Well we are home in NZ. The flight back from LA was a good one. Although Helen and I weren't seated together, we each had a spare seat next to us which made things a little more comfortable.
Upon arrival in Auckland, the airport crew couldn't get the finger to move to the plane door, so after waiting for 20 minutes they decided to use stairs instead. I've never walked down onto the ground from a 747 before, so it was a novelty. The plane certainly looks big from down there!
That delay meant we didn't have any time to spare catching our domestic flight to Wellington. By the time we got to the gate, the flight was already boarding. So we didn't have to wait at all.
We are glad to be home in NZ again. Although we miss Edinburgh, it's all very familiar here. And we were surprised that some friends came to meet us at the airport. Very nice of them.
So we'll get about "rebooting" our lives again. Getting moved back into our house, catching up with friends etc.
So until the next time we take a holiday somewhere, this blog will be very quiet. Thanks for reading.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Los Angeles
Not much to report today except that we're still alive.
We had a bus ride to Paddington Station, followed by the train to Heathrow, and finally a plane to Los Angeles. All went fine.
Tomorrow we shop!
We had a bus ride to Paddington Station, followed by the train to Heathrow, and finally a plane to Los Angeles. All went fine.
Tomorrow we shop!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
London Again
Last night we caught the sleeper train to London. We arrived early, about 6:15 am, with such a hard jolt I nearly fell out of bed. I thought the train had hit the barrier at the front of the platform! Breakfast was delivered to us some time later, a warm bottle of orange juice and a shortbread biscuit each. We passed on both.
We made our way out of Euston station, and decided to walk our bags down to the hotel near Kings Cross. Only 300m according to the street map. We bumped into some Kiwis on their way to a hotel. They must recognise our accents and say "Are you staying in the same hotel as us?". As if because we're from New Zealand we're staying at the same place. Cute!
We check our bags in, change our shoes, and head off. First we get the underground to Paddington Station. Here we investigate the train to Heathrow. We then find some breakfast down the road.
We decide to go to the London Eye. Rather than use underground, we try buses. Unfortunately we get a bus going nowhere near the London Eye, but we get a good ride and eventually pass by Aldwych Theatre where Dirty Dancing is on. They advertise a matinee so we jump off the bus, and minutes later have bought tickets to the 3pm showing. We have box seats as they're cheaper. Always wanted to try a box anyway so why not?
Next we try to find another bus to Waterloo which is near London Eye. We get a bus that says Waterloo, but it's already been to Waterloo and we end up again nowhere near there. So we bus hop at Euston, and decide to go to Royal Albert Hall which I've always wanted to see.
The ride there is very interesting, taking us past many places I'd never seen before. We also see a jewelery shop down Oxford Street cordoned off by police. The windows are smashed in and three sledge hammers are lying on the ground. A broad daylight robbery! Not uncommon in London these days.
Once at Royal Albert hall, it's only 40 minutes until the next tour at midday. We book tickets plus also there are tickets to the BBC Proms at 7pm so we decide to impulse buy those too. We then grab a bite to eat while we wait.
We think we've bitten off more than we can chew (and I'm not referring to lunch!). We will have 2 hours to get to the hotel, and get our room key and move our bags into our room, and get to Dirty Dancing at 3pm. Then after that we may have 1-2 hours to get back to Royal Albert hall. All of a sudden our day is very busy.
The tour of Royal Albert Hall takes an hour, and is very interesting, teaching us a bit of history and learn all about the Queen's box. We get to sit in each different part of the hall. We get to see different staircases and halls. Well worth the visit.
After that, we make a beeline to our hotel, get our room key, then set about finding a bus to Aldwych. This is made easy by the internet, but hard to find the right bus stop. Anyway once we're on the bus all is well.
Dirty Dancing is a laugh. Not a genuine comedy, just so cheesy we had to laugh. The audience is predominantly female, and there are a bunch of ladies below who are very noisy and cheer anything that looks like male flesh. Now that was funny. The box seats provide a good view of the stage and audience. Not bad considering they were the cheapest seats we could get. We enjoy the show and take away good memories. But it's not an award winner by any stretch of the imagination.
Once out of there, we make a dash to our next bus. We end up on an old style double-decker to Royal Albert Hall. Up the spiral staircase at the back, and to the front we go! These old buses are rare now and many people are seen taking photos of our bus as we drive by. It's a rough ride, not as cushy as new buses. It's another good route through many famous streets of London.
Time is tight so it's a yucky hot dog from outside Royal Albert Hall. A classy way to begin The Proms. The hall is half empty until the orchestra arrive then suddenly fills up. It's been a long day, we're tired, and the seating is pretty cramped where we are. We're catching a 12 hour flight tomorrow, why put up with squeezed seating now? So we don't last the distance, opting instead to get some fresh air. We catch a bus back to our hotel and catch an early night.
Tomorrow we sleep in, and fly to Los Angeles.
(I will post photos when we get home).
We made our way out of Euston station, and decided to walk our bags down to the hotel near Kings Cross. Only 300m according to the street map. We bumped into some Kiwis on their way to a hotel. They must recognise our accents and say "Are you staying in the same hotel as us?". As if because we're from New Zealand we're staying at the same place. Cute!
We check our bags in, change our shoes, and head off. First we get the underground to Paddington Station. Here we investigate the train to Heathrow. We then find some breakfast down the road.
We decide to go to the London Eye. Rather than use underground, we try buses. Unfortunately we get a bus going nowhere near the London Eye, but we get a good ride and eventually pass by Aldwych Theatre where Dirty Dancing is on. They advertise a matinee so we jump off the bus, and minutes later have bought tickets to the 3pm showing. We have box seats as they're cheaper. Always wanted to try a box anyway so why not?
Next we try to find another bus to Waterloo which is near London Eye. We get a bus that says Waterloo, but it's already been to Waterloo and we end up again nowhere near there. So we bus hop at Euston, and decide to go to Royal Albert Hall which I've always wanted to see.
The ride there is very interesting, taking us past many places I'd never seen before. We also see a jewelery shop down Oxford Street cordoned off by police. The windows are smashed in and three sledge hammers are lying on the ground. A broad daylight robbery! Not uncommon in London these days.
Once at Royal Albert hall, it's only 40 minutes until the next tour at midday. We book tickets plus also there are tickets to the BBC Proms at 7pm so we decide to impulse buy those too. We then grab a bite to eat while we wait.
We think we've bitten off more than we can chew (and I'm not referring to lunch!). We will have 2 hours to get to the hotel, and get our room key and move our bags into our room, and get to Dirty Dancing at 3pm. Then after that we may have 1-2 hours to get back to Royal Albert hall. All of a sudden our day is very busy.
The tour of Royal Albert Hall takes an hour, and is very interesting, teaching us a bit of history and learn all about the Queen's box. We get to sit in each different part of the hall. We get to see different staircases and halls. Well worth the visit.
After that, we make a beeline to our hotel, get our room key, then set about finding a bus to Aldwych. This is made easy by the internet, but hard to find the right bus stop. Anyway once we're on the bus all is well.Dirty Dancing is a laugh. Not a genuine comedy, just so cheesy we had to laugh. The audience is predominantly female, and there are a bunch of ladies below who are very noisy and cheer anything that looks like male flesh. Now that was funny. The box seats provide a good view of the stage and audience. Not bad considering they were the cheapest seats we could get. We enjoy the show and take away good memories. But it's not an award winner by any stretch of the imagination.
Once out of there, we make a dash to our next bus. We end up on an old style double-decker to Royal Albert Hall. Up the spiral staircase at the back, and to the front we go! These old buses are rare now and many people are seen taking photos of our bus as we drive by. It's a rough ride, not as cushy as new buses. It's another good route through many famous streets of London.
Time is tight so it's a yucky hot dog from outside Royal Albert Hall. A classy way to begin The Proms. The hall is half empty until the orchestra arrive then suddenly fills up. It's been a long day, we're tired, and the seating is pretty cramped where we are. We're catching a 12 hour flight tomorrow, why put up with squeezed seating now? So we don't last the distance, opting instead to get some fresh air. We catch a bus back to our hotel and catch an early night.
Tomorrow we sleep in, and fly to Los Angeles.
(I will post photos when we get home).
Friday, September 4, 2009
Leaving Edinburgh today
Today is the day.....
We have packed our belongings. Our flat is cleaned.
