry on the ship was the only thing not included and was super expensive.
Not a great photo of us but this the view from our apartment in Amsterdam at around 9:45pm. Still quite light outside. We had a lovely view across the marina from our apartment.
We had a lazy start to the day in the
apartment. Not used to having to cook our own breakfast!
We've got a 2 day travel card (just €12 ea) but have actually
walked most of the time. Of course it's flat and easy to walk, except for
having to avoid the cyclists who seem to ride with a law unto their own. There
are around 17 million people in the Netherlands and over 20 million bikes. The
city is built some 2M BELOW sea level and has an amazing network of canals.
We visited their new library this morning. What an amazing building and the restaurant on the top was quite something. (iPhone Panoramic)
This place really messes with the mind (and not in the way most might think with all the 'coffee shops' in the city). Depending on who you talk to, the city is sinking, the buildings are being held up by their newer neighbours. Either way, there are some buildings with nothing resembling a vertical or horizontal line.
We had a lovely surprise tonight, when our host Michiel dropped us in a very nice bottle of red to have with our dinner. Cooked in the apartment and enjoyed a glass of red out on the deck overlooking the marina. A lovely end to this sector of our trip.
A bit of a long haul today. Bus to Central Train Station, then train to airport, then the typical 'kill time' waiting for the flight. Picked up our rental car (I have to admire Europecar efforts to up-sell us to and Audi A5 - tempting).
After some challenges getting out of Gatwick Airport (and manoeuvring the gps efforts to get us around some roadworks), we found our way to Bournemouth and the beautiful Tudor Grange Hotel. Some parts of the structure are over 200 years old (and it shows), but what a delightful spot, excellent service and a huge four post bed. Our room is the one shown.
We struck our first day of rain on the whole trip today. Despite that, we had a good drive to Callington, stopping for lunch at the Woodleigh Coach House, Cheriton Bishop, in Devon. (left photo below) A totally random decision which turned out to be quite something as it had the largest selection of gluten free dishes we've seen anywhere (including in Australia).
The rain had eased by the time we got to Polhilsa Farm in Callington. Kay Barriball greeted us and what a beautiful spot. The farm has been in the Barriball family since 1918. There are over 400 acres, all but 125 of which are leased from HRH Prince Charles. They now predominantly grow crops, Wheat, Barley and Oilseed Rape. Perfect for a coeliac !!!!! We enjoyed a sunny evening with a bottle of red wine and cheese overlooking the lake.
We drove into Callington township this afternoon and had a wander around. I already feel there's lots to explore here and there won't be enough time.
A bit of a grey morning this morning, which almost suited our planned excursions to some of the local old churches and graveyards. After a lovely, cooked breakfast (thanks Kay) we headed off. First stop was North Petherwin. We know that my Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandparents William Barriball & Mary Vosper were both buried here. William in 1735 and Mary in 1765. We meet the Church cleaning lady (Jan) who told us how many of the grave stones were damaged over the years and that few of the older ones still stand at their original sites. No sign of William or Mary's sadly.
Next stop was North Tamerton where we know my Great, Great, Great Grandparents Thomas Barriball & Grace Parsons were married on February 23rd, 1796. It's amazing to think this old structure still stands having been built in the 1400's.
Our final destination was the church at Werrington, where so many of the Barriball family are buried. A family was setting up for a wedding, so we got to look inside and also met the organist who insisted we sign the visitors book.
We had lunch at the Springer Spaniel, just outside of Launceston. What a treat. Just dropped on on a whim and discovered an amazing fine dining experience. We learnt later, that the new owner was a recent winner of the U.K. Masterchef program. No wonder!
I have to make a note about Launceston. In Australia we pronounce it Lon-cest-on. But here it's Lon-ston or if you're a true local, Lonson.
Driving around the Cornwall roads is a treat. They would be single lane, one way roads anywhere else, but here, they have passing bays every 50 to 100m and you take pot luck as to who gives way. Quite an experience, especially after a few wines.
At Philip Barriball's suggestion, we went to the Royal Inn for dinner. It's located in the Tamar valley just over the border from Cornwall. The Inn was once a nunnery and is believed to have been built around 1487. We both had a wonderful scallop meal, washed down with a Kiwi Pinot Gris.
