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Tony and Ursula
Tony and Ursula

Tony and Ursula

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    1A somewhat unkempt garden is waiting for us at home.

    Launceston

    26 ottobre, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The final Qantas flight is prompt and arrives early into Launceston. We notice a large, obvious Uber pick-up area so order one. Our driver, Michael, is really nice so it is a pleasant welcome back home.
    The house was untouched and we enjoyed trying to remember where all the keys were.
    Making the return trip last several days seemed to lessen the jet-lag impact. We were able to postpone bed time until after 10pm and to sleep most of the night.
    Overall a fantastic trip.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore

    Sydney (again)

    26 ottobre, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Hello Qantas. Tony has just completed his online evaluation for this flight so it is fresh in his memory. Over the years we have done a lot of flying using Qantas economy class and this would be easily the worst trip. Almost 2 hours late to depart. The last 45 minutes spent sitting in our seats. No drinks service before dinner. Terrible food, set off by useless bamboo cutlery. The fork wouldn’t stick in and the knife wouldn’t cut. No tea nor coffee. Indifferent staff. Welcome to economy flying in 2025 (or maybe simply the new Qantas). We managed a little sleep. Breakfast was a truly awful warmish roll with hot sludge inside. No tea nor coffee.
    Fortunately we were quite late into Sydney, thus shortening the wait for our Launceston flight. Nothing remotely nice in the way of breakfast nor coffee in the newly revamped Qantas domestic terminal. (That’s the end of the complaints section.)    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    Rooftop pool at the Belmont Hotel
    Evening view from our hotel room.

    Manila (again)

    25 ottobre, Filippine ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    This flight takes about 8 hours, leaving around 11pm. Absolutely no need for food, but hey, it’s there (and delicious). Tony decides to eat and drink (heroically) then sleep. Works well. Delicious food and a very restful sleep. Major tragedy in the morning. The delicious scrambled eggs we had on the outwards journey are not available.
    In Manila, because we are flying on a different carrier for the Sydney leg (Qantas) we have to enter the Philippines to get our bags. Besides, there is a 8 hour wait for the next flight. Ursula booked us into the Belmont Hotel, accessible along a walkway from the airport. Great idea. We can rest, shower, change, and have a small (totally unnecessary) meal.
    Our flight to Sydney is scheduled to leave at about 1030 pm. Easy walk into the airport.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    View from our hotel window. Some high-rise.
    At the aquarium. Palatial accommodation.Full of water and fishA couple of friendly raysAfrican ManateeTypical architecture. It's a cinema.Etihad TowersAl Kasir Island. Standout structure is Marina Sunset Bay Apartments.Abu Dhabi skyline1300m looks a long way downOutside the Grand MosqueReflections in the shiny tilesTony is dressed for the partUrsula enjoying traditional dress. Also big carpet and chandelierSeveral columns as we are on the way out.Heritage Village. Typical Bedouin housing.From the beach at the Heritage VillageCity from the Heritage VillageThe Constellation at Founder's Memorial. Can you see his face?Nice variety of datesAbu Dhabi site 60 years ago. Marvellous what a little money can do.

    Abu Dhabi

    22 ottobre, Emirati Arabi Uniti ⋅ 🌙 31 °C

    5am alarm. Tony gets up. Wednesday 22nd October. It won’t be light for over 2 hours. We walk to the station, noticing several homeless people asleep under the porticos. First ones we have seen in Italy. Train to the airport. We have a while so find the (shared) lounge for breakfast as we are flying with Etihad again, the reverse of the trip over.
    The flight is very comfortable. During the late lunch Tony tried to have a different (delicious) wine with every (delicious) course; and succeeded. We had been doing some research for Abu Dhabi. Best way to handle airport transfers to our hotel. In the end we went for convenience. Taxi. Proves to be a good choice. Taxis in Abu Dhabi are clean, quick, plentiful and very, very reasonably priced. We used them a lot.
    We have a 2-night stopover offered by Etihad. We are staying at the Novel Hotel in town. Not 5-star but on our last day they offer an 8pm checkout which is excellent as we have a late flight to Manila.
    For something different tonight we eat in the hotel’s Chinese restaurant. The room looked a bit off-putting but the food was nice. Next day we wanted to do an evening city tour, but they couldn’t fit us in.
    So, quick look at the best things to do in Abu Dhabi (which aren’t on tomorrow’s tour). We chose the aquarium and Etihad Towers. Everything is a long way here, so this all took longer than one would expect. We really enjoyed the aquarium, particularly the large group of very noisy kids, all well under 1m tall.
    What we particularly noticed is that Abu Dhabi is HOT. During our stay the temperature varies between 30° and 33° C. Our guide tells us we are lucky. A few weeks ago the temperatures were well into the 40s. There are only about 3 months of reasonable temperatures (ie 30s). The rest of the year is 40s and 50s.
    After the fish we taxied to Etihad Towers, a forest (notice the collective noun) of 5 skyscrapers, the tallest of which is a Conrad Hotel. From their website: “five stunning towers that sparkle iridescently in the never-ending sunshine, Etihad Towers is a reflection of everything that Abu Dhabi is and will be: Modern, Sophisticated and Luxurious”. The towers were constructed from 2006 to 2012 under the direction of Australian architects, DBI Design. We caught the lift to the 75th level of Tower 2 which is called Observation Deck at 300. The tower is just over 300m high and offers, as you would expect, stunning views.
    Now it’s time for lunch. Local cuisine. Ursula finds Syrian Flower Grills a short taxi ride away. Spartan décor and several busy cooks. Looks like any of the Sydney Middle Eastern restaurants before they became trendy. Really nice food. We ordered too much. Really nicely priced. No tourists, just us and a few locals. It was only a half hour (hot) walk from here to our Novel Hotel.
    In order to maximise our time in Abu Dhabi Ursula found one of the best rooftop bars in town; on top of the Marriott Hotel. Lovely night time view. Nice experience.
    Tony found for dinner the highly rated Al Farah restaurant only a short walk from the Novel. Hard to enter; a waiter took us from the takeaway section to the secluded lift. Once again lovely Arabic food and we ordered too much.
    Another early start on Friday 24th October for the half day city tour. First the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Everything is completely over the top in scale and opulence. Gold and marble; mosaics; air-conditioning, pools. There’s the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet in the main prayer hall. Took 1200 artisans about 2 years to make it (from wool). Area is about 5400 sq m (over an acre) and it weighs 35 tonnes. There are shallow splits in lines right across to show the faithful where to put their knees. The mosque can accommodate over 40,000 worshippers at one time. 7,000 in the main prayer hall.
    Next site was the Heritage Village. It sits on Al Kasir Island with an expansive view of the Corniche and Abu Dhabi city. It contains examples of desert, mountain and coastal dwellings from the past and several museums. Interesting to get a look at the Arab culture from before they started utilising their oil reserves and building cities.
    The Founder’s Memorial is close by. We are first treated to an uplifting video presentation extolling Sheikh Zayed, the founder of Abu Dhabi. There’s plenty of hyperbole. Tony thinks it is a government sponsored forced addition to the tour. Centrepiece of the Memorial is The Constellation, a 3-dimensional portrait of Sheikh Zayed. It is made of 1325 platonic solids hanging from cables. The portrait is cleverly embedded in the design. One needs to use “active perception” akin to how we see astronomical constellations.
    Final stop was the Dates Market to have a look at a real and working part of town. We visited one shop where they display a mind blowing number of date varieties and products. They gave out lots of samples which we enjoyed. We are used to Medjool dates which were there in plenty, a small amount cheaper than at home. There are several other varieties which all tasted fine to us.
    Our guide told us several interesting facts about Abu Dhabi. It is very dry. Only about 7 days of rain each year. Annual average under 50mm. Zero crime, so the city is very safe. This is achieved by very severe penalties. There is no income tax. At all. However, they know the oil will run out so are gradually introducing measures to continue government revenue streams. First a 5% VAT was implemented. Then a corporate profits tax. For low-income citizens the government provides free or low-cost housing options. No homelessness. The population of around 4 million has only about 35% UAE nationals. The remainder is made up mostly of people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines. There are lots of man-made islands in the Gulf. One, Al Lulu Island, is directly in front of the city. Over 1000 acres! A lot of the sand was brought from Australia.
    The tour delivers us back to the Novel Hotel. We are not so hungry. Dates are filling. However Ursula has found another authentic local eating experience, Armanis BBQ Restaurant and Grill. Close behind the hotel. Filled with locals. No tourists. After a short wait we are delivered to a table and once again order too much delicious Middle Eastern food.
    Now it is time to pack and make our way to the airport. The taxi costs about half the fare we pay at home. The Etihad Lounge entertains us until boarding time. Now we fly to Manila then to Sydney, two ‘midnight horror’ flights in a row.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    Looks like a country scene, but this is Milano Centrale station. The apple is a landmark.
    1The landmark apple. Big. Look at the person.This is what you see when you exit from the Metro. Right in your face.Outside Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Premier shopping.1Inside Galleria Vittorio Emanuele IIThis is as close as we managedWalking tour. Garibaldi on his horse.There are Roman ruinsEat me. Many shops like this.1Finger. Look closely. The others have been cut off. It is to do with the banking industry.Milan's narrowest street - spookyLovely city architecture spoilt by ongoing works. It will be good when finished.Piazza Duomo. Lots of umbrellas.1Rinascente. White truffles. Only 4.72 euros/gramme. Think about it.The only street art Tony could findTony and Ursula at an ex-convent.In Pinacoteca di Brera. Napoleon. Very artistic. He didn't like it.A Caravaggio masterpiece. Michelangelo Merisi. Painted in 1571.Inside Pinacoteca di Brera. Not only art. Some fashion also.Some of Milan's fashionable shops and apartments.Old and new at Porta Nuova1Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest). A model for green residential building. By Boeri Studio.Other new buildings at CityLife. Il Dritto and Il Curvo.Our Milan view. Actually an internal courtyard.Grand Milano Centrale. Relatively empty at this hour.

