Our adventure at Cinque Terre

Why go to this lovely world heritage site in winter?  Why not? Actually, I would go again, at any time, and stay longer, and swim and walk....
 The dramatic cliff scape, the buildings are perched on top of each other going up the mountains and are such lovely colours - I wonder if they were always so colourful???

There were no ferries at this time of year  for us enjoy the dramatic views of  villages from the ocean, so we travelled by train to Le Spezia, the main port of the area, then changed to a local train. We first visited Monterosso –the furthest away and with a lovely long beach. Oh, the openness,the freedom, the fresh air and the quiet wave shushing after all those days of narrow smoke stinking streets!!  Bliss….   feeling of freedom...... This and another village got flooded out in 2011, apparently due to global warming, however all the locals got together and fixed everything so today, one would never know.    A quick look around the town at street level and on the train to the smaller village of Vernazza to watch a fishing dingy being hoisted up from the waters far below….  Travelling to Europe in Winter, is so cool - there are no crowds or queues.   However an Asian tour group joined us on the train and we wondered why they did not get off at Corniglia.  This was the only town that had a ‘Welcome to our Village’ sign  and a barking welcome dog - and we soon found out why – there was a switchback series of many stairs to the village high in the hills!  Nothing was open, being the time of year, but thankfully there was a bus service to deliver us to the station down below. Corniglia – visited!! We decided to  eat at Manorola, perched on the edge of the cliff and discovered that the Asian Tour group was dining at a very nice looking restaurant in the main street. As we had plenty of time  for the train before travelling to the next village we elected to settle in for a long lunch of local fare  -  a very good decision, we discovered.  At Cinque Terre one is expected to go walking, we knew, so we elected to do the shortest walk from Riomaggore. However a few minutes into the walk we discovered a very padlocked gate and a notice informing us that the walkway was closed due to slips…….

We then decided to walk up what we thought was the main street only to discover that this was a well  off residential area – odd!!  Back to the station to find an interesting wall lined tunnel  of art leading to the busy main street leading upwards……but we have done enough ups!  Now when is the train leaving to Le Spezia?????

Our Bologna Walking Adventure

Move over, expensive bus tours and Ferrari factory tours that charge extortionist rates! Old town Bologna is a city one should walk around!!! There is only 1 main traffic road passing through the centre that I could see from the top of the Torre Asinelli - the tallest remaining tower in the city  - 598 steps up!! Apparently all families of note erected a tower each. Today most have collapsed or have been reduced to about 3 stories high and capped. Nearby is the Food Precinct in the Quatra Latino area - a must to visit!  Delicatessens with hundreds of hanging meats, cheeses and local foods, wine bars, cafes, fish and vegetable shops, restaurants, pizzerias and the crowded Mercate di Mezzo Food Hall – where we lunched – had so many choices of freshly-prepared-in front-of-you foods. Just around the we strolled through the very upmarket Cavore Galleria shopping mall - which included a Ferrari shop, and the ornate Venetian designed Santa Maria Bella Vita church – well worth a peek inside -  wow! very dramatic! 

The Palazzo d'Accursio museum across from the Basilica of San Petronio in the Piazza Maggiore we enjoyed, for as well as the significant art works and sculptures, the rooms have been restored and have amazing frescoes painted in the 1500’s by Prospero Fontana. Especially amusing was the room at the  far end – which was done up as a leafy conservatory – where one could imagine that a barbie or picnic, Italian style, would have been held. 

Kilkenny, Castle, National Craft Gallery and Pub, Kilkenny Ireland

Kilkenny, Ireland is a very tidy traditional town, overseen by the large historical Kilkenny Castle, a U shaped series of buildings, surrounding one end of Green Park land stretching ‘into the future’ it seemed. Across the road in the Kilkenny castle yard, originally the buildings of the stables and coach houses of Kilkenny Castle, is National Craft Gallery, opened on 2000. All the buildings, beautifully restored, feature static and working exhibitions of modern and traditional Irish Art and Craft. The National Craft Gallery is a beautiful area to stroll around, indulge in shopping and appreciate the creativity of Irelands best crafts people.

