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Sat 30 Aug 2014
Off we go! Viva Italiano!
We had a lovely evening on 29 th August, celebrating Andy's 30th at Black Forest Restaurant, Highgate Hill, with the sons and Brenda.
Then whizzed home and headed off to the airport with Robbie, as chauffeur!
Mike snored most of the way, and I watched 5 movies!
We arrived at exactly the same time as our friends, Wendy and Mike, who flew from Perth.
No rest for the wicked! Whinging and moaning, I dragged the other half, and our trusting, sandgroper friends straight out to activities.
It was a 10 -15 minute walk to Burj el Khalifa, from the taxi stand. It is the current, tallest building in the world. Wendy, our group scaredy cat, bravely zoomed up to the viewing platform with us. As soon as the lift door opened, the view was "wow!". It was simply splendid- warm, clear, and fascinating. Futuristic high rise upon high rise meet desert!
Having soaked up views aplenty, we dragged a panting Mike around the Dubai Mall. As he doesn't choose to ever wear his $8000 hearing aids, he had prepared for the trip by doing 10 steps a day. Didn't hear me advise over and over:10,000 steps. Impressively, Wendy, who is 8 years older, is like a mountain goat.
Anyway, we admired the world's biggest aquarium and the skating rink in the Dubai Mall. Of course, the Gucci, Armani, Louis Vuitton, and other pretentious shops abounded. Wendy and I grudgingly admitted the handbags were beyond gorgeous!
We plonked ourselves in good seats in a cafe, to have dinner and watch the antics of the Dubai Fountain. All three shows we saw, set to different music, were great.
The taxi driver became lost on the way home to the Rose Garden Apartments, and graciously discounted our fare.
Finally, we hit the pillows of our lovely 2 bed, 3 bath, $100 double a night apartment and really slept!
Sun 31 Aug
I decided to go easy on the oldies, and only organized 2 day trips for today, limiting us to 10 hours of touring. Best to start off slow.
Dubai Private Tours are highly recommended. The morning tour was $159 for the four of us, and the afternoon tour, $299 for all 4. Beautiful cars, and great, Indian, English speaking, guide/drivers. They modified the tours to suit our needs...in short....could not be better!
In the morning we did over 4 hours seeing all of the city sights: the Gold and spice souks, a boat ride on Dubai Creek, mosques, mansions, the beaches, all of the Jumeriah area, Atlantis, Burj el Arab, some impressive skyscrapers and finally, the Mall of the Emirates, with the very impressive indoor ski slopes.
At 4 pm, we were picked up by a landcruiser and taken " out bush" , - minus the bush. The first stop in this Emirate ((State) was a place where you could hire quad bikes and traverse the dunes. We had fun watching others partake.
Then, we went dune bashing. Tyres down to 15 psi(!!!), we slid, spun sand, roared up hills and slid down dales. I'm never car sick, but my tummy was giving a good chuck up serious consideration!
To be fair, the driver continually checked on our coping skills. Miss whoosy, chicken, wimpy, scardey cat, otherwise known as Wendy the coward, smugly handed all of her titles to me!
So.. It was fun!
Then on to admiring camels, and " having fun watching others partake"!. We again declined this gratis invitation.
The sun dropped in the sky, a glowing red ball,which snuffed on hitting the horizon.
On to a place in the desert set up for dinner and a show. A cheap bottle of South African plonk was priced at $70AUS! Told them, they were dreaming. Soft drink was free!
The first act was Whirling Dervish meets Bollywood. I was impressed with his natural vestibular function.
The second act, was a Russian bellydancer, with some provocative moves. I could see beyond her alluring shimmies and proceeded to critique the technique. She was quite good, but would obviously never reach the standard set by Deb Larcombe, my dancing teacher of many years. And, I 'm not kidding!
Anyway, the meal was nice and it was a great excursion.
None of us slept too well, for some reason!
Mon 1st Sept 2014
Primavere( spring!)
Up at 5 am. Cooked brekkie, retrieve washing from the hothouse (patio), and off to the airport.
We were nice and early, but joined a long queue at Emirates. For a while, it looked like we would be "bumped", because we didn't check in online! Beware Emirates customers! We were told that they routinely overbook 10-20 per cent! Fancy ADMITTING that!
I asked whether this was advice to choose another airline next time, pointing out that they had been paid by us 10 months earlier!
Now...compared to the fiasco of checking in at Reunion Island, this was nothing. We waited for over an hour when actually at the check in desk on Reunion. Emirates. sorted this out in 10-15 mins- but sat us all apart.
Nevertheless, we arrived in one piece, with luggage, and met up with Barry and Leah, who had flown in early in the morning on Ethidad.
Our apartment is in a loft, in a building hundreds of years old. It's 400 m feom the Trevi Fountain, so the most central I've ever stayed in Rome.
Except for Wendy, we are a tall bunch, and heads have already connected with beams!
We went for a walk to the Spanish steps, which looked awful, as they are covered in scaffolding, for renovation. Shame for the other 4, who haven't been to Rome before.
Nevertheless, the stroll through the tiny cobblestone streets was lovely.
Then on to " Despar", the teensy supermarket, with mutiple zigzag corridors. We were in trouble for not weighing and labelling our fruit before coming to the checkout. " You should know this. It is the same as the US ". " We don't come from the US" . " Well, the UK" ... " We come from Australia" The look said it all: ( that explains why you're stupid!)
We staggered back to the apartment at Piazza Del Parliamento, where the lift holds 2 adults, and there are 9 BIG flights of stairs. Michael Taylor and Barry are like mountain goats going up these stairs, and Barry is in his late 60s! There are police everywhere( Carabineri), as we are across the road from the parliament.
Then a rum and co*ke each, followed by dinner at an inexpensive restaurant, just near our apartment.
We slept quite well!
Tuesday 2 nd Sept 2014
Watch out Rome. Here we come!
A 72 hour bus pass under our belts, we set off on a glorious fine day to explore Rome.
Enjoying great seats on the top deck, we watched Rome buzz through the day before our eyes.
Wandering down back lanes, we discovered a cute cafe, with a 3 course menu for 12 Euros- including wine and water. The food was delicious. The service fantastic!
Then on to St Maria Maggiore church. A masterpiece!
The Colisseum was a great hit. We imagined how it once hosted such bloodthirsty spectacles, glistening in the sun, covered by white marble,
Refuelling with groceries at our local "Despar", we ate dinner at our unit, before hitting the streets of our area at night.
Our area is so vibrant. All day long! But especially at night. We ambled with the crowds, in the warm night air, to the Trevi Fountain. Now, I 've been there 3 times. My friends had never seen it. Unfortunately, it had no water, and only the lower part was visible, as it is under renovation. Ditto- the Spanish Steps.
It is a lovely stroll from the Trevi, to the Pantheon, and on to Piazza Navone and then home to 3 Piazza Parlemento.
What a great day!
Wednesday 3rd September 2014
A hot day dawned.
We caught the hop on hop off bus to the Colisseum, and headed for Palatine hill. The Palace of the Vestal Virgins was closed! Most of the toilets were also closed!
There was still plenty to see. We wandered over this amazing site, imagining life two thousand years ago.
On to the Forum. History oozes from the relics.
Gasping all the way, Mike barely made it through to lunch. We found a cool, air- conditioned hotel, with an all you can eat buffet for 11 Euros!
On to Victorio Emmanuele 11 after lunch. The knackered other half stayed outside in a shady spot while we explored this magnificent monument.
Wendy ticked off conquering another of her fears- the glass lift to the top. Like us,she was rewarded with splendid views of Rome, and the huge statues at the top.
Found Mike, and caught the bus home.
The weather here is like Brisbane in summer. Blue skies and warm in the morning. Then the clouds gather for a storm in the late afternoon.
After putting the feet up at our apartment for 30 minutes, we headed to the Pantheon, dropping our jaws entering the chuch of Mary Magdalene, on the way.
The Pantheon is my favourite building in the world. Hadrian rocks! Gee, that bloke got around!
Mathematically perfect- it has been a Pagan, then, a Christian temple. It still is!
1900 years in continuous use! Surviving earthquakes and all manner of wars and uprisings!
The piazza outside has a magnificent fountain, with really scary sculptures.
As a bonus- there was a nearby shop selling leather handbags aplenty for 39 Euros.
Leah, Wendy, and I parked the blokes outside, while we raided the Lindt shop! Talk about heaven. It wasn't far from the gelati shop- with150 flavours!
The blokes witnessed high drama.
A very old Italian man, in a suit, came out of an apartment near the Mary Magdalene church. He had a watering can, and proceeded to water the pots and plants in the street.
Soon, an Indian chap came on to the old guy's turf, and tried to sell sunglasses. The old bloke took umbrage at this intrusion, and hit the Indian with his watering can.
The fight was on! Nearby shopkeepers pulled them apart! Oooh!
On to a restaurant. Sitting on the cobblestones drinking Italian wine, eating great ( very cheap) food, watching the world go by! Life doesn't get better!
We slept well!
Thursday 4 th September 2014
Vaticano day!
First up- the Necropolis Scarvi!
This is the archaeological dig under St Peter's Basilica.
As this is my third time I've had the privilege of seeing these excavations, I felt rather spoilt to be doing this again.
Our guide was wonderful. The fourteen of us were some of only 250 people a day who can experience this history- out of 25,000 a day who visit St Peter's.
The experience of actually walking down a real Roman street of 2000 years ago was gobsmacking!
A grave has been found of a man from Asia Minor, who lived 2000 years ago, to the age of 60-70, who was surrounded by graves, indicating his importance. Three churches have been built in layers, with altars over the site of his bones. He was wrapped in a shroud with gold threads. It seems that, in all probability, they are the bones of St Peter. Wow!
