SEPTEMBER 2021 : CANBERRA : Ashley’s 40th birthday

Our beautiful daughter is 40. 

Super mum

She had big ideas for her 40th birthday and planned to combine three significant family celebrations - her 40th, Dakota’s 10th birthday and Indi’s 1st birthday.

Unfortunately with our Covid lockdown, this was not to be. She has put the party on hold and we had a early morning get together at a local park for a simple breakfast and cake.

 M&M

SEPTEMBER 2021 : MELBOURNE and CANBERRA : An on-line master cooking class for our nephew’s birthday

Another year of birthdays in lockdown. Families and friends are getting very creative. Ros, my sister, discovered a cooking master class for the family to celebrate the 32nd  birthday of her son, James.

Boxes delivered to door to door the day before

The participants in all their Qantas pyjamas ready for action..

Here we go!

A very convivial Neil Perry took us through the menu with helpful tips along the way. Chatting and wanting a regular  update of the  Rugby test score.

A very excited crew after an intensive hour of cooking and creating. Extremely replete after such a rich feast with such delicious ingredients. Thanks to Ros for such an imaginative gift and celebration!.

Then the washing up…

M&M

JUNE / JULY 2010 : CROATIA : MEMORIES OF A FAMILY HOLIDAY ON HVAR

My sister, Ros, and husband Phil had always dreamt of a family holiday on the island of HVAR, where his father, Bert, was born. In the European summer of 2010 they rented a lovely home on the harbour of the small port town of Stari Gradand generously invited us all to share in the wonderful experience.

TRIESTE

We flew into Milan at 6am and caught an express train at 9.30 to Trieste. (6 hour journey)

A beautiful port city on the Adriatic Coast, Trieste is sophisticated, created during the Austro- Hapsburg era Home of the first coffee house, refuge of the Irish author, James Joyce, major trading port, home of  700,000 Triestans who lost their lives in WW2. One of the architectural highlights, situated on the northern coast, is the White Castle, Miramar, built in the 1850s for the Austrian Archduke Maximilian. We really enjoyed our time there, wandering the streets, dining at outdoor restaurants, watching the activity along the port.

Stayed at the Nuovo Albergo Centro, which was excellent.

ZADAR

We caught a bus from Trieste, changing at Rijeka to travel to Zadar. Zadar suffered during the war during the 90s but has emergered as another attractive port. The highlight was the restaurants along the foreshore and the Sea Organ. It was designed in 2005 and is a sound and music extravaganza. Pipes under the pier produce musical notes as waves push air up through the pipes, with corresponding light panels beaming out the notes.

The only thing that really reminded us of the war was our accommodation in the outer regions of the city. It was as dark as a bunker and we detected bullet holes in the external walls. * (1 star to Hotel Venera)

On to the bus..

SPLIT

A port with so much life. The old town is the Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian (284- 305 AD). It has become the organic heart of Split, with additions and renovations creating a modern take on its ancient foundations. Party central. Ferries and cruises for all the Adriatic destinations.

STARI GRAD, HVAR

Acknowledged as the oldest town in the Adriatic. It was originally colonised by the citizens of the Greek island of Paros, chosen for its safe harbour and fertile soil.

A great summer holiday destination but in winter residents move to their homes in Split and Albania, leaving their fertile gardens and vineyards to the cold, stormy winds.

Every meal a celebration!

Special attractions all over the island

A walk to the port of Jesna

Franetoviches unite! The Croatian branch still holiday on Hvar every summer, maintaining their original family properties.

Adventures…

Perfect, perfect, perfect!

DUBROVNIK

Dubrovnik is the ultimate walled city and has been occupied by civilisations throughout the Mediterranean, from 966AD when it was first besieged by the Saracens. Like Trieste it was also part of the Austro-Hapsburg monarchy from 1814. Latterly it featured in the 1990s conflict, with many museums and photographic galleries recording the atrocities and terror of the time. 

We found accommodation with a difference - a small apartment tucked into the outer walls of this fortress. Through the skylight you could see tourists circumnavigating the walls.

Delicious seafood, convenient beaches, interesting galleries and lots of summer concerts and music.

ABU DHABI and DUBAI

Good friends, Robyn and Doug and their 8 year old son, Hugh, were on posting in Abu Dhabi at this time so we had a stopover on the way home and spent a few days with them.

We visited the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the 7 star Emirates Palace Hotel.

We also did a day  bus trip to Dubai in 50oC heat where we investigated the spice and gold souks, enjoyed all the contrasts of ancient and modern around the harbour.

Wonderful reconnecting with Robyn and Doug and experiencing a little of their life in the Middle East.

M&M

JULY / AUGUST 2009 : FRANCE AND SPAIN : MEMORIES OF LE CHEMIN DU PIEMONT PYRENEEN

Enthused by our previous pilgrim walks, we decided to walk on another pilgrim route in the European summer of 2009. The Chemin du Piedmont Pyreneen begins on the southern French border, from the Mediterranean to St Jean Pied de Port in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains. We planned to visit some other cities on the way.

