Remembering Eleven

Stockholm, August 21 - 31

2008-08-31T20:10:00.004+03:00

Of all of the places we have traveled to, Stockholm proved most difficult to find accommodation. The apartment rental market is in such a state, locals are often on waiting lists for years and often end up living on top of each other in shoeboxes in the meantime.

We were very nervous, as we had not found anything after days of making enquiries. On the evening of our departure from Portugal, an agent came through for us! She found a spacious and bright apartment in the street of Södermannagatan, on the central island Södermalm.

It was a great neighbourhood to be in. The streets were quiet, but a short walk away there were many quirky shops and cafes to explore. Naomi's friend Georgia was in town, and they caught up right away. More plans were made to see each other over the coming week or so.
Here you can see Naomi and Georgia at a cafe called String, a place where we were soon to become regulars.

We had a fantastic map that Georgia had made for us as a gift when we left Australia. One of our first activities in Stockholm was to follow one of her suggested walking routes, along the South-Western coast of the island. The walk takes you through a few different gorgeous areas, it really was very pretty.
Meandering along the water's edge, you can see an interesting Swedish phenomenon called Kolonilotter. Apartment dwellers manage small garden plots, and the wealthy build elaborate garden sheds and sundecks from which to watch the vegies grow.

The coastal walk terminates at an outdoor market area known as Street. It had a very vibrant and festive feel to it, and we were excited to stumble onto Georgia and some of her friends who had been soaking up the sun over some breakfast bagels.
They suggested we continue walking past a funny little store that sells pre-loved indoor plants. It was like an opp shop for greenery, and even the name reflected this.

I do think they could have put more effort into the window display, but the store was very cute.

We made some effort to do a bit of sightseeing in between catchups with Georgia and the gang.
A lovely afternoon was spent at Rosendals Tradgard, a public orchard and nursery complex on the hill in a beautiful national park. The train ride and walk there took us through the old center Gamla Stan, and some stunning forested roads dotted with stately homes.

After a coffee and some snacks, we wandered through the gardens to find ourselves a patch of grass. From there we watched families and children play amongst the apple trees, eating a few apples here and there while enjoying the sunshine. It was a perfect day for it.

With no internet in our apartment (perhaps its only identifiable flaw), we would do all of our online activities from cafes, and when that wasn't possible, we sat at kiosks at 7-eleven.
In the next photo, Naomi is on a call back home to the family outside cafe String.

The Moderna Museet had some interesting displays in their Architecture section, including a model of the entire city of Gothenburg that we could trace our recent movements on. After Portugal, Gothenburg seemed like a long time ago.
Along one wall in the main gallery there were large feature boxes containing design items, vintage architectural models and interesting photographs.

We both really liked the look of this swimming area. It would have been great to stumble onto such a place during our travels. We couldn't tell if the photograph was recent or from a historical archive...

The audioguide at the museum was very comprehensive and we were able to take in a great deal of information. It was also fun to visit the toilets where one of Georgia's friends, Helena, had been involved in some challenging installations.

Our walk home took us along the shores of Skeppsholmen, where we had beautiful views of the old town at Gamla Stan and further on to Södermalm.
The grey skies you can see in the next photo are typical of Stockholm... when the sun came out it was never for very long.

A fantastically efficient subway services the various neighbourhoods, and we were amazed that there was never a wait of more than a couple of minutes for our train.
Because the tunnels run under the water between the islands, there are giant escalators at many of the stations.

Another Stockholm trait is to decorate the stations, all with a different theme. Although some of them looked a little like they had been used as sets in a school play, it never failed to create a welcoming feel in an area that so often is devoid of any human touches.

Shopping districts pop up all over the city, and we enjoyed ourselves discovering the source of the slightly bizzare fashion choices that the locals seem to make.
The area between Slussen Station and Mariatorget had some great streets. The photo below shows Naomi outside a store called Monkey, where she unfortunately failed to find herself the perfect pair of jeans.
It was fun to see a bit of street art that we had previously only known of through pictures. There is a group of Swedes called Masquerade, who knit jumpers and sleeves for objects in public spaces. On the pole of the traffic sign, there was a colourful knitted sleeve. A little discovery that made us both smile.

There was more to get excited about than just knitwits in this shopping area.
After many months of travel, hundreds of stores and a very patient husband... Naomi finally found herself a handbag! It really was hard to believe that the search was over. She discovered it in a cute fashion store called Icon. We had turned down a small side street called Repslagargatan and there it was.

With one big item checked off our list, we both moved with a lighter heart through the streets. My bag was lighter too :)
Somewhere between our place and String, there was a second hand store famous for its shoe collection. On Georgia's recommendation, we popped in to check it out. The following image shows one of about ten racks of heels, in all the colours of the rainbow.

A highlight of our Stockholm visit was the Vasa Museet.
Highly recommended by Susan Onas after her visit a few years ago, we headed down to the distinctive building expecting something pretty special. And indeed it was.
The Vasa was a 17th century warship, built for the Swedish King Adolphus. Said to be the mightiest military vessel of its time, it was to be the flagship of his fleet. It sank less than 2km into its maiden voyage... assembly instructions mustn't have been as good in Sweden, back in the days before IKEA and that little bendy tool.
An amateur enthusiast found the wreck in the 1950s and thus began an elaborate salvage process. After 333 years, the Vasa emerged from the water intact. Thanks to the silt on the bottom and the low salinity of the water, it was remarkably preserved. On a guided tour, we learnt the story of how the ship was treated and prepared for display, and the history of the vessel itself.

The Vasa was a big boat. You can see the scale, from the three fuzzy figures to the left of the above image.
The museum itself is so well done. Information is plentiful and clear, with many levels from which to view the ship as well as models and recreations of the period, the ship itself, and the salvage process. A section was devoted to detailed analysis of the few victims found within the wreckage. We thoroughly enjoyed this unique experience.

Having Georgia in town was great for us, although it meant our use of her gorgeous map was reduced. When she prepared that map many months ago, she never thought we would be in Stockholm together. Naomi loved that Georgia was there to get together with and have girlie chats, and also we suddenly found ourselves surrounded with new friends.
Here are Naomi and Frida as we head to an exhibition opening.

The exhibition was crap. Really. A lot of self-indulgent rubbish, but we amused ourselves for a while before moving on. There were a couple of pieces that mildly caught our interest, such as the one below in front of which stand Georgia and Naomi.
It was an experiment in creating 3d scenes out of 2d photographs.

One afternoon Georgia, Naomi and I enjoyed a long walk through the Woodland Cemetary. Although we were not blown away by what we saw there, it was a very pleasant place to go to and the peace and quiet helped conversation shift to different levels from the usual.

The time that we spent in Stockholm was different to most other places we had been, mostly because Naomi had a buddy in town. It worked out really well, we saw parts of the city we never would have otherwise discovered, and did some of our own exploring too.

The final image is of a cat ramp in the courtyard of our apartment building.
I wonder if it belonged to the fluffy black cat I had made friends with earlier in the week...

One last story to share. To relax on our last night, we ran a hot bath and then wheeled the flat-screen telly into the doorway to watch a movie from the tub. Almost like the old days, only much more sophisticated.

Lourical, August 17 - 19

2008-08-20T08:01:00.004+03:00

We both needed to rest somewhere quiet after the sensorial overload at Boom.
Our plan was to drive towards the coast, and camp for a few days by the sea before our scheduled return of the campervan.
On the way, it was heartening to note that the Portugese have chosen to remember Paco by building a memorial garden in his honour.

The scenery as we drove through the mountains was beautiful. We passed Eucalypt forests that almost looked like home, rolling hills of farmland, and a few pockets of wind turbines clustered along a mountain ridge.

Figueira da Foz, our chosen destination, ended up not being quite what we imagined. It was decided that we would move on towards the town of Lourical, where there is a small campsite that a friendly local had told us about.
It is a lovely spot run by a Dutch family, called Campsimo O Tamanco.
We found a place for our campervan with a beautiful view across a forested valley, looking through the pens of the Tamanco farm animals. From our little awning, we sat and watched kids come to feed the guinea pigs and goats.
Naomi made friends with the baby ones, thanks to some tasty grass stalks.

During one feeding session, Naomi was approached by two girls aged around three or four years old. One of them was the largest child we had ever seen, rivaling Naomi in size while she crouched on the ground. Although both of us felt for her and the difficulties she is bound to face in the future, we found ourselves stifling a giggle from time to time. With a sideways grin she happily munched away on the stale bread that was meant for the little creatures.
"One for me, one for you. Two for me, one for you..."

We had become quite accustomed to life in the campervan, and would cook up tasty meals on the tiny stove to eat together on a straw mat under the awning. It was nice to sit there watching the sun set as the fuzzy critters scampered about in their cages nearby.
Everything in the camper was tiny. The cupboards, the stove, the frying pan, the plates... but our appetites continued along at their regular size.

After the constant noise at the festival, we both enjoyed quiet mornings. Luxurious sleep-ins for Naomi, and fresh air and guinea pigs for me.

So, we spent a few idyllic days resting and reading in the sunshine, with the sounds of the forest around us. To be in such a peaceful place was just what we needed. The hosts were friendly and helpful, although we kept to ourselves most of the time.
The feeling of that first warm shower was really something.

For some reason, we left without any images of the surrounds. What we can show you, is the restaurant/common area... you can see that the owners have really gone to an effort to make the place homely and inviting.

Campismo o Tamanco was an ideal transition between the festival and our return to the Scandinavian countries. Time for the dreamers to wake up now...

HoneyBoomers, August 11 - 17

2008-08-18T19:06:00.011+03:00

Boom Festival.
Promoting itself as an event of "Independant Culture and Artistic Expression", the reality may lead to other descriptions but I will hold my tongue as much as I can on this one :)
It certainly was a spectacle like no other, and we all enjoyed our time there... some for different reasons than others.

Our accommodation during the festival was to be in a campervan. We organised to collect it from Pombal, a short train ride North of Lisbon. Boarding the train at the Santa Maria Novella station, small groups of festival types could be spotted here and there. The excitement was building for Naomi and for Daniel, who had taken the opportunity during the train ride to catch up on recent blog entries. It was nice for us to see his reaction to our pictures and stories.

Daniel waited while Naomi and I collected the camper from friendly little Filipe and his father, who smelled like old cheese.
Armed with a road map, and with our supplies all tucked into the back of the van, we set off down the IC8 highway towards Castelo Branco. Naomi did a great job with the driving. It was her first time behind the wheel of such a large vehicle, but you would never have known.
Our destination was a lake not too far from the Spanish border. We had heard from others that there may be long queues at the entry, so we decided to camp nearby and then head in first thing in the morning. The gates were not set to open until later in the day.