The tour finished in St Peter's, skipping the queues.
St Pete's never fails to impress! The Pieta is so beautiful! Michelangelo rocks. But, I really wonder... What was Bernini thinking, when he concocted that canopy?
Lunch was lovely. So nice. So cheap.
On to the Vatican Museums.
The old folks, who are my travel companions, were begging for mercy, at the end of this marathon. Not Barry or Mike Taylor. Just the others! We "did" lots of art, Egyptian mummies, sculpture, etc., before collapsing in the Sistine Chapel.
Deciding that waiting for the hop on hop off bus could be fatal.. We went in taxis back to the apartment!
A couple of wines later, Leah and I are off handbag shopping! As you do!
Fri 5 th Sept 2014
The handbag shopping went well! Leah is now the proud owner of a 29 Euro Italian leather handbag! Bargain!
Leah and I were mightily entertained by the two chaps selling the handbags! The different pronunciations of English words was discussed with much drama and animation.
We stumbled upon a church service, where the priest could really hold a tune. Very atmospheric in the gorgeous church. Instead of paying to light a candle for my friend, M. I've decided to give a beggar outside the church the money, instead. I'm sure M. will approve?
Forgot to mention the drama going from Rome airport to the city, on our arrival. I noticed my friend, Suzanne, had an incident at 3.30 am where a car was incinerated on the vacant block next to her place. When Di, Dan and the Fitzies were in Italy, we saw a car incinerate before our eyes, as well. Yet again, we saw a vehicle incinerate, within an hour of our arrival in Rome! Quite impressive!
Today, we were up bright and early. It was 13 km in two taxis to Avis- a depot situated in respect to Rome Central, as Acacia Ridge is to Brisbane. This avoided the worst of Rome traffic.
We have hired a reasonably large 9 seater van. Manual. Very wide! Good job the other half is a driver of some talent!
First stop- Pompeii. We hired a guide. Hot, but not as hot as my previous two visits. We stopped at an 800 seat music amphitheatre with great acoustics, to find a bride and groom. Their photographer took a photo of us with the happy couple- and gave us his card to link to his Facebook page. Never miss a business opportunity! The wedded couple were delighted to receive congrats from Aussies.
On to the big stadium, many houses, adorned with original frescoes and graffiti, shops, a brothel (with menu), a bathhouse, etc., The whole site is over 60 hectares, and much is undiscovered. The bathhouse had sections for women and men. There were lockers, and double floors and walls. Boilers filled the floor and wall cavities with steam to heat. Very sophisticated! Especially considering, that the place was buried in 79AD.
Heading south, we approached our destination, Amalfi town, from south to north, to hug the cliffs, rather than the ocean. This avoided Mike hearing blood curdling screams from Wendy and I, as we rounded the many blind corners, in the narrow road.
The views were breathtaking.
A traffic jam greeted us in Amalfi, which is tiny. The owner of our apartments greeted us in a garage up a tiny lane.
The two apartments are beautiful. Taylors and Nyes are downstairs, (24 steps from the road). Our bedroom is 79 steps from the road! This qualifies me for gelati tonight!
Dinner was in a restaurant a few steps from the apartments. Grilled prawns, and several types of very fresh fish, with potatoes, and the best tomatoes and rocket anywhere!
Saturday, 6th September, 2014
Slept like logs!
After a 5am thunder storm, the day cleared, and we ambled along to the ferry, past the cutest little shops!
The views from the ferry along the coastline to Positano were quintessential Amalfi, but not unlike The Cinque Terre. Beautiful.
We departed Positano for Capri.
Joining a small group, led by a bloke called Alfonso, we firstly ascended the tiny, steep road, which threads itself up the cliffs to Anacapri.
The views from these lofty heights were splendid. There were plenty of cute shops, as well as a 6800 Euro a day hotel. Wendy stayed on Terra Firma, and the rest of us enjoyed the views from the chairlift to the top. We saw the Phoenician steps- 920 of them to the top.
Alfonso's group enjoyed a 13 Euro lunch, including main course, bread, wine, chocolate cake and gelati! I wish restaurants in Australia were this cheap. The calamari was delicioso!
Descending down to Capri township, we enjoyed the Krupp gardens. More stunning views.
Then on to a boat. Just we six and a dozen young Japanese. Circumnavigating the island, we viewed many homes of the rich and famous. The colour of the water was iridescent blue and green, with incredible clarity.
Little boats lined up outside the Blue Grotto. The opening was rather small!
Home to Amalfi by 6.40pm. Tired and happy.
Cook the best ever Caesar salad! Imbibe Lemoncello! Life is good!
Sunday 7th September 2014
Father's Day!
After a leisurely start, we wandered down our street, and caught the ferry to Positano.
The shopping was great! Confined to two tiny carry-on bags, there was only room for one small present for Nanna May.
I planned s special treat for Father's Day! When in Italy 2 years ago, with my dancing friends, we visited La Tagliata Trattoria. This lovely restaurant is set high on the cliffs above Positano. All food served in La Tagliata comes from their farm which clings, in steep terraces, to the sheer escarpment.
Taking 2 taxis- I had forgotten how far this place was from Positano. It was up in the sky, with God! Sixty Five Euros in taxi fares later, we alighted to witness breathtaking vistas, up and down the coast.
The food was divine. Met Aussies from Sydney and Newcastle. Even though the place is quite small! What a memorable Father's day lunch. 180 Euros for all the masses of food, wine, sparkling and still water, for 6 of us.
We decided to catch the local bus back to Positano. Very squishy, but only 10 Euros for all of us.
Returned to Amalfi on the ferry, and jumped in the pool! Fantastic!
Needless to say, we had just cheese and crackers for dinner.
A memorable Father's Day, indeed!
Monday 8th September
Gosh, it's hot! Over 30C!
I thought we might have a problem filling in the day, before our 17.15 flight to Palermo, Sicily. Silly me!
We checked out of our lovely Amalfi apartments. I confess that I won't miss the 79 steps to my bedroom! The others had 24 steps to theirs, which was enough.
Wandering 100 or so metres down our street, we explored Amalfi Cathedral. At least, Wendy and Mike Taylor and I did. The others baulked at the 62 stairs! It's hard work going to church in Italy!
Dating from the 9 th century, there were amazing brass doors dating from 1066AD, a filigree mother of pearl crucifix from Jerusalem, 1300AD vintage. A 12th Century painting of St Andrew (the church is dedicated to him)... And so on.
Guests were arriving for a wedding, dressed in finery. The decor of multiple arrangements of red roses was stunning.
For 20 minutes each hour, cars are allowed to travel in our street. One way. Controlled by lights- 10 minutes each way. At the appointed time, we trundled off, dodging pedestrians, dogs, wheelchairs, and motor bikes. A motley crowd.
Mike's driving skills were impressive. Steering our large van around multiple blind corners on the Amalfi roads clinging to the cliffs, took some skill. Surprisingly, we all remained continent.
To say that the views around these famous bends were spectacular, would be an understatement. Especially on a beautiful day.
Past Sorrento, and up Vesuvius we motored. It was very quiet up the mountain, on a Monday. And cool! We found "Casa Rossa", a big restaurant in business since 1880. There were 2 waiters, a couple from Birmingham, and us!
The pizzas were HUGE, and delicious. Cheap too! Served with a sparkling red wine, it hit the spot!
The Tom-Tom GPS is playing up. Thank goodness for my iPad.
We managed to get lost in the back streets of Naples. This was fortunate, as we found a petrol station, to fill up our hire car.
Avis seems to have charged us a little too much. I'm sure the travel agent will sort it.
The in-flight shopping on Alitalia is interesting. You can buy saucepans, kitchen appliances... even treadmills!
After a totally thrilling- or maybe terrifying- trip from Palermo airport to our basic hotel, the Ambascatori, we are now sitting on the roof top terrace of our hotel, admiring the lights of Palermo. I must point out that we had a booked transfer driver- not Mike, driving. The Pope must be proud of this chap, because all passengers, no doubt, reach for the rosary beads, when he drives!
Looking forward to seeing a very hot Sicily tomorrow
Tuesday 9 th September 2014
The other half decided he was pooped and not feeling fantastic, so decided to spend the day in the hotel room.
The rest of the gang headed out with our driver/ guide, Tony, who is a really nice bloke.
Everywhere we go, we have run into the British. Today was no exception. The one amazing thing is that every single one we have met has been from Birmingham! What is it with Birmingham? Dreadful weather, bad traffic, and horrible prices all happen in lots of British cities, but the people of Birmingham have felt the need to escape to Italy, more than most!
Initial impressions of Palermo, yesterday, were somewhat disconcerting. A number of areas had uncollected garbage piled high. Apparently, ex jail birds and the unemployed are given Government jobs as garbos, and they are fond of collecting the pay check, and not doing the work.
Fortunately, our opinion of Palermo improved considerably today.
Despite the shocking traffic, the streets and laneways were fascinating. Baroque Palaces adorned all 4 corners of one intersection. There were so many wonderful, historic buildings. Unfortunately, many could do with some restoration.
We visited lovely Piazzas, the Palace, and stunning churches. The Chiesa del Gesu, featured marble sculptures and inlays, in a splendid display of Sicilian Baroque. The Palatine Chapel, dating from the 1140s, in the Royal Palace, displayed the finest mosaics. The fusion of Moorish, Christian, and Greek gods was fascinating.
The huge and busy Ballaro Market had the healthiest, cheapest, and most interesting fruit and vegies and bric-a-brac. We sampled local cuisine including Panelle- crushed garbanzo beans, rolled into sheets, and fried.
