And we thought the food was good over the last couple of days . . .

Well and truly in a food coma last night, I slept like a log. When I finally awake it has gone 9:30 am. I'm not sure how long Gen has been up. "Why didn't you wake me earlier" "Well you must need it" - if only it was that easy.. This is the one drawback of a medicated sleep - it becomes just too easy to sleep the morning away..

Launceston is expecting up to 24 degrees today so we can dispense with some of the layers. Gen is excited to show me some of the Launceston that she visited five years ago.  After an in-room breakfast of fruit toast (baked yesterday at the Rosevears Bakery) and some of our fast dwindling supply of Christmas Hill Road raspberries, we leave the hotel, turning to the south rather than the north today. Property down this end of Rosevears is more developed. There is evidence of older homes - some pre-dating 1900 by the look of them look serenely over the Tamar River - although at this point, it looks more like a lake, it is so wide.

As Rosevears is only 20 minutes north of Launceston, I would find this a beautiful part of the state, and country, in which to live. Along with regal, sleepy older homes stand newer constructs and as we drive around, we see newer homes yet to be finished. They overlook the glistening river, rippling in the sunshine across to a mountain backdrop that on a clear day includes the Cradle Mountain outline! Pretty, pretty special. Also along this winding 'lane' along the water we see two plots of grapes creeping their way gently up the slope, planted to maximise the amount of light that each any every branch can receive. There is not a winery name of either of these so I do not know if there is a small boutique winery here - I'll have a look into it tomorrow.

Before long we are on the Bass Highway in to Launceston. The residents are so lucky - so much property has both a mountain view in the backdrop and a water view in the foreground. Homes are predominantly modest, although when we get into the City Centre, away from the riverside, those homes on the upper streets are more substantial and stately.

We begin our discovery of the city at Queen Victoria Museum at Inveresk. Obviously a local landmark, this space is filled with people. Young and old wandering through the various displays of Tasmania (and Launceston's) development and past. Moving through the natural history displays, Gen can finally put a name to the bird that she has seen but couldn't identify - it is a Brown Skua - similar to a gull, but brown and on steroids (like much on the island). We have seen examples of most of the marsupials in the wild - just not a wombat - although I still hold hope of seeing one before we leave Tasmania.

They have a wonderful Planetarium. Tasmania holds quite a place in the history of astronomy in Australia. It includes examples and the real examples of some of the earlier telescopes, especially radio telescopes that put Tasmania on the astronomical map. We are in time to see the day's first showing of the night sky in the planetarium. Us, and a family of four. Wow. Our astronomer, Rebecca, (with a degree in astrophysics) is very informative. As all of us are seated in one area of the arena, she spins the display so we don't need to dislocate our necks! So, tonight is going to be a great night to see the bands of the Milky Way - too bad it is cloudy in Launceston, just our luck. She points out the latest two exo-planets discovered, including one in the life-sustaining Goldilocks Band - exciting if you are into extra-stellar life, or just a star-junkie like half of the Carkagis clan!

The museum is set in the former railyards and quite a bit of space is given over to exhibits of this former use, and the contribution that they made to the local economy and community. They even covered the conversion of operations during the war times - and we see a new parallel with home where a new munitions factory is nearing completion.

Being inside a museum, the space is climate controlled and now I am getting cold. Thankfully I am carrying my jacket (and in the wheelchair today). I suppose I look like a dork wearing it back-to-front, but who cares, I'm warmer! Outsider you take a look at some of the art exhibits and insallations, I feel better as we walk in and out of the warmer sunshine. But time is galloping and Gen wants me to see the City Park today.

Once the site of Launceston's Government House, the Park was developed by the  Launceston Horticultural Society and handed to the Launceston council in 1863. It is teeming with life - young people hanging out, some new residents (from the sub-continent by their appearance) gleefully taking videos of the Macaque monkeys, families with children, local musicians jamming in the Pavilion dedicated to warmer clime plants, young lovers, a family taking an older member on an outing and a number of large gatherings having planned picnics. It appears to be a well-loved space and offers something for almost everyone. The established trees are nothing short of majestic and the rose and dahlia beds are boasting full blooms. Those dahlias were Dad's favourite flowers and when you see the magnificence of this display, I can see why. Additional to the Pavilion and the monkeys are any number of memorials - you should see the Queen Victoria Cupola now housing drinking bubblers, duck ponds populated by at least four different species we see today, oh, and a miniature tractor-pulled train that seems to want to take every path Gen is pushing me on. I start to think that the driver is deliberately following our route so we have to move out of his way. He doesn't seem to follow a pre-determined route! The weather is beginning to close in and the wind is increasing, so we slowly (uphill) make our way back to the car.

We have brought our latest washing load with us as there are a couple of laundromats listed in Launnie (am I sounding like a local yet, Robyn??). we find one a couple of klms from the city centre and make a bee-line. Gen has the machine ready to load and discovers that we don't have enough in change left, so she walks a block back to a service station to change money. Just over an hour later, we are ready to set off again. 

