tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17796533132027887772024-02-07T03:30:38.885-08:00Travel ....Repeat...The Globe Trekking Winens...Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-81516163221286102452019-07-24T01:42:00.002-07:002019-07-24T01:45:21.554-07:00S I N G A P O R E <div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
If you are looking for a quick getaway to a gorgeous place...with oodles of stuff to do.... then I highly recommend Singapore.</div>
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This was our second visit.... and we loved it.... I thought Id share some of the things we did and enjoyed.</div>
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Day 1 - We arrived after a really quick flight.... honestly...it was three movies and we were landing.</div>
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We stayed at the <a href="https://www.yorkhotel.com.sg/">York Hotel </a>just off Orchard Road... it was so close to everything including the MRT rail which we used every day to get around.</div>
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Day 2 - We are up early and enjoying the humidity of Singapore weather mid May.... its certainly different to the weather we left at home. We purchased a MRT pass...and our exploring began. One of our first stops was Chinatown.... we had visited here a few years ago and it was exactly as we remembered. </div>
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We spent the afternoon in the <a href="https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/">Gardens by the Bay.</a>... what a spectacular place to visit... we spent quite a few hours exploring the domes... and wandering the paths...with the Marina Bay Sands Hotel so striking alongside.<br />
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Day 3 - We spent the day at Universal Studios like a couple of giant kids... gosh I love rides.</div>
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Day 4 - Off to Singapore zoo to eat breakfast with the Orangutans.</div>
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Day 5 - We spent the day on the MRT.... we went back to Chinatown to visit the <a href="http://www.chinatownheritagecentre.com.sg/">Heritage Centre</a>....I highly recommend this... we learned such a lot about life in Singapore for the Chinese all those years ago.<br />
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We also visited the Botanic Gardens.... it ws such a ridiculously hot and steamy day.<br />
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Day 6 - More city wandering including a boat cruise and the Singapore Flyer.<br />
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Day 7 - We took the cable car over to Sentosa Island .... thoroughly enjoyed the Luges.. the Aquarium...and Point Silosa Fort with all its military displays and preservation's from Singapore's involvement in the war. It was a total gem of our day.<br />
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Then is was time to return home.... thanks Singapore... you were great!</div>
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<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-91247113313456024752017-03-02T15:33:00.003-08:002017-03-02T15:33:48.895-08:00W I N D S O R - ENGLAND<div style="text-align: center;">
We disembarked from our cruise at 7am.... and jumped straight onto a tour to Windsor castle.</div>
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This tour concluded at Heathrow Airport for the flight home...so we didn't have to juggle luggage at all until we arrived at the airport...such a great idea.</div>
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Thanks Donna for this information..</div>
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Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and the oldest in continuous occupation. The original castle was built in the 11th century and has been the royal residence for over 900 years.</div>
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We were able to step inside St Georges chapel where the royal family go to church on Sundays when they are at Windsor castle. Built in the 15th century.</div>
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It was a lovely way to end our amazing trip with great friends...</div>
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We spent 5 weeks...took 9 flights... visited 15 countries... 22 cities... and as Donna put it... travelled about 38,000 kms of amazingness.</div>
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-40678465424128037362017-03-02T15:32:00.000-08:002017-03-02T15:32:00.653-08:00G D A N S K - Poland<div style="text-align: center;">
The ship docked in Gdynia this morning.... so we enlisted Peter the Taxi driver to give us a tour for the day. He had limited English...but we managed to battle through most conversations somehow.</div>
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We were at the mercy of Peter...and he stopped at sights along the way.</div>
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First stop... Oliwa Cathedral - originally a monastery started in 1186... the cathedral was completed in 1594 and is home to the worlds largest pipe organ with over 7800 pipes.</div>
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Peter took us into Old Town Gdansk which much of was destroyed in WW2 but then rebuilt. It was beautiful with its cobbled streets and colourful buildings.</div>
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We climbed the 405 steep spiral steps to the top the bell tower of St Marys church for an amazing view of Gdansk. This church is one of the largest brick churches in the world with a capacity of 25000 people.</div>
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We stopped at a beautiful tourist beach on the way home to the ship....and I think we were all a little sad this night...it was our last Baltic Port and our cruise was almost over.</div>
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-5958519588689540542017-03-02T15:30:00.000-08:002017-03-02T15:30:06.171-08:00H E L S I N K I - Finland<div style="text-align: center;">
What a total contrast to our last few days spent in Russia.</div>
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We ambled... no rush to the tram station and caught it into the market square.</div>
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It was a beautiful warm day and we walked taking in the sights of the shops...parks and cafes.</div>
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There was such a beautiful feel to the day.</div>
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The markets on the waterfront were delightful.... the food was delicious...lots of reindeer and fish.</div>
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The souvenirs were also some of the nicest we had seen... reindeer hides.. antlers.. flowers.. it was such a pleasure to just stroll and look at them all.</div>
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We took the tram to the 'Rock Church' a Lutheran church built into solid rock in 1969. It was quite a contrast to the churches we had been seeing throughout Russia,</div>
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We headed back to the markets for lunch....</div>
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The boys had Reindeer hotdogs...and Donna and I had Salmon sliced off a huge fish cooking on a grill plate....it was absolutely delicious.</div>
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We stopped for a look inside the Helsinki Cathedral ....<br />
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..and then wandered back to the ship along the coastline.<br />
It was the perfect day to relax...unwind and walk at leisure in the sunshine.</div>
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-45073436454295505322017-03-02T15:25:00.000-08:002017-03-02T15:25:06.662-08:00S T . P E T E R S B U R G - RUSSIA - DAY 2<div style="text-align: center;">
Waking to another day in Russia and we can not wait.</div>
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Today we headed off to Peterhof Palace - founded in 1703 and built by Peter the Great.</div>
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Its another UNESCO World Heritage listed site often referred to as the Russian Versailles.</div>
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The interior of the palace was exactly as we had come to expect in Russia... art filled..opulent..and stunning in every way. It was badly damaged during world war 2 and then painstakingly restored.</div>