At one point, an ambulance, with sirens blazing, passed us. The driver wore a mask, and the passenger seemed to be the recipient of CPR. A funeral car followed 60 cm behind the ambulance, ready to snap up the business!
After a great lunch, sampling the local pasta cooked with zucchini leaves, and other, little morsels, we set off through heavy traffic for Monreale. Only 7 km from Palermo, on the hill, behind the city, this place has a truly stunning Cathedral and Abbey.
Many roads were closed, and Tony manoeuvred our car through tiny lanes with millimetres to spare, doing 25 point turns.
The Monreale Cathedral is a fusion of Noman, Arab and Byzantine art, with breathtaking mosaics. It is in close to original 12th century condition, never having been bombed in wars, and meticulously repaired as required.
The views were very pleasing, down to Palermo, basking under a clear, warm, blue sky.
We managed to just contact one car near our hotel, which is pretty good driving around here!
This evening, we went back to our roof top restaurant, and admired the sunset, over the many domes of churches, outlined against the backdrop of Mount Caputo. The food was quite good, but the service lousy. Obviously, the place is sponsored by Weightwatchers!
Looking forward to a big day tomorrow
Wednesday 10 September 2014
Tony, our driver, emerged looking fresh as a daisy, despite not having made it to bed till 1 am. He said the wedding he attended last night was excellent fun.
We headed out of Palermo to the western side of Silcily. First stop - the, ever so cute, hilltop village of Enrice.
Wendy fed their economy by purchasing a 4 Euro backscratcher. A very stylish one too.
Enrice is famous for pastries. The nougat was even better.
On to the saltpans at Trapani- where salt has been produced for generations.
A spear fisherman emerged with a few nice catches.
The next stop was a first. It was at an Aguriturisimo - a farm taking tourists. Olive oil tasting. It has been suggested that we won't need to join " Olive Oil Taster's Anonymous", any time soon!
Following the tasting, was a rich and varied meal, based on very old receipes. Produce and wine from the farm was showcased.
An unusual pasta dish followed. We begged for small helpings. It was all delicious.
On to Segesta, a major city of the Elymian people(Greek). A pretty impressive Doric Temple, stadium, and other buildings evoked images of a previously impressive town in 5 BC.
Our itinerary was supposed to include a visit to a local winery as well. We were pooped- and cancelled the winery tour.
As it was, we arrived back at our Palermo hotel, at nearly 7 pm!No need for dinner!
Thursday 11 September 2014
Another bright sunny day.
Leaving Palermo, we set off to southern Sicily, through craggy, dry mountains, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees. As it is the end of summer, which is dry, much of the grass was brown.
The truck stop on the way, had sublime displays of pastries, and great coffee. We declined the former. The group is becoming "effluent" in their own version of Italian, despite my efforts to teach some of the lingo. They just add an "o" onto everything. " Banko","grapeo" " openo", " delicio" etc., Wendy got caught at the truck stop. " Caldo". , in Italian means " hot"!
Arriving at The Valley of the Temples, at Agrigento, we hired a local guide, "Hilario"-said we could call her" Hilary".
The massive temple of Zeus was in disrepair. However, the other temples were very well preserved.
The temple of Giuone was very impressive. 6 colums x 13. The temple of Concordia was bigger( 6x16), and even better. Although this site dates from the 5 th century, BC, in the 5 th centuryAD, it was converted to a Christian church, adding some walls.
The Christians buried their dead in hollows carved in the sandstone city walls, and in sandstone on the ground.
Next up, was Temple di Eracle. We could easily see how the components of the columns were held together by notches in the centre, filled with wood and lead.
On to crusty bread rolls for lunch, and a big salad for Mike T.
Prickly pear are commonly grown in Sicily, for the sweet, soft fruit. The plants, at this time of year, are covered in fruit, and were commonly seen on our drive after lunch.
The 28C afternoon was spent in Piazza Armerina viewing the Roman Villa of Casale,in the centre of Sicily, Provence of Enna. This is the largest complex of mosaics which ancient Roman civilization has handed down to us.
The huge villa, which housed these mosaics and frescoes, was built in the 3rd and 4th centuryAD. It has to be one of the most elaborate hunting lodges ever built. Many animals were caught and sent to the Colosseum in Rome.
The villa contained over 40 rooms of mosaic floors and wall frescoes. One was 60 metres long! It was an encyclopedia of hunting, as practiced at the time. All up, 3500 square metres, of mostly, perfectly, preserved ceramic, mosaic floors.
The colours were splendid. African craftsmen were employed,and their style and skills spread to other local countries.
On to Taormina, our home for the next 3 nights.
This is a very touristy area on the Eastern coast of Sicily. Our hotel, the Jonic, is set almost at the bottom of a cliff, facing the beach. Of course, while it is very pretty,the sand is grey.
We had dinner in a restaurant clinging to the cliff, entertained by a bloke with a piano accordion and another highly annoying bloke with a high pitched whistle. This did wonders for Mike T's hearing aids, which he promply removed. We tipped them to away!
Another interesting day.
Friday 12 th September
Today was really different. It's not every day you get to trek up a volcano.
Mt Etna sparkled in the sunlight. Little blobs of snow survived the September heat, and yellow sulphur deposits glistened.
Tony drove us to 2500 metres, where the air was cool and somewhat rarified.
From there, all except our Group Chicken, Wendy, boarded a gondola to ascend further. Four wheel drive buses then took us to a location near the top.
Trudging over crumbling, black, lava, at 2900 metres, feeling a little short of breath, we viewed Etna's peak, at 3480 metres. We could see a flag, marking the location of the previous 4WD stop. An eruption on 26 th October 2013, destroyed that base.
Steam rose from cracks in the landscape where we trecked. Mike didn't take a jumper, and he must have been grateful for these little puffs of warmth.
In 1991, there was a very large eruption. The army bombed areas to divert the lava flow. Nevertheless, we saw houses and churches just peeking out of the lava flows, as a consequence of this eruption.
Back down to meet Tony and Wendy, and then a longish drive led us from southern Etna to northern Etna, through interesting villages. In the upper slopes, we noted some abandoned houses, but others were quite upmarket.
Arriving at Gambino winery, west of Taormina, we set upon the serious task of wine tasting.
Tony showed me an "App" , called Vivino. You phoograph the label on the bottle, and up pops reviews, prices etc., We added our own reviews. The cheeses and antipasto platters were very rich and filling.
The tasting ended with me doing a Cha Cha with some other Aussies from Melbourne.
Somewhat legless, we rolled back into the van, and said goodbye to Tony in Taomina. He had been an excellent driver, and very informative and fun bloke.
Our hotel in Taormina is 50 metres from a gondola, leading up the cliff to the main town. While Wendy was still under the influence, we pushed her wimpering self on to the gondola and explored the upper town.
Unfortunately, when completely sober, Wendy tripped over a projection from a restaurant table, and came a cropper. A restaurant immediately produced ice for her head. The bruises will be sore tomorrow!
We sat down at the restaurant, had dinner, and wandered back to the gondola, and our hotel.
A most fascinating day.
Saturday 13th September 2014
Retail therapy day!
It has to be said that Wendy is a shocking influence. And - today is our " day off".
While Mike recharged his batteries at the hotel, in preparation for more driving a hire van over the next five days, Wendy and I did some serious shopping.
Now, this is a challenge! The issue is that we are travelling with 2 tiny bags each, because 6 of us have to fit our luggage in the vans.
But... Where there is a will.... Wendy even braved the gondola, such was her retail passion!
The main shopping area in Taormina is Corso Umberto. This Medieval street is shopping heaven.
Brides and grooms were abundant in the several 13 th century churches, .exchanging vows, as per Catholic tradition. Flowers were everywhere, while operetic voices sang hymns.
Palaces also lined the Corso, and stunning views were respendant from the piazzas.
Apparently, Elizabeth Taylor, and Tenessee Williams, and similar glitteratee loved the place. We did, too.
31C was predicted. It felt more! The Mediterranean beconned, clear and blue. But shop, we must!
We met up with Barry and Leah for a cool drink, then Wendy and I blitzed the trinket shops.
She found a great shoe shop. Comfort extraordinaire! A lusciously soft pair of casual shoes for me, and 2 for Wendy.
A wee bit of Cameo shopping completed the indulgence. To compensate, we skipped lunch.
Taormina apparently has a great Greek- Roman Theatre. We found a small one, and it was just too hot to visit the big one. Having seen many, I was not too upset.
Resting for a while at the hotel, we reemerged for sustenence.
Just like a hot Brissie day, raindrops appeared. Ah... Cool!
We chose a restaurant 50 metres from the hotel. Risotto and a tiramisu shared with Wendy for me. Wine, sparkling water.. $25AUS each. Can't complain.
Tomorrow, two plane flights!
Sunday 14 September 2014
Just as well our driver picked us up 3 hrs 45 minutes before our flights today! And Catania airport is only 35 minutes from our hotel in Taormina.! Now, I've been in hundreds of airports throughout the world- including in China, which has 1.4 billion people! But the Sicilians get the prize for the most awful, lengthy queues, at Catania airport. You just have to see the funny side!
Having survived rude, pushy,young Dutch girls, and whinging Poms, who threatened to deck the people in front of them, we were on our way to Rome again.
Interesting things about domestic flights in Italy:
1. Airline staff take one look at us, and ask for our passports. Over and over.For domestic flights! They don't ask people who they take one look at, and decide they're Italian. For all they know, we could be from Northern Italy!
2. People take dogs on domestic flights, in little handbags with mesh for air!
Anyway, today's plan was to connect with a flight to Bari, in. Puglia.
