Going Home for Christmas 2023

In Europe for Christmas, with friends Brigitte & Andreas in Leipzig, Martin in Stuttgart, in Den Hague with Tineke & Bas & hosting the Wolzak family. Christmas day in France with the Dubrulle family, and travels along Brittany coast, home via Saigon. Lue lisää

Seuraa Yhteenveto Kalenteri Valokuvat Jaa

Going Home for Christmas 2023
Treguier - founded by Saint Tudwal
6. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
Saturday – A leisurely start today, not too early. Breakfast of porridge and left over baguette with sliced meat. Today just a short drive to “Treguier” another wonderful town with its roots in the sixth century. This town has not been blemished with modern construction, and Middle Ages wood and stone buildings still abound. Our first sightseeing call was to the cathedral a place which presented a feeling of peace and contemplation. We walked around for an hour and found a small creperie for lunch where we had a tasty meal washed down with local cider. Our efforts to find some of the local sights such as the cloister were not rewarded, everything was closed but at best it was a nice day with no rain and a bit of sunshine. On the way home we stopped at a large shop dealing in local produce, but it was expensive with a small tin of sardines selling at €6.25 (or AU$10.25). Tonight, we prepack for tomorrows departure.

Tréguier (Trecorum), which dates from the sixth century, grew up round a monastery founded by Saint Tudwal (died c. 564). In the 9th century it became the seat of a bishopric, suppressed on July 12, 1790 (decree of November 14, 1789).Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Locquirec - A meeting Of Friends
7. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Sunday – This morning our first visit was to see the little church “Notre-Dame-de-la- Clarté” but regrettably it was closed for repairs to the roof following a year of intense weather events. Instead, we went to the “Perros-Guirec” markets opposite. The markets are very small, but we were able to buy thick slices of ham and pork, plus a fresh baguette for lunch. Next, “Ploumanac'h”, where we walked from the car to the Mean Ruz Lighthouse, an active lighthouse in Côtes-d'Armor, located in Perros-Guirec, on the pink granite coast. To enjoy our lunch we sat on the sea wall next to the yachts and savoured our fresh purchases. On the way to our accommodation, we visited Trégastel but as expected everything was closed so we went for a pleasant walk around the town. By 17:00 we arrived at our fabulous Airbnb in Locquirec and met hosts Barbara and Maxine. Before even settling in we called Isabell and Abdel (French couple we met in Tura Beach, Australia) who had arrived and arranged for dinner at “Kanailles restaurant”. An outstanding evening with friends and ultra fresh seafood washed down with good wine and followed by a deep peaceful sleep.

The village is built around the church and the marina. The town of Locquirec is home to several beaches: Port beach, in the center of the village, Pors Ar Villec, the White Sands, the Moulin de la Rive, and the Fond de la Baie beach. Whatever the direction of the wind, there is sure to be a sheltered beach. Port beach is very popular due to its exposure to the south-east, which is rare in northern Brittany. The town also has fairly high cliffs, up to fifty meters, forming peaks (Pointe du Château, Pointe du Corbeau, and Pointe northeast of Moulin de la Rive). The bay of Locquirec is formed by the mouth of the coastal river Douron, which separates the two departments of Finistère and Côtes d'Armor, Locquirec being on its left bank and Plestin-les-Grèves on its right bank.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Plougasnou - Commune in Finistère
8. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
Monday – The alarm woke us at 07:45 for coffee in bed and breakfast at 09:15 with Barbara in her kitchen. We had to keep moving because Isabell and Abdel were picking us up to see the “Moulin de Trobodec” a water mill near “Guimaëc” but alas it was very muddy, and we didn’t get very far. We then went to “Saint-Jean-du Doight” to see the church and have lunch in “Plougasnou”. As the weather remained stable we decided to walk to the customs house on the hill and the menhir. With the westerly sea wind blowing again it was bitterly cold, but we are slowly getting acclimatised. Isabelle insisted that I borrow one of Abdel’s woolen winter jumpers. Wonderful and warm. With time to spare we drove to “Plouezoch” to see the “Cairn de Barnenez”, but of course being a Monday, it was closed although we did climb up the steep embankment and peered through the fence and Abdel climbed a small tree. On the way home we deviated from our route to see “Saint-Thégonnec Loc-Eguiner” and do some shopping. Our evening meal was prepared by hosts, Barbara and Maxine. We feasted on truffles and seaspider crab, finishing with a light refreshing dessert. For dinner we were joined by Isabelle and Abdel. Tonight, a prepack for tomorrow’s departure. As we were going to bed, light snow started to fall and temperatures were noticeably down.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Cairn de Barnenez megalithic burial site
9. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C
Tuesday – Like yesterday, alarm at 07:45 followed by breakfast prepared by Barbara in the kitchen. We quickly packed our bags into the car as light snow continued falling and Wal was concerned about driving on snowy roads. Temperatures today between minus two and plus two. It was truly cold!! We’d agreed to meet Isabelle and Abdel at the “Cairn de Barnenez” at 11:00. What an ancient place with a history going back 6000 years. It was well worth the visit if you are a history buff. There were only four other visitors at the site which meant that we could wander about quietly with no interruptions. Being in two cars today, we arranged to meet outside the cathedral in “Saint-Pol-de-Leon”. The snow continued falling lightly and as lunchtime was near, we decided to stop for a hot meal first. Sylvie and I had “potée bretonne”, a mix of vegetable, pork, speck and sausage. Enjoyable and very satisfying. Next visit the cathedral, the Tourist Office, and then a walk through the historical part of town. We saw two medieval houses where builders were replacing the dirt floors with a concrete slab, a big job. At 17:30 we parted company and went to our accommodation. “Les Roses” a gite. Nice and homely but no kitchen for us. We are in Santec, four and a half kilometers from Saint-Pol-de-Leon. Today we noted lots of major damage to the bush with some massive ancient trees down following the 170km per hour winds during the previous November.

The Cairn of Barnenez is a Neolithic monument located near Plouezoc'h, on the Kernéléhen peninsula in northern Finistère, Brittany. It dates to the early Neolithic, around 4000 BC. Along with the Tumulus of Bougon and Locmariaquer megaliths, also located in West France, it is one of the earliest megalithic monuments in Europe and one of the oldest man-made structures in the world It is also remarkable for the presence of megalithic art. Radiocarbon dates indicate that the first phase of the monument was erected between 4850 and 4250 BC, and the second phase between 4450 and 4000 BC. Pottery found in and around the monument indicates that it underwent a period of reuse in the Bronze Age, in the 3rd millennium BC.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Ile-de Batz - Bronze Age Remains
10. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ 🌬 5 °C
Wednesday – Today’s plan was to meet Isabell and Abdel in Roscoff to take the boat across to “Ile-de Batz”, a very fertile small island with 400 inhabitants. Initially went to the wrong carpark and then had to find the Roscoff harbour where our friends were waiting. Oh, what a blessing the GPS is. With time to spare we walked the streets of this enchanting ancient town which was involved with English Queen Anne in 1490, it was also a town which Sylvie and I absolutely adored. At 11:30 the small ferry took us to the island, but we were disappointed to find all the cafes, shops and hotels closed and had to rush to the only small supermarket to buy bread, meat, cheese and fruit for lunch, which we later consumed in the bitter cold sitting outside in front of the closed hotel. The wind never stopped blowing. We walked through the town and countryside, meeting a fourth-generation farmer (90 years of age but didn’t look it) who was borne here and still living in the same family house. He spoke about the destructive 197kph winds in November 2023, and how the Germans during their WW2 occupation of the island had given him sweets and chocolate and how his mother had given them hot drinks. When we returned to Roscoff late afternoon we went straight to the hotel where Abdel and I ordered a hot chocolate and Sylvie and Isabelle a hot cider. Having warmed up a little we walked around the town and did some food shopping. Tonight, we enjoyed a lovely dinner with Isabelle and Abdel at their Airbnb in Saint-Pol-de-Leon. We left at 22:00 and in the dark our GPS directed us up a small farm road and we ended up in a farmer’s courtyard. With the noise that we made all the lights in the house came on and a barking dog came running to the back door, we quickly turned around and made a hasty retreat. Eventually we found our way home to “Les Roses”. Tomorrow, we leave for an Airbnb in “Landerneau”. The temperature today was never over two degrees with very cold arctic winds.