When we arrived at the museum this morning, we had phoned Stillwater, the restaurant where Gen had a very memorable meal last time she was here. The only booking they can give us is a seating at 5:30 pm. So we book this - with a later breakfast, we feel that we can forgo lunch to allow us to make the most of an early dinner. And by the time Gen finished the washing, it was after 5 pm so we drove through the City and back across the bridge to where Stillwater sits, overlooking the still waters of a 'bay' in the Tamar River - yep, very aptly named.

Now, the service was impeccable. All staff have obviously had extensive front of house training. Water offere, house-made sourdough (soo delicious) is served as we read through the menu - gosh, it all looks so good. How will we choose what to eat?  Mull over it we did and we finally decided on sharing Snacks (starters) of Hot Smoked Salmon Croquettes and Rock Lobster Blinis and then the entree of Beef Tartare with radish.

Mains - I had the Gnocchi and Gen the Rib Fillet (bleu) with beans and potato sides.

Gen had a local Rosè and I had the Pinot Gris. Desserts followed with Gen chosing the Yuzu ice cream and I had the meringue. Could not have eaten or drunk another thing! Stillwater Restaurant was outstanding in food and service.

We've hobbled back to our current home - had a coffee and are now more than ready for bed. Tamar Valley Wine Trail tomorrow before we cruise the Tamar and do the Cataract Gorge on Monday. Time is fast coming to an end and there is still so much to see and do!

Hobart - a City of choices

 Despite the rain late yesterday and last night, this morning dawned overcast but clear. The rain has cleansed everything, the air is crisp and the light is bright.

We begin our morning with breakfast at Daci and Daci - yet another bakery recommended by many. Situated on the fringe of the CBD, we consider ourselves lucky to get a car space across the road. They are busy, but we get a table without any difficulty. And now to the choices - the first of many for the day.

The menu is varied with all day servings from both the breakfast and lunch meals. After coffees while we deliberate, we settle on a Twice Cooked Gruyere Souffle from the breakfast choices and a Chicken, Creamed Leek and Tarragon Pie served with Red Pepper Relish from the lunch menu. I ate about 3/4 of the souffle and Gen, 3/4 of the pie. They were truly delicious, flavour-some but not at all heavy. The service couldn't be faulted, again with all staff wishing the patrons, enjoy the rest of your day - every one of them to every customer. TASMANIA DOES SERVICE and does it very well. There is no rush, people sit and chat, sipping hot drinks if not partaking in a meal. We admire how classy the black uniform looks on the waitresses, and look up at the funky lighting. We've decided rayther than try to take a cake with us, we would add dessert to our breakfast - we are not planning to have lunch so we are ready for Mures and seafood tonight! In deference to the growing number of patrons in the shop, Gen goes to the front display counters and photographs the amazing pastries and cakes - all of them! They are amazing and are the subject of choice no 2. Again, we decide that if we buy two different ones, and share them, we can expand our experiences. After discussions and sometimes almost arguments, we choose the Mandarin and the Organic Chocolate and Raspberry Bombe.

The Mandarin looks realistically like a ripe, plump mandarin sitting atop a fine small pastry tart and the Bombe had the crispest tempered chocolate shell encasing a rich but not over-sweet pudding consistency filling with a raspberry gel centre. They were very different, one lighter and citrussy and the other rich and the other dark and decadent. Needing another hot drink to have with our desserts, but not wanting to be bouncing off walls, we both had a seven-spiced Chai Latte. So, breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea all done in the one setting we leave this little bit of paradise.

Our next choice was to decide whether we take a little time out to plan the coming few days, or start our exploration of historic Hobart. Planning won and we headed to the Tourist Information Bureau for advice and bookings. Again, the service was friendly and prompt. Staff gladly shared their passion and knowledge for their home state, made suggestions and checked vacancies in the South East for the following few days. I had booked for Port Arthur before we left home, but that was as far as we had planned. So looking at our (dwindling) time and our desire to see as much of the island state as we possibly can. So we explored two routes in particular around the Huon and Bruny Island.

After checking accommodation and tour vacancies we settled on two days on Bruny Island staying at the Bruny Hotel lodges at Alonnah and on my birthday, taking the Pennicott Wilderness cruise on the waters around the island and the adjacent Tasman Sea. We have needed to buy a National Park Pass. You buy it for a day, a week or for 2 months. So two months it is! Not sure whether we will be able to pass it on to someone for the second month, seems like a bit of a waste if we can't, but it was the most economical choice (yes, another choice!!) Also booked the Bruny Island ferry (also owned by SeaLink - starting to think that they have control of most of the ferries connecting the Australian mainland and our far-flung islands). After collecting appropriate tourist literature, we raced across the road to 'negotiate' with parking inspectors who had taken an interest in our car. Like all the Tasmanians they were friendly, and given that we were now ready to leave, they were accommodating. (we had overstayed our time - just a little!)