Our African trip had us constantly flying back to Johannesburg to make connecting flights. Here, we have to fly way north to Rome, to fly south again!
So, everything went smoothly until Rome. An " emergency" closed the airport for an hour. Eventually, we arrived in Bari. From the air, Puglia seemed to be composed of the Adriatic sea, cobalt blue before us, and zillions of olive trees!
Avis wanted to charge us for everything under the sun! I chopped off 200 Euros of " frills".
So off we set! Really, it was easy driving, compared to Naples and Amalfi!
Our host, Daniel dal Corso, and his very pregnant wife, met us at our new home- the " Trulli" Mimosa and Magnolia.
Talk about different! Talk about interesting!
This arid area is famous for these stone houses with conical rooves, made without mortar.
They are mostly whitewashed. And come in groups of 2, 3 or more,little, conically topped houses.
Mike and I are in one, 2 bed, 2 bath house, and the rest of the the crew are in the adjacent house.
As the second shortest person in the group, I'm smugly safe! The others had better be careful in the doorways!
The two houses have a huge pool- at least 15 metres! But today, the temperature dropped to around 27C.
The nearest restaurant is a function centre, on the outskirts of Martina Franca- our nearby town. Called, " New Sunflower" it seems to cater to locals, rather than tourists, despite the name. This area is not big on tourists, anyway!
We were offered all sorts of things to eat, but the word "No" does not seem to be part of their vocabulary!
Initially impressed that each dish was 7 Euros, we ended up with a bill for 130 Euros. For 6 people, this is not bad- and we hadn't had any lunch. But we did not count on massive plates of chips, cucumber, prosciutto and cheese, bruscetta, pasta dishes etc., We ordered " Moet Chandon, for 4 Euros - and were delivered cognac!
Meanwhile, Italians in the restarant were celebrating a little child's birthday. The cake was splendid! The family was most welcoming to us and festive!
We waddled back to our " Trulli" and slept well.
Monday 15 September 2014
Slowly.. Ever so slowly.. We woke up.
A brilliant blue sky greeted us when we peeked outside our doors.
We met Paulo. Papa to Daniel, our host. Paulo knew way less English, than I knew Italian. This allowed me to brush up on my Italiano!
The men, including Paulo, climbed on to the roof of our Trulli, avoiding the prickles of the cactii, as best they could. Nice views!
I have never seen such healthy sage, lavender, rosemary, lavender etc., as in the garden here.
We eventually set off for Alberobello, and saw plenty of different types of Trulli along the way.
On to Polignano-a-mare, where we walked along the coastline, a little. The Mediterannean sea glistened a deep, blue. In town, there was a gorge, with a little beach. Parking was impossible! Navigating the tiny one way streets in our big van, with cars parked all along was so difficult, it was fun!
Anyway, we got the gist of the place.
On to Locorotondo. Some hair raising navigating the streets, backing up, turning around... And then we found. ... paradise...a car park with many free spaces.
Locorotondo was exquisitely beautiful. We strolled the delightful streets of the old town, then found a little cafe. Poor Mike T, who has coeliac disease, ends up having a salad every day, while we tuck into super delicious home made pasta and gnocci- all at around 7 Euros a serve.
On to the town, closest to our Trulli- Martina Franca.
No problem parking. Siesta time is serious stuff. Everything, except the churches was shut. Good job we don't need to buy anything. Of course, the ancient little laneways were picure postcard perfect. Stunning baroque churches from the 1600s and 1700s now made the count: 5643 churches we have admired. Why, on earth, you would need 2 massive Catholic churches 100 metres apart, I'll never know. The "People's Judean Front"versus the "Judean People's Front"?
Waiting till siesta finished at 4 pm, we picked up essentials at a little supermarket in town and headed home.
Dinner consisted of quite presentable 3 Euros a bottle wine, ham, cheese, tomato and toast.
All up, a great day in Puglia.
Tuesday 16 September 2014
Luckily, much of the time today, we stll had 2cm on either side of the van between our car and house walls. These country lanes were built in times when 9 seater vans were not contemplated. Mike did the male thingo of negotiating these teensy lanes, and sort of beatng his chest, King Kong style. The cheers of the other blokes were most ego enhancing!
After spending quite some time travelling on most country lanes in Puglia, through almost rainforest country, we travelled through Taranto, to Brindisi, to Lecce.
So we went south to the arch of the foot of Italy, and then East, then south.
There must be a billion olive trees here. Lots of fruit and vege growing too.
The Italians are not into cold storage of their fruit and veg. It is all seasonal and fresh. The taste of their tomatoes and stone fruit just explodes in your mouth.
We had a 2 hour drive through Taranto, to Lecce today. This is an over-the -top Baroque city. Unfortunately, everything was closing for siesta when we arrived. The concensus was that we had done quite a few insides of churches, anyway.
So, we did a big walk around town. Mike was concerned that " all of this walking was too much for Leah and Wendy". Fresh as daises, they told him not to worry. He groaned.
The town is yellow sandstone, and a bit weathered. There were Roman ruins, great piazzas, palaces, and masses of churches. As you would expect.
We eventually made our way to a cafe for a late lunch. So far, every waitress, and person we have met here, has gone out of their way to be bright, smiling and helpful.
Our waitress at this restaurant was like a flickering light bulb. A few seconds of surly rudeness, followed by a few seconds of happy attention.
As usual, Mike T had to have a salad, as nothing else was gluten free!
On to Ostuni- the city of white. Approaching the town, it glistened like a jewel, atop the hill.
Great aerobics! Mike again offered to stay with Leah in the car. Despite big blisters on her feet, Leah's sense of adventure was undeterred. Mike groaned again.
The church was less renovated, and a bit different, and the streets and piazzas very cute. As is common around here, the streets are paved in marble. Slippery. There were postcards of Ostuni in the winter, covered in snow. I would say there is a great opening for an orthopaedic surgeon in this area!
The day was around 27Cand the nights have dropped to 17C, so the weather has improved for travelling. Every day so far has been sunny and bright.
How lucky are we!
Back to "New Sunflower" for dinner. This time we thought we ordered a plate of chips for the table. Out came four huge plates of chips. The waiter prides himself on his English, but doesn't seem to understnd much!
We slept well!
Wednesday 17 September 2014
Today, we ventured to Matera. This was the setting for Mel Gibson's movie: " the Passion of the Christ" . It's certainly an unusual place.
As usual, our GPS took us through miniscule streets in towns along the way. Mike no longer finds this fun. I put him out of his misery, and turned the GPS on to " fastest route", rather than " shortest route".
A little panic ensued when the Carabinieri stopped our car. The international driving licence had been left at our Trulli home. One ipoliceman's finger was on the trigger of a pretty terrifying automatic weapon.
They looked inside the car, and then said: "Prego". I think they decided that getting antsy with us would be altogether too much paperwork! I wonder if the Caraninieri have been watching too many American movies!
Arriving in Matera, we were immediately confronted with some cave dwellings. Then the usual confusionof traffic, and trying to find a parking spot.
A bloke at the Tourism Info place sold us 6 walking tours for 15 Euros each, promising a total group of 10 English speakers. He omitted to mention that there would be a dozen Italians as well! We were initially quite cranky at this deception!
First, we had a 30 minute walk to meet the guide. This was lovely, with beautiful buildings, and wonderful views of the cave houses and churches.
The Italians were impressed that we were Aussies. They were all big fans of Megan Gale. Looking us up and down, they looked disappointed that her characteristics were certainly not shared by our group!
We noticed that Italians here had 13 "Stations of the Cross", rather than 12. The last one is the Resurrection. They include this, because in Matera, Catholics are optimists! ( Apparently!)
Mike Fitz was all tuckered out, at this stage,and the " New Australians" in the group looked scarily younger and fitter. He forfeited the 15 Euros and decamped to the car.
Plastered, " Egyptian Mummy"- like, with band-aids upon band-aids on their feet, Leah and Wendy soldiered on.
The guide, from "Sassi Tours" ( named after the cave dwelling districts, called " Sassi", should have been from" Sussi Tours"! Miraculously, his English Commentary took 20% of the time the Italiano commentary did.
My nasty streak surfaced, and. I listened VERY hard, to the Italian dialogue. I made sure to ask questions which would make the guide know I was on to him, skipping commentary in English!
Nevertheless, we certainly had our money's worth.
We saw abandoned cave houses, cave churches( there are 100 churches in the sassi areas!), modernised caves etc., It really did look like a 2000 year old village, except for the TV antennae.
Christmas and Easter are huge festivals in the sassi.
I found a use for Mel Gibson! Who would have thought? He has greatly improved the local economy of Matera, since his film.
In total, we walked up hill and down dale, for 4 hours.
On the way home, we again went to Alberobella. This time, for a proper look!
It was exquisitely beautiful. The trulli houses were so cute. Having vowed not to enter another church, we heard singing coming from the Basilica. Wendy marched up the steps, and we followed.
Mass was fairly well attended( especially for Wednesday, 4 pm). It was quite easy to follow the litergy.
The priest was quite young, and the congregation sang quite nicely. Some of us, then climbed the hill in the opposite direction, where there was a trulli church. A young person's funeral was just ending, and the crowd were releasing white balloons.
We were thirsty and starving, but no food is ever served till at least 7pm, so we headed home.
Deciding to give the "New Sunflower " a miss, we consulted Tripadvisor, and headed to an slightly dodgy area of Martena Franca. Next to a fish shop, was a little restaurant, called Osteria Pecheria Centomani. In other words, a chap called Centomani owns the fish cafe. We had the degustation menu. Unusual, and delightful. Mr Centomani's brother caught the seafood, and he oozed joyful passion for his food. All up,the bill was 220Euros- good value for 6 people in a top restaurant.
