Wednesday, May 13, 2009

A Never Ending Story







So here we are several days later again, we do not have time in the evenings to blog honestly so sorry. We are either out late have no internet or just plain don't have time. So a catch up again. Since my last entry we have been to Dachau Concentration camp in Austria. Not as bad as I thought it would be but none the less how could a world at war have left so many people in the danger of so few..



After our few hours at Dachau we had beer (well I didn't but others did ) in a Munich Beer Hall. Tons of fun and we ate Sausage not so much fun.. Then into the Austrian Alps seriously mouth dropping scenery for us. We walked to King Ludwig's Castle and I mean we walked for ages like 1 and a half hours and then some of the steepest walks ever . What a day. After the walk we luged down the hill some distance away but not before we ate a wonderful lunch bought by Renae and Rolinka and prepared by a few of us. Oh and we got to be part of a German wedding, which arrived at the church while we were eating lunch. We just can't believe how things are turning out. Then after 2 nights in Austria and some serious exercise we travel to Venezia. What a city. A maze of streets, littered with Gelatia bars, (icecream) and neat little restaurants and bars along the canals. And if like us you get really lost there are some amazing little nooks and crannies to explore. We found a Venetian man making masks and watched him layer the paper in the mould and talked to him about his craft before we bought two (yep two) and we had already bought one, masks, but they are gorgeous. I also bought a Venitian glass beaded necklace beautiful, from a local lady who makes them herself so I love the story behind the buy as much as the purchase.


And so now here we are in Florence. We went straight to the David this afternoon and I really cannot believe the beauty of this statue. Adrian & I were totally blown away. He is 17ft tall and so beautiful. We had a tour of the local area tonight and then dinner at the most fantastic restaurant. What fun we had. Tomorrow we go to the Uffizi Museum and the free time to get some bargain leather I hope here in the leather city.


We haven't had the best news with little Lucas over the days though. Firstly his heart is looking great and no operation looks likely, but today we heard that he may need some lver treatment waiting to hear in the morning. Our poor little baby grandson. Oh it's hard we want to go home sometimes. On Thursday we will be meeting with Ashleigh and Danielle in Rome fantastic cannot wait. Fill you in later. Ciao

Saturday, May 9, 2009

So it has been a few days since my last entry mainly because we have had no internet connection, that was working efficiently and partly because I just haven’t had time. Talk about full on, we are on the go all day from waking to literally falling on the bed at the end of the day. Since my last entry I think we have been to Amsterdam, Haarlem was where we spent the first few nights and a day trip to the drug and sex capital of the world, the big A. Not really what I expected to be honest. We did a very brief walk through the outer few streets from a boat we were on to the train station. There were a few girls in the windows but when they saw us coming and realised we were tourists and not customers they pulled the curtains. In Haarlem on our second night we got together with two other couples and went for some great Italian food. Geordine & Scott from Hawaii and Ron & Becky, from Alabahama. It was interesting really awkward at first and then after we all ordered and started to relax a little it was good fun.
After our time in Haarlem we drove to Bacharach via the Keukenhof gardens. The largest tulip gardens in the world. Beautiful, really beautiful. Bacharach is on the Rhine River and we stayed in a hotel which in part is over 700 years old. Our room was the honeymoon suite, given to us by our guide Rolinka, because Alicia gave birth to Lucas Adrian at 9pm Australian time as we were on our way there. It was a special treat for Oma and Opa how cute. The room was in a tower in what was once one of the defence buildings. It was cool. Early on the first morning, we went for a walk up the hill behind our hotel and found the Werner Chapel and its monument to the Jews killed by the Germans. A red glass window installed in the ruin of the chapel. Later that morning we went walking with Herr Jung, what a treat. He is a retired school master, German and a great story teller and historian. We then got on our bus and drove to St. Goar where we had lunch on the river and walked up to the Reinfells Castle ruin. What a hill. Then a ferry ride down the Rhine home to Bacharach. Dinner was fun that night at the Rhine Restaurant with Ron & Becky, Geordine & Scott, Stewart and Darlene, Gretchen. A few others were in another room but I hate to say I think we were the noisiest. Oops seems to be my story. It was fun though. Found out that I don’t actually want to spend too much time with Stewart, quite crude and very critical of a lot of the others here. A big drinker too and a bit of a show off.