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We spent time wandering the huge gardens with its many water features. The story has it that Peter the Great had quite the sense of humour and many of the water features were for soaking visitors.</div>
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We gathered along with hundreds of others to watch the Grand Cascade fountain display with its 64 fountains and 200 gilded statues of Greek and Russian gods.</div>
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Once again we were treated to a lovely Russian lunch...again with a shot of vodka..and this time with Russian dancing as well.</div>
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The Church of our Saviour on Spilled Blood.. built on the spot where Alexander 2 was assassinated in 1881 - the church was built between 1883 - 1907 funded by the imperial family. After the revolution the church was looted and ransacked and closed in 1923. It was used as a morgue during WW2 and then as a vegetable warehouse. In 1997 after 27 years of restoration it was reopened. It is spectacular. Every inch of the interior is covered in colourful mosaics... 7000 square metres of mosaics!!</div>
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Final stop was Yusapov Palace - built in 1776 and purchased by Prince Nikolay Yusapov in 1820...remaining in the family until it was seized by the Bolshevics in 1917. The palace is most famous as the scene of assassination of Grigory Rasputin... the Russian peasant..mystical faith healer and trusted friend of Nicholas 2 the last Tsar of Russia. It made that famous song all make a little more sense. </div>
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This tour was made so special by our guide Inna.... her knowledge not only about the Russian Royal family.. but about art.. architecture..the war... and pre and post communism was incredibly interesting ...every time she spoke we all listened intently.</div>
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-82782519572918546132017-03-02T15:21:00.000-08:002017-03-02T15:21:30.792-08:00S T. P E T E R S B U R G - Russia - Day 1<div style="text-align: center;">
Whoa...what an amazing place.</div>
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We had so looked forward to this two days in Russia.</div>
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There is so much history associated with Russia and Inna our guide for the two day tour was like a walking encycolpedia. St Petersberg (formally known as Leningrad) was founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the great. Over the two days we learned a lot about the Tsars and Russian Royal family.</div>
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Our first stop was just for a photo of the beautiful blue gilded Nicholas Naval Catherdral built in 1753...after the rows of grey apartment blocks we had been driving past we knew we entering the heart of the city and were in for something spectacular.</div>
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The river canal boat cruise provided us with an eyeopening overview of the city and the incredible buildings. It was freezing.... but thankfully we were offered warm blankets and a glass of wine.</div>
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Next stop.... blew my mind.</div>
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The National Hermitage Museum... founded by Catherine the Great in 1764 and one of the largest and oldest museums in the world. It is a series of 6 buildings including the Winter Palace. The museum houses over 3 million items. It was crazy to be standing in front of works of art by Leonardo De Vinci...Michaelangelo and a huge collection of Rembrandts. Inna our guide expertly explained each of the paintings which we thoroughly enjoyed.</div>
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Lunch was a traditional Russian meal...including a shot of vodka.</div>
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We dined at the Last Palace restaurant in the banquet hall ...a spectacular setting for lunch.</div>
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From lunch we headed to the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul... built between 1712 - 1733 by Peter the great.. To be honest it wasn't that spectacular on the outside...but the moment we stepped inside we stunned by the beautiful and elaborate painting and gilding inside. </div>
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Inna told us the history of this Cathedral.... it is linked to the Romanov dynasty and is home to the graves of nearly all the Russian Emperors and Empresses from Peter the great to the last monarch Tsar Nicholas 2 who along with his family were executed without trial by the Bolshevics in 1918.</div>
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(Thanks Donna for your research here)</div>
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Next stop was Saint Isaac Cathedral built in 1818 - 1858 ... a huge domed church capable of holding 14000 standing worshippers. The cupola on top is plated with 100kg of pure gold leaf. </div>
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It was such an incredible day....the opulence...the history...we loved everything about St Petersburg ..</div>
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-55253217356918305832017-03-02T15:13:00.002-08:002017-03-02T15:13:50.558-08:00T A L L I N N - Estonia<div style="text-align: center;">
We were in store for a quieter day today... the ship docked within walking distance of the UNESCO World heritage listed Old Town....so we set off on foot.</div>
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Ron and Donna caught a Hop on / Hop off bus and checked out sights further afield.</div>
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The Old Town was just beautiful... cobbled streets... fabulous ornate doors..and row upon row of old homes and alleyways.</div>
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The weather was stormy... and the sound of thunder and then rain on the cobblestones just added to the atmosphere of the day. We were thankful for the umbrellas we bought in Le Havre.</div>
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The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was constructed in 1894 - 1900 during the reign of Russia...and was a spectacular sight.</div>
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We also loved St Marys Cathedral / Dome church / Toomkirik a medieval church built in 1240. The interior was quite different...covered in coats of arms from the 17th century.</div>
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Ian and I climbed the 140 spiral steps to the top of the bell tower for a magnificent view.</div>
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It really was such a lovely relaxing day.... and the rain didn't even dampen our spirits.</div>
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-25359801198185907412017-02-17T19:00:00.000-08:002017-02-17T19:00:16.239-08:00S T O C K H O L M - Sweden<div style="text-align: center;">
Because of some type of weather...or maybe a tide...the ship docked in Nynassham this morning...so it was a little trickier than we had expected.We caught a shuttle and then a train for the 1 hour journey into Stockholm.</div>
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Of course all good things come from the unexpected because this meant we had a lovely view of the countryside from the train as we travelled each way.</div>
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Once in Stockholm we knew our time would be limited...so we caught a taxi to the <a href="http://www.vasamuseet.se/en">Vasa Museum</a> which we we did not want to miss.</div>
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<a href="http://www.vasamuseet.se/en">The story of the Vasa</a> was incredible.... in 1625 the Swedish King Gustav 11 contracted a ship builder to build the most powerful war ship in the Baltic. When the ship was complete in measured 69 metres long...50m tall. She had one of the shortest maiden voyages in history...just 1300 metres when she leaned over in a gust of wind allowing water to rush in her open gun ports. Within minutes this giant ship was lying on the sea floor. 32 metres below. 50 people drowned that day and she laid there for the next 333 years.<br />
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In 1961 the 17th century warship was brought to the surface and was incredibly well preserved. The preservation of this ship was an enormous undertaking and this was a real highlight of the trip.</div>
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We caught the water taxi across the harbour to the 'Gamla Stan' (old city) - one of the largest and best preserved medieval city centers in Europe. </div>