We are sitting here, waiting for the moving people to come and pick up our boxes. And our flat is being inspected at 4pm. After the inspection, we hand over the keys, and walk out the door with only our suitcases being towed behind us.
Thankfully, we still have phone and internet although that is being disconnected sometime today. The later in the day the better!
We're booked in for dinner at Number One for one last treat in Edinburgh. Then we're taking the Caledonian Sleeper train to London later this evening.
It will be sad to leave this place, but mixed with that we will be glad to be home again.
To those of you in Edinburgh, goodbye for now, and you're welcome to come visit us in New Zealand any time. For those of you in New Zealand, see you soon.
We have packed our belongings. Our flat is cleaned.
We are sitting here, waiting for the moving people to come and pick up our boxes. And our flat is being inspected at 4pm. After the inspection, we hand over the keys, and walk out the door with only our suitcases being towed behind us.
Thankfully, we still have phone and internet although that is being disconnected sometime today. The later in the day the better!
We're booked in for dinner at Number One for one last treat in Edinburgh. Then we're taking the Caledonian Sleeper train to London later this evening.
It will be sad to leave this place, but mixed with that we will be glad to be home again.
To those of you in Edinburgh, goodbye for now, and you're welcome to come visit us in New Zealand any time. For those of you in New Zealand, see you soon.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Loch Ness and Highlands
(Hi all. This blog entry is belated. I started to draft it at the time we travelled, then only managed to put photos in, then got too busy with our return home. I never actually wrote it up and posted it. So here is my posting, only 21 months late!)
Today we awoke to beautiful weather, perfect for our day of travel. We head off towards Inverness, where we cross the Caledonian Canal then follow it south towards Loch Ness stopping to look at the Docgarroch Lock.
We follow the A82 alongside Loch Ness down to Urqhart Castle, which Helen and I have visited before. It's busy here today, parking is difficult. I take Dad into the castle for an hour while Helen goes for a drive into Drumnadrochit town. Cellphone coverage is not good here, and we struggle to meet up with Helen afterwards, walking around in the heat trying to get a signal.
Eventually we are back on the road. Soon enough at Aberchalder we happen upon the Bridge of Oich which is a beautiful suspension bridge dating back to 1854. We cross the canal then park up to take photos of the bridge.
Only moments later, an alarm sounds on the bridge we just crossed. The lock keeper comes out of his house, and shortly afterwards the bridge is closed to traffic. There is a boat travelling along the canal, and the bridge rotates 90 degrees to allow the boat through. The the bridge moves back. The entire event takes about 5 minutes, the bridge moves quickly and quietly. We were lucky to be here just as this happened.
We continue on down towards Fort William, stopping at a Little Chef for lunch. Passing through Fort William, we happen to see that The Jacobite steam train is in. We park up and go to have a look. When we arrive, the engine is being uncoupled from the carriages so we wait to see it pull away. It's not often we get to see a steam train in action so this is most interesting.
We still have a long drive back to Edinburgh. We head down through The Highlands, where the road is busy, then passing through Doune so Dad can see Doune Castle. We return the car at Edinburgh airport, then we're back on the buses again to get home.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Speyside via Aberdeen
(Hi all. This blog entry is belated. I started to draft it at the time we travelled, then only managed to put photos in, then got too busy with our return home. I never actually wrote it up and posted it. So here is my posting, only 21 months late!)
We rented a car for the weekend, to head up to Speyside. This time our car was a Seat, the best car we've rented by far, it even had fold down trays in the back like sitting in a plane! I loved the trays and sat in the back most of the trip maximising their use.
We left Edinburgh early on Saturday, with cold and rain. We headed north over the Forth Road Bridge. We hoped to show Dad the view across Dundee passing through but it was all fogged in. So we passed straight through, and stopped at Arbroath for a look around. It was too early to buy a smokie to try, so we looked around the town briefly then carried on.
We followed the A92, for a quick and yet scenic drive, up to Aberdeen. We hadn't been here before, but had heard how grey it is. How true! The buildings are all grey, and the sky was grey for us too. It does lend unique character though. We stopped here for quite a while, Dad visited a bank and I made an impulse purchase of some new motorcycle gloves. We also found lunch at a local bakery.
We wanted to tour The Glenlivet distillery, so once leaving Aberdeen we took the most direct route there. It was a beautiful drive through green, rolling hills and the weather improved also. Oddly, passing through all of Aberdeenshire and Angus, we did not see any cattle. Where does Aberdeen Angus meat really come from, we wonder?
We reach the distillery just minutes before a tour departs. Good timing! Having done the tour of Glenfiddich, Helen and I cannot help but compare. The Glenlivet has a much more industrial, commercial feel. Lots of iron sheds, not much character. The tour explains how whisky is made in the usual manner, and the tastings are of course a must, but we came away thinking this tour is second best to Glenfiddich.
We decide to dial up Glenfiddich in the GPS, and it's not too far away, so we head there also. We arrive just minutes before their last tour of the day! Perfect. So we get to enjoy this tour again, and Dad gets to see tour both distilleries and compare. We are feeling very lucky.
From here it is a nice drive to Highlander Inn, in Craigellachie, where we are booked.
We have stayed in this town before, at a B&B, and enjoyed this bar, this time we wanted to stay here. Needless to say we weren't disappointed. I took Dad for a walk down to the river, then we settled into a table for the night to enjoy a hearty meal and some whisky tastings. What a nice, relaxing way to spend the night. It's a shame we cannot do this more often.
We rented a car for the weekend, to head up to Speyside. This time our car was a Seat, the best car we've rented by far, it even had fold down trays in the back like sitting in a plane! I loved the trays and sat in the back most of the trip maximising their use.
We followed the A92, for a quick and yet scenic drive, up to Aberdeen. We hadn't been here before, but had heard how grey it is. How true! The buildings are all grey, and the sky was grey for us too. It does lend unique character though. We stopped here for quite a while, Dad visited a bank and I made an impulse purchase of some new motorcycle gloves. We also found lunch at a local bakery.
We wanted to tour The Glenlivet distillery, so once leaving Aberdeen we took the most direct route there. It was a beautiful drive through green, rolling hills and the weather improved also. Oddly, passing through all of Aberdeenshire and Angus, we did not see any cattle. Where does Aberdeen Angus meat really come from, we wonder?
We reach the distillery just minutes before a tour departs. Good timing! Having done the tour of Glenfiddich, Helen and I cannot help but compare. The Glenlivet has a much more industrial, commercial feel. Lots of iron sheds, not much character. The tour explains how whisky is made in the usual manner, and the tastings are of course a must, but we came away thinking this tour is second best to Glenfiddich.
We decide to dial up Glenfiddich in the GPS, and it's not too far away, so we head there also. We arrive just minutes before their last tour of the day! Perfect. So we get to enjoy this tour again, and Dad gets to see tour both distilleries and compare. We are feeling very lucky.
From here it is a nice drive to Highlander Inn, in Craigellachie, where we are booked.
We have stayed in this town before, at a B&B, and enjoyed this bar, this time we wanted to stay here. Needless to say we weren't disappointed. I took Dad for a walk down to the river, then we settled into a table for the night to enjoy a hearty meal and some whisky tastings. What a nice, relaxing way to spend the night. It's a shame we cannot do this more often.
Friday, August 14, 2009
An update for you all
Hi all,
Those of you who check our blog regularly will notice we've been falling behind on our blogging.
We decided a while ago to return to New Zealand. The date is now fixed. We depart from Edinburgh on the 4th September, and travel home via London and Los Angeles, arriving back in Wellington on 10th September.
As a result, life is a blur at the moment. We had our trip to Italy,which was just fantastic, then came home via London where we picked up my Dad. He's come over to stay for a few weeks in Edinburgh. Helen and I are now working our last month in our jobs, both of us finish around end of August just days before we depart.
We have to plan vacating and cleaning our flat, packing and shipping belongings home, along with taking weekend trips away with Dad.
We've also been job hunting for positions in NZ. Helen's applying for a few jobs, and I've now secured a job at Housing NZ Corporation which I start one week after arriving home.
We hoped to have a last month to enjoy Edinburgh; to see a few local attractions we've not yet seen, and revisit our favourite haunts one last time. Unfortunately, this has coincided with the Edinburgh Festival. The town is packed with tourists. Bus timetables are worthless, buses are running so late. The rubbish collectors have been on strike too in Edinburgh, so rubbish bins are overflowing everywhere and the city is under siege from large numbers of seagulls.