    Milan

    19 ottobre, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    This time we travel on the Frecciarossa, the top of the train tree in Italy. They can go faster, but Tony did observe speeds of 295 km/h (the carriages have a speedo) as we smoothly covered over 300 km in a little over 2 hours with several stops.
    Our apartment is an easy walk from the station in the Porta Nuova area. It is in a relatively modern block of apartments in a residential area. Newly refurbished, it is compact but everything works very well. We find an open convenience store for the essentials. Dinner out tonight is at a really nice pizzeria, Ristorante Pizzeria Lántro della Sibilla. As antipasto we had zucchini flowers.
    Monday 20th October we start the working week with a ‘free’ walking tour starting near the Duomo. We catch the Metro there. Easy to navigate, you pay for your ticket by tapping a credit card before and after the journey. Not expensive. Each trip costs a little over a euro.
    The tour is a little disappointing. Simon, our guide, is easy to understand but seems to have been doing it for too long. Also the group is huge. Over 40 people. Takes 2 hours total. We stop at the main sights: the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, some Roman ruins, the narrowest street in Milan, the stock exchange, Teatro alla Scala, while Simon gives us explanations. During the tour the promised rain starts before the forecast 12 noon. Not too bad as the owner of our apartment had left an umbrella for her guests, which we have the foresight to take with us. The rain manages to dissuade us from much more walking around.
    Simon did give us some interesting facts about Milan: it is the financial centre of Italy and the most prosperous manufacturing and commercial Italian city. It is also Italy’s stylish metropolis. The Duomo took nearly 6 centuries to complete and is one of the largest gothic cathedrals in the world. At the top is the golden statue of the Madonnina, the crowning glory of the cathedral. Milan is the birthplace of the aperitivo. Despite the hustle and bustle of the city, there are many parks. La Scala is one the most famous opera houses in the world. Opera season starts soon. Unfortunately, we’re a little too early to go to an opera this trip.
    We have a look through Rinascente, a very large department store right next to the Duomo. Lots of Christmas gifts and decorations already in the store. Big rooftop restaurant looking right at the Duomo across the street. Worthwhile view but no lunch for us. We find a local cheapie instead.
    Dinner tonight is fun and different. The restaurant is one of several in Milan called Mannarino. It looks like a butcher’s shop but has lots of tables and chairs and is very, very busy on this rainy Monday night. Obviously very popular with the Milanese. Our waiters were young and lively. Complimentary crostini appetisers. The food was cooked nicely and was good quality. After we had finished, our waiter plonked down 3 icy cold flasks with glasses on the table. Limoncello, grappa and raspberry liqueur. Also complimentary. What do you do? Try one? Drink the lot? We had possibly a little too much limoncello and Tony tried the raspberry liqueur.
    On our last full day in Italy we first catch up with Barbara, a friend of Elena’s and her son, Niccolò. He is planning to come to Tasmania in January to work in agriculture. He has just finished university. We have a lovely morning coffee at Pasticceria Bastianello, an institution in Milan, which started trading one year before Tony was born. Then Barbara and Niccolò show us around Milan’s premier shopping district, near San Babila. Afterwards we visit Pinacoteca di Brera, a massive art gallery containing massive pictures. It was established in 1809 and has become a museum which hosts the most important art works from all areas conquered by the French Armies. Unlike other famous galleries, it did not start out as a private collection by a nobleman or a prince, but was the result of a deliberate government decision. It is mainly a collection of religious paintings. We grabbed a very expensive panino (it’s simply a sandwich) while waiting for our ticket time.
    Niccolò had suggested we visit the CityLife district at Porta Nuova to look at the new tall buildings. Tony particularly wanted to see the Vertical Forest building. This is not far from our apartment so we walked there. Brand new buildings and surrounds which reminded us very much of Canary Wharf in London. The buildings showcase unique architectural styles and are all known for their sustainability. Totally different from what you see in other Italian cities.
    Our last meal in Milan is dinner near our ‘home’. Once again nice food enlivened by a humorous young waiter.
    What we particularly like about Milan is the lively night life. In the evenings there are people out everywhere, in restaurants and bars and walking around. Not like most cities at home.
    Tomorrow we have a flight to catch as we begin the long journey home, starting with a very early alarm. Isn’t international travel fun!    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    Imposing San Casciano town wall
    San Casciano park at nightVilla il Fedino. Reception area.Back view of Villa il FedinoVilla il Fedino front doorView out from San CascianoFrom the top floor of the museum. Courtyard.1Freize at the Museo1Lovely gardens at Villa il Fedino. Yet another unfenced (non nanny) pool.1Vintage cars at the market. Fiat cinquecento.3Another vintage Fiat

    San Casciano

    17 ottobre, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Cousin Juliet and her Italian husband Francesco live in San Casciano (in Val di Pesa – there are two). Juliet has given us explicit instructions to catch the 36/37 bus to Tavarnuzze from Firenze Santa Maria Novella (the main railway station). They meet us there and drive us to Villa il Fedino in San Casciano, not far from Juliet and Francesco’s house. The Villa is a lovely old house set in a beautiful garden. We are very comfortable here. We enjoy lunch then a later supper with Juliet and Francesco and also have time for a slow walk around this very pretty small town. We have visited several times before and it now looks familiar.
    The breakfast at Villa il Fedino is stupendous. Fabulous food and a really lovely waitress who is happy to give us (well, Ursula) Italian lessons while we give her English lessons. We enjoyed the town and had morning coffee with the cousins. Afterwards we visited Museo di San Casciano which is in the back of the library. Lots of Etruscan and Roman artifacts and some in-ground ruins. In the afternoon Juliet and Francesco took us to their daughter’s place about a ½ hour drive away near Montalbino. Lovely drive in the country. Drinks and a really nice dinner out at a local osteria this evening.
    On Sunday 19th October we catch an afternoon train to Milan, after morning coffee and a town walk with Juliet and Francesco. They kindly drove us to the bus. Francesco (quick-thinking) pulled an exciting stunt. The bus was leaving as we drove up. He tooted and waved then parked across the bows of the bus so Tony and Ursula could scurry aboard. The bus driver took it in his stride. Try doing that in Australia.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    Our only view of Rome
    Case Nuove. House, pool and sunshine.Case Nuove. The house is settled nicely into the landscape.1We had a fire. Connie and Ursula - firebugs.Inside Castello Antico at Morre. Now divided into apartments.More lovely Umbrian countryside1Flowering shoes are quite the thing here at Morre1Castle near Morre. Pity about the crane.1This is TodiNicely dressed for the festival of Saint Fortunato. Patron saint of Todi.Lots of intriguing passages in Todi. "Lika a medieval game of snakes and ladders."1Todi. Isn't it nice. Can you tell we really like this town?Fort at Pitigliano1Classic view of Pitigliano. From the standard lookout.Forte Stella at Porto Ercole. Built by the Spanish in the 1500s.From Forte StellaNice Garden inside the fort. Now converted to apartments.Lovely Porto Ercole looking West. Forte Stella at the top.Porto Ercole looking EastOrvieto in the evening sunOrvieto and Tony and Ursula1Freshly mowed lawn. Tony hadn't touched a mower for 5 years. Withdrawal symptoms?1Now for the serious photos. Herb garden and compost bin - both refurbished.

