Saturday, July 30, 2005
Saturday 30 July 2005 THE RAIN IN SPAIN
Hola
Yes it is raining and the perfect day for it because it is a kind of free day for me today. Great to have a lazy, rainy day in between all the hectic and very hot days. You know, every day I am thankful that I am doing this trip now and not when I am older. It really is hard work and tiring all this travelling and being a tourist all day. So many steps everywhere and lots of walking and standing in queues etc. I don´t know how the older people do it. I leave the hotel about 9 am everyday and don´t return until about 8.30 pm absolutely worn out. Not to mention how dangerous it is just crossing the road. I´ve had 2 near misses in Germany where thankfully my aunt grabbed me one time and the 2nd time my cousin grabbed my arm. It is so easy to look the other way and step onto the road right in front of oncoming traffic. Hopefully those 2 were a good lesson for the rest of my trip. I am really extra careful now as there is no one to grab my arm now.
I have a little time to kill today as i have already checked out of my motel and my coach doesn´t leave until 5 pm for my 10 hour trip to Nice. So I had a leisurely lunch of pizza, very appropriate weather for this. Also finally got the coffee right on this my last day in Spain. I´m a bit like Paul Hogan though with the bidets in the bathroom, don´t quite know what to do with them (just kidding) - but let´s not go there.
I have purchased a nice new sexy ankle bracelet, let´s see how long that lasts before i lose it.
Today is the Christening of the twins Kevin and Mark in Germany. All our relatives will be together for it but unfortunately I had to miss out on that event. My heart is with them though and I am looking forward to seeing my 2 babies again in September. I keep threatening to take one home to raise him as an Aussie and then they could be reunited when they are 20 yrs old. I´m sure Enrico is going to watch closely when I leave Germany that I don´t have any extra baggage.
So, off to Nice, France. Wish you all a wonderful weekend and keep in touch.
love Gisela xxx
Yes it is raining and the perfect day for it because it is a kind of free day for me today. Great to have a lazy, rainy day in between all the hectic and very hot days. You know, every day I am thankful that I am doing this trip now and not when I am older. It really is hard work and tiring all this travelling and being a tourist all day. So many steps everywhere and lots of walking and standing in queues etc. I don´t know how the older people do it. I leave the hotel about 9 am everyday and don´t return until about 8.30 pm absolutely worn out. Not to mention how dangerous it is just crossing the road. I´ve had 2 near misses in Germany where thankfully my aunt grabbed me one time and the 2nd time my cousin grabbed my arm. It is so easy to look the other way and step onto the road right in front of oncoming traffic. Hopefully those 2 were a good lesson for the rest of my trip. I am really extra careful now as there is no one to grab my arm now.
I have a little time to kill today as i have already checked out of my motel and my coach doesn´t leave until 5 pm for my 10 hour trip to Nice. So I had a leisurely lunch of pizza, very appropriate weather for this. Also finally got the coffee right on this my last day in Spain. I´m a bit like Paul Hogan though with the bidets in the bathroom, don´t quite know what to do with them (just kidding) - but let´s not go there.
I have purchased a nice new sexy ankle bracelet, let´s see how long that lasts before i lose it.
Today is the Christening of the twins Kevin and Mark in Germany. All our relatives will be together for it but unfortunately I had to miss out on that event. My heart is with them though and I am looking forward to seeing my 2 babies again in September. I keep threatening to take one home to raise him as an Aussie and then they could be reunited when they are 20 yrs old. I´m sure Enrico is going to watch closely when I leave Germany that I don´t have any extra baggage.
So, off to Nice, France. Wish you all a wonderful weekend and keep in touch.
love Gisela xxx
Friday, July 29, 2005
28 and 29 July 2005
BARCELONA
Visited Montserrat. Beautiful views from the mountain. Amazing how they built the Basilica and monastery up there. Unfortunately the choir are on holidays for 2 months so i didn´t get to hear them sing. However the inside of the church was well worth it, i queued for half an hour to go to the shrine of the Virgin Mary through tunnels etc all beautifully done with artwork and statues. I nearly missed my tour bus back to Barcelona but made it back on time.