In the following photo, Daniel is up on the roof of our van scouting the length of the queue. After rising early, we had driven for only a few minutes before we found ourselves at the end of a long, long line of cars and campervans. Our directions were good. Daniel had collected them from the guy at the service station. He even gave us a piece of paper with squiggly lines on it, cryptically indicating "straight and then left".
Even without the personalised map, there could be no mistake that we had arrived.

Every half hour or so, we moved forward a few metres. Sometimes hours would pass with no movement at all... but there was plenty of entertainment as people began to set up little homely areas along the road. We couldn't help but feel for the innocent bystanders, locals who suddenly lost access and had to go home the long way around.
The hours ticked by, and carspace by carspace we crept forward.
It was surprisingly cool inside the campervan, maybe that had something to do with the relatively mild temperatures outside. When a hot day in this area is somewhere in the mid-40's, our 37.8 degrees seemed just lovely.

The day came to a close. We had cooked sausages, made friends with the Brits who had jumped the queue to squeeze their van in behind ours, and each gone for many walks up ahead to see how things were progressing. As we approached 12 hours in the queue, we reached the chaotic intersection which was where our squiggly map said to turn left.

It took a few more hours to get through, even though the above photo shows us at the front. Along the sides of the road, you can see the cars that belong to those who had given up and decided to walk the rest of the way. Little did they know, they were still 6km from the gate.
There was a poor traffic cop who had a hell of a time trying to control the queue jumpers. Some would make a break for it and then others would push in while he was chasing them down. It really was mayhem and people displayed a great deal of ugly behaviour.

We had been nice to him, and finally he signalled us through. After this turn, darkness crept in and tempers were really starting to fray (amongst other drivers, not us - in our van we were laughing in disbelief most of the time). Many drivers would fall asleep and miss one or two of the small jumps forward. When this happened, there would be a mad dash from the nearby vehicles to fill the new gap in the road. And all the while, streams of people walked by loaded with their party gear. Pun intended.

It was about four in the morning, after over twenty hours having passed since our van joined the queue. We had reached the entrance of the reserve where the festival is held. Idanha-a-Nova, we had arrived.
Or so we thought. And likewise, so thought the hundreds of vehicles corralled onto a dusty field in an attempt to control the traffic. It was a whole new world of mayhem. People passed from excitement to indignation very quickly, and as the 20 or so lanes of traffic converged to two in order to get through the gate, tempers would flare in the cut-throat push to the front.
The next photo was taken from the top of our van. You can see in the middle, one poor fellow who had fallen asleep in spite of all the horns and noise. The slow moving river of vehicles adapted and flowed around him.

As the sun came up, we drove along the last remaining stretch of road and then before we knew it, we had arrived.
Deciding to minimise the mayhem we were exposed to, we went all the way to the end of the sea of campers and picked a nice spot on a small rise. It took only 22 hours between when we had first slowed at the end of a long line of cars to the moment Daniel backed our van into its final resting place.
And rest we did. In no time, we all fell asleep.
Well done to both Naomi and Daniel for their steady hands at the wheel.

This next picture is what we woke to. It really was a sea of cars and campers. The actual site of the festival is out of sight to the left of the photo, across the other side of the lake. From our van it was a 2km walk to the main area.
You can see the hill in the distance. Rising halfway up it, is the car park area. In that space alone there were at least 10,000 cars.
It was a spectacle beyond anything any of us had previously encountered. In no time, the nearby fenceline became a wasteland of toilet paper where only the brave would dare to step. We were very thankful for the facilities in our van.

So after all of this, you must be wondering what the fuss is about.

This is Boom.

A seething mass of people who had pulled out all stops to be here. The air was buzzing with excitement, and also with music debatably louder and harder than is really necessary. The main stage was a phenomenal sight in itself.
Aside from this dance floor, there were several secondary stages, a marketplace, food stalls, cafes, workshops and various festival-type activities spread across a huge area along the lake.
People were here to dance and, well, a few other things that do not sit well with my own views on living as a good human being. But it is still fun to be a spectator, and the scale of this event made it very easy to take a step back when it all got a bit much.

The numbers were incredible. Officially around 27,000... but given that there were over 15,000 cars and campers, the real numbers had to be upwards of 40,000.

There were many beautiful areas to spend time in, and interesting people everywhere. We were all thoroughly entertained from morning until night. Actually, the party didn't stop... so in truth, we were entertained every minute of the day.
Amongst the campers, elaborate spaces were set up. Some had stalls or restaurants, others had couches and shady areas to hang out. Many people played their own music and held mini-festivals of their own. It was cute to see.
In the image below, you can see the tent city that sprawled between the car zone and the stages.
We had risen early, to catch the sunrise set at the main stage.

Sunrise is always a beautiful time of day and this feeling was amplified by the thousands who had joined us. There were also some sorry looking people heading back the other way after a long night. At Boom there really is never a dull moment.

It was with a touch of sadness that after a few days the time came to say goodbye to Daniel.
He had to catch a flight home, but in the week we spent together both Naomi and I had some quality time with him which was fantastic. It was the first time Naomi had hung out one-on-one, and when we were all together we had some really good chats about life and love and what the future has in store.

The campsite we had chosen was ideal. We had a small copse of trees where a French family had settled behind us, and rocks to the side that prevented other vans from coming too close.
Over the days of the festival, people began making little rock towers and I thought I would join in.

After some careful balancing, the next photo shows the result.
You can see our little camper, with Daniel's tent in front. We had a good spot for the awning, and from the bunk window we could look out across the sea of cars to the twinkling lights of the main stage at night. My piles of rocks guarded the entrance.

The lake provided welcome relief from the heat, dust and noise. I swam several times a day, and occasionally Naomi would join me. Her enthusiasm slackened a little after we discovered that rumours of leeches in the water were true.
It was, however, difficult to feel very much animosity towards these particular leeches. They were tiny! After a swim, you would see them wiggling around on your feet before they shrivelled in the hot sun.

(that's one on my ankle, and another on my big toe. Tiny!)

Boom is very much a festival of the modern age. There were claims all over the place about how sustainable everything was... but in our eyes there was a lot of flashy behaviour and denial going on. It was admirable that they tried, and in some areas their efforts received external recognition from an environmental body that focuses on outdoor events. Recycling waste and water, and using bio fuel were two areas that had been carefully considered.

There was a cybercafe that provided intermittent internet, and some creatively constructed areas where people charged their mobile phones, cameras and other electronics.

All across the grounds there were creative oases with gardens, water features and areas for people to enjoy. A huge amount of effort had been undertaken and it really made a difference to have little refuges dotted around the place. We spent quite a bit of time at one of the gardens that provided a welcome break on the long walk to and from our campsite. There were shady trees, green grass and most importantly a water tap.

One day, I was at the area with the charging plugs and saw a guy waiting patiently to use his hair clippers. He had chosen someone give him a trim, and seemed horrified when the guy didn't have a clue how to use the device. Much to Naomi's amusement, I stepped in to give a quick tutorial and soon they were on their way.

The lake was used by some people for more than just swimming. While on a walk near our camper, we were entertained by a guy on a sailboard who could not wipe the grin off his face as he streaked back and forth.
I've included an enlargement, so you can see how much he enjoyed the feeling of the wind in his sails.

I also think I spotted the horse from the Portugese post office, catching some sun in between deliveries.

The food at Boom was a bit hit and miss. Naomi was excited to introduce me to Brazilian Acai, but promised that it is much better at the source. We had some great dishes from a buddhist kitchen and each day made a point of supplementing our caravan home cooking with tasty treats.
The last food anyone expected to see at Boom was fresh sushi. Some enterprising locals who are friends with the festival organisers had set it up, and they really did a good job. Not the best sushi we'd tasted (we are quite spoilt back home, we do miss Akiya) but the name was fantastic for a sushi restaurant at Boom.
Booshi.

Towards the end of our time there, we had a number of conversations with the manager and he even invited us for dinner at his home after the festival was over. Unfortunately, we had to move on and missed out. It would have been a unique little adventure.

The music was louder than ever before all through our final night. While trying to sleep in the camper, we thought someone nearby was having a little party of their own... but in reality the giant speakers at the main stage 2km away had been cranked way beyond 11.

Overall, Boom Festival was quite an experience for both of us. We left a day before it ended, in order to depart in peace and to avoid repeating the mayhem of our arrival. The timing worked out well as by this stage things had become messier and messier amongst the general population, and between us we had both really had enough.

Naomi really had a great time there, and so our efforts to come all this way from Scandinavia were declared a success.

In our final image from Boom, you can see Naomi having one last dance before we left it all behind.

It was wonderful to see her come back from the dance floor, wearing a great big smile.

Lisbon, August 6 - 10

2008-08-13T12:53:00.005+03:00

While in Gothenburg, we had organised a return flight to Lisbon. Yes, we traveled all the way to Portugal. The timing could not have been more problematic for our itinerary, and the location is about as far away from Scandinavia as you can get without actually leaving Europe. But for us, there was no other option. It had been a long-time dream of Naomi's to attend Boom Festival, one of the largest in the world of its kind... and so we made this detour because for some lucky people, dreams do indeed come true.

Good fortune shined on us once again, and we had a fantastic apartment up on the hill near Largo da Graca. From there, we could look out across the neighbouring houses all the way to the river Tejo and the sea beyond.
Inside the apartment, the owner had made all sorts of cute little decorative touches that gave the place a lot of character. Amongst these were original paintings, murals on the walls, and trinkets carefully balanced in unexpected places.

The view was spectacular, from both sides of the building. We would stand at the balcony window and watch hoards of children line up to jump into a pool again and again and again.
Where all these kids came from, we had no idea. The pool was in the grounds of the local fire station, just across the road from our apartment. Perhaps firemen are particularly virile.
The jumping into the pool really did look like fun. If only we had been brave enough to try to join in!

Soon after our arrival in Lisbon, my cousin Daniel joined us. It was fantastic to see him. He had been traveling through Europe, and was also looking forward to Boom Festival. We made it a part of our mutual plans to meet in Lisbon, and head there together.

It was disappointing for me that we would miss much of the Olympics while the festival was on, but we did manage to catch the opening ceremony and the first day or two.
So, 08-08-08 was exciting not only because it was my grandmother's 88th birthday, but also because we could watch the opening ceremony together and even catch a bit of the swimming. It was all in Portugese, so we were out of touch with much of the commentary. The name Michael Phelps seemed to pop up quite often for some reason or other.

The day of our departure for Boom was approaching, and we caught the subway to a nearby mall to gather some last minute supplies. It was an interesting experience, particularly when we discovered the bargain basement area. Daniel was on the lookout for a shirt - with no mirrors handy (foolish of us to expect them in the bargain basement) the digicam showed him why he should let this one go.