Today we drove to Rothenburg another cute little German village. Adrian & I walked the city wall, climbed the only remaining defence tower, that is open. And the 135 steps were scary let me tell you!! We then had lunch of curry wurst and pommes, translate sausage in gravy sprinkled with curry powder and chips. Yummy!!!! We found an amazing Christmas decoration shop seriously about 4 floors deep and huge. Germans must love Christmas!!!!
We bought a couple of goodies and I got a Madrushka doll 10 pieces and so gorgeous. A stacking doll, for all the uneducated. Ha ha! I seem to be coming down with a bit of a cold not good so I am taking lots of cold tablets at the moment.

Of course our big news is little Lucas how exciting. We have been receiving pictures on Ade’s phone and he is gorgeous. They are saying he still needs to have an operation tomorrow. But we are still praying he will be healed.

Travelling around

So it has been a few days since my last entry mainly because we have had no internet connection, that was working efficiently and partly because I just haven’t had time. Talk about full on, we are on the go all day from waking to literally falling on the bed at the end of the day. Since my last entry I think we have been to Amsterdam, Haarlem was where we spent the first few nights and a day trip to the drug and sex capital of the world, the big A. Not really what I expected to be honest. We did a very brief walk through the outer few streets from a boat we were on to the train station. There were a few girls in the windows but when they saw us coming and realised we were tourists and not customers they pulled the curtains. In Haarlem on our second night we got together with two other couples and went for some great Italian food. Geordine & Scott from Hawaii and Ron & Becky, from Alabahama. It was interesting really awkward at first and then after we all ordered and started to relax a little it was good fun.
After our time in Haarlem we drove to Bacharach via the Keukenhof gardens. The largest tulip gardens in the world. Beautiful, really beautiful. Bacharach is on the Rhine River and we stayed in a hotel which in part is over 700 years old. Our room was the honeymoon suite, given to us by our guide Rolinka, because Alicia gave birth to Lucas Adrian at 9pm Australian time as we were on our way there. It was a special treat for Oma and Opa how cute. The room was in a tower in what was once one of the defence buildings. It was cool. Early on the first morning, we went for a walk up the hill behind our hotel and found the Werner Chapel and its monument to the Jews killed by the Germans. A red glass window installed in the ruin of the chapel. Later that morning we went walking with Herr Jung, what a treat. He is a retired school master, German and a great story teller and historian. We then got on our bus and drove to St. Goar where we had lunch on the river and walked up to the Reinfells Castle ruin. What a hill. Then a ferry ride down the Rhine home to Bacharach. Dinner was fun that night at the Rhine Restaurant with Ron & Becky, Geordine & Scott, Stewart and Darlene, Gretchen. A few others were in another room but I hate to say I think we were the noisiest. Oops seems to be my story. It was fun though. Found out that I don’t actually want to spend too much time with Stewart, quite crude and very critical of a lot of the others here. A big drinker too and a bit of a show off.

Today we drove to Rothenburg another cute little German village. Adrian & I walked the city wall, climbed the only remaining defence tower, that is open. And the 135 steps were scary let me tell you!! We then had lunch of curry wurst and pommes, translate sausage in gravy sprinkled with curry powder and chips. Yummy!!!! We found an amazing Christmas decoration shop seriously about 4 floors deep and huge. Germans must love Christmas!!!!
We bought a couple of goodies and I got a Madrushka doll 10 pieces and so gorgeous. A stacking doll, for all the uneducated. Ha ha! I seem to be coming down with a bit of a cold not good so I am taking lots of cold tablets at the moment.

Of course our big news is little Lucas how exciting. We have been receiving pictures on Ade’s phone and he is gorgeous. They are saying he still needs to have an operation tomorrow. But we are still praying he will be healed.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Canals, hidden churches, red lights and boats




Amsterdam the Capital of the Netherlands, what a mix of a place. From the canals, to the red light district, from the coffee shops to cafes, hidden churches to house boats. Here life is a bike ride in any direction you want. A wander along the lanes of the red light district, sad, actually, and yet we found right next door the one door/window a kindergarten with a picture of the Queen in the window, kind of funny when it was pointed out to us that all the women in the windows along side the kindy could be bought. I didn't like it, I found it uncomfortable and I hope we never get anywhere near this in Australia.