Ile-de Batz. Look out for Bronze Age remains, the ruins of Saint Anne's chapel (to the east), Saint Pol's stole (in the church), the 19th-century lighthouse, the Captain's houses and the guardroom, they have all shaped the island's history...Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Meneham Bretagne and another Menhir
11. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ 🌬 7 °C
Thursday – Up a little earlier followed by a quick breakfast and car pack. Our host Marie prepared a lovely homestyle breakfast everyday with choice of cereals, bread, eggs, jam and tea or coffee. Marie has been lovely, aged eighty, she has been on her own for forty years. We met Isabelle and Abdel at the car park in “Meneham” after a detour due to local road works. Another very cold day and Isabelle had brought a jumper and gloves along for me. We walked and climbed the imposing rocks and wandered along the beach for an hour. Lunch was in the gîte, a warm and inviting place with regional meals. We had a traditional seafood and vegetable dish. Next town to visit was “Plouescat” to view the medieval marketplace and then in Isabelle and Abdel’s car we went to the menhir on the beach, leaving our car parked next to the old marketplace. On our return we had to make our way to “Landerneau” where we’re staying for two nights. It’s a bigger and busier city. We were lucky to find a park next to our Airbnb, a modern comfortable apartment. We did grocery shopping at the Carrefour near us.

Experience the village of Meneham, Deep in pagan country, Kerlouan lures you in with its grass-covered dunes and otherworldly atmosphere. This secluded fishing village of thatched cottages, screened behind enormous boulders in strange shapes, has lost none of its time-honoured charm. Kerlouan? Even if the name doesn’t ring a bell, you’ll surely recognise its famous guardhouse, fishermen’s thatched cottages and scenic beaches from photographs. For these are immortalised on many a postcard and tourist guide! Set off in discovery of the quaint little hamlet of Menez-Ham. As if gripped tightly between two giant stone fists, its 17th-century guardhouse is an extraordinary sight to behold, and its thatched cottages have been lovingly restored.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Landerneau - The Pont de Rohan
12. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Friday – This morning we lingered in bed until after 08:00, had breakfast and Sylvie put on a load of washing. As Isabelle and Abdel cannot meet us until midday, we went for a walk to explore the town and visit the Tourist Office. Sylvie and I followed a well-marked historic route which included many beautiful ancient buildings but sadly many are neglected, possibly due to maintenance costs. A true loss! Opposite the Tourist Office was a small market where we bought an umbrella which we later realised doesn’t fit in our suitcase, only two centimeters too long. Just after midday Isabelle and Abdel joined us for a very relaxed and enjoyable meal with “vin chaud” (a warm and spicy wine drink), dessert and coffee. To fill in the afternoon we took a long walk along the “Elorn” river, following a path that took us to the old linen factory and brickworks. Sadly, all that remains are ruins and some story boards. At 15:00 we said a final farewell to our friends who were returning home. After their departure we spend a lot of time walking and looking for a Boulangerie which was strangely hard to find and then buy soup for our evening meal. A late night tonight.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Landerneau Medieval Architectural Beauty
12. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Landerneau lies at the mouth of the Elorn River which divides the Breton provinces of Cornouaille and Léon, 22 km east of Brest. The name is from Lan Terneo and can mean "(religious) enclosure of St Ténénan (Welsh: Tyrnog)": allegedly a Welshman who also had llans in the Vale of Clwyd in North Wales and in Somerset, and who moved to Brittany in the 7th century. Lann means a religious sacred place. The town has been founded by Saint Arnoc, some times called Ternoc and confusion can occur with Saint Ténénan. Some sources point Saint Arnoc and Saint Ténénan as the same person. It was an important center of the flax and linen industries in the 16th and 17th centuries.