TURIN

We began our holiday by flying into Turin and had an interesting day sightseeing  Turin, with its reputation of being an industrial centre, was surprisingly sophisticated, having been established by the Savoy dynasty. We loved the architecture, particularly in the centre, the medieval village, the Shroud of Turin, the buzz of the crowds for passeggiata hour and the eateries near the Piazza della Republica.

AIX -EN -PROVENCE

Provence and the quintessential heart is Aix. Style, precision, colour. Fabulous.

Avignon - the Palace and the bridge ( Sur la point….) was a fascinating day too.

LE CHEMIN DU PIEDMONT PYRENEEN

NARBONNE

Having missed our train from Avignon and having to find our way in the heat of the afternoon was not an auspicious start to our walk. Again, as in our experience with the Via de la Plata, there were high summer temperatures and not much accommodation in the small towns along the way. Many businesses were closed for the .summer, so locating cafes and small supermarkets for snacks and water was very difficult.

CARCASSONE

The first major town we walked into was Carcassonne. A town with a fascinating history and one, which we had read about before our trip. It is the story of the Cathar sect that was persecuted during the Inquisition in the 12th century and the horrific tortures that they endured from the wrath of the Catholic Church. We stayed in the Notre Dame de l’Abbaye across from the picturesque castle.

FANJEAUX

A night in a convent, established in 1207  by Saint Dominic. Notre-Dame de Prouille.

A very enjoyable meal with a group on retreat from Toulouse.

MONTREAL

Through the Chemin community we were able to find accommodation in Montreal with an English family who had bought a 3 story derelict home 6 years ago and are gradually renovating the large home. They had two engaging sons who have embraced their French schools and community life.

MIREPOIX

The next day we took a taxi to Mirepoix. The heat and blistered feet have encouraged us to have a rest day in this enchanting medieval village. We arrived on Market Day - all local produce spectacularly displayed. The following day was Bastille Day - the French National day - so we enjoyed the pomp and ceremony of the local community.

WALKING ON …

The heat has beaten us. The rare pilgrim we encountered shared our concerns for the lack of shade, the nil opportunities for buying water and other refreshments and the dangers of heatstroke.  We walked on for two more days staying in Pamiers and Mas d’Azil, where we realised that this was not the summer for walking. 'So we had a contingency plan…

TOULOUSE

Off to Toulouse. A fascinating city with excellent museums , particularly Musee de Augustin, the Cathedral with my heroine, Joan d’Arc, well displayed and honoured. Impressed with tea houses and cosmopolitan restaurants.

A train to…

ST JEAN PIED DE PORT,

 the starting point of the Spanish section of the Camino Frances.

WALKING TO PAMPLONA

Four days walk to Pamplona. We particularly enjoyed the experience of staying in the Orisson Hostal high in the Pyrenees and the Roncenvalles albergue, at the base of the mountains, which was like a military hospital and caters for up to

120 pilgrims. Ear plugs essential. We met a few interesting walkers along the way. One French lady we discovered writes the French translations for the books of the  Australian author, Tim Winton.

Then we took a bus to…

BILBAO

A few days in this interesting Basque city. We stayed in a local B&B in the city centre. We witnessed some summer festivals, enjoyed the evening in the plazas with local families, the Guggenheim, museums and exhibitions, walks up the river, the funicular to look at the city, lots of wonderful pinxas ( tapas) and seafood meals.

TOLEDO

A train to Madrid and then a local train to Toledo.

A fortress town with a maze of streets, to confuse the enemy and tourists. It is built on rock and thus absorbs the heat, so a real hotbox in the summer months. Fascinating Jewish and Muslim sections of the city with ancient pasts.

MADRID

Two final days in Madrid, soaking up the summer attractions. Festivals in the Plaza Mayor, relaxing in the beautiful Retiro Park in the same vicinity as the Prado and the modern art museum, Reina Sofia.

ROME AND MONTECASSINO

A quick stopover on our way home to see our nephew, David, who lives in Montecassino south of Rome. It’s main claim to fame is the large Benedictine monastery, where Benedict established his order in the 500s. It has suffered destruction through the centuries, including being bombed in WW2, but it has been beautifully restored. A very happy day with David and Antonio on their very productive fruit and vegetable orchard.

A lovely end to our holiday.

M&M

JUNE / JULY 2007 : SPAIN : MEMORIES OF THE VIA DE LA PLATA

Having being awarded another four weeks of Covid lockdown in Canberra we must turn to a virtual life, including international travel. I’ve been going through old diaries and photos and thought I’d add our failed Via de la Plata walk to our blog cohort. We enthusiastically planned this walk after a wonderful experience of the Camino Frances the year before. What we hadn’t banked on was the remote, difficult terrain in Spain’s Meseta region, the extreme dry and hot summer conditions and the long distances between accommodation. These facts coupled with my ongoing issues with blisters, and subsequent shingles made this a very interesting trip. Despite our naivity and lack of fitness we were able to turn the three week holiday around enjoying much more of Spain than we expected.