As one tends to do towards as the end of a busy shopping and touring day, we all visited in interesting looking Irish pub, The Left Bank, situated in the former Bank of Ireland Building. As with several pubs we visited in Ireland, the 4 floors inside the pub as well as outside area, were stunningly and eclectically decorated and we spent much time admiring the different areas of the pub.

Kilkenny, even though we only had a glimpse of the historical houses and buildings looked a very interesting town, ideal for visitors to spend more time there and indulge in a local Irish adventure.

How to get lost on a cruise ship

For someone who goes boating on a cruise ship for the first time it is very easy to get lost. Because the main foyer or the restaurants may be several floors high one often cannot travel from one end of the boat to another on the same floor or corridor. And do not think that to ask a crew person the directions! On the 4th floor, you will be told, but you will not be informed that you must go up an additional level, around a corner then down again. And do not ask another crew person either! Oh that person was new and did not know, you will be told. Oh well, after all that stress of getting lost I think I will retire to the warm spa and solarium...... Now, purchasing that Spa package and relaxing from the crowds of passengers is more my cup of green tea...... Just a minute, are there not 6 pubs, cocktails of the day,lots of wine,dancing,shopping and art to be enjoyed? Must get travelling around this cruise ship, there is so much to discover! Now where is the library? Ah, found it on the last day of our trip when we had to queue to pick up our passports!

Our Venice Adventure and how to follow directions

Everytime we travel to Venice we enjoy a different adventure and this was no different. This was to be q short stay an overnight one before we boarded the Costa Serena for our cruise ship adventure.

By chqnce we heard that the last day of the Famous Biennalle Exhibition was on. Artists from eighty coutries including two from New Zealand were exhibiting so we went along to have a quick look. As everyone knows we all have different ideas about what modern art is and all I can say is that there was so,ething for everyone there. Take a look at my pics and you will see what I mean. Having enjoyed the exhibits at the main venue we set off to find the New Zealand Artists located at other venues in Venice. However we had forgotten than Venicians cannot or do not give precise directions. The best you might get from them is an area or locality. A main street might be a narrow alleyway; and left at the bridge might mean three bridges down the next canal. Needless to say after battling hundreds of locals and tourists Sunday walking we ran out of time to find them. Oh and did I mention it took an hour to find the locql Jazz Club which was five minutes away..... And speaking of getting lost more about that in the cruise ship item

Visiting Kensington, London - a dreamer's paradise

Kensington, is a very pleasant and convenient place to stay when visiting London. In the immediate area is the Museum of Natuaral History, the Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Kensington gardens and the Underground station, all easy to walk to. There are plenty of breakfast cafes and restaurants a few pubs and a hotel or three.

But what I like best about Kensington, is the shopping. Not the fashion shops like Prada and Gucci and department stores as in other parts of London, but the shops that to make a purchase one must make an appointment.

Kensington is paradise for dreamers!

What bliss it is to gaze in the windows and view the vehicles such as Mozzerati, Ferrari and Lambourgini! The lines, the colours, the detail... sighhhhhh. And for your young ones, there is the Lambourgini pedal car, which at £299, is guaranteed to have zero emmisions...

After leaving a nose print and steamy circle on the window of each shop, it is now time for visiting the exhibition at Christies. Who needs to visit an art gallery when one can inspect the art at Christies, and entertain the thought that it could be ours to own? Ah, dreams! The movie posters and memorablia! Just the thing for movie fans and dreamers! Also on display was a stunning eclectic collection of leadlight lamps due for an upcoming auction. And then there are the furniture and rare book collections it inspect - they all could be ours to own!

Yes, Kensington is a paradise for dreamers. But wait, there is more at Kensington - see the next blog....

About Newport Rhode Island

Having travelled by bus to Newport Rhode Island, we arrived on a hot Sunday afternoon, into a end-of-summer resort! Lots of shops, and tanned people strolling around. After lunching we walked, lugging our cases - on wheels, of course, down streets of 2 - 3 storied wooden houses with steeply pitched roofs and window boxes, to our home for the next 7 days. Many of the houses had plaques on them stating their age which was around 200 - 250 years old and the people who lived there - pewterers, silversmiths, etc. Ours was built in around 1750 and was occupied by a famous cabinet maker, John Goddard and his son Thomas. The house was moved to its current site from one nearer the water, because someone wanted the land, but not the building. The current owners refurbished the 3 storied house - 3 bedrooms, a huge attic room - ideal for grandchildren and for a crew of yachties, and numerous bathrooms. They often let the house out to visitors and would holiday on their boat. It was ideal for boating people like us - much better than a hotel!