Parking, like in any capital city, is at a premium. The VIC (visitor information centre) staff had recommended that we use the Council car parks as they are cheaper and more conveniently located than the private car parks. Would hate to see how much less convenient the private ones are, because it was a bugger to get to the Council one! Google Maps does not recognise one-way streets in Hobart, so we ended up going quite a few blocks more than what we would have, had we been on foot.

This afternoon was devoted to exploring the Hobart CBD. Leaving the carpark, we encounter the first of many many hills and dales. Hobart has any number of very steep streets, and given the distance that we were planning on seeing, she had insisted that it was a wheelchair day. Thank goodness she did, there is no way that I could have walked where we went. We followed 'Hobart's Historic Places - A walking guide through the city centre' - a guide we can highly recommend.

We concentrated our walk in the Victoria, Collins, Macquarie and Davey Streets between Argyle and Harrington Streets. We explored church and cathedral - St Joseph's Church - the oldest surviving Catholic Church in Hobart and St David's Cathedral where we found a tattered piece of a Union Jack flag that is dedicated to Australia's last Anzac Alec William Campbell, in stark contrast with home where we celebrate Australia's first Anzac, Duncan Chapman. 

Following these immersions, we moved into more secular surroundings, stopping to admire the statuary and fountain and public art in Franklin Square where the dedications leave no doubt to the appreciation of the citizens of Hobart to earlier public models. Hobart's amazing architectureincludes the Hobart City Hall, the National Mutual Life Building, the Masonic Lodge, Hadley's Hotel, Ingle Hall and Hobart Town Hall - which span more than 200 years. We finally arrive at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. It was here we took refuge from the sun and breeze, although I found the temperature and humidity controlled environment a tad chilly. And my poor lips are paying the price - I was hoping that away from the stresses of work, my lips would stop peeling - wind and aircon however are giving them no respite! 

This complex is set in three floors (plus basement) of the former Bond Store and an adjacent younger building. Beginning with the geography, geology and zoological displays that showcased Tasmania's unique wildlife very well, the second and third floors concentrated on the social history of the development of the state, concentrating predominantly on the Hobart area. it was good to see that the encounters and later treatment of the First Peoples were genuinely portrayed. As sad as any colonising force many of the local natives that were encountered were murdered.

In the adjacent building there were exhibits that detailed Australia's activities and excursions into Antarctica where the worrying prediction states that within 50 years we may see much of that continent devoid of snow in the summer months!
There was scientific equipment, a 'live' (for the want of a better word) chunk of Antarctic ice - place in a frame on a refrigerated bed.  No wonder I was feeling the cold in this room! Gen on the other hand loved its icy air!!

The balance of this building housed art exhibitions including a Taswegian artist who lost her home in bushfires and is constructing new furniture from reclaimed wood and branches and twigs, hoping to fill a future home that is airy and stark. Her pieces are very organic and really tell a story. There was the Tasmanian collection of old and new masters and one focussed on jewellery. That one didn't really appeal to either of us.

It is now 4:45 pm and the museum is closing. Back into the streets we go, me in the wheelchair and Gen manouvertting through the-end-of-working-day crowds, up more. hills than we care to count to return to the car. We have a booking at Mures for dinner and Gen really wants to rest for an hour or so before a refreshing shower. Our reservation is for 7:30pm, the first booking we could get.

At 6:45 we depart the Battery Point Manor for Mures. 

There are three venues at the facility - Mures Upper Deck which is a rated restaurant, Mures Lower Deck which is more casual and Pearl and Co which is more of a retailing seafood. We had a reservation for Mures Upper Deck - on the recommendation of friends and those who have previously lived in Hobart. 
The traffic has calmed down and we find. parking spot within metres of the door. That was where my luck ran out. They have a stair-lift, a commercial version of the one we were considering for home, but it needs a key. So up the stairs goes Gen to collect said key, only to be told that the lift is currently out of order. Back down she comes to deliver the bad news and to walk behind me as I climb 18 stairs to the restaurant. With 14 steps at home, I figured it would be a breeze. Not quite. They were steeper and those last 4 steps were a challenge.

We are shown to a window-side table, both seated to look out over the waters of Victoria Dock and beyond that to Constitution dock where the Sydeny to Hobart Race ends. 
The menu is not large, and with some meat and vegan options, it focuses on locally caught seafood.
More choices to be made. Do we do entrees, mains and desserts? Or do we choose The Share Table at $70 per head? Of course we chose the latter and it was sublime, beginning with warm olive bread with oil and balsamic reduction that we paired with a cocktail. Then the courses in order of presentation were:
1. Oysters - we chose Kilpatrick
2, Gravlssx
3. Scallops (roe on) with smashed broad beans and bacon scallop cream
4. (Amazing) Seafood spaghetti with squid, salmon, premium white fish, prawns with a tomato salsa - one of the best dishes I have ever eaten.
5. Mures prawns and crumbed pink ling with chips, salad, brocollini and beans. And they had the hide to call this Fish and Chips!
6. Finally, dessert! A Chocolate Mousse with salted caramel sauce, toasted cocnut, orange segments and an almond crisp, It was light but oh-so-rich. The other dessert was a much lighter Earl Grey brulee, milk crumb and candied citrus peel.
We enjoyed a cocktail followed by a Pinot Gris for me and a cherry and pear Cider for Gen. We couldn'e even fit in any coffee!!

