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My Big OE
  • Belinda Olds
mar. – mai 2017

My Big OE

Et 53-dagers eventyr av Belinda Les mer
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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende

    An evening in Delft

    20. april 2017, Nederland ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    After a lovely day out with Shelley looking at the tulips and other spring flowers, we all (Shelly, Boy, Rio and me) drove to a nearby town called Deft. It is a lovely picturesque place, just what you think a Netherlands small town would be like. Beautiful canals with quaint old houses and shops. Stunning churches and squares full of outdoor restaurants added to the charm.

    We went to a lovely restaurant for dinner and sat in a window seat by the canal. The food and company couldn't have been any better. I got a dose of Kiwi but Boy was there to help us navigate the Dutch menu and customs. A lovely way to spend the last night with my family away from home    Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende
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    On The Sapphire

    21. april 2017, Nederland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Today I boarded my new home for the next fortnight. The Sapphire is a floating hotel with 150 passengers and 40 crew on board. It is very luxurious with opening sliding doors in most of the rooms. There is a large dining room and a separate bar/lounge area plus a sundeck on top. Plenty of space and it rarely feels crowded.

    When cruising there is very little noise and you glide along the river with a neverending changing scenery to look at. A great way to move from place to place and so much better than a bus!

    The food and service from the staff is absulutly brilliant and they have great senses of humour. Somehow the group of people I made friends with have turned out to be the ones who are last to go to bed after a few drinks in the lounge. Strange that...    Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende

    Canal cruise

    22. april 2017, Nederland ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    On the first day we left the boat in the morning to go on a cruise of Amsterdam canals in a glass topped boat. Given the city has hundreds of miles of canals it is a great way to see the city. There were many lovely views and the perspective on the water was different from when walking.

    The city is built on soggy ground so many of the older buildings are crooked and look a little drunk. Fascinating for me from an earthquake prone city to see these buildings still allowed to be lived in.

    Bikes are everywhere in a city designed to be either cycled or floated around. From the canal boat, you saw them chained to every spare space there was and hundreds are fished out of the water by a special boat each day.    Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende

    Cruising through Cologne area

    23. april 2017, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Today we cruised along the Rhine towards Bonn, Germany. Originally we were scheduled to dock in Cologne but there was a protest scheduled by some extreme right wing parties so we skipped along to Bonn instead. The countryside was dotted with small villages with pretty houses and churches. It really is a nice way to travel. Mostly you get to see the good sides of villages and towns as everyone builds houses and buildings to have a view of the river. We did also see some pretty large factories and powerstations that also get built along riverbanks.Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende
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    An evening in Bonn

    23. april 2017, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    After the castle tour and another sumptuous dinner on board, we had a few hours free to explore the town of Bonn.The town is a large university town these days and is famous for being the birthplace of Beethoven. As it was a Sunday night and a later than scehduled stop, the square and streets close to the river were pretty deserted and not many things were open. After a stroll around the area admiring the buildings that were lit up so nicely, we found a small traditional German bar that was open for a quick drink (or two).Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende

    Siegfrieds Music Museum

    24. april 2017, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    With the strech of castles in the Rhine Gorge behind us, we arrived in the lovely little town of Ruedesheim It is in a wide and very calm section of the river and high on the hills around it are many vineyards.

    We hopped in a little train-tractor that toured quickly thorough the narrow streets to the Music Museum. This was housed in an old building that had paint friezes from the 16th century. The museum was filled with various mechanical musical instruments that had been restored to working order. Some had hundreds of moving parts and some used etched drums to play the music. Our guide set them playing and it was quite magical to see the one with violins hiding in cubbyholes of a piano playing (a violino).    Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende
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    Locks galore

    25. april 2017, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    We left the Rhine river and started cruising the Main river. The sunshades on the sundecks were lowered and the deck closed as we entered a section of river with 30 plus locks and many low bridges.

    We are getting used to locks but they have not lost their fascination for me yet. The river boats like ours are all made the maximum width and sometimes when we are in the locks only a few centimeters are free on each side. It's odd to look up and see a wall next to your window instead of pretty scenery.

    The photos below show some we went though during the day, taken through the front lounge window.    Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende
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    Miltenberg

    25. april 2017, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    We arrived in Miltenberg two hours earlier than scheduled (no queues at the locks!) and I was keen to go ashore to explore. Gunther, our guide, said that it was only a small place with one street but I was needing to strech my legs anyway. What a lovely surprise it was, the one street was a delightful old village road with houses built in 1600's down narrow cobblestone lanes.