Newport, as the name suggests was a port town situated at the beginning of Rhode Island Sound. It ends well inland at Providence, the area's current port. The sound is not as we New Zealanders are used to - high mountains, deep water, but instead, low bush and tree covered hills and about 30 islands amnd peninsulas. Apparently the land, like that in Sweden, Finland and around the Baltic Sea, is very slowly rising as it no longer bears the weight of glaciers.

At the beginning of the sound is Fort Adams - one of two ports built to keep the British out. However the British laid seige and stayed out to sea, so there was no battle and subsquently not a shot has been fired from the fort. This area is steeped in history, much of which had a profound effect on the direction of the United States which, of course, can be found out in great detail, on Google!!

So here is a very very brief outline about Newport Rhode Island in no particular order;
- People came to this area to escape religious persecution
- The rich came here to spend their summers - resulting in the erection of many huge beautiful and opulent palace like mansions - many of which can be visited today.
- There was a huge Sanitorium here - started by somebody who used electricity to cure everthing then discovered that there was more money and less responsibility in making the place into a 'health retreat' to which people came and did not want to leave
- The houses are very quaint and disctinctive
- The Navy's main base was here for many years - as it has moved its base elsehwere most of its many buildings are now Naval Colleges
- The area is quaint and beautiful and very cultural - art, crafts, music
- the (only) Main Street has heaps of pubs, cafes and touristy resort shops
- Around the waters edge are hundreds of holiday apartment blocks built around 20 - 30 for the huge summer population - part or a revival plan for the area after the Navy and America's Cup trophy relocated
- There are hundreds and hundreds of boats here - all of which have to be taken out of the water for the winter
- The loss of the America's Cup had a huge impact on the ecomony as well as the New York Yacht Club which owns a mansion donated to it by a former Commodore.

All in all Newport Rhode Island is a beautiful area - very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Apparently when the water froze over around 150 years ago, a large home was built on a very small rocky island as the materials could be brought out over the snow and ice by sled. Then one winter there was a severe blizzard lasting for several days. After it abated, the lady of the house departed to the mainland and swore never to go back again... Today the house has that rather neglected air about it.

Now I will sign off this item and write something about the sailing.....

New York - a Glimpse of a Glimpse...

We have been in New York for 4 days and 5 nights and that is pretty much all that I can say - a Glimpse of a Glimpse! We took 2 bus tours - one uptown and the other downtown but the traffic is so dense at times that the trips are exceedingly long! At least the tour guides are entertaining.

So we have done - the MeT Museum - loved the Afghanastan exhibition - they were part of the Silk Road route and had a blend iof intereting artefacts etc, and a huge quantity or works from the European artists. Saw 2 floors of the Guggenheim centre - but the most intersting place was the Frick Museum - a home of carefully selected items At some stage I will add more about this.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) had a most comprehensive exhibiton of art works from James Ensdor (pardon spelling but it is nearly 1am) - his satire, paintings, sketches and themes were quite something. We have done the State Empire Building the statue of liberty, visited Harlem, Soho, China town, Greenwich town, Tribeca - the list goes on... but they were all just glimpses.

Especially as when we visited these museums it had been raining and I am sure that all of New York travellers from overseas followed us!

Tonight we did a show - West Side Story - a slightly modernised version but beautifully and tastefully done.

We have been so busy that I have done very little shopping, but the shops do stay open late! But not til after 1am, I am sure....

Our glimpse of Art and Culture has just whetted our appetite for more - New York, we will certainly travel to you again!!

A glimpse of Washington

We travelled from New York to Washington by rail - comfortable,you don't have to sit for hours - well - three, and best of all, we arrive at Washington's beautiful Union Station!

When it opened in 1907, it was the largest Railway station in the world. And so beautifully constructed that it looks like an upmarket Shopping Centre.

