• Last day in Split

    13. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We walked the other half of Marjan Forest today. Throughout one part were the suggested stations to stop and do various exercises which included using logs.

    There was a fabulous cafe with views over Split at the end where we stopped to have a cappuccino. Here I looked up the various options for Croatian street food so we could narrow down some options not yet tried

    Walking back into Split Craig and I bought pljeakavica for lunch which is a burger with a special type of bun which had small sausages, a sauce made from roasted capsicum and eggplant and a type of cottage cheese. Really yummy! Are this down on the waterfront

    Next stop was a street stall for our first ever roasted chestnuts... I would say these most resemble a roasted bunya nut on taste and texture, although somewhat easier to come by 🙂.

    Dinner at the parents place again, Craig made a yummy massaman curry again tonight.
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  • Last night in Split

    13. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    We ended up taking a stroll through the streets on our last night before escorting Hannah back to her hostel.

    Fun fact: Hannah's hostel is costing her €12 per night. During summer it is €40 per night!Lue lisää

  • Split

    12. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Another wet day with little doing. We played online rummikub with each other, an outing to the pizzeria for lunch, shopping at the asian supermarket. I have found plenty of things you could make money on if you could import cost effectively. About €6 for a 5-pack of mi goreng noodles that we buy in bulk because Kate eats them in great quantities. €3.80 for a can of coconut cream. Crazy.

    Craig made a yummy massaman curry for dinner and we kept on playing rummikub. Somewhere in all of that we semi-watched a couple of B-grade Christmas movies.

    EDIT: Our game statistics said we played 5.5 hours of Rummikub today 🫢
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  • Split

    11. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Craig, Hannah and Kate did an 11km round trip to The Split Mall for Kate to buy fake Ugg boots from H&M and a pair of Christmas PJ pants she can wear all year round. I will add here we live approximately 2.7km from the H&M at Mt Gravatt! Still, the walk did contribute to Craig hitting 20,000 steps today.

    I took a load of washing to the laundromat and then did some aimless wandering through Diocletian's Palace between washing and drying.

    Finn and I went out to lunch at a great pizzeria.

    Dinner in the upstairs apartment of the Ingram Seniors.
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  • Wet day no play

    10. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    We had a zero day today (getting in my future hiking terminology right there) because it was raining and when combined with it being a Sunday and all the shops being closed, we stayed in our cosy apartment and watched Christmas movies on Netflix and played card games.

    My annual viewing of The Holiday is ticked off, Love Actually still to go, but there is time. We ducked out to see if we could find bread to accompany Glen and Jeff's stew, but no luck with finding an open bakery. About 4.30pm the skies cleared and we found a gelato shop which was open out on the main boulevard. Yum!

    There is a ginger and white cat hanging around the apartment, so we invited it in for a bit of affection.
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  • Marjan Forest Park

    9. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    This morning we set off for a walk up the middle and peak of Marjan Forest Park which occupies the peninsula overlooking Split with views out over the islands of the Adriatic Sea and the mainland. Today we nearly broke the 20,000 steps.

    Lunch was another Balkan dish called
    Burek which is a filo pastry layered pie thing. We stumbled across the bakery it happened to be selling them, so we tried them out.

    On the way home, we scouted out how to navigate where we need to go for the car ferry across to an island next week. We then stopped for a coffee in a beautiful square before restocking at the (now favourite) supermarket.

    Given it was a Saturday night we thought we would join the fray at a local Dalmatian restaurant. There was only one other customer. Seafood is big in this region as you'd naturally expect. I had a local dish of cuttlefish and squid ink risotto. Craig had grilled sea bream. Delicious.
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  • Diocletian's Palace, Old town Split

    8. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We picked up Hannah from the bus station last night just after 10pm. She left her home in Saarbrucken Germany at 8am in the morning, and after a train to Paris, a flight to Zagreb and a bus to Split, she came back to our place for a bit.

    Bearing gifts... A beautiful array of Christmas biscuits she had made. We have had to show great restraint to not eat them all in one sitting.

    This morning we plunged into the alleys of the old town, through the labyrinth of old town mixed with Diocletian's Palace shops, and a meander through the farmers' markets.

    We spent some time just following the impossibly narrow streets with beautiful points of interest and general awe as to where over time restaurants, cafes, bars and shops have managed to establish themselves.

    We bought rolls at the pekata (bakery) which we took down to the Riva (waterfront) and ate, for a cheaper, lighter but incredibly yummy lunch.

    Later we started to meander along the marina with views of a very ugly and prominent building being actively demolished, and saw the island of Brac which is where we are heading after we leave Split.
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  • Amazing supermarket

    8. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    I am in a little bit of awe at the incredible location of this Spar supermarket which was set up in part of Diocletian's Palace. A strange thing, this taking of photos of a supermarket, but it was rather spectacular!