    It was very fairytale like and we seemed to have the area to ourselves. Quaint shops were in the first few hundred meters and as the road narrowed it turned into hotels and pubs. You had the impression this area would come alive in the evening. Even further on the street turned into the residential area where people lived with modernised interiors to these lovely old houses.

    A few of us climbed up to the remains of the fortification wall and towers that surround the upper edge of the town. The view of the town was rewarding and the park like gardens behind the wall were very green. As we walked back to the boat we were amused to see a statue of three boys doing their business outside a public WC.

    That afternoon we were bused around in groups of 6 to 10 and hosted with locals in their homes for afternoon tea. I thought it would be a bit awkward but it turned out to be very interesting and our hosts very friendly.    Les mer

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    Afternoon in Rothenburg

    26. april 2017, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    An optional afternoon trip today was to the historic town of Rothenburg. It is completely surrounded by the old walls and turrets built back in 12th Century. You can walk along the ramparts and admire the views of the town from there. We also saw plaques on the walls of the ramparts where families and businesses "bought" sections to help raise money to restore and keep the wall intact.

    It felt like you were transported back in time as there was no signs of modern life other than the odd cable TV antennae (and many had painted these to blend in). From the view on the ramparts into people's gardens with clothes hanging out etc it was obvious it was a normal residential area despite looking like a fairytale. Parts of the new movie version of Beauty and the Beast were filmed here.

    Another couple of things it is known for is the large Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop and museum. It also houses the headquarters for Birkenstock sandals. I'm so glad I went as it was such a charming place to visit.    Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende

    Budapest night cruise

    4. mai 2017, Ungarn ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    For our last night on board we were treated to a cruise up and down the Danube after dinner. All the buildings are lit up and looking magical. We were also treated to a surprise fireworks show just as we approached the last bridge (we think it was from a concert that had been playing that night). Perfect end to a lovely couple of weeks seeing some great places with some fabulous people. I will be exploring on my own again from tomorrow!Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende

    The Opera

    5. mai 2017, Ungarn ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    I visited the Budapest Opera house during the afternoon and took a tour. It is a beautifully ornate building and the guide spoke with passion about the opera's held there. I decided to see if I could see an opera while still in town and was lucky enough to get a ticket in the front row of a box right in the center of the stage to one called Elektra. It is much cheaper to see operas in Hungary compared to other European cities so the price was good too.

    I found it an unusual experience and although I enjoyed the orchestra music and the spectacle of the show, the opera side of things was just ok for me. Luckily they had English subtitles playing above the stage but I still found it all quite frustrating. In two hours the story didn't really go very far although there was much emotion and a death along the way. I'm glad I went but I'm not sure if I'll go to other operas.    Les mer

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    House of Terror

    6. mai 2017, Ungarn ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Today I went to a very unusual museum called the House of Terror. The modern museum is housed In the old headquarters of the Hungarian Secret Police (AVH). It contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist regimes in Hungary and is also a memorial to the victims of these regimes, including those detained, interrogated, tortured or killed in the building.

    There was a serious of rooms in unique styles for each period of history. The audio guide combined with video and other stylised exhibits told the history of Hungry and it's checkered past under both Nazi and Communist rule.

    A slow dramatic sinking of the lift to the basement of the building while being told how prisoners were executed in detail was enough to send shivers down the spine. Walking through the torture chambers and seeing the memorials to those who died and disappeared was very confronting. A chilling wall of photos recorded those who died many missing death dates as none knows what happened to them. A very moving experience.    Les mer

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    Rovinj apartment

    8. mai 2017, Kroatia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    My apartment in Rovinj was an absolute little treasure. It was situated in what is called the old town, a cobblestone clad pedestrian only maze of lanes full of old houses. Most of the houses had little shops, bars or restaurants on the ground floor but washing hanging form the top floor windows were reminders that people were living above.

    My apartment was one of only a couple situated at the end of a lane just before the park surrounding the church above. It was easy to spot from the sea when I went on a couple of cruises around the bay and Islands. Many other tourists stopped to look at it and take photos as they walked around the town.