Decided we would walk along the dock looking at amazing bronzed statuary that pay homage to early settlers, early explorers and those who have lost their lives at sea fishing so that all of Australia can have quality seafoods from the cold southern waters. By now the wind had dropped and there were few pedestrians and even fewer cars, so it was easy to spend the next hour wandering the dock.

We have now returned to the Battery Point Manor and as I finish this tale, Gen is re-loading suitcases in readiness for our departure tomorrow for Port Arthur.

Check in again tomorrow night for the next instalment in our trip!

We have a new friend - barmaid Howrie!

Writing the blog sober can sometimes be a little of a chore.
Writing the blog while pissed as a fart is  . . .  a challenge.
So I didn't try to write the blog last night - hence me writing this morning!


The day started out well enough - with breakfast as we planned a day sightseeing in Göteborg.  Now Göteborg is a very walkable city.  It is predominantly flat and right on the coast with a significant harbour, with a few canals leading from the harbour in to the City.


The Scandic Crown Hotel is inner city - just beyond the Central Rail Station. The concierge at the desk here provides some advice on getting right in to the historic areas.  Walk around the station and through Nordstan, a 'Westfield style' shopping mall right in the centre of the CBD.  would you believe that in the month that we have been in Europe, this is the first shopping centre that we have been in.  And you will all be proud of us - despite all the 'Sale' signs in windows, we bought nothing!  To get to the historic areas of the City, we need to get beyond Nordstan, and the fastest way to do it is through it.

On the other side, we come out in an area of narrow cobbled streets radiating in a grid pattern out from the significant Gustaf Adolf’s Square facing the Rådhuset (Town Hall) with a canal running along one side - complete with picture pretty bridges lined with flower pots.

Our first building visit is in to The German Church which its also called Christinae Church. Named after Queen Christina, it was inaugurated in 1748, and used by he German and Dutch congregation in Gothenburg. While there are some ornate decorations, in the chandeliers and the windows, predominantly it is simple and basic and filled with light.


Crossing the canal brings us into closer quarters, with narrower streets, many of them pedestrianised so we don't need to be watching for vehicles quite so diligently.  It gives us a chance to look at doorways and rooflines and into the minutae of daily life here in Göteborg.


We are now close to the main canal and the city park and notice the spire for the Domkyrkan - the Cathedral.  We had a little difficulty getting in initially, turns out they are preparing for a radio broadcast on today, Sunday 8 September.  The original church on this site was consecrated in 1633 and following two fires, this final Cathedral was built in 1815. It is plainer than many we have seen.

We are headed to the Saluhallen, the Market Hall in Göteborg. This is the largest indoor market, and significantly nicer that the two outdoor markets we have seen thus far today.  When you enter in through the double doors,your senses are assailed in the very best of ways.  There are foods of all descriptions - smallgoods, cheeses, fruit and vegetables, sweets and nuts, meats, home-made pastas, cooked meals.  Only one fishmonger - and really they only had prawns and salmons plus sauces and salads.  Turns out that the City of Göteborg has its own fish markets down near the harbour.


Back into the sunshine - it is warm and lovely until the sun disappears behind a cloud and the wind picks up!  Across the next canal towards Kungsparken (Kings Park) we see further evidence of the regal presence in the city of the past.
At this point, Donna tells me we are not too far from the Haga district, the oldest quarter.  "How far is not far?"  "Only about 1.5 kms"  "Too far", was my response! Time to put the tram tickets we have bought to use.  Soon to the tram we go to visit the Haga district.  The first thing that we tend to notice are the rooflines - and that includes the spires and towers of the various churches.  There is no reason that the Haga should be any different!
At first we cannot get in to the Church as there is a service in progress.  Turns out the service is a wedding.  

I join the locals taking the sun, sitting in the beautiful little park adjacent to the church while Donna takes a walk down to see how close she can get to the Fish Markets we could see from the tram stop.  Like many other cities, there are significant road works being undertaken here and this means long detours around said works!
She comes back via some of the traditional half timbered houses that exist only in the Haga district now.  And like the main city area, some of the cobbled streets have been closed to traffic to allow safe access by pedestrians and bikes and cycles.

The bells were ringing (for me and my girl) as the newly wedded couple leave the church.  We come up to the doors as one of the church officials comes to the door, telling us we can only have five minutes as they are closing the church.  Quite a number of people follow us in! Church done, we head off to find one of the best examples of restored buildings in this area. We find a couple, unsure of which is the exact building in a row that all demonstrate some special features.