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We found a lovely underground cafe ' Cafe Sten Sture' .. tucked away underground it what used to be a medieval dungeon. We tucked ourselves in a tiny nook that fitted just the three of us for our coffee.</div>
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We walked past and took some photos at the Royal Palace (1760) it is the official residence of the royal family...and huge...with over 600 rooms.<br />
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We certainly enjoyed our day in Stockholm.... but the highlight was the <a href="http://www.vasamuseet.se/en">Vasa Museum</a> for sure.</div>
Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-32146533104107588412017-02-16T15:26:00.000-08:002017-02-16T15:26:12.569-08:00C O P E N H A G E N - Denmark<div style="text-align: center;">
Up bright and early for our day in Copenhagen... the skyline was beautiful..</div>
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dotted with steeples. We caught the Hop on/ Hop off bus and jumped off at various spots... and just took in the sights of others. Of interest was Tivoli gardens.. Christlandom and the gorgeous summer garden plots. The weather was shining so brightly and warm it was impossible not to enjoy the day.</div>
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Picture perfect 17th century Nyharn with its rows of colourful buildings.. </div>
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once home to Hans Christian Andersen.</div>
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Stopped to admire the Trinitatis Church from 1642 and walked the 7.5 spiral turn ramp of the Rundetaarn to the observatory at the top for a magnificent view of the city.</div>
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Thats our ship in the distance.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wL1Vvp3fjpkZl7WgB-6rthoBR9ylX8hiSkaHSV4bYM9zlElkFQ81k2Sqc_tZrCrabtte9mGgwNnogv5lIbx_1iBn0VonZCVugONtxTm0JpcL8wUI_iUWKkMnWbw99jDF4vvIovjt_H1P/s1600/DSCN0926-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wL1Vvp3fjpkZl7WgB-6rthoBR9ylX8hiSkaHSV4bYM9zlElkFQ81k2Sqc_tZrCrabtte9mGgwNnogv5lIbx_1iBn0VonZCVugONtxTm0JpcL8wUI_iUWKkMnWbw99jDF4vvIovjt_H1P/s1600/DSCN0926-copy.jpg" /></a></div>
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Of course we couldn't miss the chance to visit Amalienborg Palace - home of the Danish royal family.. we watched the changing of the guard and had a photo outside the home of our </div>
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Princess Mary.</div>
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We had a lovely walk in the sunshine through the harbour side gardens back to the ship...past some magnificent fountains...and the iconic statue of the 'Little Mermaid"</div>
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We battled our way through the crowds to get our photo taken... she is a very popular little mermaid.<br />
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-53085239052518915372017-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:002017-02-14T07:00:08.211-08:00B R U S S E L S - BELGIUM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So on the 4th June 2016 we boarded our second cruise of the trip....this time the Emerald Princess bound for the Baltic region. </div>
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Our first port was in Belgium - Zeebrugge. We made the decision to join a ship tour and travel into Brussels... I think the distance and the safety due to recent terrorist attacks had us a little nervous...so we felt safer as part of an organised group.</div>
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First stop out of the bus was at the 'Atomium' ...this weird structure was built for the world fair in 1958..apparently it represents the shape of an iron crystal and stands 102 metres tall.</div>
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The tour bus provided us with an informative commentary as we drove through the city..pointing out the various buildings...and sites of interest. We drove past the European Union building.</div>
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We had a traditional Flemish lunch at the Scheltema restaurant in a beautiful old cobbled street district....</div>
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From lunch we spent some free time in the Grand Place.. a UNESCO World Heritage Listed site.... with its 12 century guild halls. .. this is apparently known as the most beautiful square in Europe. </div>
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The gorgeous Gothic style Town Hall was built in 1420.</div>
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We visited the famous 'Manneken Pis' statue...standing 61cm tall...</div>
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I fell in love with this beautiful horse pulling a carriage so stopped for a pat.</div>
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Without me noticing it began eating my jacket....and managed to suck almost the entire side into its mouth....I had to reef it out to save it...and spent the remainder of the day walking around with horse slobber all over it.</div>
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After being away for so long it was lovely to spy a little piece of home... 'The Australian Ice Cream shop' ...we called out our best... "Aussie Aussie Aussie" ...they just stared with expressionless faces like we were crazy..... clearly they weren't Australian,</div>
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Of course we couldn't visit Belgium without trying some chocolates...</div>
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....and one of my biggest regrets...not finding enough room to sample a Belgium, waffle... Donna did and said it was beyond delicious.</div>
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It was then another 2 hour return trip back to Zeebrugge... all exhausted from our day.</div>
Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-17692110173907699152017-02-13T14:46:00.000-08:002017-02-13T18:52:49.026-08:00A M S T E R D A M - DAY 3I could barely sleep with excitement about our trip today.<br />
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We were booked onto the<a href="https://www.amsterdamcitytours.com/tours/bus-tours/charm-of-holland-volendam-marken-edam-windmills/"> 'Charms of Holland Bus Tour'</a> ... there was a slight nervous tension in the morning getting our luggage to the tour office...and making sure our tour would return in time to catch our flights back to Southampton that evening. In spite of all our worries it turned out fine and we made the flights on time. If only there was a crystal ball it would have saved a bit of worry.<br />
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So...we boarded the bus and took off into the countryside....I am not sure if its because I'm a country girl... but I always love the days spent out of the cities and out in the countryside.<br />
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Our first stop was the beautiful town of Edam... with its beautiful canals...architecture...and cobbled streets.<br />
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Then on to Voldendam...a short drive from Edam... we visited the cheese factory... wandered the shops before boarding the ferry to cross the lake to Markem.<br />
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We arrived in Markem for lunch...and enjoyed a delicious fish and chip lunch with some local beer and wine,<br />
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Thoroughly enjoyed the clog making demonstration...this guy was quite the character.<br />
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Next and last stop was Zaanse Schans UNESCO World heritage windmill village...which still has well preserved and functioning windmills. We were able to enter one called De Zoeker (built in 1672) ...and watch a demonstration of how flaxseed is milled into oil...still in use today. The climb to the top gave us a lovely view of the huge blades of the mill...and also the surrounding view.<br />
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Holland is just so beautiful with its lovely homes... dykes and traditions....and still to this day when I am asked of our favourite travel spots... Holland is on the list.<br />
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We arrived back into Amsterdam at around 6pm... luckily we had already pre-purchased our train tickets...so we grabbed our luggage from the locked room at the tour office and rushed to the train station to catch the airport shuttle train. We made it in plenty of time to catch our Flybe flight to Southampton.... it was a long and exhausting day....but thoroughly worth it.<br />
