We boarded the Ionian King to sail on the night cruise to Patras in Greece. We had quite a surprise as we were tied up alongside another ship the Blue Horizon - quite a coincidence as we met at the Blue Horizon in Vancouver 37 years ago to this day! It must have been our day - the booking clerk not only gave us a great discount but he also upgraded us to a first class cabin!
This trip began our series of wonderful cruises through the Greek Islands. We cruised past the island of Corfu and visited Kefallonia. We travelled by train from Patras through to Piraeus which is the main port for Athens. Last year this port had a throughput of 13,000,000 passengers which is quite amazing. We cruised from Pireaus to Iraklio on the island of Crete which is the largest of the Greek islands. We hired a car and toured the island. It is wonderful to see the beautiful coastlines and the clear aqua waters. Crete has very rocky and high mountains. Pat spotted a pig and a lamb cooking on a spit outside a restaurant - so guess where we went for dinner? Dinner was great and very reasonably priced. We actually visited the islands in the low season which worked in our favour, as accommodation prices are lower, hire cars are cheaper and the crowds have gone home.
Next we boarded a ship to cruise from Crete to Santorini which is considered to be the jewel in the crown. Our departure time was 8:00pm but due to high winds our departure was delayed until 7:00am the following day. We spent the evening having a few cold beers and some Greek wine with a couple from New Zealand, Tania and Bobby.
As the Lonely Planet says: Stunning Santorini is surely the most spectacular of the Greek Islands. The massive caldera, lava layered cliffs and precarious cliff top towns exude an incomparable sense of drama and impermanence.
Upon arrival at the port of Santorini loads of touts were there to sell accommodation and provide transport to their resorts for the latest arrivals. We chose well and stayed at a lovely resort right on the Mediterranean. Our room (50 mts from the sea) had a balcony with views of a 20 km coastline. Once again the rate was extremely low due to it being out of season. We hired a car and had a great time exploring Santorini. Fira is the main city on the island and is a great place to walk around and explore. It is astonishing the way the buildings seem to hang off the cliffs. In early times these cities were built with narrow winding walkways to confuse the pirates but nowadays they do well to confuse the visitors. The little fishing village of Oia, famous for its sunsets, is spectacular and built high on the cliff. The buildings are painted white with window frames, shutters, doors and domed roofs painted a beautiful shade of blue. The islands are quite dry and arid with water being shipped in - the lucky ones have wells on their property.
Our next cruise was from Santorini to Mykonos - another beautiful island. We met a German couple on the boat, Tony and Elizabeth - Tony works for BMW in Munich and Elizabeth for Lufthansa. On this cruise we called into the islands of Sikinos, Ios and Naxos. Once again the touts were at the port of Mykonos to sell their accommodation but we had prebooked with a recommendation from Santorini - so Christina from Mama's Hotel was there to pick us up from the ship.
We hired a car with Tony and Elizabeth on Mykonos and had a great time sightseeing. Once again our room and balcony had beautiful views out across the sea. We noticed the different architecture on Mykonos - where Santorini had domed roofs, Mykonos had squared off flat roofs - once again the homes and buildings are painted white with blue trim - just spectacular. Next we cruised from Mykonos to Pireaus stopping off at Tiros and Syros. There are 1,400 islands in Greece so one thing about the Greek Islands is that there are so many islands and so little time! I guess we'll just have to come back.
The Greek people have been very welcoming and friendly with many able to speak English - Pat says he's noticed that most of them seem to have a relative in Melbourne!
Athens is a large spread out city. The Acropolis is a great place to visit, although I'm unsure about all the restoration work that is being done - every photo we have taken will probably have a workman or scaffold in it. Other great sights in Athens include the Parthenon, the Agora, the Temple of Hephaestus and the Temple of Zeus. We were checking out the city of Athens and had a great surprise when we met up with Colin and Helen the couple from Adelaide we met in Germany - it's a small world.
Tonight we will leave on a night train for Sofia in Bulgaria.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Seville Spain to Bari Italy 21st September 2007
We booked onto an open top bus tour of Seville and spent several hours touring this beautiful leafy and green city. An interesting visit is to Plaza de Torros (bull ring). The city of Cordoba has a large mosque and an old Jewish area. Some cities and towns have eliminated baggage lockers due to terrorism concerns and Cordoba was one of these places - this meant that we had to haul our backpacks all around with us as we weaved in and out of the narrow cobbled streets.
From Algecerius we took a bus to La Linea and walked over to Gibraltar. It is impossible to miss the great and imposing Rock of Gibraltar which dominates the entrance to the Mediterranean.
We travelled over and across the Sierra Nevada ranges. It is amazing to see the vast and dry countryside of Spain latticed in green with olive tree plantations which seem to go on forever. In the evening we sat outside in a large square which was fully taken up with outdoor restaurants and had a wonderful dinner. We were surrounded by fountains which were all lit up and looked great. A magnificent place to visit at Granada is Alhambra.
To catch up on some time we took an overnight train and travelled on from Madrid to Barcelona. Barcelona is probably my favourite city in Spain it just seems to have a great atmosphere. Something I have noticed in Spain is the way older women dress - they dress so beautifully and seem to take time with their grooming. In Barcelona we also did the open top bus tour - a perfect way to sit in the sun and see the sights of a beautiful city.
Architecture by Gaudi is well worth seeing in Barcelona. I guess he appears to border on the eccentric but it becomes very easy to pick out his very distinctive work. He designed the church called the Temple de la Sagrada Familia which is just amazing to see. This building was commenced in 1882 and he worked on this project for over 40 years until his death in 1926. At the time of his death the building was only partially built but construction is ongoing to this day following his plans - all money for this project comes from private donations, financing and alms - it is expected to be completed in 2020.
We crossed the Spanish border into France and took the famous yellow train on the legendary rail line in the mountains to Latour de Carol. We met an Argentinian, Gustov on the French border at Portbou who told us about this train trip - we spent the next couple of days travelling together. From here we travelled onto the beautiful little country of Andorra up in the Pyrenees Mountains. This little country is sandwiched in between the mountains of Spain and France. The capital, Andorra La Vella is a shopper's paradise and an early smugglers' hideaway. The buildings of Andorra are very distinctively built of grey stone and trimmed with timber - they look great. The city is built at the bottom of the valley so any excursion means an uphill walk.
We travelled on to Pas de la Casa and Toulouse in France and then down to the French Riviera at San Raphael. The French Riviera is really a millionaires' paradise and quite a sight to see, not forgetting a visit to Cannes and Nice. The cars and boats in this area are something else. A special little principality is Monaco - beautiful gardens and the views across the bays are just great. The Grimaldi family has ruled over Monaco since the 1200's - Prince Albert is the current ruler following the death of his father, Prince Rainier.
The leaning Tower of Pisa is a sight to behold - it looks as though it would tip but work has been done recently to secure the building so hopefully it will be there for some time to come.
Rome is truly a wonderful city to visit. We visited St Peter's Basilica and attended Mass on the Sunday which was a special experience. On our tour we also visited the vaults where the previous Popes are buried and went to the grave of the last Pope, John Paul II. Other great places to visit in Rome are the Trevi Fountain, Coliseum, Roman Forum and the Catacombs. Rome is one big tourist attraction but fortunately most areas are easily accessible on foot and by subway. We were targeted once again by pickpockets - however we were fine - just need to be very aware.
We travelled on through Naples and Pompeii to Sorrento. We met up with Amanda from Proserpine (small world) so we decided to take the bus down the Amalfi Coast. This 50 klm stretch of coastline is absolutely breathtaking (as was the driving by the Italian bus driver). Further south in Italy we visited Paolo and crossed over to Messina by ferry and down to Milazzo on the island of Sicily.
The next few days were spent cruising around the beautiful volcano formed Aeolian Islands. We have very special family friends who come from these islands so it was a special treat to be able to visit their homeland - their daughter Margherite and I went to school together. Mr Paino comes from Stromboli and Mrs Paino comes from Filicudi. Stromboli is an amazing island and the volcano is alive and smoking! We stayed at Villa la Rosa on Filicudi, which is owned by relatives of Mrs Painos. To reach Villa la Rosa we had to climb half way up the mountain but when we reached the top the views across the sea were well worth the effort. A very special place and a great visit with Stefano and Daniella Rando at Villa la Rosa.