    Umbria

    12 ottobre, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Sunday, 12 October. 11:13 is a nice and relaxed time to catch the train. This time it is a Frecciargento, only one step below the Rolls Royce trains. The food situation is marginally better. There’s a café section where Tony managed to buy coffees which to our surprise were stone cold. Later we bought barely edible panini, which at least were hot. These trains all seem to leave exactly on time, but the arrival time varies. This time at Rome we have a 15 minute window for our connecting train to Orvieto. Not enough, as the train toyed with our equanimity and actually allowed only about a minute for the connection. No problem, we were able to exchange the tickets for the next train, inform Connie, then have a relaxing drink, as Binario (Platform) 6 is right here, immediately below the bar. We allowed 10 minutes, plenty of time. While relaxing, things changed. Unfortunately we now need to go to Binario 2 Est. Where is it? Very few signs. A very, very long walk changes to a brisk trot. We jump into the last carriage as the train starts. Phew.
    Connie meets us at Orvieto station in her brand new automatic Fiat and we drive to her Italian home, Case Nuove, very near Acqualoreto. Her husband John unfortunately had to return to Sydney for medical treatment, so Connie is holding the fort. Very capably. Case Nuove is a small farm: 4 hectares, 1150 grape vines, 323 olive trees, 2 cats and 1 swimming pool. Tony and Ursula have visited several times before.
    The 5-night stay is wonderful. Connie is an excellent cook, particularly of regional dishes. She cooks local specialities for us like fried sage leaves and saltimbocca. We only eat out twice. Once for lunch at a lovely seafood restaurant at Porto Ercole and once for dinner at the very local Trattoria Pisello. No swimming in their large pool. Water temperature is now less than 18°. Connie allowed us to assist with some gardening so on a couple of days we restructured the herb garden and the compost bin. Tony mowed the lawns. Some days we didn’t have lunch until 3pm or later. Glorious sunny days but the evenings cooled down enough to light wood fires in the living room on several evenings.
    The day we visited Porto Ercole provided lots of country sightseeing for Tony and Ursula and lots of driving practice for Connie. On the way we travelled past Lago di Bolsena then through the historic town of Pitigliano, believed to have been founded during the Etruscan civilisation, 900 BCE – 27 BCE. An evening visit to the nearby Todi was another highlight. Simply visiting a supermarket with wonderful goods and produce and the olive processing plant (frantoio) at Morre were extremely interesting for people from another country.
    Now it’s Friday 17th October. After a very pleasant visit Connie drops us at Orvieto station at about 1030 for another train journey. This time to Firenze (Florence).    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    Yes Chef!! Ursula, Jo, Jo-Ann, Tony all looking the part.
    We all made individual balls of dough like this. Number 0 flour for focaccia.All our dough in together. Then accelerated proving.Finished focaccia. Tasted as good as it looks.1We made orecchiette like this (Ursula's with Tony's top right) Number 2 flour.1A few remnants of the finished product. Again, all mixed in.2We made papier mache 'flowers'1After the pizza night. Saloon Keeper 1933. Jo, Susan, Elena, Kay, Rose, Tony.1Our local bar/caffe1Coffee touring group. Vivien, Tony, Louise, Susan, Eduardo (he showed us around), Elena.1Just-roasted beans have fallen out of the roaster. Now being stirred to cool.2Coffee experience. Bags of coffee on the production line.Rooftop soiree. Tony, Susan, Marj, Deborah, Kay, Ursula1Francesca presents Tony with his certificate.1Ursula with her teacher, Marisa.2Navigatori class. Rose, Gary, Marisa, Ursula.Pre-final-dinner drinks at the luxurious Siri Bar on the roof of the Hotel Patria1Alberobello. A few trulli.2Trulli close-up1T&U at Alberobello - Trulli town.More trulli. Note the extra decorations on the roof. Less deserted area.3This is Polignano. Check the colour of the Adriatic.1The only beach at Polignano. People still swimming.Polignano beach from the landward side. Still lovely.1View from lunch in Polignano.

    Lecce (still more)

    6 ottobre, Italia ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    As we start week 2 of our lessons here are a few important reflections on life in Italy. All plastic bottles (milk, water) have the cap attached by the plastic band-thing. VERY hard to detach. Most annoying, as pouring neatly is impossible with one hand. This is an EU regulation to reduce the huge number of small but dangerous plastic lids sullying the environment. Makes sense. Haven’t yet seen a screw cap on a bottle of wine. Tony is becoming very adept with the “Waiter’s Friend” corkscrew.
    Many prices are amazingly cheap. Tony bought 2 cold beer stubbies yesterday. €1.60 each ($2.80 AUD). Morning coffee (a cappuccino and a latte macchiato): under $7 AUD total. Nice glass of red wine last night at a busy restaurant: just over $7 AUD. Clothes seem to be better quality and much cheaper than at home. We haven’t yet had a bad glass of wine. House wine is ok. Supermarket wine less than €5 (well south of $10 AUD) is very drinkable. This is despite the Australian dollar being at an all-time low against the Euro. Pity the unfortunate Australian pensioners. The only things more expensive than at home seem to be petrol and electricity.
    Food shopping for ourselves, we find far more choices for preservative-free products. It is nice to be able to buy Norwegian smoked salmon which has much lower levels of antibiotics. In Tasmania it is impossible to buy anything but the local salmon.
    We are very used to living here now. Familiar local cafés, supermarkets and corner shops. It is easy to wander across the main road (Vialle dell’Università) through the town walls into the old town where nothing is more than a 10 minute walk. On the second morning of the course Francesca (Tony’s teacher) took us to the local bakery, pointing out a café on the way. We have been using both regularly since. It’s nice to be recognised there.
    On Monday 6th October after our morning classes, coffee and lunch we had an early evening cooking class at Restaurant Tipico, run by Gianna Greco. Individual preparation stations so nowhere for Tony to hide. We prepared from scratch focaccia and orecchiette pasta (little ears). Gianna showed us her ‘Mother’ for the bread which is over 60 years old. Gianna in short order then transformed our efforts into a really delicious meal. We were shovelled out the door just as the main dining guests were starting at the front of the restaurant. What a good business! See series of pictures.
    There were more activities during the week. A Carta Pesta (Papier-mâché) class one day and a pizza night, followed by a visit to Saloon Keeper 1933, a bar modelled on an American speakeasy. Late night.
    We visited Museo Faggiano which is an archaeological museum showing artefacts and structures from a time span of more than 2000 years, from Messapi (5 centuries BCE) to the Romans, and from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. It opened in 2008 and had been a private residence. During a renovation the archaeological treasures started to emerge and now extend from the rooftop way down to subterranean wells and grain storage silos.
    Another day Tony and a few others skipped class to visit the Quarta family coffee factory. Now 4 generations old, the business still prospers, bringing coffee beans from South America and Africa and roasting, grinding and packaging them using lots of science and automation. Very ‘green’, they make 97% of their power with solar panels and use only plastics made from renewables.
    At the final Italian class we all ‘graduated’, and received ‘certificatos’. Tonight is the farewell dinner at Hotel Patria. Really pleasant upmarket drinks beforehand at Siri bar in the rooftop bar of the hotel. Dinner itself had really nice flavours but the occasion lost something compared with the opening dinner a fortnight before.
    On Saturday 11th October was a bus trip visiting Alberobello, then Polignano a Mare. Guide Marcello gave us a good insight into the history of Alberobello and of the trulli which are its signature. Steaming with tourists. The trulli are everywhere. Made with no mortar, simply the weight of the stones keeps them intact. Walls about 1m thick! They look very ‘hobbity’. Original design was to avoid taxes. The no-mortar build meant that when a tax inspector visited they could simply knock them down. “No houses here, officer,” so no tax to be paid.
    We had visited Polignano a Mare in 2017. Town now rather bigger and lots more tourists. We walked and looked with our guide, did some successful shopping then had a very late lunch in town. Didn’t arrive back in Lecce until about 5:30, then said a fond farewell to our fellow students of Italian.
    Tomorrow we catch a train to Orvieto via Rome, then meet up with Connie with whom we will be staying for the next few nights.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    4Tony & Ursula at Caffè Cittadino
    Our Pizzica teachers1Otranto town walls seen from the harbourExtensive floor mosaics in the cathedral. From 12th century.Crypt. Built in the 11th century. Don't look too closely.1Crypt. Anyone been to the Mesquita in Cordoba?Street art in Otranto1Otranto Harbour'Kater I Rades'. Sunk by Italian navy. 81 Albanian refugees drowned.Lunchtime view from Lido AzzuroPromenade at Santa Maria di Leuca. Palm trees. A touch of Africa.1Looking at Santa Maria di Leuca from the lighthouseAlice's pool and view. Olive trees.Masseria Santo ScaloneAnother pool. This one is at the Masseria.Dining room at Masseria Santo Scalone.Cattedrale di Maria Santissima Assunta - lovely at nightHarp busker. Evening at Piazza del Duomo.Nice evening palm trees. Many nights we walked home via scenes like this.

    Lecce (continued)

    2 ottobre, Italia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    After a few weeks travelling it is really nice to kick back in one spot for a fortnight. We can take our time to look at Lecce; no need to rush around trying to tick everything off in 2 days.
    In Tony’s first class the homework was to look up Francesca Leo Esco on YouTube. Francesca is our teacher. This is the link https://youtu.be/tqCpiuZmEck?si=-wgGQpKPetUk8wiT . She asked us to give the song a “Like”. She’s very fond of George Clooney. He is mentioned many times each lesson.
    The trendy bar was upstairs at Caffè Cittadino with a lovely view over Piazza Sant Oronzo. Comfortable chairs and a great place for a chat… only … the drinks took 1 hour to arrive. Thoroughly enjoyable experience with good food and the drinks were worth the wait. Also very congenial company.
    The Pizzica experience was a blast. Our young teacher explained the dance. Her musician arrived and with only tambourine and haunting vocals we saw a demonstration. Then, horrors, it was our turn. Messy, but fun. To recover we had vino and small eats then workshopped the tambourine with mixed and noisy results.
    The weather has changed. Now much colder with inconvenient showers of rain from time to time. The shorts remain in the suitcases for a few days. On several days we get rained on a bit then debate whether to buy umbrellas. Never quite wet enough.
    On Saturday 4th October we did a bus tour to Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca. You may not know that when Tony’s family emigrated from the old country for £10 their ship was a P&O vessel named Otranto. In 2018, sailing across from near Albania to Italy with Earl and Diane, we aimed for Otranto but missed to the south due to unfavourable winds. Nice to be able to tick the box. Big harbour with scenic stone-walled town on the heights. The walls were reconstructed by the Spanish in the 15th century. The town is compact and of course trendy with a stunning Cathedral which was dedicated to Saint Mary of the Anunciation in 1088. Of course lots of shiny shops. The standout from the tour was the tale about 800 Christian martyrs who were beheaded by the Muslims for refusing to change to the Islam faith. They were all sainted. Their broken and mixed skeletons are on display in the crypt. Grisly.
    It was a relief to have a settling coffee in town then board the bus for the scenic coastal drive to Santa Maria di Leuca. It is the very bottom back corner of Italy’s ‘heel’ and is where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet. Elena found a highly recommended seafood restaurant, Lido Azzuro, where we all enjoyed a really delicious lunch. The drive home was peaceful and quite fast along the direct inland road.
    Today, Sunday 5th October, we met up with Alice, another of Tony’s cousins. She lives in Carovigno. We caught the train then she drove us to her lovely house set among olive trees outside the village. Later we lunched at Masseria Santo Scalone. A masseria is “a fortified farmhouse found primarily in the Puglia region of Italy” (thanks, DuckDuckGo). This masseria provides accommodation and meals. The lunch was absolutely lovely in a gorgeous restaurant where we were the only guests.
    No drinks nor dinner out tonight. We have some serious learning to do tomorrow (and a cooking class).    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    Pugliese countryside from the train
    1First day. Typical Lecce street.50m bell tower in Piazza Duomo. Built 1661 - 1681.Porta Napoli. Gate into old own not far from us.2Ancient fig tree. Lovely trunk.Duomo di Lecce, officially Cattedrale dell'Assunzione della Virgine.Piazza Duomo, further to the right.Nice balcony supportsPaving from an original Roman road still visible in the street1Teatro Romana. Built 2nd century CE. Capacity 25 000 spectators.Palazzo Bozzi Corso. Won Most Charming Hotel award in 2022.Piazza Sant Oronzo from upstairs at Caffè Cittadino. Early evening from the trendy bar.