<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-38880288084265328392016-10-15T15:47:00.001-07:002017-02-13T18:52:33.844-08:00A M S T E R D A M - DAY 22nd June...<br />
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A new city....a beautiful Motel... and all the excitement of the day ahead had us up early and in search of a cafe for breakfast.<br />
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We were not disappointed....the coffee was great....the breakfast delicious and even those of us short of sight could read the menu with ease....what a cool touch.<br />
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Our first visit of the day was - Anne Franks House....<br />
We had pre-purchased tickets so not to miss out...which was just as well when we saw the queue on arrival.<br />
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Still to this day it still seems surreal that we were in the actual home...standing in the room that Anne all those years ago wrote her diary entries.<br />
Such a sad time in history.<br />
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Another amazing experience in this day of crazy variety was the <a href="http://bodyworlds.nl/en/">Body Worlds Exhibition </a>(The Happiness Project). The boys didn't join us on this adventure so Donna and I tackled it alone. I loved the message behind the exhibition.... it was the link between health and happiness. There were moments when it really hit that these were actual bodies...and it was a touching exhibition on many levels.<br />
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We never tired of the sights in the shops in Amsterdam.... from their brownies (which we didn't try)..<br />
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to their cheese....which we did try...<br />
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We spent some time shopping for souvenirs...we definitely wanted to take clogs home for the girls.<br />
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Just loved this patterned delftware ..although I didn't bring any home.<br />
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The evening was spent on a very interesting tour.<br />
We took the 'Red Light District Walking tour' ... our guide was very informative...respectful and frank... actually he was rather blunt and to the point at times...but I liked that about him.<br />
Prostitution is legal in Holland and I was surprised at how well regulated and respected it is.. we were guided through past the window prostitutes who were so beautiful.<br />
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I think that's one of the things I love most about travel.... the chance to experience and learn about things completely outside of your normal radar.<br />
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We were exhausted by evening....it had been a long day of walking.... and we had a big day planned for the following day.<br />
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<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-24444577304325921852016-09-05T16:34:00.000-07:002017-04-29T03:58:23.551-07:00A M S T E R D A M - DAY 11st June 2016<br />
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Today another chapter of our trip began.... we were up bright and early and saying goodbye to the Princess Caribbean... and catching a taxi to the Southampton Airport.<br />
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We caught a flight with Flybe to Amsterdam.<br />
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Then a rouge taxi driver from Amsterdam airport into our amazing...awesome...incredible Motel ..<br />
I need to shout out again how much we loved the<a href="http://www.nh-hotels.com/hotel/nh-city-centre-amsterdam"> NH City Centre Motel</a>. It was in the perfect location with the most amazing views from our room.<br />
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It was afternoon by the time we arrived and caught our breath ... we walked.... breathed in the sights... had a leisurely lunch...and took a canal boat ride.<br />
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I think I knew right from the first moment that I LOVED Amsterdam....<br />
It had an awesome vibe... it was alive...a little chaotic with the bikes..trams...and pedestrians all moving in some kind of sequence I never really worked out...<br />
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I loved the cobble streets... the canals... the cafes....the bikes....the beautiful skinny little homes with their leaning fronts and furniture hooks...the long boats...cathedrals... and their free and easy attitude,<br />
I also loved that there seemed a sense of respect ... if you have visited...I hope you know what I mean.<br />
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Did I mention bikes??<br />
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....and I don't think I mentioned tulips?<br />
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<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-5350517602871227792016-08-09T16:46:00.001-07:002016-08-09T16:46:08.214-07:00L E - H A V R E - Normandy France31st May..<br />
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Let me begin by mentioning that the weather today was so wet and gloomy... there were flood warnings in Europe and there seemed no chance of let up in the rain. Our initial plans to make our way to Honfleur didn't pan out due to the distance and transport woes....so we caught the shuttle into Le Havre for a little look around.<br />
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War memorial statue...<br />
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Le Havre natural history museum... which housed some lovely exhibits..</div>
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Le Havre Cathedral..</div>
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...and probably the highlight of our stop... the 'funiculaire' or cable car... that took us to the top of the hill and back down....a beautiful view... out of the rain....and for next to nothing.</div>
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It was then back to the ship.... we needed to pack and and get ready for our early start.<br />
Although this was a sad night...our last evening on the Caribbean Princess we were also excited because tomorrow morning we had early flights to Amsterdam and that was going to be epic!Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-26806152223502376792016-08-09T16:03:00.000-07:002016-08-09T16:03:36.801-07:00E D I N B U R G H - Scotland<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
29th May..</div>
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It was a cold morning as we caught the shuttle from the port into beautiful Edinburgh.</div>
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We set out on a lovely walk from the shuttle stop to the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Mile"> Royal Mile</a>.</div>
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Edinburgh has more than its share of beautiful buildings... and monuments....<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Monument"> The Scott Monument</a> is an impressive 200+ feet high.</div>
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Once again I was mesmerised by the pipers as we passed..... Dad...I wish you still played.<br />
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Our first stop was <a href="https://www.thedungeons.com/edinburgh/en/">The Edinburgh Dungeons</a>.... we had pre-booked tickets here for a taste of something totally different.... a bit of theatre and suspense. It was a very interactive type of show with some unexpected frights and a giant drop at the end.<br />
It was loosely educational.... but more about the drama and scare factor.<br />
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We were always shadowed by the grand scale of <a href="http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/">Edinburgh castle</a> sitting up on the hill overlooking the city.<br />
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We wandered the Royal Mile.... stopping here and there for souvenirs...and to visit some of the woolen /tartan stores.... there is such a lot of history about the clans...tartans... and traditions that we found so interesting.<br />
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We may have visited the odd church or maybe two...<br />