So all in all, Helen and I are feeling a little bit like we would just like to get all this over with, and return home now.
We look forward to seeing you all again soon. In the meantime, please keep an eye on the blog, on postings older than this one, as we back-fill the remainder of our Italy trip, and tell you all about our trip down to Gretna Green!
Mike.
Those of you who check our blog regularly will notice we've been falling behind on our blogging.
We decided a while ago to return to New Zealand. The date is now fixed. We depart from Edinburgh on the 4th September, and travel home via London and Los Angeles, arriving back in Wellington on 10th September.
As a result, life is a blur at the moment. We had our trip to Italy,which was just fantastic, then came home via London where we picked up my Dad. He's come over to stay for a few weeks in Edinburgh. Helen and I are now working our last month in our jobs, both of us finish around end of August just days before we depart.
We have to plan vacating and cleaning our flat, packing and shipping belongings home, along with taking weekend trips away with Dad.
We've also been job hunting for positions in NZ. Helen's applying for a few jobs, and I've now secured a job at Housing NZ Corporation which I start one week after arriving home.
We hoped to have a last month to enjoy Edinburgh; to see a few local attractions we've not yet seen, and revisit our favourite haunts one last time. Unfortunately, this has coincided with the Edinburgh Festival. The town is packed with tourists. Bus timetables are worthless, buses are running so late. The rubbish collectors have been on strike too in Edinburgh, so rubbish bins are overflowing everywhere and the city is under siege from large numbers of seagulls.
So all in all, Helen and I are feeling a little bit like we would just like to get all this over with, and return home now.
We look forward to seeing you all again soon. In the meantime, please keep an eye on the blog, on postings older than this one, as we back-fill the remainder of our Italy trip, and tell you all about our trip down to Gretna Green!
Mike.
Monday, August 10, 2009
North Around the Firth of Forth
Yesterday we headed south, so today we're heading north.
First of all we go to the Falkirk Wheel. We went there once before but thought Dad would like to see it. When we were there last time, it was winter and the canals were frozen. Now, in summer, the place is in full swing. Dad gets the see the wheel in action, but also the locks are in use. Boats are coming up the canal, and through the lock, to get to the wheel. We get to see the lock empty and fill twice as each boat goes through. Very interesting!
Next we head off to a place Helen and I have had on our list for some time, but never made it to. Dunmore Pineapple House was built in 1761, and is a unique structure. A house shaped like a pineapple! It is surrounded by lawn and a few trees, and is not open (unless you want to stay a night inside). So we merely came, saw, and satisfied our curiosity. Then we went back to the car and moved on.
We continued on towards our main destination for today, Scone Palace. This is another we tried to visit before but it was closed then. Today we knew it would be open. It wasn't overly busy and we were made to feel most welcome. We did the obligatory tour inside, and also walked the grounds which was quite relaxing.
Scone is pronounced "Scoon", not as in the posh way of saying "Scone" and certainly not the Kiwi pronunciation "Scon". Anyway all this talk of scones made us hungry so we stopped in the cafe here to have one each with jam and cream. It has to be done!
Scone Palace really does have a colourful history and much of it hinges around the Stone of Destiny, aka the Stone of Scone. The real thing (if it is in fact the real thing) is held at Edinburgh Castle, but here they have a replica of it outside the chapel.
We saw the beginning of an archeological dig here today. Some students from a nearby university have been planning this for some time and while we were there they started the dig. Fascinating.
Having time to spare, we went on to Falkland Palace. We visited this town once before but it wasn't open so we wanted to visit again. Today we were in luck. This was an interesting palace. Not a ruin at all, but complete and furnished inside, although one wing was destroyed many years ago by fire and is a ruin itself. This visit exceeded our expectations.
Once we were done here, we headed back towards Edinburgh, diverting through Perth. We made a brief stop at North Queensferry to park under the rail bridge and show Dad the view. Then we crossed the bridge, and returned the car to the airport where we had picked it up.
Another weekend road trip over. Stay tuned, there is another next weekend.
First of all we go to the Falkirk Wheel. We went there once before but thought Dad would like to see it. When we were there last time, it was winter and the canals were frozen. Now, in summer, the place is in full swing. Dad gets the see the wheel in action, but also the locks are in use. Boats are coming up the canal, and through the lock, to get to the wheel. We get to see the lock empty and fill twice as each boat goes through. Very interesting!
Next we head off to a place Helen and I have had on our list for some time, but never made it to. Dunmore Pineapple House was built in 1761, and is a unique structure. A house shaped like a pineapple! It is surrounded by lawn and a few trees, and is not open (unless you want to stay a night inside). So we merely came, saw, and satisfied our curiosity. Then we went back to the car and moved on.
We continued on towards our main destination for today, Scone Palace. This is another we tried to visit before but it was closed then. Today we knew it would be open. It wasn't overly busy and we were made to feel most welcome. We did the obligatory tour inside, and also walked the grounds which was quite relaxing.Scone is pronounced "Scoon", not as in the posh way of saying "Scone" and certainly not the Kiwi pronunciation "Scon". Anyway all this talk of scones made us hungry so we stopped in the cafe here to have one each with jam and cream. It has to be done!
Scone Palace really does have a colourful history and much of it hinges around the Stone of Destiny, aka the Stone of Scone. The real thing (if it is in fact the real thing) is held at Edinburgh Castle, but here they have a replica of it outside the chapel.
We saw the beginning of an archeological dig here today. Some students from a nearby university have been planning this for some time and while we were there they started the dig. Fascinating.Having time to spare, we went on to Falkland Palace. We visited this town once before but it wasn't open so we wanted to visit again. Today we were in luck. This was an interesting palace. Not a ruin at all, but complete and furnished inside, although one wing was destroyed many years ago by fire and is a ruin itself. This visit exceeded our expectations.
Once we were done here, we headed back towards Edinburgh, diverting through Perth. We made a brief stop at North Queensferry to park under the rail bridge and show Dad the view. Then we crossed the bridge, and returned the car to the airport where we had picked it up.Another weekend road trip over. Stay tuned, there is another next weekend.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Gretna Green and Borders District
Today, our destination is Gretna Green. We head off at a gentlemanly time of around 8am. First we head out of Edinburgh to show Dad where I work. This isn't as simple as we hoped, the road to my work was closed for roadworks, so the GPS took us on a tour through some narrow B roads to come in the other way.
We then carried on through Penicuik, stopping briefly to fill up with petrol. While there, I bought each of us a drink. I got Dad a Wee Bru to try. He likes it!
We headed on towards Peebles. Last time we did this was in a bus. It took forever, and we thought we were going so far. In the car, 15 minutes and we were there! We stopped to walk the main street and let Dad see the river. A relaxing start to the day.
Next we continued on towards Gretna Green. The drive took us through some nice A roads, and lovely scenery. We went through Moffat, another nice town which we stopped in briefly hoping to visit a bank, but it was closed.
Eventually we arrived in Gretna. Once there we followed our noses, and that led us to a large outlet mall. We stopped here and ended up all buying a few shirts, shoes plus other goodies. I asked a shop assistant if we were far from the border with England, she explained it was just up the road. We could leave the car parked here and walk to the border. An excellent plan!
We found the border easily, and took photos of it plus the road signs in either direction. Finally, Helen got to stand with one foot in England and one foot in Scotland. My workmates here in the UK think we're crazy, but us Kiwis thinks it's exciting because our own borders are out at sea.
We then returned to the car, and headed around the corner to Gretna Green itself. History aside, this is still a busy wedding destination, and even today there were weddings on, but it's also major tourist spot. This makes the whole thing seem so tacky, I feel perhaps worse then Las Vegas. The carpark was geared towards parking lots of tour coaches, and even more cars.
The place was full of souvenir shops. And of course being the first port of call over the border from England, is loaded with Scottish souvenirs, and of course bagpipers. Yet somehow it doesn't feel that Scottish after living in Edinburgh. Helen took a tour through the wedding museum, and eyes the anvils inside. Dad and I passed on that one. We then depart. An interesting place to visit but it all seemed a bit surreal.
