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EUROPE

August - October 2023
Travelling to Dubai, Italy, France and Singapore Read more
  • 25footprints
  • 7countries
  • 51days
  • 206photos
  • 30videos
  • 39.5kkilometers
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  • TravelerEUROPE
    Day 18

    Day 17 and 18

    September 5, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Arrived in Desenzano, Lake Garde yesterday by train. This lake is quite close to lake Como. We have a lovely hotel room with a big balcony over-looking the lake. This morning we met an Australian businessman with lots of local knowledge. He advised we take the ferry to Sirmione, a small town with lovely shops on the lake. This part of the trip is a bit of r and r for us after the Italy bus tour.

    Photo 1 - view from our room
    Video 1 - arriving Sirmione
    Photos 2 and 3 - Sirmione - the healthy lemon drink before the gelato
    Video 2 - arriving back in Desenzano    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    Day 20

    Day 19, 20 and 21

    September 7, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Day 19 - A fantastic day spent touring the southern section of Lake Garde at the foot of the Dolomite Mountains. We took a boat built in 1904 for a 4 hour cruise. There's 25 villages around the coastline with olive groves and vineyards on the hills. It is one of the most beautiful places we have seen. The coastline has historical monuments, castles and fortresses. We passed a 135 room immaculately kept villa and a small island with very historical buildings owned by one family. There's 25 000 000 visitors a year to the lake. Not far from Lake Como. Havent seen George and Amal but i believe they are nearby.

    Day 20 - we caught the train from Lake Garde to Verona where 3 of Shakespeare's plays are set. For dinner we went down into the main square. It was very busy as the opera was on in the Arena. The arena holds 22 000 people.

    Day 21 - Today we decided to do the red and blue hop-on and hop-off bus routes around Verona.

    Back to Venice tomorrow to start our 101 cruise with Azamara from Venice to Athens.

    Photo 1 and 2 and Video 1 - Boat trip of Lake Garde
    Photo 3 - planting on bridge
    Video 2 and Photo 4 - Square and Arena in Verona
    Photo 5 - wisteria
    Photos 6 - 9 - photos from our hop- on, hop-off bus tours around Verona    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    11
    Day 25

    Days 22, 23 and 24

    September 12, 2023, Adriatic Sea ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Day 22 - Firstly congratulations to our son-in-law Daniel who played his last competitve game of soccer last Saturday in the semi-finals. From playing in Toowoomba to the AIS, youth Roar, Gold Coast United, Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar to finally Brisbane City which he captained. As a little boy Daniel always wanted to play for the Brisbane Roar and he made that dream come true. If I remember correctly he captained the Under 21 Australian team. Despite having his share of injuries he fought his way back. Congratulations Daniel on a fantastic career doing what you loved and now lets watch Leo who loves the game too.

    Day 22 - we caught the train from Verona to Venice and then a taxi to the Azamara cruise ship. Its a magnificent ship with 600 passengers on board. There was no waiting to get on, they seemed to be able to handle the groups as they arrived. We are sailing from Venice to Athens.

    Day 23 - a tuk tuk tour around the new part of the city of Zadar, Croatia. This was followed by a walking tour through the old part of the city. The sphinx (human head and hands and lion body) is believed to be a monument to Giovanni Smirich's wife. Our guide for the walking tour was a very passionate young local who appears to live and breathe the city. He took us into the backyard of his own home to show us the approximately 400 year old well. A highlight of Zadar is the sea organ. It is a set of pipes and whistles set within perforated stone stairs. When the sea pushes air through them wistful sighs can be heard. Its a specutacular place to sit and listen.

    Day 24 - this morning we docked in Sibenik, Croatia. From there we took a bus trip (following the coastline) to Trogir. The bays have beautiful settlements from the sea up the hills. Many families have boats. The main attraction is the Cathedral of St Lawrence, on which work started in 1213. There's quite a lot of olive groves and vineyards in some very stoney country. Trogir is a UNESCO site.

    Photo 1 - Azamara Onward
    Video 1 and Photo 2 - Leaving Venice
    Photo 3 - View from Verandah restaurant arriving in Zadar
    Photo 4 - 1 tuk tuk ride around new Zadar
    Video 2 - Zadar
    Photo 5 - Zadar arts and crafts
    Photo 6- 1 original gate into old Zadar
    Photo 7 - sphinx
    Photo 8 - leaving Zadar - people listening to the sea organ
    Photo - 9 - arriving Sibinek
    Photos - 10, 11 and 12 - Trogir
    Photo 13 - sunset leaving Sibinek    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    1
    Day 30

    Days 25 - 28

    September 17, 2023, Ionian Sea ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Day 25 - In the morning we took a tour of the main square of Split, Croatia. This was followed by a bus tour to Stella Croatica where we toured their organic farm, olive museum, factories, retail store and restaurant. The family was growing figs, olives and grapes and producing olive oil in a separate location. The younger daughter wanted to put a modern twist on the business. She created Stella Croatica. The retail outlet has their award winning olive oil, personal care and lavender products, cakes, tapenades, traditional sweets, liquors etc. We then were shown how to make pesto using collard greens. A lunch of tapenade, the above pesto pasta and cake was included. A fantastic place to visit.