Our day is done.  My feet are done.
So it is back to the tram and back to the Scandic Crown.
After walking just over 5km (tram rides extra) we deserve a drink.

Howrie, bar tender of the day, helps us to make sure that we celebrate appropriately!
A few drinks later, we ask for Cointreau on ice.  She has never served Cointreau before and has to search the register to find the button!!
Its about now that she delivers a smallgoods tray to us.  Not sure if it was in recognition of our patronage or to ensure we eat something as we drink!  Who cares, was delicious.
She tells us that Göteborg can get as low as minus 20 degrees in winter and that in a heavy snow, the whole public transport network closes down.
She also tells us that limes are the most expensive fruit - even more so than mangoes,and that she would give anything to have a lime tree in her yard.  Turns out they sell at about 3 for 70 SEK.  That makes them about $3 each!

An early night follows - we needed it!

From prizes to princes

An earlier start today to make sure that we get the most of our visit to Gamla Stan.
Gamla stan, the Old Town, until 1980 was officially known as Staden mellan broarna (The Town between the Bridges), is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen.


It is a short ferry ride across the inner harbour  in the sunshine this morning, passing four large cruise ships enroute.  There is a slight breeze and the possibility of a shower, so Donna has packed the umbrellas - just in case.Gamla Stan is one of the larger islands in the archipelago that is Stockholm.  It has an area of about 0.26 square kms.  And while we didn't cover all of it,we gave it a pretty damn good shot.  Walked just under 5 kms today so you can imagine how my feet are tonight!  Still I am really pleased with how I lasted and thankful that Donna lent me her arm numerous times on the blasted cobblestones.  There were every possible type of them somewhere on the island - including those little rounded ones that they set on their edges - they are the most painful!
On our way to find the Cathedral (which turned out not to be the church we thought it was) we came across the intricate bronze statue to St George and the Dragon. This dragon was slain in return for the City converting to christianity!  Turns out, this is not the only statue to St George and the dragon, and most certainly one one of hundreds of statues on this elaborate little island.The first major building we entered today is the Nobel Prize Museum. Set in an imposing building facing one of the main squares where the City fountain is set, the interior is dark, although not at all cool!  This centre focuses on the story of how the Prize came about - as the legacy left in the will of Alfred Nobel who had made his fortune in the discovery and development of dynamite. 
Without any direct descendants (although he had large extended family) he decided to distribute his fortune to the recognition of those who excelled in a number of scientific and other fields:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Physiology or Medicine
• Literature
• Peace

In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Th Royal Apartments (historic) are more accessible with lift access allowing easy access to the main areas (although there were still steps up from each foyer).  There are two things that strike us Once we had had our fill of the opulence, we retraced our steps to the courtyard just as the Changing of the Guard was taking place. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. We have unobstructed views, unlike the crowds who have just entered the Parade Square and are being marshalled by soldiers! The Guard have some of the best polished helmets we have ever seen!Out through the Parade Square and behind the Palace, we find the Storkyrkan - Stockholm Cathedral, St. Jacob's Church and St. Clara Church.  This medieval church, built from 1279, this cathedral, has been a Lutheran place of worship since 1527.  
By now it is now close to 5 pm and time for us to turn towards the ferry back to Skeppsholmen.  My feet HATE the cobblestones and the uneven roads and pavements, the hills up and down, have taken their toll.  I am really feeling our jaunt today, but thrilled that we were able to traverse most of Gamla Stan.
We return to the Hotel Skeppsholmen somewhat subdued, but happy with the day.
Night all - time to rest the tootsies!

There are not too many people getting off the ferry, although there were plenty on board - so I guess the museums we did over the last couple of days are still drawing the late summer / early autumn crowds.

Gamla Stan has a really interesting skyline with cupolas, towers, spires and the stair-stepped roof-lines reminiscent of those in Brugges and the slightly rounded ones found across many of the other European cities.

Between 1901 and 2018, the prizes have been awarded a total of 590 times.  And there is information on each and every one.  One of the more interesting ways they are presented is on a ceiling mounted tracked system that features each of the laureates on a separate hanging banner.  Other ways they are presented are in decade visual blocks where one can read in detail of the recipient.  And some are featured in special displays.  There is a major display on the works and times of Martin Luther King.  We spent about 2 hours working through the discoveries and works of some of the amazing people who have and are currently influencing our knowledge of our world.

Following our enlightening, we ventured back into the afternoon sun - it is hard to believe that summer is done and locally, everyone is commenting on how later summer is lasting.  After wandering through backstreets, peering down alleyways and into doorways and courtyards, we end up on one of the straight lines that cross the island - Osterlangg, looking for a light lunch.  
The small restaurant Cultur was easy to enter (steps here are everywhere) and in fact, compared to here on Skeppsholmen, very affordable.