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After our morning on foot...we pushed our way into a noisy and crowded pub at lunchtime ... and luckily found a table near the back....Donna put on her brave pants and ordered the haggis. We all had a taste and although it wasn't unpleasant...I was happy to leave it to her.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks Scotland for having us.... I really hope I can visit again one day. (although Ill probably skip the haggis)</span></div>
<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-77328595265075648882016-08-06T16:00:00.000-07:002016-08-06T16:00:06.112-07:00I N V E R G O R D O N - SCOTLAND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
28th May...</div>
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A lovely early start this morning.... we had pre-booked a <a href="http://www.shorexcursions.co.uk/full.htm">Highlands Tour with Nigel </a>and we were excited to get started. Nigel was fantastic...so welcoming with a real sense of fun. We were lucky to have Nigels son Thomas as our tour guide for the day.<br />
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We set off to lovely <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornoch">Dornoch</a> for our first stop... Ian walked across the greens of the 'Royal Dornoch Gold Course... no time for a game though.<br />
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The drive was so scenic...although by now we expected no less.<br />
These Hairy highland cows (Hairy coos) ... were so lovely..<br />
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...and hairy sheep too..<br />
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Our next stop was a castle that appears to be straight from a fairy-tale ....the beautiful 13th century <a href="http://www.dunrobincastle.co.uk/"> Dunrobin Castle</a>.<br />
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Once again we were greeted by a piper...<br />
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Stepping inside we could see it was quite different to Stirling castle... and the tour through the castle was just beautiful... once we stepped out of the foyer...photos were not allowed. Their obvious love of safari hunting was evident in the house and inside the museum onsite.<br />
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The view from the castle windows showed spectacular manicured gardens...<br />
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Then once down in the gardens....the view back to the front of the castle was breathtaking.<br />
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The timing was perfect to attend the<a href="http://www.dunrobincastle.co.uk/falconry/index.htm"> falconry display</a>.... gosh that was interesting and a lot of fun. The Falconer had such control of these birds as they swooped in low over our heads and showed us their speed and hunting abilities.<br />
My photos are all of the cute fluffy owl because he was slow enough for me to capture.... the falcons were so fast...all my camera captured was a blur.<br />
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From Dunrobin we headed to <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g635690-d1184169-Reviews-Falls_of_Shin-Lairg_Caithness_and_Sutherland_Scottish_Highlands_Scotland.html">Shin Falls.</a>.. these waterfalls are the spot to watch the salmon leaping back up the stream.... we didn't see any ourselves no matter how long and hard we looked.<br />
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A quick stop at 'Millionaires View' . with its spectacular view of the mountains of Sutherland and the Shin river.<br />
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Our final stop of the day was the<a href="https://www.glenmorangie.com/us/"> Glenmorangie Whiskey Distillery</a>.. we took a very educational tour of the distillery... and a tasting at the end... a lovely way to end the day.<br />
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Thanks for another amazing day Scotland.Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-14259343640688164322016-08-04T19:29:00.000-07:002016-08-04T20:02:37.539-07:00G L A S G O W - Scotland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;">26th May </span></div>
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Ummm.... lets face it....what says "We are in Scotland!!" more than a piper greeting us.<br />
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After our incredible day in Belfast yesterday we made the decision to find ourselves a taxi driver again and get out into the country. Today's driver was John and he was brilliant. We mapped out the sites we wanted to see...and left the rest to him...and it couldn't have been better.<br />
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Our first brief stop was just out of Glasgow at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton_Castle">Dumbarton Castle</a>.... just a quick photo opp and then back in the car and onwards.<br />
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It was such a scenic drive through to beautiful <a href="https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/luss-p235041">Luss</a>...a little spot on the shores of Loch Lommand. It was impossible not to imagine living here.... although the cold might change my mind come winter.<br />
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Just having a chuckle to myself here... photography rule #101 ... wait until tourist gets out of the frame! I captured a lovely sneaky photo moment of one poor unsuspecting tourist..haha<br />
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From Luss it was on to Stirling Castle...</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_Castle">Stirling Castle</a> is one of Scotlands largest castles...constructed between 1490 and 1600 and has been besieged 16 times during its long and bloody history.</div>
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We really enjoyed or visit here... with entrance to the castle and incredible scenic views from the wall.</div>
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The interior was opulent and fit for a castle...although in my opinion it kind of lacked 'warm and cosy'<br />
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On the outer wall is a series of 'Stirling Sculptures' telling the story of James V's greatness.... although the one I captured here does look a little ghoulish.<br />
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We could see the famous 'Wallace Monument' in the distance....I sort of felt all 'Outlander'ish...<br />
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It was then farewell to Stirling....and into Glasgow....because we couldn't visit this part of Scotland and not set foot in Glasgow.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Cathedral">Glasgow Cathedral</a> was on our list for a stop....and we were not disappointed.<br />
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Then with our last final glimpse of this beautiful region we were back to the ship...exhausted and happy to have spent such an amazing day in Scotland.<br />
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-22100708068425232512016-08-01T16:04:00.000-07:002017-04-29T03:59:29.300-07:00B E L F A S T - IrelandWhat an AMAZING day this turned out to be.<br />
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I still cant believe how we fitted everything in....but we did and I am so grateful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-qceunV4nc3Lr4IdFWqzftv78zhLPLnJA5bCOMsEyfIbhAbNYvQIOmBQucTyghwX9x2PpM-zu1UuYBZiUBL4UH1tJ1dIxMW502VkNwPqNUGLJC4OsRY4pGG4vM63AJzHNt1i0UtHenGk/s1600/DSCN0454b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-qceunV4nc3Lr4IdFWqzftv78zhLPLnJA5bCOMsEyfIbhAbNYvQIOmBQucTyghwX9x2PpM-zu1UuYBZiUBL4UH1tJ1dIxMW502VkNwPqNUGLJC4OsRY4pGG4vM63AJzHNt1i0UtHenGk/s1600/DSCN0454b.jpg" /></a>From past experience we learnt not to procrastinate too long.... so we grabbed a taxi and headed out into the country. Out Taxi driver had such a broad accent we had quite a bit of trouble understanding him at times.. as he did us.. I'm sure.<br />
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Let me say this about Ireland.... you never tire of the view.... green paddocks for miles... hedges...white houses...sheep and rolling hills.<br />
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We followed the beautifully scenic coast road around to the <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/carrick-a-rede">Carrick-A -Rede rope bridge</a> ... the bridge was first erected in 1755 by salmon fisherman.<br />
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I cant begin to describe the view... beautiful green rolling hills turn into rugged cliffs and then meet the ocean.. plus a rope bridge... sigh.<br />