    Day 26 - We docked in Hvar, Croatia and then took a bus to the Hora family farm followed for brunch by a visit to the nearby town of Starigrad. This has been our most disappointing excursion to date. This is a traditional family farm which we found untidy. The brunch was average and the small shop unkempt.

    Day 27 - A car tour of Dubrovnik, Croatia followed by a walking tour of the city. Our guide who is 31 years old was born in the basement of the hospital and spent her first 3 years living in the basement of her home during the war years.

    Day 27 - We had organised a tuk tuk ride around Kotor. Our tour guide said it was one of the 25 most beautiful bays in the world. The driver took us up a higher road so we get a really good view of the bay. At night we went to see the band play. We got there a little early. When they started playing we were the only ones in the caberet lounge so it felt like a private performance.

    Day 28 - At sea for the day.

    Photos 1 - 3 Split tour of old town
    Video 1 - Arriving in Split
    Photo 4 on the way to Stella Croatica
    Photos 5 - 7 - Stella Croatica including pesto making class and lunch
    Photos 8 - 10 Buffet dinner on Azamara cruise ship
    Photo 11 - Brunch at Hora family farm
    Photos 12 - 14 Dubrovnik
    Photo 15 - Azamara Ahmazing evening - a concert featuring traditional dancing and singing in a fortress in Dubrovnik
    Video 2 - Azamara Ahmazing evening
    Photos 16 - 19 - Kotor, Montenagro    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    1
    11
    Day 31

    Day 29, 30 and 31

    September 18, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌬 25 °C

    Been in Santorini for 3 days. It's only a 45 minute flight from Athens. Took longer to go from the port to the airport in Athens by bus.
    Today we took a tour around the important Santorini landmarks. We were lucky as the cruise ship passengers had not arrived by 9am so we got a private 3.5 hr tour. To ensure homes collect rainwater from a domed roof, the goverment will not give residents power unless they include this. All drinking water is shipped in. Santorini was round and flat until an earthquake split it into 3 islands, 3600 years ago. The lava flow created the height you can see in photos. In 1956 everything was destroyed except the very well built homes of the weathy. There's up to 5 000 000 visitors a year. Every morning (except in winter) there's 3 - 7 cruise ships in the bay.

    Video 1 - we are staying in Fira the capital of Santorini.
    Photo 1 - view from our accommodation
    Photo 2 - foot spa in Fira. I think the small fish in here must like dead skin cells.
    Photo 3 - cable car
    Photo 4 - Fira at night
    Photo 5 - those oh so famous blue domes in Oia (prounced ear)
    Photo 6 - main square in Oia
    Photo 7 - due to extreme winds in Santorini in winter, grapes are left low to the ground as a bush, not trained on a trellis like most vineyards. The branches are woven around the trunk to create a basket. The vine in this photo is 150 years old.
    Photos 8 - 11 - Santorini    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    11
    Day 37

    Days 32, 33 and 34

    September 24, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Day 32 - we flew from Santorini - Athens - Paris. It took an hour to go from the airport to the port where we boarded our Viking River cruise on the Seine River (from 21 to 28 September). Traffic delays due to King Charles being here.

    Day 33 - our excursion was Panaramic Paris. Our first day of wet weather so photos were difficult. We had a half hour coffee break and after it the rain began to clear. By the time we got to the Eiffel tower it was fine.

    Day 34 - Today's excursion was to Monet's home and garden. This is one of the busiest places in the world. They plant 135 000 bulbs in one of the seasons as well as annuals.

    Photo 1 - Eiffel Tower
    Photo 2 - Arc de Triomphe - burial place of the unknown soldier
    Photo 3 and 4 - Restoration of Notre Dame after fire in 2019.
    Photo 5 - caught up with Ben and Claire. Two large beers were ordered. Schooner size was expected however approximately 1500 mls arrived. Duly consumed.
    Photo 6 - Viking Skaga
    Video 1 - we pased a lot of house boats as we left Paris
    Photo 7 and 8 - au Chateau de la Roche-Guyon - a restored castle dating back to to 1200s. In 1943 the Germans built a flak-tower/bunker in the castle which became German General Rommel's HQ in 1944
    Video 2 - views of river from the above castle
    Photos 9 - 13 - Claude Monet, garden and kitchen    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    Day 38–41

    Day 35 and 36

    September 25, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Day 35 - we did a walking tour of Rouen where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. We visited the Joan of Arc church. At La Couronne restaurant, the oldest restaurant in France they serve "pressed duck" where they squeeze the duck blood and make it into a sauce. Yuk. This restaurant has a Michelin star rating.

    Video 1 - view from boat on the river Seine
    Photo 1 - commemorative plaque where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake
    Photo 2 - stained glass in Joan of Arc church
    Photo 3 - La Couronne restaurant
    Photos 4 and 5 - Rouen

    Day 36 - we started by visiting the Tapestry in Bayeux. The tapestry is an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres long and 50 cm tall that depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England led by William the Conquerer challenging Harold II, King of England.