    Dinner tonight at Glen and Jeff's apartment. The night might have degraded somewhat.
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  • Poreč to Split

    7. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY TO OUR BOY 🎂

    We spent about 7 hours on the road today driving through many tunnels and the remnants of last night's light snow fall. A couple of service station stops for coffee and later a hot meal for lunch.

    We eventually made it down the narrowest of lane ways to Maki Stone House in Split's old town area, which has three apartments in the one house. Finn's 18th birthday present is one of the apartments all to himself. The owner said her favourite was the one on the top floor so that was the one he got.

    We did a quick scout around the Riva when we went out for a few groceries.

    Finn's birthday dinner wish was kebabs, so takeaway kebabs it was.

    At 10pm tonight we will head back into town to meet au pair #5. Hannah has caught a bus from Germany to come and visit us this week in Split.
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  • Rovinj

    6. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We spent Finn's last day of being 17 and our last day in Istria in the village of Rovinj, also known as "The Venice of Croatia". This fishing port was one of the more bustling places we've experienced since we've been here, but still a sense of having it to ourselves. We were immediately able to plunge ourselves into the narrow cobblestoned alleys, with glimpses out to the ocean. In the centre of the old town up on the hill was a church. It was midday when we were up at the church so got the full church bell experience.

    A lunch of fish and chips and calamari seemed in order since we were in a fishing village. Finn had one of his favourite meals (lasagne), Kate went for linguine... Everything is dual signed in Italian here.

    The kids spent their time befriending the many cats. We also managed to make one local rather grumpy because we didn't buy a tacky souvenir of a goat or turtle magnet made out of tiny local sea shells.
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  • Poreč

    5. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We had a lazy day today, so not much to write about. I did find a great use for egg cups though! In lieu of not having any shot glasses, they made a reasonable substitute for our red wine liqueur.

  • Hilltop village of Motovun

    4. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    About 40 minutes drive inland is the medieval hilltop of Motovun, smack bang in the middle of truffle territory... And olive oil territory... And vineyards...

    We almost had the entire place to ourselves to wander around. There was only one restaurant open from what would have been at least a dozen if not more, so that combined with the fact it had a loo, meant that was where we had lunch.

    And OMG, these places are why I love food so much. We were told later it was the best restaurant in Motovun. I had tagliatelle with truffle sauce, the kids had soup, Craig had a 1/4 chicken with a cheese sauce which unexpectedly came with a side of homemade gnocchi in a crispy cheese basket. The parents had omelette where truffle was shaved by hand over the top at the time of serving.

    We were given olive and truffle tapenade with house made bread as starters on the house, and after the meal complimentary red wine liqueur specific to Motovun. It was like Christmas in a glass, and sent us back up the hill to the distillery shop where we had some tasting of limoncello and orangcello. And then bought a bottle of the limoncello and aforementioned red wine liqueur called teranino.

    And after Jeff made us dinner of poached eggs, a wee limoncello has gone down a treat. We have already looked up where we can restock on our trip 🫢.
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  • Pula

    3. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    We drove about one hour on the back roads to Pula which is also on the coastline, has a large port, and is known for its Roman ruins. Parking is free on Sundays so I chose a car park right next to the Roman amphitheatre (built 27 BC to 68 AD), and the view was already amazing! We paid to go in and had the entire place ourselves. The downside to travelling in winter in Europe is that lots of places are closed, upside is that when they aren't, you are not sharing with too many others! The added benefit today was clear blue skies.

    We then wandered through the streets of Pula where the old Roman Forum is now the town square with a beautiful temple (Temple of Augustus). Came across several Roman gates to the city. Porta Gemina was the twin arch gate (2nd century) and a stage was being set up near the Triumphal Arch Sergii. We then went up steep streets to find ourselves walking around the perimeter of the Pula Citadel.
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  • Poreč

    2. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    In July this year the Croatian government legislated for no trading on Sunday to promote better work life balance and closer family relationships. So we stocked up at the Spar! After having found a sour dough bakery, we bought some focaccia for lunch and pastries for lunch dessert. Yum! The kids came across their first few very well fed and quite friendly cats which Croatia seems to be renowned for.

    Craig and I took a long walk north along the coastline during a break in the very windy and rainy weather. Loads more resorts which look like they have been under construction for some years, and plenty more which have closed down for the winter.