A tiny hidden church that the new protestant church of the Netherlands let the oustedcatholic church have on the quiet set amongst the trendy fashion stores. So beauiful inside with the most amazing wood work carvings and stained glass windows. Feits...pushbikes rule the roads here and the constant jingle bells means that once again we mere mortals are on their territory, the road. A little hard to get used to actually. Bikes new old, rusty and abandoned litter the roadsides everywhere. Outside every train and bus station is a long row of bikes. Everyone rides here and they have rule of the roads.


Many many boats lived in all along athe canals, some so old and some so large. Some with grass growing on the roof of the boat and all with some sort of garden in pots on the decks. A never ending drift of petals falling from the trees that line the canals. Like a spring snowfall..lovely.


Lunch overlooking the sky line of Amsterdam city and a wonderful dinner of pasta with 2 other couples in Haarlem at the end of a long long day.


2 hours spent roaming the Rijksmuseum gaping at Rembrandts and other masters. I never thought I would fall so in love with these amazing art works, So amazing I have never seen anything like it.


Anne Franks house and to think that these two families spent two years hidden in the annexe of their business until they were betrayed into Nazi hands. How did they do it. How brave of those that helped them. What an amazing and sad story. What a story of heroes in our midst.


This is Amsterdam..... rude, beautiful, drugged, heroic,artistic, amazing challenging, wonderful.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Amsterdam, the best chips ever.......



Well today we left behind London and its non British speaking people, for the totally unspeakable and unreadable language of the Nederlands. Don't believe me?..... Then decipher this if you will..
"Heeft u na het lezen van de mappen toch nog een vraag, onze receptiemedewerkers staan 24 uur per dag voor u klaar en helpen u graag verder."
Yep that is actually a language, It actually says "please don't hesitate to ask anyone of our receptionists for more details. The are present 24 hours a day and are willing to hep you with anything.... So you can see we are in trouble..
But look at the pictures and you can see it is really pretty, beautiful little streets lined with plants and honestly the best hot chips I have ever had. Served in a paper cone and topped with any sort of mayo you could want. Yum Yum YUM!!!
We roamed around for a while and then met the group we will tour with for the next 21 days. Hmm it will be interesting. I will withhold all comments at this time as it I may be sorry later. Time will tell. The entire tour except Adrian and I are American and the guide is a Dutch girl who now lives on the French/Spanish border she seems great. Rolinka is her name. The others I am sure that over time will all take up some space here, for you to meet and decide for yourselves.
We also had an interesting trip here this morning we sat on the tarmac for nearly an hour while the airline checked that we had the correct luggage on board and then when we finally did take it off it honestly took about 35 mins to fly to Amsterdam. Amazing so quick. Just as we were getting through customs to board we got a message from Paul saying that a drunk driver had hit him and Alicia on the passenger side of their car and totalled it. Well you can imagine the state that I was in hearing that and not being able to get in touch with them for over and hour and half. Eventually we rang when we landed here and I was very glad to hear that all was ok. Alicia is going to spend 24 hrs in the hospital in case anything happens to the bub or her and then she is due to be induced on Tuesday morning at 5am. Like I have said before anything for a bit of drama.
So lets see how the next 3 weeks pan out and hopefully there will be tales to tell.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Camden Markets & Portobello Road




Ok so this is a two in one entry, Yesterday we went to the Camden Markets....oh my goodness. Set on a Lock with boats cruising in and out and in an old horse stables this place is amazing. The pub called ''The Worlds End' sits on one corner and all along the streets and down the seething alleyways are the wildest shops you can imagine. Goth, punk, retro, vintage, modern, shoes, piercings , tattoos, food jewellery you think of it and it's there. The people, tall, tattooed, mohawked, shaved, painted, pierced, goth, punk, every colour every tribe every tongue. What a melting pot. Then today Portobello Road markets. You know you really can become just too famous. You could not literally swing a cat in there. Streets filled to over flowing with people just jostling along. You couldn't really shop because you couldn't get in the shop fronts and if you stopped in the way of anyone you just get shoved and well you just have to keep going. A shame really because there were some really beautiful antiques and jewellery. Leather handbags sooooooo cheap from the middle east somewhere, pashmina's silk scarves, cashmere scarves, silver ware, antique signs and china, really aladdins cave.