We have travelled up the east coast of Italy and are currently at Bari where we are waiting to leave by ship tonight for Patras, Greece.
From Algecerius we took a bus to La Linea and walked over to Gibraltar. It is impossible to miss the great and imposing Rock of Gibraltar which dominates the entrance to the Mediterranean.
We travelled over and across the Sierra Nevada ranges. It is amazing to see the vast and dry countryside of Spain latticed in green with olive tree plantations which seem to go on forever. In the evening we sat outside in a large square which was fully taken up with outdoor restaurants and had a wonderful dinner. We were surrounded by fountains which were all lit up and looked great. A magnificent place to visit at Granada is Alhambra.
To catch up on some time we took an overnight train and travelled on from Madrid to Barcelona. Barcelona is probably my favourite city in Spain it just seems to have a great atmosphere. Something I have noticed in Spain is the way older women dress - they dress so beautifully and seem to take time with their grooming. In Barcelona we also did the open top bus tour - a perfect way to sit in the sun and see the sights of a beautiful city.
Architecture by Gaudi is well worth seeing in Barcelona. I guess he appears to border on the eccentric but it becomes very easy to pick out his very distinctive work. He designed the church called the Temple de la Sagrada Familia which is just amazing to see. This building was commenced in 1882 and he worked on this project for over 40 years until his death in 1926. At the time of his death the building was only partially built but construction is ongoing to this day following his plans - all money for this project comes from private donations, financing and alms - it is expected to be completed in 2020.
We crossed the Spanish border into France and took the famous yellow train on the legendary rail line in the mountains to Latour de Carol. We met an Argentinian, Gustov on the French border at Portbou who told us about this train trip - we spent the next couple of days travelling together. From here we travelled onto the beautiful little country of Andorra up in the Pyrenees Mountains. This little country is sandwiched in between the mountains of Spain and France. The capital, Andorra La Vella is a shopper's paradise and an early smugglers' hideaway. The buildings of Andorra are very distinctively built of grey stone and trimmed with timber - they look great. The city is built at the bottom of the valley so any excursion means an uphill walk.
We travelled on to Pas de la Casa and Toulouse in France and then down to the French Riviera at San Raphael. The French Riviera is really a millionaires' paradise and quite a sight to see, not forgetting a visit to Cannes and Nice. The cars and boats in this area are something else. A special little principality is Monaco - beautiful gardens and the views across the bays are just great. The Grimaldi family has ruled over Monaco since the 1200's - Prince Albert is the current ruler following the death of his father, Prince Rainier.
The leaning Tower of Pisa is a sight to behold - it looks as though it would tip but work has been done recently to secure the building so hopefully it will be there for some time to come.
Rome is truly a wonderful city to visit. We visited St Peter's Basilica and attended Mass on the Sunday which was a special experience. On our tour we also visited the vaults where the previous Popes are buried and went to the grave of the last Pope, John Paul II. Other great places to visit in Rome are the Trevi Fountain, Coliseum, Roman Forum and the Catacombs. Rome is one big tourist attraction but fortunately most areas are easily accessible on foot and by subway. We were targeted once again by pickpockets - however we were fine - just need to be very aware.
We travelled on through Naples and Pompeii to Sorrento. We met up with Amanda from Proserpine (small world) so we decided to take the bus down the Amalfi Coast. This 50 klm stretch of coastline is absolutely breathtaking (as was the driving by the Italian bus driver). Further south in Italy we visited Paolo and crossed over to Messina by ferry and down to Milazzo on the island of Sicily.
The next few days were spent cruising around the beautiful volcano formed Aeolian Islands. We have very special family friends who come from these islands so it was a special treat to be able to visit their homeland - their daughter Margherite and I went to school together. Mr Paino comes from Stromboli and Mrs Paino comes from Filicudi. Stromboli is an amazing island and the volcano is alive and smoking! We stayed at Villa la Rosa on Filicudi, which is owned by relatives of Mrs Painos. To reach Villa la Rosa we had to climb half way up the mountain but when we reached the top the views across the sea were well worth the effort. A very special place and a great visit with Stefano and Daniella Rando at Villa la Rosa.
We have travelled up the east coast of Italy and are currently at Bari where we are waiting to leave by ship tonight for Patras, Greece.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Guernsey - Channel Islands to Seville Spain 6th September 2007
The night before we left Martin, Teresa, Pat and I headed out for dinner to a restaurant on the west coast of Guernsey where we watched the sun set over the ocean. Quite a change for us, as back home our sun sets over the land. When we arrived home, Teresa served us real Madiera Cake, Madiera Port and Madiera Wine. Our stay on Guernsey was very relaxing and enjoyable. We said goodbye the following morning and have planned to meet up again in Australia and Madiera, Portugal in a few years time.
We travelled by ferry back to the mainland at St Malo and headed onto Le Mans in France, the home of the 24 hour car race. Travelling further through France we visited Bordeaux which is one of France´s premier wine growing areas - the region is divided into 57 production areas with over 5,000 chateaux around Bordeaux producing reds, roses, sweet whites, dry whites and sparkling wines. It is possible to buy exceptional wines in the supermarkets here for just a few Euros. Further along the city of Toulouse is home to the manufacturer of Airbus also known as La Ville Rose (the pink city) because of the profusion of rose-red brick buildings.
Lourdes is an amazing place and is one of the world´s most important religious pilgrimage sites, visited annually by approximately 6,000,000 people. In 1858 in this little village Bernadette Soubirous at the age of 14 years had a series of 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in a rock grotto at the bottom of the village. Bernadette was later canonized a saint. It is amazing to see the numbers of people who come to pray in the four places of worship and others who bathe in any of the 19 pools of water from the grotto. Many thousands of people are brought in wheelchairs praying and hoping for a cure. We visited the Churches and the Grotto, touched the walls and drank the water from the grotto - it is a wonderful experience.
The south coast of France is beautiful and the hillsides are covered in white homes with terracotta roofs. Heading south west we travelled through St Jean de Luz and crossed into Spain at San Sebastian, a beautiful city set on 3 huge bays (Bay of Biscay) with wide sandy beaches. We decided to have typical Spanish food for dinner and enjoyed Spanish Beer and Pintxos (tapas). We walked around the old city and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Spain. We´ve never seen so many Yorkshire Terriers in one place - it reminded us of Major and Finnigan who are probably wondering where the heck we are!
We travelled inland to Medina Del Campo and Leon, then headed northwards where our train wound its way through and over the beautiful mountains of north west Spain down to the north coast at Gijon. Spain is noted as being the second most mountainous European country after Switzerland. This north west corner is likened to parts of the Britain Isles and is often referred to as "Green Spain" - I could see why with the rolling green hills and hedges covering the landscape. The train hugged the coast down towards the cities of Vigo and Santiago de Compostela where we crossed the border into Portugal.
We met two brothers Luis and Alexis travelling with their Mother Elvia on the train. They originated from Cuba but have lived in Miami Florida since the family was young. It was so interesting to hear first hand accounts of life in Cuba from these vibrant personalities. The guys reckon their mother has been the best Mum in the world so they now spoil her by taking her away on holidays with them. The best part is that she is 80 years of age and looks wonderful.
Another day on one of our train trips in Spain a lovely gentleman sitting across the aisle from me leaned over and gave us four holy pictures and he chatted away in Spanish telling us to take care and look after ourselves. It´s little experiences like these that mean a lot and that we remember well.
Porto is Portugal´s second largest city and is built on steep hills which run all the way down to the Duoro River. This old-world river frontage district is yet another World Heritage Site. It is great to go exploring these old cities except that this time by the time we reached the bottom we then had to climb uphill all the way back home - the exercise is really great and we´re enjoying it very much. Our walk home took us up steep narrow cobbled streets with washing hanging out of the windows of these lofty houses. The following morning when we checked out of our guesthouse, the owner came out from behind the reception desk and gave us both kisses and cuddles goodbye! How nice!
The trip by train from Porto along the Duoro River and valley to Pocino is a very scenic route and truly magnificent. Portugal´s best known river flows through the country´s rural heartland where, in the upper reaches, port-wine grapes are grown on steep terraced hills. This river is navigable right across Portugal. In the evening, we walked along the boulevard beside the river at Regua and enjoyed a great dinner and a bottle of Portuguese wine. Yummo!