A picturesque feature of the town center is the sixteenth-century house-lined bridge (the Pont de Rohan) across the Elorn. The Pont de Rohan was the most downstream crossing of the Elorn River until 1930 and the construction of the Pont Albert Louppe near Brest.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Locronan - A Town with Pagan Roots
13. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C
Saturday – We packed, we ate, we left, and after that the day fell apart. The morning was very cold but thankfully not busy on the way to “Douarnenez”, the sardine capital of France, with roots back to the Gallo-Roman times. Parking was easy as was finding the Tourist Information, but beyond that the place is forgettable, a rundown disappointment and it was miserably cold. After lunch and a decent walk, we arrived at our Airbnb accommodation in “Locronan” at the appointed time of 16:00. The gates were still locked so Sylvie rang the bell a couple of times, then squeezed in through the hedge to the house, walked around it and rang the bell. No response. Back in the car we made three phone calls and send an SMS. No response. After a while a lady came to the gate who stated that she was Veronique but knew nothing about Airbnb. It turns out that she bought the house in 2022 from another Veronique who sold the house following a divorce. The current Veronique was concerned that her name was being used and her house and address was on Airbnb. Thankfully Sylvie was able to talk to her in French. After a long and friendly discussion, we agreed to report this to the local gendarmerie. Where has our money gone? Who is the other Veronique? It’s fraud but by who? We drove to Locronan a closed village, parked the car outside the village, and asked in the hotel “Le Prieuré” if they could help us. We were able to get a lovely small suite on the top floor, but of course no lift, and the lovely couple at the front desk contacted the gendarmerie for us. Following our evening stroll through this very beautiful old town we enjoyed top class meal in the restaurant and listened to the crackling open fire. Outside the temperatures were coming down again. This evening, we had ongoing correspondence with Airbnb.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Locronan, the Most Beautiful of Villages
14. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
Sunday – Up earlier today for a hotel breakfast and then on the road to visit the gendarmerie in “Chateaulin” to provide evidence and give a statement. We arrived back in Locronan at lunchtime and ate yesterday’s leftover food in our room. With the weather turning to rain we took a quick walk in Locronan. It’s quite a stunning village and if there were no cars one could imagine life in the Middle Ages. A wonderful tiny town. All cars, other than those belonging to residents are banned from the town and must park outside the town perimeter. After our enjoyable walk we called in to one of the few open shops and bought some gifts and chatted to the lady who came from Madagascar. Then back to the hotel to relax before an evening drink of “Vin Chaud” and dinner. Our holiday is now slipping away and tonight we pack for tomorrow’s departure to “Quimper”.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Pont Croix-Start of Camino de Compostela
15. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Monday – We slept in longer than we should have, had breakfast, and then I brought the car to the front of the hotel for loading our suitcases. Once packed we left the village but came back to the Locronan Tourist Office to get historical information. On the way to Quimper we called into another pretty small village, “Pont Croix”, with winding little laneways and at the church a marker for the starting point for the “Compostella 1915km” and a brass concha shell. It’s another nice place but in need of money to restore its ancient buildings. Following lunch in the hotel (there are very few dining options) we left for Quimper where we arrived at 15:30. Getting there was a little tricky with the winding small laneways through the town. Denise (Jean-Jacque’s mother) was so happy to see Sylvie again after eight years. Much to talk about. Ghislaine (Jean-Jacque’s friend) arrived a bit later and after another half hour Jean-Jacque. JJ had prepared “Kig Ha Farz”, a Breton stew with Buckwheat dumplings. For our stay we slept in JJ’s apartment next door.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Pont-Aven, "Pont-Aven School of Artists"
16. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C
Tuesday – The alarm didn’t go off and we only woke at 08:40. Quickly out of bed for coffee and breakfast of toast followed by a very quick shower. Today we visited “Pont-Aven” another of the French listed villages considered amongst the most beautiful. This was the haunting place of artists such as Emile Bernard and Paul Gauguin. Our first stop as always was the Tourist Bureau where we collected town and walking maps. As the town is small the path was easy to follow. We saw many beautiful stately mansions, some in disrepair and others being refurbished. This must be a vibrant place during the summer months. For lunch we found a smart little place “Le Café du Centre” where we enjoyed a hot meal to warm us up. One building to capture our notice was a little stone toilet build over the river. Before leaving, we visited the church (nothing special) and a chapel which was included in Gauguin paintings. Dinner was soup at home.