We head home a different way, dialing up Edinburgh on the GPS and letting it find the way home. This takes us back on a more direct route. We firstly pass a number of signs, "Welcome to England" and "Welcome to Scotland" as the road we're on criss-crosses the border. Finally we're in Scotland for good. Yes, the novelty of borders has worn off now!
Our next destination is Langholm. As you may know, Helen and I are Lilliput Lane collectors. We visited the Lilliput Lane factory in Penrith last year. Lilliput Lane is now owned by Enesco. They also own Border Fine Arts, amongst others. They used to have a factory shop in Gretna Green, but this has now moved to Langholm. So we wanted to stop and have a look. As it turns out, the shop has products from all of the Enesco group. We made a couple of small purchases. Then at the counter we found out that the Lilliput Lane factory in Penrith has recently closed and has moved to Langholm. This new saddened us. It's the end of a generation. Yet another family business being ruthlessly taken over by a faceless corporation. We may have just purchased our last Lilliput. We wonder what has happened to those friendly people we met at the factory, and especially what of the red squirrels whose home was there? Because they were so well looked after by the staff.
Heading towards Edinburgh, we take a detour when we see a tourist sign to Hermitage Castle. This takes us on a back road that seems to go on forever, getting us further away from the beaten track at every turn. We find it eventually, and it's a lonely site for this beauty which is still in remarkable condition. And it's Dad's first castle ruin visit so very exciting!
The day is getting on, and we're getting hungry. We missed lunch completely and now we're looking for dinner. Unfortunately the towns are few and far between on this route. We eventually find a little pub/restaurant in Hawick, who treat us to a lovely meal and friendly service. By the time we leave, it's about 7pm.
We make a beeline for home in Edinburgh, stopping only in briefly in Galashiels to take a few photos of the pretty Bank Street Gardens.
We then carried on through Penicuik, stopping briefly to fill up with petrol. While there, I bought each of us a drink. I got Dad a Wee Bru to try. He likes it!
We headed on towards Peebles. Last time we did this was in a bus. It took forever, and we thought we were going so far. In the car, 15 minutes and we were there! We stopped to walk the main street and let Dad see the river. A relaxing start to the day.
Next we continued on towards Gretna Green. The drive took us through some nice A roads, and lovely scenery. We went through Moffat, another nice town which we stopped in briefly hoping to visit a bank, but it was closed.
Eventually we arrived in Gretna. Once there we followed our noses, and that led us to a large outlet mall. We stopped here and ended up all buying a few shirts, shoes plus other goodies. I asked a shop assistant if we were far from the border with England, she explained it was just up the road. We could leave the car parked here and walk to the border. An excellent plan!
We found the border easily, and took photos of it plus the road signs in either direction. Finally, Helen got to stand with one foot in England and one foot in Scotland. My workmates here in the UK think we're crazy, but us Kiwis thinks it's exciting because our own borders are out at sea.
We then returned to the car, and headed around the corner to Gretna Green itself. History aside, this is still a busy wedding destination, and even today there were weddings on, but it's also major tourist spot. This makes the whole thing seem so tacky, I feel perhaps worse then Las Vegas. The carpark was geared towards parking lots of tour coaches, and even more cars.
The place was full of souvenir shops. And of course being the first port of call over the border from England, is loaded with Scottish souvenirs, and of course bagpipers. Yet somehow it doesn't feel that Scottish after living in Edinburgh. Helen took a tour through the wedding museum, and eyes the anvils inside. Dad and I passed on that one. We then depart. An interesting place to visit but it all seemed a bit surreal.
We head home a different way, dialing up Edinburgh on the GPS and letting it find the way home. This takes us back on a more direct route. We firstly pass a number of signs, "Welcome to England" and "Welcome to Scotland" as the road we're on criss-crosses the border. Finally we're in Scotland for good. Yes, the novelty of borders has worn off now!Our next destination is Langholm. As you may know, Helen and I are Lilliput Lane collectors. We visited the Lilliput Lane factory in Penrith last year. Lilliput Lane is now owned by Enesco. They also own Border Fine Arts, amongst others. They used to have a factory shop in Gretna Green, but this has now moved to Langholm. So we wanted to stop and have a look. As it turns out, the shop has products from all of the Enesco group. We made a couple of small purchases. Then at the counter we found out that the Lilliput Lane factory in Penrith has recently closed and has moved to Langholm. This new saddened us. It's the end of a generation. Yet another family business being ruthlessly taken over by a faceless corporation. We may have just purchased our last Lilliput. We wonder what has happened to those friendly people we met at the factory, and especially what of the red squirrels whose home was there? Because they were so well looked after by the staff.
Heading towards Edinburgh, we take a detour when we see a tourist sign to Hermitage Castle. This takes us on a back road that seems to go on forever, getting us further away from the beaten track at every turn. We find it eventually, and it's a lonely site for this beauty which is still in remarkable condition. And it's Dad's first castle ruin visit so very exciting!
The day is getting on, and we're getting hungry. We missed lunch completely and now we're looking for dinner. Unfortunately the towns are few and far between on this route. We eventually find a little pub/restaurant in Hawick, who treat us to a lovely meal and friendly service. By the time we leave, it's about 7pm.We make a beeline for home in Edinburgh, stopping only in briefly in Galashiels to take a few photos of the pretty Bank Street Gardens.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
A Big Weekend Ahead
This weekend we have booked a rental car. We've not managed to see much of the borders region (down south, where Scotland meets England), apart from our day trips to Peebles and Berwick Upon Tweed, so wanted to head that way. And with Dad here, we had no excuses not to go!
We picked up the car from Edinburgh Airport on Friday night. An uneventful affair, we met at Toby Carvery for dinner before jumping on the airport bus to get the car. Once we did the paperwork, we went and found our car, a Vauxhall Astra 4 door petrol. An OK car, but in hindsight not an economical one. We all jumped in the car, and before I could turn the ignition Dad jumped out again, as two Tornados flew overhead at low altitude, and straight across the runway. Very cool!
While we had the car, we popped into Helen's work to get some boxes to take home, these we can use for packing belongings to be returned to New Zealand.
We picked up the car from Edinburgh Airport on Friday night. An uneventful affair, we met at Toby Carvery for dinner before jumping on the airport bus to get the car. Once we did the paperwork, we went and found our car, a Vauxhall Astra 4 door petrol. An OK car, but in hindsight not an economical one. We all jumped in the car, and before I could turn the ignition Dad jumped out again, as two Tornados flew overhead at low altitude, and straight across the runway. Very cool!
While we had the car, we popped into Helen's work to get some boxes to take home, these we can use for packing belongings to be returned to New Zealand.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
London to Edinburgh
Not much to report today, except that we're on the 8:00am train to Edinburgh, sitting in first class. A rather uneventful day but with a couple of highlights.
First, we found Platform 9 3/4 in London. Dad accidentally pushed his luggage trolley through but we managed to rescue it back.
Secondly, we saw a group of trainspotters at York station. One had binoculars, another had a video camera. Very amusing!
We arrived in Edinburgh early afternoon. The city is packed with people, the festivals have begun. We get Dad a bus pass, then head straight for home.
First, we found Platform 9 3/4 in London. Dad accidentally pushed his luggage trolley through but we managed to rescue it back.
Secondly, we saw a group of trainspotters at York station. One had binoculars, another had a video camera. Very amusing!We arrived in Edinburgh early afternoon. The city is packed with people, the festivals have begun. We get Dad a bus pass, then head straight for home.
London & Hairspray
Today we have a full day in London, and not too much planned. We start with a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, before venturing out mid morning. The first destination is New Zealand House, the NZ High Commission in London. Myself and Dad had never been there before. We just wanted to see it. Actually the real reason to visit is that behind it is a shop full of NZ products. Helen wanted to buy some Burger Rings, Twisties etc. We found both without a problem.
We then wandered around a bit, and found a busy spot to sit and people watch. Most interesting see the parking wardens play Cat & Mouse with chauffeurs in rather flash cars, they are waiting to pick rich people up so continually drive around the block and park up before being pounced on again. Amusing!
We then headed back to the hotel again, for a rest, and to see if our train tickets had turned up in today's post. Success!!!!!! They turned up, and we all did a little victory dance, we were so glad. The alternatives to get to Edinburgh tomorrow were scarily expensive, so we could all finally relax now.