    Lecce

    26 settembre, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    The first quirk Tony notices during the journey are the announcements. After departing from each major stop there are announcements (Italian and English) on how to make a complaint. Tony had thought an Inter-City train would be fast. It is, but stops a lot. Frecciarossa are the ones we should be using. Akin to the French TGV. Can travel at 300km/h and don’t stop much. Next time. Upon wandering the train the only possibility for sustenance is a carriage containing vending machines. No food. Only packets and drinks containing sugar, salt, flavourings, filler and fat. We did bring a little water, some grapes and peanuts. Roll on Lecce.
    After a scenic trip hugging the Adriatic coast for much of the way we arrive in Lecce soon after 5pm. Pleasant walk to our accommodation, alle Porte del Barocco House. Our landlady, Lina, arrives as we do. She is immaculately made up and has been shopping - for us. She has provided more of the necessities than most places and lots of sundries like rubbish bags and paper towel. Our one bedroom apartment is spotless and has everything we need. It’s on the ground floor and looks dark so we appear less than enthusiastic to Lina who is disappointed at our response. Opening the shutters remedies the darkness so we feel a lot more positive and we let her know that we like the place.
    Now, no shopping for us. Drinks at Greengo bar a 60m walk away. Clean and new inside. Excellent drinks and price. Like our apartment, it is just outside the historic town walls, across a busy divided road. Dinner at a nearby restaurant, Sud Kitchen, which provides interesting flavours with a touch of Moroccan.
    Saturday 27th September is our first day in Lecce. To start the day Tony has a pressing engagement. The Wallabies play the All Blacks starting at 7am here. Tony is able to watch most of the match via the in-house slowish pocket WiFi, streaming to his computer. Then we go shopping (there are 2 Conads nearby) and sightseeing. The town is gloriously historic, trendy and full of baroque architecture. Lots of fellow tourists. We have a good look around in the warm sunshine. Lecce is a very tourist-oriented town. The free tourist map costs €2.50.
    Elena (remember – our tour leader and Italian teacher extraordinaire) arrives this afternoon and suggests meeting this evening for aperitivi. We meet a few of the others in our group, then split for dinner with Rachel who arrived late. We have a really good chat over pizza. Later she announces “I have just bought an apartment in Verona”. She and her husband really love Italy.
    On Sunday 28th Sept we cruise up town for a coffee. Gary, one of our tour group, sends a WhatsApp message: “If you see an old, overweight and bald Aussie please feel free to say Buongiorno”. We saw him and had a very pleasant coffee and chat at Café Alvina (mark this down if you ever come here). Loved the pasticciotto there. This is the local small cake; with crisp outside, and softer cake-like behind this with almondy custard inside. Really nice coffees also. Cappucino there costs €1.80 (3.21 AUD)!!!
    Big excitement today. Tony’s trusty battered orange suitcase, the companion for many trips, has lost some ‘tyres’ and cracked the wheels. We find a cheap replacement in town here. Hope it lasts. Tonight is a dinner at Risorgimento Resort to kick-start the tour. Absolutely delicious gourmet food and wine. One of the standouts was the tiramisu which were presented as little ‘puddings’ with crisp but thin casings and glorious sweet coffee, chocolate, cake and cream inside.
    On Monday 29th September the business end of the tour starts. Our accommodation is only a short walk from the language school, Scuola Mondo Italia so it is easy to get there by 9am. Classes will run from 9 to 11 daily. Tony is in the beginners group: Travellers. Ursula is several groups higher: Navigators. The classes are a humbling experience for Tony who is not used to being at the bottom end of his class. Upside is that there are lots of laughs. Tasmania provides many jokes. Also Zoltan (thrice married) provides some fun at his penchant for Brazilian women. Ursula’s class is more intense, with lots of conversation and grammar. There are only 3 in her class, and our mate Gary is one of them.
    The week continues with classes then several other activities such as guided town walking tour; tasting of our friend pasticciotto with Caffe Leccese (strong sweet coffee with almond syrup and ice); oil and wine tasting; aperitivo in a trendy bar (Italian for ‘trendy’, anyone?) and a Pizzica experience (not food, but a folk dance). We also dine out some evenings with others from the group, mostly women. Lots of laughing, good food and wine.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    Garisenda Tower. It's definitely leaning. 48m high.
    1Basilica of San Petronio. In all these buildings the holes were for scaffolding.Oak doors. At least 100mm thick.2Note the oak supports. From the middle ages.1Lovely shop entrance1Fresh fish. Note the prices. (divide by 0.56 to get AUD)1Lovely displays. Eat me.1Pasta,, anyone?1Perhaps some cheese?Bologna's Town HallInside the Basilica of Santa Stefano2Bologna towers. Then (mini-Manhattan) and now.Pilate's courtyard in the Sant Stefano 7 churches.Nice looking private internal garden1Porticos in our street. See the lovely terrazzo underfoot.2Afternoon tea. Torta di Riso & a delicious chocolate brownie like thing.1Ursula found the Canale delle Moline1Finestrella di Via Piella1Through the open Finestrella.1Just another random shop. Can't resist.San LucaInside the Basilica of San LucaVista from San LucaInside the colonnaded walkway.2Outside the walkway