Last night in Puglia tonight!
Thursday 18 September 2014
Our last day in Italy, until we return to Venice in 13 days.
We decided to take our time, and left the Trulli Mimosa and Magnolia at 11.30am, saying bye to Paulo de Corso and his wife. They, along with their son, Daniel, had been wonderful hosts. Before we left, we roasted tomatoes using herbs from the garden, and treated ourselves to eggs, salmon and mushrooms.
On to Bari by a more scenic route. Lots of farms, winding country lanes, and, of course, trulli.
Mike was tired, and very anxious about finding our departure point for the ferry to Dubrovnik.
Traffic in Bari is sheer hell. Cars dive across your path constantly, others weave all over the road, horns constantly toot. It's madness. No wonder Mike put the van in the first space we saw, even though it was 2 km from the old city.
Close to expiring, he made it to the Old City with us. Cold drinks and pizza and a good sit down helped. He rested near the big Old Fort.
The rest of us ambled through the old city. It was another beautiful day, and, Bari has a lovely setting on the Adriatic. Having been spoilt with the fine vistas in Italy so far, Bari, unfortunately, promised much , but delivered little.
There was a nice promenade around the seafront, but the old town looked poor and run down. Doggie poo was everywhere, and graffiti adorned every descent building.
Somehow, Mike managed the slow walk back to the car.
We drove up and down the waterfront, trying to find the Bari-Dubrovnik ferry terminal ticket office. In vain! Mike was ballistic with anxiety, and no matter what the navigator said- she was wrong, wrong, wrong! Despite never giving a false direction!
Eventually, we found a couple of nice policemen. Also, the port gates opened, having been previously shut on our drive-bys.
The sign denoting our cruise company had been behind bars, covered by a canvas overhanging awning, and was 3 cm high, and 200 metres from the road. It's only my opinion, but I think that excuses us 5 passengers from not having spotted it!
If you think we had a hard time finding our Croatian cruise company- spare a thought for the Aussie backpackers we met. Laden with huge bags, front and back, they had walked many kilometres up and down the very large wharf area- repeatedly!
This was our first lesson in massive Croatian inefficiency!
Dumping our bags at the cruise terminal office with our 4 passengers, Mike and I headed to the airport to return the hire car.
The spectacularly frightening driving of the taxi driver who took us back to the cruise company office, hardly rated. We were numb! Even Mike had stopped arguing!
Buses were supposed to transport passengers from the cruise company office, to the ferry ( 3 kms away) every 5 minutes. A bus appeared after 35 minutes!
We almost fell into the bar on the boat and had a beer.
A bite to eat, and off to our cabins we went.
I assessed the loose, frail ladder to the top bunk. Even if Mike made it up there (and I doubt this would have been possible), he would never have made it down, without engaging the fire brigade. So, I ascended! Memories surfaced of climbing up little toe-holes in the train walls in China, 10 years ago.
Never, have I ever felt such a lumpy mattress! But it sure beats sitting in a chair the whole way. Nightie night!
Saturday 20 September 2014
Bit of a bumpy start to the day.
We rose early. A day trip had been booked for Mostar, Bosnia- Herzegovina.
When our tour guide was 15 minutes late, we rang the tour company. Repeatedly. Checking and rechecking the number
I then checked the departure point. We were at the wrong gate.
I did a "Cathy Freeman", and ran across the old city to the correct gate.
We had tried to ring the tour company 4 times. Also their emergency number. A travel agent at the gate who helped us, also tried. Eventually, 45 minutes late, we googled the company, found a mobile number, and that eventually answered.
The rather blunt woman, stated that we were 45 minutes late. When I explained that we had repeatedly tried to call, she said the phone was attended. It wasn't. She offered a tour tomorrow, when we are leaving. She refused to offer any alternative, and flatly told us to contact our agent.
So, it was really horrible. We had to amuse ourselves in Dubrovnik, one of the most beautiful old cities in the world.
For the first time, we had a showery day. Sounds like a green light for shopping!
I managed to buy a sturdy, practical, leather hand bag for travelling. The price was fantastic.
We lingered in a restaurant serving pancakes and bananas. People-watching.
Actually, we found a channel on the TV which shows the crowd in the main street. Sometimes they had umbrellas up, sometimes down. People watching by video surveillance.
The chair lift was closed, due to �bad weather". A few light showers is bad weather? Pity these people if they come to Qld in the summer!
Mike and I went to the Rector's Palace. Similar to other palaces in Europe. These chaps were elected for a month only, and during their term in office, were not allowed to leave the building, without permission of the Senate.
Later on, we visited the Franciscan Monastery. It's pharmacy has been in continuous operation since 1300AD. There were the usual relics of body parts of saints.
After some chilling out in our apartment, we headed out to "Defne". For a change, this was fine dining.Thet food was wonderful. Even at the cheap restaurants in Italy and Croatia, they have cloth tablecloths and napkins, and the waiers are always beautifully dressed. And always male!
We waddled home. It had been a great day, despite not being what we had planned.
Sunday 21 September 2014
Church bells ushered us awake. After a light brekkie, we made sure that we were at the correct city gate to be picked up for our drive to Orebic!
Fortunately, an early morning shower cleared to a fine and warm day.
It is confirmed - Croatia is beautiful.
Our driver was knowlegeable, safe, and spoke great English. The roads and traffic were so easy, and the views just gorgeous.
We travelled along the Peljesac Peninsula. At the isthmus connecting the mainland to the Peninsula, was Ston. For many hundreds of years it has been famous for producing salt- by evaporating sea water in large pools, as we had seen in Sicily. Part of the Republik of Dubrovnik, it's important economic position led to the construction of a wall which is second to the Great Wall of China. However, it's a long way behind that masterpiece! Built in 1333, it is 5.5 km long, and has 40 towers and 5 forts.
We arrived in Orebic at an hotel, on the edge of the sea. Of course, the beach was pebbly, but the water glistened, crystal clear.
The ferry arrived, at the little jetty. It was ancient and tiny.
The captain was a very, very, jolly soul, and relatively young to boot! With luggage on the roof of the little vessel, it listed cheerfully to one side, packed with passengers- maybe 20 people all up! We attempted to provide ballast!
Across the little inlet we chugged, and 15 minutes later, arrived in Korcula Town. Unfortunately, we only had time to glimpse the attractions of this pretty spot.
Korcula town is quite small, but well designed. The straight streets are designed to catch the summer breezes, and the cross streets are curved, so the winter prevailing winds are somewhat blocked.
For 47 km we travelled, over wooded, hilly, terrain, finally arriving in Vela Luka.
Just the place for a sleepy Sunday afternoon.
We decamped to a restaurant, with great service and cheap prices but variable tucker.
Unlike in Italy, where I can make some conversation, understand directions etc., I am totally ignorant of the language in Croatia. Apps on the ipad are so handy for languages, if a teensy bit slow.
Mike retreated to the hotel, and the rest of us went for a walk.
It didn't take long! The place is quite small.Still, it was nice to enjoy a pretty, peaceful village .
Our hotel, the Korkyha, is the only descent hotel in the village. It is either new, or very newly renovated. Ultra modern style. The bathroom is all glass! 3 walls of the shower are glass, and the toilet walls are glass.
Two thoughts: thank goodness there are blinds that can be pulled on the outside, AND: I bet the cleaner hates it!
Now people a few decades younger may think differently!
Tonight, we dined at Konoba Bata. This insignificant place, upstairs, above a bank, reminds me of Coconut Grove, at Sunshine Beach, my favourite restaurant on the Sunshine Coast.
The seafood was delightfully fresh and beautifully prepared. We were the only customers. Our waiter had worked on cruise ships, and had visited Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. We agreed with him that we lived in the best country on the planet. Everywhere we go, people tell us this. They mean it, and we know why.
The economy in Europe is really struggling, and has been, since the GFC. 30 per cent unemployment is normal!
At least the Europeans can see that we are doing our best to help!
Up at 4.45 am tomorrow! Nighty night!
Mon 22 September 2014
We did an imprompu Adriatic Cruise today!
So...Travel is all about enjoying the unplanned adventures. If you want life to go as planned- don't leave home!
Our tickets for the 5.30am ferry from Vela Luka to Hvar and return, were delivered to our hotel yesterday.
We were up, early and bright as buttons, in the hotel lobby waiting for our booked transfer at 5.15 am for the 5.30 ferry.
Nobody showed!
Rang the numbers on our travel documents, and the local agent sounded confused and tried to tell me the ferry left at 6 am. The tickets said 5.30. The hotel confirmed this was the case. We saw the only ferry for the day to Hvar leave in the distance!
A delightful man, who looked and sounded like my step-father, Steve, sidled up for a chat. Blokes that age are wont to stumble around in the dark at 5.30 am! He was Croatian, but had lived in Australia since the 1960s. Steve-Look-A-Like told us that there were ferries from Split to Hvar. Split is twice the distance. But, maybe we could travel to Split, and back track to Hvar?
Jogged down to the ferry terminal, where the Jadrolinja Ferry clerk was wonderful.
Although we would be on the ferry for 3-4 more hours than planned, at least we would see Hvar.
So, we travelled via some lovely islands, watching the sun rise. Arriving in Split, we wandered about the port, then boarded a catamaran to Hvar, via a place called Milna, on Brac island. Very picturesque.
Seven hours after departure, we arrived on Hvar. Same as Brisbane to Singapore!
We collapsed into a restaurant called Dorte Posteni. This turned out to be a delightful place, in the large main square. I picked the waitress for a Uni student. Indeed, she was doing her PhD. The restaurant had been in the family for generations, and the food was delicious.