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We were blessed with the most beautiful weather....it was cool but pleasant and the long cliff top walk to and from the rope bridge soon warmed us up.<br />
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From the rope bridge it was a short drive to the incredible <a href="http://www.giantscausewayofficialguide.com/">'Giants Causeway'</a> a world heritage site with the most spectacular volcanic rock formations... it seems impossible to imagine they weren't made by hand.<br />
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After climbing the rocks... taking in the view... and learning a little about this part of the coast we were back in our taxi and heading toward Belfast for a visit to the Titanic Belfast.<br />
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The <a href="http://titanicbelfast.com/">Titanic Belfast </a>was an amazing 6 levels of the Titanic story... from the building of the ship....the interiors of the cabins.... the story of the passengers and a moving story of the sinking.<br />
Its incredibly well done and if our schedule wasn't so tight I know we could have spent many hours there... the highlight of the visit for me was the glass floor section which shows the wreck exactly as it lies on the floor of the ocean today. It was so life sized and graphic.... so real.<br />
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Then if my day couldn't have been more special.... we caught a taxi into the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast_City_Hall"> City Hall</a> for me to meet a long time Blogger / Scrapbooking friend <a href="http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.com.au/">Sian Fair (From High In The Sky)</a>. From the early beginnings of our trip Sian and I had kept in contact with the hopes of a catch-up. Its always difficult on a cruise as time in a port is limited and I held my fingers crossed for months hoping it would work out. I felt so thrilled when we made a time and place....and so grateful that Sian could make the time to meet me.... little old Mardi from down under.<br />
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We were waiting outside the city hall a little early...scanning the crowds waiting for Sian to appear...my heart skipped the moment she approached...it was surreal and Sian was just as I imagined... the sweetest little package with the most musical Irish voice. (such a contrast to my booming <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ockerish">ockerish</a> aussie voice...oh well..we are what we are)<br />
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Our time was short and we left with so many more things to talk about.... but I am so grateful it worked out...and it was a very special highlight of my holiday. How lucky am I.<br />
<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-22650777099784552162016-07-28T15:59:00.004-07:002016-07-28T15:59:42.044-07:00L I V E R P O O L - ENGLAND 201624th May....<br />
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Good morning.....Liverpool.<br />
The ship pulls right into the dock in Liverpool which was lovely.<br />
We walked down to the World Heritage listed <a href="http://www.albertdock.com/">Albert Dock</a>.<br />
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Waved to the gorgeous<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Liver_Building"> Royal Liver building </a>on the way past with its Liver birds at the top.<br />
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Stopped and had our photo taken with these 4 guys .... haha<br />
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.... then we headed off to <a href="http://www.beatlesstory.com/">'The Beatles Story'</a> exhibition... to soak in some Beatlemania. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Y4jZ0IRYBAW2ElbBdGiNR8ar6v4J3aGaZiV1jYO82w53LBL40Aidll-EuIi40WKPV7gBtEEFXHK2NI8BNBFyjT41YCozLSweu_Gcx-lnxzV5_ess1Ycf0fHVuoxUQqX3H59tkikg2RR0/s1600/P5241015b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Y4jZ0IRYBAW2ElbBdGiNR8ar6v4J3aGaZiV1jYO82w53LBL40Aidll-EuIi40WKPV7gBtEEFXHK2NI8BNBFyjT41YCozLSweu_Gcx-lnxzV5_ess1Ycf0fHVuoxUQqX3H59tkikg2RR0/s1600/P5241015b.jpg" /></a><br />
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The exhibition was brilliant actually.... it told the story from the beginning to the end...with lots of memorabilia and personal stories. I know I walked out feeling like I knew them and their rise to fame so much better.<br />
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For a complete change of pace we left the Beatles exhibition and headed to the<a href="http://www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/"> Liverpool Cathedral</a> .... its enormous... the largest cathedral in the UK...and 5th largest in the world...however in contrast to a lot of the historic churches we had seen this one was relatively young... completed in 1978.<br />
(Its also the only cathedral I've ever been in that has a coffee shop inside)<br />
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We took the lift and then the last 180 steps to the top of the 500m tower for a 360 deg view of Liverpool...which was spectacular. I was taken in by these oval housing estates... we just don't see them in Australia.<br />
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We also visited the<a href="http://www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/home/about-us/about-the-cathedral/elizabeth-hoare-gallery.aspx"> Elizabeth Hoare gallery</a> on the third floor which houses a stunning collection of Victorian and Edwardian embroidery.<br />
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Just outside was a little old cemetery with this path leading down....its so easy to loose time reading the stories on the headstones .. so many lived through such tough times...and we take so much for granted.<br />
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Keeping up our day of contrasts... we caught a cab out to the Liverpool Football club ... bit of a bummer it was closed as they renovated some stands or something...but we wandered the shop and took some photos.<br />
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Then it was back into Liverpool for a visit to <a href="http://www.cavernclub.org/">the Cavern Club</a> which was where the Beatles story all began. Although this isn't the original cavern club (which was filled in during some rail extensions) it is a replica built with many of the same bricks. I guess its as close as you can get.<br />
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It had so much atmosphere inside....with music playing and drinks flowing....it would have been nice to stop for awhile and settle in....but that is one downside of a trip like ours...we were always watching the clock and needing to keep moving.<br />
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This lively part of Liverpool had bars and clubs dotted along the streets everywhere....with lots of reference to the famous four.<br />
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We squeezed in a little last minute wander of Albert Docks before boarding again....ready to set sail for Belfast in Ireland.<br />
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<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-74710111419317713722016-07-27T20:45:00.000-07:002016-07-27T20:45:14.682-07:00D U B L I N - IRELAND 201623rd May...<br />
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Bit of a late start today.... the ship didn't dock in Dublin until lunch time. I guess it was sort of nice to have a bit of a lazier morning.... but by lunch time we were keen as beans to get off and get exploring.<br />
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We decided on the 'Hop on Hop off bus... its an easy way to get around the city... hopping on and off as you wish knowing there will always be another along in 15 minutes or so.<br />
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First stop.... <a href="https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en">"The Guinness Storehouse" </a>Seven floors of interactive displays telling the Guinness story ...finishing at the rooftop gravity bar for a pint and a 360 deg view of Dublin.<br />
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(I feel like the naughty kid here....I pinched this photo from an image search after realising I didn't actually take one outside)<br />
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Once at the top we could enjoy the view and although I passed on the pint... the others enjoyed theirs.<br />
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The remainder of our afternoon was spent taking in the atmosphere...</div>