Although I really loved the look and feel of the streets in Scandinavia, it was a refreshing change to see once again the character and grit of the Mediterranean cultures. Portugal was certainly a long way from Sweden.
The post in Lisbon, we soon learnt, arrives by noble steed. Although we kept our eyes and ears peeled, the thundering of hooves never happened in our home street of Rua Da Veronica.

As in all cultures where street maintenance is of minor importance, improvisation can often produce moments of brilliance.
An innovative use of the built environment by this street vandal brought me a smile.

Naomi found herself slipping into a familiar theme with the Portugese culture, as memories of her time in Brazil came back in our everyday moments on the streets. She would pop out a few words here and there, and was delighted to find Guarana soft drink on the shelves of our local mini-mart.
In a few short days, our time in Lisbon was coming to an end. We enjoyed the views, we enjoyed the windy streets... but not so much the steep hills. It was wonderful to have Daniel meet us, and together we enjoyed the sunshine and the apartment, and also the start of the Olympics.
Michael Phelps.

But we did not come to Portugal to sit in an apartment. There was something happening further North and both Naomi and Daniel were increasingly excited to get there...

(making sandwiches for our travel day)

Gothenburg, July 21 - August 6

2008-08-07T11:10:00.010+03:00

Our travels have been busy and the action-packed pace meant that a bit of quiet time would be welcome for both of us. Thanks to Naomi's cousin who lives in Sweden, what better place to wind down than in a penthouse apartment in the center of Gothenburg!
We did get out and about from day to day, but the main focus was to build up strength for our next destination. We were going to need it. You'll see.

The apartment was very spacious, and ideally located for walking through the town center. We discovered a few good spots for coffee, and became familiar with streets, parks and the Gota Alv river. The Haga district was a nice contrast to the commercial bustle of the center, with its cobbled alleyways and old wooden buildings.
Many hours were spent reading on the balcony, watching dramatic sunsets at 11pm.

Many hours were also spent watching America's Next Top Model on television. To balance, we also became hooked on the Australian show, Border Security. It was interesting that a program about Australian Customs police helped to connect us with home after all this time traveling.

Other connections with home popped up from time to time - including a real treat for Naomi.

It was Georgia! For those who know her, it really is no surprise to find Georgia back in Sweden. Much to their mutual delight, our paths were able to cross for a brief period and we shared an evening meal together across the other side of the hill from our place.

On our walk home, Naomi made a brief transition - either it was an ascension into a new faith or a descent into tourist cliche...

The days were long, and most of the time we had deep blue skies with a few scattered clouds that seemed to hover nearby purely for aesthetic purposes.

We made a day excursion to Stora Amundon, an island a short bus ride to the South of the city.

It was a beautiful location. Lush forests covering low hills and then picture perfect granite boulders rolling down to the deep blue water.

We stopped at a few spots along the coastal walk, to sunbathe and admire the scenery. Swarms of wasps made lunch an unusual experience.

We swam in the clear waters, and watched others clambering amongst the rocks and diving from different heights.

The scenery was stunning and it helped a lot to have the warm sunshine softened by a gentle breeze. We had expected the water to be cool, but thanks to the Gulf Stream it was just right for a quick dip. Certainly warmer than what we are used back home in Victoria.

Back at the apartment, I was tickled to find a whole collection of Paul's airline kits.
It seems that Naomi's cousin likes the Newson packs... clearly he is a frequent flyer.

Much to my delight, his kids also like the Qantas pop-up dog that I designed years ago. You can see it at the bottom of the pile of travel packs. Maybe one day, more of my own design work will pop up here and there. I would like to think so. In the mean time, we will have to make do with the folding doggie.

Eventually, our time in Gothenburg came to a close. We had organised our tickets to the next destination, and enjoyed a few more episodes of Top Model and Border Security.

Our departure at the crack of dawn had a few highlights.

The taxi driver, a percussionist in his other life, told us about a fire in one of the neighbouring buildings a few days earlier. We had seen the smoke and the engines, and the burnt out shell that followed. The whole building was gutted, thanks to a silly man who had tried to illegally install his own home-built sauna. Thankfully for us, the fire was contained to one apartment building. The driver's closing remark on the story was "He'd better leave town. If I was him, I would get out of here, fast".

Upon leaving the taxi, I saw some discarded underwear hanging out of the door pocket.

I got out there. Fast.

Our final image from Gothenburg is one that impressed me more than it did Naomi. Many buildings in Northern Europe use paving stones that contain fossils. This excites me quite a bit, and I would often stop to gaze at these remnants of another world, life from millions of years ago.
Depending on where you look, every building becomes a museum!

Copenhagen, July 11 - 21

2008-07-22T17:00:00.002+03:00

Things gradually quietened down for us, following our eventful departure from Amsterdam. On the train we had an entertaining cabin buddy from the US, who had his own method for exploring the world. He takes cruise ships from place to place, and decides from the railing as the boat glides by, which cities are worth coming back to investigate further. We did not quite work out how this practice led him to be in a second class sleeper cabin on a train bound for Copenhagen, but his enthusiasm and his mature age dental braces kept us amused.

We arrived just in time for the tail end of the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. The sun was shining, and it seemed like we couldn't go wrong. That was how it seemed - for unfortunately, we chose to attend an outdoor event in Orstedsparken. The park was delightful but the music way too experimental for our sensitive ears.

We were renting a fantastic apartment in the suburb of Østerbro. In a quiet little street called Horsensgade, the apartment belongs to the girlfriend of Jørn Utzon's grandson. People in Sydney might know the name... Utzon Senior was the designer behind the Sydney Opera House.
Katrine was very helpful and accomodating with us, and we really felt at home.

Bicycles are a big deal in this city, and we made sure to sort ourselves out with some wheels. It was great to discover Baisikeli, a local business with an admirable story behind it. Here is one of the founders, Niels, helping Naomi with her helmet fitting.

While we were there, David Suzuki filmed a part of his upcoming documentary on sustainability in Europe with a feature on Baisikeli. We missed the film crew by minutes, but Niels was happy to fill us in. He is a friendly and very chatty fellow. Apparently, over 400,000 bikes are scrapped each year in Denmark. These guys collect the bikes that are still usable, and rent them to the public for a while... with the ultimate goal being to send the bikes on to African communities where the need is great and the supply very limited. So far, it has been a huge success. The rental from Copenhagen pays for shipping and programs in Africa, a truly sustainable business practice. Waste is literally turned into money and opportunity, both locally and abroad.

Right in the centre of the city, there is the bizarre little theme park of the Tivoli Gardens. We amused ourselves walking around, Naomi enjoyed an icecream... we tried to hear more jazz but this time our ears were assaulted by a one-man children's variety show. Strike two.
Away from the stage, it was nice to see how much the locals make use of the Gardens as a place for recreation. The following image is from one of the prettier spots.

We were fortunate to have a contact in Copenhagen. Thanks to Sean, we were able to meet up with Jeannie. She was very generous with us and after an initial outing she organised a dinner party at her place in Nørrebro. It was an intimate evening with many smiles, and it was nice to meet a few new people. Jeannie made some delicious Japanese food, and Naomi baked an apple crumble that I had the pleasure of balancing on my bicycle on the ride across town.

That evening led to another gathering at her friend Steven's apartment. We sat there amongst his impressive photography, and energetically gesticulated the night away with his Nintendo Wii. You can see Naomi in action in the next picture. Playing these games all together, on a high definition projector screen, was a lot of fun indeed.

Both Jeannie and our landlady Katrine were full of suggestions of what to see and do in the area.
It was with much anticipation that we boarded the train and headed 35km North of Copenhagen to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.
It was a highlight of our time in Denmark. The grounds and the buildings are really stunning. The architects, so the story goes, spent three months walking around the property before they began to talk about how to best fit the buildings in to the landscape.

Walkways and connecting galleries lead to incredible vistas, both out onto the water and inland towards the forest.
We probably found the building itself more exciting than much of the artwork on display, but there was one exhibit that we really liked. It was about museums in the 21st century, and focused on some places we had seen in our recent travels as well as proposed sites such as the new centre at the Acropolis in Greece.

We spent a full day there, watching children play from the steps of the Calder Lawn until the sun went down. It was quite the destination for families. Some people swam in the sea, others rolled down the hill again and again and again. When the day faded and the rolling became too much, shadow sculptures were the next logical progression.

This scuplture is the reason why it is called the Calder Lawn. On the other side, with a view past the lawn and across the water, is a cafe where young and old alike refuel after a long day of modern art and grassy slopes.

We also enjoyed the various design houses and museums in Copenhagen. The Danish Design Centre was a particular highlight, for its many interactive displays and some interesting and refreshingly different exhibits.
Along the streetfront there was an exhibit featuring wood in Danish Design, and as you can see from the vigour of this young child, everything was there to touch, push, slide and indeed rock.

There is something truly delightful about the Danish wooden children's toys, particularly Kay Bojesen's monkey. We also became very fond of the birds designed in the 1950's by Kristian Vedel.

While on the topic of children in Denmark, we learnt of an interesting custom. Parents wrap the kids up, and they sleep outside - whatever the weather (and it certainly does get cold!) for any daytime naps they may be having. Even at the kindergartens, the children sleep out in the open air. On discussion, it seemed like a good idea. Perhaps a custom to bring back to Melbourne, to try at a later date.

During our travels, I have become very fond of museum bookstores. The bookstore at Louisiana could have entertained me for days, and the one at the Danish Design Centre was also very good. People go there to read the books, while they have a coffee and lounge around on fine furniture.
It was a treat to find myself in one of the books, the trusty 2006 re-issue of the Ecodesign Sourcebook. I tried to encourage the woman behind me (who looked a bit like Marcus' mum) to buy a copy, but she wasn't convinced.

Aside from museums and galleries, we spent a lot of time moving through the streets. At one point, I saw the following bicycle. This is taking the concept of "green transport" one step too far!

The bike was parked, rather permanently, on the way to Underwood, Ink. where Jeannie's friend Rebecca worked. She took advantage of a quiet afternoon at the bar to sit down with us for a chat over coffee. It was a cute place, following (as the name suggests) a literary theme in its decor and intellectual air.
We also passed by the following dog on our way to the station, where we would go to catch the fantastically broad S-train. He would lean his thin pointy head through the bars of the balcony, and peer up and down the street with a relaxed dignity that was, to me, quite endearing.

Modern architecture is making its mark on the city, with the new opera house by the water and buildings such as this one near the central station. The multiple layers of steel patternwork had a striking effect as you walk by.

We saw the Opera House on a boat cruise that was recommended by Jeannie. It began in Nyhavn, and went on a slow loop out through the surrounding waters as far as Christiania.
It was really a really nice activity, particularly as our time in Copenhagen was coming to a close and some of the sights were familiar to us from our travels on land.
We were also able to take in once more the dramatic and dynamic skies. It seemed perpetually about to rain, and there is enough of John in Naomi for her to be giving warning each day as we headed out. "Those clouds look like rain to me".
And indeed once or twice, these predictions came true.