After lunch, we all wandered together for a bit, then I set off climbing hill and dale. Another " Step Class". I found lovely alleys, laden fruit trees, a long lane with elaborate " Stations of the Cross", a beach, fishermen, etc., It was such a cute village.
There were some super duper fashion models in town. In our wanderings, both Leah and I, individually, came upon them shooting film. I skidaddled. Leah was asked to move on. They didn't want competition, I suppose.
Boarding the ferry to come home, a Croatian tour leader of a large American group, very officiously proclaimed that her group was ahead of us. I told her that we had been waiting 35 minutes, and were well before them. She curtly snapped that her group " was the line" ( because they had now arrived!) and we HAD to go behind them! I asked, by what authority did she have the power to give us orders... And asceded with "Well, I hope you have a lovely day" " it's a small issue, it's not Afghanistan" And then an American woman asked ME not be " "Ugly" about it! Maybe, when this young tour leader is more experienced, and has a lot more training, she will learn to ask"Would you mind if my tour group went on before you? ". Just maybe!
We stepped back and made sure Miss Princess's group pushed ahead. The catamaran was at least half empty! Our first really rude, bossy, Croatian! I'm grateful for people like her in the world. They make everyone else look good.
Especially, the " Steve- look-a- likes" , who put us on the right track to have a wonderful day.
Tuesday 23 September 2014
It comes in 3 s!
Yesterday was 29C. After a cracker thunder storm at 2.30am,we rose at 4.15am, to leave the hotel for our 5.30 am ferry.
Apparently, the cataraman we were due to board leaves it's original destination at 3.30 am, when the seas were too wild for safe travel. So, it was cancelled due to bad weather.
Anyway, it was lovely to sit in the hotel lobby, again, enjoying the decor, instead of catching up on sleep!
We were rescheduled onto the 6.15 am ferry. The same one we caught yesterday! The chap at the cafe on the ferry looked a little taken aback: " You come again?"
Why not? It's the cheapest Adriatic cruise ever.
Met a bloke on the ferry, whose son is director of Orthopaedic surgery at the Mater, Brisbane. I know him. Small world.
There are floods not far away from us, but here we now have brillliant blue skies. A more splendid day would not be possible. The humidity and temperature have dropped and the max is 22C.
Arriving in Split, we dumped our luggage at the very quaint " Hotel Diana" , and idled down to the bus station. Split looks lovely, but we are touring in town tomorrow. Today, we are travelling to Trogir.
As is usual in Croatia, walking through town in Split, we passed an ATM every 50 metres or so. No wonder! They only allow you such tiny sums of money each time- with a nice fee. Sounds like they are in cahoots with the Big Banks in Australia.
After a 40 minute bus ride, we arrived in the tiny, exquisitely beautiful village of Trogir. The iridescent waters of the Adriatic sparkled an intense blue.
On arrival, we spyed Princess Bossy Boots tour leader and her puppies. Shame they were leaving as we arrived.
We had a lovely time strolling through all of the sweet little streets, admiring the architecture. The Cathedral of St Lovro's ( 13 th -15 th century) entrance was adorned with a Romanesque nude Adam and Eve- plus fig leaves. Risque then, risque now!
The Treasury had 600 year old vellum hymn books, and also 400 year old hand written paper books in remarkable condition. Plus the usual saint body bits!
Every cupid angel was a male. And there were plenty of cupids in the 600 year old Baptistry.
The Kamerlengo fortress and Town Hall were also 600 years old. Very nice.
Dining by the water at Mirkec seemed a " must" , as the vistas were too good to miss. The bill was amazingly cheap, too! $12 each, including drinks.
A few small boats were bobbing up and down on the waterfront. For $5 each, we engaged a jolly( but chain smoking) skipper, to take us for a 45 minute jaunt.The beaches were the best yet on this trip. Still pebbly, but light coloured, with little stones. A few brave souls were having a dip in the perfectly clear water.
Unable to find a boat to return us to Split in a timely manner, we took the bus back.
An ealy night tonight! We haven't had much sleep the last few nights, and I seem to have a cold, and the old fella has a sore back! All of this fun is just so hard to take!
Wednesday, 24th September, 2014
The spectacular weather continues.
We started the day, with a great Brekkie at our cute abode, the " Hotel Diana" . I think there are only 5 rooms, and at least 3 staff.
I did my washing in the sink, and, as Mike's stuff is quite heavy, I put his into the laundry. Three sets of clothes. Washed and ironed- $11!
The waiter here is known as " Lovely", and claimed this was an English translation of his name. However, the receptionist let us into the secret. His name actually translates as " Violent" ! The latter does not suit him at all. You would swear he was Rowan Atkinson's good looking, and, much, much, more cheerful brother!
Last night, at dinner, Wendy( for once!) announced that she might even have TWO glasses of rose. Lovely poured her two glasses - AT ONCE! He then realised the mistake. So we all had a couple of glasses, and for the first time in days, had a great sleep.
The food is very good here, ( although a littly salty for my taste) and Mike is not into unnecessary walking, so dining at the hotel suits.
This morning, we had a fantastic guide called Vesna, give us a walking tour of Split - mainly the Diocletian's Palace. Built in the 3 rd century, it is still a pulsating centre of habitation.
3000 people currently live here. When the Romans ruled, there were only about 300 inhabitants.
The streets inside were originally 20 metres wide, but, over the centuries, buildings inside buildings narrowed some to not much more than a metre wide.
It was amazing to be in a living, breathing, building, occupied continuously for 1800 years.
We saw retail shops and banks using floors walked on for nearly 2000 years, incorporating Roman columns of the same vintage. Imagine an 1800 year old floor in Australia, where you spent the day shuffling around on the wheels of your office chair!
Mike had a sore back, but was able to stay for 3/4 of the 2 hour city tour. He spent the rest of the day relaxing at the hotel.
Leah and Barry spent the day exploring the town together, and Wendy, Mike Taylor and I climbed up to the city lookout, and had a beer.
The three of us then explored the Cathedral- formerly a Pagan Mausoleum, the temple of Jupiter, and the Cathedral crypt.
Wendy and I finished off the day wandering around the markets, and picking up a few small gifts.
On to dinner at the hotel where we all sang" Wouldn't it be Loverly"to our waiter.
Sigh! We check out tomorrow!
Thursday, 25th September, 2014
Sadly, we farewelled Lovely, and the Hotel Diana. Such a friendly place!
This time, we have a VW van. Aside from the fact that my seat belt won't click into the buckle ( but will into the buckle one seat over), it's fine. Barry and Leah bought a GPS- so much easier than using the phone and ipad for navigation.
First stop: Sibernik. St James' Cathedral( or St Jacob's) was built only in stone. No timber. No mortar. 15 th Century. The town is quite cute, and has a lovely boulevard by the water. However, we are either becoming immunised to churches or have been spoilt by the Italians!
On to Zadir. We've been surprised that Croatia is full of rolling hills, much less intersperced with towns and villages than Italy.
First stop: lunch. Consulting "Lonely Planet, we found a little konoba( family run restaurant, somewhat tucked away from the action - Na po ure. It was fine and inexpensive.
Then off walking we went.
St Doner's church is a round structure, built on top of a Roman Forum and Pagan church. It probably dates from just a few centuries AD. Some of the Roman forum has been excavated. Large chunks of carved colums and statues, 2000 years old, were just plonked in rows - out in all weather. If just one piece was in Australia or the USA - it would be behind glass in a museum.
Zadar had a couple of interesting sights, aside from squares, churches, city walls etc.,
On the seafront, pipes were arranged under the promenade, forming a " Sea Organ". The sounds were much more dramatic when passing waves were produced by seacraft.
Beside the Seaorgan was a large, 22 metre, circular solar panel, the Sun Salutation, which also functioned as a pavement. It produces a light show, from sunset to sunrise, and also powers all of the harbour lights.
We did the touristy thing, and rode on a cute tourist train around the old city, then walked back to the car, and headed to Plitvice Lakes.
The roads were brilliantly engineered, threading through tunnels in the majestic mountains.
No matter what information was fed into the ipad or GPS, it would seem this remote area was off the map. It must be said that this made the driver a teensy bit cranky with the navigator, who was doing her best!
I opted for the female thing. Stop and ask directions! This worked!
The Hotel Jezero, is one of only a handful of hotels in the Plitvice Lakes, National Park area. Talk about different to our last little hotel! It has 229 rooms, a sauna, pool, gym,tennis courts and BOWLING ALLEY!
I decided to be ever so nice to the American woman who rudely pushed in front of me at the bar! An American gentleman, obviously in her tour group, made a point of saying that I was first, before he ordered, despite my stepping back! I suppose not all of them think they own the world!!!
The tour groups were quarantined into one area for dinner, and the independent travellers, into another. This meant that half of our dining room consisted of Aussies, as we are stubbornly independent.
Our waiter cooked crepe suzettes at our table. He melted butter, added lemon juice, and gradually caramellised a pile of icing sugar. Then he added the crepes, ground hazlenuts and did the cognac flambe!
A big day!
Friday 26 th September 2014
Ah! The crisp mountain air! It was a nice change to don coats and walk in the pristine environment of the Plitvice Lakes.
As independent travellers, we often have interesting conversations with a diverse group of people from around the world. In a tour group, people tend to just mix with their group, and opportunities for lingering, or doing things on the spur of the moment, do not exist. Again today, we had interesting chats with people from Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Germany, the US, and lots of Aussies.