The afternoon I discovered the harbour. Not as nice as ours of course, but very nice and filled with yachts. A nice stroll along the waters edge in the heat. Past the Christopher Columbus statue and saw huge cruise ships. Apparently they get 100 a year in Barcelona.
Evening was spent in the very lively La Ramblas with street entertainers etc. 10 million people visit Barcelona each year since the Olympics in 1992. It is the 2nd most visited place in the world after Paris. So you can just imagine the crowds here. I went to an open'air sidewalk restaurant right in the heart of it all where you can watch the people go by. I celebrated my friend Laura´s birthday with a beer with a Tapas entree of squid and followed by PAELLA, one of my favourite dishes. It was really good but I couldn´t eat it all. Then I heard a young German girl from the table behind me (sitting with 7 others) say in German "Don´t tell me that woman is going to leave all that, I would love to eat it¨". So I turned around and said in German ¨"You are very welcome to the rest of this meal if you like". They all thanked me and gladly took it and giggled at having been caught out. Luckily I remember being a starving young student in Canberra once upon a time. Anyway, it was really funny.
Today I did a full day tour of the city of Barcelona and Gaudi. Included a bull ring, the Picassi Museum, a typical Spanish Village where we stopped for a great lunch (yes, food again mybridge). They served bread with 2 whole tomatoes and 2 unpeeled cloves of garlic and a bottle of oil on the side. Marvellous! I´m thinking of doing the same at my next dinner party.
Also saw the Olympic village, the Sagrada Familia Cathedral and my very very favourite spot today, Guell Park. Full of Gaudi´s works of art, i think i am becoming a fan.
And Robert, NO, I didn´t visit Sylvia Sanchez. Do you realise how many Sanchez´s there are in Spain.
Tomorrow will be a free roam around sort of day and then i´m off to France. I opted for an overnight bus leaving at 5.00 pm for Nice. A 10 hour trip. I should get to see a bit of the countryside along the way because it doesn´t get dark until 10 pm.
The reason i have verbal you-know-what today is because i haven´t spoken to anyone in English for 6 days. So thanks for all your emails.
love Gisela
Visited Montserrat. Beautiful views from the mountain. Amazing how they built the Basilica and monastery up there. Unfortunately the choir are on holidays for 2 months so i didn´t get to hear them sing. However the inside of the church was well worth it, i queued for half an hour to go to the shrine of the Virgin Mary through tunnels etc all beautifully done with artwork and statues. I nearly missed my tour bus back to Barcelona but made it back on time.
The afternoon I discovered the harbour. Not as nice as ours of course, but very nice and filled with yachts. A nice stroll along the waters edge in the heat. Past the Christopher Columbus statue and saw huge cruise ships. Apparently they get 100 a year in Barcelona.
Evening was spent in the very lively La Ramblas with street entertainers etc. 10 million people visit Barcelona each year since the Olympics in 1992. It is the 2nd most visited place in the world after Paris. So you can just imagine the crowds here. I went to an open'air sidewalk restaurant right in the heart of it all where you can watch the people go by. I celebrated my friend Laura´s birthday with a beer with a Tapas entree of squid and followed by PAELLA, one of my favourite dishes. It was really good but I couldn´t eat it all. Then I heard a young German girl from the table behind me (sitting with 7 others) say in German "Don´t tell me that woman is going to leave all that, I would love to eat it¨". So I turned around and said in German ¨"You are very welcome to the rest of this meal if you like". They all thanked me and gladly took it and giggled at having been caught out. Luckily I remember being a starving young student in Canberra once upon a time. Anyway, it was really funny.
Today I did a full day tour of the city of Barcelona and Gaudi. Included a bull ring, the Picassi Museum, a typical Spanish Village where we stopped for a great lunch (yes, food again mybridge). They served bread with 2 whole tomatoes and 2 unpeeled cloves of garlic and a bottle of oil on the side. Marvellous! I´m thinking of doing the same at my next dinner party.
Also saw the Olympic village, the Sagrada Familia Cathedral and my very very favourite spot today, Guell Park. Full of Gaudi´s works of art, i think i am becoming a fan.