    It was Saturday night and not much was open, but we went to a pizzeria a few minutes walk from the apartment.
    Lue lisää

  • Old town Poreč

    1. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Craig and I meandered through the old town of Poreč this morning. Lots of Italian influence here and some of the narrow laneways reminded me of Venice. Not many shops are open so you can certainly tell this is a town heavily reliant on tourist season. We tracked down a konoba (traditional tavern) I've had my eyes on but it was shut with a hand written note taped to the door which said "see you next year"! No konoba delicacies to be had in Poreč for us. Oh well, we will have to try out one of the many pizzerias or seafood places instead.Lue lisää

  • Poreč at night

    1. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    At about 4.15pm this afternoon the clouds cleared enough to get a brief glimpse of a sunset over the Adriatic Sea.

    After dinner Craig and I partook of an evening constitutional through the old town to see the more modest Christmas lights of Poreč. We came across the best name for a beauty business... "Pluck Your Quack"! ☺️Lue lisää

  • Dormant resorts

    1. joulukuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Craig and I went for a walk this afternoon heading south along the waterfront as we could see several headlands jutting out. After we got past the marina we came across a lot of parkland which morphed into resorts which looked abandoned, but looking them up on booking.com, they are still a going concern, so obviously just being mothballed for the winter season. It was incredibly bizarre. Pretty sure we have scouted an excellent location for another offshoot series of The Walking Dead.Lue lisää

  • Driving from Vienna to Poreč in Croatia

    30. marraskuuta 2023, Kroatia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    Today was a day of driving through various forms of precipitation... snow, extreme rain and fog. On the wrong side of the road. In a foreign car. What could go wrong?

    Thankfully nothing! Craig and Jeff were exhausted from excessive concentration by the time we made it to our lovely waterfront apartment in Poreč, Istria, Croatia.

    We stopped at a raststation for coffee and soup for lunch. A strange sort of Austrian style of Macca's extreme marketing. Still, a welcomed stop.
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  • The Danube, Schloss Schönbrunn & Rebecca

    29. marraskuuta 2023, Itävalta ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    We woke up to a thin layer of snow on the cars in the street, which didn't seem to melt all day, probably because it didn't get above 2°C. A little bit exciting!

    Craig and I went out to forage for some pastries for breakfast, and not long after we set off for a walk to clap eyes on the Danube River. The Blue Danube by Austrian composer Johann Strauss II was the piece I played at my first piano recital in 1978 (I assume an abridged version for novice players), so it didn't seem right to be staying so close to the river and not actually see it. It also meant we got to see more of the modern Vienna. We also saw all the long ships that older generations cruise the Danube on lined up along the bank. The Viking one looked the most tired... More like a floating fibro shack, so we thought we'd feel a bit ripped off if you rocked up to get on the Viking one and you were docked next to all the other significantly more fancy ones!

    Walking back into the old town it started to snow. ❄️

    Finn was not impressed that we decided to have a coffee sitting outside with snow wafting around with a great view of St Stephen's Cathedral.

    We then had the absolute thrill of having the company of Rebecca (#5 and our last au pair) for the day. She booked the train across from Germany yesterday as a last minute thing and it was so special to see her. She could also be our translator for the day. It was a welcomed relief to spend several hours in a traditional Austrian restaurant with great bier, schnitzel and kaiserschmarrn for dessert.

    We poked our heads into the National Bibliotek (and I wasn't even wearing a cardigan), and Rebecca's Austrian friend Rahel, who she met in Noosa, joined us as our unwitting tourist guide. We caught the train out to Schloss Schonbrunn... more incredible Christmas markets, glühwein, and a wander through the gardens. We then went to the nachtmarkets which was like a long linear version of the Queen Victoria Markets in Melbourne, took refuge from the extreme cold in a small pub, and then later got the full Christmas lights experience back at St Stephen's Cathedral.

    Sadly it was then time to say goodbye to Rebecca 😞. Thanks for visiting us!
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  • Cafe Hawelka, Belvedere Palace

    28. marraskuuta 2023, Itävalta ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    Today's adventure started a bit later due to the drizzle, but after a bit of meandering we ended up stumbling across Cafe Hawelka and got a table straightaway in a cafe which has been in operation across 3 generations since 1945, so was a well worn environment. We then set off to the opera house. Glen and Jeff headed off on their own, and we set off to Schloss Belvedere. We had a quick lunch at the Christmas markets set up in the garden, before spending time in the Upper Apartments which has now been converted into a museum. Notably it houses Gustav Klimt and a few Monets. I have several jigsaw puzzles based on Klimt, so I was surprised to learn of their actual aspect ratios being nothing like my puzzles. Beautiful to see the real artworks.

    The kids headed home, Craig and I spent a bit more time in the city centre. By 4.15pm we had a glimpse of the Christmas lights on St Stephen's Cathedral and through the streets. Rain forced us home after that.