Donna had Cod with crab sauce and baby potatoes and I had Chicken with Tarragon, mashed potatoes and white beans.  Washed down with a glass of Italian Pinot it was delicious and very satisfying, providing the energy needed this afternoon.

So we next headed to the other end of Gamla Stan and The Royal Palaces. 

With more than 600 rooms, much of it open to the public, we could have spent a full day in this one complex. However, time is short and there is still so much to see.  Donna climbed the many steps to take some photos in the large Chapel - basically one large hall that hosts major ceremonies.

Straight away we are struck by - the amazing chandeliers in all the rooms, and the plethora of clocks -some rooms with more than one - and all keeping perfect time.  Turns out the Palace has its own clock-maker to ensure that these historic pieces all run true!
There are gifts from popes and princes, priceless tapestries and furniture and elaborate furnishings in the king's rooms.  The Council Chamber still hosts meetings of the Swedish Cabinet three to four times a year with the King sitting as Chairman.
And Karl XI's gallery, modelled on the castle Versailles mirror gallery has a series of chandeliers running its length!

It houses the other statue of St George slaying the Dragon that we have seen today.  This one, carved in timber in 1489 is amazing in its detail.

Tomorrow we check out and will take the train to Gothenburg on the other side of Sweden.  At least this way we will get to see more of the countryside.

Oslo - where the Vikings once ruled

All night long, we were lulled with a muted rythmic rumble. Turns out that there is a very regular tram line that runs under our window. They run every 2 minutes during the day and not much less even into the wee hours of the morning.  The triple glazing must be excellent, as we are not disturbed at all. In fact, it is quite soothing.

Well Oslo is a bit of a surprise. Brunch this morning is fabulous coffee (oh, how I have missed you) and the lightest, plumpest cinnamon scrolls that look like a double carrick knot. Its cool but not cold and without any breeze.  As we sit enjoying our food, we here sirens and then a protest march in the near distance.  Great. Not. I guess that being a little on edge is becoming the new norm for travellers. Don't worry. Not close enough to cause any concern.

The public transport is amazing. This morning Donna got out the guide book and spent an hour or so cross referencing the transport map and the locational map to identify which trams and buses would get us to places such as the Opera House, the main railway station and the Vikingskipsene - our major destination for today.
And before we go any further, I just want to note that Donna has absolutely NO sense of direction.  Google maps sending us the long way around or not (as it does), she still has no natural sense of direction. Thankfully, I do! And thankfully Donna is a whiz at working out the connections.

We pick up the bus outside our building.  This is the former main Post Office - a beautiful building that covers an entire city block, it now houses apartments, shops, offices etc.  The bus stop is on one stage of the block and the tram stop on the other side of the building. So the bus stop is at the front door and the tram at the back!  On to Bus no 30 we head out. 
We have not been able to find out how or where to buy a ticket and are hoping that we can buy them on the bus. And yes we can, but only with cash, which I had bought prior to leaving Australia. But the bus driver could not make the change needed and so told us to sit directly behind him in case an inspector got on.  Everyone just boards the buses, you do not need to show your ticket, there is no tapping and I am guessing that there would be plenty of locals who ride the transport for free, taking a chance on not seeing an inspector who can demand to see your paper ticket or your electronic ticket on your phone.

A 21 minute bus trip through part of the historic areas, past a number of the embassies and consulates and through (obviously well-to-do) residential areas and eventually into some rural settings, takes us up into one of the ridges and finally to the Vikingskipsene. You can recognise it by all tourist buses parked outside! And yet there are not too many people here.  As we go in, once Donna has divested herself of her backpack and bought our entry tickets at a very reasonable AUD $33 for the two of us, we learn that this morning there were three cruise ship groups in and they had to hold people waiting outside because the museum had reached capacity.

THIS is a museum and a half.  The building is quite austere, painted all white inside.  This allows the pitch-black of the Viking ships to stand out in stark contrast. Each of the three main ships is housed in a wing off the small foyer, entry desk and souvenir shop.
They are mind-blowing!

Obviously restored, these three boats were only discovered in the 20th century. But all were built in the first century AD. The level of detail and care taken with construction and decoration of not only these main vessels, but all the artefacts found buried with them talk of the pride of the Vikings. 

As we learn more about our earliest ancestors, we learn more of the prowess and skill they had. 
No longer can we believe anything that we knew of the barbaric thugs we knew of as children.  These are sophisticated people with complex class structures and a true sense of adventure.  We sit through a really well done visual presentation of Viking history that showed the peoples they had dealt with across the globe as well as highlighting the natural features of their home lands.  I comment to Donna, that I wonder who was that first brave person who thought to build a boat and launch into the treacherous northern waters. I would have had heart attack after heart attack if it were me in one of the slight (looking) boats as it tossed and heaved in the swell depicted.


The Norwegians are obviously proud of their Viking heritage - and rightly so!!