Our current place of indulgence, The Plitvice Lakes, are a series of travertine lakes-12 upper, and 4 main lower lakes, which step down the mountain range. The Calcium carbonate from the dolomite leaches out, and mixes with debris, to form a series of travertine barriers.
After negotiating the many steps from the hotel, down to the lake, we boarded a quiet electric boat across Lake Kosjak, the largest lake, at 4 km long.. Trout were aplenty, ducks played, and the clarity of the water was near perfect. Reflections mirrored the deep green forests. The trees hinted that autumn leaves would soon explode with colour.
Next, a boat right down lake Kosjak. Northern Croatia had descent rain a few days ago, and, as a consequence, countless waterfalls and streams were simply spectacular.
We set upon a big walk. Miraculously, all of us managed the many climbs and dips, and were rewarded with splendid views. The lakes and waterfalls certainly seemed to be at their best.
After a brief stop for lunch, we headed in a different direction, eventually climbing a big hill, and boarding a tourist road train.
This took us past the other upper lakes. Returning to the stop near the hotel, Mike Fitz bailed, joining Leah, whose feet had put in a sterling effort.
The Taylors, Barry and I, were gluttons for punishment. We headed back across the nearby Lake, and embarked on another walk. Wendy, who is almost exactly a decade senior to me, finally caved in. She deserves a medal.
Barry and I continued a little longer, before we, too, admitted, that a whole day of trekking up and down hills, has it's limits, no matter how striking the scenery.
The aches and pains could be worse! A deep bath was nicely soothing!
Our hotel is a bit quirky. The door to the balcony does not lock. Having a shower completely floods the bathroom. If you want to go to the fourth floor in the lift, you press 4, and when you arrive, the lift says you are at "2"! If you think we were confused, you should have seen the Japanese!
When you go to " Entance 2" in the Park, this is "S1", and so on. I think these Croatians are having a little joke!
Unfortunately, not all of this holiday has been fantastic. That's life. A week ago, we learned that Brendy and Andy's daughter, Zuzu Ella, was born 19 weeks early, and did not survive. Their first child. Our first grandchild. My parents' first great grandchild. It's always difficult to see your children go through pain, and I wish I could have been home to support them. Brenda and Andy are wonderful, loving, mature, individuals, and will get through this stronger than ever. We are very proud of them.
Tomorrow- to Zagreb!
Saturday 27th September, 2014
Off to Zagreb we went!
Deciding to skip all but a loo stop on the way, we firstly, enjoyed the mountain scenery. Sheep, rolling hills, deep green pastures, and houses reminiscent of the countryside in Southern Germany, or the Czech Republic, passed by.
Then, villages, with some vestiges of war. Bullet holes and damage still not fixed, in a few cases. Dating from the early 90s.
Negotiating the tram tracks, we managed to park our van and walk to the Hotel Dubrovnik.
Two points:1. Yet again, a Croatian man noted confused travellers, and rushed to help us find our hotel.2. Croatian logic: the Hotel Dubrovnik is in Zagreb!
Thanks to "Lonely Planet" , we confidently set out on our walking tour. The only problem was that I rotated the map 90 degrees. The Dolac markets were vibrant, and the main street, Ilica, buzzed. But where were the sights?
Another helpful Croatian noted our confusion and orientated us.
Then- we were unstoppable!
Up the ancient funicular we trundled. Yet another Croatian took pity on us Aussie yokels. As we rose to the Upper Town, he proclaimed that a canon would be fired from the Lotrscak tower at the stroke of noon. The tower was right beside us.
Bang! Despite the warning, I nearly jumped out of my skin!
Apparently, Zagrebians set their watches by this daily event.
The upper town was picture postcard stuff. St Mark's Church sported a most emblematic roof - displaying several medieval coats-of-arms.
Guards, in fine regalia, protected the entrance.
On to the Stone Gate. The legend says that a fire in 1731 destroyed the wooden gate, only sparing a painting of the Madonna and child. Devout people were praying, laying flowers and prayer cards at this site.
We passed by the quirky Museum of Broken Relationships - not far from the Museum of Mushrooms.
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was most impressive, with marble altars and a pulpit, and a massive painting, which must have been at least 30 metres high. It's twin spires dominated the landscape.
Luckily, we were outside the Cathedral, on Kaptol Square, for the "Changing of the Guard". This was a most impressive ceremony, involving rituals with swords, funny hats, and horses. And- lots of good looking young soldiers .
Across the road we wandered to Kaptolska Kiet - a restaurant famous for Zagreb specialities. As with nearly all Croatian restaurants, it proffered beautiful tablecloths and napkins, and main meals- $7-12. Waiters in Italy and Croatia are ALWAYS beautifully dressed and presented. This place was no exception, but service was a bit slow. It was, nevertheless, very good.
Back to our hotel to check in. Mike's back was giving him a bit of jip,and he stayed at the hotel, so I wandered with Leah and Barry. Wendy and Mike sorted some techo issues at the Apple shop.
We boarded a tourist "train", which trundled us around the city. It was free! Then we walked around the cute and colourful streets. Noting one of the many bars offering "Mai Tai's" for $7, Leah and Barry acceded in a nanosecond to enjoying pina coladas with me.
Finally, dinner was at " Vinodol"- a very classy, but inexpensive restaurant specialising in Central European cuisine.
An early start again tomorrow!
Sunday 28th September 2014
We booked a non smoking area at Vinodol restaurant last night. Smokers are everywhere here, as in much of Europe. They think nothing of having a nice meal with friends, and, unapologectically, blowing smoke right in their face. Of course, we find this quite disgusting!
The room was lovely, the waiters beautifully dressed,and smartly groomed, and the tablecloths and napkins crisply ironed. Service was somewhat slow, but it was Saturday night. The food was authentic Croatian, as was the wine. Overall: very nice. I'll miss this indulgence in Australia!! Zagreb has been a delightful surprise. Squeaky clean, vibrant, and an exciting, and artistic blend of the old and new. It's hard to imagine that this city, and it's lovely people, were at war only20 years ago.
Up with the chooks, or in this case, with the church bells, we headed off to Samobor. The brilliant blue skies in Zagreb, gave way to early morning fog, mystically cloaking the countryside.
As usual, Barry and Leah's new GPS, guided our way. It was also mightily entertaining! We were frequently directed to streets enunciated with at least 56 syllables, causing us to dissolve in howls of laughter. My friend, Noela, has come to the rescue, promising an emergency drop of hundreds of vowels!
In Samobor, , a few little coffee shops showed signs of life, and stragglers were wandering off to church, in this quaint little town. Samobor is in a little valley, with a babbling, clear stream hurrying through the town. We explored the back streets, Stari Grad (Old Town), and country lanes, and then set off for Rijeka, through deep green, luscious , farmland.
On and on through beautiful countryside, and wonderfully engineered roads. In fact, the Croatian roads have been splendid! Of course, many are toll roads.
Not only are the roads great, but the drivers are courteous, actually stop for pedestrians on crossings( unlike the Italians who think crossings are simply road decorations), and they don't ignore every parking and road rule ever made( like the Italians)!
We wandered into Rijeka. This is Croatia's 3rd largest city. We had aspirations of visiting the hill top fort. On a perfect 25C Sunday, with brilliant blue skies, every inhabitant of Croatia, their buddies and foes, all decided to ascend the slopes and have a wander and a coffee in the sunshine. No parking to be had within the walking capabilities of Mike Fitz. So we descended the slopes.
We enjoyed the burbs, and then drove through the city. The harbour sparkled a dazzling blue.
Following the coastal road, we ventured on to the Istrian Peninsula, and stopped in Opatija. The Venice of Croatia-apparently!.
Opatija was a delightful coastal town. Any similarities to Venice, certainly were lost on me. Despite the lack of any beaches, sunworshipping souls were laid out on sunlounges on concrete beside the crystal clear Mediterranean waters. A few brave souls plunged in.
We settled into a seaside restaurant, which was one of the best. The beautiful tablecloths, dapper waiters, perfectly cooked food, and splendid day, were an intoxicating mix. $100 for 6 of us! As I said- I 'll really miss this in Australia!
Along the coast we meandered, drinking in the breathtaking views.
Then inland, past sleepy villages, and one jolly ugly coal fired power station in an otherwise beautiful valley. ( And Joe Hockey thinks wind farms are ugly? )
Arriving in Pula, we trundled through drab and sleepy streets and found our hotel - Fawlty Towers- otherwise known as Hotel Galija. It would appear that the people in this hotel have not yet heard that Communism is no longer the " in thing"!
A very pleasant, German speaking girl called Lucy- who had reasonable English, greeted us. The hotel is split- 26 rooms are in two buildings across a road. Despite booking nearly a year ago, Wendy and Mike were directed away from the rest of us- across the road.
That would be fine, but their room was up 6 flights of stairs, in the attic, in a hot, musty, and tiny space.
I sweetly objected. Wendy is NEARLY SEVENTY! She has bad KNEES, has suffered CANCER- MANY times- blah ,blah!
Oh, " We are fully booked!".
" I'll have to visit her in HOSPITAL, if you don't help!" Blah! Blah!o
Wendy and Mike are now in a " suite" on the ground floor of our building!
Of course, the towel rack falls off the wall, if you dare to hang a towel. Of course, the bathroom floods, and the shower rose is navel high. Of course, the hot water takes 15 minutes to come through, and the room is thick with mozzies.
We, on the first floor, also enjoy these features.
Dinner: oh dear. Repeatedly asked Lucy about the "soup of the day" . The mystery was solved, when my Weight Watchers meal arrived. Clear consomme.
Leah and Barry ordered well done steak. It arrived rare. Tried to attract Lucy's attention. She was busy doing laps of the road between the hotel buildings.