    It had a downstairs lounge and kitchen with a large airy bedroom and very posh bathroom upstairs. The upstairs windows and the front door opened to a view of the sea across the lane with a table and chairs to sit out at. A few steps to the left a lovely wine bar and restaurant with tables on platforms suspended on the rockwall to the sea. I celebrated my arrival after a hellish bus ride with a lovely dinner there. OK rave over but this place stole my heart!    Les mer

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    A room with a view in Sorrento

    13. mai 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I arrived after a flight from Naples and then a bus ride to the lovely town of Sorrento. Next challenge was finidng my room at the B&B I had booked. Google maps led me to a very large private house which was not the right place. As I stood there pondering a lovely young American woman stopped to help. She was living in Sorrento and running a food tour business. She rang the host and got directions for me, one of many helpful people I found along the way.

    The room was lovely with a balcony and view over the Petite Mer and fisherman's village. The host helped me up the stairs with the bags and then took me to the rooftop balcony for a drink and a chat. She gave me some great advice about how to spend the next few days.

    Breakfast was freshly made food served every day on the roof balcony. Such a nice start to each day. The village below was lively at night and a great place to eat with fish straight from the boats each day.    Les mer

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    Positano

    14. mai 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Today I got up early and headed for the bus station to get the famous (notorious?) public bus from Sorrento along the Amalfi Coast. Only 8€ for an all day pass was a bargain compared to what the tour operators charged. A bit of research suggested arriving early to get a coveted right hand side of the bus seat for the views and that is what I did. Luckily at 8.30am on a Sunday it wasn't busy and I got a great seat to enjoy the sights from.

    The bus ride didn't disappoint as the bus squeezed itself past other buses and cars and travelled along cliffs and went through tunnels. We arrived in Positano quite quickly as there wasn't much traffic and the bus left us at the top of the cliff. A walk down through narrow lanes filled with shops and cafes eventually led to the beach. There was a couple of walks along the cliffs each side to explore the other bays which were quite lovely and not too strenuous.

    Once I had explored for a few hours and the temperature started hotting up, I headed up the cliff for the bus stop to carry on the adventure in Amalfi.
    .    Les mer

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  • Belinda OldsMy Big OEReisende
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    The town of Amalfi

    14. mai 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After a crazy busy ride from Positano, where a bus only slightly narrower than the cliffside road negotiated hairpin turns while meeting other cars and buses, I arrived in Amalfi. This cute town felt larger than Positano with more open space and the bus arrived right in the rather lovely port. There were lots of people and it was up around 25° so I headed for the town to explore and to have a look at the intriguing church I could see.

    It was a very old Cathedral with an interesting museum attached to it. For a mere 3€ you could enter and look around. Many of the pictures and statue dated back to the 14th Century and as always I found it fascinating. The cool shade was welcome too!

    I headed up the hill to the next bay and took some pictures and explored the area. It is all rather picture postcard beautiful. I sat for a while at a beachside cafe nursing a small beer for a while and enjoyed some people watching.

    I went early for the bus back to Sorrento as I had been warned they fill up late in the day. Queuing in the hot sun, the small Kathmandu umbrella I carry everywhere came in handy as a sunshade and I received a few envious looks! The bus ride back was just as crazy but I met a lovely young Australian midwife and we chatted most of the way back. I am getting to meet so many nice people in my travels!    Les mer

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    Path of the gods

    17. mai 2017, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    I had a spare last day in Sorrento and I decided to tackle the "path of the gods". It is a 3 1/2 hour trek up above the Amalfi Coast that goes from a village near Amalfi to one above Positano. After a little bit of research I decided to start at the Amalfi end of the walk so caught the lovely public bus there again. Once again admiring the fabulous views and the skill of the bus drivers that get you there in one piece.

    When I got there I decided to do a quick side trip to Ravello on the bus before tackling the walk (procrastinating much!). It was a pleasant place but like everything in Italy by bus, it took longer than I thought. I was then a bit late getting the bus to the start and getting going on the walk and it was hot hot hot.

    The walk was amazing and awful all at the same time. The track was a mixture of uphill and down often clamboring over boulders with the steps up and down as high as a foot. I took it pretty easy and as the nice views appeared so the path narrowed with sheer drops to the side. My ability to walk in a straight line is known to be bad so I needed to concentrate on these sections!

    There were lots of fellow walkers along the way and although it was one of the tougher walks I have done, it was very rewarding!

    I reached the end very hot and tired to find there was a 45 minute wait for the next bus which would see me miss my planned ferry home. A bored looking young cabby who obviously wanted to finish for the day, offered me a good deal and I rode home to Sorrento in air-conditioned style.    Les mer

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    Reisens slutt
    17. mai 2017
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