Our wander back in history done, we catch yet another bus where the driver cannot make the change (and yet it appears to be a common event as we were not the only tourists to be caught out). We quiz him on where to buy the tickets and he says online (been there, tried that one unsuccessfully) or many shops such as 7-eleven - yes, the same chain as at home!  (Small world). We make our way down to the very modern Opera House and nearby find the main tourist office and the Olso Sentralstasion and in the harbour close to the Opera House are two enormous cruise ships. 


While there, Donna went in to the tourist office to purchase bus tickets for tomorrow and we see some unique art pieces. The 'trees' are found in the children's play area and the 'foot' sculpture (which looks totally different in side view as the space between the toes and the body of the foot is open) is on the concourse.

Tickets bought, we head turn for the apartment searching as we go for a restaurant and find ourselves at the Cafe Cathedral in front of the Cathedral where we order Baked Salmon - Fresh Norwegian salmon with fennel salad with dill, orange and apple.  Served with potatoes, asparagus and white wine sauce and (the best ever) Fish Soup - Our famous creamy fish soup with shrimps, salmon and vegetables. Served with bread.

Finished with a cheese plate, a pinot grigio and pear cider. Oh what a night, and a meal.

Another day dawns soon and bed beckons.  Chat soon all.

CCC - Culture, Cocktails and Canals

Today dawned wet with the promise of more rain. We left the hotel about 10 and dashed across the Overtoom Street to the Starbucks Cafe and ordered us some brunch. Cappuccinos (huge in a mug) with a tub of fresh fruit salad followed by a shared ham and cheese croissant and a pastrami pretzel.  Nice and fresh while we watched the rain from one storm to the next drip down outside, getting heavier and windier from time to time. Trying to put off the inevitable - going out in to it.

Eventually we set out when it abated a little. We are headed to Europcar to arrange a hire car for the next two days so we can head away from Amsterdam and go to Delft and Gouda. It is only two (long) blocks down, and even though we were wearing jackets, we still managed to get pretty damp. But no problems,car is now booked all ready to just go back in the morning (towing our luggage over uneven cobblestone paving) and collect and go.

We have decided that today we will try to limit the walking a little from yesterday.Could be helped by more careful navigation methinks! The public transport in Amsterdam is actually very good and we take a Number 1 tram towards the Old City to see the Amsterdam Museum. Once aboard the tram, the very helpful conductor at his desk on the tram told us we could go all the way to Dam Square on the No. 1. We thought that we would have to change lines.


So into the Dam stop we go and walk over to the Amsterdam Museum. While not free to enter, the entry price of 15 euro was well worth it. Set in a building that formerly housed a Monastery until 1578 when it became an orphanage. 

The building takes you on a journey through the interesting history and development of Amsterdam when it was one of the leading cities in the discovered world. There are maps that chart the growth of the City as land was gradually reclaimed from the water. One thing that I never knew is the Amsterdam is built on timber piles driven deep into the soil beneath. They range in depth and age. The grand Central Station has 8,657 piers of 11 metre lengths supporting the building. And as we learn later today, the sound of the pile drivers is still a common sound in Amsterdam.  Who knew?!

We see examples of the wealth of some of the citizens and the artistic excellence of others. There are two amazing globes with maps of the know earth and heavens. There is a model of the new Town Hall constructed in 1648 to show the carpenters what was wanted. The actual building was completed in 1655 and became known as the Eighth wonder of the world.  From the  17th century, an exquisite goblet etched with a view of Amsterdam and a falcon shaped spice storage box in carved silver with garnet eyes. Such workmanship was a beauty to behold.

Supposedly a 45 minute self-guided tour, we took a couple of hours to really delve into this fascinating place. The museum caters to all - short and tall, all languages, all interests.  They even had Donna steps to allow shorter people to fully see all the exhibits!

Following our exploration we went down to the Museum Cafe and decided that while lunch was not needed, coupes (ice-creams) were. Donna had Salted Caramel with rum raisins and cream, while I settled for the Malibu with Coconut Ice-cream, toasted coconut and Malibu foam. OMG so good and timely with the heavens opening again.

From here we got back on the tram and went around to the Musuems Quarter, admiring the lovely gardens of the Rijksmuseum before wandering (because my feet are beyond rushing!) to the Bols Museum.  Everyone would love this one, dedicated to the Bols liqueur story.

Again, dating back to the 16th Century, this is a story of ingenuity.
The visit is very interactive and fully customer friendly. The first experience is all about measuring how your surroundings influence taste. You enter a small room (behind Door 1, 2 or 3) that goes dark and then drink from a small bottle you are handed when you pay for your ticket.  Sound and light bombard your senses in a psychedelic experience. The alcohol in your mouth seems to become tarter, then sweeter and then even tangy. So I guess, yes it does. From here you enter the flavours room where there were 35 different bottles to smell from.  Some were easy to pick such as the chocolate, coconut, watermelon, kiwi fruit while others were impossible to tell. And then into the distilling room where the aromatics were on display.