Washington, the city area around the White House, is spacious - wide streets and footpaths. All the commercial buildings are around the same height, and mostly plain and square, with a few exceptions - mainly some older buidings. Monuments are everywhere - statues, buildings, plaques but the streets are not named after people - they are numbered!! And Washingtonian designers seemed to like pillars, - many of the government buildings feature these. More about these when I get my pics up.

Our most favoured place we visited during our brief visit was the Smithsonian Museum of Air and Space - everything you could imagine about those topics were featured - including moonstone which you could touch, rockets, and some stunning art by Alan Bean - one of the first Astronauts on the moon.

We then visited the Museum of Natural History. You may recall the "Night at the Museum" movies - you can actually spend evenings there but I do not know if the animals come alive. I kept looking over my shoulder waiting for Robin Williams to appear on his horse...

One of the most recent museums to open in Washington was the National Museum of the American Indian. Housed in a beautiful purpose built building the museum tells of the struggles and survival of the Indian peoples - very touching, forthright and forgiving. The whole place is a work of art.

Like many cities, Washington pulled down many old buildings until their history and heritage was realized. The Old Post Office, thanks to a very outspoken Lady called Nancy Hanks rallied around and saved it. Today it is a well maintained and dramatic multipurpose building, and visitors may ascend to the clock tower and have a view of the city - which is not a view to die for - but the building is worth the visit!!

So after the necessary tours around the Capitol, Lincoln and Korean Monuments the Reflecting Pool and the War Memorials it was time to travel back by rail to NewYork

Winter snapshot of Madrid, Spain

Flying is such a great way to travel! One usually has a glimpse of the land of one's destination and flying over the Spanish countryside, over the 'swirly' mountain ranges, which looked as if they had been 'combed' in white snow, we reached the different shades of brown flattish countryside around Madrid. That's interesting, I thought, no snow! A few days ago I had received an email from a Swedish relative wondering if we had encountered a blanket of snow in Madrid. From the air the city did not look as if it had suffered from any snow at all. It was not until we taxied into the airport that we noticed that there were quite a few large clumps of snow on either side of the runway.

Madrid Barajas International Airport is huge. Situated about 13 kilometers from Madrid, it is a central hub for travellers, including to South and Central America, and Cuba. In 2006 a new extension was added to the airport, doubling its capacity. The terminal we arrived in and travelled to Cuba from, was light, airy, spacious and clean, and pleasantly free of travelling crowds. It even had a few sculptures here and there - some of which are in the slideshow. Our first glimpse of Madrid while travelling in from the Madrid Barajas International Airport, was a city of low buildings, apart from 4 skyscrapers on the horizon. Apparently these buildings, all individually architecturally designed, are part of Madrid's new business centre in the north of the city. Soon they will be joined by Spain's biggest, and brand new convention centre which will be shaped like the rising sun, reflecting Madrid's growth.

It was most pleasant to stroll around Madrid's City Centre, enjoying the large silvery fountains and feeling of light airy space. The temperature was a cool but dry 6 degrees and we were able to shed more layers of winter clothng. The city is around 100 years old, so the buildings are not too tall, plain with decorative features near the tops (sorry don't know the style) and the footpaths and boulevards wide. Madrid citizens are great walkers, and indeed the later in the day it became, the bigger the crowds grew in the shopping streets. However the wide boulevards in the middle of other wide streets were not too crowded as to make walking a mission, as it was not quite warm enough to sit outside in the cafes.

Yes, I know we said that we had had enough of museums!!! But we could not resist a peek at the Titanic exhibition which, even though most of us know the story inside out, was well worth the visit. As a result I and Daughter-in-Law each now own a necklace featuring a piece of coal off the Titanic!! And yes, we had a look through the Royal Palace, with it's luxurious velvet hangings and drapes, and inspected the huge and most impressive Armoury. Not only that, we just had to visit the Museo Nacionale de Prado. We spent about 3 hours in this world renowned National Museum, which, in its programme, had noted all the 'must see' art works and sculptures in its huge collection, which was very useful. Works by Spaniards Goya, Greco, Rembrandt, Rubens and Gainsborough have been beautifully restored and displayed in large spaces. Ideal for viewing, especially as it was winter and not the tourist season so we could see everything at our leisure. When we left the Museo Nacional late in the day we noticed a very long queue of people outside the entrance. We found out that the museum offers free entry on Sundays at 5pm and one weeknight free of charge, to residents who are unable to pay the entrance fee.