We have tickets booked to see Hairspray tonight, so gather up our belongings and head off, again via the underground. We surface at Holborn and make our way to Shaftsbury Theatre on foot. First we pick up the tickets. Here I see that Nigel Planer is in the cast. This is exciting, having watched him in shows such as the The Young Ones, and Filthy Rich & Catflap. Once we have the tickets, we have some time to spare.
We find a pub nearby, so stop in there for a drink. Then we wander down some random streets just to see where we end up. We happen upon the British Museum. We have time to pop in for a quick look so why not? This is amazing inside, the glass ceiling is incredible and it's got a spacious, airy feel. Where do we start? Helen is interested to see some Egyptian exhibits so we head that way. Once inside the exhibits, it is a very traditional museum. I expect to see rows of moths pinned inside glass cabinets somewhere. I've never seen so many mummies in one place. Spooky so think we're looking at actual people in some cases. We don't have too long to spare now, so it's a flying visit around a few exhibits, then we need to head back to the theatre.
Time for the show. We love the Hairspray movie, and wanted to see the show. I didn't come with any preconceptions, but somehow thought I'd compare it to the movie and therefore not enjoy it as much. I was wrong! The stage show is so much better. Totally alive, great cast, colourful costumes, and oh so funny. And some scenes were different to the movie, which kept us interested comparing storylines also. We laughed our socks off the whole time. I highly recommend it.
By the time we got out, it was bed time for us, so we wandered home via the underground again. Tomorrow we head back to Edinburgh with Dad too.
We then wandered around a bit, and found a busy spot to sit and people watch. Most interesting see the parking wardens play Cat & Mouse with chauffeurs in rather flash cars, they are waiting to pick rich people up so continually drive around the block and park up before being pounced on again. Amusing!
We then headed back to the hotel again, for a rest, and to see if our train tickets had turned up in today's post. Success!!!!!! They turned up, and we all did a little victory dance, we were so glad. The alternatives to get to Edinburgh tomorrow were scarily expensive, so we could all finally relax now.
We have tickets booked to see Hairspray tonight, so gather up our belongings and head off, again via the underground. We surface at Holborn and make our way to Shaftsbury Theatre on foot. First we pick up the tickets. Here I see that Nigel Planer is in the cast. This is exciting, having watched him in shows such as the The Young Ones, and Filthy Rich & Catflap. Once we have the tickets, we have some time to spare.
We find a pub nearby, so stop in there for a drink. Then we wander down some random streets just to see where we end up. We happen upon the British Museum. We have time to pop in for a quick look so why not? This is amazing inside, the glass ceiling is incredible and it's got a spacious, airy feel. Where do we start? Helen is interested to see some Egyptian exhibits so we head that way. Once inside the exhibits, it is a very traditional museum. I expect to see rows of moths pinned inside glass cabinets somewhere. I've never seen so many mummies in one place. Spooky so think we're looking at actual people in some cases. We don't have too long to spare now, so it's a flying visit around a few exhibits, then we need to head back to the theatre.
Time for the show. We love the Hairspray movie, and wanted to see the show. I didn't come with any preconceptions, but somehow thought I'd compare it to the movie and therefore not enjoy it as much. I was wrong! The stage show is so much better. Totally alive, great cast, colourful costumes, and oh so funny. And some scenes were different to the movie, which kept us interested comparing storylines also. We laughed our socks off the whole time. I highly recommend it.
By the time we got out, it was bed time for us, so we wandered home via the underground again. Tomorrow we head back to Edinburgh with Dad too.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Venice To London By Plane
Today we rose early, to pack our bags before leaving. We had our breakfast, then headed out the door about 8:00am. Riccardo was kind enough to help me down the four flights of stairs with the luggage.
Our last walk through Venice was a quiet one, early enough that most people hadn't risen yet. We opted for the slower and cheapre Vaporetto, which would take us to Venice airport the long route. That's OK. We get more time on the water, and one long last look at Venice as we finally depart across to the airport.
Checkin and security were a little busy, but the whole process was quite painless. Before we knew it, we were on a plane bound for London. The flight was quick and it was only a couple of hours then we were back in England. Dad had flown in a couple of hours before, via Los Angeles, so as soon as we cleared immigration I phoned him. He was already at St Pancras station, waiting to hear from us. It took us nearly an hour to get to him via train from Stansted Airport where we had landed.
Together at last! We all check into our hotel, the same place we always stay, McDonald Hotel. This is close to Kings Cross station, a great location.
Once checked in, we are disappointed to find that our train tickets, mailed from Edinburgh, have not turned up. If they don't turn up in tomorrow's mail, we are in big trouble.
The day is nearly over already. And Dad is tired from his long flight. We catch the underground to Covent Garden market, where we find some dinner. We opt for an early night on Dad's behalf, so head back to the hotel. As soon as he lies down on his bed, he's snoring! So an early night for all.
Tomorrow we have another full day in London before heading for Edinburgh. Will our train tickets arrive? Or will we have to fork out £100's for replacements? Watch this space!
Our last walk through Venice was a quiet one, early enough that most people hadn't risen yet. We opted for the slower and cheapre Vaporetto, which would take us to Venice airport the long route. That's OK. We get more time on the water, and one long last look at Venice as we finally depart across to the airport.Checkin and security were a little busy, but the whole process was quite painless. Before we knew it, we were on a plane bound for London. The flight was quick and it was only a couple of hours then we were back in England. Dad had flown in a couple of hours before, via Los Angeles, so as soon as we cleared immigration I phoned him. He was already at St Pancras station, waiting to hear from us. It took us nearly an hour to get to him via train from Stansted Airport where we had landed.
Together at last! We all check into our hotel, the same place we always stay, McDonald Hotel. This is close to Kings Cross station, a great location.
Once checked in, we are disappointed to find that our train tickets, mailed from Edinburgh, have not turned up. If they don't turn up in tomorrow's mail, we are in big trouble.
The day is nearly over already. And Dad is tired from his long flight. We catch the underground to Covent Garden market, where we find some dinner. We opt for an early night on Dad's behalf, so head back to the hotel. As soon as he lies down on his bed, he's snoring! So an early night for all.
Tomorrow we have another full day in London before heading for Edinburgh. Will our train tickets arrive? Or will we have to fork out £100's for replacements? Watch this space!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Italy - Day Six - Venice
Another lazy day. We take the Vaporetto again back to Church of San Giorgio Maggiore. This was recommended by our B&B, as an alternative to queuing for hours in Piazza San Marco for the similar tour. And it was cheap to enter. Just before heading into the church, we had a phone call from Edinburgh, our train tickets had been picked up from our flat, and mailed to London where we could collect them. What a win! Good news. We had good advice to come here. The tower had no queues. We head up the lift, and spend the next half hour admiring the views. While up there, the bells ring, giving me a fright.
After we finished, we came down and caught the Vaporetto back cross towards Venice. We then proceeded to get lost again. We found a Gucci store, and Helen popped in for a look, with her new Gucci handbag on her. The lone shop assistant paniced as she was unable to serve Helen! The look on her face as we walked out was priceless.
We eventually went back to the B&B for a rest. We then headed out again late afternoon to visit inside the Basilica di San Marco a Venezia. We were advised to go late afternoon not long before closing to avoid long queues. Again, good advice! No photography was allowed inside, but it was incredible, lined with gold tiles. It must incredible at the times of day where the sun shines through.
Riccardo at our B&B recommended a good place to go for pizza. It was a short walk, perhaps 15 minutes, across the other side of Venice. The walk took us through some interesting back streets, and past the hospital, where there was a line of ambulance boats.
The restaurant was off the tourist route. This didn't make it cheaper, just more authentic. Our table was waterside, next to a busy boating lane, and there was a constant stream of boats going past. Across the water was a large cemetery. We enjoyed a quiet meal, while the sun slowly went down.
This is our last night in Venice. Tomorrow we fly to London, to meet my Dad who's coming over to stay in the UK with us.
After we finished, we came down and caught the Vaporetto back cross towards Venice. We then proceeded to get lost again. We found a Gucci store, and Helen popped in for a look, with her new Gucci handbag on her. The lone shop assistant paniced as she was unable to serve Helen! The look on her face as we walked out was priceless.We eventually went back to the B&B for a rest. We then headed out again late afternoon to visit inside the Basilica di San Marco a Venezia. We were advised to go late afternoon not long before closing to avoid long queues. Again, good advice! No photography was allowed inside, but it was incredible, lined with gold tiles. It must incredible at the times of day where the sun shines through.