    Bologna

    22 settembre, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    We have a good look at the very large Bologna Centrale railway station as we try (several times) to find an exit with buses. Previously, Ursula had been studying the public bus schedule for Bologna. Tony had tried an Uber quote. Outrageous. Once outside, Tony gets the bus tickets. Very reasonable. Ursula finds the bus stop. Google Maps tells us when to get off. The wheelchair space on the bus is perfect for our suitcases, and a fellow passenger shows us how to scan our tickets. There are 2 different machines. Very convenient way to travel.
    All contact with our hosts here proves to be via WhatsApp and they are very responsive. The instructions get us in. Only 2 locked doors and a gate this time. Tony is nonplussed by the apartment. Ground floor, but seems to be in a cave. It is actually a fine space with separate bedroom, well-sized bathroom and living room, tiny courtyard and minuscule kitchen. Ursula has to exit the kitchen if Tony wants to open the fridge. At night the apartment looks warm and cosy.
    We find a Conad supermarket. These seem to be the go-to for this trip. Dinner in and we utilise the washing machine.
    Tony books tomorrow’s GuruWalk walking tour. Frederik (our guide) doesn’t confirm until a couple of messages at 11pm.
    Now on Wednesday 24th Sep we have a relaxed start. Wander into Piazza Maggiore, the historical centre. We had thought we were a bit out of town, but it’s a simple walk along our street, Via Santo Stefano. The tour group is much smaller than that in Bergamo. 8 adults and 2 small kids. Frederik has a Danish mother but has lived all his life in Bologna. He’s a lot more earnest than Matteo but gives us a wonderful background and tour of culture, historical features and FOOD.
    The Romans built many aqueducts which still exist under the city’s surface. There were canals. Hard to believe, but there are still about 60km of them. Today many are obscured by buildings both beside and over them. Bologna had a river port with warehouses lining the bank. This was to service the silk industry, both for transport and power (water mills).
    There are several leaning towers. The most obvious leans 4°, but looks more. Around 800 years ago (end of 13th century) there were arguably as many as 80 to 100 towers in Bologna with the tallest about 60 metres high. It looked a bit like Manhattan does now. Now there are 18.
    Frederik told us there is no such thing as spaghetti Bolognese. There is a famous meat sauce, ragù alla Bolognese, which many people find delicious. If you are going to have it you should use tagliatelle. He guided us through a foodie heaven street and showed us proper balsamic vinegar (de Modena). Has to be aged and is quite thick. Most of us like Parmigiano Reggiano. It has only 3 ingredients. Milk, salt and rennet. The best balance between flavour and price needs to be aged 30 months. The king of Bolognese pasta is tortellini. Local pastas also are Passatelli (a sort of fat spaghetti in chunks like fusilli) and Gramigna (curly smooth fat chunks).
    The tour ends at lunchtime and of course after the food tour everyone was feeling hungry. U and T went to La Salsamenteria Bologna which Frederik recommended, for local pasta. Really nice, surprise surprise. Afterwards we found the elusive Tourist Information office as we are now in the habit of obtaining tourist maps of each place we visit. Easier to obtain the big picture, and a handy list of must-sees.
    Just off our street is Piazza Santa Stefano which contains the Basilica and Sanctuary of Santa Stefano. This is most unique as it contains 7 churches. Lovely and peaceful with not too many tourists. Most buildings here were erected between the 10th and 13th centuries. Final Bologna experience today is to visit a pasticceria. We need to try Torta di Riso. Sweet, lemony and almondy; it’s delicious.
    Next day, 25th Sept, inspired by Frederik’s descriptions of the canals, Ursula is hell bent on finding Finestrella di Bologna. It is a window overlooking the Canale delle Moline, which would otherwise be obscured in this direction. On the other side of the road there is a bridge offering views over the canal. We suspect something has recently been demolished to offer this view. This area is called “little Venice”.
    We had previously contacted Tony’s cousin, David, who works in Bologna and lives not far away. He is in Africa at the moment but gave us some suggestions. One was the walk to the Basilica of San Luca. 5km from the city centre at the top of a hill at an altitude of 270m. In the 16th century they decided to make the walk more comfortable for the many devotees. They constructed about 3.8 km of colonnaded pathway from the edge of the city. In the interests of maintaining Ursula’s ability to walk for many miles to come, we caught the tourist mini-train up to the Basilica. Magnificent views. Then we enjoyed the long and leisurely walk back down to Piazza Maggiore.
    During our lunch, marred by arrogant waiters, the 40% chance of rain manifested itself. We needed a little wall-hugging after lunch. BUT, now one of the standout features of Bologna became really useful. The colonnades. There are about 40km of these; longest in the world. Parts are UNESCO heritage listed. Around the 11th century the townsfolk avoided some tax (based on ground area of dwellings) by extending their dwellings over the footpath. Later the City of Bologna made it obligatory to build masonry support structures as you see today. These are a beautiful and unique feature of this fascinating city.
    For an early evening drink Tony had spotted Dublo, a wine bar. It occupies a narrow 3m wide space above our street. Really nice Aperol Spritz with a few snacks. We could sometimes hear the music over the traffic noise as it rumbles over the cobblestones. Fortunately the traffic gradually thinned out, making an increasingly pleasant experience.
    Tony had always wanted to go to Bologna since reading The Broker, a John Grisham book about a US lawyer who the CIA tries to hide in Bologna with a new identity. They teach him about the Italian language and lifestyle and include lots of descriptions of meals at cafés and restaurants. This time Tony couldn’t find the list of trattorias and bars. We’ll have to return, next time better prepared. We have really enjoyed Bologna, apart from the outrageous prices for accommodation.
    After 3 nights here, Friday 25th September is time to move on to Lecce. It’s a 9 hour train journey to cover the 830km. We leave early as the train departs at 8am. The bus to the station is no problem and we settle into our seats as the train departs on time.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    2Aperitivos at Teatro Grande
    1This is the 'cafe'. Special place. Apologies, bit blurry.Had to be doneLovely fountain at Piazza Della Repubblica3Duomo Nuevo & Duomo Vecchio. Side-by-side.Suunday market. Actully in Piazza Merceto.Ancient Capitolium. Dedicated to Jupiter, Juno & Minerva.Teatro Romano. From 1st & 2nd centuries CE.1Two ancient relicsNice view of the Santa Giulio CloistersLunch. Lucky us. Only one outside table.Surprising courtyard artFrom our window. Late afternoon. Chiesa de Santi Nazaro e CelsoPalazzo Della Loggia (town hall). Daytime.l'Oste Sobrio, Brescia. Favourite restaurant. Alley dining.Loggia and restaurants at night1Palestine demonstration2There he is. In English the work is called The Weight of Suspended Time.The magnificent Brescia CastlePowerful walls near the main entranceBrescia from the Castle. Note the Loggia building.Castle & Brescia viewInside Duomo Vecchio. Very unusual architecture.Madonna of the Pinks. By Raphael aged 17.Two Saint Anthonys from the left. Who knew? By Alessandro il Moretto about 1530.

    Brescia

    19 settembre, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Saturday 20th September. We catch the train to Brescia. It’s a comfortable 1 hour trip. Google Maps takes us to B&B Corso Matteotti 62 where Eduardo meets us with his wife. They have the barest minimum of English so Ursula enjoys the communications challenge. Tony relaxes. It’s good having your own tour guide. Spiral staircase, so it’s good exercise for Tony and Eduardo to get our suitcases up to the room. Quite spacious and you can see some trees and a church.
    Eduardo suggests a nearby pizza restaurant for lunch which fits the bill. Tony had found an evening activity, aperitivos at the Teatro Grande. The café is a grand reception room and the aperitivos together with generous tapas-like small plates of food were a tasty and memorable experience. Tony had found this suggestion from our previous guide, Matteo. He, with Walking Cap Tours, sells a digital guide to several cities, including this one. “I am from Bergamo but have many relatives from Brescia. Particular thanks to my aunt Michela for her inside information about this fantastic city.”
    We wandered around the cheerfully thriving shopping precincts of the historical centre of this busy city. Population around 500 000.
    Dinner is at a family-run establishment, Trattoria Buca, downstairs from the street which Tony had seen on the way to our B&B. Our hosts highly recommended it. Once again very tasty and well-cooked local food and reasonably priced.
    Part of the fun of travelling is working out how to do tasks which are automatic and commonplace at home. Washing has become necessary again. Fortunately there is our old friend Speed Queen only a 20 minute walk away. It is now quite hot in the late morning so we enjoy a welcome rest in the nearby shady park while the washing and drying cycles complete. Bonus market happening nearby.
    Washing completed, we find the tourist information office for a city map. Excellent. Exiting from a different door, we are spellbound by the sight of Duomo Nuovo and Vecchio across Paolo VI Square. Fantastic! Our guide highly recommends the Brixia (ancient name for Brescia) Archaeological area containing Roman ruins (UNESCO listed). It’s behind the churches. Teatro Romano (1st – 2nd century CE) and Capitolium (73 CE) have lots of columns and walls and the structures are well explained. We enjoy close views as well as the grand buildings and cloisters of Santa Giulio. Simple lunch in the shade a little away from the throngs. The café had only ONE table outside. Perfect.
    Our evening started with aperitivos in one of the many open air bars filling the piazzas, admiring the evening activity. Then we had to dine at Matteo’s favourite Brexia restaurant. L’Oste Sobrio is in an alley which provides the bulk of the seating in this warm weather. It is yet another fabulous suggestion. Not too crowded; young friendly and enthusiastic waiters; really delicious food. Complimentary digestifs. Great night.
    Monday 22nd Sept provides a complete change in the weather. Every day since the first has been warm and sunny with the last few days sneaking up to 26°, 27° and 28°. This morning, rain. Pours down during breakfast. We relax for a while then rely on the weather forecast for declining rain. These have been excellent so far. Correct to the hour. We splash up to town in the remaining drizzle.
    Tony has a bee in the bonnet about seeing the suspended rhinoceros. We navigate towards it then are distracted by a big Palestine demonstration. Lots of umbrellas. Starts to disperse as we arrive. Now: “Where’s that rhinoceros gone?” We turn around and there it is. Mission accomplished.
    Now that the weather is cool it is perfect for the long hike up to the castle. The curtain walls linking the bastions were built by the Venetians in the 16th century. The donjon is older, 14h century. Built by the Visconti from Milan, together with the Mirabella tower. Nice walk. Fantastic view. Museum is shut. Fairly standard for Mondays in Italy. The castle is huge. We are able to walk right around.
    Simple lunch in a tabacchi run by an amazing woman who is all go. Looks after all her customers simultaneously, quickly and cheerfully. For dinner tonight we choose yet another of Matteo’s suggestions: I Du Dela Contrada. We walk past in the early evening and it is shut. It is in a less salubrious area a little away from the main tourist and business hubs. Evening aperitivos at an outside bar in a piazza. Don’t want to get to dinner too early. When we return to the restaurant we are disappointed. “Sorry. Fully booked.” Undaunted we find Nativo which looks smallish and very neat. Really tasty char-grilled food with Middle Eastern flavours.
    Tuesday 23rd Sept is our moving day. Train to Bologna. Our train not until after 1pm so time to visit Tosio Martinengo Gallery. Still raining today so we don jackets and bemoan our lack of umbrellas. The gallery houses a large collection of works by local artists from 16th to 18th centuries, such as Ceruti, Raphael, Savoldo, Moretto. Raphael is probably the best known. There’s one of his paintings done at age 17. There are also rare decorative art samples like jewellery, medals, works in ivory, enamel and Murano glass from hundreds of years ago. Mostly religious but some depict the poorer folk from the district.
    We emerge from the gallery to find the thunderstorm has burst and the rain had increased. Hugging the walls on the long walk back to the B&B to collect luggage reduces some of the impact of the rain. We then continue to walk to the station in the rain. The train to Bologna is smooth, fast, comfortable and exactly on time. We’ve pretty well dried off by the time we arrive in Bologna.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    The grand Milano Centrale Station
    Tony's favourite beer. At lunch. Frosty glasses.Bergamo evening. Most unlike Launceston.Quick snap of the funicularCittà Alta. Paved streets, trees, old buildings. Lovely.Piazza Vecchia. All greenery is part of the 2 week Urban Landscape Festival.Palazzo Moroni entrance1Grand Chamber in Palazzo Moroni. Is that Tony?Palazzo Moroni. Lovely formal garden.Palazzo Moroni. Grapes, vegetables & fruit trees.Palazzo Moroni. 6 clipped Yew tees.La Rocca fort & museumBell tower. At 10pm the bells still ring 100 times to warn the town gates are closing.Looking down from San VirgilioShop window. Great marketing. It works.Afternoon tea. Our Polenta e Osei di Bergamo Alta. Delicious.Chilling sculpture at Citta Basso. Honours Italian partisans against the German nazis in WW2.Città Bassa. Main gates.Teatro Donizetti. Built around 1800.In Donizetti's pool. Can't see the water. He's actually floating.Città Alta from the bottom1Steep walk up to the townBergamo's UNESCO listed Venetian walls2Il Lavatoio. City washing tubs. Built 1890s. Used for over 60 years.Solar calendar. Can just see month Novembre. Sun shines spot through black circle at top.