We ended the visit with a visit to the cocktail bar. Neither of us can remember the name of the actual cocktails that we chose from the taste wheel (and conveniently they don't include them on the webpage), but Donna's was strawberry based while mine was citrus and coriander. Both very yummy and moreish. Didn't dare to have more than one as there were about a dozen steep stairs we had to negotiate to get out of the building. Once out the line to go to the Van Gogh Museum as it was now past 5pm. En-route back to the tram we pass the Diamond Museum, Watches Museum and plenty of others. Later today we see the Bag and Purse Museum and the Cat Museum (sorry Gen, it was shut).


Back on the tram to Leidersplein to the Canal Boat wharf.  Another interesting hour seeing Amsterdam from the water.  Gentle back canals to the main boating waterway (called the IJ) where we were just a little alarmed to see two ferries bearing down on us at speed. The stunning canal that you can look down to see seven bridges in a row.

Amsterdam is its waterways in so many ways.  Lots more seen including architecture new and old, but I'll have to share more when I get home. I have seven minutes to finish here and get to bed (i am told!) Dinner very light - cheeses and crackers and a bottle of shared chardy, in our hotel room.

Nite all.  See you again soon.  Off to catch up with Anne Blyth who is flying in from London in the morning. We are meeting her in Delft.

Flights of the imagination - the only ones taken today

Today we had a flight over the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers with views up to Mt Cook booked for Michael (and I was even seriously considering climbing into a small plane) and so we had travelled to Fairlie to the closest accommodation we could get to the the airport at Tepako.  

Rain came in overnight and this morning there was 8/8 cloud cover (I'll explain in my geography sessions back home 😀) and our phone call to the Air Safari's company confirmed just what I thought would be the answer - no flying this morning, there is a slight chance for a flight this afternoon, but as we need to return the car by 3 pm, we decline the offer to wait and see.

So we partially re-trace our steps and head for Christchurch.  But it is not all bad news - as this will give Michael time to 'properly' visit the Air Force Museum of New Zealand on the city outskirts.  I'll let him tell you all about it . . . 

New Zealander's certainly possess the moxy to develop page-turning and interactive museums, and the Air Force Museum of New Zealand is no exception. This museum is an aviation enthusiasts delight.

As with many of the museums which Maria and I have visited, such as the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, this Air Force Museum presents a chronological journey into the history of military aviation of New Zealand but highlights the human element.

One enters the museum via the main foyer (Wigram Hall) where suspended from the ceiling is a 1909 Bleriot XI monoplane, De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth and De Havilland DH.100 Vampire. To the left is the cafe, and a display hall with three presentation aircraft: A25 Airspeed Oxford, AESL Airtourer and Aermacchi MB-399. 

We have breakfast at the cafe 
before the scheduled 11 am free museum tour begins. Maria reneges on the tour.

The tour is conducted by Richard, who is one the many volunteers who power the Museum. An ex-RNZAF and retired Commercial Pilot, Richard imparts his knowledge together with an animated presentation as though he was a little boy showing you his collection of model aircraft. Included in the tour is a visit to the reserve 'hanger' where restorations and general maintenance is carried out on aircraft for eventual display. Some of the aircraft receiving attention include a Bristol Airfreighter, PBY Catalina and V1 "Kirschkern" Flying Bomb.

After the tour it was time to explore this museum. 

As I navigated the museum and its displays, I perceived that an element of humanity has been added. Whether you were looking at an aeroplane, medal group or uniform you were being introduced to the person relative to the exhibit - this is a 'living' foundation. The main exhibition hall displays various aeroplanes and far too many to mention here. I could have spent far more time at the museum, but time was at a premium today. So, should you visit New Zealand ensure that the Air Force Museum of New Zealand is on your list.

Genevieve hit the nail on the head with her comment on Messenger to Michael:

"I can hear your ooo's and ahhh's.  I can hear you muttering to yourself while you soil your pants with excitement and let's not forget the best, Yelling at Mum with outrageous excitement because a PLANE DID SOMETHING!!"

We leave the museum right on 2 pm, make a quick stop at a nearby Discount Outlet Mall to buy another backpack (for the souvenirs) and fill the car with fuel delivering it back to Apex Car Hire at 2:45 pm.  The young attendant gave us a lift into our accommodation at the Ramada Hotel and Suites, needing advice from his co-worker to get him around the many roadworks here as he has recently arrived from Invercargill.

As we book in, we are handed some important paperwork to be completed tonight please - ah yes, New Zealand's National Census is tonight - we have heard it advertised quite a bit over the past two weeks.

Pizza in the unit from a local pizzeria for dinner tonight and I am going to hit the sack now - at 9:10 pm.  Looking forward to a lo-o-ong night's sleep.  I'm knackered after the last two weeks of constant driving!

One last day and a half in Christchurch coming up.  Too bad it is still raining, as it was when we arrived here a fortnight ago.  And to top things off, we flew in on a cyclone and now another is forming out in the Pacific - jeez.