Then we went to the Kensington High Street and came across the Whole Foods store. Shopping in England is so different to Australia. The stores are so inviting. You walk into the front of this store and the smell of freshly baked bread hits you smack in the face. Stand after stand of baquettes, panini's rolls, cakes, scones, meringues, breads...then the fresh fruits, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, salads, pre cooked foods, cheeses, hundreds really hundreds of cheeses. Soft, hard, goat, buffalo, bries camemberts, oh so yummy. Rounds of waxed and coated cheeses stand next to fridges of olives, tomatoes, wines and breads. I just want to wander around for ages. Shopping here is an experience not just something you do because you have to.


But I am tired, my feet are sore, I have blisters under my toe. how does that happen. I am tired of walking for 15 minutes in the wrong direction and then having to walk back only to find that had we gone left and not right we would have been where we wanted to go about an hour ago. It was fun in the beginning and now I am sooooooo over getting lost. But I have to say London and its outer suburbs, Kensington, Camden, Holland Park all these little places are quite beautiful. The parks at this time of year so different to when we were here at Christmas. Everyone goes to the park. They sunbathe in their togs, they throw frizz bees, kick soccer balls, eat, read, lay on deck chairs, sleep, kiss, play with their children. We have the beach and the Brits have their parks. Wonder what we will find in Europe.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Rocking in the Real World




So today we headed out to Kensington Palace spent a couple of hours wandering through the old place, what a house, wouldn't want to clean that one that's for sure. Beautiful display of Di's dresses though.

Next we went to Trafalgar Square looking for Covent Gardens. When we were walking past the square we found out that T Mobile thebig mobile company here was going to film an add at 6pm so we went to have a look. We'd seen another T Mobile add on the Youtube and it was so much fun we really wanted tobe in this one if we could. We got handed microphones and they started playing songs with the words on a huge screen. We all sang and there were about 10 thousand people there. What a hoot. At one point Pink the rock singer just appeared out of the crowd and started singing everyone went wild. Now I'm not a big rock band follower but how can you not get involved in this it was so much fun. I've posted the video just laugh we were like kids again soooo funny.

Ade bought a really nice cashmere scarf at the markets and a neat black & white photo for framing. We had a good day and we're exhausted again.












Thursday, April 30, 2009

The things I notice



Here we are in England and you would expect to hear the odd lilt of the English accent right? Well no actually I have hardly heard a really pommy accent at all, german, french, italian, Arabic, and who knows some eastern european but not hardly a pom in ear shot. Interesting isn't it just how multicultural Britian is becoming.


Now things we have learnt in the last few days....... Taxis and buses really don't give a hoot if you are crossing the road, run cause they actually swerve to get you and then honk to let you know you are about to be run down.


Don't waste your money buying a London Pass most of what is on it isn't really worth seeing. It is interesting though and I guess it has actually encouraged us to visit place we wouldn't probably have gone to if we didn't have the card ......so forget what I just wrote.


Don't ask for mineral water in London and expect to get a nice bubbly drink you'll get water, plain flat and probably out of the tap in a bottle.


Coffee isn't great here either so don't expect a great cup just hope its hot.


Squirrels travel in packs and will chase you for food......run.!!!!!


Alfred Hitchcock filmed the movie Birds because he had encountered the pigeons in London.


Travelling on the Tube in London will give you great thighs and will wreck your knees....I guarantee it.


You will take the wrong Tube line more than once and it will take you 3 times as long to get where you are going. You will also get very good at playing like a sardine in a very small tin.


Take some hand cleaner, wipes, dettol, whatever with you everywhere and wash your hands after every trip in the Tube. Seriously .......


It really is possible to fit approx 400 people in a tin tube about 8 feet wide and 20 feet long, and make them pay for the privledge. It's called the Tube.


London Walks are fantastic google them if you are coming to London anytime soon and take one.


British television is terrible.


Travelling is amazing exciting and never dull, I love it.




Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Recovering.....