Overall, Copenhagen was a city that resonated very strongly with us and I am sure that we will return for a longer stay at some stage in the future. Thanks again to Katrine and to Jeannie and Steven, for making our visit that much more memorable.
Our final image to share with you, is of the power point in Katrine's apartment. It seems to be as happy to be there as we were :)

Amsterdam, July 6 - 10

2008-07-11T11:44:00.017+03:00

With sandwiches packed, we set off for another long train ride. This time our destination was Amsterdam. The apartment rental market was a little steep, so we decided to pursue "bed and breakfast" style accommodation.
Thanks to some new sources, we discovered Kaola the jewellery designer and his delightful house in De Pijp. Kaola, an American who has lived in Holland for over a decade, was a friendly and helpful host and we enjoyed our time with him very much.

The back yard, as homely and inviting as the interior, but unfortunately much wetter than would be comfortable to spend time in. In usual Amsterdam style, rain played a major role each time we left the house.
Regardless of the weather, we made sure to get out and about each day. It was lovely to sit in one of the many parks on our way in to the center, and watch picnickers make the most of the break in the weather.
We became quite fond of the Amsterdam cargo bikes, particularly when they were loaded with kiddies. The following image shows a small group packing up after a birthday picnic. Four or five kids somehow squeezed into the bike, along with games and all the party goodies. It looked like a fun picnic, we were jealous and wished we could have joined in.

The neighbourhoods of Amsterdam can be quite delightful. Naomi was particularly taken by the leafy streets of Jordaan, where we wandered up and down between peaceful canals.
In a scene typical of the area, two well-to-do ladies wheel home some new topiary to perch amongst the greenery of their balconies.

We also hunted for fun markets in this neighbourhood, and had some apple pie at Winkel's. Kaola insisted that this was "the best apple pie in the world". Coming from an American, we could not let this one pass us by. Truly a fitting reputation, all they seem to serve is apple pie and coffee - the menu may have had other elements but who cares, when the pie is as good as this?!?

At times, the rain poured down in torrents that were too much for all but the most diehard cyclists. We often found ourselves sheltering in doorways, waiting for the worst of it to pass.

We were overloaded with tourist sightseeing after Berlin, so we tried to keep it to a minimum in Amsterdam. It was a valuable experience to see the Anne Frank House again, much has changed since my last visit and it has become a very well considered museum. We were both moved and inspired, particularly given the context of what we had seen so recently in Germany.

Another sightseeing highlight for me was to go to Rembrandthuis. I loved to see his collections of natural history, and the workshops and studios within the dwelling - even although much there is reconstructed interpretation, it was still a little wonderland for me.
We particularly enjoyed a demonstration of the etching and printing process, as well as exhibits in the attached gallery space, an image from which appears below.

Before arriving in the city, we had dreams of renting bicycles and becoming authentic citizens, even if it was just for a few days. The weather conditions soon put an end to that fantasy. Even still, thousands of commuters rode in to this bicycle parking lot near the central station. Neither of us had ever seen so many bikes in one location before. It was quite a sight.

Eating out in Amsterdam was a mixed affair for us. Aside from cakes and sweets, we did not find ourselves overly impressed. Perhaps our budget had something to do with that...
Thankfully, our financial constraints did not see us ever needing to sample the delights of the Febo vending machines.

The sight of them was enough to stop my appetite.
Also not to my personal taste, were other aspects of Amsterdam cafe culture...

Here, Naomi makes a good effort at enjoying an uninspiring waffle from the heart of the Old Centre.
I amused myself, watching bleary-eyed tourists stumble in and out and waited patiently for the day to move on :)

It was interesting to be in Amsterdam during the week that the Tobacco laws were introduced. Given certain freedoms that the locals enjoy, much fuss was being made over this new restriction.
A bizarre (for us, at least) image appeared in the paper, showing people enjoying the final smoking session at the cinema on the evening of the laws coming in.

That's the Dutch way of embracing progress.

Other tolerances in the city were particularly important for Kaola and his partner. All throughout the house, there were little reminders that we were not in Kansas any more...
(I have put a modesty patch on one of the more prominent features, for the benefit of the more innocent viewers ;)

We enjoyed the sights, sounds and sometimes the smells of Amsterdam. It is a city that has something to offer for everyone, and you don't need to look to hard to find the parts that you like. Kaola was a lovely host, and we wish him and Mattius all the best in Valencia.
On the day of our departure, we were in for a real treat.
The central station (where we had earlier experienced a bizarre ticketing process, all four hours of orchestrated waiting) had become the site of some fantastic performance art.
All across the station - from platform to platform, above ground in towers and below in stairwells and tunnels, performers were infiltrating the public and causing surprise, hilarity and delight.
We even saw performers board trains, and then return minutes later from another direction.

To the right of the above image, you can see a guy with a portable mixing desk. Behind him, a small group of official audience wear headphones. The performance was happening in amongst the commuters on the platform to the left. At the time of the photo, the woman in blue sang an operetta from the stairs of the control tower.

One of the more amusing sequences saw a young woman attach herself to "commuters" for brief periods. They would go about their business, acting as though oblivious to her being draped over or clinging to them. This went on for at least half an hour, across several platforms. It ended with her slumped over a display board, from which she was removed into a dumpster and wheeled away.

Of all that we saw in Amsterdam, this performance was the highlight. When the time came to depart, we grudgingly boarded our train for Denmark wearing brand new smiles. Thank you, mysterious public actors!

A short sequence appears below...

Berlin, June 26 - July 5

2008-07-06T16:03:00.023+03:00

Upon our arrival at the Berlin HBH (central station) we were very much aware that Italy was well behind us. The sprawling station was light and airy, very modern and clean... a welcome change as we navigated smoothly to our apartment in Prenzlauer Berg.
Located just near Bernauer Strasse, the apartment was our most comfortable since Albi in Southern France. Our neighbourhood was very much like a combination of Elwood and Fitzroy, with cool shopping strips, leafy streets and yummy mummies escorting pampered kids from playground to playground.
Walking around there did feel very much like home.

In the surrounding streets there were fantastic food, craft and junk markets as well as many quirky cafes. The above photo is of one of our favourites, they made excellent coffee and the seating area felt like you were in someone's homely living room.
You may notice a little elephant on the table...
It is a Luigi Colani design, a part of a range made for the Dresdner Bank in the 1960s. As a long-time admirer of the moustachioed designer, I was thrilled to see his elephants for sale at a second-hand store near our place. After a bit of haggling, the little green one joined us on our travels :)

On our first excursion into the city centre, we found ourselves jostling amongst the crowds that had emerged to watch televised coverage of Germany's soccer team in the Euro Cup finals.
The Brandenberg Gate area had been sealed off, filled beyond capacity with 400,000+ fans. It was a spectacle, even more so several days later during the final match. Every public space had a screen hooked up. We watched a bit with a crowd at a container bar at the end of our street where the match was projected onto the surrounding walls.
There were crowds of people spilling out onto the streets, wherever a screen had been erected. The photo below shows the Hotel Marriot delivery entrance. People were gathered on the median strip in the middle of the road to watch, dressed in their patriotic finery.

Berlin offers so much to the visitor, we had to manage our time carefully in order to take in and enjoy as much as possible. Galleries and museums number in the many hundreds, so choosing between them was quite a task.
We visited the Bauhaus Archive as a treat for me on my birthday, and also went in search of vintage prints at the Kupferstichkabinett (museum of prints and drawings) at the Kulturforum complex.
Much to my delight, Naomi immersed herself in Ancient Egypt at the Altes Museum, where we came face to face with the 3,300 year old bust of Nefertiti.

Renovations to the Pergamon and much of Museum Island meant that other treasures will have to be enjoyed next time we are in town.
On our exploration of the area we noticed a real festive atmosphere as parents enjoyed the vast public spaces with their children. Stunning modern architecture blends with historical classics, many parks boasting broad green areas and monumental fountains.

It was cute to see that someone had tied a balloon to this figure's finger, completely transforming the scene.
Another view of the same fountain...

Perhaps what struck us most as we walked through the streets and suburbs of Berlin, was the way in which they are remembering their recent history. Museums and galleries... Berlin does these very well. More notable to us were the way the city has gone beyond traditional methods of acknowledgment and recognition. The memorials and efforts to live with the past - without hiding from the more nasty elements - really had an impression on us.

The route of the Berlin wall is marked by a double row of cobblestones, all throughout the city. In this photo Naomi walks across a marker at the end of our street. In many neighbourhoods, new apartments are being built in the Death Strip that the wall once occupied.
Plaques set into the pavement inform passers-by that they are freely walking across an area that, only a short time ago, would have seen their presence responded to with deadly force.

Outdoor galleries are scattered along the route of the wall, at locations of historical significance.
The information boards are considered and informative. We found them a valuable insight and they also helped soften the blow after the Checkpoint Charlie museum pushed our budget a little too far.

The East Side Gallery is the largest remaining section of The Wall. Our visit was wet, and the overall impression was that it did seem a shame that many of the creative murals have been defaced by graffiti in over the years. A bit of a twist - that the original graffiti has been ruined by graffiti...

Naomi may have been troubled by the dark history represented on these info boards at Potsdamer Platz, or then again perhaps she had had enough of being photographed.

The other event that is remembered with sensitivity in Berlin is, of course, the Nazi era and the happenings of WW2. We have more text than images to cover this, so please bear with us.

Sights and memorials are scattered throughout the city. The open air display called the Topography of Terror was fascinating for us, and we spent several hours reading in depth while loads of tourists filed past us.
The gallery is located where the headquarters of the Gestapo and SS once stood, in amongst the excavated ruins of the buildings' basement. A huge amount of information is presented that documents what happened on the site and how it impacted the industry of repression during the Nazi era. It was here, in offices at this location, that the plans for terror and murder were organised beyond anything previously conceived in human history.

We also visited the Memorial to the German Resistance. This was a fascinating site. Formerly the Army headquarters, it is where Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators both planned an assassination attempt on Hitler and were then executed after it failed. A moving statue of a naked man stands in the courtyard where they were met their end.
Much of the exhibit is in German, and the English audioguide was patchy. We did manage to learn enough about how close the assassination attempt came to success in 1944, and also about how difficult it was for Germans to form a resistance movement against the Nazis. The displays detail the history of all individuals and groups who opposed the Nazi regime, while acknowledging the fact that the majority of Germans did support Hitler. The question of how or why resistance was not able to succeed is asked and analysed from many different angles.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe also had a significant impact on us. The vista of an entire city block, and the thoughtful information centre below, were engaging and well worth devoting time to digest and explore.
As you approach, you are met by a gently undulating sea of concrete blocks. To some they represent graves, to others the enormity and faceless scale of the horror of the holocaust. You get a different experience depending on which direction you enter the site from. At the edges, the blocks are low to the ground, some even level with the paving stones. As you wander between them, the ground level rises and falls until at times they tower 5 metres overhead, dwarfing the human scale to the limits of vision in all directions.