Our planned walk is the yellow line marked on the map.

Our trusty guidebook and my detailed diary which I meticulously wrote, in the days before mobile phones and unreliable Internet cafe connections.

MADRID

We flew to Madrid and had a day’s sightseeing planned before we headed off to the northwest. Our packs were mislaid during our journey which was a little unsettling but were returned to us just before we were to leave Madrid. We enjoyed our first experience of the capital, staying in a hotel near the Plaza Mayor and close to many of the sights, like the Prado and the Royal Palace. Summer in Madrid is magical with so much on offer.

SERGOVIA

Our first stop was Sergovia, an hour and half bus ride from Madrid. It is a walled city with impressive Roman aqueduct and an enchanting Moorish alcazar, which many Disney castles have copied. We had excellent accommodation in the main plaza, which came to life after dark.

SALAMANCA

A further two hours west we arrived in Salamanca, which is one of the main centres for the pilgrim route, the Via de la Plata. The oficial route begins in Seville and is becoming more and more popular. Salamanca was invaded by Hannibal in 220BC. Loved exploring the main square, the cathedral, climbing the Jeronimus Torre, and visiting the most exquisite Art Noveau & Art Deco Museum.

VIA DE LA PLATA : DAY 1 : SALAMANCA - EL CUBO - 35.3 kms - a long, long day

It became patently obvious early in the day that we were not adequately prepared for this adventure. It was hot, dry and there were no facilities along the way. My feet began swelling and producing blisters on the first day. Despite beginning the day at sunrise, we arrived in El Cubo late in the afternoon. We had general instructions about locating a local woman to get a key for the basic accommodation in the little church in the main square. We wandered around aimlessly for some time and we were eventually approached by a little old lady who had let us in.

VIA DE LA PLATA : DAY 2 : El Cubo - Zamora : 31.6 kms - another long, long day

Another strenuous day with little respite from the heat and a lot of the day tramping on sealed highway.

ZAMORA

Zamora was a revelation, like an oasis after two dry days’ walking. Another town with a rich history - Roman, Visigoths and Moors. It was buzzing with their annual garlic festival of San Pedro and local dancing.

DAYS 3 &4 : Zamora - Granja de Moreruela - Tabara : 59 kms

It was clear after another two days walking that my feet would not recover well enough to continue but we were proud of our efforts on such an isolated route.

At Tabara we decided to catch a local bus back to Zamora and then take an 8 hour bus ride to Seville to recuperate,and do some sightseeing.

SEVILLE

We felt we had arrived at the tourist central with thousands of tourist groups being led by guides with coloured flags around each major attraction, including the largest European cathedral built in the 12th century in 9 months on the foundation of a mosque. We loved the tiles, the gardens, the architecture, the plazas - just a sparkling city with so much energy.

GRANADA

While we in the vicinity we thought we’d tick another destination off our bucket list. Granada and the famous Moorish fort of Alhambra, established in the eighth century. As there is such a demand for tickets, there are two sessions a day and must be pre-purchased, or so we thought. Fortunately we were able to get tickets on arrival at the site - only 8,000 people per session!! It was fabulous. Three hundred staff are employed for the upkeep of the gardens, excavations etc. All the original fountains and ingenious water features are all in working order. From a dusty plain the Moors created an oasis with exquisite architecture, gardens and sheltered pools. It was a wonderful experience.

OURENSE

An overnight bus to Ourense in another valiant effort to complete more of the walk…maybe.

Ourense - another surprise!  Long and interesting history, beautiful central plaza and shopping area but the highlight were the hot natural springs!

RETURN TO THE VIA DE LA PLATA 

OURENSE - CEA -OSEIRA - ESTACIÓN De LALÍN : 58 kms

Two more days on the road was enough. Blisters…heat…and lack of regular accommodation. We even spent one night in the grandstand at a public swimming pool. I espied a railway station, checked the timetable and as luck would have it there was a train passing through in an hour, just in time for a quick lunch at a workers’ canteen.

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

We arrived in Santiago as tourists not pilgrims. We had a few extra days to play so we did lots of the tours, attended concerts and exhibitions, visited museums, did a rooftop tour of the cathedral and thoroughly enjoyed the city. There was a traditional dance spectacular over a few nights in one of the cathedral squares. Very pleasant sitting watching such enthusiastic entertainment on summer evenings.

BARCELONA

Our last few days we spent in Barcelona. Again, another perfect summer destination. Vibrant, fun and we absolutely loved all the artwork - especially Gaudí and Miro. 

Unexpectedly, one of the most fascinating holidays we’ve had!

M&M

PS In the next 5 years I managed to overcome all the issues with my feet and have walked thousands of kilometres without blisters. We look forward to the opportunity to do it again soon.