Riccardo at our B&B recommended a good place to go for pizza. It was a short walk, perhaps 15 minutes, across the other side of Venice. The walk took us through some interesting back streets, and past the hospital, where there was a line of ambulance boats.
The restaurant was off the tourist route. This didn't make it cheaper, just more authentic. Our table was waterside, next to a busy boating lane, and there was a constant stream of boats going past. Across the water was a large cemetery. We enjoyed a quiet meal, while the sun slowly went down.
This is our last night in Venice. Tomorrow we fly to London, to meet my Dad who's coming over to stay in the UK with us.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Italy - Day Five - Venice
A quiet day for us. And because Helen's birthday yesterday was somewhat dampened by the stress of travel, and having the worry of train tickets left at home, we decided to have another shot at her birthday.
At the recommendation of Riccado, our B&B host, we walked across the city to Rialto, to the markets. The weather turned a little humid. We find the Rialto Bridge, and got photos of the grand canal. It's still early for Venice. Most boats on the river are working boats, the Venice equivalent of couriers, mostly carrying food and drinks, to all the restaurants and shops around the city.
We head to the markets, open every morning. They are amazing; fresh meat and fish, cheeses, and fruit and vegetables. The smells, the sounds, all good! We get some fresh fruit to eat, and sit on the side of the canal watching the world go by.
Next we try a traghetto, recommended to us as "3 minutes of fun". Basically it's a gondola, in lieu of a bridge, to get people across the Grand Canal quickly. We pay 1 euro to get both of us across. Some people stand, as it means more people can fit on the boat. We choose to sit as Helen's not too confident.
After that, we walk through some more streets, and near the train station we purchase a 24 hour ticket for the Vaporetto. We ride it all the way around the Grand Canel, and around the long way past where the cruise ships park up, and past the Hilton. This takes us to San Giorgio Maggiore. As recommended to us by our B&B, we had plans to go up the bell tower to get a view, but the church was closed until 2pm. So we headed back across to Piazza San Marco again on the Vaporetto. From here, we went on foot and proceeded to get lost down a set of back roads, doing some shopping, and generally taking in the Venice atmosphere. We eventually found our bearings and went to a restaurant near our B&B that we knew to be air conditioned. We were treated to a selection of beers, and soft drinks, with a 2 course meal. From there we went back to the B&B to relax until later.
We decided riding the Vaporetto was the best plan for us. It's cheap, entertaining, and most of all cool out on the water and so very scenic. We head off around at dusk for another round on the water, taking over an hour. The air is still warm, and the dusk air is beautiful and fresh. The sunset was incredible! This photo is not enhanced by Photoshop, it really was this colour!
After that we walked around trying to find somewhere to eat. We do end up eating, eventually, by this time around 10pm! A late end to our lazy day.
So far, we've not managed to get confirmation that somebody is going to our flat in Edinburgh to rescue our train tickets. This continues to cause us stress as we wait for our cellphone to ring.
At the recommendation of Riccado, our B&B host, we walked across the city to Rialto, to the markets. The weather turned a little humid. We find the Rialto Bridge, and got photos of the grand canal. It's still early for Venice. Most boats on the river are working boats, the Venice equivalent of couriers, mostly carrying food and drinks, to all the restaurants and shops around the city.We head to the markets, open every morning. They are amazing; fresh meat and fish, cheeses, and fruit and vegetables. The smells, the sounds, all good! We get some fresh fruit to eat, and sit on the side of the canal watching the world go by.
Next we try a traghetto, recommended to us as "3 minutes of fun". Basically it's a gondola, in lieu of a bridge, to get people across the Grand Canal quickly. We pay 1 euro to get both of us across. Some people stand, as it means more people can fit on the boat. We choose to sit as Helen's not too confident.
After that, we walk through some more streets, and near the train station we purchase a 24 hour ticket for the Vaporetto. We ride it all the way around the Grand Canel, and around the long way past where the cruise ships park up, and past the Hilton. This takes us to San Giorgio Maggiore. As recommended to us by our B&B, we had plans to go up the bell tower to get a view, but the church was closed until 2pm. So we headed back across to Piazza San Marco again on the Vaporetto. From here, we went on foot and proceeded to get lost down a set of back roads, doing some shopping, and generally taking in the Venice atmosphere. We eventually found our bearings and went to a restaurant near our B&B that we knew to be air conditioned. We were treated to a selection of beers, and soft drinks, with a 2 course meal. From there we went back to the B&B to relax until later.We decided riding the Vaporetto was the best plan for us. It's cheap, entertaining, and most of all cool out on the water and so very scenic. We head off around at dusk for another round on the water, taking over an hour. The air is still warm, and the dusk air is beautiful and fresh. The sunset was incredible! This photo is not enhanced by Photoshop, it really was this colour!
After that we walked around trying to find somewhere to eat. We do end up eating, eventually, by this time around 10pm! A late end to our lazy day.So far, we've not managed to get confirmation that somebody is going to our flat in Edinburgh to rescue our train tickets. This continues to cause us stress as we wait for our cellphone to ring.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Italy - Day Four - Florence to Venice By Train
It's Helen's birthday today. She awakes, and the first thing that comes out of her mouth was "where's our train tickets for London back to Edinburgh?". I get that sinking feeling as I realise we left them at home, they are sitting on the bookshelf where I left them. For the sake of keeping the peace, I take full responsibility for this! This is bad. Very bad. UK rail companies will not bend in this situation. Tickets are non-replaceable, non-refundable, and we could be £100s out of pocket to replace them.
Anyway, we're up early because today we're catching the Eurostar Italia, first class, to Venice (Venezia to the locals).
First priority is to get packed and to station. Second priority, sort out forgotten tickets once on the train. We arrive a little early and our train isn't even there yet. It arrives about 10 minutes before departure, and it's a mad scramble to board the train. People are pulling suitcases, prams, etc down the aisles; bashing and crashing. We're pleased to get moving.
I spend the next hour phoning our property manager, letting agent, concierge etc in Edinburgh. We know somebody has a key to our flat. They can hopefully go in, get our train tickets, and mail them to London for us to collect on Friday. This proves difficult, and we go around in circles, but I eventually get one helpful person who takes ownership and arranges for somebody to help us. So far so good, but as the week progresses this proves less promising, more on that later!
Once we arrive in Venice, it's all go. We expected cooler weather, but we were wrong. Right outside the train station is the Grand Canal, and already I am amazed at what I see. We purchase tickets for the Vaporetto (water bus) and hop on board. It takes us through the Grand Canel to Piazza San Marco. It's packed with tourists, and we have to lug our bags through the crowds, over stepped bridges, and through narrow back streets to find our B&B.
At the B&B, it's up four flights of stairs with no lift! Our B&B host, Riccardo, is quick to give us a map and give us local advice. We head off nearby, for a little look around, and to find some lunch. The place we find isn't so Italian, actually run by Asians, and as the week continued we found them all over Venice. We called them "Mr Bun" and any Wellingtonian will know what we mean. Their pasta was nice however, as was their tomato and mozarella.
The remainder of the day was taken just walking around, in absolute amazement. Every building is beautiful in its own way. The Gondolas are soothing to watch. The gelato cones are refreshing. The water taxis competing with the Gondolas are entertaining.
The day goes very quick. We retire at a reasonable hour, preparing for a busy day ahead in this incredible city.
Anyway, we're up early because today we're catching the Eurostar Italia, first class, to Venice (Venezia to the locals).
First priority is to get packed and to station. Second priority, sort out forgotten tickets once on the train. We arrive a little early and our train isn't even there yet. It arrives about 10 minutes before departure, and it's a mad scramble to board the train. People are pulling suitcases, prams, etc down the aisles; bashing and crashing. We're pleased to get moving.I spend the next hour phoning our property manager, letting agent, concierge etc in Edinburgh. We know somebody has a key to our flat. They can hopefully go in, get our train tickets, and mail them to London for us to collect on Friday. This proves difficult, and we go around in circles, but I eventually get one helpful person who takes ownership and arranges for somebody to help us. So far so good, but as the week progresses this proves less promising, more on that later!