Well what a day we had yesterday and I think I was a little overtired when I blogged yesterday. I actually hardly remember it. We've walked every morning since we arrived, strolled through Hyde Park and seen the bins for miles in a row along the edge of the paths, emptied out and scavenged through. The rubbish left in piles on the ground, at frst I thought it was squirrels, but it's the homeless people. The streets are scattered with people sitting on bits of cardboard, wrapped in blankets asking for change. We give them some if we have coins with us. I saw a show on Austar about some rich kids going on the streets for 10 days and having to live like they were homeless and it was awful. No one even hardly acknowledges the people. They ask for change and people just take a wide step around them and keep going. They don't even look at them most of the time. What have we become when we can't even give a bit of change to someone. Then there's the next extreme, Rolls Royce's chauffeur driven and Bentley's (I can't tell the difference between oné and the next but Adrian is very excited whenever he sees one), and you see the driver's out early in the morning polishing the cars before the people even leave for work. Huge town houses circling locked walled gardens, and the stores in Kensington and Picadilly cater very much for the upper classes. Harrods, Fortnum & Masons all so beautiful inside and we have nothing like it in Australia. Shopping for us is totally boring.

15.90 kms in one day......



Yep the title tells it all. We walked nearly 16kms today. So Europe here we come. We headed out early this morning toward Notting Hill and back towards home through Kensington Gardens where all the embassy's are lovely. I think I could handle living there. We got hopelessly lost in Picadilly while trying to find the Britian Visitors centre. Good thing we did too because we found the Duke of York monument, Admirality Arch, Big Ben at midday what a fluke and Westminster Abbey's bells ringing for ages.


I have to say I wasn't interested really in seeing Big Ben or Westminster but how silly was I. Big Ben and the building alongside look like those drippy sand castles I used to make with the girls at the beach. Beautiful. Then we walked the Thames for hours, not exagerating....We were looking for London Bridge (well Adrian was) and we found it and didn't even know it was London Bridge. Totally unremarkable and in the distance what Ade thought was London Bridge ended up being the Tower Bridge. We ate lunch in the walls of London Bridge in a pub tucked away where only people who get lost or live here would find it. Good value and good food.


I was quite interested in seeing Shakespeare's Globe Theatre....boring..and not original anymore anyway. Bummer.


Oh and in Picadilly we found a shop called Fortnum & Masons. I loved it even better than Harrods. I've read about it but never thought much about going there. It's like stepping back in time and beautiful chandliers hang glittering from the ceilings. The glass cases are filled with handmade chocolates and marzipan fruits. Cakes, teas, coffees, wines, fruits and vegetables. Scorpions in vodka, chocolate covered scorpions, barbecued giant ants, and cheeses I have never seen before. In the childrens section on the upper levels there was a little Ralph Lauren baby suit and only $50gpb. Ha!


Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Rainy days and window shopping


Is your mouth watering looking at the gorgeous fruit tarts in the picture above. This is just a tiny sample of the unbelievable food for sale in the Harrod's Food hall. There were chocolates, like you wouldn't believe and food from all over the world. Sushi like I have never seen, Asian, Lebanese and on and on. It's like an Aladdin's cave wandering through there. And there are camerás flashing every where.

Now that's just the food and there are floor upon floor of clothing, perfume, shoes, handbags, home wares and anything else you can think of. I don't know how many people are shopping, I think most of the people are tourists, taking photographs. And I was amazed very few of the stores in London open before 10am. They close at 8pm very European. This trip is a little different than our Christmas jaunt. It was dark at 4pm back then and the sun didn't come up till say 7 or 8 am. Now they are having twilight and right now it is 7.30pm and it's like it is at say 5pm in Australia. We went walking this morning for about and hour and a half through Hyde Park at 6am and it was light then too.
The picture above of me at the phone booth is a little sad. At Christmas the girls and I had our photo taken in a red telephone box in every town we went too. Now its just me, lonely me in the box. Take a good look though and you can see the girls on the wall behind me. I didn't see that when I quickly opened the door and tried to look not to much like the tourist I am having my pic taken.
It's quite cold here, nothing like December of course, but it is cool and quite rainy. Gotta love the English weather. Also we are hearing nothing but news about the Swine Flu at the moment. Makes me wonder what on earth we are doing here and we're going on a tour with Americans, who probably all live right on the Mexican border. So I will have to live by Psalm 91 for the next month. Well God is good. All the time.