And Robert, NO, I didn´t visit Sylvia Sanchez. Do you realise how many Sanchez´s there are in Spain.
Tomorrow will be a free roam around sort of day and then i´m off to France. I opted for an overnight bus leaving at 5.00 pm for Nice. A 10 hour trip. I should get to see a bit of the countryside along the way because it doesn´t get dark until 10 pm.
The reason i have verbal you-know-what today is because i haven´t spoken to anyone in English for 6 days. So thanks for all your emails.
love Gisela
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
madrid to barcelona 25 to 30 july
WOW, WOW AND WOW
Culture, the arts and history. Surrounded by palaces. i made good use of the hop on and off bus. so much so that my legs disown me every night. LOVED the prado museum, thyssen and reina sophia museums. Came face to face with Rembrandts, Renoirs, picassos etc. Brought back memories of year 12 art studies. Amazing, i had to pinch myself all the time to believe i was really standing there right in front of such beautiful and famous works of art. Cezanne, Gauguin the list goes on and on.
Also walked the Botannical gardens as well as a huge park complete with a huge pond where people rent boats.
To top off a perfect day i opted for a night at the ballet instead of the traditional bullfight. Couldn´t resist, the nutcracker was on, the imperial russian ballet right opposite my motel. Costumes colourful and gorgeous, huge christmas tree on stage and men in tights. it all took place in a lovely old theatre all red and gold with chandeliers etc. The music replayed all evening as i went to sleep.
i got myself off to the train station this morning, estacion des altoche, pretty good hey, the driver understood me. So today was pretty restful, 5 and a half hours on the train, very comfortable, air con. etc and a dining car where i had lunch and some sort of semblance of a coffee. Thank god i have a cast iron stomach, lunch was a hot roll with smelly cheese and something like hot proscuitto, not very nice but it got better as i got used to it. you know me, won´t waste.
So 3 nights now in Barcelona, the rialto. Finally made it to the coast and it looked really nice from the train window, palm trees and all and loads of people. i am currently at the famous les ramblas. off to montserrat in the morning and a full day city tour on friday.
Culture, the arts and history. Surrounded by palaces. i made good use of the hop on and off bus. so much so that my legs disown me every night. LOVED the prado museum, thyssen and reina sophia museums. Came face to face with Rembrandts, Renoirs, picassos etc. Brought back memories of year 12 art studies. Amazing, i had to pinch myself all the time to believe i was really standing there right in front of such beautiful and famous works of art. Cezanne, Gauguin the list goes on and on.
Also walked the Botannical gardens as well as a huge park complete with a huge pond where people rent boats.
To top off a perfect day i opted for a night at the ballet instead of the traditional bullfight. Couldn´t resist, the nutcracker was on, the imperial russian ballet right opposite my motel. Costumes colourful and gorgeous, huge christmas tree on stage and men in tights. it all took place in a lovely old theatre all red and gold with chandeliers etc. The music replayed all evening as i went to sleep.
i got myself off to the train station this morning, estacion des altoche, pretty good hey, the driver understood me. So today was pretty restful, 5 and a half hours on the train, very comfortable, air con. etc and a dining car where i had lunch and some sort of semblance of a coffee. Thank god i have a cast iron stomach, lunch was a hot roll with smelly cheese and something like hot proscuitto, not very nice but it got better as i got used to it. you know me, won´t waste.
So 3 nights now in Barcelona, the rialto. Finally made it to the coast and it looked really nice from the train window, palm trees and all and loads of people. i am currently at the famous les ramblas. off to montserrat in the morning and a full day city tour on friday.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
24 JULY 2005 MADRID
Arrived Madrid this afternoon. What a shock. Both German and English arent helping me at the moment. Very hot. Flight was fine with lufthansa and my motel is right in the centre for 2 nights. Red light district I think, sex shops everywhere. I have a madrid pass for 2 days where i can hop on and off a bus as much as i want and it includes entry fees to 40 museums. Lets see how much my legs can handle. Next few days should be interesting. No more being spoiled by relatives. My new sunglasses purchased in Hong Kong are already broken in the bottom of my bag and now I need them desperately. Oh well. Just had a nice iced coffee at Starbucks cafe. Thinking about going to the ballet across the road tonight but i am probably too tired, looks good though but i have a huge day ahead of me. So Adios amigos! By the way, all the guys look like Antonio Banderas.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Germany 7 July to 21 July
Relatives included 4 month old twins kevin and mark, cousin Enricos and Angeliques. i take them for walks into town in the huge double pram and everyone asks me how hard it is with 2 little boys. They don´t realise the bags under my eyes are from discoing in nightclubs called honeypot at Straubing until the wee hours of the morning with Erhard and his sister Magdalena. It was an interesting mix of music from traditional old Bavarian music to waltzes to modern day pop.