    Bergamo

    17 settembre, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Wednesday 17 September. On our last morning at Ossuccio we leave before the 8am breakfast start. Michel gave us a breakfast ‘box’. “Help yourselves” he said the morning before. We put it in our fridge. Ursula drove us seamlessly to the rental car place north of Milan airport. “Why didn’t we use the Autostrada before?” we said as we sped effortlessly (130km/h) across the countryside. Only cost a few euros. Unlike the petrol which was outrageous compared to everywhere else we had seen. Silver lining was that this car was a hybrid and only used ½ a tank in our whole week.
    The train took about an hour to Milano then the next train another hour to Bergamo. We met Warwick and his wife who were on their way to Vienna. Warwick ran Hamilton Island Race week for the first 18 or so years of its existence. Surname anyone?
    The entry to Quarenghi 16 Guest House in Bergamo was highly computerised with a slick video explaining how to get through the 4 locked doors with codes and keys up to our apartment. Fortunately Emma met us. “Your English is very good”. This was a joke from Tony. She is obviously English. Older building superbly renovated. Soaring ceilings maybe 4 or 5m high. Large common terrace. Large common dining area. No self-cooking nor provided breakfast. After a cheerful lunch out we did some walking and breakfast shopping. Conad is a big supermarket with everything one could want. Time for some research before dinner. This was at Signorvino Cantina con Cucina, a restaurant tucked inside a large wine merchant shop. You can try small 100ml glasses of wine with the food. We had some nice dishes and lovely wine. Knowledgeable young waitress and closing limoncellos made it a very pleasant experience.
    The old town, Città Alta, perches high above the main town. It is a lovely 15 minute walk through wide park-lined avenues and imposing buildings to the funicular which makes access easy. Tony has a list of must-sees so first we look at Palazzo Moroni, described as “A hidden gem featuring Baroque architecture and rich historical details”. In addition to the sumptuous palazzo there are over 2 hectares of terraced and sloping gardens. Lovely place to wander. Very sustainably managed and productive. We used the space-age composting toilet in the interests of tourist research.
    There’s a fort, Rocca di Bergamo which also has lovely remembrance gardens (both WW1 & WWII fallen) and of course provides stunning views. Emma had suggested Mimì Bistrot so we lunched there and tried some local dishes. Casoncelli, a pasta which looks like like stuffed farfalle and melanzone. There’s a second funicular to San Vigilio Hill. From here there are more breathtaking views and several breathtakingly expensive Michelin starred restaurants.
    On the way home we bought a Polenta e Osei di Bergamo Alta (see pic), a cake for afternoon tea. We read that it is a most renowned sweet specialty of Bergamo’s cuisine made from sponge cake, chocolate, butter, hazelnut cream and rum. Delicious, but sadly not actually local we are told by Matteo, see tomorrow.
    Dinner is less successful than last night. Food a bit commercial though Luca, our waiter, tried his best. He was a bit too touchy-feely but did redeem himself at the end with limoncello digestifs.
    On Friday 19th September we have booked a free walking tour, which starts in the città alta. So to warm up we walk up the hill via a cobblestone and paved path to the top – about 20 mins. Matteo is young, engaging and smart. He has a very clear voice and uses an excellent portable speaker system. About 25 people joined the tour, from a very wide range of countries. We are the only Australians together with small groups from Ireland, England, Portugal, Poland, Chile, Argentina and Serbia. We look at some of the same things we saw yesterday but with more explanation. We feel more informed now. There are green-topped water spigots all over the place. They exist in most of Italy and are safe to drink. Matteo: “I’d rather drink free water and spend my money on craft beer.” There are a few public toilets around in Città Alta. Usually clean, but cost €1. Matteo again: “Italians never use public toilets. They go to a bar/café, buy a coffee (here very little more than a euro), use the toilet there.” Colleoni is a big name in the history of this town (Colleoni Chapel is spectacular). Matteo told us it means three balls (as in testicles) which was supposed to reflect their manly prowess as powerful fighters. He emphasised FOOD, FOOD, FOOD. His favourite café provides (in his opinion) the best coffee around. They refuse to serve sugar with the coffee. The city walls are a Unesco World Heritage Site. They were built during the 16th century by the Venetians. The city has never been attacked. Matteo says the walls can be seen as either a waste of money or a great investment as a perfect deterrent. They are spectacular.
    We have done a lot of walking in the last 2 days so deserve a treat for dinner. Matteo’s favourite restaurant is La Scagna, only a 5 minute walk away from our accommodation. It provides an excellent experience with local dishes, friendly service and moderate prices. Since this recommendation is so good, I’ll list here his two other recommendations for future reference. Al Vecchio Tagliere and Trattoria d’Ambrosio (the latter one of Bergamo’s historic places).
    One more highlight. Breakfast on our final morning just across the road. Small but nice and very strong coffees with cornettos filled: one with creamy custard, the other with pistachio cream. Guess how much! 5 euros total. Less than 10AUD. Try doing that in Australia.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    Map of the epic trip. Pettenasco to Ossuccio.
    Lake Maggiore - first viewTypical narrow Stresa streetMorning coffee spot at StresaStresa lunch spot. Our tour organiser for Lecce is Elena.Piazza in Stresa. Very near lunch.Dinner. First night in Ossuccio.There are very many improbably shiny boats like this on Lake ComoThis is Villa del Balbianello. Small compared to the beauty and the gardens.Lenno waterfront in the morning sun near the ferry wharf.Tremezzo (next village) from the ferry.Coming in to BellagioVilla Melzi in BellagioMoroccan Kiosk in the gardensLove the coloursVery pleasing line of Plane treesLovely pond & bridgeThe most scenic (and usually crowded) street in BellagioDecoration inside our apartment. V useful.Lenno Tuesday market. Fresh enough?Nice view at Villa MonasteroPart of the Ken Scott exhibition. Nice dressing gown for TonyOne of the sensitive plants at Villa Monastero.Lunch dish. Varenna Caffe Bistrot. No tomato in this bruscetta.Lake Como on our last evening at Garzola.

    Ossuccio (Lake Como)