Beneath all this lies the Information Centre. A very thorough audioguide walked us through the exhibit, which tries to place a more intimate face on the enormity and sheer weight of numbers that usually features in Holocaust memorials. In one section, figures do appear and they trigger the familiar shock and dismay. The overall focus, however, is on a dozen or so individual accounts in an attempt to represent how each one of the millions of victims had their own version of events no less chilling and awful than the rest.
The point is made clearly. Every victim suffered terribly, and every survivor remembers how many fell around them.
An attempt is made to make sense of the spread of the genocide across Europe, as facts and stories give balance to the more abstract nature of the memorial above.
There is a space dedicated to the major sites of the persucution and destruction of lives, particularly the seven largest death camps. In another area, information about other historical and memorial sites throughout Germany and Europe allows you to see other ways of remembering.

One of the final rooms and perhaps the most moving in the Information Centre, is a darkened space where names are read out loud by survivors, while the victim's name, date of birth and death are projected onto each of the four walls. It is an attempt yet again to bring a human scale to the overwhelming numbers of millions and to remove the anonymity of The Victim.

One of the successes of the outdoor memorial, we felt, was that it is a space that the public truly engage with. Not only in somber reflection, the shapes and forms at times invite a playful response. People sit on, climb over, jump across... seeing it being used like this showed another way in which a memorial can be embraced. The feeling of being uplifted in a place of remembrance was an unexpected experience.

While we were in Berlin, I celebrated my birthday. As a special treat for me on the day, our sightseeing included a visit to the Bauhaus Archiv and a picnic in the Tiergarten. It was great to be at the source (even though it is not the original building) of the Bauhaus school, and to see first hand the work of design industry pioneers that I had admired from afar for all of these years. The Gropius models, the Van Der Rohe, Breuer and Moholy-Nagy production prototypes... the archive does a good job of presenting what went on in the school before it was dismantled in 1933. Sorry, no photos allowed.

Naomi went to significant efforts for our little picnic. We found a shaded spot in the gardens, and
there she hung streamers on the bushes, surrounding a picnic rug filled with birthday treats. We had iced coffee, juice, tasty sandwiches with my favourite fillings, and even a birthday cake with candles!

It was a lovely way to share the celebration together and her efforts were very much appreciated.

The sunshine in the gardens was perfect, and we both enjoyed the time spent quietly contemplating after the busy schedule that our sightseeing interests had demanded.

We did our best to explore different neighbourhoods, for Berlin has much to offer and the diversity is exceptional.
In East Kreuzberg, quirky fashion designers sell their original clothing while working on new and even more dubious looking creations at their sewing machines in the back of the store.
Delicious kebab and felafel nearby was a welcome discovery. After Italy, it was nice to be back in an environment that is distinctly multicultural.

We fell in love with Ampelmann, the delightful East German traffic signal figure. Still flashing at many former East Berlin traffic lights, he has been turned into a cult item by an enterprising Industrial Designer. It was amusing to browse through the Ampelmann store and see the growing range of trinkets he has been applied to.

The streets of Berlin are also dotted with some very impressive street art.
There is a strong culture of personal expression, the result of which is a colourful and vibrant society.
Naomi was struck by how the diversity and edginess exists all across the city without being pretentious. It is simply a part of life here.

Our time in Berlin was stimulating and challenging for both of us, and we really enjoyed our visit. Of all of the places we have been, walking the streets felt very much like home yet there was enough difference to keep us on our toes.

The openness, sensitivity and thorough exposure given to the darker elements of Germany's recent history was admirable and we found the experience valuable from a tourist perspective.
Hopefully the local population will continue to engage with remembering the past in this way.

Venice, June 18 - 25

2008-06-26T18:50:00.004+03:00

Our excitement mounted as the train made its way across the long bridge and into Venice. The skies were blue, the water greenish (maybe best not to look too closely) and it was fantastic to feel the warmth in the air again.
Armed with a weekly ACTV pass, we squeezed into a vaporetti along with the tourist hoards. Our apartment was in San Silvestro, which turned out to be a fantastic location just a few minutes' walk to the Rialto Bridge.

Romance was in the air, as Naomi led me carefully over the bridge on one of our many walks through the city.

The Rialto was a great place to watch the rivers of tourists go by, and to admire the sweeping views of the Grand Canal.

It was fascinating to see the waterways change from minute to minute - calm and peaceful, with only a gondola or two gliding along... and then suddenly cluttered with water buses and other motorboats that would thunder by. The calm always returned, but then again after a brief reprieve, so did the Italian mayhem.

(above, a quieter moment on the Canal)

Each time we walked by the Rialto Bridge, we saw couples relaxing in a little nook by the stairway. There is a small area with steps leading to the water, and the obligatory (in Italy, at least) shrine to a local Saint.
With patience and careful planning, we eventually managed to be one of the happy couples romantically entwined at this gorgeous spot. We were on our way to dinner, and stopped to watch the sun setting over the evening bustle on the Grand Canal.

Several times during our travels, time has been spent trying to fill perceived gaps in our already bulging backpacks. Naomi is good at responding to these urgent needs, this time it was cardigans. Our search led us to the department store Coin.

Here we see her gathering a collection to try on... and I joined this fellow to wait in the Patient Husband zone. It was amusing to watch him squeeze his generous proportions into the ornate pink chair.

We visited many museums and galleries, all of which have strict rules against photography. A highlight for both of us was the Opera House, Teatro La Fenice. Without a doubt one of the most beautiful buildings we were yet to see, it was with some difficulty that Naomi dragged me out of there. The theatre has recently been restored to its original splendour after a fire in 1996. A must-see if you find yourself in the area!

Venice was hot. Well into the mid-30's, with maddening crowds around all of the tourist spots. The walking and sightseeing became a bit much for Naomi and she sat it out in the courtyard of the Palazzo Ducale while I scurried through the vast interior.
Another stunning location, most memorable were the rooms of world maps, more remarkable frescoes, and the enormous (formerly the world's largest) oil painting by Tintoretto.

I had fun poking my head out of every balcony, to try to spot Naomi resting in the shade.

You can just make her out in the bottom right corner of the photo above... a crop is pasted below as well :)

Looking out of the windows facing East, there was a nice view over the rooftops from the upper levels of the Palace. Usually, the Venice skyline is usually glimpsed from below, where you do not see the efforts to which the locals go in their attempt to build ever higher tv antennas.

The days were long and hot, and we enjoyed coming home to freshen up afterwards. Our little apartment did not appreciate the extra demands on the water system, and we had to call for help with the shower.
The landlady sent what may have been her son, who called a man who may have been a plumber. We don't really know... they stood in our kitchen talking loudly and gesticulating, occasionally turning on the kitchen tap for effect. We watched them for at least half an hour as the conversation grew in volume and in proportion to the sweat pouring from the plumber. After a few more rounds of turning kitchen taps on and off, he replaced our shower head and disappeared. Italy in a nutshell.

The rides on the Vaporettos were slow and very crowded. We found that the best thing to do was to find a spot near the railing, and turn your back on all of the pushing and shoving.
Naomi developed a good technique, but we still did our best to avoid the waterbuses and walked as much as possible.

On one of these walks, I spotted a cat lounging in a window alcove. Unable to resist the opportunity to make friends, I approached gently and we got to know each other.

He was very friendly... and while we traded sleepy affections, I noticed his nametag.
It was Paco! No longer a lovable meatball, Paco is now living as a cat in the quiet neighbourhood of Santa Sofia, Venice.

I was very happy to see him, and when we reluctantly parted ways it was with a smile and a purr.

Naomi and I found that it was surprisingly easy to escape the mad rush in Venice. Often, only one street would separate a river of tourists from deserted tranquility.
The following picture was taken during our walk back from Cannaregio.

We had hunted down a restaurant where we enjoyed some delicious seafood pasta. The only other patrons were a handful of Gondola men, in their distinctive stripy t-shirts and golden suntans.

The gondola men are skilled operators, both on and off the water. At €80 for 40 minutes, the prices of gondola rides kept us watching from the sidelines.
We were able to have a taste though - thanks to the Traghetto service. Very reasonably priced at 50 cents, a rather bored looking Gondola man ferries you across the canal. This is a great addition to the transport options in Venice, particularly when considering the cost of real gondola rides and also the vaporetto and water taxis.
For us, the traghetto was fun.

You may wonder how these dashing young Italian men become so adept on the water. On one of our walks, we think we found the answer.

- From this:

- To this:

What happens in between is still a mystery.

On the streets of Cannaregio there was an eerie calm, but looking down showed that it had not always been so. In the Campo di Ghetto Nuovo, the presence of a discarded miniature battle-axe suggested a darker and more turbulent history. Or maybe it was simply a child's toy.

Walking along the Fondamenta Nuove gave us some respite from the heat, as there was nothing between us and the breeze coming from the North. We brought a picnic along, and sat near the hospital jetty watching boats come and go to Murano and San Michele.

We also spent time in the Gardini Publici, where magnolia trees were in full bloom.
Nearby was the site of the Venice Biennale - a bizarre overgrown ghost town at the moment, it was hard to imagine how the area would be when the festival is in full swing.

So, that was our time in Venice. We had a fantastic week, long days walking the streets all hot and sweaty, followed by long nights in a hot and sweaty apartment.
It is a truly unique city and in our time there we had many memorable moments. The final image tells a fun story. We had time to spare before our train departed, so we settled down beneath a flowery tree to rest away from the crowds. Soon after, a homeless man turned up and sat nearby. Then another. Then another...
We had stumbled onto a little mobile food kitchen run by local volunteers. The men being served were very friendly with us, and quite interested in our story. The most vocal was a partly drunk former Russian, who kept enquiring whether we were from Russia as well, looking disappointed each time we gave him our answer.
They were a happy bunch and it was a colourful close to our time in Italy.

Tuscany, June 13 - 18

2008-06-18T18:34:00.002+03:00

Oh my. Tuscany! It was always a dream destination, for both of us. From Hollywood films to popular culture, the idyllic rolling hills and vineyards have a delightful charm about them.

The train ride from Rome was a chance to doze, but Naomi still maintained an intellectual air by strategically placing the IHT on her lap. Upside-down.

It was bucketing with rain when we met our host at the station. His two sons were squeezed into the back of his old Land Rover, soaking wet. Naomi sat in the middle section and it soon became apparent that it was also raining inside the vehicle! Each time the car swerved, water would pour out from under the rim of the sunroof.
Roberto, our host, did his best to comfort her with a grimy rag that offered limited protection.