Our next trip south was by fast train - 220 klms per hour to Lisbon. Lisbon is another interesting city and from here we headed out to visit Sintra which has been the traditional summer retreat of Portugal´s kings. A very hilly place with stunning palaces and manors surrounded by lush green countryside. As we walked along the street we met up with Luis, Alexis and Elvia yet again and made arrangements to meet up for dinner in Lisbon.
In Lisbon we headed into the subway to buy our day ticket. The attendant at the station warned us to beware of pickpockets. Lo and behold as soon as we stepped into the carriage we were surrounded and hemmed in by four guys all in their 30´s - one of them dropped a map and bent down to pick it up - at the same time he had opened the flap on Pat´s wallet pocket - but thankfully Pat was too quick and slick for them and all was okay - at the next stop the four of them got off and then they went back onto the same train - probably looking for somebody else who might not be as aware as Pat. We are very aware of thieves but I guess it pays to be extra vigilant.
The train headed out of Lisbon to Tunes and then headed west to Lagos in the Algarve. The southern coast of Portugal is beautiful, reminding me of the big sweeping coastlines and our beautiful beaches at home. Once again these coastal towns and villages are whitewashed and terracotta tiled roofs with palm trees blowing in the wind - a beautiful sight. The footpaths and streets are paved with small cobblestones of white and black - in the evening the stones shine in the night lights.
We travelled across the southern coast of Portugal heading back towards Spain. Today we were in Tavira and Luz where young 3 year old Madeline McCann was abducted from in early May this year. It is a dreadful tragedy - her photos are on most shop windows keeping her in people´s minds. To date she has not been found.
Today´s means of transport has been by train, ferry, bus and taxi. We met and travelled with a great young Japanese couple Takehide and Chika who come from Kyoto. At Vila Real de San Antonio we crossed the river from Portugal back into Spain and then travelled east to the beautiful city of Seville.
We travelled by ferry back to the mainland at St Malo and headed onto Le Mans in France, the home of the 24 hour car race. Travelling further through France we visited Bordeaux which is one of France´s premier wine growing areas - the region is divided into 57 production areas with over 5,000 chateaux around Bordeaux producing reds, roses, sweet whites, dry whites and sparkling wines. It is possible to buy exceptional wines in the supermarkets here for just a few Euros. Further along the city of Toulouse is home to the manufacturer of Airbus also known as La Ville Rose (the pink city) because of the profusion of rose-red brick buildings.
Lourdes is an amazing place and is one of the world´s most important religious pilgrimage sites, visited annually by approximately 6,000,000 people. In 1858 in this little village Bernadette Soubirous at the age of 14 years had a series of 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in a rock grotto at the bottom of the village. Bernadette was later canonized a saint. It is amazing to see the numbers of people who come to pray in the four places of worship and others who bathe in any of the 19 pools of water from the grotto. Many thousands of people are brought in wheelchairs praying and hoping for a cure. We visited the Churches and the Grotto, touched the walls and drank the water from the grotto - it is a wonderful experience.
The south coast of France is beautiful and the hillsides are covered in white homes with terracotta roofs. Heading south west we travelled through St Jean de Luz and crossed into Spain at San Sebastian, a beautiful city set on 3 huge bays (Bay of Biscay) with wide sandy beaches. We decided to have typical Spanish food for dinner and enjoyed Spanish Beer and Pintxos (tapas). We walked around the old city and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Spain. We´ve never seen so many Yorkshire Terriers in one place - it reminded us of Major and Finnigan who are probably wondering where the heck we are!
We travelled inland to Medina Del Campo and Leon, then headed northwards where our train wound its way through and over the beautiful mountains of north west Spain down to the north coast at Gijon. Spain is noted as being the second most mountainous European country after Switzerland. This north west corner is likened to parts of the Britain Isles and is often referred to as "Green Spain" - I could see why with the rolling green hills and hedges covering the landscape. The train hugged the coast down towards the cities of Vigo and Santiago de Compostela where we crossed the border into Portugal.
We met two brothers Luis and Alexis travelling with their Mother Elvia on the train. They originated from Cuba but have lived in Miami Florida since the family was young. It was so interesting to hear first hand accounts of life in Cuba from these vibrant personalities. The guys reckon their mother has been the best Mum in the world so they now spoil her by taking her away on holidays with them. The best part is that she is 80 years of age and looks wonderful.
Another day on one of our train trips in Spain a lovely gentleman sitting across the aisle from me leaned over and gave us four holy pictures and he chatted away in Spanish telling us to take care and look after ourselves. It´s little experiences like these that mean a lot and that we remember well.
Porto is Portugal´s second largest city and is built on steep hills which run all the way down to the Duoro River. This old-world river frontage district is yet another World Heritage Site. It is great to go exploring these old cities except that this time by the time we reached the bottom we then had to climb uphill all the way back home - the exercise is really great and we´re enjoying it very much. Our walk home took us up steep narrow cobbled streets with washing hanging out of the windows of these lofty houses. The following morning when we checked out of our guesthouse, the owner came out from behind the reception desk and gave us both kisses and cuddles goodbye! How nice!
The trip by train from Porto along the Duoro River and valley to Pocino is a very scenic route and truly magnificent. Portugal´s best known river flows through the country´s rural heartland where, in the upper reaches, port-wine grapes are grown on steep terraced hills. This river is navigable right across Portugal. In the evening, we walked along the boulevard beside the river at Regua and enjoyed a great dinner and a bottle of Portuguese wine. Yummo!
Our next trip south was by fast train - 220 klms per hour to Lisbon. Lisbon is another interesting city and from here we headed out to visit Sintra which has been the traditional summer retreat of Portugal´s kings. A very hilly place with stunning palaces and manors surrounded by lush green countryside. As we walked along the street we met up with Luis, Alexis and Elvia yet again and made arrangements to meet up for dinner in Lisbon.
In Lisbon we headed into the subway to buy our day ticket. The attendant at the station warned us to beware of pickpockets. Lo and behold as soon as we stepped into the carriage we were surrounded and hemmed in by four guys all in their 30´s - one of them dropped a map and bent down to pick it up - at the same time he had opened the flap on Pat´s wallet pocket - but thankfully Pat was too quick and slick for them and all was okay - at the next stop the four of them got off and then they went back onto the same train - probably looking for somebody else who might not be as aware as Pat. We are very aware of thieves but I guess it pays to be extra vigilant.
The train headed out of Lisbon to Tunes and then headed west to Lagos in the Algarve. The southern coast of Portugal is beautiful, reminding me of the big sweeping coastlines and our beautiful beaches at home. Once again these coastal towns and villages are whitewashed and terracotta tiled roofs with palm trees blowing in the wind - a beautiful sight. The footpaths and streets are paved with small cobblestones of white and black - in the evening the stones shine in the night lights.
We travelled across the southern coast of Portugal heading back towards Spain. Today we were in Tavira and Luz where young 3 year old Madeline McCann was abducted from in early May this year. It is a dreadful tragedy - her photos are on most shop windows keeping her in people´s minds. To date she has not been found.
Today´s means of transport has been by train, ferry, bus and taxi. We met and travelled with a great young Japanese couple Takehide and Chika who come from Kyoto. At Vila Real de San Antonio we crossed the river from Portugal back into Spain and then travelled east to the beautiful city of Seville.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Kuopio - Finland to Guernsey - Channel Islands 27th August 2007
We booked onto the cruiser "Puijo" for a 5 hour trip down through the Finland lakes area to Heinavesi. We were boarding the cruiser when our English friend Chris arrived to take the same trip, although Chris took the longer trip and cruised further south. These lakes and islands of Finland are beautiful and particularly when the sky is blue and the sun is shining as it did for us. When we left the ship we went ashore and chatted to the local men sitting beside the lake. One could speak quite good English and told us the train station was 7 klms away so he insisted he drive us to the station. The next train was 2 hours away so we lay down on the seats and soaked up the sun for the next couple of hours. The train ambled its way down to Joensuu where we stayed for the night and then next day headed on down to Helsinki the capital of Finland. Halfway to Helsinki Chris boarded our train after spending the night on the boat.
In Helsinki we again met up with our Korean friend Chan and headed out for dinner together. While in Helsinki we booked onto an open top bus tour - these tours are great as it enables you to get on and off the bus as you like in the 24 hour period and they take visitors to all the great sites of the city. We visited an interesting outdoor market in Helsinki where Pat bought great little pepper & salt grinders (stainless steel of course!). A great part of travelling is the people we meet up with along the way. In Helsinki we said goodbye to Chris who headed off to Sweden and Denmark before heading home to England. We also said goodbye to Chan who headed off to St Petersburg and Moscow and then home to Korea. Perhaps we'll meet up next in Australia - we'll see!