39 years ago I married the most amazing woman. She has had to put up with me for all this time!
So we drove out of Cornwall in quite heavy rain this morning. But right on queue, it cleared so we could visit Stonehenge. I can not believe I paid A$50 for the two of us to see some big stones in the middle of a paddock. Having said that, it is quite amazing to think that it was probably erected around 2200BC, over 4,000 years ago. One wonders how.
Back in the car and more rain as we drove into London, but once again, right on queue, it cleared as we pulled up outside our hotel, the Grand Royale at Hyde Park.
We checked in to receive the most wonderful surprise from our family. Erin, Fernando, Shelley & James had arranged for a bottle of wine to be waiting for us in our room to celebrate our wedding anniversary. HOWEVER, not just any bottle. A beautiful Bordeaux, Chateau Peyreau, Saint Emilion Grand Cru - 1975. The significance of course being that the wine was made in the year we were married. Beautifully boxed, with thermometer, bottle opener and wine pourer included.
I'm not sure BYO is that favoured a concept in the U.K., but we convinced a local Italian restaurant to allow us to bring our 39 year old bottle of wine with us for dinner. We're bringing the empty bottle home as a memento.
What a grand old hotel, beautiful Chesterfield sofas in the main lounge, and the most amazing 'Theatre' Bar where we had pre-dinner drinks.
Had a lazy morning which meant brunch was almost at midday. Then took a walk through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.
We wandered past Kensington Palace (official home of William, Kate and Harry). We also saw the Albert Memorial (circa 1872) which is very impressive. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband, Prince Albert.
Met a cheeky little squirrel. Seemed such a nice little fella until he realised I wasn't holding food in my hand, and decided to take a swipe at me.
So here we are in the BA lounge at Heathrow. I've earned Gold Status with Qantas again during the trip, so we got an invite into the lounge. Nice, as we were early to the airport. A glass or two of wine, and a meal (Wendy got a nice gluten free Thai dish) before we get on board.
Arrived in Dubai early morning and took a cab to the apartment. It's the nicest, largest apartment we've stayed in. Three rooms (Lounge, Kitchen, Bedroom) and two bathrooms. Why two I'm not sure. More like a hotel with pool, gym and restaurant for breakfast.
As you can see in the photo to the right, we have a lovely view from the kitchen or lounge windows over the marina.
A large Tesco's supermarket across the road had heaps of gluten fee stuff, more than we've seen anywhere, including at home, so we're set up for our couple of days.
As expected, it's awfully hot. 42C today. Quite a contrast to the mid teens in Cornwall. We're staying in the Dubai Marina area, so went for a walk around the area and to the Marina Mall. Can't tell you how nice it was to get into air conditioned comfort.
A quiet dinner in the apartment tonight and a bottle of N.Z. Sav Blanc.
Wendy's birthday today. Managed gluten free cereal, gluten free pancakes and
Earl Grey Tea in bed. Not a bad effort I thought. A lovely bunch of red roses
were delivered to our room from Shelley, James, Erin & Fernando. A lovely
surprise.
We headed off on the Dubai Metro to the Mall Of The Emirates, a huge shopping mall and massive indoor snow ski centre, Ski Dubai Quite something to see people skiing indoors while it's 40C+ outside. Amazing to see ski lifts, toboggan runs etc inside a building.
As if this mall isn't big enough, we then went to the Dubai Mall, said to be the largest in the world. With an ice skating rink in the middle, a huge aquarium and over 1,200 shops, it is huge. But that's not enough, they've now started a major expansion program to cater for an expected million visitors each week (yes per week).
Back down at ground level, and we enjoyed a quiet meal and watched the fountain show. Especially good to watch it at night. We sat indoors as it was still in the high 30's.
Home safely this morning after the most amazing trip. I'd call it a once in a lifetime experience as I'm not sure we would ever be able to undertake a trip of this magnitude again. We keep looking back at our blog and are thankful that we've taken the time to document our trip as things we did just 2 or 3 weeks ago feel like they happened months ago and some of our early adventures in Turkey seem way in the distant past.
While in part it's sad the trip is over, that old saying of there's no place like home is so true.
Now just to catch up on some sleep.