    Photo 6 - Bayeux Museum
    Photo 7 - the Tapestry (no photos allowed inside)
    Photo 8 - Viking boat replica

    From there we went to Juno Beach where the Canadian contingent of the D Day landing came ashore on 6 June, 1944.

    Photo 9 - German gun bunker that were placed every 500 metres along the Normandy Beach
    Photo 10 - concrete obstacles made by the Germans and placed in the water to prevent the landing boats coming ashore
    Video 2 - Juno Beach, Normandy

    Next stop was the Pegasus Bridge Museum. The original bridge was removed and put in the museum grounds and a replica bridge was constructed in the original location. The taking of this bridge is still regarded as one of most daring and successful aviation missions of World War 2. The gliders carrying 25 soldiers each were used at night so that they could land undectected as the bridge needed to be taken in tact.

    Photo 11 - original Pegasus Bridge
    Photo 12 - replica glider

    Our final stop was at the Ranville War Cemetery where John and I placed a wreath provided by Viking Cruises at the foot of the only two Australian airmen buried there. The Australian National Anthem was then played and a minute's silence observed.

    Photo 13 - wreath laid in Ranville War Cemetery    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    Day 39–40

    Day 37, 38 and 39

    September 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Sorry for any confusion at the end of last footprint - location had a malfunction and had us slipping in to England. The Normandy beaches were where we stopped and definitely didn't swim the English channel !!

    Day 37 - a guided tour of the ruins of Chateau Gaillard in the Les Andelys commune. The medieval castle was built between 1196 and 1198 by Richard the Lionheart. Some quaint shops in this village.
    Video 1 - views of the river approaching Chateau Gaillard

    Photo 1, 2 and 3 - Chateau Gaillard

    Day 38 - on our last day of the Viking river cruise we went to Chateau de Malmaison, the residence of Napolean and Josephine. They grow standard lantana in the garden.

    Photo 4 and 5 - Chateau de Malmaison
    Photo 6 and 7- Josephine and Napolean

    Video 2 - house boats on River Seine

    Day 39 - we took a tour on the hop-on and hop-off bus around Paris. The day we did the Panaramic Paris bus and walking it was raining at the beginning so we caught up on sights on the top deck of the bus.

    Photo 8 - there's 900 of these green boxes on the Seine River selling second-hand books and souvenirs.
    Photos - 9 and 10 - hop-on, hop- off bus through Paris
    Photo 11 - Arc de Triomphe - the juncture of 12 avenues of traffic - chaos !!
    Photo 12 - military museum and tomb of Napolean
    Photo 13 - Eiffel Tower    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    1111
    Day 43

    Day 40 and 41

    September 30, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Day 40 - didnt quite get through the 14 km of artwork in the Lourve - the place is massive. Got the highlights with the guide though. It took 3 centuries to build.

    Photos 1 and 2 - Lourve
    Photo 3 - biggest painting - The Wedding at Cana - 7 square metres
    Photo 4 - the guide believes some of the inspitation for the Nike "tick" came from this statue
    Photo 5 - John with the statue, Diane de Versailles
    Photo 6 - difficult to get close to this one with the crowds

    We then went on a dinner cruise on the Seine River.

    Photo 7 - dinner cruise
    Photo 8 - Eiffel Tower is spectacular lit up

    Video 1 - people enjoying the music on the River Seine
    Video 2 - dinner cruise

    Day 41 - Managed to navigate two trains to Montmarte. It is known for its artistic history and Basilica of Sacre Coure. We took the Petit train around the area and then the funicular (cable car) to the bottom of the Basilica.

    Photo 9 - Mickey Mouse welcoming the kids to Montmarte
    Photo 10 - the little train
    Photo 11 - Moulin Rouge
    Photo 12 - Basilica
    Photo 13 - One of multiple fences with locks - there's thousands of them.    Read more

  • TravelerEUROPE
    111
    Day 45–46

    Days 42 and 43

    October 2, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Day 42 was meant to be utopia for John who found a sports bar to watch the rugby league grand final live. He then went to the Prix de l'arc de Triomphe (Melbourne Cup of Europe). At least the races part was good !!
    Photos 1 - 3- sports bar and races
    Video 1 - race crowd do the Viking clap like the Canberra raiders

    Day 43
    Photo 4 - Adelaide Cemetary outside Villers Bretonneux. An unknown soldier has been removed from this cemetary and placed in Canberra

    Photos 5, - 7with our guide at the John Monash Centre - a museum and interpretative centre that commemorates Australian servicemen and women who served on the Western Front during the first world war
    Photo 8 - battlefields and war cemetaries visited today
    Photo 9 - Memorial to women at the Lochnagar Crater
    Video 2 - Lochnagar Crater (tunnel dug under major German command centre in order to blow it up)
    Photo 10 - memorial to all animals used in the war effort - horses, mules, dogs and pigeons
    Photo 11 - Pheasant Wood cemetary at Fromelles - newest war
    cemetary created following the discovery of 6 mass graves in 2008
    Photo 12 - VC Corner Australian Cemetary - the only cemetary that has just Australian soldiers (known and unknown)    Read more

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