The 3.5 hour crossing from Helsinki across the Bay of Finland to Tallin the capital of Estonia was by ship. We were entertained onboard by musicians, singers and comedians - we were heading into new territory and it did feel different. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland were all previously behind the iron curtain - these countries are now opening up more and more and allowing visitors into their countries. The visitors of course bring the dollars which helps to boost the overall economy. When we pulled into the Port of Tallin we were the 9th large ship in the Port - of course Pat was outside watching the tying up and making sure all was going smoothly! As we entered Tallin the spires of the Old City graced the horizon so we headed up in that direction. The old city is very interesting - we seemed to be walking uphill most of the time over narrow, cobbled streets.
We left Tallin and headed south to Parnu which is the Gold Coast of Estonia. Parnu has huge wide, white sandy beaches where the population flocks to soak up the sun. The shoreline is dotted with restaurants and pubs - of course we had to have a nice cold Estonian beer! The tide goes out a long way so the beaches are very shallow and full of people. Since Estonia has been freed from the Soviets it is doing very nicely. The people of Estonia are reservedly friendly but after a smile in their direction they're fine and enjoy a chat.
Riga, the capital of Latvia also has an Old City where the old and the new are blended very nicely. Latvia has many pine forests which is easily seen travelling through by train. Our Eurail passes are not valid in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland so we pay as we go, however the fares are very reasonable. We travelled through Lithuania by bus to the capital Vilnius. This city is being given a facelift with money being spent in every direction especially in the Old City which has so much character.
We travelled by train to Warsaw the Capital of Poland. When we walked down into the Old City Square we were interviewed by Warsaw Radio - quite a neat experience. We visited the beautiful Cathedral where Pope John Paul II was based as Cardinal of Poland. It is a beautiful Cathedral and an amazing place to visit. At noon we went to a concert in the Cathedral - the organist was superb and the music was out of this world - I loved hearing Ave Maria being played on the organ with its pipes jutting up into the ceiling of the Cathedral. The Old City of Warsaw was flattened during the second world war but the people of Poland have painstakingly restored the buildings to their original brilliance. In the evening the Old City Square was alive with people - the restaurants flow outside onto the cobblestone square and the huge umbrellas are lit up - it is a sight to behold indeed.
We visited Poznan and then headed into Germany once again. When we arrived in the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) in Berlin we walked to the Hotel which ended up being a 4 klm walk, but very enjoyable. We visited Checkpoint Charlie and went to see the remaining parts of the Berlin Wall which are now deteriorating over time. The Brandenburg Gate is wonderful to see, as is the Parliament Building - the Reichstaggebaude. Quite near the Gate is an odd looking memorial (comprised of hundreds of granite blocks of all sizes) to the Holocaust victims.
Our next trip was from Berlin to Halle to visit Ernst and Erna who we actually met at Dingo Beach. The day we arrived at the Halle station there were thousands of people but we didn't have too much trouble finding them - Erna was dressed in white and was carrying a red rose - a lovely welcome to Halle! We went out for a walk along the river and visited a castle. We also visited the birthplace of Haendal. It's great to stay with a family and experience the food, the customs and the language of the country. I was able to brush up on my school German and had a lot of fun doing so. Erna is a great cook and I have written down a few special recipes to try out when I get home.
Ernst and Erna took us to the city of Weimar where we met our personal guide, Klaus who was previously Ernst's English teacher. We visited Goethe's House and the Old City homes of Schiller and Litz. The City of Weimar is a beautiful city with loads of history and its easy to stroll around for hours on end. Klaus spoke wonderful English and we had a great day out with him he was able to give us a lot of history about the city.
We had a very sad visit to Buchenwald Concentration Camp where 50,000 people died or were put to death over a four year period during WWII. The camp is in amongst the forests of trees just a few miles on the outskirts of Weimar where the Nazis had their main base during the war. I won't say too much about this visit except to say that it was the coldest place I have ever visited and thinking about what was done and the way it was done to these poor people is beyond comprehension. This has been our first and last visit to a concentration camp.
After a great few days in Halle we said goodbye to Ernst and Erna - I think we'll be meeting up again at Dingo Beach down the track. We left Halle and headed down along the Rhine River to Koblenz. At Koblenz we decided to head back up the Rhine River on the train on the opposite bank to make sure we saw all the great views. We then boarded a beautiful old paddle steamer and cruised down the Rhine River for a dinner cruise. Vineyards climb from the river to the tops of the mountains - some vineyards are vertical - some horizontal. By the time we arrived back in Koblenz, we had been on two train trips and one boat cruise along this most scenic part of the river.
The following day we boarded a KD cruiser for a trip up the Moselle River in the Moselle Valley. While we were waiting for the boat we met up with a couple of Aussies, Colin and Helen from Adelaide - I just couldn't miss the broad accents! It rained for some of this trip but lifted by about midday so we were able to enjoy this beautiful area which is smaller than the Rhine. We left the boat at Cochem and headed to Trier. We met up with Colin and Helen once again and went out together for dinner together in the evening.
In Trier we visited the old Roman Ruins which are the oldest in Germany. We also visited the Cathedral where robes which (it is claimed) belonged to Jesus Christ and are stored in a glass vault. These robes were put on display in 1959 and will be put on display once again in 2012. Our next stop was the beautiful city of Luxembourg. We locked our bags in a security locker at the station and headed into the city. Luxembourg is a tax haven and many people have money tucked away in this little country. The city is very appealing and once again has an Old City with cobbled streets.
Next stop - Paris! We had tired of eating in Restaurants so went shopping and bought a barbecued chicken and salad and had dinner in our Hotel room with a bottle of wine from the Rhine valley - heaven! The Eiffel Tower is a wonderful place to see - no trip to Paris would be complete without it. We also visited the Latin Quarter, the Arc de Triomphe, the River Seine and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. We headed to the Louvre and after this visit our legs and feet were wrecked! The Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo are the two biggest attractions which are great to see in reality. We strolled along the Champs Elyses and bought a little present for Kelli's birthday next week. Pat had his photo taken with the French Car Racing Team while we were in Paris - Ooh La La!
Our next train trip was Paris to St Malo on the coast of France where we boarded a ferry for a 2 hour trip to St Peter Port on Guernsey one of the Channel Islands. My cousin Martin and his wife Teresa live and work on Guernsey. Martin left Belfast in 1992 and headed to the Channel Islands to work where he met his lovely Portuguese wife, Teresa. The last time Martin and I saw each other was in 1969 when he was 7 years old and I was 19 years old. Teresa took us out for a walk along the hills of the coastline near their home - the views are beautiful out across the craggy coastline and across the sea.
Guernsey is a beautiful little island and has 65,000 residents. The tax rate on Guernsey is 20% after the first £8,500. Yesterday Pat and I took Martin's car and headed out for a drive - in one hour we had toured around the whole coastline of Guernsey. The coastline is dotted with lovely bays and villages. Guernsey is very beautiful - a quiet and peaceful place.
In Helsinki we again met up with our Korean friend Chan and headed out for dinner together. While in Helsinki we booked onto an open top bus tour - these tours are great as it enables you to get on and off the bus as you like in the 24 hour period and they take visitors to all the great sites of the city. We visited an interesting outdoor market in Helsinki where Pat bought great little pepper & salt grinders (stainless steel of course!). A great part of travelling is the people we meet up with along the way. In Helsinki we said goodbye to Chris who headed off to Sweden and Denmark before heading home to England. We also said goodbye to Chan who headed off to St Petersburg and Moscow and then home to Korea. Perhaps we'll meet up next in Australia - we'll see!
The 3.5 hour crossing from Helsinki across the Bay of Finland to Tallin the capital of Estonia was by ship. We were entertained onboard by musicians, singers and comedians - we were heading into new territory and it did feel different. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland were all previously behind the iron curtain - these countries are now opening up more and more and allowing visitors into their countries. The visitors of course bring the dollars which helps to boost the overall economy. When we pulled into the Port of Tallin we were the 9th large ship in the Port - of course Pat was outside watching the tying up and making sure all was going smoothly! As we entered Tallin the spires of the Old City graced the horizon so we headed up in that direction. The old city is very interesting - we seemed to be walking uphill most of the time over narrow, cobbled streets.