We arrived at our Agroturismo lodgings, and when the skies cleared the view was indeed spectacular. However, we were very isolated - halfway up a mountain, with the nearest town many kilometers away. Our dreams of walking through the cobbled streets faded fast.

Being at this altitude, we missed out on the warm sunshine and spent much of our time watching thick clouds roll by through the windows.
Our entertainment soon became focused on a group of children on Karate camp, who had come to stay nearby.

They were fun to watch. Some took it very seriously and had real skills, others just thought they were cool because they were at Karate Camp. The leader was intent on covering all the bases, and seemed to enjoy his group of little fighters.

We only had a few days in Tuscany, and they were nothing like what we had expected. The weather worked against us, as did our location in the mountains. In the end, it was fortunate that we had our time earlier on in the Loire Valley in France - as that was more "like Tuscany" than where we ended up in Italy!

One of our highlights was to get a lift to "the market" for our food supplies. The above image is Naomi throwing out our recycling on the drive down the mountain. Yes, a trip to the bin is also a highlight.
The Market turned out to be a giant rural centre, kind of like a huge supermarket and department store all rolled into one. It was far from the farmer's market that we had pictured in our minds...

So, Tuscany came and went without too much interest or excitement from either of us. If anything, having quiet time after Rome was great.
The rest, well... we will get over it.

(the ghost-town streets of the nearest town, San Giovanni, where we caught the train)

The next destination in Italy was quite different for us. Stay tuned for Venice!

Rome, June 6 - 13

2008-06-13T17:09:00.011+03:00

Back to the joys of Trenitalia, and we were rattling our way South towards Rome.
It was of some comfort that the builders of this station platform had a sense of humour... at least our minds were taken away from the travel for a few moments as we smiled at the building and it smiled back at us.

We rented a fantastic apartment in Rome. A penthouse! It was a little out of the central area, so we did have the inconvenience of bus rides (and long waits) daily, but the place certainly had a lot going for it. Cute and cozy inside, the homely interior becomes of minor interest when stepping out onto our own private 120m2 terrace.

Naomi made the most of quiet morning time, for some yoga and meditation. You can see the parkland that spread out across the road, it was an idyllic scene complete with horses and goats. A real treat to come home to, after days on the busy streets of Rome.

Also a treat, is when friends from home meet in far-off places. Much to everyone's delight, Sarah and Paul's honeymoon had a brief crossover with ours.
The girls were in full swing right away. There is always much to catch up on, and it helps if you are catching up in amongst the boutiques and cafes of Rome.

We had a great time, sharing travel stories and enjoying the warmth of familiar smiling faces.

Awww, young love. Married life seems to be as good for these two as it is for Naomi and myself :)

Naomi is a vegetarian.
This little man, with a giant sword-like carving knife, proudly sliced the largest sausage any of us had ever seen before. He was particularly skillful. It seemed as though Sarah and Paul found it hard to resist popping in to the deli for a taste.

Something tells me that Naomi did not feel left out at all, being a proud vegetarian.

No trip to Rome is complete without a visit to the Trevi Fountain. We enjoyed the spectacle just as much as the thousands of other tourists jostling for a closer look. It really is a spectacular and beautiful sight.

I was able to take the time to compose the above photo, thanks to our stubborn determination to remain unshackled by mobile phones on these travels. We spent a long time at the fountain after some mismatched communications. Eventually the couples were reunited and frowns were turned upside-down.

The next day, Sarah and Paul came over for a yummy breakfast on the terrace at our apartment.

It was a perfect day for it. Good food, good company, and spectacular surroundings. If you look carefully, you can just make out the top of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the distance. After breakfast, it was time to say good-bye as our travel plans took us in different directions.

Sarah was very brave as she faced the challenge of our spiral staircase.

The staircase was interesting from both ends - in the next photo, Naomi looks down from the top...

One notable feature that did not seem as evident on the streets of Rome as both Naomi and I had remembered, were the Gypsy beggars. We did see some here and there - but nothing like our memories of past visits.
By the bus stop near Via Greggorio VII, this monument of sorts is hidden in a corner. In the dark of the evening, it was an eerie sight and sparked long conversations as we tried our best to be patient, waiting for the bus.

We had a full schedule, as all visitors to Rome do. On the sunnier days there were long walks through parks and gardens. The Forum area is always a highlight.

We got to know certain neighbourhoods, particularly the Trastevere area, pretty well. It was not only the daily feeding frenzy at the bars that attracted us. It is worth noting though - every evening, for an hour or so, bars put out what is often a very impressive spread of free antipasto that is then swooped upon by patrons. Something that appealed to me very much, as (perhaps many of you already know) food is critical with an appetite like mine :)
Aside from the food, we were also there for the free internet access. The one flaw in our spectacular apartment is that is wasn't connected.

Naomi in the streets of Trastevere, overtaking miniature nuns. That's her on the left with the long strides.

We had a special day in the Villa Borghese, with a yummy picnic lunch after visiting the sculptures at the Galleria, and then an hour of excitement as we pedaled our way through the parkland like this -

It was a lot of fun. The first few minutes were scary for Naomi, but then she realised that she was on the side with the pretend steering wheel. Once the confusion over controls had gone we happily cruised about, grinning from ear to ear.

Then came the Vatican City.
To visit the Basilica of St Peter is a special experience. I was increasingly excited and Naomi soon saw why. The grandeur and the sheer scale, the opulence of the details, the seas of tourists... it is a sensory overload.

Even from the courtyard it is clear that you are in no ordinary place. We later found out that the space had been set up for an audience with George Bush. His visit to Rome in the coming days meant we encountered increased security from time to time... we had never seen so many police vehicles in one place. It made Rome seem all the more chaotic. However, as in other aspects of life, we tried our best to ignore what Bush was up to and focus on brighter things.

The system that exists to shuffle tourists through the vast maze of the Vatican City complex is confusing and frustrating at first, but once you see the sheer numbers of people involved it does kind of make sense to manage it this way.

The above image is from a small patch of ceiling in one of the many galleries that seem to stretch forever. Rather than show you a picture of a corridor whose end is lost in the distance, we thought it would be good to show how stunning every inch of the interior surfaces are.
Ordinarily, frescoes such as this would catch people's attention - but when there are thousands upon thousands of them, it was hardly surprising that many tourists barely glanced at the ceilings in the long shuffle to THE ceiling they had come to see.

I am, of course, referring to the Sistine Chapel. Strictly no photos allowed. The man patrolling this rule was serious enough about it to give us nightmares.
Naomi was getting weary by the time we arrived there, packed as we were into the crowded room. She certainly brightened upon seeing the spectacle. The notorious reputation is well deserved, and it was with great difficulty that I juggled my attention between Michelangelo's Last Judgement and the remarkable ceiling.

Eventually it was time to move on, and we made our way into the Basilica itself.

Once again it was a spectacle unmatched by any building we had encountered previously.
The sculptures are breathtaking - not only around the central altar, but also on every column, cornice and popping out at you from all nooks and crannies.

The scale of the space affects you as soon as you enter the building.
We also found the mosaics a surprise - rather than paintings, every image is reproduced in millions of brilliant coloured stones, glass and metals.

A walk up to the top of the dome gives a different perspective, both on the little people scurrying about like ants inside and on the beautiful view of Rome from the heights of the rotunda.

We tried to spot our apartment, but with no luck. That was ok... there is much to see and it was a special moment when the photogenic rainbow made its appearance.

Walking back through the Basilica after spending time up on top, you have a different sense of the space.
The afternoon sunlight streaming in through the windows of the dome was picture-perfect.

What an experience, this Vatican city is. Our heads were bursting as we wound our way down the grand spiral staircase and headed towards the exit. That's Naomi in the orange top.

Naomi found the Basilica to be amongst the most beautiful places she had ever seen. So much more than any other cathedral or church, and it truly is an emotional experience to be somewhere that holds such significance for much of the world's population.

So, it was back to the streets of Rome where elegance and refinement blend seamlessly with chaos and modern Italian egos.
There is a softer side to Rome as well. As we walked around, we noticed how many stores had cute signage that really showed a considered effort.

Our time in Rome was action packed. We saw dozens of different sights, from galleries and monuments to churches, parks and more. What a place.
The standard tourist highlights of course became favourites for us too - including the Colosseum, Piazza Venezia, Piazza Navona, and Campo de Fiori.
To have seen some of them with Sarah and Paul made it even better.

Our final image that we will share with you (this is a long posting, thanks for staying with us!) is of a typically Roman alleyway in Trestevere.
A mangy dog, a scooter, and a woman hanging out her washing - a different set of jeans for every day of the week.

That is Rome.

Florence, May 30 - June 6.

2008-06-06T19:20:00.003+03:00

The travel across the border into Italy held a number of surprises for us. We experienced several emotional extremes... it was a time of high stress and incredulity, mixed in with hour upon hour of inactivity that demanded extreme patience.

The above picture shows how we spent the first night of the journey.
Let me explain how this happened...
We booked a ticket for the train, and had our timetable worked out to get us to the station in nearby Marseilles with time to spare. Soon enough, the day for our departure arrived. We headed to the bus stop, only to find our bus was not running. As the next scheduled bus would not get us to the station in time, we began to search for a taxi. This proved difficult, but eventually we did secure one and slipped into it just as the late bus headed off. I told the driver we had a train to catch, and on hearing the details, he switched into Extreme Taxi mode. French passion took over as he pushed his Peugeot to speeds in excess of 160km/h and we were launched down the highway, only slowing (to a mere 120 in a 100 zone) when overtaking a police vehicle.
Arriving safe but a little sweaty to the train station, I sent Naomi to the platform to hold the train while I thanked our racing taxi driver and juggled all of the luggage. Struggling through the gates with 50kg in my arms, I saw Naomi staring in disbelief as the train slowly crept out of the station... leaving without us.
Knowing that the next train was not for another 24 hours, we set off to find somewhere to spend the night in the meantime.
It was suggested that we head to Marseilles Airport, as there are many hotels nearby. Many full hotels as it turned out. Weary and more than a little fed-up, we found ourselves a quiet corner near one of the departure lounges and stretched out for the night. And that is the story of our first picture!

Following this night, we successfully boarded the correct train and joined our cabin companions in disappointment and despair at the vast difference between the French and Italian rail experience. A little man was perched on one of the bunks in the couchette, staring forlornly at his socks and making small sighs every now and then. Some time after midnight, an Italian joined us to occupy the remaining bunk, and spent the first 20 minutes muttering to himself "oh, Madonna".
Good training for our time in India at the end of the year, perhaps?

Eventually, we did arrive in Florence and it was certainly worth all the trouble.

Watching the sun set over the River Arne was almost as much of a treat as hearing how Naomi saw "walruses" playing under one of the bridges during her morning walk.