    13 settembre, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Rain overnight but it doesn’t matter. Driving today. Leave Lake Orta, drive across to Stresa then around the bottom of Lake Maggiore, then halfway up the east side of Lake Como. Google maps says 121 km and 2hr 47 min. Seems slow doesn’t it. Average of 44km/h. Well, driving in Italy has changed since we were last here. In an effort to curb the road toll they have brought in 30km/h speed limits in towns and 50km/h limits in a lot of other places. As visitors we find ourselves caught between following the limits and the obvious impatience of the drivers behind us. So we go a little above the limits which are VERY SLOW. We find ourselves driving on ancient cobblestone absurdly narrow roads where we pass stone walls within a few cm of the side mirror. Somehow we didn’t hit any oncoming traffic (always too fast). Probably sitting on the other side of the car doesn’t help. Actually for a lot of the time we rarely get above 2nd gear. Occasional exciting bursts in 3rd. Tony once used 5th, and perhaps Ursula on the autostrada on Friday’s return to Milan might reach the giddy heights of 6th gear (she did). At home we curse when behind a truck or bus. Here it is very relaxing. If he can fit then we must.
    First stop on today’s drive was Stresa. With a little effort we found a handy parking spot where luckily enough the ticket machine was broken. Much cheaper. Stresa is on Lake Maggiore so provides lovely lake and mountain views. We found a laundromat; Speed Queen, the Starbucks of automatic laundry. Everything worked flawlessly so having achieved sightseeing, washing and lunch we have one more task. The car rental lady had told us we must taste the Margheritine biscuits when in Stresa. We bought a box which we enjoyed each evening for the next few days. Like very soft and sweet shortbread which almost melted in the mouth. Finally we proceeded to Ossuccio. This was an epic drive for what seemed like hours and hours with an endless supply of roundabouts and only 2 U-turns. At about 6pm we arrived at B&B Locanda Garzola in the lovely lakeside locality of Ossuccio. Michel is our host and he gives us a stream of information (a lot of which we forget). Fortunately he pins each local gem into Ursula’s Google Maps thus preserving it for our stay. Our apartment is spacious with lovely lake views, separate bedroom and full kitchen.
    Michel didn’t seem to consider walking as a transport option. He gave us directions to drive down to the village. We were a bit over driving so for dinner we walked directly down a steep fully paved mostly pedestrian path to the main road. The target restaurant was right at the bottom of the path. Unfortunately full. We had to walk along the no-shoulder narrow road to Trattoria San Giacomo. Nice lake and island view from our terrace table but some traffic which fortunately dwindled. Really nice seafood dinner.
    Next day, Sunday 14th Sept: lovely outdoor breakfast on the lawn. Suggestion for today was Villa del Balbianello which occupies a promontory over Lake Como. Parking in nearby Lenno can be a problem but Michel’s parking suggestion, an unkempt green ex sports field, is very well placed for our next 3 days. We’ve done no pre-planning so wait in the ticket office line as visitors are filtered inside in turn between those who had booked online. Lovely gardens with awesome views of the lake. Lots of very shiny expensive-looking power boats milling around in the lake nearby. We really enjoyed these nicely manicured gardens, and could walk closely to the villa. (Inside fully booked to the end of September.)
    To avoid continuous eating out we plan to buy some food. Hurried to the supermarket by 1pm but they start packing up early so are effectively closed at 12:30. It is Sunday. Back into Lenno for a lateish lunch at one of Michel’s waterside ‘pins’. Tony navigates Ursula on a more direct way home, contrary to Michel's instructions. No problem until: "I can't fit through. There's someone behind us. We'll scrape the wheels. And mirrors. " We didn't....somehow. Ursula held her nerve.
    Michel was right.
    No cooking for us tonight so again we walk down the hill and this time our choice from last night is available. San Giovanni Ristorante. Once again we enjoyed a nicely cooked Italian meal. Afterwards our waitress offered us limoncellos. Yes please! “My nonno makes it. He also does the cooking. I make the cakes. That’s my mama at the till.” After a question from Ursula she offered us a couple of large jammy biscuits Actually, really nice. This was all complimentary. A lovely warm experience to ready us for the strenuous 20 minute uphill walk home.
    The next 2 days involve ferry trips to different lake towns. Drive to Lenno. Catch the ferry. Bit of a queue. The ticket office is supposed to open 20 minutes before departure. Each time was later, but it did finally happen. First day to Bellagio across the lake. Lakeside walk to I Giardini di Villa Melzi. Absolutely lovely gardens which occupy us for a couple of hours. Lunch and jewellery shopping in town (Ursula is still milking the burglary). Walked to Spiagetta della Punta which is the point of the dividing land in the inverted Y that is Lake Como. (Have a look at a map.) On return to Lenno we did our long-awaited small supermarket shop. These provide an enjoyable cultural experience and a relaxing evening in.
    Today, Tuesday 16 September, the destination is Varenna. Once again we walk around a villa (Villa Monastero) with exquisite botanical gardens, and a museum featuring a floral art exhibition by Ken Scott. Bold and colourful and incorporated into garments. The villa has a beautiful park overlooking the lake featuring cypresses, palms and other exotic plants. Glorious. Well-earned lunch next to a couple of young Americans from Nashville Tennessee. The waitress was flat out: “busy busy” she said. She laughingly sat at our table to take the order. Lovely. Lots of people waiting for ferries home, but it all worked seamlessly. Really nice leisurely cruise as we zigzag across Lake Como. Beautiful dramatic mountain scenery. This is the alps
    Tomorrow we return the car and catch a train to Bergamo.
    The weather has been perfect so far for our time in Italy. Occasional rain at night. Days clear and sunny. 25 degrees maxima with cool mornings of about 16 degrees. Very light winds. Is it still summer here?    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    1Ursula settles into her 'hutch'. Boeing 787.
    Lake Orta in the sunshine from our B&BOmegna Thursday morning marketPella. Waterfront and town.Santuario Madonna del Sasso. Perched on a cliff across the lake from our B&B.From the santuario. Isla san Giorgio & Orta san Giulio1Tourist on highColourful interior of the Santuario1Alpine wildlife at MottaroneAt the top - ski resortWe walked up from the carpark - long and steepLunch in the alley at La BoeucCan you read the sign? In the silence you receive all.1Inside the Basilica di San GiulioRitzy housing at Orta San GiulioArtistic view of the Isola.Villa Crespi. Nice accommodation at Orta San GiulioInside Chapel XX. These are models.Nice view from Il Sacro Monte Di OrtaOne of the chapelsModern sculpture at Sacro MonteIl Cormoran. Nice spot for final dinner.

    Pettenasco (Lake Orta)

    11 settembre, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We had been warned about slow traffic to get to Manila airport. Bryant collected us at 4pm and we drove to the airport, dropped our bags, passed through immigration and were sitting in the lounge well before 5pm. Tried some snacks and wine. Basically a mistake because Ursula had booked us business class on Etihad from Manila to Milan. Not so many wealthy travellers in Manila and the prices reflect this. Boarding was early. 6pm for a 7:30 departure. Didn’t matter as we were able to settle in and sip some pink champagne, a cuvee brut from an innovative rising star of the Champagne Valley, EPC. Absolutely delicious. I won’t bore you by describing the menu but we both ate and drank too much. Then slept. Those flat beds certainly make a difference. Before we knew it we were alighting in Abu Dhabi 8 hours later.
    Unfortunately all we could fit in during our short visit to the Etihad lounge was a coffee. Next flight to Manila is only 6 hours. No heroics with the food and drinks although Tony was able to fit in a peach Bellini then a baklava with a Deen Bortoli semillon botrytis. We both had some useful sleep then were awoken with the most gorgeous scrambled egg with coffee.
    Bit of a pattern here as it is pouring with rain as we land into the Milano dawn. 6:30 am so we have quite the wait for our hire car booking at 9:30. No problem. There’s a shuttle bus to the car depot which is out in the countryside. The driver provides an exciting ride. Welcome to Italy. The lady who does our paperwork is delightful. She even makes some touring and eating suggestions. Now the fun starts. Ursula gamely takes the first shift behind the wheel. The car is a Nissan Juke. Much bigger than our previous Italian hire car experience. We don’t have to use the back seat for the second suitcase. Manual shift of course. Haven’t done this for about 16 years, but it is like riding a bike. The car has sat-nav so we use it. In Italian, so the first challenge is to make it understandable. Not too hard.
    We drive through the rain to B&B Il Barsot in Pettenasco. By now it is almost 11am and Luciano makes us a coffee while Maura fixes the room. Both are delightful. We freshen up and notice the rain has disappeared. Only a 5 minute walk down the steep hill to the town. Luciano: “15 minutes to walk back up”. Picnic lunch from the supermarket then we find the Passeggiata Lago which we walk with a peaceful stop for lunch. Lovely. Restful remainder of the afternoon then dinner at the lakeside Il Cormorano which belongs to a caravan park. We are so happy with them that we will go there on Friday night also.
    Now it’s Thursday 11th September. Maura delivers a really nice breakfast and the stunning views make it a memorable experience. Only 2 more to come. Things don’t always go to plan. Tony is driving today and he doesn’t leave quite the same safety margin on the kerb side as Ursula. For some reason he worries about the oncoming traffic. We’re going to the markets in Omegna on the northern end of the lake. A laundromat is needed but after driving through town our destination turns out to be a laundry. Back to the market. The car satnav keeps on finding roads closed for repair without suggesting alternatives so it all takes a while. Finally we park near the lake and walk through the very long and interesting Thursday market.
    Then along the lake to Pella where we walk and look and find lunch. Just up the hill is the church of Madonna del Sasso which perches on a cliff across the lake from our B&B. The plain outside belies the glorious religious artwork inside. We complete the lap of the lake. Dinner tonight is at Bar Dolphin where we are the only guests. Plain food lifted by the snapping fresh salad and our waiter, Eric, who is dressed like a kitchen hand and looks rather rough. Really good fun as he makes a game of not knowing any English nor Australian. Ursula was able to translate.
    On Friday 12th September we first drive the narrow windy road to Mottarone a mountain top with magic views. We were promised a view of 7 lakes but the clouds didn’t follow the script. We walked up a ski slope to the top and enjoyed a coffee while waiting for the clouds to lift. They didn’t. Next stop was Orta san Giulio on the end of a peninsula jutting into Lake Orta. Lovely small historic town. We enjoyed walking the streets and had a nice lunch at a table in the street. Caught the small boat out to Isola san Giulio. There’s a Benedictine monastery, now inhabited by 70 nuns, and the 12th century Basilica di San Giulio. The Way of Silence is a walk around the monastery dedicated to the healing power of silence. There are uplifting sayings at regular intervals such as “Walls are in the mind” and “In the silence you accept and understand”. You can walk briskly right around in about 10 minutes, but we took much longer.
    After returning to shore we walked around the Orta san Giulio peninsula then drove up to Sacro Monte di Orta. It is a religious complex, a collection of 20 chapels dedicated to St Francis of Assissi. Magnificent artworks and a stunning position over the lake. It is easy to understand why this is now included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
    Dinner tonight was a repeat at Il Cormorano where we sampled our first pizza in Italy this time. Did not disappoint. Tomorrow, we drive past Lake Maggiore to Lake Como. We will be staying in the small village of Ossuccio.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    First view from our hotel room
    On the way to Intramuros. Heavy load.Propulsion provided by a motor bike - obscured1Wiring and housing in IntramurosWildlife at the FortPapakape. The cafe in a water cistern at Fort SantiagoLooking from the fort across the Pasig River1New housing. Riverside. Seen across from the fort.Clear afternoon view from our roomStraight Up. The rooftop barHappy hour - MargaritasAt the SM Mall of Asia Arena. We have lots of VERY tall guests at the hotel.Something modern. In front of SM Mall of Asia.The other side of the volleyball arena.