But the most interesting and eyecatching exhibition was an outdoor public event, the Cow Parade! They have done quite a bit of travelling since their visit to Auckland, New Zealand, a couple of years ago. These fibreglass, lifesized cows travel the world and are painted by artists in the various locations. At the end of each exhibition the cows are auctioned off for charity. After their Madrid sojourn they will be on display in Hong Kong.

Now, after 6 weeks of travelling to Europe in winter I am hankering for some sunshine and warmth. Thank goodness we are travelling to Cuba tonight......

The best thing about visiting Museums in Winter part one

You may have noticed that we have been writing a lot about shopping in winter, which s a great thing to do as the winter sales are on, and also that they are warm, as are the streets outside, as compared to open spaces. But we have been visiting museums as well! Not only because they are warm, but is it seems to be what one does when visiting the northern part of the world from New Zealand.

After our St Petersburg visit, we did feel a little museumed out,but upon reflection, each museum had its own uniqueness, and even though one may not be interested in museums as such, they are certainly well worth a visit when passing by.

For example, walking to the St Petersburg War Memorial on a snowy blizzardy day gave us a vivid dramatic experience on what it was like for Russian soldiers during the wars.

The Grandeur of Catherine the Greats Summer Palace, situated just ourside St Petersburg, which displayed the golden and now completed replica of the Amber Room, the opulent decor and table settings, wall hangings and other items, even though the gardens were snow covered, showed us the luxuries of the royalty. And the Pushkin Palace next door was a more down to earth, homely contrast of how royalty used to live.

The Hermitage, with its 2 million plus exhibits had many interesting displays.We saw only a few of the most significant, thanks to our guide. Catherine the great, thanks to her art advisors collected a huge number of arts from all over Europe and further afield. There was room after room of original artworks by many famous artists over the centuries including several halls of works by the french impressionalists. The Crouching Boy Sculputure by Michaalango is beautiful. Treausures, artefacts, tapestries.... all housed in a beautiful building in which each room is being restored to its original condition. Going outside into the bleak snowy square where the infamous Bloody Sunday incident happened all those years ago, it is hard to imagine that only a few weeks ago, a concert was performed by Elton John!!

A notable contrast to the European Art at L'Hermitage was the Museum of Russian Art. Here we saw many works which were more 'down to earth' than those of teh European Artists. The most interesting exhibition there was one of the 'Old believers' - Artists that kept alive styles of art of 'traditional Christianity,' a movement which for many years was kept underground. Artists seldom signed their work. The artworks and other treasures on display here, seemed to me, to represent the 'real' Russia. As in other palaces, all the rooms were being restored to thier original luxurious condition.

Not far away was the Church of Spilled Blood. It was decided by, I am not sure whom now, that a memorial be erected on the spot where a king was slain. This huge St Petersburg monument was constructed at the beginning og the 20th century, to be used once a year. In the 1930's becuase of the politics of the time it was shut down and used as a warerhouse. Recently after 15 years of refurbishment back to its stunning original condition The Church of Spilled Blood was opened to the public and today is on the must see list for visitors to St Petersberg.

Winter is definately the best time to visit museums in Russia

On to the Museums of London. We found out, in the Time Magazine, about the Bhuzantine Exhibition at the Royal Academy, and booked in. Very worthwhile - representing all facets of art from everywhere even on loan from museums we had previously visited. It was interesting to note that there was not contraversial subject displayed - I suppose this is meant to be a family exhibition - whereas I would suspect that some people might be shocked at seeing certain subject matter at other European and St Petersburg Museums.

No, we did not, but should have, visited the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, as well as the Charles Darwin London Commerative one, and maybe, or maybe not, Madam Toussards, but we did not. Our main purpose in London was to spend time with family and friends.

Oh, and the best reason for visiting museums in winter?? Part 2 to come....