Saw the cook. When we attracted her attention, she sort of shrieked and ran away from us.
Did I tell you that the Hotel Dubrovnik in Zagreb was 4-5 star? Yes, it really was.
Now, I know why that gave me an uneasy feeling! Had an inkling that good stuff like that couldn't continue!
Anyway. Here we are, and more exciting adventures are planned for tomorrow!
Monday 29 September 2014
A bright and glorious day greeted us. 24C. Felt hotter!
For a hotel, which we were told, had all 26 rooms booked, we have only seen one Danish man on business, and 4 Japanese tourists! So the brekkie room had plenty of available tables. Very sus!
Anyway, it's hard to stuff up cornflakes, so they earned a tick!
We headed off for Rovinj, north of Pula. Boats glistened and bobbed on the startlingly clear harbour waters.
We stopped for coffee. A tea drinker, Wendy carries her own tea bags. You really have to watch your turn of phrase while travelling. She asked for hot water for the tea bag, and milk. Not clear enough! She was served dilute warm milk!
We have found that when reading menus- never read aloud! Those items appear at the table! Do not say " not the .... (Salad).. Insert word here! "Not" is read as an affirmation. Also order one at a time- do not say: "two ice-cream cones, one lemon, one chocolate". You will receive one ice cream with two scoops!
Ask for the order to be repeated back. This gives you a 50/50 chance of receiving remotely what you ordered. We are real wizards at all of this now.
Anyway, Rovinj was wonderful. Cute streets, lovely shops,lots of artists, and crafts, a nice steep hill to the citadel, and great views.
Little schoolchildren were busy drawing the Church of St Euphemia, and it's bell tower, modelled on St Mark's in Venice. The dour teacher did not appreciate our words of encouragement!
St Euphemia's statue stood triumphantly atop the Bell Tower, making herself useful to this day, as a wind vane. The poor woman was persecuted for her Christian beliefs by the Emperor Diocletian, and tortured and fed to the lions in AD304. Nasty!
Inside, she had a nice marble tomb. Interestingly, we noted photos of a visit by Pope Francis to Rovinj and Pula 12 months before. A local chap had been beatified and a big ceremony with 25,000 people was held in the very impressive 1 st century Roman amphitheatre, in Pula.
On to Porec, which was similar, except for the impressive Euphrasian Basilica. Also, of note, was the fact that the polished stones and main street of Decumanus, date from Roman times, so people are still walking on the exact same stones, and place, that humans did 2000 years ago.
The Byzantine Basilica dates from the 6 th century, built on a 4 th century oratory.Inside, the mozaics were stunning, and the archeological digs beside the church, with more external mozaics, dated to Roman times.
The setting of Porec is lovely. It is a mecca for beach lovers, who lie on pebbles or concrete, before diving into the perfectly clear waters.
Back to Pula. Mike rested, after the stressful driving. I set off on a power walk, to see every old street and sight in Pula. trudging all around the Citadel, i crawled up a cliff for better views. Coming down was a tad tricky!
The Roman Ampitheatre was certainly impressive- especially as it's 2000 years ols. There were arches, relics, the Temple of Augustus, the Cathedral( rather plain, actually) , harbour views, cute streets and cobblestones a plenty.
We all regrouped for dinner, carefully counting our last Kuna.
Tomorrow, we travel to Venice, and the day after leave for home.
Tuesday 30 th September, 2014
There is a lot of fuss here in Venice. The internationally aclaimed human rights barrister, Amal Alamuddin, married an Italian actor. It's a big deal!
Not only that, but dozens of boats, of all shapes and sizes, amassed on the water, just near our apartment, tooting and tooting their horns. Police were buzzing around on jet skis and speed boats.
At first we thought it was the happy couple out for a bit of a boat ride, and the natives were giving them friendly greetings. But, no, it was a protest against workers' ( lack of) rights, trying to blocade a huge cruise liner coming into port, to cause strife and enbarrassment.
Our hire car company sent a driver to use our hire car to drive us to Venice. We were told a one way rental was not possible. It was. Anyway, it was more relaxing to be driven! He told us that if we were Croatians we would "cry every day". Low wages, unemployment, high prices etc., In Croatia, they seem to have gone from the extreme of Communism to the worst of Capitalism.
We briefly toured through Slovenia, handing over passports at the border. The yawning customs chap didn't even glance at us! He just stamped them all, and we were on our way again.
After buying one day(for us)and 3 day passes for all public transport here in Venice, we found the vaporetto which stopped right at our waterfront apartment door.
The owner of the 3 bed, 3 bath apartment met us, and gave a very detailed explanation of the facilities. He was the quintessential dapper Italian. George Clooney's brother, I suppose.
After a wander around, admiring the buildings, little boats, and gondolas, we hopped on the Vaporetto at our other nearby station, "Salute",( almost directly across from St Mark's square) and rode up the Grand canal.
We found a restaurant, "Autobus" , on the water, almost beside the Rialto bridge. Three courses, 20 Euros. Nice food, too! It was nearly 5 pm and we hadn't eaten since 7 am!
As the sun started to set, we rode back up the canal, to Piazzale Roma, and then hopped on the vaparetto back to our apartment, chatting with some lovely Americans on the boat.
All except Mike Fitz, then did another big walk along the waterfront, to a largeish supermarket for supplies.
Tomorrow, we go home. The other two couples have 2 more nights in Venice.
Aaah!
Wed 1 October
Sitting in Venice airport, chatting to a nurse and her husband from Toowoomba, who are also doing the Venice-Dubai-Singapore-Brisbane long haul with us! Of course, she knew my cousin!
Venice decided to turn on the drizzling rain today. Nevertheless, I ventured out with the others, while Mike rested at the apartment.
The queue outside St Mark's was impressive! Bought a little man on gondola for my trinket cabinet for 22Euros.
My wonderful yellow carry-on bag (which I have been using as checked in luggage) had the handle, which extends, break. Barry had a good shot at trying to fix it with a Swiss Army knife, to no avail, so we put the handle in the bin, and I've had to carry it the last couple of days. As you know, we have done all of this travel with the equivalent of 2 carry-ons. I really didn't use my spare camera, or telephoto lens, or my togs, but everything else was worth carrying.
I'm missing my family, my friends, my staff and (most of) my patients. Also my shower! Why is it that showers everywhere else are almost universally difficult?
The best part of the trip was sharing it with wonderful friends, who put up with Mike snapping at me for using words not to his liking when navigating, and me, snapping back!
We have been so lucky to have only had 2 rainy days, which were not a bother. Croatia was wonderful- beautiful, clean, Mediterranean waters, lovely people( except one!), fantastic scenery, great roads, and cute towns. Not only that- nearly everyone speaks pretty good English!
Italy was romantic, full of history, interesting sights, a lovely language, and George Clooney!
We have been so, so lucky!
See you all soon!
Maureen
Monday 6 th October 2014
Bet you thought you'd heard the last from me!
We just had the perfect end to a holiday. Bronwen and Peter's wedding in Hobart.
Just when I was wishing I 'd never get on a plane again, we jetstarred off early Saturday morning, the day after we arrived home.
The flight home was slightly disgusting, although Venice to Dubai was good.
A young Scandinavian man behind me must have gone mad in Dubai airport escaping Sweden's strict laws on alcohol. Just as we started taxiing, he started the mega spewing. The plane stopped, but the staff decided to let him stay on the plane. His mate talked ten to the dozen begging them. I was lucky to be just outside the vomit spray zone.
The woman in between Mike and I announced that we had "drawn the short straw" having her in between us. She proceeded to constantly cough and sneeze, and tell us how sick she was, all the way to Brisbane. That is- when she wasn't taking up 10 cm of my seat and sticking her elbow between my ribs! Oh, it must have been so nice at the pointy end of the plane!
Robbie picked us up, and I managed a couple of hours sleep, had an emergency visit to the hairdresser, and then spent the afternoon at work, sorting mail and emails, and having a good chat to my wonderful locum, Sue. Absorbing the mischief my naughty patients has inflicted on her; I went home, did mail there, and packed for the wedding.
It was wonderful to catch up with Andy and Brenda, Friday morning. They settled on their house at Sunrise Beach that day, and have been busy sanding and coating the floors over the weekend.
Jetstar wasn't too bad. Mike's seat had big lumps of chocolate on the floor, and sticky stuff pasted over every surface. Comes with the budget service!
After arriving in Hobart we checked into our Airbnb apartment at 82 Hampton Rd, Battery Point. What a bargain! What a mansion! We only used a fraction of it. Didn't even go in the "reading room", didn't use the spa, or two bedrooms, or two other bathrooms! It was a renovated former hospital.
Caught up with Bronwen, Peter, and the gang on Saturday, and friends, Helen and David, for brunch at Bellerive on Sunday morning.
Although a bit chilly, and a bit windy, the weather was fine for the wedding. St David's park, and the magnificent rotunda, looked splendid.
A piper appeared at the gate of the park, and the bridesmaids led Bronwen, l arm in arm with Angus, her son, down the path. Gus looked very handsome in his kilt.
The service was romantic and funny. Bronwen refused to obey, but did promise to supply party pies for all footy games, forever.
The reception was great fun, with a talented Celtic band, dancing, and much merriment.
So, here we are, in the teensy little airport in Hobart, awaiting our delayed flight.
Back to paperwork, bedlam, friendly patients, my wonderful colleagues, and my adorable family. A truly magnificent holiday ends.
Back to Maureen's Home Page.
Mike and Maureen can be contacted on either�
Mike's email [emailprotected] (more often) or
Mike's mobile +61 418 275 275 (0418 275 275 from within Australia)
Fitzsimon IT Consulting