    Manila

    7 settembre, Filippine ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Rain, thunder and lightning greeted us as we landed at Manila. Philippines entry was quick and easy without needing the eTravel documents we had prepared before leaving home.
    Ursula had organised a car to our hotel through Booking.com. Less than half the cost of our departure Uber. Bryant met us with no problems. Our hotel, the Seda, is quite big. Comfortable room with some outlook.
    We have a full day in Manila so try to organise the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus. No luck. Seems to be too new to have a website, although there is an app which doesn't work. We make a Grab account instead. No Uber here. After breakfast Grab takes us into Intramuros, the old walled part of town. We see most of the sights. Needed cash to enter Fort Santiago so used an ATM. The fee was 50 pesos more than the entry for the two of us.
    The Fort is old; built in 1571. Lovely gardens and lots of stone walls.
    We had a good walk around then crossed Intramuros to our lunch restaurant (Batala) in an old stone building. We ate a couple of typical Filipino dishes. Not blindingly exciting.
    Then the heavens opened. We decided to curtail further touring. The Grab home took a while to arrive but finally did.
    Evening sundowners at Straight Up, the rooftop bar. We ate in the hotel. Reasonably priced and quite nice.
    Now Tuesday, 9th September. We leave today but not until 7:20 this evening. Exercise is called for to counteract the flying hours ahead. We walk (provides exercise and a sauna effect) a couple of kilometres to SM Mall of Asia. It is the 2nd largest shopping mall in south-east Asia. Spectacular, glitzy and AIR-CONDITIONED. Ursula upgraded her jewellery collection. Relaxing time at the hotel until Bryant arrives to return us to the airport.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaItaly 2025Viaggiatore
    We all love airports. Secluded spot for an artisan coffee.

    Beginning

    6 settembre, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    This trip had its genesis over 20 years ago in Sydney when Ursula started learning Italian with Elena. The focus of this visit to Italy is a language school and cultural tour organised by Elena for 2 weeks in Lecce.
    Our pre-trip routine is now well established. After bedding down the house and garden we caught an Uber (Syed this time) to Launceston Airport in plenty of time for the 1 hour delayed flight to Sydney.
    Geoff met us at St Leonards just in time to watch the Wallabies stage a remarkable 6th-minute-of-extra-time-nail-biting win over the Pumas (Argentina). (Rugby union).
    Delightful Thai dinner at a very local Cammeray restaurant. Tony: "This has restored my faith in Thai cuisine."
    Geoff and Kathryn very kindly dropped us off at the airport.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaPieman River CruiseViaggiatore
    Pieman River at Corinna. Idyllic.
    Details about the ArcadiaAwesome sweep of the river. Both types of vegetation.Northern side of the Pieman, with artistic reflectionsAbout to arrive at Pieman HeadsIs a collection of shacks a township?Pieman Heads - Too cold for swimmingJacket tightly fastened...On the way home. Waratah and the falls.Cradle Mountain from the lookout

    Cruise then Home - Long Day

    19 dicembre 2022, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Today is Monday, the last day of our trip. Yesterday on the cruise there were over 30 people. Today only 11 have booked. Lucky. We arise reasonably early, in time for Tony to experience a cold trickle instead of a shower. Very uncomfortable.
    Delicious hot Ursula-cooked breakfast made up for it. I need not say that her shower had been perfect.
    We check out (they gave us a refund for Tony's inconvenience) then make our way to the Arcadia 2, a historic 70-year-old Huon pine and Tasmanian oak motor launch. Our captain and guide is Tony (remembered by army sign language: toe, knee, leech (pointing to his cheek). Lovely peaceful cruise right to the mouth of the Pieman River. Much less commentary about the animals and trees than our previous Arthur River experience. Tony did explain that the forest is largely eucalypts on the southern side and sassafras, Huon pine and others on the northern side. Marije, our hostess, provided morning tea featuring fruit cake, and other treats. She also told us about the world cup final last night. Nail-biting match. Penalty shootout. She was very pleased. (She comes from Argentina.)
    1.5 hours out, 1.5 hours there, 1.5 hours back.
    We disembark at Pieman Heads, a haphazard collection of shacks. Pleasant walk along the shore to the beach. We soaked up the remote feeling and the surf, wind and sunshine. The cruise provided a packed lunch which we enjoyed, comfortably seated on a trailer.
    We arrived back at Corinna at about 2:30 then were faced with the drive home.
    Narrow dirt road at first. We drive through Savage River (mining) then reach Waratah. Now the road is sealed. We admire the town and particularly the waterfall, then continue to West Coast (a village) where we exit the Murchison Highway and turn toward Sheffield. We stop at a lookout where we can gaze at Cradle Mountain, together with a group of young European tourists. After driving through Sheffield we then reach the highway at Elizabeth Town. Direct trip home. Arrived at about 6:30. Long drive today. Great few days away.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaPieman River CruiseViaggiatore
    Lake Plimsoll from a lookout.
    A bit of fun for the locals.Typical dramatic mountain scenery.Queenstown streetscape.Sunny beer garden at MoonscapeLunch spot at StrahanWe didn't get to Mt ZeehanPark at Port Granville. A bit remote.Corinna car ferry. We think it takes 2 vehicles, but have only tried ours alone.This is our secluded cabin at Corinna. It contains all you need.

    Tullah to Corinna

    18 dicembre 2022, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Now it is Sunday. We leave Tullah and drive along Anthony Road towards Queenstown. It is a nice drive, but not as scenically exciting as we had hoped. The drive skirts Lake Plimsoll for part of its length.
    We remember Queenstown from 2018 when we stayed for a couple of nights. Hasn't changed much. One change is the Moonscape Winebar and Cafe. We enjoy a nice coffee in the sunny beer garden. "We had 50 people here last night. All locals."
    Then to Strahan. The older family-owned cruise company, World Heritage Cruises, looks the best option for a future Gordon River cruise. Lunch at The Coffee Shack (can't read the caption on the photo), then to Zeehan with a visit to Mt Zeehan. Can't get there (see photo), although Google Maps says you can.
    We drive through Zeehan, remembering our visit to the Pitstop Cafe 4 years ago. Between us and Corinna is quite a long stretch of winding, potholey dirt road. And a very expensive trip across the river on the small punt. We called in to Port Granville. Very remote. Once at Corinna we find our cabin. Small secluded and comfortable, it contains all you need.
    Lovely deck for sundowners, then another lovely deck at the Tarkine Hotel for Happy Hour. The waitress took our order while we sat out in the evening sunshine. Very civilised. We had a really nice dinner in the Tannin Restaurant.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaPieman River CruiseViaggiatore
    Awesome Montezuma Falls. Worth the walk.
    Yes, we got there.Yes, it is every bit as narrow and high as it looks. Also sways a lot.Railway bridge near Stitt Falls. (More interesting than the falls, but we are spoilt.)

    Waterfalls

    17 dicembre 2022, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Glorious weather again next day (Sat). After breakfast we drive through Rosebery to the parking area for Montezuma Falls. It is advertised as 1.5 hours each way, so quite a long walk. It is along a former tramway beside (and mostly well above) the river. Lovely thick rainforest. Glad we have a path. We see a few other groups of people, mostly younger and faster than us. We take our time, strolling, looking at the flora and the river. There are lots of boggy places which we gingerly try to skirt as best we can. Most fellow walkers wear Blundstone clodhoppers so blast straight through the soggy bits. Rest break. The walk takes an hour and 25 minutes, so the advertised time is correct. We have another packed lunch at the falls. A fellow walker takes our photo and tells us about Anthony Road (stunning views - tomorrow) heading towards Queenstown.
    We spend some time at the falls. Absolutely majestic. 104m high with plenty of water flowing after the recent rains. We venture onto the narrow swaying suspension bridge which is a long way above the river.
    We walk back to the car a bit faster. A couple we meet had just seen a large tiger snake blocking the track. "We threw lots of stones at it to get it to move off the track." Our progress slowed from here. Every stick and piece of bark looked like a snake in the dappled sunlight.
    Safely back to the car. Back in Rosebery we looked at the unsung Stitt Falls.
    A little very interesting cricket on TV, Australia v South Africa. Again we dined in the Lakeside Bar & Grill, and again the dinner was adequate. We leave tomorrow.    Leggi altro

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  • Tony and UrsulaPieman River CruiseViaggiatore
    A local saw us looking for a table, was leaving, so came and ushered us to this PRIME position.
    Map of the whole trip.Plants from Big Pot. They enjoyed their trip to the remote West Coast.We sat there in the courtyard.

    Beginning

    16 dicembre 2022, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We are going to the Pieman River, primarily to do the cruise. We did the Arthur River cruise a couple of years ago. There we met Trevor and Sarah and we have been trying for a while to find convenient dates for us all to go on this trip.
    The night before we leave we host a Christmas dinner for Rob, Susan and Suzie. Not the perfect preparation, but it was the only suitable date. And we had a really good time.
    On the Friday morning we first see Calum who arrives as we are leaving. He is starting a fence and courtyard walls. We organised him months ago, but of course, his availability coincides with our trip away. He will be installing the posts only while we are away. Hopefully he will get them in the right places.
    We drive along the (now familiar) Frankford Road towards Devonport. Familiar because we drove along it the day before yesterday to go to Devonport for some work on the car. First stop is Big Pot Nursery because we always need plants to fill our empty-ish garden. We browse - always a pleasure - and buy a dozen small groundcovers and screening plants (buddleias).
    Next stop is at Oliver's Bakery in Ulverstone. We have coffee and a catchup with Rob (a friend not the cousin). He will be framing a picture for us. While there we get a message from Trevor. He and Sarah can't come. Both have just returned from Hong Kong, Sarah has Covid. (Trevor catches it also the next day.) Bugger. But we are on the way, so will keep going.
    Scenic coastal drive to Penguin for our packed lunch overlooking the beach.
    We are staying at Tullah tonight and tomorrow. Not far along the very good Murchison Highway. We had turned off at Burnie.
    Our accommodation is at the Tullah Lakeside Lodge. Primarily for mining workers, it is utilitarian but the bar/restaurant overlooks Lake Rosebery and today looks its best in the sunshine.
    We have pre-dinner drinks outside looking at the lake then dinner in the restaurant. Satisfactory.    Leggi altro

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