We left Tallin and headed south to Parnu which is the Gold Coast of Estonia. Parnu has huge wide, white sandy beaches where the population flocks to soak up the sun. The shoreline is dotted with restaurants and pubs - of course we had to have a nice cold Estonian beer! The tide goes out a long way so the beaches are very shallow and full of people. Since Estonia has been freed from the Soviets it is doing very nicely. The people of Estonia are reservedly friendly but after a smile in their direction they're fine and enjoy a chat.
Riga, the capital of Latvia also has an Old City where the old and the new are blended very nicely. Latvia has many pine forests which is easily seen travelling through by train. Our Eurail passes are not valid in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland so we pay as we go, however the fares are very reasonable. We travelled through Lithuania by bus to the capital Vilnius. This city is being given a facelift with money being spent in every direction especially in the Old City which has so much character.
We travelled by train to Warsaw the Capital of Poland. When we walked down into the Old City Square we were interviewed by Warsaw Radio - quite a neat experience. We visited the beautiful Cathedral where Pope John Paul II was based as Cardinal of Poland. It is a beautiful Cathedral and an amazing place to visit. At noon we went to a concert in the Cathedral - the organist was superb and the music was out of this world - I loved hearing Ave Maria being played on the organ with its pipes jutting up into the ceiling of the Cathedral. The Old City of Warsaw was flattened during the second world war but the people of Poland have painstakingly restored the buildings to their original brilliance. In the evening the Old City Square was alive with people - the restaurants flow outside onto the cobblestone square and the huge umbrellas are lit up - it is a sight to behold indeed.
We visited Poznan and then headed into Germany once again. When we arrived in the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) in Berlin we walked to the Hotel which ended up being a 4 klm walk, but very enjoyable. We visited Checkpoint Charlie and went to see the remaining parts of the Berlin Wall which are now deteriorating over time. The Brandenburg Gate is wonderful to see, as is the Parliament Building - the Reichstaggebaude. Quite near the Gate is an odd looking memorial (comprised of hundreds of granite blocks of all sizes) to the Holocaust victims.
Our next trip was from Berlin to Halle to visit Ernst and Erna who we actually met at Dingo Beach. The day we arrived at the Halle station there were thousands of people but we didn't have too much trouble finding them - Erna was dressed in white and was carrying a red rose - a lovely welcome to Halle! We went out for a walk along the river and visited a castle. We also visited the birthplace of Haendal. It's great to stay with a family and experience the food, the customs and the language of the country. I was able to brush up on my school German and had a lot of fun doing so. Erna is a great cook and I have written down a few special recipes to try out when I get home.
Ernst and Erna took us to the city of Weimar where we met our personal guide, Klaus who was previously Ernst's English teacher. We visited Goethe's House and the Old City homes of Schiller and Litz. The City of Weimar is a beautiful city with loads of history and its easy to stroll around for hours on end. Klaus spoke wonderful English and we had a great day out with him he was able to give us a lot of history about the city.
We had a very sad visit to Buchenwald Concentration Camp where 50,000 people died or were put to death over a four year period during WWII. The camp is in amongst the forests of trees just a few miles on the outskirts of Weimar where the Nazis had their main base during the war. I won't say too much about this visit except to say that it was the coldest place I have ever visited and thinking about what was done and the way it was done to these poor people is beyond comprehension. This has been our first and last visit to a concentration camp.
After a great few days in Halle we said goodbye to Ernst and Erna - I think we'll be meeting up again at Dingo Beach down the track. We left Halle and headed down along the Rhine River to Koblenz. At Koblenz we decided to head back up the Rhine River on the train on the opposite bank to make sure we saw all the great views. We then boarded a beautiful old paddle steamer and cruised down the Rhine River for a dinner cruise. Vineyards climb from the river to the tops of the mountains - some vineyards are vertical - some horizontal. By the time we arrived back in Koblenz, we had been on two train trips and one boat cruise along this most scenic part of the river.
The following day we boarded a KD cruiser for a trip up the Moselle River in the Moselle Valley. While we were waiting for the boat we met up with a couple of Aussies, Colin and Helen from Adelaide - I just couldn't miss the broad accents! It rained for some of this trip but lifted by about midday so we were able to enjoy this beautiful area which is smaller than the Rhine. We left the boat at Cochem and headed to Trier. We met up with Colin and Helen once again and went out together for dinner together in the evening.
In Trier we visited the old Roman Ruins which are the oldest in Germany. We also visited the Cathedral where robes which (it is claimed) belonged to Jesus Christ and are stored in a glass vault. These robes were put on display in 1959 and will be put on display once again in 2012. Our next stop was the beautiful city of Luxembourg. We locked our bags in a security locker at the station and headed into the city. Luxembourg is a tax haven and many people have money tucked away in this little country. The city is very appealing and once again has an Old City with cobbled streets.
Next stop - Paris! We had tired of eating in Restaurants so went shopping and bought a barbecued chicken and salad and had dinner in our Hotel room with a bottle of wine from the Rhine valley - heaven! The Eiffel Tower is a wonderful place to see - no trip to Paris would be complete without it. We also visited the Latin Quarter, the Arc de Triomphe, the River Seine and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. We headed to the Louvre and after this visit our legs and feet were wrecked! The Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo are the two biggest attractions which are great to see in reality. We strolled along the Champs Elyses and bought a little present for Kelli's birthday next week. Pat had his photo taken with the French Car Racing Team while we were in Paris - Ooh La La!
Our next train trip was Paris to St Malo on the coast of France where we boarded a ferry for a 2 hour trip to St Peter Port on Guernsey one of the Channel Islands. My cousin Martin and his wife Teresa live and work on Guernsey. Martin left Belfast in 1992 and headed to the Channel Islands to work where he met his lovely Portuguese wife, Teresa. The last time Martin and I saw each other was in 1969 when he was 7 years old and I was 19 years old. Teresa took us out for a walk along the hills of the coastline near their home - the views are beautiful out across the craggy coastline and across the sea.
Guernsey is a beautiful little island and has 65,000 residents. The tax rate on Guernsey is 20% after the first £8,500. Yesterday Pat and I took Martin's car and headed out for a drive - in one hour we had toured around the whole coastline of Guernsey. The coastline is dotted with lovely bays and villages. Guernsey is very beautiful - a quiet and peaceful place.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Helsingborg, Sweden to Kuopio, Finland 8th August 2007
We travelled on the train from Helsingborg south to Lund and then headed north again to Goteborg a beautiful city on the west coast of Sweden. Train is really the way to travel here in Europe - just sit back, relax and watch the beautiful countryside go by - eagle eye Pat even spotted a deer! Sweden has lots of lush, green farming land and plenty of fresh water. Our trip from Goteborg to Stockholm was by fast train across the country - noticing the large barns for housing the cattle in the winter. I have found the Swedish people to be very friendly indeed and have met some wonderful people along the way. In Stockholm we visited the Old City and checked out the harbour - somehow we are always drawn towards the sea. The Scandinavian countries are very, very expensive so it is worthwhile to plan a bit of a budget.
We travelled from Stockholm through the lovely lakes area of Sweden towards Oslo in Norway. We have both noticed a great similarity between the brilliant countryside in Scandinavia with Canada and particularly British Columbia. On a train one day we sat beside a lovely Swedish gentleman by the name of Allan - Allan is 86 years of age and looks a treat! He was handsomely dressed in a suit and was on a mission for his grandson. He was hand delivering his grandson's Russian visa application to the Russian embassy in Stockholm. This involved getting up at 3am - driving for 1 hour to the train - travelling by train for several hours to the city and walking to the embassy - of course he then reversed the trip and headed home. We had a wonderful conversation on the train - it was our absolute pleasure to meet such a gentleman.
On the train to Oslo we also met up with a Chinese gentleman from Shanghai and spent the afternoon sightseeing together. We walked around the city and up to the Palace of the Norwegian Royal Family where we saw the changing of the guard. The following day we headed out of Oslo to Bergen on the west coast of Norway. The train trip across the mountains into Bergen is nothing short of spectacular - glorious scenery and snow capped mountains. This is considered to be one of the world's best train trips. Bergen is beautifully set amongst seven mountains and seven fiords and is a major centre for visiting the fiords. On one side of the harbour in Bergen is Bryggen which is a UNESCO World Heritage attraction - the oldest buildings date back to 1702 but the building pattern is 900 years old. We walked around the fish markets at the wharf and bought smoked wild salmon and prawns for dinner back at our apartment - yummo!