Once we arrive in Venice, it's all go. We expected cooler weather, but we were wrong. Right outside the train station is the Grand Canal, and already I am amazed at what I see. We purchase tickets for the Vaporetto (water bus) and hop on board. It takes us through the Grand Canel to Piazza San Marco. It's packed with tourists, and we have to lug our bags through the crowds, over stepped bridges, and through narrow back streets to find our B&B.
At the B&B, it's up four flights of stairs with no lift! Our B&B host, Riccardo, is quick to give us a map and give us local advice. We head off nearby, for a little look around, and to find some lunch. The place we find isn't so Italian, actually run by Asians, and as the week continued we found them all over Venice. We called them "Mr Bun" and any Wellingtonian will know what we mean. Their pasta was nice however, as was their tomato and mozarella.
The remainder of the day was taken just walking around, in absolute amazement. Every building is beautiful in its own way. The Gondolas are soothing to watch. The gelato cones are refreshing. The water taxis competing with the Gondolas are entertaining.
The day goes very quick. We retire at a reasonable hour, preparing for a busy day ahead in this incredible city.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Italy - Day Three - Florence
We set aside today to ride the tourist buses around Florence. We rise early, so we get breakfast and can walk back to the train station to be on the first bus of the day. The motivation is that we can see some sights before it gets too hot. By 9am it was already topping 30 degrees. So much for that clever plan!
There are two bus circuits, on which we are allowed to hop on and off at any stop, and get back on, all day. We travel around various sites, but most importantly (in my opinion) visit Piazzale Michelangelo which has fantastic views of Florence from a nearby hill. I want to get off, but we have front row seats upstairs on the bus so we decide to stay on. The city is beautiful though, and the bus takes us around the hills where there are many historical buildings, and landmarks, and also many rich people's houses. It's all set amongst trees with a view of the city.
We eventually return to the train station, completing the circuit, and wait for the other bus. We have to wait 20 minutes, in the hot sun. We slowly bake alive! Once our bus arrives we hop on and shortly we leave. This bus takes a longer route, way up into the hills, about 15km away from Florence towards Fiesole, with again lovely hills and just like a postcard everywhere I point the camera.
The double decker bus is open top and many trees hang low, we have to duck to avoid being hit by branches but occasionally get wacked by some low leaves. Good fun! I didn't bring my hat today which was silly and I start to burn on top so have to use our map as a hat. Last stop before the end, the bus parks up in a hot piazza for 15 minutes and we all start to fry. We move downstairs to escape the sun, but the bus is so hot. By the time we get moving we're all hot and bothered.
We get back on the other bus again, and head around to the Ponte Vecchio to see the shops open and soak up the atmosphere. We then walk further along the river, and over to the Palazzo Vecchio. Here, the crowds are immense, the sun is beating down and the piazza amplifies the heat further. The queue to see David is a mile long. We see the replica statue, amongst many others, and decide that's enough. We head for the quieter back streets, where there is shade, and many restaurants and shops (including this little one pictured below). We find a nice place to have some lunch, sharing a calzone and enjoying the true Italian restaurant owners standing outside trying to entice passing pedestrians in, sometimes successfully. Fed and watered, we walk back to our hotel for a wee rest.
Although Helen has her bag now, I've had my eye on a couple of business laptop bags so we head back out to look at them again. It's hard work, even the locals are suffering the heat, but we press on and eventually I purchase a locally made leather bag. We then make a beeline to the hotel to cool off again. How did people survive living here for centuries without air conditioning?
About 7pm, we head out again back to the tourist bus, so we can return to Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sunset from the hill. The ride up there is nice, and when we arrive it's a busy place. Everyone wants the same photos! There are also two different wedding photo shoots in progress. We wait over an hour for sunset, which was absolutely beautiful, and from here the river glows orange.
Here's another video from Helen.
We then decide to walk home, so head down the hill and walk along the river. The evening slowly cools off, and the river is so smooth with no wind blowing. It's so beautiful. Here's a few pictures to share with you.
Nearing our hotel, it's about 10pm by now, we stop in at the Westin Hotel for a drink. Helen has a Bellini, I have a beer. The bar is nice and cool and the beer is so refreshing. Nice! A short walk to the hotel, and it's time for bed.
There are two bus circuits, on which we are allowed to hop on and off at any stop, and get back on, all day. We travel around various sites, but most importantly (in my opinion) visit Piazzale Michelangelo which has fantastic views of Florence from a nearby hill. I want to get off, but we have front row seats upstairs on the bus so we decide to stay on. The city is beautiful though, and the bus takes us around the hills where there are many historical buildings, and landmarks, and also many rich people's houses. It's all set amongst trees with a view of the city.We eventually return to the train station, completing the circuit, and wait for the other bus. We have to wait 20 minutes, in the hot sun. We slowly bake alive! Once our bus arrives we hop on and shortly we leave. This bus takes a longer route, way up into the hills, about 15km away from Florence towards Fiesole, with again lovely hills and just like a postcard everywhere I point the camera.
The double decker bus is open top and many trees hang low, we have to duck to avoid being hit by branches but occasionally get wacked by some low leaves. Good fun! I didn't bring my hat today which was silly and I start to burn on top so have to use our map as a hat. Last stop before the end, the bus parks up in a hot piazza for 15 minutes and we all start to fry. We move downstairs to escape the sun, but the bus is so hot. By the time we get moving we're all hot and bothered.We get back on the other bus again, and head around to the Ponte Vecchio to see the shops open and soak up the atmosphere. We then walk further along the river, and over to the Palazzo Vecchio. Here, the crowds are immense, the sun is beating down and the piazza amplifies the heat further. The queue to see David is a mile long. We see the replica statue, amongst many others, and decide that's enough. We head for the quieter back streets, where there is shade, and many restaurants and shops (including this little one pictured below). We find a nice place to have some lunch, sharing a calzone and enjoying the true Italian restaurant owners standing outside trying to entice passing pedestrians in, sometimes successfully. Fed and watered, we walk back to our hotel for a wee rest.
Although Helen has her bag now, I've had my eye on a couple of business laptop bags so we head back out to look at them again. It's hard work, even the locals are suffering the heat, but we press on and eventually I purchase a locally made leather bag. We then make a beeline to the hotel to cool off again. How did people survive living here for centuries without air conditioning?About 7pm, we head out again back to the tourist bus, so we can return to Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sunset from the hill. The ride up there is nice, and when we arrive it's a busy place. Everyone wants the same photos! There are also two different wedding photo shoots in progress. We wait over an hour for sunset, which was absolutely beautiful, and from here the river glows orange.
Here's another video from Helen.We then decide to walk home, so head down the hill and walk along the river. The evening slowly cools off, and the river is so smooth with no wind blowing. It's so beautiful. Here's a few pictures to share with you.
Nearing our hotel, it's about 10pm by now, we stop in at the Westin Hotel for a drink. Helen has a Bellini, I have a beer. The bar is nice and cool and the beer is so refreshing. Nice! A short walk to the hotel, and it's time for bed.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Italy - Day Two - Florence
We awaken at 7am, and leisurely prepare for the day ahead. It took us a while, and included breakfast in the hotel. A lovely selection of breads, meats, cheeses, plus cereals and yogurts plus the usual drinks.
Today was really Helen's day. She wanted to go to The Mall, a designer outlet mall which has many big names including Gucci. We avoid the expensive shuttle buses and use public transport. We walk straight past the bus station on the way to where we thought it was, by the railway station. In the half hour we lost looking around, our bus had left. The next was at 11am. So we headed back to "retail central" nearby, a small area only a block each way consisting of all of LV, Gucci, Pucci, Bulgari, Amani, Prada, etc. Most opened about 10am, some later, so we checked a few out and especially got the "you're not good enough for us" glares in Prada, and Helen found the bag she wanted in Gucci.
We eventually made our way back to the bus, via our hotel for a quick pitstop. We got the front seats, which was a bonus. And off we went. The ride took was an hour, and took in a drive through Firenze, and onto some motorways, through two toll bridges, but especially went via some hilly Tuscan areas on windy roads, full of idyllic old houses, lots of olive trees and other orchards. Very beautiful countryside.