Pont-Aven is mainly known because of the group of artists who flocked round Émile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, and who were joined in 1888 by Paul Sérusier. They were collectively known as "Pont-Aven School" (French: École de Pont-Aven).Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Fouesnant - Jean-Jacques plays the drums
17. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
Wednesday – We didn’t feel the need to rush today. Following our standard breakfast of coffee and baguette we managed to be on the way to Ghislaine’s place just after 10:00. We had agreed to meet her at her home in Fouesnant. Ghislaine then took us for quite a lengthy trip around her local area and the beach where she goes swimming every day. It’s a pleasant locality and in the summer becomes a tourist haven. This evening, she took us to see and listen to Jean-Jacques playing the drums in his jazz band in “Concarneau”. He’s good, the whole group is good, and they hope to get some club gigs later in the year. Ghislaine, Sylvie and I went back to her place via a local hotel where the band came to share a couple of drinks on the way home. After drinks Jean-Jacques went to pick up Denise, his mother, and we went home with Ghislaine to wait for them. That evening we had a fabulous sea food dinner that Jean-Jacques and Ghislaine prepared. Close to midnight we took Denise home with us. Driving in the dark along the tiny roads and laneways with poor lighting was difficult going. Glad to be home in bed.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Quimper - a city of art and history,
18. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C
Thursday – Today it was time to return our car to Avis in Quimper. The final drive was a bit tense being concerned about any damage before the return, or someone bumping into us before we could park and hand back the keys. At Avis there was a bit of “to and fro” with parking but all worked out well. Next, we had a detailed discussion with the Avis staff about the accident and replacement car in Saint Malo. Following this and guidance on how to get to the city center we walked into Quimper and did the tourist trail of the old city and the cathedral of “Saint Corentin” but being January many things were closed for the holidays or restoration. Nonetheless it is a pleasant town with many beautiful and historic places to see. Our day was slightly spoilt by the persistent cold and occasional light showers. Lunch was had in a little tucked away bar. Tonight, we’re having galettes and crepes and didn’t want to duplicate our meals. We walked the nine hundred meters home but once again being confused by the faulty directions from google maps on our phones. For dinner Ghislaine drove us to “Au Vieux Quimper” where we were joined by Jean-Jacques. Another super night out. Tomorrow, we leave for the Charles de Gaul (CDG) airport hotel. This evening, we saw that Avis has lodged a temporary charge of $2795.88 on my credit card until the insurance claim is resolved and settled.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
CDG Airport
19. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C
Friday – Time to say “goodbye” to France. Up earlier to undertake a final pack and eat the leftover cheese and brioche and cut some up for the train trip. We tidied the apartment and took the sheets and towels to Denise, next door, and then went for a walk along the path with forty steps to confirm that this was suitable for our suitcases. On return we went to Denise for a cup of tea and say goodbye. At about 11:00 we left and found our way to the station by following other walkers with suitcases. Along the way we called in to Avis who told us that Saint Malo should have informed us about the temporary fee until insurance was finalised. Our train from Quimper was comfortable although the heavy suitcases continue to be a burden. In Rennes we changed trains but after boarding the train was cleared of all passengers whilst the police with dogs conducted a drug check. Eventually we did arrive at Roissy CDG airport. Here we had problems finding the courtesy hotel bus stand, and when we did, we couldn’t find the Marriott bus because the hotel, “the Courtyard by Marriott”, had been sold and was now called the “Jangle”. Once we located our bus and were enroute to the hotel we noticed that there had been quite substantial snow falls in Paris. We did eventually arrive at the hotel and were very happy with our room and the service. Not so the food side! From the limited menu Wal had fish and chips and was quite nauseas during the night, probably from the fish. What a day.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
CDG Airport
20. tammikuuta 2024, Ranska ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
