Category Archives: Tour of Europe

Just a short post.
We have now been back in Melbourne for nearly a week and life is slowly returning to normal. Bags are unpacked, souvenirs admired and the washing done. Cath and I have both been back to work and the girls have been swamped by hugs at schools from friends who have missed them so.

Now if we can just hang onto some of that holiday magic.

Oh, and the bathroom is almost finished.

Ah well all good things must come to an end.

We are now back in Bangkok for a short break in our journey home. Left Paris in a flood of excitment and much waiting for the long trip back to Australia. Twelve hours to here travelling through the night then nine hours to Melbourne with a midnight departure. Had 8 hours of time adjustment and we will be totalled hazed out when we get back. But at least the bathroom will be finished, we hope.

Last few days in Paris were more low key. Went for a weekend visit to Montmatre to see Sacre Coeur and the street artist. Intriguing if expensive. Then we did a brief (3 hour) visit to the Louvre Museum. Barely scratched the surface, though of course we started underground visiting the foundations of the old castle that was razed to build the Louvre Palace. Squeezed through the crowds to see the Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa, which must have impressed Kiara because she bought herself a print of it. Also saw a wealth of statues and a gallery of old Italian painters and a room of Rubins.

After that Cath had a day off and I took the girls to see the gardens of Versailles. The Palace was closed which was good because the grounds weren’t as crowded, but so were a number of other areas including Marie Antionette’s model village which was not so good. Oh and it poured rain for part of the time.

Our final outing was to St Germaine and another fair, said to be the oldest in France, though most of the rides looked pretty modern.

So then for the trip home which was mostly the usually rush to make sure we weren’t late followed by the waiting around because we had no delays. Oh there was the little excitement at Charles de Gaulle airport when some one left their ‘baggage’ and we had to evacuate half the terminal. Then just as the robot was about to arrive some poor women toddler in tow, clopping along on ridiculous platform high heels charges up to the cordon and claims it. After a brief interrogation she is led away, only to clop back shortly after, collects the bag and is led away again. You feel a bit sorry for her, but only a bit.

Then it is the long, squeezy overnight flight to Bangkok on Austrian Airlines, via Vien. How the girls love Austrian Airlines.

How time flies. Last post we were in Lyon and now we are in Paris with only a few days left of our holiday.

Had a good time in Lyon visiting a few local sites and another marvelous local market, again just outside our appartment window. Lyon is a very old city and the centre of much of medieval French life. We saw another impressive basillica called Notre Dame du Lyon. Silly me there are Notre Dame’s all over France, it simply means church of Our Lady. Lyon also has some great ruins of a pair of Roman theatres.

From Lyon we went to a little country town called Sarcy were we stayed in a “gite” on a dairy with Cath’s brother and his family. So we had 4 girls charging around and distracting each other. Sarcy is surrounded by little towns many little changed since the 1400/1500’s and we visited a few. However most of the first three days seem to be spent trying to find a shop for food. We arrived late on Saturday so no shops open. Then the next day is Sunday, traditionally when most French shops are closed. So we cruised a few old towns and hunted for a shop. Monday shops are usually open but it was the day before Bastille Day so we cruised a few older towns and hunted for shops with some success. That night we had a entrancing time at the Bastille Day Celebration at Sarcy including fireworks.
Then it was Bastille Day so definitely no shops so this time we just cruised a few medieval villages without bothering to look for shops.
SO finally on Wednesday we turn left instead of right at the end of our street and find a large supermarket. Wonder if it was open on Monday?

At last we left Sarcy after much quite relaxing time amongst the cows and the medieval villages, oh and a quick visit back to Lyon to see the trobours, and off to Paris.

We have been here over a week now and alternated between being touristy and hanging out with Cath’s brother ’cause the girls just love to be together. We have seen the Tullieres Garden and their fair, walked around the Louvre, seen the Eiffel Tower, Montmatre & Sacre Cour, walked the Canals, stared at the Arc du Triumphe and tramped kilometres on the Metro and the streets.

We plan to visit the Louvre Museum and possibly Versailles but details may follow.

We have finally moved on from Italy and are now in France. Pardon any extra spelling mistakes but the French keyboard is a little odd.
We moved on from Padova to Turino, a fascinating city at the foot of the Alps. Lots of Baroque Arcades, palaces and museums. The Museum of Cinema in the Mole Antionelliano, a magnificient 167m tall converted synagogue.

We are now in Lyon enjoying the sights and waiting for Cath’s brother and his family to arrive. Our girl’s can hardly wait!

So now we have been in Padua for a while and done a few day trips, one to Verona, city of a myth and one to Venice, a myth of a city.

Padua itself is quite impressive with a quite beauty and many famous frescos. It seems to be most visited for the Church of Saint Anthony and the varius bits of him that are said to be still found in the massive church built to honour his works. We found it great for the impressive B&B we have found and the markets, ristrantes and ice cream parlours living all around us.

Verona is fascinating for its understated charm, except were it has seriously cashed in on the Romeo and Juliet myth.

And then there is Venice, canals and places, markets and stalls, overpriced glitz, glittery, ornate awe inspiring, overpriced transport, full of charm, quite back lanes and canals magnificent churches and palaces, have I mentioned over priced? A great place to just be and absorb all around you.