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We finished the day off beautifully by finding a cosy spot inside '<a href="http://www.gogartys.ie/">The Oliver St John Gogarty Temple Bar</a>' ...we enjoyed a beautiful meal.. irish brews and wonderful upbeat music and atmosphere. It was lovely to just stop and soak it in. Not having to be back at the ship until 11pm meant a very relaxed evening.</div>
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Thankyou for a wonderful day Dublin.Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-40935785348777092442016-07-27T17:15:00.003-07:002016-07-27T17:15:30.659-07:00C O B H / C O R K - I R E L A N D 201622nd May ...<br />
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OMG.... sailing into Cobh this morning was amazing....beautiful homes lining the harbour... green hills...we were in IRELAND and excited for what our day would bring.<br />
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Its always hard when you pull into port on a cruise ship....so many people all wanting to make their way to the same things... and we did feel we made a slight stuff up with the transport this morning. We were unsure if it would be better to take the taxi or a train / bus. We regretted our decision of taking the train when it wasted so much time. But hey! it was still a beautiful morning and we were in Ireland...and it didn't matter in the end.<br />
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Our first destination was the<a href="http://www.blarneycastle.ie/"> Blarney Castle and gardens</a>.... this castle was built nearly 600 years ago...and is world famous for the "Blarney Stone" at the top of the tower...legend has it that if you kiss the stone of eloquence you are never stuck for words again.<br />
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The gardens and surrounds were beautiful ... and the weather was perfect.<br />
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The queue for the Blarney Stone 'kissing' was long...and we debated skipping it.... but Donna was keen...and I was more than happy to line up as well.<br />
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The boys wandered the gardens while we waited patiently... Ian checked out the '<a href="http://www.blarneycastle.ie/pages/poison-garden">Poisonous Garden</a>' and was delighted to spot rhubarb with a skull and crossbones sign....he has never liked it...and now he knows why.<br />
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The queue for the Blarney stone took just over an hour I guess..... we could see the stone above...and were keen to get our turn.<br />
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Finally made our way to the top of the tower and the view was spectacular...<br />
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Then it was our turn...you sit on the edge.... lean over backwards and kiss the stone.<br />
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(You can see some stone kissing action below.)<br />
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All the way I was saying "Ill do it...but I am not actually letting my lips touch that germy stone".... but in the excitement of the moment I forgot and planted my lips fair and square on it (insert eeeek face) I then spent the next hour intermittently rubbing my lips with hand sanitiser. I am so glad we chose to stick out the queue.... it was a really special moment for Donna.. and one she will never forget.<br />
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From the gardens we wandered back to the <a href="https://www.blarney.com/">Blarney Woollen Mills</a> and the Pub for a delicious Irish stew and mash for lunch.<br />
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It was sad saying goodbye to Blarney....we had spent a beautiful part of the day here.<br />
Luckily we had enough time in the port of Cobh for a look through the Titanic exhibition ...Cobh (then known as Queenstown)was the last port of call on its fateful voyage.<br />
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Donna and I climbed the hill to visit a beautiful church...</div>
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Then it was time to jump back onboard the lovely Caribbean Princess which looked particularly massive today as it dwarfed the port buildings.<br />
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<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-46485978186630234552016-07-19T17:16:00.000-07:002016-07-19T17:16:09.040-07:00G U E R N S E Y - 2016I'm not sure if it was excitement of a new place or some type of woeful jet lag but Ian and I were wide awake at 4am and so got up and walked the decks until it was time to get ready for our day.<br />
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In a mini nutshell...<br />
Guernsey is the second largest island in the Channel islands group... and has been the property of England since the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It lies just off the Normandy region of France and was occupied by Germany during the war.<br />
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Our first views were beautiful even though it was a grey and overcast day... which later turned to incessant rain.<br />
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Although we didn't visit we could see the 13th century <a href="http://www.visitguernsey.com/castle-cornet">Castle Cornet</a> guarding the harbour.<br />
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Our day included...<br />
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a little stroll in the harbour city (St Peter Port)<br />
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a lovely 90 minute bus tour of the island...and then the <a href="http://www.visitguernsey.com/german-underground-hospital">German Underground Hospital and Ammunition store.</a> This was incredible. Let me quote the brochure...<br />
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<i>" This is the largest structural reminder of German occupation existing in the Channel islands. This maze of tunnels covers an area of about 75,000 square feet. Almost invisible from the surface (except for the entrances) this vast concrete maze is built under a low hill in the heart of the Guernsey countryside" </i><br />
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Designed to accommodate 800 patients.. the hospital could have housed three or four times that number. It was dark... dank....and gloomy... not to mention wet and mouldy... not ideal for recovering in a hospital.<br />
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We also visited <a href="http://www.visitguernsey.com/the-little-chapel">'The little chapel'</a> ... possibly the smallest chapel in the world. This beautiful tiny little chapel is completely covered in pebbles and broken china.<br />
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It was undergoing some restoration during our visit with some scaffolding around the outer of the building but we could still enter..albeit one or two at a time and take a peak.<br />
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Guernsey was a beautiful stop.... such a pity it was so brief.<br />
<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-66946852916600934632016-07-13T19:14:00.001-07:002016-07-13T19:14:46.632-07:00S O U T H A M P T O N <b>20th May 2016</b><br />
Its nice to wake today with our feet on the ground and new adventures at our doorstep.<br />
Yesterday went in a blur of shuttles... plane flights and customs as we said farewell to Japan and hello to England.<br />
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We stayed overnight at the lovely <a href="http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-1073-novotel-southampton/index.shtml">Novotel Southampton</a> which provided a fabulous breakfast and was a nice easy walk from the historic old town... steeped in Titanic history.<br />
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I struggle to comprehend the age of and history of some of these buildings...seriously... this is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bargate">Bargate</a>.... a medieval gatehouse constructed in Norman times as part of the Southampton walls... this was built in c1180 !!<br />
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They weren't only building walls and gate houses back in Norman times...they were also building houses... like this World listed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tudor_House_and_Garden">Tudor house.</a><br />
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We also felt a little like we had stepped back in time... The <a href="http://www.discoversouthampton.co.uk/visit/history/titanic">Titanic </a>tragedy in 1912 struck Southampton hard... and there is a Titanic trail and references everywhere.<br />