The World's Longest Fiord - so what is Western Norway best know for? The dramatic fiords - and the Sognefjord is the longest of them all, 204 km, cutting inland halfway to the Swedish border. The fjords were carved by ice during a series of ice ages, the most recent of them 10,000 years ago. The deepest fjord is 1,308 metres - if the fjord were drained of water, the surrounding mountains would rise almost twice as high above us. The fjord is the soul of Western Norway, separating yet connecting, and partly explains the rich variation in dialects. Norway can thank the warm Gulf Stream for the lush green and which is roughly the same latitude as Anchorage, Alaska.
Following our cruise down Sognefjord we boarded a smaller boat and headed into Naeroyfjorden which is the narrowest fiord and is also a World Heritage site. At Gudvangen at the end of the fiords we boarded a bus and headed up higher into the mountains and onto Voss - once again spectacular - it needs to be seen to be believed - this area of the world is truly magnificent. From Voss we boarded a train and headed back to Bergen. This west coast of Norway has something like 270 days a year of rain - so expect rain when you visit! We left Bergen and headed back to Oslo where we boarded a night sleeper train and headed north to Trondheim and Bodo. Once again the scenery is spectacular - beautiful lakes and waterfalls - and we have crossed into the Arctic Circle.
At Bodo we boarded a ferry and headed to Moskenes on the Lufoten Islands. We met Chan from South Korea on the ferry and also spent time sightseeing together. We took the bus to a little fishing village called Ä on the southern part of the island and checked into the Grocery Store - the village and fishermen's huts have been converted into accommodation houses. We walked out onto the jetty and behind us was the most magnificent scenery and dramatic mountains - a good location to call home and chat with all the crew!
We took the bus north to Svolvaer driving through and past these magnificent mountains which they say have been formed from glaciers and ice. All the islands in the Lufoten group are joined by bridges so it is possible to drive from one end to the other - unfortunately there were no hire cars available till the following week. Svolvaer is a great place to visit on the islands - a great place to sit in the sun and eat a great Scandinavian hot dog and an ice cream! From Svolvaer we travelled across on the ferry for four hours to Narvic which is 300 km north of the Arctic Circle which is the furtherest north we have travelled. We walked around the city and didn't get to bed until quite late at 1:15am. It is an amazing experience to see sunshine at 10 and 11:00 pm and to see a bright sky all through the night - it certainly throws any sleep pattern out the window!
We travelled from Narvic back through Sweden to Haparanda on the Finland border. We checked into a magnificent old Hotel which was built in 1898 but in wonderful condition - and it still is a flash hotel. One of the great things about travelling around is the people we meet up with. We met up with Chris who is a chef from Cambridge so we teamed up for a couple of days. The following morning we walked from Sweden to Finland! In this part of northern Finland if there is no train where there should be one, the Government provides a bus free of charge between stations - brilliant!
From Tornio on the border we headed to Kemi and Rovaniemi. A trip to Rovaniemi would not be complete without a visit to Santa Claus now would it? The bus left Rovaniemi for the trip up to Santa's village in Npapiiri which is right inside the Arctic Circle. This is the official address of all mail that is posted to Santa at the North Pole - he even has his own post office! We organised a Christmas Delivery Postcard for Flynn, Liam and the new baby (due October 21st) and our two little nieces Riley and Charli. We had some time to kill in Kemi before the train was due to depart so visited a lovely little pub in the main street. Four Finnish guys came up to ask where we came from - it's always great to say "We're from Australia". One of the guys told me he noticed what a happy person I am and that he can see I have a "laughing heart" - I guess Pat will need a bit of time to think about that one!
The trip from Rovaniemi south to Kuopio is very leisurely and winds down through more lakes than I've ever seen. I think everybody in Finland could own a waterfront block with plenty left over for the tourists. Kuopio is situated on the edge of a very large lake - tomorrow we're planning a trip on a ferry to points south on the lake where we will link up with the train once again. This evening we spent a leisurely time sipping a Finnish beer (or two) and eating a pizza on the edge of the lake - yes it is special!
We travelled from Stockholm through the lovely lakes area of Sweden towards Oslo in Norway. We have both noticed a great similarity between the brilliant countryside in Scandinavia with Canada and particularly British Columbia. On a train one day we sat beside a lovely Swedish gentleman by the name of Allan - Allan is 86 years of age and looks a treat! He was handsomely dressed in a suit and was on a mission for his grandson. He was hand delivering his grandson's Russian visa application to the Russian embassy in Stockholm. This involved getting up at 3am - driving for 1 hour to the train - travelling by train for several hours to the city and walking to the embassy - of course he then reversed the trip and headed home. We had a wonderful conversation on the train - it was our absolute pleasure to meet such a gentleman.
On the train to Oslo we also met up with a Chinese gentleman from Shanghai and spent the afternoon sightseeing together. We walked around the city and up to the Palace of the Norwegian Royal Family where we saw the changing of the guard. The following day we headed out of Oslo to Bergen on the west coast of Norway. The train trip across the mountains into Bergen is nothing short of spectacular - glorious scenery and snow capped mountains. This is considered to be one of the world's best train trips. Bergen is beautifully set amongst seven mountains and seven fiords and is a major centre for visiting the fiords. On one side of the harbour in Bergen is Bryggen which is a UNESCO World Heritage attraction - the oldest buildings date back to 1702 but the building pattern is 900 years old. We walked around the fish markets at the wharf and bought smoked wild salmon and prawns for dinner back at our apartment - yummo!
The World's Longest Fiord - so what is Western Norway best know for? The dramatic fiords - and the Sognefjord is the longest of them all, 204 km, cutting inland halfway to the Swedish border. The fjords were carved by ice during a series of ice ages, the most recent of them 10,000 years ago. The deepest fjord is 1,308 metres - if the fjord were drained of water, the surrounding mountains would rise almost twice as high above us. The fjord is the soul of Western Norway, separating yet connecting, and partly explains the rich variation in dialects. Norway can thank the warm Gulf Stream for the lush green and which is roughly the same latitude as Anchorage, Alaska.
Following our cruise down Sognefjord we boarded a smaller boat and headed into Naeroyfjorden which is the narrowest fiord and is also a World Heritage site. At Gudvangen at the end of the fiords we boarded a bus and headed up higher into the mountains and onto Voss - once again spectacular - it needs to be seen to be believed - this area of the world is truly magnificent. From Voss we boarded a train and headed back to Bergen. This west coast of Norway has something like 270 days a year of rain - so expect rain when you visit! We left Bergen and headed back to Oslo where we boarded a night sleeper train and headed north to Trondheim and Bodo. Once again the scenery is spectacular - beautiful lakes and waterfalls - and we have crossed into the Arctic Circle.
At Bodo we boarded a ferry and headed to Moskenes on the Lufoten Islands. We met Chan from South Korea on the ferry and also spent time sightseeing together. We took the bus to a little fishing village called Ä on the southern part of the island and checked into the Grocery Store - the village and fishermen's huts have been converted into accommodation houses. We walked out onto the jetty and behind us was the most magnificent scenery and dramatic mountains - a good location to call home and chat with all the crew!
We took the bus north to Svolvaer driving through and past these magnificent mountains which they say have been formed from glaciers and ice. All the islands in the Lufoten group are joined by bridges so it is possible to drive from one end to the other - unfortunately there were no hire cars available till the following week. Svolvaer is a great place to visit on the islands - a great place to sit in the sun and eat a great Scandinavian hot dog and an ice cream! From Svolvaer we travelled across on the ferry for four hours to Narvic which is 300 km north of the Arctic Circle which is the furtherest north we have travelled. We walked around the city and didn't get to bed until quite late at 1:15am. It is an amazing experience to see sunshine at 10 and 11:00 pm and to see a bright sky all through the night - it certainly throws any sleep pattern out the window!
We travelled from Narvic back through Sweden to Haparanda on the Finland border. We checked into a magnificent old Hotel which was built in 1898 but in wonderful condition - and it still is a flash hotel. One of the great things about travelling around is the people we meet up with. We met up with Chris who is a chef from Cambridge so we teamed up for a couple of days. The following morning we walked from Sweden to Finland! In this part of northern Finland if there is no train where there should be one, the Government provides a bus free of charge between stations - brilliant!