What I really need is to upload some pictures but it is hard to do at these places. Oh well next time.

Well we have now left Bavaria and trained to Padua.

Read the last line in my last post and saw I was tempting fate. Since arriving in Salzburg until leaving Augsberg(Bavaria) it hardly stopped raining. Salzburg was okay as the place we stayed, Hotel Wolf, at was great. Probably needs a post of its own. Even managed to do the Sound of Music Tour. Was soaked at the first few stops but then not too bad as we went back into the lakes district. Castles and narrow streets are not too bad in the rain.

From Salzburg we went to Augsberg via Munich (were we picked up a car at much expense) to explore the Romantic Road in Bavaria. Lots of old castles and towns of classic style. The girls loved walking the city walls all the way around Nordalingen and having afternoon tea under the castle of Harburg.

We then went south to see Prince Ludwigs romanticised medieval castles. Built in the 1850s in what he thought middle ages castles were like. His most imfamous is said to be the basis for Disneylands Fanatasia Castle (Neustein something). Lots of long queue and waiting around for the 30 minute tour. And tis was not peak season!

Recommend going to see this place but save money and time by not going on the tours.

We have now travelled over the Alps to Padua and the sun is shining and the shorts are out again. More news to come as Venice is just a short train trip away.

When now we are in Salzburg having travelled half way across Austria.
Saw the Stephandom on Tuesday, which was everything it promised. Grand, gathic and glittery. Steeled myself for the view from the Eastern Tower, but if I had know your step out onto an iron grid of a walkway probably would’t have gone. Still managed some good shots before my nerves failed me.

Wednesday saw us in Halstatt of archeaological fame as a salt mine for three thousand years. Beautiful high glacial lake sourrounded by massive mountains from 2 to 3 kilometres high. Amazing.
We did a tour of the salt mines which was impressive and the kids loved the wooden slides used for fun now but a short cut for miners between levels.
Pottered around on the lake in electric boats and rambled up narrow streets squeezed between houses that seemed to be glued flat to the cliff sides.

I have a zillion photos but never time to upload.

We are now in Salzburg enjoying a little quite time in a pleasant 4 star hotel just below the castle. Quite pleasant. Maybe I’ll get some time to upload photos (and edit) these posts.

Then again?
(BTW first day of real rain so far)

.Just a short post since internet cafes are light on the ground and time is pressing.
Wednesday we leave for Halstatt, as small town in the Austrian lakes district. Sounds verry picturesque. From there we go on to Salzberg and Baveria.

Been doing the last round of palaces and churches.

Walked for kilometers yesterday through one of the royal game parks, meant to be one of the biggest parks inside a city. About 30ha.

Today visited the Shlöb Shonbrunn, once the hunting lodge then one of the grand palaces of the Austrian Kaiser. Very impressive rocco architecture and lots of greek and roman statues. Hugely impressive and tiring

Set to see the Stephendom tomorrow one of the grand gothic churches so many more photos due.

Better go. More to come.

Well we made it to Vienna, though some of our luggage took longer than the rest of us.
The apartment we are renting is small but well set out. Good to start the day and return to to collapse at the end of the day. It is close to the local Ubahn or underground train and the Summer Palace which is a massive place of gardens, fountains and grand buildings.

Spent the first two days here settling in and trying to find our missing bag, but today we had our first outing, going to the zoo and the maze in the grounds of the summer palace, the Shömbrünn. One of the oldest zoos in the world (1760?) and while not as well appointed as Melbourne still quite impressive. Said to have some Giant Pandas but as elusive as the tigers at Melbourne.
Siobhan and Kiara flagged as we wandered around the zoo, but perked up for the maze (also in the grounds of the palace) which was quite fun. Then crawled home on the Ubahn, 3 whole stops.

Evenings have been spent with Cath’s friend and her twin girls. This seems to be a highlight all on its own for our girls, and we have indulged in freshly made strudel to put back on the weight we lost walking all day.

Hope to visit the galleries and museums in central Vienna tomorrow, so better get some rest.

Well here we are hardly arrived and now about to go. Had a busy 3 days and now ready to pack and fly.

Thursday we went of a tour out of town to Bang Pa-in, the out of town resident of the royal family when Bangkpok gets too unpleasant. A curious mix of architectual style, some French, some Chinese some Thai. Next on to Ayutthaya one of the old capitals. On the UNESCO world heritage list and full of fascinating old ruins of Wats and palaces.
Then a leisurely trip down river on a cruiser with lunch. All parts accompanied by a very informative if a bit verbose guide.

Friday we did the tourist thing around Bangkok, seeing the Royal Palace and Wat Pho.Bueatiful architecture with lots of gold and sparkles and mirrors. Seems the place is in constant repair though. Given its size there probable get through one round of refurbishment and then need to start again at the other end.

Unfortunately on way home hit one of Bangkok’s traffic jams. Two hours to travel about 20km. But at least we got to try fried bannana from a vendor wandering up and down the traffic lanes.

Saturday we hit the local shopping complex to do some souvenir hunting before resting and swimming through the afternoon.

Tonights flight could be a killer. Leave at midnight for a 10 hour flight that lands in Vienna about 5:30am. The time zones are a killer. Not sure when I will get on again. Maybe sometime in Vienna, so bye for now.