    Despite feeling like we walked for ages today, it was only about 14.5km. Vienna is so flat and easy to walk.
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  • Vienna

    27. marraskuuta 2023, Itävalta ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Craig and I woke up early(ish) and went to the local supermarket to stock up on some breakfast items. A little bit drizzly out. Breakfast back at the unit with the best supermarket home brand muesli ever (seriously thinking of buying some to take home with us!). Then we just headed off and wandered around Vienna with no real destination in mind. We came across Kirsche St Peter (baroque church), Domkirche St Stephan (medieval church) with Christmas markets, then wandered over to Rathausplatz.

    Here we had käserkrainer for lunch with some extremely delicious glühwein which had the dual purpose of tasting great and warming our hands! Each market has their own ceramic mug design. You pay a deposit for the mug and it saves the environment.
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  • Brisbane to Vienna via Doha

    26. marraskuuta 2023, Qatar ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Leaving late in the evening made the entire trip seem to go past really quickly. Doha International Airport was huge outside, quite lovely inside with a domed rainforest setting. We arrived to a temp of 1°C in Vienna. After a great schnitzel and bier at Schöne Perle around the corner from our accommodation, we all had an early night, in bed by 7pm.Lue lisää

  • Home again, home again... the verdict

    27. lokakuuta 2017, Saksa ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Finn's favourite things:
    Snow, Germany

    Kate's favourite things
    Seeing Mena and Mia again, the summer toboggan, top of the Eiffel Tower, and Mum in the pharmacy in Paris saying "Excusez-moi, je ne parle pas Anglais"

    Craig's favourite things:
    Certaldo in Tuscany, sculpture gallery in San Gimignano, cooking school even if it was to prove that the Italian culinary tradition gets in the way of innovation, our canal boat in Southern France, meeting Mena and Mia's family and seeing the girls again, Berlin was strangely intriguing,

    Gabby's favourite things:
    Spending 9 weeks with my family, seeing Mena and Mia again, and pretty much anything we saw, did or ate (rosé, gelati, cheese and bread rate a special mention). Our day in the Dachstein Mountains in Austria was pretty spectacular, the canal boat was a great experience and relaxing after a week or more of hustle and bustle of Paris and London, the WWI history of the Western Front was haunting, Tuscany was delivering up different experiences every day, and Germany was full of quaint villages and a mix of interesting WWII history. Our AirBnbs in le Bar-sur-Loup and Certaldo are worthy of special mention as was the fact that we got to create travel memories with Glen and Jeff.

    It was all incredible and we can't wait for our next big adventure.
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  • Kiel

    25. lokakuuta 2017, Saksa ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    It was then on to Kiel to meet up with Mia after she finished Uni. Mia did try to give us the fishbun experience of Kiel, however the weather was not being kind to us and the food trucks along the waterfront were not open. It was great moody weather for a sea-side location though and we did get to watch a big liner which does an overnighter to Oslo depart from the harbour.

    After lunch we went back to Mia's house to meet her mother, father and sister who had driven in from Hamburg for the day, (and Digby the dog) - lovely! We were able to present Mia with the travel guitar, which had been our plan before leaving Australia. We didn't give Mia a going way gift because we decided we would buy her a guitar in London, travel with it, collect stickers from each country we visited, and then give this to her as her memory of her time with the Ingram Family in Australia.

    We had the best restaurant meal of Germany at one of their local restaurants on the promenade, before saying goodbye to Mia for what will be a long time too! It has been fabulous to meet up with all three of our au pairs in Germany over the last 2 weeks!
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  • Berlin to Hamelin via Wernigerode

    24. lokakuuta 2017, Saksa ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Up bright and early this morning to set off for Wernigerode which was 3.5 hours drive away to pick up Mena en route to Hamelin where we were staying the night. Mena made us a lovely lunch in her apartment before showing us the quick sights of Wernigerode - a brisk walk up the hill to the local castle, through the Altstadt (beautiful old town!) before we drove out to the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge. I was looking this up before to find out that it was only the world's longest suspension bridge for a few months because Switzerland went and opened up a longer one in July! Poor Germany. It was quite cold on the suspension bridge, which is built by a rather large dam wall. Crazy people were using a zip lone that would have been over 1000m long starting at the top of the suspension bridge and whizzing down toward the lake. Other crazy people were dropping off a platform built below the suspenion bridge attached to a long rope which would then swing under the bridge above the lake. We elected just to talk on the bridge from one side to the other and back again. That was enough.

    We then drove to the village just outside of Hamelin to meet the Stolper family. What a lovely evening!!! We had a beautiful meal, and the kids got to sleep in Mena's room for the last time whilst Craig and I stayed in the hotel down the road.
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Hanki oma matkailuprofiilisi

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