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Our morning wandering Southampton was a lovely prelude to our cruise... we made our way to the dock and boarded the lovely<a href="http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/cb/"> Caribbean Princess</a> around lunchtime ... so looking forward to our cruise of the British Isles.<br />
<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-20131690426741905462016-07-13T16:37:00.000-07:002016-07-13T16:37:23.531-07:00TOKYO 2016 - Day 2<b>18th May</b><br />
This morning we experienced our first 'rush hour' in the Metro system... but like true professionals we navigated our way out to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Shrine">Meiji Shrine</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Shrine_Inner_Garden">Gardens</a>.<br />
These beautiful tranquil gardens date back to 1603 eventually becoming the property of the Imperial Family around 1868.<br />
We wandered peacefully around the gardens to the shrine and iris gardens... and to be honest we felt like we were in the country...not in the middle of Tokyo.<br />
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Our next navigational test was to make our way to the <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2080.html">Sumo Wrestling</a> Arena <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3022.html">(Kokugikan) in the Ryoguku district </a> for a very exciting Sumo Wrestling experience. We had been looking forward to this since we discovered we would be visiting during the Tokyo Tournament program and so had bought our tickets very early.<br />
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Even on arrival we could tell this was a 'BIG THING' there ... excitement was in the air,<br />
The Stadium was a lot larger than I imagined with a shrine in the centre and the elevated dohyo where each tournament takes place.<br />
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It was sensational to watch... before each match the wrestlers went through a long series of rituals... like salt throwing...leg stomps and belly slaps. The actual wrestle was often over within seconds...as soon as one was out of the ring or touched the ground it was finished and new contenders and a whole new set of rituals began. I was actually quite surprised as how much muscle and power these Sumo Wrestlers had and also that many of them are not Japanese at all.<br />
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Our final and most surprising and amazing thing this day was a night time helicopter flight over the city. Ron and Donna had booked 'a little surprise' before we left...and Ian and I had tried and tried to guess what it was. Never in a million years would we have guessed. I can only say it was spectacular!<br />
I would have loved to share a photo from the night.... but my camera was not my friend...and every single shot was blurred.<br />
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This was our last day in Tokyo.... it was time to pack ready for an early start in the morning...new adventures await.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Journal quote "What a fantastic day in an amazing place.... couldn't love Tokyo more"</span>Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1779653313202788777.post-74044549244468876632016-07-12T16:53:00.000-07:002016-07-12T16:53:54.239-07:00TOKYO 2016 - Day 1<br />
<b>16th May</b> - Today was an 8 hour flight from Brisbane to Narita Japan.<br />
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Our first glimpse was what looked like rice fields with water shimmering... we were in Japan.<br />
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We breezed trough customs and caught the shuttle for the 60km trip into Tokyo..we only had one hiccup when we were briefly dropped at the incorrect hotel...thankfully the shuttle hadn't left!<br />
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The city-scape by night as we drove in was spectacular!!<br />
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We stayed at the<a href="http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-5701-mercure-tokyo-ginza/index.shtml"> Hotel Mecure Tokyo Ginza</a> ...an awesome Motel in a brilliant central location.<br />
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After dropping our luggage we headed out on foot in search of a restaurant for dinner. This evening turned out to be one of the most memorable dining experiences of our trip. We happened upon a lovely little restaurant... and perched ourselves on some stools at the kitchen window.<br />
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We then attempted to order from the menu... no easy feat.... not one of us reads Japanese and even with English translation it was quite different to our usual diet.<br />
The chefs were entertaining...and using google translate we enjoyed some conversation...and laughs.<br />
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We thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful and this set the tone for our eating experiences in Japan...we couldn't rave enough about how we loved the raw and simple foods with such amazing flavours.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Journal quote - "So glad of our beds. Toilet has more buttons than my dishwasher"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>17th MAY</b> - First stop today was</span> the <a href="http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm">Tsukiji Fish Market</a> ... the largest in the world.<br />
It was bustling with activity and although it seems impossible for the size of it.... it smelt as fresh as the ocean and not particularly fishy at all which sort of surprised me because of the sheer size of it.<br />
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From the fish market we navigated the Metro to the world famous <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/tokyo/sights/neighbourhoods-villages/shibuya-crossing">Shibuya Crossing</a>..<br />
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<i>"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: freight, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Rumoured to be the world’s busiest, this intersection in front of Shibuya Station is famously known as ‘The Scramble’. It’s an awesome spectacle of giant video screens and neon, guaranteed to give you a 'Wow – I'm in Tokyo!' feeling. People come from all directions at once – sometimes over a thousand with every light change – yet still manage to dodge each other with a practiced, nonchalant agility."</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: freight, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Thanks<a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/tokyo/sights/neighbourhoods-villages/shibuya-crossing"> Lonely Planet </a>for the spot-on description.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: freight, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br />We spent quite some time in a food court trying to choose lunch.... in the end we settled on some 'oishii' (delicious) Bento Bowls. They were divine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: freight, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Journal Quote " Rained steadily all day.... regretted not bringing an umbrella or rain jacket" </span>In hindsight..I have no idea why we didn't buy one right then and there.... you have no idea how many days of rain we endured before we conceded defeat and purchased one...almost at the end of our trip I might add.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: freight, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wandering the city was such a thrill...honestly...I cant speak highly enough of Japan... it was our second visit and equally as wonderful as our first. The locals were so helpful and obliging with our lack of language...and the respect they show each other on trains and in the street was heartwarming. The atmosphere... the street food... sights...smells... LOVED IT.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: freight, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The constant rain and exhaustion of the last 24 hours saw us spending the remainder of the afternoon in the comfort of our Motel lounge having a few drinks... making plans and then dining in the Motel restaurant. We were early to bed because the next day was already stacking up as a huge one.</span></div>
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Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972267519815125181noreply@blogger.com3