Italian gelati was hard to resist. More so for some than others, but then again that is the nature of ice cream everywhere... not just in Italy!
The special cones did not only attract human tourists. After just one taste, this little birdie kept coming back for more.

The joys of the Mercato Centrale will stay with us for a long time. A large indoor food market, with fresh produce on the upper level and deli/meat/seafood below. Although it was a great place for us to do our regular shopping, we also found the generosity of the deli tasting system quite irresistable.

Actually, it was me who got all excited. Naomi did her best to maintain a civilised air to counterbalance my brief feeding frenzy. The marinated Porcini mushrooms that came home with us helped to sustain the grin you can see me wearing here.

A big part of being in Florence is to visit museums and galleries. We certainly did our best to cover those that seemed to suit our interests. Also big in Italy, is the enforcement of photography bans within these sights. So, our images may not be of Masters' works, but we try to keep them interesting for you.

Everyone loves the Duomo. Even the lawmakers - they allow you to take photos there!
The facade is truly spectacular. Striking in its detail, and the immensity of scale. The green, white and red marble at the front end has been restored. Walking around the building, you can see just how good this restoration is. The contrast between original condition and restoration areas is quite notable.

While waiting in the queue, I saw a delightfully amusing man who was determined not to be defeated by his technology.

He had a folding magnifying glass, that he would use to operate his mobile phone. I am not sure what he was doing with it, but I watched for at least ten minutes and there did not seem to be much progress.
A+ for effort.

Once inside, the floor goes almost unnoticed as you crane your neck upwards to peer at the great dome. It is, however, really worth a closer look.

Of course there is more to see than floors and domes. Every building and monument is fascinating in its own way, with colourful historical tales - some of which may even be true.

During our time in France, we had become fond of the Audioguide.

The concept did not translate as well to the Italian curators. Although we were persistant, we rarely encountered an English guide that stimulated or engaged us in the way they had done in France.

The Basilica of Santa Croce boasts some premier burial tombs and monuments. Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini, Machiavelli... the list goes on. The sculptures and carvings in the Basilica are spectacular.
It was quite interesting to see the galleries in the neighbouring monastery, where there is a display of pieces that were damaged in the 1966 Arno floods.

This is a detail of one of the large 15th century paintings that has been restored. The before/after images in the archives were quite remarkable.
These long days of touring can be grueling. Our shortlist of "must see" sights in Florence had 21 items on it, and we are not the types to pop our heads in the door, just for the sake of checking one more off the list.
With such a busy schedule, we were lucky to discover areas clearly designated for rest. They appear from time to time on the street.

I was not 100% positive I had the technique right, but I did my best to fit in.

While wandering through the streets, we occasionally spotted references to local wildlife. No walrus monuments, however turtles seem to pop up in unlikely places.

We had heard much about the walk across the river, up the hill to the Piazzaiolo Michelangelo. It was indeed a beautiful walk, with winding paths through vibrant green areas and interesting historical buildings along the way.
At the top stands one of Florence's two full-size replicas of Michelangelo's David. We hardly noticed it - the 5m tall statue was lost in a sea of teenagers who had gathered for a music festival. It was quite entertaining, right down to the bras being flung at one of the singers.

In true Italian style, the medical emergency professionals huddled together and chain-smoked while the hoards of teenagers ran amok around the stage area.
We spent some time watching the crowds, and also enjoyed the spectacular views of Florence spread out below.

However, the highlight for me was in one of the water-filled grottoes on the windy path back to the river.

Turtles! Dozens of them. At first it seemed as though they were a bronze sculpture, but as we peered closer to the fetid waters we saw beady little eyes blink lazily in our direction.
I know that turtles are not fluffy or cuddly , but (much to Naomi's horror) I just could not resist reaching in to grab one.

It was very cute! And I made good use of the Aqium disinfectant afterwards, much to Naomi's relief.

We treated ourselves to a special pizza meal one evening. The setting was lovely, but nothing matched the pizza we had on our first evening in town at a grubby little cafe around the corner from our apartment.

Being in Florence was an interesting experience for us. We really felt like we were navigating through a sea of tourists. This was ok, because it is a simple reality that there is just so much to see in Florence that is of such a high quality.
We loved the work at the Bargello. We were humbled by Brunellesci. There was a fantastic (although small) exhibition at one gallery of preliminary and preparation drawings from the Renaissance. It was very much a pleasure for me to see this one.
By far the highlight for both of us would have to have been Michelangelo's David - the real one - in the Galleria dell'Academia. Unfortunately a no-photo zone, we drank in all we could with our eyes in our time in the gallery.

The outdoor gallery at the Loggia della Signoria was a fantastic place to watch the world go by. Not only for the sculpture, as can be seen in the images above/below... but also for the people watching.
It was entertaining to see the officials with their whistles, diligently patrolling the area and startling absent-minded tourists. It was also entertaining to watch the young Italian men as they watched Naomi stroll by!

We were, of course, there for the scultptures. And you can see that they are quite remarkable.

Florence had many charms and also many annoyances. We enjoyed our time there very much, but we were also happy when the time came to leave.

The final image is of a bicycle that had been locked up a little too close to the road...

Aix en Provence, May 24 - 29

2008-05-30T12:09:00.001+03:00

Our two months in France wrapped up with a visit to Aix en Provence.
We noticed a change as we drew closer... there is a different pace, a different energy here to the quiet rural towns and villages we had recently spent time in.

The markets in Aix were spectacular. Flowers and produce take over the streets and squares several mornings a week. They then disappear, leaving no trace of their existence by mid-afternoon.

We found the markets here provided for us exceptionally well.

That is, aside from one unfortunate stinky calamari incident.

The North African influence gave for some wonderful spice stalls.

The markets were fun to explore (still no handbags) and we also enjoyed the streets once all the stalls had been packed up.
In the next photo, Naomi watches the world go by from our window.
She is wearing her new fringe... très chic. Finding a salon for this much anticipated haircut was quite a big deal at the time.

Our apartment in Aix was cosy, with a ladder stairway to the mezzanine sleeping area.
The upper level had a ceiling height of no more than four feet, so we found ourselves crawling along at bedtime to avoid bumping into the roof beams.

Upstairs, there was a secret "study table" tucked down the back, inside a cupboard.
You can see that the ceiling is so close that I could not even sit upright.
No secret studying for me.

On the Cors Mirabeau, a fantastic castle made of cardboard boxes had been erected for a street festival. No clips or nifty PJ fasteners here, the whole structure was held together with packing tape.

Behind the facade a stage had been constructed. We sat in the stalls for a while, watching kids run around and waiting for a breakdancing demo that we thought was coming up.

The breakdancing never came, and eventually we moved on.

It is a part of my daily reality to live with a stubborn determination to make friends with furry creatures, wherever I go.
The cat in the following image was saved from my affections by a strategically placed net.

Aix en Provence is also home to the Vasarely Foundation.
A remarkable Bauhaus structure, it was designed by the artist himself in the mid-1970s. The building contains hexagonal shaped galleries with dozens of monumental works by Victor Vasarely. We were fortunate to be there when a large group of children went through. To watch their amazement and delight was a lot of fun.
You can see the school group in the next photo, as well as Naomi (in colour co-ordinated orange) leaning in for a closer look.

Every room has six huge pieces, each taking the space of an entire wall. A central ring of lounges allows you to sit and contemplate, but we found that the most impact was to be had by walking and obseving how the artwork changed as your viewing perspective shifted.

You can really grasp the sense of scale that was created by the architecture and the pieces working together.

We enjoyed the Vasarely Foundation very much. Almost enough to purchase an original print from the poster store, but we found the saleswoman quite irritating.
The building is spectacular, as you can see in our final picture below. Up close, the surfaces are a little cracked and worn, and some areas did seem dated. However, the Vasarely vision stands strong and it was wonderful to be immersed in it.

So, we now say goodbye to France... our adventures continue after - and indeed during - a long train ride to Italy.

Albi, May 19 - 23

2008-05-24T22:37:00.013+03:00

Our next destination was a small town in Southern France, called Albi. We chose to go there to see the Toulouse-Lautrec museum, which is located in an old Bishop's palace next to the enormous 14th century Cathedral in the centre of town.
Albi is another stunning location, the old buildings are magnificent and it was well worth our time and effort beyond the focus on Lautrec himself.
Our first image is of Naomi, with our gorgeous landlady. She was tiny! They stand together on the balcony of our apartment, surrounded by tremendously sweet smelling roses.

(that is Naomi on the left, for those who weren't quite sure)

Although we came to Albi because it holds the museum, being the birthplace of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, we discovered that the Cathedral was a delightful surprise.

According to locals, this is the largest brick building in the world. It certainly is enormous, dwarfing everything in sight as it soars to a height of 75 m.
The exterior is entirely plain and devoid of ornamentation, but the entrance (left) gives a hint of what is inside...

Thanks to a special kind of limestone and some very talented craftsmen, the interior of the Cathedral is home to some of the most spectacular carvings we have encountered.

Thousands of intricate columns line the central structure, with an attention to detail that is breathtaking. It is hard to believe that these stone carvings are in such pristine condition after 700 years. It was actually hard to believe such forms were carved from stone in the first place!

We spent a long time inside, trying to take it all in. Neither of us had been prepared for something so spectacular.

Eventually, we did emerge into the sunlight again.
The grounds of the Cathedral and neighbouring palace were lovely to walk through. We enjoyed the views from several different heights, as we looked for a nice place to sit and have lunch.

Everywhere we go, we walk. A lot. It is a great way to explore and discover a new city. Albi was no exception.

We crossed the river, in search of food and handbags. In the distance you can see the Cathedral looming over the town.

Naomi, ever hopeful, gazes into yet another window in her (as yet) fruitless search for THE perfect bag.

It was good for both of us that devices are available to help with stress relief, when coming home empty-handed after a long day of shopping.

This was our home in Albi, across the road from the restaurant Le Lautrec. We were fortunate to have found another beautiful apartment in another fantastic location.

That restaurant taunted us with delicious aromas day and night - I'm not quite sure if that was a good or a bad thing!

We enjoyed Albi very much. It was great to introduce Naomi to the work of one of my favourite artists, and Lautrec is now a favourite of hers as well. Like many places in France and Italy, photography is forbidden in the museum - so we are not able to share any pics from there with you.

Our final image from Albi is of the bedroom door in our apartment. See? I told you it was a special place. The entire fitout was innovative and every item of the highest quality.
We may never know what led to the decision in favour of a crescent-moon doorway...

Sarlat, May 12 - 19.

2008-05-20T22:14:00.008+03:00

Leaving the rolling green hills of the Loire Valley, we head further South to the rolling green hills of the Dordogne.
Our destination is the medieval town of Sarlat La Caneda.
Said to be one of the best preserved examples of 14th century France, there is something wonderful about wandering through the honey-coloured laneways in the old town centre.