On top of that Alicia is expecting to have her little boy induced some time next week, she'll be 37 weeks and he at this point, has a minor heart problem which will need surgery. Talk about lousy timing, what the heck is going on. Well we will just have to rely on the Lord that all will be well.



Monday, April 27, 2009

The Eagle has landed!!



We have arrived!! Finally we touched down in London at Heathrow and what a relief. When we arrived at Bangkok airport last night it was around 7.30pm and we were able to check in and go straight to the lounge and low and behold we were told we were able to get a free massage each. So did we get them yes of cours we did!!!! Boy it was so good. The young lady who did mine had fingers of steel and it felt great. I would have paid for it but bonus I didn't have to. Fantastic!!!


We travelled on a jumbo this leg and we had seats in the upstairs section, I would guess at about 24 to 30 people all up. What a trip. I can say I have finally had a decent sleep on a plane first time ever. The staff were great and when we landed we felt fine. Last Christmas we were wrecked when we got home so another tick for Business class travel. It just keeps getting better.

When we checked in to the Rhodes Hotel in Sussex Gardens London, just a quick stroll from Hyde Park, we had to wait about an hour because we were so early. We went for a coffee in Hyde Park and ended up at Kensington Palace, we'll go back for a proper look in a day or two. The gardens are so different this time round, for a start there are leaves and the pond isn't frozen. Ha how funny. It looks beautiful, stacks of squirrels and flowers really pretty.


We will have a good sleep tonight and work on our plan of attack tomorrow.


Can't wait.

Cheers

Sunday, April 26, 2009



So I was going to load a couple of pics of todays adventures but I don't have my lead with me its in the suitcase so next time.'

Today we got the shuttle bus to the airport hotel which was beautiul by the way very flash, but looking around here everything is. Heaps of gold and fancy statues everywhere. We had a shower had a couple of hours sleep. Not anywhere enough and then had a really nice Thai lunch in one of the 5 restaurants at the hotel. Then a bit more sleep and catch the bus back to the airport. And to our delight we were given free massages in the business and first class spa ...... very nice indeed and now we are relaxing in the lounge with movies running and very comfy chairs and nice cold drinks and food. I tell ya I will never want to fly any other way again. What have I done.....

So next time I write I will be in London and who knows what we will be up to something good I hope.


Cheers

Friday, April 24, 2009

Life styles of the rich & famous or boy are we blessed



I can't believe I just spent 20 mins typing all this and then lost it, me and blogging aren't friends. Agh!! So I'll start again.




We had the funniest bus trip down the driver crunched the gears every time he changed them nearly and we left 30mins late because the bus was late arriving from Brisbane. Traffic chaos as usual and then add the footy at Suncorp Stadium Doble trouble.


So now we are sitting in the business class lounge in Bris waiting to jet out to Bangkok and then to London. It's 10pm now and we leave at midnight so we have a while to go. It is pretty cool though there are only say 10 other people in here and there is a fridge full of grog and softdrink and juice. There is soup and fresh bread, internet wifi (free) and sweets, coffee and pancakes. We have had some soup, some nibbly things and we are having some cheese and fruit now.


I tell you I could get used to this.


Anyway more after the flight which I will probably sleep through or at least I hope to.


Ciao

Heading Off

So it is nearly 4pm and Vicki will be here at 5.15pm to take us to the bus depot. Quick & easy 2 hours and we're at the international airpot. Of course we don't actually leave till midnight so hanging around for 4 hours isn't my idea of fun, but what can you do?

Actully I'm really excited about travelling this time, business class who would have thought we would ever do that!! So exciting.

But of course there is the fact that Alicia is going to have her baby anytime soon and we won't be here I'm not over the moon about that. We just pray that she is ok and that he is healthy and beautiful. Seeing him on the scan in 3d was amazing and he is so cute he really does have his father's nose.

So if you think of it please pray with us that all goes well.

First stop Bangkok a trip to the Novotel airport hotel and shower and stretch and lay down on what I hope is a comfortable bed and then back to the airport to hang around again, only this time for about 6 hours I think. We leave Bangkok at about 1am and arrive in London at close to 7am. Yeah then the adventure begins. Will try and post pics of course and keep you up to date with the baby news. Cheers