From Tornio on the border we headed to Kemi and Rovaniemi. A trip to Rovaniemi would not be complete without a visit to Santa Claus now would it? The bus left Rovaniemi for the trip up to Santa's village in Npapiiri which is right inside the Arctic Circle. This is the official address of all mail that is posted to Santa at the North Pole - he even has his own post office! We organised a Christmas Delivery Postcard for Flynn, Liam and the new baby (due October 21st) and our two little nieces Riley and Charli. We had some time to kill in Kemi before the train was due to depart so visited a lovely little pub in the main street. Four Finnish guys came up to ask where we came from - it's always great to say "We're from Australia". One of the guys told me he noticed what a happy person I am and that he can see I have a "laughing heart" - I guess Pat will need a bit of time to think about that one!
The trip from Rovaniemi south to Kuopio is very leisurely and winds down through more lakes than I've ever seen. I think everybody in Finland could own a waterfront block with plenty left over for the tourists. Kuopio is situated on the edge of a very large lake - tomorrow we're planning a trip on a ferry to points south on the lake where we will link up with the train once again. This evening we spent a leisurely time sipping a Finnish beer (or two) and eating a pizza on the edge of the lake - yes it is special!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Deal, England to Helsingborg, Sweden 28th July 2007
We headed out of Deal towards Dover where we checked onto the ferry for the crossing to France. We said goodbye to Sam & Regi and headed out of England with a view across to the White Cliffs of Dover. It certainly pays to shop around for prices (ferry crossing from Dover to Calais) P&O gave us a foot passenger price of £17 each which included a £1 Eurail pass discount, however we chose Sea France as they gave us a price of £6 each after also giving us a £6 Eurail pass discount. Our Eurail Passes for Europe are for 1st class travel which is very spacious and comfortable - these tickets are for 3 months of unlimited train travel in 18 countries of Europe - 2nd class Eurail travel passes are only available up to the age of about 30.
After arriving at Calais we kickstarted our Eurail passes, boarded a French train and headed north to Lille in France. We visited the old City of Brugge in Belgium where we visited the Church of Our Lady. Inside was a Statue of the Madonna & Child carved in Carrera marble by Michael Angelo (1504 - 1505) the faces on this statue are just superb. After leaving Brugge we travelled onto the magnificent City of Brussels. We visited St Nicholas Catholic Church and went to Mass there which was being said by a Priest from the Congo in Africa. Brussels has great architecture and many of the streets are cobblestones. The old part of the city has a wonderful atmosphere - restaurants and musicians spill out into the street - all are offering meals at competitive rates and trying to outdo the prices and the splendour of the next restaurant. We chose well and enjoyed a wonderful meal in this very vibrant city.
Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the largest port in Europe - here we enjoyed Australian home made icecream. The countryside in this part of Europe is very low and most of the country is at or below sea level. Most people speak English as their second language so there is no problem getting around and being understood. After leaving Rotterdam we travelled up through The Hague and onto Amsterdam.
What can I say about Amsterdam? Amsterdam has very liberal views in relation to drugs and prostitution. It will be interesting to see what becomes of all the Coffee Shops with their cannabis lounges when the No Smoking laws come into being in 2008. A walk through the red light district of Amsterdam is of course very interesting with the girls sitting in large windows attempting to lure in passers by. Many of the buildings appear to be leaning in different directions - we've since found out that many of them have been built with the upper floors fanning outwards to shelter the lower floors from rain. Amsterdam is a city of bicycles and canals - more bikes than I've ever seen before. We bought some crackers and cheese in the city from an authentic cheese shop - we had to try out 'Bertha's Kruid Kass' cheese - the cheesemaker said Bertha is his oldest and best cow! The cheese was very good indeed.
On the train trip from Amsterdam to Hamburg, Germany we met a delightful Canadian family from Edmonton who have taken 6 months off to do extensive world travel with their two teenage children. All going well, Barry & Margaret with their children Tessa & Connor will call into Dingo Beach for a visit in December. The children are having a very worldly education for the next six months - it was great to hear them chatting comfortably with other passengers.
Hamburg is a huge city. We went for a cruise on the River Elbe in a paddlesteamer ¨The Louisiana Star¨and were amazed at the size of the Port which is the largest in Germany. Hamburg is a container port and the containers were being stacked onto numerous ships - the number of container cranes on the seafront was unbelievable. The Queen Mary 2 was also in port and our paddlesteamer pulled up alongside and cruised past the bow - what a huge ship.
We left Hamburg in a 4 carriage train and headed for the coast where the train was loaded directly onto the ferry beside all the trucks and heavy transport. We left our train carriage and went upstairs to enjoy the view and the 45 minute ferry crossing into Denmark. Once we were ashore the train just drove straight out of the ferry and we were back on the land - something a little different. Denmark is a vastly wealthy country with the majority of Danes enjoying a high quality of living.
Copenhagen is a very attractive city and is the home of Hans Christian Andersen. We visited the Church in the city where Mary Donaldson and Prince Frederick were married. Amalienborg Palace has been the home of the Danish Royal Family since 1794. The Palace is comprised of four austere mansions which surround the central square and are guarded by sentries. These guards are relieved at noon by a ceremonial changing of the guards which was wonderful to watch. The Danish Royal Family live comfortably amongst the citizens of Copenhagen and supposedly are often seen out shopping in the city.
We had a big surprise in Copenhagen by running into friends Justin & Kylie with their two daughters. The last time we saw them was about 7 years ago when they left Burton Coal Mine - it certainly can be a small world! They currently live and work in Indonesia but were in Denmark on holidays.
A good way to view cities such as Copenhagen is by water so we went on a leisurely canal cruise which travelled along the waterways, up the canals, under bridges and up past the statue of The Little Mermaid. It was sad to hear that the original statue was stolen and has since been replaced twice due to theft. Every city and town in Europe seems to have a famous Church, building or museum - of course we cannot visit every one - to do so would mean settling in for a few years!
We headed north of Copenhagen to Helsingor where Kromborg Castle guards the seaway. This is where Shakespeare based his play Hamlet. From here we made a 4 klm ferry crossing to Helsingborg in Sweden. Sweden is having a Festival this weekend so it looks like everyone has come to this coastal city for the music and celebrations - so I guess if we can't beat them we might as well join them.
After arriving at Calais we kickstarted our Eurail passes, boarded a French train and headed north to Lille in France. We visited the old City of Brugge in Belgium where we visited the Church of Our Lady. Inside was a Statue of the Madonna & Child carved in Carrera marble by Michael Angelo (1504 - 1505) the faces on this statue are just superb. After leaving Brugge we travelled onto the magnificent City of Brussels. We visited St Nicholas Catholic Church and went to Mass there which was being said by a Priest from the Congo in Africa. Brussels has great architecture and many of the streets are cobblestones. The old part of the city has a wonderful atmosphere - restaurants and musicians spill out into the street - all are offering meals at competitive rates and trying to outdo the prices and the splendour of the next restaurant. We chose well and enjoyed a wonderful meal in this very vibrant city.
Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the largest port in Europe - here we enjoyed Australian home made icecream. The countryside in this part of Europe is very low and most of the country is at or below sea level. Most people speak English as their second language so there is no problem getting around and being understood. After leaving Rotterdam we travelled up through The Hague and onto Amsterdam.
What can I say about Amsterdam? Amsterdam has very liberal views in relation to drugs and prostitution. It will be interesting to see what becomes of all the Coffee Shops with their cannabis lounges when the No Smoking laws come into being in 2008. A walk through the red light district of Amsterdam is of course very interesting with the girls sitting in large windows attempting to lure in passers by. Many of the buildings appear to be leaning in different directions - we've since found out that many of them have been built with the upper floors fanning outwards to shelter the lower floors from rain. Amsterdam is a city of bicycles and canals - more bikes than I've ever seen before. We bought some crackers and cheese in the city from an authentic cheese shop - we had to try out 'Bertha's Kruid Kass' cheese - the cheesemaker said Bertha is his oldest and best cow! The cheese was very good indeed.
On the train trip from Amsterdam to Hamburg, Germany we met a delightful Canadian family from Edmonton who have taken 6 months off to do extensive world travel with their two teenage children. All going well, Barry & Margaret with their children Tessa & Connor will call into Dingo Beach for a visit in December. The children are having a very worldly education for the next six months - it was great to hear them chatting comfortably with other passengers.