The beautiful stonework with winding alleyways and cute, touristy stores are a hobby painter's delight. We were fortunate to see many artists at work... some with more success than others.
This fellow set himself up directly below the window to our apartment.

Looking past the cafe, you can see our apartment. We had three windows on the first floor, where we could sit in our living room and watch the tour groups shuffle by.

The central town square was only 15m down the lane, past the arched doorway below our window.

Sarlat is also blessed with plentiful markets, although they were heavily oriented towards the tourists. Foie gras and truffles are the specialties of the region, but our budget and dietary sensibilities found us happy in our role as passive observers.
Not only limited to food, the markets also provided locals with homewares and fabrics. The displays of threads were delightful.

A view of the markets, which spread from one end of the town to the other. Here we look down onto the central square...

...from a vantage point where some local children amused themselves with bubbles. It was a lot of fun to watch, but then again, when aren't bubbles fun?!?

Once the market has cleared from the square, it is taken over by other activities. One day we saw medieval re-enactment fanatics practising bizarre rituals with broadswords. There was also a performance of some local dragon folklore by primary school children. I stopped to watch the rehearsal, while Naomi did her best to be patient.
The following image shows the musical accompaniment.

Perhaps they are biting their nails in fear of the papier-mache dragon!

Near one of the market sites, I saw this self-watering tree.

Earlier, I hinted that we were watching our budget when it came to gourmet foods.
Crepes and croissants have been a happy inclusion in our French diet...

Here I am after some of the best crepes we came across in all of our time in France.

With all of the creative options and fillings, nothing could match the simple melt-in-the-mouth combination of buerre + sucre.

Of course, Naomi kept trying Nutella crepes just in case, but in the end I think she agrees with me (and my belly).

The township of Sarlat is delightful, but there is so much to see in the Dordogne region. I was quite keen to visit Les Eyzies to see the prehistoric paintings, but while organising a rental car...

...we discovered Marqueyssac.

It was a spectacular place. Spreading across a mountain ridge, winding paths connect gardens and idyllic buildings with lush forest in between.

Wandering through the forests, we came across this playful area. What the story is behind it, I'm not too sure.

There is something that makes Marqueyssac stand out - and it is not the sprawling forests or the sweeping views over nearby La Roque.
It is heaven for lovers of topiary.

These gardens were quite a sight, if a little bizarre. We watched little birds flitting about, some had built nests inside the domes of greenery.

The visit to Marqueyssac was very worthwhile. Naomi was an excellent driver, even through the disappointment of our fruitless search for a local radio station.

On the way home to Sarlat, we stopped by the town of La Roque on the Dordogne. Another beautiful location, but unfortunately we fled from the rain and spent much of our time there eating bruscetta. Yes, I know... bruscetta.

Our final image from Sarlat, is of me and a little friend I made while we walked through the town. I'm always on the lookout for critters to play with. This cat put up with my "friendliness" for a couple of minutes, before moving on.

Loire Valley, May 2 - 11.

2008-05-13T21:23:00.007+03:00

Leaving Paris behind, we decided to slow down a little. After an eventful train ride with delays and cancellations, we met our new landlords at Chatellerault in the Loire Valley.
From there, it was a 20 minute drive... to this:

An idyllic 17th century cottage just outside of the (very) small town of La Petite Guerche, we found ourselves delighted with everything that caught our eye. Everywhere was green, bursting with spring life. And it truly was idyllic, from fields of wheat in the distance down to the daisies and molehills in the grass at our feet.

This (below) is the view from our cottage, looking across the country garden to the stables and then the township on the horizon.

In the evening, we would place our order for the baker in a sack on the doorpost, and every morning we had fresh croissants and delicious breads delivered. Eggs were an option too, but we preferred to walk down the road to a neighbouring farm to collect our eggs right from the source.

We spent time reading and relaxing, finding many places suitable to these activities. Here is Naomi on a bench amongst the saplings, just above the croquet lawn.

There was wildlife about as well - and bumblebees and insects galore. This doormouse was one of the few furry creatures we saw there, but unfortunately its time with us was limited thanks to some tasty rat poison in the cellar.

We went on several walks to stretch both our legs and our minds. The nearest town was La Petite Guerche, but on arriving there...

it was as if everyone had vanished. A true ghost town.
Across the river, at Le Grande Guerche the story was much the same. So, we took a ride to Descartes (the birthplace of Rene) about 10km down the road. It was market day, and although the markets were not quite what we had become used to in Paris, we managed to do quite well.
Yum.

The town was pretty enough to warrant a return visit some days later, and we discovered beautiful parks and gardens that entertained us for the afternoon.

We liked the idea of riding through the countryside, so we went to La Grand Pressigny for a bit of French cooking and to hire some bicycles.
Naomi was quite happy to zip along down the hills, but climbing back up the other side was another story all together. After a few long rides and some tenderness later, the bikes were returned. It was enjoyable, but we had both had enough.

I had a little fiddle with the computer in our host's office, and we managed to have wireless access in the garden outside.
Here is Naomi with our mini computer, setting up a video call back home to Australia.

hi mum.

My dreams of fuzzy critters to make friends with does not extend to stinging insects, unfortunately.
While in the garden, it was nice to watch the bumblebees bobbing along, comically intent in their pursuits.
We don't have anything quite like it at home.

So, eventually our time in the cottage came to an end. We really enjoyed the sunshine and the grass (once the hayfever remedies kicked in) and our hosts were hospitable to the end. A real highlight was Richard... an opera singer by profession, he would burst out a booming refrain while in the midst of some gardening off in the distance. I loved it.

The final image is of Naomi, sitting at our breakfast table. Fresh croissants and morning coffee in the dappled sunshine.
We had a wonderful time in the Loire Valley.

Paris, April 8 - May 2.

2008-05-03T18:55:00.001+03:00

Paris is where the honeymoon truly began. From our apartment on Richard Lenoir, we explored the city... Paris in the Springtime was a true delight.

Our little balcony overlooked the bustling twice-weekly market near the Bastille.
So, two times a week we stocked up on fresh fruits and vegies, baked goodies and seafood.

Here you can see me ready to go with a light lunch of baguettes, cheese, mustard and wine.
It was lovely to see the trees in the street below transform as they burst with spring growth during our month in Paris.

Being good tourists, the first sight on our long list of places to go in Paris was the Eiffel Tower.
We took our baguettes and cheese along, and sat in the sunshine on the grass nearby.
Watching the ongoing struggle for noise supremacy between groups of teenagers and enthusiastic buskers.

Even Naomi couldn't resist the romance in the air. It was wonderful.

The blossoms were out in the streets, so we had a smile on our faces everywhere we went.

Just in case it was not enough to have flowers growing all around, the florists in Paris were unlike anything we had ever seen. The picture below is of the flower stall at our local market. To Naomi's delight, the roses in the front later found their way into our apartment :)

A search for jackets and shoes led us to a secondhand market the size of a suburb... but it was the smaller things that caught my eye.

In our little living room, Naomi sits at the table with the little computer. My guess is that she was on Facebook, but she will probably insist that she was doing something terribly intellectual.

We were seeing much that was small and delightful in this stunning city.

We visited many museums and galleries over the weeks. We became very good at standing in line, shuffling forward slowly with the rest of the crowd.

In the above image, you may be able to spot Naomi outside as we waited for our entry to Musee D'Orsay.
It is less of a challenge to spot her at the Natural History Museum, doing her very best Blue Whale impersonation.

The next image shows one of the highlights for both of us. The Arc de Triomphe had a real presence from below, from inside, from above... in every way we could manage to take it all in.

Inside the Louvre, Naomi is an island of calm amidst a flood of school children.

Versailles is high on every visitor's list - but heavy, cold rain and the largest crowds we had seen to this date made our visit memorable for more than just the pretty interior.

We found an almost dry alcove to eat our baguettes and wait in vain for the rain to stop.

The rain did stop, in time for us to enjoy a rare treat on our travels - a visitor!
Here is John, in travel mode.

It was really great for Naomi and John to have an unexpected reunion for a couple of days. Together, we enjoyed a more relaxed pace as our time in Paris came to a close.
The following image was taken by John at an exhibition in the Luxembourg Gardens. We found our home on the great big world map - but Naomi's finger seems to have drifted towards Ballarat... I think I'll be the one holding the map from now on!

As our time in Paris wrapped up, we scurried about to see a few more sights and walk some of the familiar streets that had become our new favourite places. We will both miss our flat at Gerard's, the Metro trains that have tyres, the skateboards by our window at 1am, the gorgeous children everywhere, the Watenberg Seder, the flowers, croissants, the search for good coffee, markets, watching the trees become green again, the beggar in the metro with his pet rabbit, the frozen world of Picard, Rodin's gardens...
and Gerard's happy doggie.

This entry was written months after we left Paris, yet memories of our time there remain the most vivid and the most uplifting. Truly a city like no other, we immersed ourselves in its charms and were happy to be swept away.

Israel, April 1-8.

2008-04-09T16:07:00.001+03:00

Hello and welcome to Remembering Eleven, where we share some of our favourite travel moments with you. The goal is to share eleven images from each destination... sometimes we may go a little under or over, but hopefully you will enjoy these highlights from our year-long honeymoon.

Our first stop was Israel, where we were to attend a wedding in the family. On the streets of Tel Aviv, we walked by the Naomi store... although I am quite happy with the one that I have. No need to exchange or upgrade.

We had barely caught our breath before the wedding was upon us. It was quite the party event - a huge celebration. Even the little ones were dressed to impress. Here we can see Esther, the only girl in all of the little cousins, proudly displaying the hair that took considerable patience to create.

There was a lovely and intimate calm-before-the-storm (no, I am not referring to before the bride made her entrance!) as the family settled in for photographs and the guests began to arrive. A nice moment with Saba and Eitan...

...and then Hila, the bride, did arrive and the event really kicked off from there.

The dancing continued between brief visits to the tables, a Moroccan feast that fueled some fancy moves on the dance floor all through the night.
In the next photo, we see Naomi and Josh holding their own amongst the surging energy on the floor.

The wedding was a huge success, and everyone went home with a smile.
We had a few days before our departure for Paris, and the time was spent with family.
Naomi took a moment after a long walk along the coast to Jaffa.

We also spent time with Saba Arieh, partaking in the two activities that all visitors to his house must do. It is an unwritten rule.
The first, is to eat nuts from the garden while you sit and watch old family videos being transcribed to DVD...

and if you need a break, you can marvel at the walls (and ceilings too) where there is a photograph of every single person Arieh has ever met, and every single place he has ever been to, in all of his 95 years.

It really is a sight to behold.
So, our short visit to the family in Israel came to an end and we packed our bags for France.
At the airport, the luggage trolleys are herded together by their hundreds and thousands.

Touchdown in the smelly splendour of a Hungarian airport. A brief stopover before we land in France.