We arrive at the mall, and have a whole 5 hours until the bus returns! Plenty of time for Helen to shop until she dropped. The haul we came away with was modest; a wallet for me, a hat for Helen and a pair of shoes. Three small bags. We ate lunch in the only eatery there. The food was nice but expensive. We had pizza and drink. We ended up having a bit of a wait for the bus, but waited indoors as it was 35 degrees outside. The bus ride was back through the same route. I noticed that most major intersections, no matter there they went, included signs pointing to "ROMA". It seems that indeed, every road does lead to Rome. We returned to the hotel to cool off, and plan our next move.
We returned to the Gucci store nearby, and Helen homed in on the bag she wanted. But wait! There is a new colour in the same design, which the rest of the world doesn't have yet. And it was nice. We purchased, not straightforward because my credit card was rejected twice. Rather embarrassing. What's the point of having a Titanium card to have it rejected in the moment of need? Helen used hers successfully. We later had an email from our bank, and phoned them to clear up the problem, apparently "The Westpac fraud monitoring system has picked up some 'out of character' spend on your card.". They had blocked my card. It was just Helen spending a large amount of money on a handbag in a foreign country. Which apparently is not so 'out of character' on her card :-) Anyway that was enough excitement for one day.
The day was wearing on, so we found a local eatery which served a variety of very Italian food including sliced meats, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, etc and lots of fresh fruit for dessert. Very nice indeed.
After that we headed off to our hotel, where we could cool down with air conditioning and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, we ride the around town tour bus!
Oh and here's a funny sight. Only in Italy!
Today was really Helen's day. She wanted to go to The Mall, a designer outlet mall which has many big names including Gucci. We avoid the expensive shuttle buses and use public transport. We walk straight past the bus station on the way to where we thought it was, by the railway station. In the half hour we lost looking around, our bus had left. The next was at 11am. So we headed back to "retail central" nearby, a small area only a block each way consisting of all of LV, Gucci, Pucci, Bulgari, Amani, Prada, etc. Most opened about 10am, some later, so we checked a few out and especially got the "you're not good enough for us" glares in Prada, and Helen found the bag she wanted in Gucci.
We eventually made our way back to the bus, via our hotel for a quick pitstop. We got the front seats, which was a bonus. And off we went. The ride took was an hour, and took in a drive through Firenze, and onto some motorways, through two toll bridges, but especially went via some hilly Tuscan areas on windy roads, full of idyllic old houses, lots of olive trees and other orchards. Very beautiful countryside.
We arrive at the mall, and have a whole 5 hours until the bus returns! Plenty of time for Helen to shop until she dropped. The haul we came away with was modest; a wallet for me, a hat for Helen and a pair of shoes. Three small bags. We ate lunch in the only eatery there. The food was nice but expensive. We had pizza and drink. We ended up having a bit of a wait for the bus, but waited indoors as it was 35 degrees outside. The bus ride was back through the same route. I noticed that most major intersections, no matter there they went, included signs pointing to "ROMA". It seems that indeed, every road does lead to Rome. We returned to the hotel to cool off, and plan our next move.We returned to the Gucci store nearby, and Helen homed in on the bag she wanted. But wait! There is a new colour in the same design, which the rest of the world doesn't have yet. And it was nice. We purchased, not straightforward because my credit card was rejected twice. Rather embarrassing. What's the point of having a Titanium card to have it rejected in the moment of need? Helen used hers successfully. We later had an email from our bank, and phoned them to clear up the problem, apparently "The Westpac fraud monitoring system has picked up some 'out of character' spend on your card.". They had blocked my card. It was just Helen spending a large amount of money on a handbag in a foreign country. Which apparently is not so 'out of character' on her card :-) Anyway that was enough excitement for one day.
The day was wearing on, so we found a local eatery which served a variety of very Italian food including sliced meats, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, etc and lots of fresh fruit for dessert. Very nice indeed.After that we headed off to our hotel, where we could cool down with air conditioning and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, we ride the around town tour bus!
Oh and here's a funny sight. Only in Italy!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Italy - Day One - Flying to Florence
Well here we are in Florence, or Firenze as the locals call it.
Our day started early, up about 5:30am, to finish packing and head out. Our bus never showed up, leaving us to catch the next one 20 minutes later. By the time we reached the airport, there was less than one hour to takeoff, for an international flight! Our baggage was surprisingly accepted and we had 20 minutes until boarding. We didn't muck around, and got to the gate as boarding commenced.
With 10 minutes to take off, and everyone in their seats, the captain announced our flight was delayed by air traffic control. We sat on the tarmac for an hour before we were airborne. So why did we rush? The flight was painless, 2 1/2 hours long, but our touchdown was hard.
We landed in Pisa. Immigration was so easy, a quick passport stamp and through. Not a word spoken. After collecting bags, we bypassed scanners and left. We chose not to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, as it was very hot and we had baggage in tow, and headed for our hotel in Firenze. Minutes later we had a train ticket. The ride took us first to Pisa Central where we swapped trains, and then had a hot ride without air conditioning to Firenze SMN.
We found our hotel easily on foot once we found our bearings. This was not helped by the fact I had lost our maps in our luggage. Once we checked into our room, we headed out. It was now 3pm local time and we were starving.
We found a pizzeria just a few doors away and thought "this will do". And it did. The pizzas were lovely, I finally got to try authentic Italian pizza! It wasn't perfectly round, it was all funny shaped as it was hand made. We then walked further, in a random direction, encountering the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore.
We were getting hot and thirsty again, the sun was beating down and we're just not used to it. We walked back towards the hotel via some back streets, where I purchased a leather belt at the markets after some haggling. We also found a really helpful vendor selling leather laptop bags. I was tempted but didn't buy as they weren't cheap. We'll see how the trip eventuates.
We headed back to the hotel again. After reading the Lonely Planet, we followed their advice and headed down to the River Arno to watch the sun set around 8:30pm. It was worth it. The sky was clear, and the sun set almost dead centre down the river.
That took us through till twilight, after which time we walked back via some new streets, encountering a couple more piazzas and more sights.
And look for the moon in this photo.
We stopped at a restaurant which sold Duff beer and went in. Once I saw the prices (€8 for a Pepsi !!!!) we left without ordering anything. Instead we found some gelato and drinks near our hotel, more fitting to our budget, and sat outside to watch the twilight. Then off to bed, it's been a big day.
Our day started early, up about 5:30am, to finish packing and head out. Our bus never showed up, leaving us to catch the next one 20 minutes later. By the time we reached the airport, there was less than one hour to takeoff, for an international flight! Our baggage was surprisingly accepted and we had 20 minutes until boarding. We didn't muck around, and got to the gate as boarding commenced.
With 10 minutes to take off, and everyone in their seats, the captain announced our flight was delayed by air traffic control. We sat on the tarmac for an hour before we were airborne. So why did we rush? The flight was painless, 2 1/2 hours long, but our touchdown was hard.
We landed in Pisa. Immigration was so easy, a quick passport stamp and through. Not a word spoken. After collecting bags, we bypassed scanners and left. We chose not to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, as it was very hot and we had baggage in tow, and headed for our hotel in Firenze. Minutes later we had a train ticket. The ride took us first to Pisa Central where we swapped trains, and then had a hot ride without air conditioning to Firenze SMN.
We found our hotel easily on foot once we found our bearings. This was not helped by the fact I had lost our maps in our luggage. Once we checked into our room, we headed out. It was now 3pm local time and we were starving.
We found a pizzeria just a few doors away and thought "this will do". And it did. The pizzas were lovely, I finally got to try authentic Italian pizza! It wasn't perfectly round, it was all funny shaped as it was hand made. We then walked further, in a random direction, encountering the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore.
We were getting hot and thirsty again, the sun was beating down and we're just not used to it. We walked back towards the hotel via some back streets, where I purchased a leather belt at the markets after some haggling. We also found a really helpful vendor selling leather laptop bags. I was tempted but didn't buy as they weren't cheap. We'll see how the trip eventuates.We headed back to the hotel again. After reading the Lonely Planet, we followed their advice and headed down to the River Arno to watch the sun set around 8:30pm. It was worth it. The sky was clear, and the sun set almost dead centre down the river.
That took us through till twilight, after which time we walked back via some new streets, encountering a couple more piazzas and more sights.
And look for the moon in this photo.
We stopped at a restaurant which sold Duff beer and went in. Once I saw the prices (€8 for a Pepsi !!!!) we left without ordering anything. Instead we found some gelato and drinks near our hotel, more fitting to our budget, and sat outside to watch the twilight. Then off to bed, it's been a big day.
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