Hamburg is a huge city. We went for a cruise on the River Elbe in a paddlesteamer ¨The Louisiana Star¨and were amazed at the size of the Port which is the largest in Germany. Hamburg is a container port and the containers were being stacked onto numerous ships - the number of container cranes on the seafront was unbelievable. The Queen Mary 2 was also in port and our paddlesteamer pulled up alongside and cruised past the bow - what a huge ship.
We left Hamburg in a 4 carriage train and headed for the coast where the train was loaded directly onto the ferry beside all the trucks and heavy transport. We left our train carriage and went upstairs to enjoy the view and the 45 minute ferry crossing into Denmark. Once we were ashore the train just drove straight out of the ferry and we were back on the land - something a little different. Denmark is a vastly wealthy country with the majority of Danes enjoying a high quality of living.
Copenhagen is a very attractive city and is the home of Hans Christian Andersen. We visited the Church in the city where Mary Donaldson and Prince Frederick were married. Amalienborg Palace has been the home of the Danish Royal Family since 1794. The Palace is comprised of four austere mansions which surround the central square and are guarded by sentries. These guards are relieved at noon by a ceremonial changing of the guards which was wonderful to watch. The Danish Royal Family live comfortably amongst the citizens of Copenhagen and supposedly are often seen out shopping in the city.
We had a big surprise in Copenhagen by running into friends Justin & Kylie with their two daughters. The last time we saw them was about 7 years ago when they left Burton Coal Mine - it certainly can be a small world! They currently live and work in Indonesia but were in Denmark on holidays.
A good way to view cities such as Copenhagen is by water so we went on a leisurely canal cruise which travelled along the waterways, up the canals, under bridges and up past the statue of The Little Mermaid. It was sad to hear that the original statue was stolen and has since been replaced twice due to theft. Every city and town in Europe seems to have a famous Church, building or museum - of course we cannot visit every one - to do so would mean settling in for a few years!
We headed north of Copenhagen to Helsingor where Kromborg Castle guards the seaway. This is where Shakespeare based his play Hamlet. From here we made a 4 klm ferry crossing to Helsingborg in Sweden. Sweden is having a Festival this weekend so it looks like everyone has come to this coastal city for the music and celebrations - so I guess if we can't beat them we might as well join them.
Monday, July 23, 2007
London, England to Deal, England 23rd July 2007
We headed out of London by train to Salisbury and via Bath to Stonehenge. Stonehenge is the most outstanding prehistoric monument in the British Isles and is a World Heritage Site. Ancient people mapped the course of the sun and moon to build this monument. 7,000 years ago the area was mixed pine and hazel woodland before becoming downland. The larger stones are called Sarsen stones and were brought from the Marlborough Downs 30 klm away and the smaller stones, known as Bluestones, were from the mystical Preseli Mountains in Wales, 385 klm away. It is believed the stones from Wales were brought here some 5,000 years ago and that they were transported up along the waterways. This is a very interesting site to visit. We headed back to London via Southampton into Brighton. Brighton is England's 'Riviera' and it was great to see the open sea and the blue sky. The beaches are devoid of sand and are fully comprised of medium sized rounded stones.
We visited the Thames River, the London Eye, Docklands and walked across the Millennium Bridge. The ship The Cutty Sark was recently set alight but is currently being rebuilt. We travelled on the Docklands Railway to the Royal Observatory - home of Greenwich Mean Time, and visited the National Maritime Museum which was very interesting - of course anything to do with the sea and Pat is hooked.
We visited the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London and then headed out of London by train to Hastings on the coast. This is the famous site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. We then stepped back in time and travelled north to the ancient city of Rye, where buildings look as they did centuries ago. The streets are narrow and winding and make for an interesting walking tour of the town. That evening back in London, we visited Chinatown and of course had a Chinese buffet for dinner.
England has been very wet whilst we have been here, however it has not hindered us from touring and site seeing - fortunately we have missed the areas of major flooding. We bought raincoats in Ireland and have certainly put them to good use.
London is not complete without a visit to Marble Arch, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Windsor Castle, Windsor Village, Buckingham Palace and of course, Harrods department store. At Harrods we hit one of the two sales per year (Pat loves a bargain) and enjoyed lunch and coffee in one of the many restaurants.
Angela arrived home from Hong Kong on Friday - laden down with her great shopping. That evening we enjoyed a Thai dinner cooked at home by Angela's resident cook - Pat. We all had a great laugh the other day - Angela was feeling quite well heeled - she had a cook in the kitchen, a secretary on the computer and the housekeeper was cleaning her apartment!
We decided to have an easy day for our last day in London so Pat, Angela and myself headed out for a leisurely walk along the Grand Canal in Little Venice up to Primrose Hill where we had lunch in the Pembroke Pub. We then walked up to the top of Primrose Hill for a beautiful view across London and on the way home called into the Windsor Castle Pub to say goodbye to Sheila and the crew.
On Sunday 22nd we headed out of London to the beautiful seaside village of Deal on the eastern side of Kent. Sam & Regi have bought the Sondes Lodge B&B just up the road from the ocean, so we checked in for the night. We were greeted by a little black bundle called Rufus at the front door - a four month old poodle cross - he's a little corker! Pat and Sam also worked together at Burton Coal Mine so it was great to catch up. We went out for a walk along the waterfront and visited the King's Head Pub for refreshments. The sun was shining, the ocean was blue and the flowers in all the hanging baskets on the front of the buildings were out in bloom - a truly beautiful day. It was Regi's birthday so we headed out to Dunkley's Restaurant for a magnificent dinner.
Today we will travel to Dover and then take the ferry across the English Channel to Calais in France. So we will say goodbye to Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England and look forward to our travels in Europe.
We visited the Thames River, the London Eye, Docklands and walked across the Millennium Bridge. The ship The Cutty Sark was recently set alight but is currently being rebuilt. We travelled on the Docklands Railway to the Royal Observatory - home of Greenwich Mean Time, and visited the National Maritime Museum which was very interesting - of course anything to do with the sea and Pat is hooked.
We visited the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London and then headed out of London by train to Hastings on the coast. This is the famous site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. We then stepped back in time and travelled north to the ancient city of Rye, where buildings look as they did centuries ago. The streets are narrow and winding and make for an interesting walking tour of the town. That evening back in London, we visited Chinatown and of course had a Chinese buffet for dinner.
England has been very wet whilst we have been here, however it has not hindered us from touring and site seeing - fortunately we have missed the areas of major flooding. We bought raincoats in Ireland and have certainly put them to good use.
London is not complete without a visit to Marble Arch, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Windsor Castle, Windsor Village, Buckingham Palace and of course, Harrods department store. At Harrods we hit one of the two sales per year (Pat loves a bargain) and enjoyed lunch and coffee in one of the many restaurants.
Angela arrived home from Hong Kong on Friday - laden down with her great shopping. That evening we enjoyed a Thai dinner cooked at home by Angela's resident cook - Pat. We all had a great laugh the other day - Angela was feeling quite well heeled - she had a cook in the kitchen, a secretary on the computer and the housekeeper was cleaning her apartment!
We decided to have an easy day for our last day in London so Pat, Angela and myself headed out for a leisurely walk along the Grand Canal in Little Venice up to Primrose Hill where we had lunch in the Pembroke Pub. We then walked up to the top of Primrose Hill for a beautiful view across London and on the way home called into the Windsor Castle Pub to say goodbye to Sheila and the crew.
On Sunday 22nd we headed out of London to the beautiful seaside village of Deal on the eastern side of Kent. Sam & Regi have bought the Sondes Lodge B&B just up the road from the ocean, so we checked in for the night. We were greeted by a little black bundle called Rufus at the front door - a four month old poodle cross - he's a little corker! Pat and Sam also worked together at Burton Coal Mine so it was great to catch up. We went out for a walk along the waterfront and visited the King's Head Pub for refreshments. The sun was shining, the ocean was blue and the flowers in all the hanging baskets on the front of the buildings were out in bloom - a truly beautiful day. It was Regi's birthday so we headed out to Dunkley's Restaurant for a magnificent dinner.
Today we will travel to Dover and then take the ferry across the English Channel to Calais in France. So we will say goodbye to Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England and look forward to our travels in Europe.
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