Saturday – The alarm went off at 06:30. I was up, still sick and feeling nauseous. Following a rushed shower, we went down to breakfast where Sylvie dined on coffee, yoghurt and croissants and I had fruit juice and fresh fruit salad which improved the stomach. At 10:00 our bus departed to CDG through a snowy landscape. CDG is a big airport and finding the correct check-in desk in terminal 2 took some time. We were sent to different locations by airport assistance staff but eventually arrived at the correct desk as we had “Priority Check In”. New problem, we were under the impression that our luggage maximum weight was 32kg as in Business Class, however in Premium Economy it’s only 23kg and Sylvie was 25.5kg. With a bit of help from a very friendly Air France lady our bags were finally on the way, or so we thought. Another problem. Sylvie had problems with her passport and boarding pass. No identifiable reason why. She had to show her Vietnam Visa approval. Boarding was quick and the eleven-hour flight generally comfortable.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Hanoi
21. tammikuuta 2024, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Sunday – The Vietnam Air flight landed on time at 06:30 this morning at Hanoi airport. Feeling much better today. Baggage collection was another drama. After a very long wait Sylvie’s bag finally arrived but mine was left behind at CDG airport in Paris, and it was not the only one. A whole pallet of bags was left behind. Then a lengthy delay in completing the paperwork and then to our dismay our hotel car wasn’t waiting for us. Next mistake we took an un-approved taxi called Grab who asked for US$45 but we gave him US$20, the going rate. The hotel that he took us to was called the “GM Premium Hotel” but we were booked into the “LeaH Silk Hotel”. It turns out that our hotel was sold, and the name changed. Two hotel name changes in two countries in two days, who would credit that happening and each time there were related transport problems. The hotel staff are fabulous, the staff are delightful, and nothing was too much for them. We were greeted with fruit tea. Delicious!! After settling in we walked to the cathedral, the one pillar pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. For lunch I had a packed of potato chips and fresh coconut juice, this was followed by some city exploration and a delicious dinner in our room.Lue lisää
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Hanoi
22. tammikuuta 2024, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Monday – The alarm went off at 08:00 but we continued to sleep until 08:45 and had to rush to breakfast on the eleventh floor in the roof top panoramic dining room. As we were about to leave the concierge called us over and said that he had spoken with the airport and my suitcase was being delivered this morning. Outside it looked rainy and cold but we walked around the old town and the lake and had lunch at the “Hidden Gem Café”. A hideaway place up rickety stairs with furniture made from recycled car bits and aged rusty pieces, recommended by Marion who had been there recently on a trip. We had a delicious meal of five Vietnamese dishes with a beer and an orange juice. Total cost Vietnam Dong980,000 or AU$53. After cocktails at the hotel, we bought a packet of chips and a mangosteen for dinner. During the day we had seen a small ceramics shop close by and went back there to buy a couple of gifts, bearing in mind how full our luggage was. Back in the hotel we packed the suitcases in preparation for the return flight home. I threw out a pair of old shoes, old clothing and unwanted paperwork. We made a final visit to the bar on the eleventh floor and had two cocktails each. The bar manager a very friendly and impressionable young man came for a lengthy chat and then had a special cocktail made for me. Probably too much sugar but it was fantastic. Tonight, we were fully awake and didn’t go to sleep until well after midnight.Lue lisää
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Going Home for Christmas 2023
Sydney
23. tammikuuta 2024, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Tuesday 23 Jan 24 – Our last day of the holiday, which justified staying in bed a bit longer until 08:30 followed once again by a pleasant breakfast in the upstairs bar. We had our shower afterwards and then went looking for the Chinese medicine street but when we found it were disappointed as it has been more aligned with modern practices thereby destroying that specialness that was the basis of traditional Asian medicines. We are now getting a good feel for the place and where we are. Lunch was in the “Mien Luon Dong Thish” eel bar. Very tasty and cheap at Vietnam Dong100,000 or AU$6.18 for both of us. Because I wanted an ice cream we walked to the lake where there are many little ice cream shops and found what we were looking for, as a matter of fact I had two ice creams. Back at the hotel I weighed both suitcases, moved a bit of stuff between the two so that we were within allowable weight and then tried to sleep for an hour. A final shower and then the hotel taxi to the airport at 19:00. The driver took us down many tiny laneways to avoid the traffic congestion and often we did not think that he would fit through. It’s really crazy how they drive and don’t have more accidents. As a final farewell we also received and updated Avis account for $6580.97. That will be hotly disputed back in Australia.Lue lisää
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Matkan lopetus
24. tammikuuta 2024