Highlights included the English Garden in munich which actually has a huge beer garden in it with band and all, great food, beer etc. A cruise on the Donau with my Aunt Renate and Peter To a monastery. A walk in the forest at 8 pm and climbing the Alps just across the border of Austria where the views were all like scenes from Heidi with cows on the hills with bells on etc. Riding around the countryside on Erhards black BMW wearing his old black leather jacket. Visiting the town where I was born Groebenzell and the family Dichtl whom we lived with. All the beautiful old churches where I always light a candle for my mum. The 700 year old buildings at Regensburg, Wasserburg and Rosenheim etc. The castles eg Burg Trausnitz and the guided tours through them where they tell you all about the old days, the furniture and the tapestries and paintings.
The Landshuter Hochzeit was fabulous. A parade through the streets of mum´s old home town. They dress in the costumes same as those worn in the 1400´s beautiful. Also had tickets to see the Knights play traditional games on horseback, excellent. I took my 2nd cousin Sabrina with me, we had fun and great seats.
i have attended a 79th birthday Frau Ecker and my aunt Renates 58th birthday where I MET one of my cousins for the very first time KATJA, almost my age with 2 gorgeous daughters. Helena reminds me of my niece kirstin. They played the piano beautifully to entertain us.
Food has been sauerbraten, knoedel, bretzchen, obatzen, apple strudel, emmanthaler cheese, hirsch, reh, spaetzle and schweinebraten. Very yummy stuff just like mum used to make. Also Bavarian cream dessert and many cakes. Always accompanied by a beer of course.
i look forward to coming back to Germany in September. My cousin Mischa drove me to the airport this morning. Everyone has been very wonderful and helpful and very generous with their time etc which has made it a magical experience for me.
Highlights included the English Garden in munich which actually has a huge beer garden in it with band and all, great food, beer etc. A cruise on the Donau with my Aunt Renate and Peter To a monastery. A walk in the forest at 8 pm and climbing the Alps just across the border of Austria where the views were all like scenes from Heidi with cows on the hills with bells on etc. Riding around the countryside on Erhards black BMW wearing his old black leather jacket. Visiting the town where I was born Groebenzell and the family Dichtl whom we lived with. All the beautiful old churches where I always light a candle for my mum. The 700 year old buildings at Regensburg, Wasserburg and Rosenheim etc. The castles eg Burg Trausnitz and the guided tours through them where they tell you all about the old days, the furniture and the tapestries and paintings.
The Landshuter Hochzeit was fabulous. A parade through the streets of mum´s old home town. They dress in the costumes same as those worn in the 1400´s beautiful. Also had tickets to see the Knights play traditional games on horseback, excellent. I took my 2nd cousin Sabrina with me, we had fun and great seats.
i have attended a 79th birthday Frau Ecker and my aunt Renates 58th birthday where I MET one of my cousins for the very first time KATJA, almost my age with 2 gorgeous daughters. Helena reminds me of my niece kirstin. They played the piano beautifully to entertain us.
Food has been sauerbraten, knoedel, bretzchen, obatzen, apple strudel, emmanthaler cheese, hirsch, reh, spaetzle and schweinebraten. Very yummy stuff just like mum used to make. Also Bavarian cream dessert and many cakes. Always accompanied by a beer of course.
i look forward to coming back to Germany in September. My cousin Mischa drove me to the airport this morning. Everyone has been very wonderful and helpful and very generous with their time etc which has made it a magical experience for me.
